the moments in between

continental

it's that time again...  studio calico's july kit, continental, went live last night! i managed to stay up for the reveal chat, but went off to bed after just a peek in the gallery - so after i finish this post, i'm off to soak in all of that inspiration. 

this month, i got the main kit, continental, as well as three add-ons - lasalle, lewis & clark and magellan.  magellan is already sold out (it was the one w/ the highly coveted stamp set that matches the photo label punch - i had a feeling it would go quickly!), but the other two + amerigo are still available. i also got more studio calico paper and more color - both are standards for my order!  and stocked up on kraft and vanilla. i couldn't resist the bright colors in this kit, and i anticipate using the leftovers with the new documentary line - the colors are a good match.  in fact, i already mixed them for one page, but i can't show it to you yet. ;)

(lewis and clark add-on + one diecut from the main.  tiny attacher.  modern garland border punch. cherry mist)

this was my first page with the kit. i love this photo of ben heading off to his first sleepover - he was so happy that night. =) i misted the alphabet from the girl's paperie sticker book with cherry so that it would pop against the kraft. the first thing that grabbed me about this add-on was that girl's paperie banner paper, but once i looked at it again, i knew i had to get it because it was full of basics.  that brad set is PACKED, and the sticker book has two alphas, a set of labels, and a full sheet of words.

 

 

(mini made with continental + magellan. tiny attacher, medium twinkle twinkle punch, scallop sentiment border punch, L round n round punch, foam adhesive, twine, pumice stone ink, photo label punch)

i've been holding these instax pics from our february trip to kansas city - i *knew* we'd get a kit w/ some travel themed pieces this summer. =)  and as soon as i saw the packaging for the making memories diecuts, i knew it would make the perfect cover for a mini.  i used divided baseball card pages for the inside, and i'll be doing a tutorial on the sc blog later this month on exactly how i put this all together.

(continental + the alpha from magellan. lemon mist. photo label punch.  pumice stone ink.  tiny attacher. foam adhesive)

this one is super simple - but i wanted a chance to use some of that studio calico paper, and i loved the camera diecut. both the background cardstock and the alpha were sprayed with lemon mist - that alphabet misted beautifully!

april asked each of us to do a page using lisa dickinson's design workshop e-book as inspiration - i was inspired by the section on grids. as soon as i saw the oa wild cards in the lasalle add-on, i knew i was going to use the swing one to do a page about sam's swing obsession. i printed iphone photos in 2 different sizes and arranged them in an asymmetrical grid, and then added embellishments here and there around the page.

(continental + lasalle + lewis & clark. peeled paint ink. tiny attacher.  cosmo garden variety and joyride chipboard from the shop)

i would have liked to have done more with this kit - i had several more pics printed - but to be honest, i took about a week after baseball was done and did nothing.at.all.  i totally needed that. =) we've got a quiet week ahead - neither of the bigs have any camps - so maybe i'll be able to sneak in another page or two before i packed up july to make room for august. =)

the countdown is on

it's reveal day!! for those that don't know the drill, subscribers will be able to purchase add-ons at noon EST - go to the main page, find the "kits" tab and look for the "presale" button. the main kit will be available for anyone to purchase at midnight EST - as will the add-ons. (those links won't reflect the right kits until the stated times)

 

the shop will be updated at noon est.  i had both of these chipboard sets and used a few bits and bobs on one of my pages.  i also used some of the joy ride chip on this card that i made for a tutorial at the studio calico blog on stitching in circles.

(Studio Calico Documentary  - Souvenir, Holiday & Window Seat patterned paper + Cosmo Cricket Joy Ride chipboard + tiny attacher)

and don't forget to check out the punches, they've all been restocked. if you're planning on getting the magellan add-on, the label stamps fit perfectly inside the photo label punch.  LOVE that.  the stamps make me love my punch even more!! i just ordered a butterfly border punch and the bumpy road punch, too - i've been undecided on the bumpy road, but finally got won over by it.  i can't wait to use it with the august kit. =)

there will also be some new stamps in the shop at noon est - the clouds, the doily and the dressform. these stamps debuted as part of may's kit.  there were a few stamps pink slipped earlier this month, so if you've had your eye on any of those, now is the time to grab them!

