pumpkin patch

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  I am still trying to play catch up after a crazy few weeks.  We lost power for 5 days after a crazy snow storm hit our area the weekend before Halloween and then left for vacation literally the morning after it came back on.  We just returned home a few days ago to a super busy weekend filled with a wedding for my cousin, a Flag Football Superbowl for my youngest, and the Jets vs Patriots game for hubby and I.  Needless to say I am pooped!  LOL!  I do have a new layout to share with you today though.  This layout went up in the Garden today over at Two Peas In A Bucket.

This layout is copyright Two Peas in a Bucket

For this project I focused on the Autumn Press collection by Studio Calico. These are some photos I snapped of my littlest at the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. They were just perfect to scrap with this collection.  This collection was really easy to work with. The color palette is very warm and inviting and the patterns are great for all sorts of projects not just those with an autumn theme.

I used my Silhouette to die cut my title as well as the file folders used for my journaling and my pumpkin embellishment as well.   I've seriously become addicted to my Silhouette lately - I just can't get enough of it!  And they've recently released a new 12" version called the Cameo that is calling my name.  Hmmm ... maybe if I'm a good girl Santa will bring me one for Christmas.  ;)

Well that's all from me today.  Sorry for the short post - laundry and housework are calling my name.  I'll have another new layout from Two Peas to share tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies used (click images for links):

InLinkz.com

And the winner is ...

Happy Monday everyone!  Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments on my last post.  Each and every one of them warmed my heart.  And the lucky winner is ...

Congratulations Monica!  Just email your full name and mailing address to lghahary(at)cevant(dot)com and I will send out your March Studio Calico kit as soon as it arrives. 

As a guest for Studio Calico this month I also had the opportunity to work with their two newest collections released at CHA this past January.  My first layout uses the bright and cheerful collection State Fair.  I immediately thought of the boardwalk down in Ocean City when I saw these papers so I decided to create a layout all about the "Good Eats" you can find there.

And here's a detail image of my layout ...

I also worked with the Countryside collection.  This collection is so soft and feminine - not my usual style at all - but I loved it to pieces.  Perhaps even moreso than State Fair which is a bit of a shocker to me since I'm a bright color gal at heart.  I was happy to have an excuse to scrap these photos I took of my sweet little niece Gia just 12 days after she was born.  Isn't she a cutie?

And here's a detail image of my layout ...

Thank you again for all of the kind words and comments this past week.  Guesting for Studio Calico has been such an honor and I had so much creating with their amazing kits.  Now it's off to work on a few other assignments ... thanks for stopping by!  :)

AnY GiveN sUndaY plus a GIVEAWAY!

Happy Friday everyone!  Can you believe that I actually did it?  A whole week's worth of blog posts!  LOL  Today I am sharing the last of my Studio Calico layouts.  This is one of my favorites of the bunch.  Anyone who knows me and my family knows that we are crazy die hard football fans.  I LOVE this picture I took on the field during one of Darian's practices last year and have just been waiting for the perfect opportunity to scrap it.  The Into The Woods kit has a great outdoorsy and earthy vibe to it and I thought it was the perfect compliment to this photo. 

The journaling is kinda fun on this one.  Salar was impressed that I wrote it all by myself and had to read it out loud in his best Vince Lombardi voice when I showed him the finished layout.  Hee!  I used stamps from a few of the different add ons (LOVE that woodgrain stamp!) but for the most part everything you see is from the main kit. 

Speaking of the main kit I just happen to have an extra one on its way to me since I am a subscriber to Studio Calico as well.  If you missed out on this fabulous kit leave a comment below and I will choose a random winner to send my kit to as soon as it arrives.  I will leave this open til midnight (EST) on Sunday and post the winner Monday morning.  I'll be sending the kit via USPS Priority Mail so only US participants can play (sorry my international friends!).  Good Luck!

