introducing...Home Front.

BIG NEWS...BIG!!! that's right...Studio Calico is jumping into the manufacturing side of the scrapbook world with both feet. their first full line is called 'Home Front', and it is guaranteed to be a hit...they've taken the feedback they've received from aaaaalll of their paper releases this year and put together a line that can be used for just about anything.

BUT, it will not be available for direct purchase from their site for another 2 months...it will initially only be available at your favorite LOCAL SCRAPBOOK STORES and ONLINE SITES. that's right...they believe in supporting those stores (both brick & mortar and cyber) that sometimes feel the pinch when lines are released to everybody and their brother straight out of the box, lol. so for now, you have to ask your fave store or site to order this line...more details on that at the end of this post!

let's just see what we have...

FabRips...Studio Calico's signature adhesive fabric strips that can be used a jillion different ways. what i love most is that you can streeeeetch them to last longer, just snip the end of the pattern you want to use in the width you want and RIIIIIIP!!

i mean come on...are you kidding me? here's the specs on the alpha stickers: 199 characters, 2 different fonts, 2 sizes, upper AND lower case charcoal grey (which is impossible to find, but HUGE right now) and WOODGRAIN. say no more.

this may be my fave part of the release...i have long professed my love for label stickers, so here they are with SC's unique twist. AND they've included a few borders...SOMEBODY STOP ME!!

wait...did i say the label stickers were my fave part? i actually think it's a tie between the labels and these JOURNALING CARDS. THEY ARE DOUBLE SIDED...AND THE BACKS ARE LEDGER. i'm flipping out here, people.

now onto the paper...

this little gem has fun written all over it. well, technically i don't see the word 'fun', but you know what i mean lol. and...as i mentioned...CHARCOAL GREY on the reverse with little pops of color.

my girl Davinie nearly had a panic attack when she saw this paper...she is having heart palpitations over the B side. i mean, kraft-ish color with houses all over it? can't you think of 18732123 ways to use this?!

teal + muted orange/coral = nirvana. enough said.

the dress pattern paper has been revamped...i for one am digging the blue/green scheme, as Allie is pretty much in lust with that combo so i should be able to use it tons. note: ledger on B side alert.

but it just may be this pattern that is my fave of the bunch...they've updated one of their signature patterns, the scallops in rows...AND added a cool new twist to the B side.

now this one, this is truely unique. lots of woodgrain running around out there right now...but, as usual, SC has twisted it a bit. this one is patterned after an old farmhouse wooden floor...in the most heavenly shade of yellow i've seen in quite some time. note: floor plan on the B side is just happy happy.

so, that's it...Home Front.

want to get your hands on some?

here's what you need to do:

BEG YOUR FAVORITE STORE TO CARRY IT.

hahaha.

no, really.

have them shoot an email to info@studiocalico.com and they will hook them up with the Retailer area of the website so they can get specifics on pricing, etc. it's shipping SOON...as in, the next week or so...so they can have it to you quickfastandinahurry. SC will have a list compiled eventually to point you in the right direction if you can't get it near you, so stay tuned.

oh.

and did i mention my box of this delectable stuff is due to arrive TODAY?

AND, did i mention that we're planning on TONS OF CHANCES to WIN THE ENTIRE LINE via a little blog hopping?

stay tuned, people.

it's going to get crazy around here on the Home Front.

:)

winner...come on down!

hey everyone...thanks for all of the tricks of the mud-removal trade. the OxyClean/Shout spray + vigorous fingernail scratching seemed to do the trick, and her hersey looks brand spanking new!!

so, in honor of that blasted jersey...let's go with #23 (her soccer number) as our winner.

KERRI!!
I agree with Lisa and Jennie; I often use oxiclean on mud stains and it usually comes out fairly easily as long as you didn't dry it. I would also soak the clothes over night first though. Sounds like you guys had a great Halloween!! Thanks for the chance to win!!
12:24 PM

Kerri, please shoot me a note via Studio Calico HERE...in the contact member box, with your address!!
and thanks again to everyone!!!

