Project 12 - December

By now you've seen the news..... Scrapbook and Cards Today and BECKY FLECK are going to be helping me with my Project 12 challenge! I'm dyin' here. Dyin'! I couldn't be more excited about 2010.

This doesn't change how things will work with the challenge though, or my monthly blog post. I will still be hosting the challenge here as well. The difference will be the prizes, you will now have two chances to win if you link here and at SCT... and BECKY FLECK is going to be offering fresh and new sketches every month to help inspire your layouts, and help you to create a cohesive album for 2010.

Fabulous, yes?!

This month, my banner looks like this:



And in 2010 it will look like this:

I might add something to it for the banner I use for this blog, but when you see this icon, you will know what we are talking about. I think this is going to be made into a blinkie for your personal blog too.

I very much look forward to 2010!

As for 2009....

We are almost finished! This is the last challenge of 2009 and our albums are almost finished. I don't know about you but I have had a lot of fun with this challenge and just love how organized my album is this year. I hope to play catch up this month and should have two layouts to share with you.

And as a reminder, the challenge is this:

Scrap your month. Whether you use one photo, 31 photos, or no photos, do a layout that highlights a month in your life. I am working on recent months. I hope to get caught up with both October and November.

To be entered for the prize, just link your layout to this thread. I post this challenge at Studio Calico as well, but this blog post is where you need to link your layouts if you want to be entered for the prize.

What is the prize this month, you ask?

How's about a set of these:

That's right. What could be better for your future albums than a set of month stamps? If you have the Storytime alphas or numbers, you will appreciate what fun this set would be (ooh. The numbers will be fun to use on my albums as well, to highlight specific dates or note the year, etc.)

You have until December 20 to link your layouts to this thread. I am going to draw a name bright and early December 21 and shall have them wrapped all nice and pretty for you to open up under the tree on Christmas Day (that could mean an extra goodie or two from me too, you know). You can submit any layout you haven't submitted before in order to enter the drawing.

I hope you will play along! And even if you haven't played along before.... did you have a busy summer month, etc? Highlight it. I hope you will play along! The monthly stamps are sold out so this is a great opportunity to pick up a package.

Speaking of stamps.....

Be sure to check the Pink Paislee blog today! For the next 12 days there will be daily giveaways and you don't want to miss out on the generosity of Pink Paislee and the products they have! The prizes get bigger as we get closer to Christmas, but it looks like the giveaway today is a stamp set, and that's a great prize!

Have a great day! Davinie

Studio Calico Orchestra - the December kit

Check out the December kit from Studio Calico, Orchestra:

A non-traditional mix of colors that was really fun to work with. This is what I did:


I am busy organizing my scrapbook room, and came across one of the 900 newspapers I purchased because Morgan was on the cover of the Local section with Santa, lol. In an effort to declutter, I decided to trim the article out and use it on a layout. Morgan isn't mentioned anywhere in the article except for the photo, so I layered the title and the journaling over the article. The article itself is about the reindeer that were with Santa that day, but Morgan was all about her Christmas list, so my layout focuses on that part.

We live down the street from this Reindeer ranch, so seeing the animals was nothing new to her. She wanted to ask Santa about the sleigh that is sitting out back of the ranch all year long. Seems to me Santa had a lot of explaining to do, lol.

This layout used product from the second add-on, Percussion.

ETA: I meant to say... I was a little worried about acidity of the newsprint and what it would do to my layout/photos. I used Super Seal on it. It seals and also protects the newsprint. It made the print a little darker but it dried "clear".

This next layout was inspired by the Gingerbread tag from Elle's Studio. I used a lot of product from the first add-on, Strings, for this layout. I love that fun Jolly by Golly line from Cosmo Cricket. The Joyride line from Collage Press mixed really well with it!



This last layout used a lot of product from the Main kit. I wanted to steer away from holiday layouts for this one.


My flowers are made with Fiskar's circle punches. If I didn't have the size I wanted, I traced one with my circle template, courtesy of Staples, and trimmed it out. I then layered them and added a JB button, from the Woodwinds kit, and tied a bow with Karen Foster floss.



My project from the Woodwinds Project kit is by far my favorite thing from my gallery this month. I wanted a wall hanging with myself and my girls to stare at all year long. It currently isn't hanging anywhere. I have been toting it with me from room to room since it's completion because I love it so much and don't know where to put it. It might stay in my bedroom, but I'm not in there very much, so I might relocate it to a more visible place.

My girls, they drive me nuts, but I love them both to the moon and back, several times, and wouldn't have my life any other way. I had to create something to let them know that.





For one of my squares I found a quote that says "A daughter is one of the most beautiful gifts the world has to give" which I found appropriate for my message with this project, and the photos that I got.



As far as design, you will notice several visual triangles with my paper choices and placement, which makes this project very easy on the eyes.

I've had a wild last couple of weeks, so that is all I managed to complete with the kit for the slide show. That said, I have one last project to show you. At least part of it anyway.

My turn came up on the Creative Therapy blog and I used the Orchestra kit for my project. A little sneak peek is below, it hasn't been posted yet. It was inspired by some of the techniques I used on my printer's tray.




That's it! Thank you for all of your sweet comments regarding my great big news. I am really excited about all of it and can't wait to get started.

Davinie

Some Exciting News and Project 12 in 2010

Check out this news: Great big Huge News Here

EEEK! Can you believe it! I am so honored and excited and over the moon and happy and all that. It is an absolute dream to work with the team at SCT so I couldn't be happier.

And Project 12! Holy Toledo, Project 12 has a blinkie!


I just love it! You will be seeing this around the web, on the SCT blog, and even in the SCT magazine! How awesome is that!?

And Becky Fleck! Becky Fleck of PageMaps is going to be creating sketches as an option for your Project 12 albums! Becky Fleck and my baby!

I'm dying here!

For those who have played along with me or were hoping to in 2010, it will stay the same. I am going to be hosting the challenge on my blog too. The difference is you have two chances to win a prize, the prizes will be better (thank you SCT!) and if you are looking for a sketch option, you will have monthly sketches designed by Becky to choose from. But you don't have to use them. You can still do your own thing and link them for a chance at a little prize. The most important thing, though, is that at the end of 2010 you will have a recap of your life to be proud of. Isn't that great!

In honor of this great big bad news, I am giving away a subscription to SCT, starting with the fall issue. This magazine can be downloaded for free, and you might have an LSS that carries it, but just in case you don't, this would be a great addition to your idea book collection. This magazine is very high quality, very well put together, and full of tons of great inspiration, every issue.

This is what the cover of the fall issue looked like. (The cover layout was designed by Lisa Dickinson, super talented chicky that she is).



And these are the layouts I had in this issue. I wrote an article about using border punches in your layouts:









As a fun bonus, I also had a layout in the Reader's Gallery that included some of Morgan's super cute artwork. Isn't she brilliant! I really loved what they said about her in the blurb for this layout:




If you are interested in a subscription to this magazine, leave a comment on this blog post. I'm going to leave the comments open until Thursday of next week, 12/3, and then will post the winner here and the SCT blog for that subscription.

It's almost time for the winter issue (so excited to share this one too, I did the Easy, Detailed, Expert article) so if you are the winner, two wonderful sources of creative inspiration will be headed your way soon!

Have a great Saturday! Davinie

Pumpkin Pie Playdough, thanksgiving crafts, and CKC-Portland with Studio Calico

It's the week of Thanksgiving and here in the US, the kids are out of school. I don't know about yours, but mine aren't necessarily in need of a break, so I've been pulling my hair out a bit, entertaining them while trying to get work and other projects done at the same time.

I did search around on the internet for some fun Thanksgiving craft projects, and the other day, we made these:

Turkey Paper Plate Craft

I'm a huge sucker for paper plate and toilet paper roll crafts. I buy cheap packages of paper plates just to use for fun seasonal home decor projects for my girls. They LOVE art this type of project works for a variety of age groups so I am able to keep them entertained.

If you want to do a different kind of craft project, try pumpkin pie playdough. The kids will feel like they are making their own thanksigiving edibles, and will stay out of your hair while you make the real pies:

Pumpkin Pie Playdough:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 t. cream of tartar
2 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 T. vegetable oil
1 cup water
food coloring

Combine ingredients in saucepan and cook over low-medium heat, stirring with a spatula, until a ball forms.

Turn onto the counter and after it has cooled a little, knead until smooth.

Be sure to store in an air-tight container if you want it to last!

I also found some fun Thanksgiving worksheets here.

We are headed to Steve's parent's house for Turkey dinner, and I'm bringing the usual, Pumpkin Roll. I plan on making 3 or 4 and sending one to my sister's house for her Thanksgiving feast as well.

