Layout of the Week

The layout of the week is brought to you by Christyn Holmes (christyn).
Each week, the layout in the gallery is linked, so you can add it to your favorites easily.


This layout has been added to your favorites more than any other layout in the SC community gallery for the week of 2/28-3/6.

Congratulations Christyn! Because of this you have won a $10 gift card to be used on any new purchase at Studio Calico.

Want a chance to win next week? Be sure to upload your projects to the SC gallery, and support your community by adding special projects that catch your eye into your favorites! It could be YOU next week!

Please note, winners are not allowed to win more than once in a four-week period.
Winners are not limited to those using Studio Calico kits.

Sunday Sketch Winners

by Kimberlyatlga, who amended the sketch to one photo and I love it!

by Margrethe, who turned the sketch the opposite direction and it turned out beautifully!

Winners, please send an email to info@studiocalico.com with the following information (just cut, paste, and add your info):

• Name
• Email Address
• Prize: $5 gift Card
• Contest: Sunday Sketch

Watch out later today for another fabulous sketch!

All in the name of scientific research

thanks to lisa t. for this suggestion, by the way.
i was stumped on what to talk about today.

lisa suggested i share images of the different quilt patterns that the add-ons in quilting bee are named after.

and i thought this was a wonderful idea!
but of course, knowing me, this idea took a slightly different twist and i acccccidentallllly ended up finding three sets of bedding that i want.

i quickly discovered that googling these quilt patterns in the "images" section of google was very educational. however, googling them in the "shopping" section of google was even MORE educational.

maybe mr. howell isn't quite as grateful to lisa as i am?? heeee!

so now i can teach YOU to identify the quilt patterns AND help you find new spring bedding.
*wink*.

here we go.

EXHIBIT A: wedding ring.
i found this pretty quilt at country porch. and i kind of love it. almost as much as i loved that add-on. ;)


Exhibit B: honeycomb.
I found this gem at Pottery Barn (natch). And it is delicious.


Exhibit C: Patchwork
This one is from Urban Outfitters. Is it wrong that I now want THREE new quilts? is that overkill?



so, there you have it. i think i'll be dreaming of quilts tonight!!
p.s. thanks for the idea, lisa!!
xoxo
steph (H)

member inspiration

Happy Friday!!! Since our challenge this week is to lift another member, I thought I'd share some gorgeous layouts that I found in the Baker's Dozen gallery. The gallery was bursting to the seams with inspiration, so I concentrated on finding pages that I thought would be quick to recreate - we've only got one more day for the challenge!


(bonnets & ruffles, by christyn)


(sisters, by valerieb)


(i love you guys, by courtney)

(This layout is headed to Scrapbook Trends magazine. Yay!)

introducing miss edie, by ember s)


(beach, by allieh)


(box of sweets, by valerieb)



Happy lifting! =) Now there's no excuse not to jump in and join the challenge! ;)

insider tips : what I do once my SC box hits my porch

Happy Thursday!! Before I get started today, I wanted to say thank you for the wonderful comments on my tutorial yesterday - I really appreciate the kind words! AND - if you'd like a PATCHWORK add-on of you own, you can head over to my blog and leave a comment for a chance to win one. =) I'll be drawing a winner on Saturday morning.

It's THAT time of month, the time that has us all stalking our emails for those shipping notices and our porches for a glimpse of that beautiful Studio Calico box. So I thought today would be the perfect day to share my unpacking and project planning rituals.



First, I take a picture of my box. Usually with my iPhone. Getting my Studio Calico box is like having a birthday every month (without getting older ;), so it warrants being documented, right? =) Even if I'm rushed for time, I have to at least open the box and peek inside each bag. I love that first glimpse!



If I haven't already packed up the last month's kit and cleaned my desk, then I do that next. Once my desk is clean, I go through my box and open each bag. I start with the main kit. Cardstock + patterned paper goes in one pile on my desk. The alphabets get their own pile, and the embellishments go into that yellow bowl. Things like rubons or label stickers go on top of the patterned paper pile. If I get an add-on (IF, ha! as if i could resist!!), the bulky embellishments go on the tray in front of the bowl, and the paper and alphabet goes back into the bag - I cut the top off so I can flip through everything in it quickly. I really only keep the add-ons seperate until we've got enough projects for the sneak slideshow, and then I add it all in to the same piles as the main kit.



I keep my notebook out as I'm unpacking the kit and jot down any ideas that come to mind. A product in the kit may bring to mind a memory or photo that I'd like to record, or I may think of a technique I'd like to try with the kit or with new products that I've ordered from the shop. I usually add to this list by scanning through old entries on my blog - I look at the same season in past years. All of my ideas won't all make it to finished projects, but it's a good starting point for me.



Once I unpack a kit, it tends to spend the whole month on my desk. And it doesn't always look this neat. ;) Some months I do all of my gallery work at once, in others I flip between working with the kit and doing other assignments. When I need to use other products, I tend to just stack them on top of the kit instead of putting it all away.

