Happy Birthday SCT!

Thank you for celebrating SCT's 5th birthday with us! You may have just arrived here from Summer’s blog, midway through the birthday hop.  If not, head to the Scrapbook and Cards blog for a list of designers celebrating this special milestone with SCT. 
SCT is giving away a lot of fun stuff this week.  Be sure to check out all the fun prizes up for grabs.

Today, I'd like to share a birthday card I made in honor of SCT's birthday.  I created this card using the Singin' in the Rain kit from Studio Calico that just debuted last night!  (The blue trims were from the MME Stella and Rose ribbons in the Mossy Knoll add-on from the Into the Woods kit). 

I was inspired by one of the Bonus Sketches in the special CardMaps issue using a bingo card for this birthday card.  I didn't have any in my stash but I liked the general grid pattern of the squares so recreated that idea using trims. 

Now head over to Lisa's blog and enjoy the rest of the celebration. Happy birthday, SCT!

P.S.  If you are interested in winning the new CardMaps issue full of wonderful card sketches and inspiration, just leave a comment on this post. 

Since this is an SCT post, I hope you have checked out the Spring issue.  It's available now!  I really enjoyed my assignments this month. 

Have a great day!  Today is SCT's birthday, but in two days, my sweet baby will be a five year old.  Oh my!  I am not ready yet.

Davinie

P.S.  PSSSSSt.  This is the last day to submit a layout for the Project 12 challenge for February in March.  FYI!  :)  More info on my sidebar or the Project 12 page link up top.

Singin' in the Rain - Studio Calico's April kit

Hey!  Studio Calico's April kit is live and I don't know what you should do first, go for add-ons, or go for Shop items.  Shop items weren't added to the shop at 12pm today, so everything will be up for grabs at midnight. 

I know there are a few coveted stamps that are going to disappear in minutes, so if you want the honeycomb or the lightbulb, or the background stamp, you'd better run to the stamp section.

I did see that some of the Zing has been added.  We didn't have the watermark stamp pad in the shop last month, a must have, so if you've jumped on the zing wagon, you might get that.  I'm a big fan of using the Clear Opaque too because you'll be adding texture and dimension without adding a lot of color.  I like that idea a lot. 

ETA:  HELLO!  The Sew Easy tool is back in the shop, in the supplies section.  Woot!
If you can't do an add-on this month but would still like a few extra embellies, my suggestion from the shop would be the Stella and Rose brad pack from MME.  There are a lot of different choices there which will make for fun extras on your pages. 

The Crate trims will be a great addition too.  Crate Paper is all over the kit this month and that makes me haaaaappy. 

Now on to my layouts:

I got #2, Make 'Em Laugh, and #3, Moses Supposes this month. 

That Bella Blvd paper from add-on 2, Make 'Em Laugh spoke to me right away.  It had a subtle purple tone to the gray, and I had some photos I had just taken of Miss Payton Jayne in her new ballet ensemble, so that paper combined with the chipboard "snapshot" from the same add-on, made my first layout come together really easily.  It's a two pager, and really was all about the photos. 

It didn't take much to embellish it.  I am really liking the look of cardstock mixed with patterned paper as the base for a two pager, so I had a good base to work with when it came to embellishing. 

My mom sent Payton some new ballet clothes in her favorite color, so I wanted to get a couple of photos to send with her thank you.  I got in before class and her teacher had her do some poses for me.  Super cute! 

I wanted to add some pink, so used the Crate paper on the left side of the layout, but carried it to the right by adding a punched circle to my flower.  The flower was made with the canvas shapes from BG and some punched circles from other patterned papers.  The leaves are Cosmo.  All of this is in add-on 3, Moses Supposes. 

P.S.  the Pebbles brads are fabulous.  I used most of them and wish they had been added to the shop so I could have picked up a second package.

This next layout was definitely inspired by the green print in the main kit.  I love the A side, but that green perfectly matched my fleece jacket that I was wearing at the beach when my sister took some fun family photos.  I had to use it.

This layout used a lot of product from the main kit.  I liked the subtle cloud print on the exclusive Cosmo Cricket paper, and the green polkadot was a good tone to use.  I made an accordion flower and I have to say....  I wanted a gluber.  I could have used a couple of glubers.  I can honestly say I had previously thought I'd never need a gluber, but alas, either a gluber, or a third arm, was definitely needed while creating thsoe flowers. 

The flowers were definitely inspired by the paper as well.  Don't those garlands look like accordion flowers in half?  I thought so. 

