the moments in between

now enrolling | Color Studio

There is all sorts of colorful awesomeness happening at Studio Calico. First, let's talk about Color Studio. I'm teaching a class that's all about color combos, color techniques, and using color to help your pages tell more of the story. I absolutely love how powerful color can be, and I can't wait to spend March in the Calico Classroom sharing more about how to use it effectively. I hope you'll join me for a very colorful month!

Here's a video preview that shares more about the class : 

 

In even bigger news, the new Color Theory line launched. This line is basically rainbow colored happiness. There are patterned papers, alphabets, enamel dots, sequins, buttons and ink pads, all in coordinated hues. This will be a staple in the Studio Calico shop, something you can pick up bit by bit to supplement your kits. I am most excited about the ink - the colors are spot on, I can switch ink colors after just stamping off the excess ink (MAJOR bonus for this "never cleans her stamps" girl) and I love that they'll match the other embellishments from the line. The ink pads are currently up as a preorder - you can grab all 12 for $54.99. After March 1st, you'll be able to buy them 1 at a time for $4.99 a piece, so this is a great deal!

There's another deal for those of you who purchase Color Studio + Color Theory items. Buy Color Studio + Color Theory and save! Use promo code COLOR when purchasing the Color Studio Class and five or more Color Theory Products and receive a $5 discount. This code expires on 2/7/2014 at 11:59pm EST. Color Studio and five or more Color Theory products must be in your cart for the code to work. No discounts will be given for codes not entered.

For a look at the inks in action, you can check out the sneak at the top of this post - and here's another project that uses them. I used Sunny Day, Orange County, Real Red, Deja Blue, Something Blue, Mint Hint and Yes Peas here (the names are as good as the colors, right?)

I'll be sharing more Color Studio sneaks during February, but I have a bit more to share right now - the digital goodies you'll get when you enroll. There are printable accents and journal cards, die cuts, and a Color Studio Planner, all from Hello Forever.

Color Studio is enrolling now through February 28th - I hope to see you there!! 

sending a little love

For once, I'm determined to be on top of Valentine's for the kids. I am usually the mom buying them on Feb 12th and desperately having them write their names on them before the party at school. I've been a Valentine's pinning fool, and have actually come up with winners for both Sam and Ben.

 

Ben's loving the Minecraft printables (of course), while Sam is partial to the Star Wars / glow stick combo. I was hoping he'd pick the tiny animal ones, but, alas, lightsabers always win.

When it comes to sending family Valentine's, I am totally overriding their opinion and using these gorgeous printables and photo templates from Studio Calico. They may need be cool enough for a 10 year old to share with friends, but this mama loves them. You can find out more about these (free!) printables & photo templates (and some cool Valentine's stamps and gold heart stickers) on the Studio Calico blog. 

 

Last Call - Printshop

Each month, just before the shipping window closes for subscribers, Studio Calico has a "Last Call" sale. Exactly what's for sale each month varies - it's basically a way for SC to clear the warehouse shelves of odds and ends (making way for NEW goodies!). Because of that, the quantities are usually limited and the prices are crazy low - so it's worth trying to scoop something up.

This month's last call wass an awesome discount on the crazy popular Printshop collection, and it went in a blinkThis line is bold, bright, and happy - the perfect cure for the winter blahs. I don't know about you, but too many freezey gray days have me needing a jolt of bright and happy! If you got your hands on this line, here's a bit of inspiration to go with it : 

I used Printshop to scrap one of my favorite photos from our Disney trip. THAT FACE ON SAM, omgoodness. Shortly after this photo, we fed him and got him a baseball cap to keep the rain off his glasses and he was back to being caught up in the magic in no time.

The whimsical patterns and abundance of stars in this line have been a perfect match for our Disney photos - I love finding a line that fits a subject so well without being themed!