Libby has a really good recipe here. Speaking of which, I heard on the news that all of the Libby canned pumpkin is on store shelves. The warehouse is empty and there won't be any more once it has run out until August 2010. So if you plan to use canned pumpkin in your holiday baking between now and then, you might want to stock up!

In addition to my pumpkin rolls, I'm also bringing dinner rolls, and am going to use this recipe for that.

As far as Black Friday goes, I don't normally get too hyped up about getting out and getting the great deals. In fact, Steve saw a newscast last night that said that you can be tricked into buying below grade product on Black Friday, so be sure to read the fine print if you are on the hunt for computers and TV's, etc. It might seem like a good idea for a low price, but you might be purchasing low quality goods as well. So know what you are looking for! Me? I'm on the hunt for towels and knit pants for my kids, lol. I'll probably be okay purchasing them for 60% off. ha!

One last thing before I go:

If you live around the Portland area and love CKC's, tomorrow is your day! Registration will be open first thing Wednesday morning for classes and the vendor faire. Portland is as close to my stomping grounds as I can get, and I'm totally honored to be teaching a class at CKC! I'm going to be representing my favorite scrapbook kit club and teaching a class on masking and misting. The class is going to be a lot of fun! It looks like there will only be two opportunities to take this class that weekend, so be sure to sign up quickly before it sells out! Check out the Class list here. The Studio Calico class is being offered at 12:30 and again at 1:50 on Saturday. Sign up and come play with me!

Have a great week! Davinie

Catching up with sneaks and a Project 12 winner

Oh my. The last week has been a blur. I have been busy with work and kids and Kindergarten Thanksgiving feasts (which was amazingly well executed for 40 5 year old kids with everything from turkey (chicken, lol) to the pies for dessert, with topping!)..... and then on Friday my weekend plans totally changed.

My sister's BFF lost her 2 year old in a tragic accident, and it was yet another reality check on how fragile life is. Between thinking about her, and then going back in time and thinking about Aleida, it almost makes you want to curl up in the fetal position with everyone you hold dear, you know?

My Mom flew down late Friday night so that she could help watch my sister's kids while she then turned around and drove to be with her friend. I just can't imagine such a tragedy. I am comforted in knowing what a strong woman that mama is, and that I have no doubt that someday, someday, she will pull through this and be okay.

Crafting goes out the window when your life takes hold, you know. But this tragedy was a reminder to get out and get more photos, and because of it, I walked away this weekend with photos of myself with my girls that I will always, ALWAYS treasure. I dragged everyone outside in the backyard, in the freezing cold, in the wind, and had Steve take our pictures.

These are some of my favorites:



I've been meaning to do this for a while, but the timing wasn't right, someone was in a bad mood, we weren't all together, etc., etc. All the more reason to get the photos taken, right? I only tempted the girls with one lollipop in order to get them to cooperate. We chatted, told jokes, and for that last one, I may have resorted to a wee bit of tickling. I love that photo. Steve needs to work on his composition skills, but overall, did great. I was kneeling and had the girls sitting on my legs, so I would probably change the pose next time too. But I still love them!

And since we were all together, we set up the tripod and got a family photo too:



These will be in a Christmas card, soon! The only thing I'm not sure about is my left hand, the way it's "perched" on Morgan's head. Does that bother you and should I edit it out? Or leave it? It IS my hand. And this is real life. But does it need to look like part of my daughter's melon? A flesh colored hair bow, per se? heeeeeeee.

While I'm here, and have your undivided attention, I have a few things to share.

First, the Project 12 winner is:

Zorina. Yahooie! I'm sure as certain you will find plenty of uses for those MR sheers. Glad to see they are headed your way, my sweet! I'll be getting your address again. I do believe you have won a challenge before, yes?

Second, some Studio Calico sneaks. You can basically say I got all three add-ons, because I had a majority of product in the second add-on, the one with the Cosmo Cricket. We are at the deadline for projects in the slide show, but I'll have a couple more projects to share after the reveal because I didn't get the quality time I was hoping for with this kit last weekend.






And there you have it. Happy Monday! Davinie

The Homefront winner is.....

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

106

Timestamp: 2009-11-18 20:49:12 UTC

And that's.......

Heather Prins said...

Love the layout sooo much!

6:29 AM

Woot Heather! The Homefront is coming to your door!

Thanks to all of you for your sweet comments about my work and my fixer upper. I really appreciate it all!

Have a great day! Davinie

My Fixer Upper - The Downstairs Bathroom.

First, the Homefront Giveaway is still on! Leave a comment here and check out another layout from this Collection on this post.

Now, as promised, I am going to share part of my home.

First, I was 6 months pregnant when we moved in, so all I really cared about was a nap, which means I was really annoyed, because the bed was in pieces and the couch was in the back of a trailer being moved, you know? Everything was in upheaval so I didn't really care about anything else. AND in order to even move into this house, a lot of things needed to be done to make it livable. The house was previously heated with solar heat, but it was inefficient, so the previous owners also had a woodstove, which was old and in a terrible spot for young children. So the first thing we had to do was buy a heat pump, which came with air conditioning, which was a big chunk of money. And that was only one of the zillion things we had to do in order to live at the house.

I did manage to take a few before pictures though. I wish I had taken more detailed shots, but at the time, my pregnant self took a photo and was done with it, lol.

Without further ado, this is the before photo of the bathroom downstairs:



You'll notice linoleum, a rusty metal shelving unit of sorts over the toilet, an old icky vanity mirror with those sliding doors. And a 1980 sink. I know this bathroom could be much worse, but the thing that turned me off the most was the rust and general lack in cleanliness. ick. I didn't get a photo of it, but the door needed replaced too. The whole house had those cheap hollow core doors, meant for mobile homes, I think? They didn't even fit properly in a standard door frame. There was major air space underneath... which certainly wouldn't have made any quality time in the commode very comfortable, you know? heeeee.

Okay, I will say I am extremely disappointed in the upcoming photos, because they don't do the room justice. But it's extremely difficult to photograph a bathroom without a window or a 360 degree lens, ya know?

First, the bathroom door:


To the left is a guest bedroom.

Solid pine doors, full of knots and bumps. I love love love these doors. This is what all the doors in the house look like (as soon as we get them all hung, anyway). No more hollow core doors for us!

This next view is the from the open doorway, looking at the shower. There is no tub anymore. Steve laid tile floors, and a tile shower, with these really cool rocks on the floor. The floor is not even and it feels heavenly on your feet. It's almost like a foot massage when you take a shower.


I didn't get a photo of it, but the shower head is huge and is one of those "raining" shower heads. So when you go into this bathroom, shut the door and turn on the shower, it's almost tropical. You just have to drown out the sounds of the small children banging on the door, lol.

This next photo is my favorite part of the bathroom. I was at an antique store and saw these matching windows, so we backed them with mirrors and used them in the bathroom over the sink, as we bought a double sink. They still have the window latches on them, the paint is scruffed up, and I love these window/mirrors a lot.

Lastly is a view of the double vanity from the shower.


You can also see a niblet of the bathroom floor from that last photo. Steve laid tile floors as well.

The walls are painted a very light shade of grey.

So that's that! My downstairs bathroom!

I think the next tour I'll do is my scrapbook room and the mud room. Before, it was a single car garage and a separate room that housed an 800 GALLON water tank. A HUGE tank. Imagine THAT transformation!

:)

Have a great day!

Studio Calico blog hop on the Homefront!

It's an exciting day! For the past couple of years, Studio Calico has dabbled in the manufacturing world, creating stamps and papers exclusive to the monthly kits, as well as a few embellies handmade here and there, and available to purchase with the kit, only.

It's exciting and a true honor to work with them as they decide to jump into the manufacturing world with both feet and their debut line, Homefront. To celebrate this new line, the designers from Studio Calico are each giving away the entire collection on our blogs, starting tonight. While introducing this new line, we were also asked to share a little bit about ourselves and our personal "homefronts".

Me? I live in a fixer upper. My husband and I bought our first home in 2001 right after we got married. We lived there for a few years until the fall of 2005, when Steve's desire for a bit of breathing room and the right market led us to a home on 2 acres outside of town. To be honest, I still wonder why we bought it, as to me it's a huge eyesore. But it has the "location, location, location" and my girls have lots of room to run and play, we now raise our own beef every year, and this spring, and we even took on chickens (and yes, I know, I am long overdue a Days of our Chickens post).

You can read about my dirty birds here, here, and here.

The biggest thing we took on, though, was the house. The house is 2200 square feet, but it was appraised at 1100 with an unfinished basement. The previous owners were living in the first level, but it was concrete floors and unfinished walls, so I am not really sure why, lol.