BEACH vacation

Yep!  That's what I could use right about now.  It is COLD here in New Jersey today (what is up with that Mother Nature?!?) and as I sit here and type this post my toes are numb and fingers are frozen.  Brrr .... Well since we won't be heading to the beach for at least another 4 months I might as well relive the memories a bit with this layout I created using the fabulous March kit Into The Woods from Studio Calico.  This layout actually uses bits and pieces from not only the main kit, but also several of the add ons as well. 

I loved the soft muted color palette of many of the papers in this month's kit and with this layout I was going for a whole sun, surf, and sand theme with the papers that I chose.  The wave paper from the Cosmo Cricket Salt Air collection is really fun and I fussy cut a strip to use as the border along the bottom of my KI Memories envelope as well as to hold several of my photos (not sure you can really tell from the pic but the photos are actually tucked behind several of the "waves" of the paper). 

I used my Silhouette to create not only the "BEACH" for my title but also this super cute sun embellishment that I then stitched to my page with a fun zig zag stitch.  And of course I added the "2010" stamp from the exclusive set included in the Sunny Clearing add on.  LOVE that stamp (I used it on another layout I'll be featuring tomorrow) and I can see myself using it over and over and over again!  That's all for me today - thanks for stopping by!  :)

BAND O' BROTHERS

Happy Wednesday everyone!  (and a very Happy Birthday to my little brother John!).  Today's layout is one of my favorites of the bunch that I created for Studio Calico this month.  I used mostly the Mossy Knoll add on with a few bits and pieces from the other kits.  This add on just screamed boy to me and those Hardcover Thickers ... well you know how much I love them!  LOL

I love this picture of my boys with two of their besties who happen to be another set of brothers.  The similarities between our boys is more than coincidental and makes me think these four boys were just destined to be friends.  My boys are named Darian and Brandon, the other boys (my friend Liz's sons) are named Brendan and Darren.  Darian and Brendan have birthdays just one day apart and have been together in class for both kindergarten and 1st grade.  When all four boys get together to play it is boyhood (and brotherhood) at its finest and they make up one big merry band o' brothers!

I love these little banner flags from Jenni Bowlin and can see myself using them on lots of future layouts.  You can also see that I used some Mister Huey's in Calico White for a little more interest and detail.  And twine - I love to add baker's twine here and there and the dark blue and white twine was the perfect addition to my little ticket.  I am off to see the 1st grade class lead their whole school meeting this morning - Darian has a speaking part and he is just so excited about it all.  Wish him luck!  :)

one cool cat

Hey everyone!  Today I am sharing another layout with you that I created with the Into The Woods kit from Studio Calico.  This layout uses bits and pieces from the kit and add ons - it was the last layout I created and a great way to use up all those extra paper scraps.  I based my design on a sketch by the uber talented Becky Fleck - love her sketches!  And it just so happens that this layout is being used as inspiration for this week's challenge over on the Studio Calico blog.

This picture of my cat Sebastian cracks me up.  He is a wee bit of a water snob and will only drink running water from our tub faucet.  When he's thirsty he sits in our tub and meows for me to turn the water on.  It's hysterical to watch!  I loved the idea of adding lots and lots of strips of paper and seeing how all the papers from the different add ons mixed and matched so well together.

I love these Hardcover Thickers from American Crafts - I honestly think they may be my new favorite Thicker from them.  I added just a bit of hand stitching to my layout for a little more detail but other than that it is all about the paper - no extra embellishments needed!  Be sure to head over to the Studio Calico blog to play along in this week's challenge - you could win a $5 Studio Calico gift certificate to use in the shop!  Good luck!