If you missed out on this Last Call, never fear...  I hear the new Wanderlust collection should be coming in soon. I'd recommend clicking the "notify me" button on your favorite items so you get an email just as soon as they're stocked! 

in defense of pink

I think, in general, that my fellow mamas of just boys have a little more trepidation when it comes to subscribing to a kit club than others might. We know, sooner or later, that pink is going to show up in one of those boxes. And when you're surrounded by legos and superheros and nerf guns, it's easy to think that pink is NOT for you.

Studio Calico's Sugar Rush kits definitely fall into that "sooner or later" category. Pink alpha, pink papers, pink hearts... it's a really pretty kit. As a mama who is used to rough and tumble, all that pink can bring a moment of fear.

Don't dismiss this kit based on that first impression! Aside from the script paper, the pink elements in Sugar Rush are all really graphic. Hearts. A sans serif alphabet. Starburst washi tape. Enamel dots. All of these are simple elements that can be mixed in to almost any page design and topic.

Here's a look at how I made pink work on all four of my layouts : 

 

 

(for me | Sugar Rush Scrapbook kit)

Add in blues & greens (and go for a love theme!) : I used watercolors to ramp up the aqua and green on this page, which provides a great contrast to the pinks and reds in the kit. The pink provides just the right amount of sweetness to match with my photo of Sam showing off a valentine he painted for me at school. 

 

 

(lovely | Sugar Rush Scrabpook kit + Rock Candy + Gum Drop)

Use pink as an accent : The star of the show on this page is gray. I started with a black and white photo and a gray misted background, then mixed in some cool blues and greens to fit the winter mood. The pink heart paper grounds the design and adds a bit of a light hearted feel.

 

(summer fun | Sugar Rush Scrapbook kit)

Pair pink with other warm colors : While there is some blue on this page, the focus is on the pink, orange, red and yellow. When it's paired with like colors, it doesn't seem as in your face - and this pallette is perfect for scrapping summer! 

 

(a little bit wild | Sugar Rush Scrapbook kit + Rock Candy + Jelly Beans + Gum Drop)

Use pink sparingly : I knew this page would have a LOT going on since it has multiple photos with strong colors in them. I kept my background neutral and accented with small amounts of pink, blue, green, yellow and orange. Using each color in small amounts keeps them from drawing your attention away from the photos.

Mixing in items from your stash (I'd focus on navy or charcoal) or from the add-ons (Jelly Beans has an awesome mix of brights and neutrals) can make it easy to give all of these tips a try! What's your take on pink? Are you equal opportunity, or have you banished it from your scraproom? I don't tend to seek it out on my own, but I've found that I can use it in a lot more projects than I imagined! 

new SC collections are in!

I know a lot of you have been waiting for the new CHA releases to hit the Studio Calico shop... and THEY'RE HERE!!!! Well, Lemon Lush and Essentials are. There's a TINY wait till Wanderlust comes in - but in the meantime, you can click "notify me" to be alerted the second that it does. If you're a SC subcscriber, these will ship with your Sugar Rush kits - perfect timing! 

Here's a look at what I've already made with these lines! I've added all of these to my Studio Calico gallery if you're looking for complete supply lists.  (But really, go shop first. Then you can look at pages. I'll wait. I'd love to hear what you get!!)

Okay...  now that you're done shopping.... ;)

Ah, Lemon Lush. It has a girly side, but a lot of punchy colors and graphic elements as well. This line has a ton of possibility. I started this page by layering two patterned papers at a bit of an angle - I love the energy it brings.

And a little Wanderlust. I reached for the more bold and graphic pieces for this page - I needed something strong to offset that Calico White starburst on the background!

The softer pieces from Wanderlust were perfect for a page with one of my favorite photos from our trip to Lake Edward in 2012. The aquas and corals in this line are a beautiful match for a sunset at the lake.

And the Essentials collection. I scattered labels from the Wanderlust collection around my page, and then added embellishments that match. I dug up my old ampersand mask for this one - anyone want to help me petition Studio Calico to bring this one back??