Steve is a handy man to have around the house and has all the skills to upgrade it. How he learned his mad skills must have been through osmosis from his dad, a contractor in his day. In the last few years that we've lived here, we've doubled the square footage, as we now inhabit both levels of our home. But there is a ton of work to be done, and by a ton I literally mean not a single room is finished yet. I take that back. The downstairs bathroom is fabulous. And my scrapbook room is just about done. I mostly need to clean it and purge so I can share it with you, lol. I'm also busy redoing the girls' bedroom. It was time to update it for the more girly and less baby phase they are in.

This house is very "green" so it has solar panels and has a manmade "hill" against one side for energy savings. In fact, the previous owner and builder was into ham radio, and our address is 5473, the 54 because we are between 53 and 55th street, and the 73? Well 73 means hello in ham radio talk. You learn something new every day.

We have plans to rip off the roof, vault the ceilings, add a master and a two car garage, etc etc., but we didn't sell our last house, we rent it out, which means we didn't have a lot of cash into this house when we bought it, which means we don't have a lot of cash to spend to do that sort of thing. So for now, we fix it up as we fix it up.

Would I recommend it? Especially if you are young family having babies in your fixer upper? I was 6 months pregnant with Payton and Morgan was 20 months when we moved in. NO, I wouldn't do it again. But we did and we'll be here forever and someday I'll be ready to share a photo. lol

For now? The top of the bookcase in the living room. Decorated for fall.

(frames by Katie Pertiet for Designer Digitals).

You know what? I'm actually embarrassed by my lack of enthusiasm and pride in my home. Sometimes I'm so focused on what needs to be done, more of the glass half empty than the glass half full sort, and I forget how much work we actually have done.

Tomorrow I'll be back with that bathroom. The transformation is actually very cool, and Steve did it all himself.

Anyway, that's MY homefront. And a novella about the rest of it. ha!

So without further ado, let me introduce you to the giveaway, the HOMEFRONT Collection from Studio Calico.

Studio Calico is sharing part of their home with you by sponsoring a giveaway of their brand new line, Home Front. Imagine June Cleaver styled 1950s domestic bliss. Featuring optimistic colors and smooth vintage inspired patterns. You’ll find fresh stained wood grain, retro home décor, an exclusive SC cardstock alpha set, and much more. Home Front is versatile, colorful, and beautiful (can we say that?)….I think you’ll love it.

Patterned paper, rip strips, a sticker sheet, and two alphas. What more do you need to complete a fabulous layout?! Or 5?

To win this collection, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know what you are most excited to get, and to increase your chances, visit the rest of the design team below. Each blog will be giving away the entire collection!

April Foster

Celine Navarro

Emily Pitts

Jenn Olson

Joy Madison

Kelly Noel

Lisa Truesdell

Maggie Holmes

Nicole Harper

Nicole Samuels

Stephanie Howell

Tina Aszmus

This collection is available at many online stores including A Million Little Things, 2Peasinabucket, and Stop and Scrap.

Here's a little something I whipped up with this Collection:





I thought the Bazzill Just the Edge strips were a fun mix with the scalloped paper. I also had to use that great big ribbon, and I used my edge punch on the journaling box I trimmed out to match the scallop as well.

I love the little sentiment stickers on the sticker sheet too.

And that stick horse? My mama made that for me on my 19th birthday. We had a few when we were kids and I think I was feeling homesick or nostalgic or something, so when she asked what I wanted when I turned 19, that's what I said. I love that dang horse. She used the 20 year old pattern to create it too.

I think it's the most well made, and cutest stick horse I have ever seen. I'm thinking of setting her up with an Etsy shop. Can you imagine if that was Amy Butler, or Joel Dewberry, or even Cosmo Cricket fabric? Yummilicious. Would you want one? Let me know. Both of my girls have a few now, lol.

Enjoy the rest of the hop! You have until Midnight EST Tuesday night to submit a comment to be entered. We will be drawing names on Wednesday morning.



Have a great night! Or day, my Australian friends. Davinie

Book Winner and my Project 12

And the winner of the planner is......

Stacy Hamby said...

I pre-ordered all the Homefront line. So exciting. I am intrigued by the planner too. I am off to go check it out.

7:28 PM

Congratulations Stacy! I promise you will be organized and inspired by this planner!

Thank you so much for playing along, and thank you so much for your nice comments about my layout. The Homefront line is available for purchase and I hear it's even shipping in some parts. Again, I'd head to A Million Little Things or 2peas if I were you and you don't have an LSS!
__________________________________________________________________

7 days before my deadline, I also have my Project 12 layout to share tonight. This one is September. I think this design may be my favorite yet, but I think it's because I like the photos so much. I do think I've learned something in doing this challenge this year, and that's that I prefer larger photos, so look forward to that from now on.



Before I go I also wanted to share my Cardalicious card for this week. It looks like Janelle has finally posted the challenge. This week we needed to make a thank you card, using red, black, and flowers. I used some leftover bits from my November kit for this one, with some rubons from my stash. fun fun!



Have a great weekend! Be sure to check back for the blog hop on Monday! Remember, all of the Studio Calico designers will be giving away the Homefront line!

Studio Calico's Homefront in action and a Giveaway!

Over the weekend something very delicioso made it's way into my hands.... Studio Calico's debut release, Homefront. Such a smart, saavy, sophisticated group of products, I must say. I immediately started thinking about cutting it up, but took a moment becuase my initial box only came with one of each paper, and I needed to be very methodical. We are going to be having a blog hop on Monday the 16th where you will have a chance to win this collection from each of the Studio Calico designers, and I needed to make sure I trimmed so that I could create at least two layouts.

I do have one layout to share with you today from this release. I used the papers, fabrips, stickers, and sticker alphas on this one.




The fabrip is the woodgrainpiece. One of my favorite pieces in this collection are the scallops, so I trimmed a couple of rows to use on this layout so I could hoard the rest of that paper. Love it. I also used the B side of the Floor Plan pattern as the base of my layout design, and used bits of the A side for my flowers.

This photo of Payton really cracks me up. If she's vegging on the couch, it's in the middle, with the back of the middle cushion out and on the floor. For some reason, this day she was being very sassy with this cowgirl hat she got somewhere, and I had to snap a photo of her sassiness, my little cowpoke.

I've seen Homefront on preorder on several sites, but if I had my choice, and you don't have an LSS nearby, I'd head here. Jill is offering a discount if you order the entire collection, but it says she'll be offering the pieces individually after she receives her shipment, which should be any day now! So get over there! It will be available to purchase at the Studio Calico site in January.


With all that said...... how about that giveaway!?

I recently stumbled on a really cool idea for 2010 and wanted to share it with my blog readers. It's a desk calendar, scrapbook inspiration, a place to record ideas and design ideas, all in one book. The site is called Log your Memeory.

And the book is the Scrapbookers All-in-one Memory Logbook for 2010

The perfect tool for busy scrapbookers- a planner, idea book, journal & sketchbook-all in one, including: • Spiral-bound pages for ease of use. • Monthly & daily calendars, complete with US holidays & room to jot down your activities. • Space to document daily memories, jot down ideas, or create lists. • Your own personal “Story List” so you can track those pages & stories you know you want to share but haven’t had a chance to create yet. • Weekly pages for sketching layout ideas. • Weekly challenge questions to get creative juices flowing & help you tell the “real” story of your life. • Examples of “real life” scrapbook layouts for added inspiration. • Annual & monthly questionnaires to help track how life changes over a year. • Monthly worksheets for documenting family holidays, plus extra pages for birthdays and other celebrations. • A handy list of 2011 holidays, plus a place to jot down birthdays and other important family dates.

I am very excited about this planner and am even more ecstatic to have an opportunity to give one away (Thank you Kristin!). I have the wire-bound edition waiting right here to be sent to it's new home (US residents only, please. Unless you want to pay the shipping.)

Please leave a comment if you want to be entered in the giveaway. As always, followers of my blog already have their name in the "hat", but if you leave a comment as well you will have two chances to win.

I'm going to leave the comments open until midnight Wednesday night, PST, and will draw a name first thing Thursday morning.

Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday! Be sure to celebrate Veterans and go to your local parade tomorrow, if you have one. The kids don't have school and that's what we hope to do in the morning.

Davinie

The Home Front line and it's Whacky Wednesday at Pink Paislee

Have you seen this ad from Scrapbook Trends?! Why yes, that would be Home Front, the debut collection by Studio Calico.











That lamp paper? It's called Blown Fuse and I about did that when I saw it. That B side is going to be my new kraft, I swear to Pete. I canNOT wait to get it. I hear a box is headed my way as we speak.



I'm beyond excited to have an opportunity to play with this product, and can't wait to share it with you. We will be working on projects and are planning a blog hop, which means GIVEAWAYS soon. As in, the next few weeks.

After you are done drooling at the Studio Blog, you can see closeups of some of the product here, be sure to then meander on over to the Pink Paislee blog. It's my turn to host and I made a winter layout with some photos I've been saving. Here's a peek at the layout.


