Studio Calico - Pop off the Page Class

Studio Calico have been producing monthly classes since the beginning of the year - each month focusing on a technique. This months class called 'Pop of the Page' and is all about layering techniques - something that I often struggle with. I look at my layouts and think 'it needs more' and when or even if I add it, I feel my layouts look 'too much', but then I look at other people layouts and think 'WOW - they have used more and it looks great' but has scrapbooking is all about individual tastes - I'm OK with what others are doing, but it doesn't do anyone any harm by learning some new techniques to add to my layouts.

So following the ideas from the class I did these two layouts.

So I've misted and stamped on the background, added hidden journalling behind the photo, fancy paperclip, i even embossed the vellum.

more flair button from Stash Panache

and then this one, a bit off the class instruction but I like how it has turned out.

Used a die-cut frame, which I enlarged so that I could add the photo at an angle.

Flair button is from findingnana

Still working with Studio Calico July kit, which I'm loving by the way, I completed these layouts.

'Oh Happy Day'

A photo taken on a crafting weekend away early this year.

stamps the 'exclusive' wood veneer tweets - love them.

And of course, use of my cameo.

Sudden Downpour

At the end of June we had a sudden downpour, which left roads flooded, according to the weather reports it was going to be 'light showers in part' but it was more like 1 months rain within 1 hr.

Love these cameo cut "rain clouds"

and my final layout for now.

2 Men & a dog

I managed to do a layout using just the Solihull July Class kit (Sweet Day by Echo Park Papers) and a bit of misting. The dog was one that was playing on the beach, and James always take the opportunity to stop and play whenever one happens to be nearby.

Thanks for stopping by,

Getting my Scrap on ...

I really need to scrap more of my photos that I've printed so this month I set too and decided to use the July 2012 Studio Calico kit and try and use up as must as I can before the next one arrives.

So at the July Solihull crop I started on a few, this one in particular caused us load of laughs trying to think of a title, well they where laughing, I just thought the title were silly and had nothing to do with the layout, so thank to Morag, who found one of Sir Cliff song title online, I choose this one.

Travellin' Light (Need to add some journalling to this one)

I got this pin badge from Sainsburys and cut the back off.

Photo with my friends - having a break after watching the torch relay.

stamped a wood veneer camera.

A double pages layout, about the kissing of the torches

I was not so keen on this kit at first, but now I love the mixture of colour and have been able to complete 6 layouts and still have loads left to use up.

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My mojo has come back ...

I recently went to my crop and did the sum total of one layout (which I still haven't finished), which is so not like me, maybe it was all the catching up I was doing, especially with Sheena who had joined us for the day - which was a pleasant distraction. When I came home I really couldn't be bother and basically for a few days after I just set in my room trying to think of what to do, so I was pleased that this week I've been able to get my head around a few things and try and sort some of my albums out, thanks to Shimelle's new class.

Following Shimelle's prompts have got me thinking about my albums and how to organise them, so over the coming weeks, I will be updating regularly on my progress to make my albums more readable, so watch this space.

In one of the prompts this week she talked about scrapping a photo and then having several from that event still to work with, so with that in mind I decided to do this. A double pager - hoot ! hoot!

Products used: Studio Calico - March 2012 kit

It started with this side first, and I found a sketch on Pinterest (love that place )you can find the sketch here. I turned the sketch round to suit my photos, anyway, has I was putting it together I decided to make it into a double pager.

I'm trying to use my older stamps more and came across these, a set of arrows from Blond Moments.

I also found a set from PaperArtsy.

Love the wood veneer people from Studio Calico.

Then I did these using the Studio Calico Sketchbook No. 10. Again using my Studio Calico March kit

Studio Calico Sketchbook No. 11

Thanks for stopping by...

Just a few layouts

I seem to have a batch of layouts, that I've not blogged, for one reason or another they are either just waiting for that something (lol) or I've just not got around to taking the photo.

Anyway, here a couple that I've done over the past few weeks.

Thanks a Bunch - Really love how Morag has captured me when I opened my thank you card from the girls for organising our 1st Solihull retreat.

The only thing that I planned for our weekend away was a few group shot, so this was one of several that we did and a few more layouts to follow. So a simple layout.