 

And if that wasn't enough excitement, the Sugar Rush kits are now available to everyone! I'll be back to share those pages tomorrow.  

Studio Calico Sugar Rush | Project Life®

Truth : My 2013 Project Life album is missing 24 weeks. TWENTY FOUR. I have to admit that I've avoided counting because I really didn't want to know, but I finally went ahead and did it. Will I catch up? Probably not 100%. I'll combine some weeks. I'll skip others. I love what I have, so I'm still considering the year a win.

I've taken that as a cue to shake up 2014 significantly. I'm moving to a monthly style with smaller pages (I'll be mixing 9x12, 8.5x11 and Handbook page protectors). I want to record more random things, like movies we're watching and books we're reading and recipes we're loving. Our daily lives have changed a lot since I started Project Life® in 2011, and it's time for me to approach it differently. I'll be starting in on January soon, and I'll share more about my process then. 

I'll still be using the Studio Calico kits, despite the shake up in format. And you'll still see plenty of traditional 2pg 12x12in spreads from me, thanks to those 24 missing weeks. ;)I've even got one to share today - I used the Studio Calico Sugar Rush kit to fill in my birthday week. It seemed like a perfect use of all that pink! =)

It's funny - I initially put this week up because I knew it had a lot of photos and a lot of memorabilia. Those two factors made it come together super quick! I am glad I waited on it, though, because that pink striped cake was perfect for my birthday!

If you're a PLer shopping at Studio Calico today, I wanted to point out that the "more grid cards" are back - YAY! These are a staple in my PL stash. You can grab them in 4x3in or 4x6in. (Or, if you're like me, you can grab a couple packs in both sizes!

*note : if you're not a Studio Calico subsciber, the links to Sugar Rush will not work until midnight EST. 

studio calico sugar rush sneaks

Are you ready for something sweet? The Studio Calico Sugar Rush kits release today! I've never been much of a chocolate person, but I have a weak spot for things like jelly beans and cherry sours. =) I also have a weak spot for bright colors and brand new CHA releases, and these kits are packed with them!

Here's a peek at what I made with the scrapbook kits. The first and the last sneak are just the Sugar Rush kit, and the other two have add-ons items as well.

 

And here's a sneak of the Sugar Rush Project Life® kit in action - that birthday cake card inspired me to finally complete my birthday week in my album.

 

The kits this month are gorgeous, but were a bit on the pink side for this mama of three boys! Rather than fight the pink, I found page themes that would work with it. I also reached for my watercolors - they are a fun way to add a color that you feel is missing in a kit. I ramped up the aquas and greens and it helped the pink to not feel so girly.

These watercolor papers and water brushes are my favorite for adding a little color. I am a messy desk person and never felt comfortable putting a cup of water on my desk for watercolors, and I don't need to with this brush. I find it's easy to clean between colors - I just blot it on a paper towel. And the watercolor papers give an awesome instense color. I store mine in a SC PL box jumbled all together - just opening it makes me happy!

Here's a peek at another "don't miss" item you'll find at the Studio Calico at noon... let's just say i have a new favorite way to make confetti. Subscribers can grab it here now - if you don't subscribe, you can grab it at midnight!  I'll have more info on soon on my plans for our Florida trip album, and this will definitely plan into that book!

the great 2014 workspace cleanout

I spend a LOT of in this little room. making, planning, assigning, working. It needs to support the day to day needs of my behind the scenes role wtih Studio Calico as well as the process of making layouts and project life spreads. At the moment, it's really not the inviting and welcoming place I'd like it to be.

I'm not out to fundamentally change the room. I love the storage pieces in here, I love my desks, and I love the basic layout. I just really need to buckle down and go through absolutely everything in here - from my supplies to sam's toys to fabric and random school keepsakes - and organize it in way that works for how I use it.

