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!