You see the whole layout and read the post here.

Speaking of the Mistletoe & Co. line, are you planning to make a December Daily album, a la Ali Edwards? Last year I started one and didn't finish it, but this year I'm determined to get one done. We have a lot of fun things planned in December and it would be fun to have it all documented in one place.

Anyway, just like Ali, I plan to use a fabric album from Prima. I bought one just for this purpose back when it was part of a project kit for Studio Calico. The product line that I am going to use for my album will be the Mistletoe & Co. line from Pink Paislee, with other bits mixed in. It's a clean classy line, I love the postage influences, there are a lot of embellishments to utilize, like the fun patches and die cut tags, and I'm determined to make it work this year.

Enjoy the rest of your day? Is Glee on tonight, or are they still on hiatus? I hate when shows do that!

Davinie

Project 12 challenge - November

As I prepared to shut down the computer and head to bed I realized.... It's NOVEMBER. And that means the 11th edition of the 2009 Project 12 challenge. We are into the 11th month and still going strong. I'm fairly proud of that. And I can't WAIT to let you in on details regarding the 2010 Project 12 challenge. I'll give you a hint.... it's going to be TWICE the size. It's going to be great. I can't wait!

On my last Project 12 post I asked what you thought about a few of the calendar ideas I've been seeing for 2010. Responses varied but the constant addition to my choices were small calendars from Elle's Studio.

The choice I made can easily work for those who like those small cards. Yes, I chose the sheer calendars from Maya Road.

The beautiful thing about these is that they are sheer so you can mount them on patterned paper and make them any color you want.... just like Elle. (I will say I liked the Jenni Bowlin cards too, but as I've used the 6x6 cards for 2009, I felt I needed a break from that large size).

One tin contains 36 pieces, three different calendar shapes. I think it will be a fun change for 2010 and I look forward to being able to alter my design a little bit, depending on the number of photos, while still keeping my layouts cohesive as a calendar of our life. I still plan to make it two pages as well.

The rules of the challenge are simple. Create a layout highlighting what you did during one particular month. Use one photo, 31 photos, 100 photos, or no photos. This challenge is simply about capturing a month in your life on a layout. You don't have to use Maya Road sheer calendar cards. You don't have to use any calendar cards. That's just what I'm using.

You have until November 20th to link your layout to this thread. After that I will have one of my lovely little ladies draw a winner, and this month, they are going to be taking home one of those 2010 calendar tins from Maya Road.

Easy enough? I hope you'll play along! I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Davinie

Studio Calico November at last

Wow! It's Halloween week, which means I've had my hands full with little kids and costumes and parties and egg carton bats (thanks for the idea Laura), and soccer snack and toddlers with attitude, an urge to purge kid toys, and a whole host of other excuses that have kept me from my blog. ACK! But here I am, with my November layouts from Studio Calico to share.

For the first time ever, I created a layout the same day I took the photos, and I used 8 pictures, and made a two-pager.





I knew I wanted to use the pumpkins in a row, just like they are displayed on the stamp package. At first I was going to do a different fall themed layout, but after we went to the pumpkin patch, I decided I had to scrap those photos immediately. We had a lot of fun that afternoon and I didn't want the good feeling to end. Plus there was a halfway decent photo of both myself and my hubby. All of us on a layout. Perfect!

If you take a close look at the stitching you will notice I did not use my sewing machine. I didn't use a needle to hand stitch. Those are Hambly stitch rubons, and I am IN. LOVE. Really. The color is so vivid, they went down like buttah, and I just love the different stitch styles so I used a few different strips on this layout. I like the homespun detail it adds. I HAVE to get more of these too. You shall see more rubons from me!



I had a story to tell with this layout. Payton has this thing where she trots around on all fours and you have to listen for a "neigh neigh neigh?" or a "meow" to know what animal she is that day, and she often will not answer you, except with the above, if she is in character and you want to speak to her. Actually, I take that back. She will talk to mommy, which is Morgan, but she won't talk to me, lol. It's actually quite amusing. Morgan never used to play make-believe like this so it's been a fun experience.

The design on this layout is really quite simple. I did hand stitch three different rows for texture, but there isn't a lot of wow to this one.





In an effort to amp it up a little bit and add some texture, I punched some circles and inked the edges, and then layered them at the top.

The photos are black and white because the top left photo was taken with my camera when I first picked it up and the setting were all wrong, so it was quite grainy when I made an attempt to fix it in photoshop, so I changed them all to black and white because I really liked the composition and overall photo and wanted to use it. Like Tim Gunn from Project Runway would say..... I made it work! (I'm watching it right now, lol).


This is the first layout I made this month and it came together really quickly. My DT package this month was delayed so I was twiddling my thumbs a little bit, but the weekend before it arrived I was also sick, so really didn't feel like doing anything besides lay around with my kids. Morgan kept bugging me for a scarf, so at the last minute I made some scarves for my girls and it wasn't until my kit arrived that I realized how well planned it was, if I had thought about planning it, lol.

The little Maya Road houses were made to sit next to the trees, and I covered them with mist which is my favorite way to use Mist. It's much faster and clean looking to use Maya Mist than to paint or ink them, I think. I used orange and brown for these houses. I then layered a piece of veneer that I trimmed with my rotary trimmer, and a strip of that yummy May Arts ribbon for a base to ground my houses and trees.

3 and a Half was all about the journaling. At first I thought I had written too much and would have to make the font too small to appreciate, but then I had a reality check and reminded myself that this is what scrapbooking is all about, preserving my memories, and I didn't want to cut anything I had to say, so I made it work. I really adore this photo of Payton, I'll probably scrap it again, and thought this look really described her at this age so I had to use it.



I thought the floral OA paper was really pretty and girly and childlike and perfect to use for this subject, so I had to add it as the main background. I also really wanted to showcase more than the use of kraft as a background, so I added that dark brown woodgrain pattern that Cosmo Cricket has perfected.

After I was finished with my layouts I did a quick card that I think I will create over and over again, thanks to Studio Calico and the new stamps, the sewing machine and the {handmade with love} sentiment. I guarantee this idea will be used over and over again, and I'm considering it as the design for some Christmas gift sets.




With that I'll leave you with our pumpkins. The girls each drew the face on their jack, Payton was on the left, and lucky for them, the pumpkins were forgiving and our tools were sharp so we were able to bring them to life. :)


Have a great day! Davinie

Help me pick out my Project 12 calendar for 2010 !

First, I have a Project 12 winner to pick for the October challenge. That winner is.....

Leslie Davis said... Finally got mine in on time!
http://www.studiocalico.com/forums/galleries/show/15917

Thank you for playing along Leslie! Get me your address and I'll get you $5 and some Studio Calico journaling cards.

Speaking of Project 12, while I have already picked out what I'm going to use for 2010, I wanted to share a couple of options for the Project 12 challenge and get some feedback. You don't have participated in the challenge, nor intend to do so in 2010, but if you had a choice, which would you prefer:

Option A, 6x6 calendar cards from Jenni Bowlin Studios. This time they are round instead of the die cut shape:



Option B, JBS calendar cards size 2 1/4 x 4 (these come in a couple of colors):


Or Option C, sheer calendars from Maya Road (there are a few different shapes to choose from and these are 2.2 x 2.7 inches)

As I mentioned, I already know what I will be using, and I may be giving some away with the November Project 12 challenge....... but I wanted to get some feedback first. Also, if you've seen some other options for 2010 calendars that you think would be a good option, please let me know. I'm still trying to decide for certain.

Before I go I do have a couple more sneaks for the November kit from Studio Calico. Boy how I wish I had more time. I bought all three add-ons so I have a ton of product at my disposal. I just got my kit a little later than the other girls, and I've had sick kids and room mom duties that took away from my scrappy time this week. That said, I'm still busy creating away and will be sharing more layouts after the kit goes live. One of these layouts here was made the same day I took the photos! I had intended to do something else with those pumpkin stamps, but I was really inspired by some of the photos I took so I put my other page on hold so I could make this layout in time for my gallery. I can't wait to share it! It even has, dare I say, a photo of ME in it! :)



Have a great weekend! We have a soccer game today (next week is the last one!) and have plans to carve pumpkins tonight.

Project 12 and some Studio Calico sneaks, and my weekend.

NO. I am not pregnant, lol. I have had a couple of family members and friends call me up asking if the "news" I alluded to on my last post had to do with another member of the Fiero family. No. lol. That is not the way I would tell anyone. Secondly, we are content to be a family of four, so except for fur babies that will come and go, there will be no more Fiero babies in this household. I'll have to content myself with my brother's blossoming family for now.

My news is craft related and something I am really excited about. But I can't share anything yet!