(pp, alpha and stamp from granny's cupboard + brads from linens and lace + die cuts and pp from trinkets. tiny attacher.  photo label punch. pumice stone ink)

(pp + alpha from granny's cupboard, pp + stamps + felt star + chip banner & accent from knick knacks, sticker + photo corners from trinkets. pumice stone ink. tiny attacher. fiskars scallop sentiment punch. foam adhesive.)

and if you were on the fence about buying stamps - how about this offer?

i just got an email that tomorrow is the last day to register online for ckc des moines. davinie posted her sample page back before she taught at ckc portland, if you'd like a little peek - go here. =) i will hopefully have a sample to post before i go, but i haven't had a chance to do more than peek at the class kits (which are so bright and fun!) and into the giveaway box (and i'll be giving away some GOOD stuff). i've got 4 HUGE boxes of stuff lined up in my dining room so i'm excited to teach the to teach the class and get these goods into YOUR hands! =)

 

if you've read this far, you're a rockstar.  so i'll tell you about the reveal night giveaway - click on over to the studio calico blog for a chance to win one of these basic grey collections!

and now, my friends, the sewing machine is calling.  i need to get to work. i'm loving how this project for fiskars is coming together, but it's definitely time intensive!  have a good sunday!

 

on pod racers and pools

i think i mentioned that ben was in a star wars camp through our children's museum this week.  he had a blast.  they had light saber duels and made a comet out of dry ice and learned about space. for the last day of the camp, they took the kids on a field trip to the SAC museum, where they have anakin's pod racer on display.

 

 

ben thought the pod racer was cool - but wasn't so into pictures. ;) matthew had taken the day off, so we stayed at the museum after the camp headed out and enjoyed the rest of the displays at a more leisurely pace.

 

in addition to this plane in the atrium, there are 2 hangers filled to the brim w/ retired and restored fighter planes, bombers, cargo planes and bombs.  little boy heaven. i didn't get many photos in the hangers -

 

there were a few replicas of cockpits set up - definitely the boys' favorite part.  lots of levers and buttons and dials.

our fun day didn't stop there - my mom had called me earlier in the week to say she had friday afternoon off, and asked if we wanted to go to a waterpark.  that turned into a bit of a fiasco, as the one by her house ended up being full and was turning people away - but we did a little googling and ended up at one at a state park out near the SAC museum.  so we drove all the way back out there. it was perfect though - much less crowded, and more to do.  ben finally got up the nerve to try a waterslide and had an awesome time doing that.  alex loved the waterslides and the wave pool, and sam was happy to just wander around and splash in the water. i didn't bring my camera in - or even my phone - so no pics - i just can't juggle keeping track of the boys + a camera at places like that. we picked up a pizza on the way back to my mom's and had dinner w/ her, and then headed home for showers and bedtime. definitely a fun day - and the boys went right to sleep.

things are much more low key today - sam and i ran errands while matthew took alex and ben to swim lessons. now the bigs are outside w/ friends and i'm about to take sam up for a nap. i'll have a tutorial up at the studio calico blog later today & other than that, our weekend will be a mix of errands, play & mama desperately sewing (i'm finishing up a fun article for fiskars).  hope yours is awesome, too!

another peek at continental

i decided to try a little something different w/ my receipt holder this month.  i pulled some inspiration pieces that matched the colors of the kit, and then added a few photos and some of my favorite embellishments from the kit. i'm a visual person so having things out like this really works for how i think - and it kept things from getting lost in the mess on my desk. ;)  i also did a quick sample of some mists and inks, just to see how they matched the kit.  mist : cherry, blue raspberry, avocado, lemon and orange ink : barn door, faded jeans, spiced marmalade, mustardseed, peeled paint i'm hoping this will help me remember to use ink / mist beyond my usual go tos. while i didn't use everything i pulled out, i loved having it all together like this.

now here's a couple sneaks for the july kit (i posted two here, as well)..  i'll keep this short and sweet as we have a crazy busy day planned.  we're heading to the SAC museum w/ ben's star wars camp to see a pod racer, and then going to a water park this afternoon with my mom.

i worked w/ the main kit, continental, as well as the lasalle, lewis & clark and magellan add-ons.  when i first saw the kit i thought lasalle was my favorite, when i opened everything i thought it was lewis and clark, and once i started working i switched to magellan.  i just loved the neutrals that it added to the mix of bright items. i wish i'd been able to get more done this month, but we've been having too much summer fun. =)

(continental + lasalle + lewis & clark. peeled paint ink. tiny attacher.  cosmo garden variety and joyride chipboard from the shop)

 

(continental + the alpha from magellan - loved how this one took mist!). lemon mist. photo label punch.  pumice stone ink.  tiny attacher. foam adhesive)

and how about another peek at my mini album?