I really, REALLY love that peach Pink Paislee print with the music notes.  I was tempted to hoard it but am really trying to actually use the stuff I really love, because otherwise.....  what's the point?  That print is also in the main so if you can pick up the More Paper add-on, I would run to that section of the shop.  I know I need some.  I punched circles in it.  :)

I loved the Pink Paislee ephemera pack from #3 and added a few pieces to this layout as well.  There are a TON of ideas in that little pack.  It is well worth the purchase. 

My last layout used a bit of mist and a bit of journaling.  I love these photos of Morgan in some dress up clothes, but while she's a lover, she actually isn't in her room playing dress up all day.  So while the title is called dress up, the AC tag and the journaling are about everyday moments in general, and not just about dress up.

I used white and Bonny Blue mist on this one.  I just got back from CKC Portland, and we completely sold out of white mist.  The masses have been inspired.  White is definitely my favorite!

I created a card with the kit too, but can't share it until tomorrow.  I hope you will check back!  I have a little giveaway and it's all part of a fun blog hop with chances for a lot of fun birthday prizes.  :)

Have a great night!  Davinie

... and the Sketchbook winner is......

Olivia said...

Hope to take part in sketchbook 3. Got some free time coming up when my university course breaks for the holidays, so a placein this class would be great :)
3:56 PM

 
Congratulations Olivia!  It looks like this class will work out perfectly for you!
 
Off to pack for CKC........ 
 
Have a great night!
Davinie

Got Sketchbook 3?

I was extremely honored and excited when Kelly contacted me to participate in her next round of Sketchbook classes.  I had a lot of fun with my contribution last time and knew her sketches would inspire me to play along again. 

Kelly was generous enough to offer a free spot in this class for me to giveaway too.  If you have already paid, you can still win.  Either your money will be refunded or you can gift the class to a friend.  Here's a little more about the class:

Join Kelly Purkey and friends for Sketchbook 3! This is a self-paced four week class filled with fresh sketches, easy instructions, beautiful examples, and lots of fun. From April 4th to April 29th a PDF will be delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. By the end of the class, you'll have a complete sketchbook of 12 original sketches, 38 layouts, and an additional 38 sketches based on those creative pages. All of the examples are brand new layouts, exclusive to this class... you won't see them anywhere else. The best part is that you will be receiving an example layout from Kelly for each of the sketches, along with two (or more) example layouts from a very talented contributor. Each PDF for Sketchbook 3 will also include a card designed by the amazing Jennifer McGuire based on the daily sketch.The class will also include a private message board for questions and sharing ideas on the Studio Calico website. Visit Kelly's blog  for more information and to see the full list of contributors.

I checked out the contributor list and was BLOWN.  AWAY.  It is so humbling to be included in such talented company.  I can't wait to see who is working with the same sketch as I am!  This should be fun!

I'm also really excited to see cards included too.  What a wealth of inspiration!

If you'd like a chance to take this class, simply leave a comment on this post and let me know if this will be your first time participating in a Sketchbook class.  I'll leave the comments open until Wednesday 12pm PST and announce the winner shortly thereafter. 

Be sure to check out the other ladies' too.  There may be more chances to win.

Have a great day!  Davinie

Weekend Recap and some Studio Calico sneaks

Last week was filled with the flu here, the flu there, and topped with some hacking coughs, but as the weekend reached our house, we appear to be on the mend.  Luckily, Mama never got any of it.  I am SOOO happy about that.  Having the flu is the worst.  Especially since we are officially on Spring Break now.

Next weekend I will be taking the girls to Portland with me.  They'll do the zoo, etc., while I'm teaching and working the Studio Calico booth at CKC Portland.  Will you be in the area?  I've checked out the class lists and the CKC's are consistently improving with better and better classes.  I'll be teaching a 2 page layout using misting techniques.  The general design and technique ideas for this layout were mine so I'm excited to teach this particular class.

Pre-registration is now closed but you can get the schedule and info about this event here. 

As I mentioned, while there my kiddos will get to go to the zoo.  Because it's Spring Break of course I want them to have fun, but a little project Morgan was working on tonight inspired me to try and make this an educational experience too.  She was making an alphabet book and drawing photos of different zoo animals.  I'm hoping to maybe send the girls with little pens and notebooks to draw pictures while there, or take "notes" on things while there, or maybe send them to the park with some questions to answer later, like "what was your favorite animal" or "did you see the baby elephant", things like that.  I might actually take something from the homeschool curriculum conveniently located on the Zoo website and go from there.  They will be going mostly for fun, but it never hurts to stretch your brain a bit while you are at it. 