Yesterday I went to the second crop I've ever attended, but first I went to Morgan's soccer game. It's been so fun to watch her team play that I didn't want to miss it, and I'm glad I didn't. They played very well and the score was pretty close (although I think we did win). Morgan's been very assertive, more assertive than other girls that we've played, and I couldn't be more proud of her. Plus, she hasn't cried since the first game. She's been doing much better with her team skills... well, except for when she had a hold of one of her teammates shirts to keep him away from the ball, lol. She needs to work on the skills a little bit, I guess. ha!

The crop I went to yesterday was a lot of fun, but even though I was there for more than 10 hours, I didn't technically finish a single layout! I worked on two projects, but neither were buttoned up before I went home.

The first one was my Project 12 layout for August. I guess it was mainly done, but I did my journaling this morning.







I used Basic Grey's June Bug for this one, with some Just the Edge strips from Bazzill to dress it up. Easy enough, yes? Why did it take me so long then! lol I had the pictures printed already!

Ah well. Anyway, there is still time to submit a layout for the Project 12 challenge for October. The deadline is the 20th. If you are interested in Studio Calico goodies, you might want to play along! Details here.

Today we are just home doing fall lawn care (and that chore belongs to Steve, lol), and laundry (mine. ick). I swear Payton changes her clothes 6 times a day, so I am never near the bottom of the hamper and always grateful for the 2 rollaway carts and 6 total hampers we have in the laundry room. Good grief, I know!

Because it's fall and we are getting close to Halloween, I decided to do something fun for lunch. We had these:

(photo from pillsbury.com)

They were really easy to make and a huge hit for the kidlets. Payton ate her lunch for once, lol. We had macaroni and cheese with some apples as well. Calories much?

Recipe and bake times here.

I also saw the cutest craft project on the Angy Chicken blog here. Duh! My girls were very entertained, especially Payton. She really enjoyed taking her scissors to the paper. I can't believe how easy this craft project was. That Amy Karol is a genius, lol!

I did work on one Studio Calico layout while at my crop yesterday. I can show you a sneak of the finished part, lol. Combined with a layout I finished up the other day, and I have two sneaks to share with you this lovely Sunday.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Davinie

A latte and a cold......

The dust on this blog is not helping my nasal cavities, lol. I didn't intend to neglect it for so long, but my family has been under the weather, and I just haven't felt compelled to blog about it, I guess. It seems like everyone is getting sick. Do you need another person to share their symptoms?

Steve has been gone deer hunting too, so it's been just the girls. We are used to it, but we've missed him. I got a text that he's headed home a day early because they filled their tags, so the girls will be excited about that.

On Saturday I had to go to the store for a gallon of milk, darn it, but as we were traversing the aisles the girls reminded me that they've been wanting scarves, so we found the fabric/yarn aisles and I picked up chunky pink and purple yarn. I've taken a single knitting class, so scarves are the extent of my repertoire. To showcase my mad skillz, though, I lost one of my needles somewhere, and ended up using a partially sharpened pencil to finish my work. Pretty MacGyver of me, huh? I actually finished both rather quickly and my girls couldn't wait to wear them to school on Monday:


I should have made Morgan's as narrow as Payton's, and both are a little long. I forgot about the stretch, and I forgot about what a toddler would do to their scarf to create additional length, lol. But they love them and I love my girls, and knowing something I made is going to help keep them warm just makes my heart happy. I think I'm ready to learn how to make something else now, lol! They look like they need sweaters. Knit hats! Maybe even gloves or warm socks. lol

Tonight is sneak night at Studio Calico! I've been chomping at the bit and just received my kit yesterday, so I don't have anything in the sneak slide show. But I'm busy working on projects now, and will have sneaks of my own to share later this week. There's also some big news at SC that will be shared soon too. I hear it might be via the newsletter. But there's been a lot of change at Studio Calico, and we all look forward to the next chapter.

Speaking of change, I have big news of my own to share, but I can't quite yet. I hate to tease about it, and it's a secret I'd love to shout from the rooftops, but I don't think I can do so yet.

I've also been busy crafting when I can, but they are all projects I can't share yet either. What type of inspirational blog is this, anyway? lol Hey, maybe you can take on knitting! Oh, I did post a tutorial at the Studio Calico blog on recreating my Unplanned Harvest layout and the quilted blocks. You can find that here.

Keep checking the blog, because there is always a sneak night giveaway too. I'm sure it'll be posted soon.

I also found that Making Memories is having a vintage findings giveaway. Comment to enter here.

Happy Tuesday!

ETA: I just received the product I'm going to use monthly for my Project 12 challenge. I'm so excited and inspired by it! I can't wait to share. I'll be giving some away soon, so be on the lookout!

WCMD Giveaway Winner

Thank you so much for playing along! And wow, those candle ideas. I'm excited to try a few of those out! I've always been a Yankee girl, but am going to have to check out Bath and Body Works and maybe Scentsy too! Thanks for the ideas.

Without further ado, the stamps are headed to:




Virginia said...

what a fun question - i was just thinking yesterday that i LOVE fall candles and got a few for thanksgiving gifts (canadian thanksgiving is next weekend) - my fave is "fall leaves" from bath and bodyworks.

8:15 AM

Thank you Virginia! Send me an email with your address to me at cooperdees (at) yahoo.com

Have a great night! Davinie

Sunday blah

Good Sunday morning to you! It is very dreary here, very dark. It makes me want to get back in bed, but alas, the kiddos don't seem to want to settle in. hmmph.

I hope you got some crafting done yesterday for WCMD! I have family in town interfering with my chi, so I wasn't able to do what I had hoped. Oh well. Maybe tonight, after they leave, lol. If you haven't already, leave a comment on this post or become a follower of this blog for a chance to win some stamps. The only way you are going to get an opportunity to get the star or the frame stamp is here on this blog or in a CKC class with April. Maybe Maggie. If you already have the alphas you can give them away as a Christmas gift, or heck, sell them on ebay, lol!

I do have a little something to share with you today. It's my day to post on the Pink Paislee blog, and the topic is stamping. I thought I'd take the time to make a quick and easy Christmas card for those who like to make their own. I'm sharing a sneak here. If you'd like to see the whole thing as well as instructions, please check the blog post here.



And if you are feeling even more crafty, be sure to check out my Project 12 challenge here.

:)

It's World Cardmaking Day (WCMD) and I have a Giveaway!

Happy Saturday Morning! Today is World Cardmaking Day!

What a great day to celebrate crafting! It's the first weekend in October so the leaves are changing, weather is chilling (in North America anyway, my Australian friends), and fall football is on. What a better day to have a holiday and use as an excuse to create.

I'm honored to be part of the blog tour for Paper Crafts today, and if you go to the World Card Making Day website, you can see hundreds of links to creative blogs that are celebrating this crafty day. Check out the tour here.

One of my favorite magazines on the planet, Scrapbook and Cards Today, is also hosting a WCMD party, so be sure to check their blog for fun card making inspiration. There are 12 different card designs with sketches and instructions, so be sure to soak up the inspiration!

I have a fun fall card to share with you today.




This card was really easy to make, and the stripes are the B side to the Jillibean Sunflower paper, so it was inexpensive too! Most supplies from this card are the October kit from Studio Calico. The ribbon is from my stash.

In honor of all the crafting, I wanted to have a giveaway! Studio Calico has generously donated some very fun stamps which should help inspire you along your way. The frame and star stamp are very exclusive. April used them in her misting class at CKC-Nashville, I believe.


The alphabet stamps are great for cards and scrapbook layouts. This is the Storytime alpha. It is a nice size, and a great font. They are the outline of the alpha which is fun because you can then make them any color you want to match any project. I used this set on my "Little School Girl" layout with Studio Calico's October kit:

Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite scented candle during the fall months for your chance to win. Followers of my blog are already entered in all giveaways, but if you are a follower and you leave a comment, you'll have two chances. I'm going to leave the comments open until midnight PST on Sunday the 4th, so enter away!

I hope you have a wonderful day of crafting! It doesn't have to be cards. And be sure to check back tomorrow. It's my day to post at the Pink Paislee blog, and I have some quick and easy Christmas card ideas to share.

Off to the soccer game! Davinie

Halloween Inspo

Happy Friday! The first weekend of October is here and if you haven't already, it's time to dust off those fall/Halloween decoration boxes and make the house festive. If you don't do that already, you should, because it really sents a fun festive tone for the remainder of the year. Lighting a candle helps a lot too. Right now my house smells like Dutch Apple Pie. No wonder I'm hungry, lol.

I wanted to share a couple of Halloween projects with you today. First is my layout for my October article for True North Parentine Magazine. My article is about using a single photo on a layout. Last year at Halloween I took many, many photos, but this single photo encapsulated our day so well, that I thought I was the perfect photo to use to summarize our day.

Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket and Pink Paislee
Alphas: Pink Paislee/American Crafts

My girls have been trick-or-treating with the same friends since they were born, and for the last couple of years, we've been getting photos of them against this brick wall near the parking lot of the shopping center where they trick or treat. I love these photos so much that I made a home decor item with a piece of barnwood and the photo I took in 2007:

You can find a photo and instructions on recreating this project on page 32 of the September/October issue of Paper Crafts magazine. Don't have it? You can pick it up at the Paper Crafts/CK online store and get 25% off until 10/12. Details here.

Lastly I wanted share a little peek at a class I'm going to be teaching at my LSS, Scrappin' Along, on November 5 at 6pm. It's a two page Halloween layout using the new Halloween line from American Crafts.

Haunted Halloween layout class by Davinie Fiero
Using the newest techniques including border punches, misting, and hand stitching, create a two page layout using American Crafts new Halloween line to showcase those spooky holiday photos of your little trick-or-treater.



This class will be a lot of fun! If you are interested in signing up, please give Sherry at Scrappin Along' a call at 541-389-8187.

Have a great weekend! And be sure to check back tomorrow. It's World Cardmaking Day and I have a really great giveaway to go along with some card inspiration.

Davinie

Project 12 challenge - October

It's that time again! The Project 12 challenge, October edition.

Create a layout about a month in your life. I'm working on August. Maybe even September, so that I'm caught up. Use 1 photo, 100 photos, no photos. Just summarize a month in your life.

Link your layout to this thread. You can post it to any gallery, to your blog, etc. Just link me here.

You have until the 20th of the month to link your layout to this thread. This is the only place I check for layouts for the giveaway, so while it's great to link your layout at the thread I start at Studio Calico, the most important place is right here.

What's up for grabs? I've decided to keep things easy, and am offering another $5 gift certificate to Studio Calico, and a package of SC journaling cards:

The shop at Studio Calico is very inspiring, and some future product is going to rock your socks off, so you are going to want the cash. Trust me. :)

See you on the 20th!
Davinie

Studio Calico October - Yearbook

Hi all! I'm taking a break from volunteering in Morgan's Kindergarten class, scrubbing paint off Payton after preschool, hanging out at the library, hanging out in the car, driving to gymnastics, driving to soccer.... to share the October kit from Studio Calico. It's about time, eh? Hey, it takes me a minute to resize my photos so that I can fit everything in one blog post. Anyway, this is what I came up with this month.

I know I'm not helping anyone with my add-on choices, as I had to buy all three. But Studio Calico is the best scrapbook kit club on the planet, and I don't really feel the need to shop anywhere else. The shop is always full of fun goodies too. If you haven't, check it out sometime!

This kit was great for summer photos, school photos, fall photos, so it was great to wrap up some fun summer moments and also celebrate what's happening this week.

My first layout was Slip 'n Slide.

Normally the graphic patterns scare me to death but I really liked the color palette, thought this Monstrosity Sassafras paper would work great with these photos, and so I decided to showcase the pattern in this layout.

I used my favorite Fiskars punch on the blue Crate paper and layered it at the top. Then I punched circles in the blue cardstock and layered them across the paper . After all three patterns of paper were layed out I stitched around the border of the layout.

Oh, I almost forgot about the mist! I misted! I'm not much of a mist user but I liked the idea of an orange border, so I trimmed a retched shade of purple cardstock at 11.25 x 11.25 and layed it on top the cream cardstock and then misted in orange around the outside edges.

After that it was flower layering and alpha stickers.

I really liked this new patterned paper from SC. I wanted to showcase it as well but the pattern is a little busy for my photos, so I put Steve and his mower on cream cardstock. After I did that it seemed the opposite, a little plain, so it was after the fact that I decided to hand stitch circles. I'm not very good at spinning my sewing machine in a perfect circle, and I wanted them to be perfect, so hand stitch it was. I punched a circle out of a scrap piece of cardstock that was the same size as the woodgrain, and made pencil lines marking the circles on the cardstock. Then I pierced and stitched.
I was telling Steve that this seemed to be the favorite from my gallery this month and he was a bit upset that people seemed to like the stitches more than his photo. Silly man.

The ribbon was hand stitched to the layout as well.


This layout, this one right here, is my favorite layout from my gallery this month. I was completely inspired by the whole thing. When we were in Seattle last month we stayed at my dad's house. More specifically, we stayed in my stepmom's quilt/craft room at my dad's house. In this humungous craft room are quilting machines. And quilts. Everywhere. Every night as I went to sleep and every morning as I woke up I was overwhelmed with patterns and color and inspiration. She has so much fabric that she even has some on the bolts from the fabric store!

Our first night there, after dinner, as I mentioned in my journaling, Morgan noticed their fruit trees dripping with apples and pears and plums and begged to harvest some of them. We've never been apple picking, so the girls had a lot of fun climbing trees and picking fruit.

After I took the photos I knew I had to do a layout that incorporated where we were with what we did, and this is the result.



I had a lot of fun with this layout too. I was really happy to see how well the kit matched the photos of my girls on their first day of school, so this layout came together really easy.

I should first mention my photos. I saw a photo at 2peas of some little girls and a desk out in their backyard and just LOVED the idea. So I jumped on Craigs List and wouldn't you know it, there was a desk just like one I had in my first years of grade school, and it was $15! I nabbed it within 15 minutes of being listed and it's now in my living room. My girls love doing artwork and homework while sitting there. And of course, on their first day of school, I dragged it out into the yard. Of course, we had about 2 minutes to snap photos because we started running late, and as it was the first day of school, nobody wanted to sit there and let me take photos, but I did get a couple and you get the idea.

Most of the time I am more inspired by my photos, but lately I've also encountered patterned paper that really inspires me. Bo Bunny did that for me this month. I really really liked the patterns in the paper line that we used. For this particular layout, I knew I really had to include the fall tree patterns with my photos. I loved that the trees had pink in them.


I needed a pink felt tree to match that Bo Bunny paper, so I tore apart the Basic Grey feltie so that my tree matched. I then used the fun house stamp from Studio Calico to represent a little school house.

Another item in the main kit that I really enjoyed were these fun Maya Road envelopes. I wanted to use it on this layout but at first struggled with what to do with it. Write a note to the girls about my thoughts? No. I had just recently journaled about my fears regarding school. So instead, I had each girl draw a photo of herself on her first day of school on the Jenni Bowlin notepads. Boy are they cute! And now they are tucked away in envelope so that they will always be preserved! I love that! I save as much artwork as I can find a place for, but this was a fun way to include something else. It also has their signatures on it, and I am anxious to see how it changes from the first day to the last week. Maybe my PJ will graduate to Payton! :) Now, doesn't Morgan in her floral dress look cute? Those are flowers and sleeves, btw. Not bosoms. That girls knows where she came from, lol.

I posted the card I made with this kit here, and I made one more project for this kit before I ran out of time. I decided to make one of the envelopes into a mini album, an interview of Payton as she starts her school career. After doing the last layout, I couldn't stop! I had to carry on with school. I was also very inspired by Cosmo's pencils and the hop scotch on the B side of the Studio Calico paper. I thought the yellow and blue needed to be together.




I used the Jenni Bowlin memo notebook pages to determine the size, and trimmed the patterned paper the same to match. I also kept the design very simple, letting Payton's answers and artwork be the focus.

To create the album, I trimmed three pieces of cardstock, and then hand stitched them in the center to create the album binding. I was worried it might not hold so used glue as well, but as you can see on the very first page, I got a little sloppy, and in the end, I don't think I needed the glue.

I was happy with the photos I used, and included this last photo because it showcases her first backpack, and it shoes her headed out on her journey for education.

This was a very long post and if you made it this far, thank you very much! If you have any questions about my process, please let me know and I'll answer on my next post.

Have a great day! Davinie

Sketchfest Saturday and Studio Calico sneaks

Today is the last day and the last sketch for the Caardvarks Sketchfest challenge. It was an honor to be part of all the fun! For this last sketch I decided to sneak in an early peek at the October kit from Studio Calico, Yearbook, for my card.



Isn't it fun?! I loved those little felt trees from American Crafts. The alphas were fun too.

Speaking of Studio Calico, as promised, I have the remainder of my projects for October to share today. Just some sneaks, you know.



I had a lot of fun with this kit!

Have a great Saturday. We are getting ready to head to another Saturday soccer game. Gotta love 5 year old in action.

Today also would have been my Grandjack's birthday, which is wonderful because early this morning my brother became a daddy! Welcome Miss Lilly Cooper! I can't wait to meet you!

Davinie

Cards with a side of Scrapbook and Cards. Today!

Well, it's Friday which means we've made it through our first full week of school! And except for the fact that Morgan ALREADY has a case of the sniffles, everything went off without a hitch and the school year is going to be a lot of fun. Woot!