(mini made with continental + magellan. tiny attacher, medium twinkle twinkle punch, scallop sentiment border punch, L round n round punch, foam adhesive, twine, pumice stone ink, photo label punch) 

happy friday, everyone!

eight is enough

 

 

when i got the email asking me to contribute to this book, i had to read it a few times before i sunk in.  EIGHT?  just eight items??? i went to some of my pages and counted how many items... and um, there were just a SMIDGE more than eight on most of them. i don't use big sheets of patterned paper, but i do mix and match paper and embellishments all over the place.  AND that eight had to count punches???  at that point, i needed to go take a few deep breaths.  LOL.

after much (and i do mean MUCH) consideration, i picked my eight.  my favorite pinked circle stamp was at the top of the list, but i went back and forth on the other items until i felt like i had a good mix. i chose mist as my "free" color item because i knew i could use it for backgrounds AND stamping - but i limited myself to two colors - lemon and cherry.

when it came time to do the pages, i packed 10 sets of photos, a bunch of cardstock, and my eight items.  and a fair amount of anxiety.  lol.  but do you know what??  it really wasn't that bad.  i made do.  i found ways to substitute for my must have tools w/ a little creativity.  and i love what i made.

now, i don't think i'll be limiting myself QUITE so much in the future, but it has definitely caused me to look at my supplies in a different light. it's made me more willing to let go of supplies i don't *love*.  it's made me more careful about what i buy. it's made me experiment with what i DO have.

here's the 1st page i made for the book... you'll have to buy a copy to see the rest. =)  you'll also get lots of supply stretching tips and our thoughts on how we made each of our pages. and don't forget the coupon code that i shared here. ;)

 

i need to say a big thank you to studio calico & ella publishing for letting me be a part of this. thank you for getting me out of my comfort zone.  i can't wait to hear the feedback on this book - when i looked through it, i was amazed at the diversity of the projects given how limited we all were.  and i'm hoping that a few of you will take the eight is enough challenge at the end of the book!!

the winner!

Nicole said...

i think i would've sent a crazed email about that hoodie myself. ADORABLE! enjoy your happy mail. =)

Reply June 18, 2010 at 03:05 PM

nicole, i'm sending you an email!!! 

happy monday, all! i'm off to pick up my middlest - he's at a star wars camp every morning this week. i can't wait to hear about the first day. =)

on little league

10 weeks.

 

3 games a week. times two.

plus a practice or two for each kid.

and some batting cage time.  and batting practice up at school with dad.

they learned a.LOT. 

ben moved from teeball to farm.  there was actual pitching (half kid, half coach) and actual fielding and actual OUTS.  there was a lot to learn. and he learned it.

alex played his first season.  in minors.  where there's base stealing and pressure and unpredictable pitching. and he learned how to handle it.

we learned a lot. rules for each of the levels.  how to get dinner on the table in 10 minutes. how to pack a bag and get out of the house as quickly as possible. how to juggle things and tag team so that we weren't at the field ALL the time, and so that *they* weren't at the field all the time. and that popcorn will keep sam in one place for a while. ;)

most of all, i learned that i love having my boys play this sport.  i loved their coaches, and loved their teams. i loved watching their games, and cheering all the kids on. i loved seeing them be part of a team, and watching them support their teammates.

i hope we get to do this for many more years.

continental sneaks and paying it forward

i'm running a bit slow this month - but sneaks for studio calico's july kit, continental, went live on the 14th.  i've got a couple little peeks for you. =)

(lewis and clark add-on + one diecut from the main.  tiny attacher.  modern garland border punch. cherry mist)

(mini made with continental + magellan. tiny attacher, medium twinkle twinkle punch, scallop sentiment border punch, L round n round punch, foam adhesive, twine, pumice stone ink, photo label punch)

(btw, did you SEE that stamp set in magellan??? if you didn't, go watch the sneak slide show again.  and if you don't have the photo label punch yet, you NEED it)

i will have more sneaks next week...  i'm just getting going w/ the kit. =)  and if you're needing a scrap fix before the next reveal, remember that there are some june add-ons left in the shop..  i can't imagine they'll hang around too much longer!!

