Sunday Sketch Winners

by papirdiva

by Paloma1815

Congrats to the winners this week! Please send an email to info@studiocalico.com to claim your prize:

• Name:
• Prize: $5 Gift Card
• Contest: Sunday Sketch 7/4
  

Layout of the Week

The layout of the week is brought to you by Leigh Erin Izzo (PrettyPenguin), featuring the April kit, Joyland. This kit is currently available in VERY limited supply, so hurry now if you missed out in April.
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 7/4-7/10.

Congratulations Leigh! 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!

Where will the numbers take you?

In my Wednesday post I shared a sneak peek of my numbers project for this week as well as my source of inspiration. 

When I saw this decorating idea magazine in the line at the grocery store, I immediately snatched it, being drawn to that pillow on the bench on the cover.

Inspired, I went home and got out some leftover canvas from another project, and immediately went to work on a hand stitched embellishment for a layout I've been meaning to make with my Granny's Cupboard kit and some photos of myself with my girls on Mother's Day.

Don't you love when inspiration strikes like that?

One of the fun parts about creating this project was that I was able to do it "on the road".  On the 4th of July my hubby was at work, so the girls and I spent the middle part of the day in my sister's backyard.  I packaged up my canvas and my DMC floss, and sat on a lawn chair stitching away while my kids played, enjoying refreshing beverages and snacks, and loved every bit of it.

What resulted from the collaboration of stitchery and scrapbooking, inspired by a small pillow, was this:

Inspired by the pillow, I handstitched the number, and filled it in with bits of buttons.  I was out of E's which worked perfectly for this layout, because I had plenty of 3's in my Thicker package.

I wanted more of a homespun look to this layout, so I peeled the adhesive off the Dear Lizzy fabric paper, and then distressed it a bit before framing with with the lace frames from K&Co.

Design is actually something very important to me in scrapbooking, and if there is one element of design that I follow in just about every project that I create, it's the visual triangle.

If you look closely at my layout, you will see triangles of elements throughout the design that lead your eye through the photos, journaling, etc.

You can see it in the use of buttons and flowers, the birds, the journaling in relation to the title, the fabric frames with the "fabric" used for the #3, and even, most of the time, through my stitching.  I like to zig zag with straight stitches, and where I choose to zig zag is always planned.  Normally it is done in such a way to add yet another triangular element to the design.  In this case, though, I zig zagged where I thought you'd be able to see it. 

Sometimes it isn't until I am finished with a layout and it's been photographed that an element stands out to me as missing.

In this first photograph, you'll notice that the dark pink Dear Lizzy fabric paper is in the two square lace frames.  When I went to edit my photos of this layout for the blog, this element was really bugging me. 

It was bugging me because that dark pink isn't represented very well on the left page.  Dark pink floss was used for my #3, but it wasn't standing out very well to be visually pleasing to my eye when I looked at this layout, so I had to fix it.

I simply added a strip of pink polka dot fabric paper to the left of the three, and it brought the whole layout together.  Wouldn't you agree?

I am really happy with how it turned out, and I used three different scallop type punches on this one which always makes me happy, my scallop sentiment, the apron lace, and my dotted lace border punch.

After this layout was done, I was still feeling inspired.  After seeing that pillow in the magazine I knew I wanted to do the layout.  But then I decided I wanted to do a pillow for my own living room couch, to match the curtains I want to revamp based on some ideas in the magazine.  I couldn't decide, however, on what number to use.  2 for the number of kids, 4 for the number of family members?  I couldn't decide.  But that led me to think of monograms, so I determined I would certainly create an F throw pillow.  Fabric is currently on order (Heather Bailey Nicey Jane to match the curtains, you know).  But in the meantime I had a hankering to create.

Thinking of the F led me to think of my girls and M's and P's, which led me to a small stockpile of Gin Blossom for Michael Miller fabric that I have.  I've been doing various projects for my girls room with this fabric, so I have it in abundance.

All of that brain work led me to create this for my sweet girl:

I was so rushed to creativity I couldn't have even taken the time to iron my canvas, lol, but Morgan is in LOVE with her pillow.  And now I need to make one for Payton too.  But maybe I should wait to do hers until after I fix sweet Morgan's baby blanket.  The poor thing.....