One night next weekend we are headed to Chuck E Cheese.  Ugh.  Help me.  My mom actually lives just down the street from one and the girls always want to go when we are in town.  Actually, last year at this same time we tried to go, but the line was too long so we went somewhere else.  The kids have never let us forget it.  So, with Payton's 5th birthday next week, I figured I could suffer through it.  (I can't believe my baby will be five....  but that's a whine for another day).  I did find some coupons on the Chuck E Cheese website, so pizza's and tokens for all that "fun" won't cost as much as it could.  That's good.  I'm sure Payton will be thrilled.  And i'll live.  :)  I'm just glad we don't have one in Central Oregon.  heee.

Speaking of the girls, I just learned about a cool website that sends out daily deals for kids clothes.  It's called Zulily.  Maybe I have been living under a rock, but either way, it was new to me, and the other day the daily email prompted me to buy a couple of super cute spring dresses for my girls for $15.99 each.  Not too shabby!  I got these two:

I got the pink one for Morgan.

And hopefully the purple-ish bow sways Payton to love this one, because I do!  :)  It's never warm enough in these parts for Easter dresses + Easter egg hunts, but they need some new dresses, so with this great deal, I got them a couple anyway.  They can wear jeans underneath.  ;)

Anyway, check out Zulily and sign up for daily deals here.  You get a daily email that shows a few different manufacturers of kids clothes, accessories, even mama clothes too, and if you see something you like you click through and can view the products available from that brand.  Apparently things go fast, though, and the emails are sent out at 6am EST (but don't fear.  I bought these two dresses at 2pm PST and got the sizes I wanted).

These days I've got a lot of things on my mind and my plate, with Girl Scouts, Preschool registration (I only have a few months left as Registrar.  Woot!), PTC events, WORK, trying to WORK OUT, that I've been preoccupied and out of sorts.  I feel like I've been that way since January.  I'm hoping that taking a few things off my plate will help restore order and a bit of sanity, but until then.....  Studio Calico April sneaks are in order.  ha!  I could never give up crafting! 

I bought two add-ons this month, Make 'em Laugh (#2), and Moses Supposes (#3).  I just recently had to purchase more Ziploc 2.5 gallon bags to house kits as I am having a hard time parting with my stash, so 2 add-ons is my max lately, although I love it all.

The papers from this first sneak were from the main and I should have gotten more.  I really liked the peach and how the green pulled from those music notes.  I had a hard time cutting into that one (but I had to.  It matched my fleece!  :)  ). 

This one has some precious photos of my baby girl.  It's a 2pager too.

I have more projects to share but wanted to get some sneaks about before the deadline this month, an amazing feat these days.

I hope you have a wonderful day!  Working on your Project 12 layout?  You have about a week left.  :)

Davinie

P.S.  Happy Birthday to my hubby.  We are finally back to the same age.  Those few weeks between February and March are pure torture for me.  Payton keeps asking how I can possibly be older if he's taller than me.  She also marvels that we were in our mama's belly's at the same. time.  Steve, I hope 2011 brings you nothing but happiness, because when you are happy, I am happy, and when I am happy, you are happy.  LOVE YOU BABE.

Sketched: Studio Calico love - Crazy Sock Day

Hallelujah!  Girl Scout cookie selling season is over!  Just had to get. that. out.
Good Monday morning to you! 
I have a lovely Studio Calico layout to share made with the State Fair line.  I was going to give instructions on how to recreate it, but then I got carried away in Photoshop and decided to create a sketch as well.  It's been a while since I shared a sketch and as I planned to do more anyway, I figured now was the time!  :)

I've learned some things since the last time I shared a sketch, so I hope you like it.  First, however, the layout:

I used the State Fair line for this one.  Morgan loves the themed days at school and really gets into her outfits.  For Crazy Sock Day she wore two different knee socks, we cut the ends off a pair of my old valentine socks, and she had socks tied in her hair.

Please note:  I have a 50mm fixed lens for my camera, which works in the often low light situations in my home.  That said, I have a hard time getting a full bod in the photo.  Her shoes are cut off on these photos.  Bummer, but you get the idea.

This is also why my next lens shall be the Canon 28mm 1.8 lens.  I have a little envelope where I stash cash here and there, saving up. 