and now.... how about a giveaway?  i've been lucky enough to get some sweet packages in the mail lately, and want to pass along a little happy to someone else's mailbox.

sarah sent me (and alex) these OSU stickers - A's namesake team for this season.  she's been working on campus and picked them up at the bookstore - so sweet of her!  she also sent some trader joe's dark chocolate covered pretzel slims, and now i'm counting the days till our TJ's opens.  lol.  and how cute is that card??  she has an etsy shop for her cards here - they are adorable!

earlier this year, jen johner posted pics of harley wearing a "3" hoodie at his third birthday, and i may or may not have sent her a crazed email that went somewhere like "where oh where did you get that because i NEED ONE!"  and she was sweet enough to pick one up for sam the next time she was at that store.  he's all cranky in the photo because he wants a TWO jacket because he's only TWO, mama.  not that it's jacket weather, mind you.  he'll be three in july and this will be perfect for fall.

AND i got some awesome goodies from maya road for sharing some of my mist-y LOs and tips on their blog - you can see that post here.  so, all in all, it's been a good mail week.

so now that i've rambled on and on, do you want to know what i'm giving away??

jen has a new etsy shop, and i'm giving one of her gorgeous fabric brooches to one lucky commenter. (um, i may have bought myself one, and this cute print, so i guess i have more happy mail to look forward to. ;)).  anyway - to enter leave a comment here telling me about the last thing that you pulled out of your mailbox that made you smile.  i'll leave this open over the weekend and draw for a winner on monday morning.  good luck!!!

wordless wednesday : boys in peculiar places

(this one's my favorite)

(bad iphone pic - i couldn't get to my camera before ben dumped sam off)

 

(so going in the wedding slideshow)

pink slipped and ella

happy tuesday, all!!  we ended up having a crazy busy weekend. although baseball was rained out for saturday, it was because the fields were too wet from overnight storms -  the weather was perfect for getting things done outside.  i worked on clearing out one of the side gardens and after discussing it w/ my mom (who knows a LOT better than i do), we decided it's the perfect spot for a lilac bush.  it will be a *lot* lower maintenance than the gardens that were here when we moved in (and, ahem, are mostly all overgrown messes at this point!), and it reminds me of the lilac bushes on the farm my grandparents lived on when i was little.  i also did some scrapping (did you see the sneak peeks for july's studio calico kit?  loving it) and general running around / cleaning up the house.  then we were back to baseball on sunday and last night (2 games for alex), and ben has practice tonight and a game thursday.  i've got baseball pics & thoughts to share, but i'll save those for a separate post, as i have a lot of scrap rambling for today. ;)

another killer month for pink slipped stamps..  sigh.  i'm not good with change.  especially when it involves my favorite alphabet!

(carter alphabet)

(ttv / camera set)

(coffee stain - sold out at SC but avail at 2peas & scrapbook.com)

(bracket / ferris wheel set)

(trike)

(journal block / stars)

(sentiment set)

once they're gone, they're gone...  but some of them (and older pink slipped stamps that are long gone at SC, like my fave ever pinked circle) are still in stock at both scrapbook.com & 2peas.com .  studio calico will adjust your shipping to the actual cost from their usual flat rate for a small order - april says that a stamp only order will usually ship for about $1.50-$3.50, even for internationals.

to celebrate the upcoming e-book eight is enough : easy ways to stretch supplies and use leftovers, which features pages from 5 studio calico designers (myself, kelly noel, nicole harper, april foster and stephanie howell), studio calico has a coupon code to use on any ella e-book. i just looked over the proof of eight is enough and was blown away.  each designer has a very different set of supplies, and the diversity in the los is just boggling!!  this book will release in the next couple weeks and i will be sure to share more as i can. =)

if the coupon is burning a whole in your pocket, i can recommend lisa dickinson's design workshop - i just downloaded it and am loving it - so many great tips and pages! i've also had my eye on picture perfect, since 2 of my favorite photographers worked on it - kelly noel and becky novacek. from what i've seen, you really can't go wrong with any of their books!

well, i guess it's time to start gathering gear and figuring out a quick dinner - hope you all have a fabulous evening!