Into The Woods

Happy Monday everyone!  The March kit Into The Woods was revealed last night/today (I'm never quite certain how to say that! hee!) at Studio Calico and I'm so excited to finally share with you the layouts I created as Guest Designer this month.  April sent me all four add ons to play with and I loved them all!  I was really amazed at how well they mixed and matched not only with the main kit but also with each other.  I think all but one add on is sold out (Wildflower is still available) so if you are still looking to pick up a few extra goodies I would go ahead and hit that "checkout" button sooner than later.  ;)

I created 5 layouts with the kit and I seriously could have created a bazillion more if I had more time to play.  And since I hardly blog anymore I am going to share one layout a day over the next 5 days for a guaranteed 5 days straight of blogging.  How 'bout that!  LOL

This first layout might just be my favorite of the bunch.  Not only do I adore that Cosmo Cricket paper that reminds me of a sunset, but these are some of my favorite pictures of Darian that really show his infectious smile and sweet personality. 

I used my Silhouette (a new toy) to create the "sunbeams" and added lots of stitching for even more texture and detail.  The orange frame by Glitz (from the Mossy Knoll add on) was the perfect place to house my journaling that I printed on vellum and then laid over a piece of cardstock I had spritzed with Mister Huey's in Sunshine.  

That's all from me for today.  Stop by tomorrow when I share another layout!  :)

Studio Calico March Sneaks!

Hey everyone! I am so excited to be the guest designer for Studio Calico for the month of March.  It's no secret that I am a huge Studio Calico fan and having the opportunity to guest design for them is pretty much like a dream come true.  April and company always manage to put together the best kits with such a fun, eclectic mix of products.  And the March kit is no exception!

You can view a slideshow with more sneaks of the kit here on the Studio Calico website.  So far I've created 4 layouts with the kit and add ons and hope to create at least 1 or 2 more.  I was lucky enough to be able to work with all 4 add ons and have mixed them up quite a bit as they all work so well together.  Although I will say for all you boy mamas out there the Mossy Knoll add on is a necessity.  Just sayin' is all.  ;)

Here's a peek at what I've done so far ...

I still have lots of kit left and a whole day of scrapping ahead of me so that's all from me for now.  Hope you have a fantastic weekend!  Thanks for stopping by!

Inspired Blueprints Guest Designer

Hi everyone!  A few weeks ago I was asked by the super sweet Jennifer Yates to be a guest designer for Inspired Blueprints.  If you haven't heard about Inspired Blueprints you should really check it out.  It is a blog full of inspiring sketches and layouts from a group of very talented ladies.  I was asked to create a layout based on this week's sketch (Sketch 65).  Here's a look at the sketch ...

And here is my take on the sketch using the fabulous February kit (Who's Who) from Studio Calico ...

You can see that I took a bit of creative liberty when creating my layout and replaced the doily background with a smattering of stitched hearts.  This photo of my youngest Brandon just melts my heart.  I loved the soft colors in the Who's Who kit from Studio Calico and I especially loved the fun background paper that is a Studio Calico exclusive.

I love to stitch hearts like this on my layouts.  I do it often.  And will keep doing it.  It is such a fun way to add some detail and dimension and, well, it just makes me happy.

On the sketch there is a smaller photo off to the lower left of the focal photos.  I decided to use one of the KI Memories pockets to hold a smaller print of Brandon.  It was also a great place for me to add a few lines of journaling and a few smaller details as well.  To see what the Inspired Blueprints design team did with this sketch head on over to the Inspired Blueprints blog to check it out.  Thanks for stopping by!

enjoy today

Hey everyone!  I just realized that I never blogged the second layout I created using the December kit from Studio Calico.  This was a really fun one to create because I used the awesome KI Memories calendar paper as my background.  I LOVE this paper and think I may have to buy it in every colors they have available.

I thought this picture of my boys was hilarious (and so typical) and the bright colors of this kit just personified the feeling of the photo for me.  I just added a few bits of paper here and there along with some pieces of American Crafts Mixtape (love this stuff), some Sassafras blossoms, and of course another one of those swirly titles by KI Memories.  Easy but I love the way this one turned out! 
Just a few more detail images ...

That's it for me today.  Short and sweet.  I've been busy the last few days trying to work ahead on some assignments so that I don't have to worry about them during Christmas break when my boys and hubby are home.  :)