After I get that lens, I think my next splurge will be a fun Epiphanie camera bag.  Right now I have my eye on Miss Lola, but who knows what they'll come out with by the time I have my kitty stash replenshed.  ha!

Anyway, back to the layout:

I used the State Fair line to create this layout.  This isn't quite available at Studio Calico yet, but you can pick it up at some of my favorite online stores, like 2peas and AmillionLittleThings  if you don't have access to a local scrapbook store that carries it.

The base paper is the Sideshow print.  I used both the A and B sides of this fun print.

Next was red cardstock trimmed with a scallop punch, layered with fabrips.  To ensure a fabrip is straight I usually trim it with my rotary trimmer, but afterwards I take a needle and pull at the edges a bit to fray it. 

Because it was a day of the week type of theme, I thought it would be fun to use the day of the week rubons.  I adhered them to a bit of the Pie Contest print and layered that over the fabrip.

For the title, I used some fun AC alphas from the Campy Trails line (Campy Trails, which plays very nicely with both Countryside and State Fair, by the way).  I also added some Elementary alphas (did you forget about those???  2peas/Studio Calico) and that was that.

I used a 2 inch circle punch on the Pie Contest print to fill in some of the spaces for fun, and at the bottom, added a label sticker and a button for some detail. 

There you have it!  And how about that sketch:

I'd love to know if you like the sketch and if you ended up using it, so if you do, please link me up so I can check you out. 

I think that's it for now!  I hope you have a wonderful day!  Davinie

Sunday Random (or Five on Friday, as that's how long it took me to write this post)

What's up?  Where has Davinie gone?
Pre-Registration for Preschool next fall (I'm the Registrar and my time isn't up until Payton "graduates" from preschool in June).

Work.  I work part time.  In health insurance.  As much as I'd love to blog and pin and craft all day, it just isn't in the current cards.

Assignments.  Holy toledo.  I've actually been crafting more than you've seen.  I've just been unable to share it at this time.  I am truly grateful for every request I've received lately, though.  I just need extra hands and more hours in the day.  Anyone willing to share?  Donate?

Girl Scouts.  In case you live under a rock (or are outside the US), this is the time to buy cookies.  My little Daisy has kept me quite busy.  Yes, I've been that mom sitting at the table outside the grocery story, toothless blond cutie in tow, selling cookies.  Buy some from a Girl Scout.  The money goes back to the troop and allows girls to do a lot of great things.  One things on our agenda is to spend the night at the Zoo.  I hope that one pans out because I WANT TO GO.  :)


With that, here's some Friday random.
1.  This winter I was asked my Fancy Pants Designs to be their first Guest Blogger.  Of course I said yes.  Fancy Pants was one of my original loves in the scrapbook industry.  I was also quite anxious to get my hands on some of their CHAW11 release.  Now. 
I was sent the "It's the Little Things" line, with all it's fun embellies and fresh, new color palette, as well as their new Brag Book.
You can check out my projects here.
A note on the Brag Books:

 




















There's a lot of hype regarding the upcoming Smash Books from EK Success.  I was at CHA.  I handled them.  I am one of those people who thinks you need at least 2, with all the embellies.  ;)  But I also adore the Brag Books from Fancy Pants.

The Smash books are more "alternative".  They are a fun place to jot thoughts or inspiration.  But I wouldn't necessarily use them to document the lives of my little girls the way I plan to do with my Brag Book (and I'm REALLY excited for Payton's birthday so I can get started on hers). 

What I'm saying is that you need both for different reasons.
As for the Smash Books, the word is they are shipping in April and as mentioned before, Studio Calico bought just about everything for the shop (and maybe upcoming kits).  I hear you'll need to be fast though.  It is so hard to determine popularity, and while I know the quantities purchased at CHA seemed to be great at the time, the hype from this books has me wondering how fast things will sell out. 

2.  The calls have been posted for the summer issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today.  If you'd like a chance to have your work posted in this high quality, inspiring magazine, check them out here.  I've mentioned this before, but working with Catherine and the team at SCT has been a dream, so if you haven't worked with them before (and even if you have), take a chance and submit to this call.  It looks like the deadline is April 5. 


3.  Have you seen the latest catalog for Pier 1 Imports?  I think I dog eared every page.  As I've mentioned, we are busy renovating, and I'm now tackling the kitchen/dining/living room area.  I decided to paint some walls in my kitchen blue and just about everything in this catalog compliments that idea.  We are hoping to bust some walls down and create a big kitchen island, so my living room, dining area, and kitchen all need to work together.  I am sooo inspired.