So, that's my basic process every month. And now it's time for me to pack up Quilting Bee so I have room to spread out the April kit when it comes tomorrow. ;)

tutorial : printed canvas background

Happy Wednesday!! I'm here today with a fun way to use the iron on transfer paper and canvas that comes in the Patchwork add-on.



I started by choosing a few pieces of Alex's schoolwork and scanning them. I tried to find pieces with different colors and designs. Once they were scanned, I opened a blank 8.5x11in document and combined bits and pieces of each into one document. I knew I was going to place a 4x6 photo of the left side of the canvas, so I made sure to keep my favorite bits and pieces - like his signature and drawing - visible.



The next step is to flatten all of the layers and flip the document. I used PSE 7 for this - I went to the image menu and then "flip horizontal"



I printed the document on regular paper, just to get a sense of how it would look on the page and make sure everything was correct. I sized the image down 1/2in on both sides, just to make sure nothing would be cut off.



Since I was happy with the image, I loaded the iron on transfer paper into my printer and printed the image again. I then followed the directions to iron the image onto the canvas in Patchwork. The higher contrast pieces worked best - I found that Alex's pencil diagrams on green construction paper didn't transfer as well as I would have liked.



I stitched the canvas in place on a piece of vanilla cardstock, and then added a title, and some patterned paper and veneer accent from the Wedding Ring Add-On. I also stamped journaling lines with the notebook paper stamp (perfect for the theme of the page!) using Spiced Marmalade Distress ink.



To create these star accents, I punched scrap paper with the Fiskars Twinkle Twinkle punches in Med and XL. I attached the scrap paper to the back of the veneer from Wedding Ring and then cut around them. I stapled them with my Tiny Attacher and attached to the page using glue dots.



I added a bit more stitching and some of the Studio Calico patterned paper from the main kit (it's sold out, but you can still get it in the more patterned paper add-on) to finish the page.



I also used the iron on transfer paper for my banner, but once again, not with a photo - I scanned vintage ledger paper. I hope this inspires you to think beyond photos for using the iron on transfer paper from Patchwork- there are so many fun ways to use it.

PS : Even after both of these projects, I still have good sized pieces of all of the fabrics left, and I haven't even touched the Making Memories felt accents or the satin ribbon that comes with Patchwork. I love that I still have enough leftovers to do even more projects!

tuesday inspiration!

good morning sunshines!

i know that lots of fabulous SC designers have been sharing photos from their Tumblr account for Tuesday inspiration.

today I thought I'd share a few inspirational images from mine!

i plan to use these images as a jumping off point. Not only for scrapbooking, but for home decor...fashion, you name it!

this is a page i tore out of mary engelbreit's home companion magazine long ago (oh how i MISS that magazine!). i just love this fresh color combination!



here's another image from the same magazine (did i mention how much i miss home companion??). another amazing, happy color combination.




Here's one that's a bit more modern...(via lush designs).
These are colors I'm dying to use on a page:




sigh. there's nothing i love more than black+white. so elegant, preppy...so audrey hepburn!
(via coco+kelley)






and one more...(via wedding paper divas)
this one makes me happy. gray+yellow...delicious.




this was FUN!!! hope you found a tiny bit of inspiration here today.
happy tuesday!!
xo
steph (h)

Reveal Night Winner!

The Green at Heart Collections goes to:

Eva said...

I love Green at Heart!!

The Kioshi Collection goes to:

cannycrafter said...

I love kioshi!! Not my usual style at all!

Please email info@studiocalico.com with the following information:

• Name:
• Address:
• Contest: Reveal Night Giveaway
• Prize: Kioshi or Green at Heart Collection
• Subscriber? Yes/No
  

Just copy and paste into your email and fill out the appropriate information. Thanks!

challenge: lift a member!

hey guys! it's stephanie (h). lisa and i are hosting the SC blog this week,
and we are so very excited to start march off with a bang!

you may have noticed that each of us lifted a member for our designer gallery this month.
i do this all the time. there is SO much inspiration at SC, i feel like i am constantly filing away tidbits to use for layouts.

i made this layout:

based on this fabulous layout by lynn ghahary:



and lisa made this layout:



by lifting this stunning layout by simplytam:






if you haven't checked out our fabulous member gallery lately, go HERE.
it's the best gallery around, bar none.

okay, on with the challenge!
this week, we challenge you to lift a layout from the phenomenal member gallery at SC.
you can be inspired by the title, the photo placement, the colors, the topic...or something even more random.
you can do a literal lift...or something different.
it's up to you!!

the only requirements-
it must be a new layout
link it here by midnight PST on saturday, march 6.
we will draw a winner to receive a 5 dollar GC to the studio calico store.

can't wait to see what you make...thanks for playing along!!!

March g's picks

...with one of my favorite contemporary blues musicians, Eric Bibb. Enjoy!

Studio Calico g's picks