Again a quick one, of me & Julie taken at our January crop.

I now need to sort out all my albums to make some sort of sense/order out of them, so thanks to Shimelle who must have been reading my mind - lol - because she has come up with the perfect on-line class here. I have tried over the years to keep things together but some of my albums have a mis-match of things in that really need some direction.

So again, another on-line class for me, just loving these at the moment.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Sketchbook Layouts

Over at Studio Calico this year, they have introduced month long workshop/classes and this month it one entitled 'Sketchbook 4' designed by one of the DT girls, Kelly Purkey. Each sketch is accompanied with various designers take on that particular sketch, giving you some great inspiration, and in most cases it gives you a completely different look to the original sketch.

Here are my take on the ones I've managed to do so far.

Used SC Feb 2012 kit. A few photos taken over the Easter holiday at Botanical Gardens.

Photo taken by Julie at our visit to Toad Hall in February. Used SC Jan 2012 kit.

I-Pod Love - used Amy Tangerine Sketchbook Collection, with some bits & pieces from Amy Tangerine Daybook Collection.

Why is - when you need to space thickers out - they stick down firmly, and other times when you want them to stick they don't - hence the lack of space between the two words.

I'm so trying to use up my bits and pieces on my layouts and not save them for 'best'.

I took these photos with my phone and even thought they are not perfect I wanted to record the fact that James loves to read. Used: SC March 2012 Kit

I punched a heart shape out of one of the papers, and backed it with another sheet, I also outlined stickers to given them more defination.

Thanks for stopping by, and please call back on Saturday to join in with a blog hop, and if I can work out to add a random generator to my blog hop post there will be a give away.

ATDML -February Sketch Challenge

This is my take on the sketch challenge over on ATDML, details can be found here

Used Studio Calico January 2012 kit.

Misted the Studio Calico wood veneer alphas with Mr Huey Classic Calico and added a small amount of Mr Huey Shine

Love this camera transparency by Hambly.

Thanks for stopping by.

And its a Double from Me

I've not done a double page layout in ages, but at my crop last Sunday decided to give it a go, it had started off has a single pages, but has I had loads of photos for that event, and has Julie was doing a double pager for the same event, I thought why not, so I started with the right hand side first, before deciding that I could do a double pager.

So this is how it started, (again apologies for the smallness of the photo, if anyone can tell me how to sort it out I would be forever grateful)

I used my Studio Calico October 2011 kit, with 7Gypsies 97% complete stickers from from stash.

Studio Calico Mask sprayed with SC Mr Huey - Barnwood

I added the squirrel (love it!) has an in-joke with myself about how I 'squirrel' away my stash.

Then I did this page

and it ended up looking like this, (since taking the photo I've misted on the left hand side - above photo)

I could have done a triple pager - lol, because I had a few photos of meeting up with Shimelle & SJ after the show.

Then I did this one of Morag, Julie and me when we went on a lunch date in Solihull, in-between starting our Christmas shopping that is.

Supplies- Crate Paper - Farmhouse Collection

I did do my September and October Document 2011 pages, but need to print off some photos then I will upload.

Shimelle Sketch of the Week - 21 September 2011

This year I'm really enjoyed working with sketches, I seem to be able to work a lot better with a starting point, sometimes I stick closely to the sketch, other times they just give me a kick start that I need to get going.

So this is Shimelle sketch of the week and you can find the details here

and the is my take on the sketch. For this one I've followed the design closely.

Products used:

Patterned Papers: Crate Paper - Toybox; October Afternoon - Rocket Age; Pink Paislee

Alphas: October Afternoon - Rocket Age

Maya Road - Kraft Dollie

Embellishments - Crate Paper - Toy box; Jenni Bowlin 'flag banner'

Stamps - Technique Tuesday

Puches - Stampin' Up ; Fiskars

These photos where taken by Morag at a recent day out, (I will be using a lot of these photos in coming layouts).

When I watched Shimelle's acccompanying video, she said that she had used scrap, so I did the same, this is using pieces from my Studio Calico June 2011 'Paper Moon' kit.

Thanks for stopping by ...