I do have a few cards to share with you today, the next three cards I made for Caardvarks Sketchfest challenge. There are a lot of great prizes up for grabs and there's still time to play along! Again, I only used Studio Calico kits for these cards, and some of them were a struggle, because I only have little scraps left! That worked out well for this first card:

This card features the "Looking Glass" kit.

This card features the "Bibliography" kit

And today's card features the current kit, Cotillion. As soon as I saw the sketch I knew I had to use the square frame stamp.

There is still one more sketch for Saturday, so you still have more sketches and more time. I also have Studio Calico sneaks to share, but I'm going to wait until Saturday, because the card I made with Saturday's sketch was made with October's kit, Yearbook (shhh, don't tell April, lol).

Before I go I did want to direct you to one of my very favorite crafty publications. The Fall issue of Scrapbook and Cards Today is up and ready. If you don't have access to it at your LSS, you can download this issue for free here. This is what the cover looks like:

It is full of such great content. I am very inspired every time I pick it up. The pages are nice and thick, and it goes on the shelves with other idea books at my house.

I had the honor of writing an article for this issue, so I have a few layouts in it. I also have some artwork by my favorite 5 year old on the planet, and I really loved what Catherine and Kerry had to say about her talent. That was my favorite part!

After you download the issue, head on over to the Scrapbook and Cards blog. They are hosting a great big giveaway today (but you should check the site often, because they are always doing giveaways).

Have a great Friday! See you tomorrow.

Project 12 September winner

The number of the day was 4 and that means:

ShellyJ said...

I got one done..
http://www.studiocalico.com
/forums/galleries/show/14529

5:51 PM

Shelly is the winner! Woot!

Thanks again to all who play along! I'll be back on the 1st with the October challenge, so if you are behind, keep plugging along! No worries!

Davinie

Sketchfest Tuesday and World Cardmaking Day

The Tuesday sketch for Sketchfest is up at the Caardvarks blog, and I wanted to share the card I made. I used July's Documentary kit for this one. I love those little pins from Making Memories!

Speaking of cards, you may have heard a few rumblings around the web, but I wanted to direct you to a fun event happening the first Saturday in October. It'll be World Cardmaking Day! What a perfect opportunity to get a head start on holiday cards and other card related tasks you may have been dreading and avoiding.

In honor of the big day, Paper Crafts Magazine is extending a discount to each of you! You can get 25% off your entire purchase subtotal at the Paper Crafts/CK online store -- just by enter the following code: NB84-TKMS-TAUJ. The coupon will be valid from midnight (MDT) on 09/21/09 through 23:59:59 (MDT) on 10/12/09. Be sure to check out the World Card Making Day website for all sorts of activities and you can even check out the Blog Tour. Some of my favorite card makers and crafters in general are listed there. So honored to be part of it.

And not because I'm partial or anything, but if you are looking for Christmas ideas I would absolutely jet over to the store for a copy of this:

I am really excited to have a couple of things in this issue, but honestly, in general I have never been so inspired by a magazine for holiday projects. So if you are looking for decor ideas, or gifts to give, and even ideas for those pesky Christmas cards, this is a really great issue to pick up. Here's one of my projects:


(Some of you might remember this from Studio Calico.)

You can check out this issue here.

Enjoy your Tuesday! The girls both have school today, and then it's off to soccer practice this evening. A busy day at my house!

Davinie

Card Challenge Monday!

I'm starting the week with some cards to inspire you. This works out great! Maybe it'll help get you card ideas for World Cardmaking Day, maybe it'll help inspire you to get ideas ready for those Christmas cards you hope to make this year. Either way, I have cards to share.

First is my Sketchfest Monday card. Be sure to check out the Caardvarks blog for details on this challenge. Remember, Studio Calico is a sponsor.


For my card, I used April's kit, Jack and Jill. Cosmo Cricket's Element cards make a great design element for this type of sketch.

Next up is my card for the challenge this week at the Cardalicious card challenge blog. The challenge? Make a birthday card using red, blue, and yellow. This is what I came up with:


Easy enough, yes?

Have a great day! Davinie

Studio Calico October sneaks

No beating around the bush with this post. I have a couple of Studio Calico sneaks to share. I was going to wait until I had one of my other projects finished, but I just can't help myself, I want to share.

This kit is very versatile. I've got a fall layout finished, some summer photos scrapped, a mini almost done, and other projects in the works as well. A very versatile kit, it is!





See you tomorrow!
Davinie

I'm a soccer Mom now!

The first week of school went off without a hitch, despite my concerns, and Morgan's transition into fall sports went better than expected too. No tap this time. Obviously, running off the stage at the recital one year, and refusing to go to class the next.... was a sure sign that tap and ballet dancing and spring recitals are not what Morgan's into, lol.
This fall I decided to try soccer. I did ask her what interested her, and soccer was her answer. The first practices were a little rough, because she spent a majority of her time upset when somebody else on her team scored a goal, because it wasn't her. I had no doubt that teamwork was something she was going to learn by participating.
Her very first game of her very first year, Morgan scored the very first goal. I was busy making friends with another parent at the goal line, had a big lens on my camera, and wasn't ready for the very first play of the very first game to have a goal made by my very first daughter, lol. I didn't get a great picture. She was so excited though, and I was so happy for her. And she only cried a few more times when other players scored, lol.
This week she did much better, and yesterday, she scored a goal all by herself. She muscled that ball down the field and into the goal and didn't even need one of the Superstars on her team to help her (they play 3 on 3 with no goalie at 5 years old).






It's been a lot of fun to watch! She's grown so much as a person in the last two weeks I can't imagine what she'll be like at Christmas! And because I'm an all-over-town driving soccer mom, I had to get me a new phone. It was time to enter the 21st century so I picked up a Blackberry. Apple is not in my area, so no Iphone for me. I took baby steps and upgraded to the Tour. So far, I like it. LOVE that I have the internet and I'm not at the computer! I can now keep up with the world while waiting at practices, waiting at gymnastics, waiting for school to get out, etc. I like the option.

I have a couple of scrappy things to share before I go. First, today is the last day to participate in the Project 12 challenge this month. Below is my layout for July.

If you are interested in playing along, read the details and link your layouts to this thread to be entered for the prize.

Lastly, this is my card for the first of 7 card challenges this week at the Caardvarks blog. Studio Calico is sponsoring the prizes, so be sure to check it out! I used 6-7 previous Studio Calico kits for these challenges, and even used the current kit (but don't tell April). Check out the Caardvarks blog for the Sunday sketch and how you can play along.

I used the current kit, Cotillion, for this card.

Have a great day! I have so much more to share, including some Studio Calico sneaks.
Davinie

Sketchfest with Caardvarks

Wow it's been a busy week! This marked the first official First Week of School at our house. Morgan in Kindergarten and Payton in preschool. Boy were they excited. I expected hesitancy and a few tears as I dropped them off in new and unfamiliar surroundings, but they couldn't have booted me out there fast enough, lol. I guess *I* was the only one worried about the new routine.

They couldn't even stand still and keep a smile long enough for a photo, but this is what they looked like on their first day:




Searching for backpacks turned in to a bit of an ordeal, but after looking everywhere Morgan liked this sparkly pink backpack with stars on it that we found at Old Navy of all places, and while at first she was insistent that her backpack have a horse on it, Payton eventually settled for Hello Kitty.

*phew*

Anyway, my week has been swamped, but I have managed to get out my scissors and glue as well. I will have Studio Calico sneaks soon, maybe later today or tomorrow, Project 12 layouts too, but I did want to direct you to something else I've been working on that's rather cool.




All sort of prizes on this one, from Studio Calico, and from what I hear, the Grand Prize for this event is a DT spot on the Caardvarks team, so if you like challenges, like making cards, this is the challenge for you! I hope you'll play along.

Enjoy your weekend!

Davinie

Like Maya Mists?

GET ON OVER to the Studio Calico blog. It was the Sneak Night Giveaway but they are leaving the comments open until Midnight tonight! 8 colors! woot!

Speaking of sneaks.... oh my. I don't have any yet as my box *just* got here. I took part in the combined kit shipping promo to save shipping costs for local kit delivery for a friend of mine, and along with some shop items, my box got too heavy for USPS and was sent UPS. It took forever and I almost took out the man in the brown truck when he pulled up.

He will NOT have to say "left package by front door" or "met woman in yard" or even "left package in tree", lol. He'll need to say "she took it right out of the back of the truck!"

heeeeeeeeee.

Off to scrap. And get my backlog of Project 12 layouts finished. And a few things I can't share yet. And then I need to feed kids. And bathe 'em. And all that.

:)

Seattle Part 2 - On the Puget Sound

When we were in the Seattle area I took over 500 photos, and have many that I love, but I wasn't sure anyone wanted to see them, lol, so I decided to show you just one more adventure we had this weekend. At least for now, anyway.