(and now you can see how my crazy mind works sometimes, lol)

I love how inspiration works.  A tiny little throw pillow led me into all sorts of directions.  Where will it lead you?  You have until Saturday night to share a project on this thread for a chance at a little Studio Calico cash. 

Davinie

Using Numbers

I took a little stroll down the SC member's gallery and found some amazing layouts using numbers

I love how Jill combined papers and sticker from Partly Sunny in this school layout

paperandglue used SC's numbers paper from Baker's Dozen beautifully here

mandielou incorporated numbers into her journaling on this Quilting Bee layout

Vee used an actual calendar page (so cool!) in combination with Playground

and finally, April used the rubons from Bibliography to recap the year.

So many numbers, so little time... :)

I'm loving all the great layouts submitted for the challenge so far. If you're still thinking about it I hope you find some inspiration here and remember the challenge is due this Saturday.

Numb3rs - Member contributions and my inspiration piece

Last week I put out the call for two members to help me out with the challenge this week.  I had barely posted it before my quota was filled.

Jessica (jmr0310)was the first email I received, and when she took on the challenge, she was inspired by numbers to do a layout about her daughter and turning four. 

I spy some Granny's Cupboard!  I love the use of frames and the cluster of embellishments.  I also like the way she spaced out her title, make 4 the focus at the base of her layout. 

Scrapper Jenn also sent me an email to participate with the challenge this week.  Rather than use numbers in the title of her layout, she used numbered paper as her inspiration. 

I like how she used gems on each strip of journaling.  It looks like the journaling is bullet points, which is a numerical thing, even though it isn't written that way. 

Jennie also included a birthday card.  Super cute!  I love how the numbers are layered on the caterpillar.  Good dimension and a perfect card for a little girl (Halle must like purple like my Payton loves her purple). 

Thank you ladies for helping me out this week!  I may have to do this again the next time I blog.  I love the different perspective and interpretations of the challenge!

There is more number inspiration coming up this week but I wanted to also end this post with a little inspiration and a sneak at my own project.

I can't wait to share what I've been up to!  Have a great day!  Davinie

Designing with Numbers

Hi everyone! I went on a little number inspiration search and found some cool items...

[sources: street sign numbers by 2modern, Ollie & Lime wall art, pbteen beanbag chair, wall decal & pillows by notNeutral]

[numerology from apartmenttherapy]

I hope this inspire you in some way. Can't wait to see what you all create :)

Challenge Monday - NUMBERS

Hello all!  I hope you enjoyed a relaxing weekend and are ready to get back to it.

Waleska and I are hosting the blog this week and have an easy challenge for you.  Numbers.  Do a layout or project and incorporate numbers, be it through paper with numbers, titles with numbers, journaling all about numbers....   numbers are the name of the game.

We put out the call for members to help out, and have a couple of extra bits of inspiration to be shared later in the week.

Magazine page numbers #1
Originally uploaded by Sick Little Monkey

As always, you have until Saturday to post your projects to this thread.  We'll be drawing a winner for a $5 gift card to the store, so we hope you will play with us!

Davinie and Waleska

Sunday Sketch

The sketch this week is based on Tina Aszmus' "Loved" layout from the Partly Sunny gallery. Notice how Tina used a series of 3 wallet-sized photos and lots of different patterned papers, yet the layout seems very cohesive and not "busy." This is also a perfect way to use up little bits and pieces of past kits! The banner stamp along the bottom unifies the grouping. Finally, a well-placed title and some journaling complete the page.

Now it's your turn! Take this sketch and flip it, mirror it, turn it upside down, or copy it completely. But, whatever you decide, please link your layout to this thread by Saturday for a chance to win one of 2 randomly chosen $5 gift cards to Studio Calico.

Sunday Sketch Winners

by sashajoy


by ale

Congrats to the Sketch winners! Please send an email to info@studiocalico.com with the following information to claim your prize:

• Name:
• Contest: Sunday Sketch 6/27
• Prize: $5 gift card
  

The layout of the week is brought to you by Larissa Albernaz (larissa), featuring the Documentary collection and Partly Sunny kit. The Documentary collection is currently available at local stores or other online retailers, and will be available to purchase at Studio Calico on July 14. Partly Sunny is currently available.
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 6/27-7/3.

Congratulations Larissa! 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!