4.  Speaking of renovation and inspiration, I recently subscribed to Country Living.  I wanted to find inspiration for decor with antiques, etc., as well as ideas for our home and changes that we need to make.  Imagine my delight when my first issue arrived on my doorstep, and I didn't have to look past the bonus cover to confirm that the subscription was totally worth it.  Say hello to my future mud room:

I am a huge fan of an apron sink, so loved this right away. The fact that I could tuck this unit into the exact same spot in my single car garage turned mud room is like the skies parting and the sun coming out.  I adore everything about this.  We will need plumbing for a sink, but had plans to get that done anyway (because for pete's sake, a mud room, especially a huge one like ours, NEEDS a sink).  I am so excited to actually visualize something that will actually work in my home.  It's so pretty! 

This will go adjacent to that bench that my mother has actually volunteered to make for me.  How cool is she!  I'm so excited, because it finally feels like I have a direction with regards to my crooked house.  ::sigh::  I am so glad I finally took the plunge on that magazine and am now wanting to check out back issues for other things I may have missed.  It has craft projects in it too!  The girls and I are going to be busy with eggs and nests soon.

5.  Speaking of eggs, for number 5, I wanted to share one more thing we are up to, because my list isn't long enough? 

Meet Crystal, Zena, Sunshine, and the almost elusive Ringpop.  They will soon be joining Betty and Flowerbelle in the coop outside. 

Please let them all be girls.  Please.

Urban chicken farming is becoming more and more popular, and while this early stage is just gross because they are, well, dirty birds, farm fresh, organic, free range, natural eggs are very appealing.  It is also TONS of fun for the kiddos.  I'll probably start popping in to report on the chickadees and their antics, should you be interested.  I actually have several stories from our first set that I need to share too.  Holy fowl.  They certainly keep us entertained.

Since I'm turning into a Martha and have plans to make use of our great big garden, we'll be getting cows after Easter for butchering this fall, and now I have eggs, it looks like all I need to do is perfect the art of making cheese and we may never need to leave the house.  My car is a gas guzzler anyway, and since we live a couple miles from everything and I get probably 12 mpg in town, it's too expensive to go anywhere anyway, lol.

Have a great weekend!  Davinie

Project 12 February in March

I am so lucky to have you!  Here we are in the beginning of March (and we are going to pretend there were a few more days in February so this post actually happened on March 1, as it should).  I can't believe my girls have Spring Break in a few short weeks.  It doesn't seem like it should be time for that yet.
It's the beginning of March but we just finished documenting our lives in January and are ready to talk February.  You can check out my layout for January here.  And as a reminder, here is that January sketch:

As always, I wanted to give a shoutout to a few submissions on my blog that caught my eye this month.

ChristyR added a few more photos, and I love her use of patterns and embellishments this month.  You don't even have to read the journaling to know she had a busy January.  I want to go to Paris!

Marci is actually a sweet friend of mine, and I wanted to share her layout for two reasons. One.....  I actually know someone locally who scrapbooks!  This may seem odd to you, but I often feel like I'm the only person in Central Oregon who does it (that might be why all the scrapbook stores closed?????).  So I wanted to give her a big shoutout.  The second reason is because I really like the distressing she did to her page, the pink cardstock as the frame to her layout, and I love the polkadot trim with the buttons  Love the texture here. 
I also wanted to give a special shout out to little miss Elf Queen.  While leaving comments on your work I have seen her among many others ahead of me and it really means a lot of me that you are taking the time to support each other on this challenge.  Everyone loves blog comments and encouragement!  THANK YOU.

One last layout share is January without a sketch:

Kasey is new to the challenge this year and I am SO excited to see what she's going to come up with.  She plans to use the KI stitched border papers on all her layouts for the challenge this year.  What a FUN album this is going to be!

Thank you to everyone for playing along with this challenge, supporting each other, and getting the word out.  Be sure to check out the SCT blog here to see if you are the lucky winner of a prize this month.  I LOVED this prize so a great big congrats to the lucky ladies!

And now....  the February sketch:

FUN!  I love the white space here.  This will be a fun one.

Remember, you have until March 28 to link your layout to THIS thread if you want to play along.  If you want a second chance, link your layout to this thread from SCT.  As a reminder, SCT will be drawing a winner from submissions on the thread where the sketch was revealed, so we are looking for that January post and the February sketch. 

If you are ever confused, be sure to check out the Project 12 page at the top of my blog.  I'll have all the links posted there.

Have a great month!  Davinie