As you might know, I am an Alaskan. I was born in Homer, AK, which is on the Kenai peninsula. At the time, my mama was an Alaskan transplant, having moved up to live with an Aunt after high school. But my daddy was born and raised in Alaska. One of his first homes was across the Katchimak Bay on one of those houses on stilts that hangs out over the water. In fact, he's told me stories about one of their decks, and how it didn't have any fencing around it, yet he or one of his 6 siblings would be out there making tacks with a tricycle all over it. As a parent now, I can't imagine even thinking about letting an itty bitty kid on a wheeled vehicle on a deck hanging out over the ocean, but I guess that's why they call it "in the old days", lol.

Anyway, he was born and raised near the ocean. The ocean and boats are his first love. He ran a tug boat business while I was small, but in the '80's he sold it and for many years now he's been a boat pilot. He navigates these huge boats from Washington to Anchorage, where their cargo is most consumable goods for Alaskans, like milk and veggies, clothing, cars, etc.

For the past few years he's been busy building a boat from scratch. He bought this old boat, and has been basically rebuilding it from the hull up. And by building it I mean everything from the bottom up. He's an amazing craftsman.

I've been hearing about this boat, seeing pictures, but it wasn't until last weekend that I had a chance to go for a ride on it. Oh how it brought back memories of my childhood. It made me want to go to Alaska. It made Steve want to move to Sequim. We loved the ride, as did the kids.

The boat is called Necessity Cove. It's basic meaning is about taking care of yourself and doing something for you, something you love. Your own little shelter from the storm. I'm so glad he has it. He LOVES to be out on the boat.


I was still toting around my 50mm no lens camera, so this was the only full boat shot I got. We were walking around on this narrow dock, so I was as far away as I could get without stepping in the ocean, lol.

When we first got on the boat, while we were waiting for them to untie and get it ready for a cruise, the girls were busy being monsters or lions or something. My little princesses aren't much for girlie noises. They'd rather growl, lol.

Luckily, Morgan got over it quickly.

This is my daddy. The David half of the Davinie name, lol. He was just pushing the boat away from the dock before we took off when I snapped this shot. The boats are stacked fairly tightly and his boat was between two other boats.
Steve was excited and busy helping too. It was raining on and off and he was ready for it in his slicker.

Payton doesn't like loud noises. We can't even visit a public restroom without her having a bit of a panic about the flush. So she was nervous and ready when it came time to start the engine. Luckily for all of us, it wasn't as loud as she was fearing.

As we headed out, I handed the camera to Steve so he could get a photo of me with the girls, sitting out front. He even got my daddy in the photo. Good boy.
At this point I should mention that I have officially decided to change my hair color. It seems like every time I get in a photo, I'm overdue for a cut and color, lol. Dang those roots. We are going for less chunks of blond this time, and I'm going to do better about scheduling my next appointment. I always wait until I can't stand it, and then my girl is busy and I'm three weeks out. That would be the case for this time. I wanted my hair done before we left for our trip, but alas, she couldn't fit me in until the 15th. sheesh.


As I've mentioned... me. 50mm lens. That's it. So when we were in the house, I couldn't stand there and take photos of the girls getting a turn at the wheel. What I did was hold my camera out and up to the right, and just snapped away, hoping for the best. I think I took at least 50 photos, turning the camera a little each time.

Payton was very focused on her turn.

I included this one because it cracks me up. She makes this face all the time and I don't know where she gets it from, but it always makes us laugh when she does it.

I liked this one. I liked seeing her hands there.

I liked this one too, even though it's off. My dad was so focused he didn't even notice me over there, but the girls did!

On our way back to the dock after an hour or so on the water I was able to get a photo of my uncle's boat, which is moored in front of my daddy's boat. He says his is much better, but I don't know. I'm partial because it's my daddy's boat and therefore the boat I get to ride on, but I think my dad has done an amazing job building his dream boat.

I love Morgan's legs in this one. She cracks me up.
This boat may seem big, maybe not. But it has the main area where you steer, etc. But there's also stairs to the below deck area, where there is a galley for eating, and there is also a separate living quarters with it's own bathroom. It's perfect for my dad and stepmom, and they've taken it for "cruises" up and down the sound, a few days at a time. They just love it and I'm happy they have it. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of that part. He's also still working on the details, so it isn't all finished yet.

I can't wait to go on another ride! Steve wants to go fishing next time. I just want to ride and feel the salt water breeze.

Thanks for taking a peek! Davinie

Seattle by the photos

Oh my goodness... the fun exceeded my expectations. Today we are home but we could have stayed. Forever. Steve is even checking into local fire departments in the Sequim area where my dad lives. If you ever get a chance to check out the Seattle/Puget Sound part of Washington, you really, REALLY should go. Go now!

Thursday we drove to my sister's house. Alyca lives in Seattle. Steve and Ethan went to a pre-season football game and watched the Seahawks vs. the Raiders. It was Steve's first professional football game and he really enjoyed it.

Friday we headed to the Pacific Science Center. It wasn't quite what I'd hoped, probably better suited for kids after they can read, but we still had a good time. Our favorite sections were the dinosaurs (although Payton was afraid of the dinosaurs, so that was fun) and the butterflies. But they also liked the water area and checking out the starfish, anenome's, etc. too.




Payton held this HUGE bug. She walked right up to the girl who was holding it and asked if she could have a turn. But if she finds a teensy weensy spider somewhere at home, she freaks out and makes me take care of it. Silly girl.

The butterfly garden was wonderful. This is the downside of having a 50mm fixed lens on your camera. I intentionally left all my other lenses at home so that I wouldn't be tempted by my 35-70 kit lens. I hate the quality of the photos but I like the bit of zoom. I'm just going to have to save my pennies, though, and purchase a good quality lens. The 50mm does a much better job.

Anyway, no zoom does not work in a butterfly exhibit. They fly right up to your face, and you can't zoom. You can't "zoom" your body either, because they also land on the pathways and you don't want to step on one! So I did the best that I could.






My girls loved this area. They have a handout with the different species and colors noted, and Payton in particular liked comparing the butterfly she was looking at with the different species on the handout to see what type it was.

After we were finished at the science center, we sauntered over to the Space Needle. Next to the building is a little carnival of sorts, and the girls took in a couple of rides.



We got our tickets shortly thereafter and headed up the glass elevators to the viewpoint. My sister used to work the elevators in her college days, so it was fun to have her as our own personal guide.


That said... by the time we were headed up to the top it was late in the afternoon and the kids were getting tired and cranky.
We did manage to squeak in one family shot, and while I would have preferred a better backdrop, I could see the girls reaching their limits, so I didn't push.

When we got back down we tried to take a family photo with the Space Needle in the background, but, unfortunately, we asked Morgan to share her blue gatorade with Payton, which apparently was beyond her abilities, and Payton wanted her own Gatorade in addition to a Carousel ride.

We are such horrible parents.



Heeeeeee! This photo cracks me up. You can't see Morgan's face but she's doing her own share of boo hooing.


The saving grace to this part of the day was my plan for later in the evening. I used to go to theater every year. At least once. I always have to go to Seattle or Portland to see a show, so it's 3 or 6 hours away, so I don't have the opportunity to go to many more shows than that. If I lived in a city that hosted Broadway Across America, I would absolutely have season tickets.

Anyway, the last show I saw was in 2005 when I was first pregnant with Payton. The Lion King. It was wonderful and I would recommend everyone see that show, at least once.

I've been trying to find myself again now that the girls are starting school and I'm starting to have more freedom, and one of those things I loved to do for me was go to the show, so I scheduled an outing with my sister since I was going to be in the area. The show?

WICKED.

It.
WAS.
FABULOUS.

I have seen several shows. I lived in London for my final semester of college and took a theater class where we saw shows all the time. I sat in the front row for Rent and had eye contact with the actors.

This show beat them all.

It's the story of the Wicked Witch of the East and Glenda, the good Witch, pre-Dorothy. It's the backstory.

I loved it so much. I can't give enough praise for it. The music was wonderful, the acting was superb, they were funny and witty and SARCASTIC and just so darn entertaining. If I hadn't had a shifty guy in front of me who kept leaning out into my view, causing me to have to re-situate, there wouldn't have been any topping it.

If you have a chance to go. GO. I saw it at the Paramount theater in Seattle. Beautiful theater.

It really was a fun night.

Right before we walked in we had some passerby's take our photo. That's my sister and I.
I have to say.... normally when I ask complete strangers to take my photo it always comes across with chopped limbs or a distracting background, etc. It was so nice to have someone with nice photo composition skills! lol


I am only through Friday of my vacation and I have so much more to share. It really was a fun weekend. More later.

Davinie