My plan is to go through everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - in this room, and put back only what I need. If it doesn't support my work, it needs a new home. (While I'll be donating some of my excess supplies, I'm sure there will be some giveaways as well. Keep an eye on my Instagram - I may have some stamp giveaways planned in the coming weeks. ;)) 

This isn't going to be a fast process. I need to be able to keep working while it's going on. In fact, my goal is to ring in the New Year in a happy new space. I'm planning to make a schedule of sorts, to keep me from getting overwhlemed by the process. Taking it one drawer or shelf at a time sounds way less scary than overhauling a whole room!

If you follow me on Pinterest, I've been pinning a ton of workspace ideas. I've definitely seen a common asethetic emerge. I'm a fan of white walls, vintage and industrial storage, and spaces that look lived in. I'm obsessed with inspiration boards and clearly need one of my own. I don't mind a little chaos, but I want everything in my room to make me happy, not frustrated. And I need storage solutions that are easy to maintain.

Do you have a workspace board on Pinterest? I'd love to check it out if you do! What does YOUR dream space look like?

fighting the craft lazies

I love my Cameo. And I love my Mister Huey's. So why don't I use them more??! To be totally honest, it's a mental block. I tend to shy away from any technique that isn't stitching because in my head, it will add too much time to the process.

The thing about mental blocks is that they generally are a little, well, mental. Crazy. Unfounded. ;) I challenged myself to use both my Cameo AND mist on a page and guess what? With a tiny bit of preplanning, it didn't slow down my layout at all. And I'm in love with the result. 

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By making the cuts a big part of my background, the rest of the page fell together quickly. A few small embellishments, a title, journaling and I was done. I limited my patterned paper and embellishment choices to the Studio Calico Copper Mountain kit and Fremont Glades add-on - everything coordinated perfectly, and while none of it was Christmas themed, the glitz of gold and shine against the brights is perfect for the energy and magic of Christmas Eve. If you wanted to do something similar for Valentine's Day, just switch up the colors!

If you'd like to recreate this background, I've put together a detailed step by step tutorial with photos & it's available for download here.  If you tend to shy away from techniques, this is a good one to ease in with - and I hope you'll share what you make with it!

Here's a list of supplies used for this project : 

copper mountain SB kit	fremont glades add-on	journal card cuts	silhouette cameo bundle
brother CS 6000i sewing machine	mister huey's shine	tiny attacher

 

Studio Calico CHA sneaks

The day after Christmas, Santa (errr, the UPS man), brought me a rather nice box. Lots of happy  product from the new Studio Calico releases! There are three new lines - Wanderlust, Lemon Lush, and Essentials. They'll all be hitting retailers in February, but I can give you a little preview of what I've made with them. We'll be sharing all of the booth projects on the Studio Calico blog on Tuesday, and I'll be sure to update here as well.

I fell in love with the canoe patterned paper in Wanderlust - it was the perfect match for some photos of our lake vacation a couple of summers ago!

I remembered just how awesome Mister Huey's Calico White is when I made this page. I reached for the more graphic bits from Wanderlust for this page. 

 I was inititally worried that Lemon Lush would be too girly for me, but once I started working with it I realized it was full of aquas, navys and yellows. Perfect!

Breaking out the white mist made me remember how fun it is - so I grabbed Mister Huey's Shine as well. This page has lots of the new Essentials collection.

I also got to use the Printshop line from SC's midrelease - this line is so light, bright & playful!

 All of my pages have been sent off to California - if you're at the show, stop by and tell them hello. ;)

Since I'm not attending this year, I've been checking out the new releases from the comfort of my couch. It's not quite the same as seeing them in person, but there IS less walking and more sleep involved. ;) I've been pinning my favorites here, and I'd love to hear what lines have caught your eye!

If you're at home as well, Studio Calico has put together a CHA online crop extravaganza! There are challenges, chats, PRIZES - totally a great way to use up the old so you're ready to welcome in new goodies! The schedule is up on the SC blog, and we'd love to have you join us!