:)

Halloween + Toxic Mud + RAK.

hey everyone.

it's been crazy again around here...still recovering (translation: doing laundry) from Halloween and our soccer tournament from this past weekend. here's a quick recap:

Halloween was a blast. her costume turned out pretty darn cool, and while initially the whole thing was built around those dang giant hoop earrings, she ended up flipping out over getting to wear the makeup i put on her. she made a darn fine gypsy fortune teller, if i may say so myself, lol. best news though? this costume will be worn again next year...as i think we may be at Disney for trick or treat time, and nobody there knows she wore it this year, lol. now...the soccer tournament.

let me preface my summary by showing this photo:

if that was as muddy as my shoes/pants had gotten this weekend, i would have been totally fine with it. even if our goalie had only gotten this muddy...we could have dealt with it.

but as it turns out, that was actually only the tip of mud-berg. (heehee)

by Saturday afternoon, the field we played on had not one blade of grass on it.

let me repeat that.

there was NO grass on that field.

it was solid mud.

it was a danger to the players is what it was...but our girls kept on playing.

and while we didn't fair all that well at the tournament, we made the best of it...having a potluck at our hotel with our families, the girls hanging together, trick or treating amongst our hotel rooms, etc.

and when it was all said and done, this was what happened on the ride home...

she was so pooped that she plopped that ball against the window and fell sound asleep...at 2pm.

and don't let the sparkly white appearance of her jersey fool you...the bottom is completely stained with that toxic mud that i can't seem to get out. UGH.

if anyone has remedies to remove mud, i'm all ears, lol!!

in fact...maybe i'll give out a little RAK in honor of the MudBowl.

YES!

here we go...

leave a comment about anything...tips for stain removal would be fab, but aren't necessary, lol.

i'll make up a nice box chock full of scrap supplies and ship it out to a random poster.

sounds like the best way to make something good come out of the Mud Pit, lol.

so post away...i need to clean out some space on my giveaway shelf!!

oh...and i think tomorrow i'll post about Studio Calico's newest line, just for fun.

woohoo!!

Marketplace...you are loved.

heehee Studio Calico's latest kit, Marketplace, went live last night at midnight...and it is a doozy. i can't choose just one element that i liked the best, there were just too many. the Design Team gallery was jaw-dropping as always...these ladies always knock my socks off and remind me that i am fortunate to stand beside them...i mean, i want to pull my kit out and play some more after seeing what they came up with! i think only one add-on, Bazaar, is sold out as of right now...so go HERE to buy one! or two. or three, hahaha.

here's what i came up with this month:

ahhhh, sweet Lola. we truly did luck out when we adopted her. you never know what kind of pet you're taking home when you adopt from the APL...it's a crap shoot, lol. but she is a true gem and brings joy to our house every single day. (plus, she likes having her picture taken, lol) i wanted to find a way to spell something out with that FABULOUS alphabet border stamp from the Bazaar add-on, so i strategically stamped rows, and then painted the letters i wanted to stand out with my eensie teensie paint brush. punched it with a circle punch and stuck it on the top row there.


now this one...this one gave me chest pain, lol. i had shared the story with my friends on the Message Board over at SC, and i knew i wanted to get it on paper. it didn't turn out how i had planned, but i think i got my point across. i think it was a case of, you stress too much about making sure it's 'just right'? so i said to heck with it and focused on the journaling. managed to find a pic of myself at 10...same age as Allie in her pic...that worked perfectly, mostly because i have no shame in showing loony old photos of myself. the butterfly border was made using the new large double punch by Martha Stewart...i am obsessed with it.

she is always. reading. ALWAYS. which is a good thing...and so every now and again, i take stock of what she's into at the moment and do a page about it for future reference. dragged out my neglected circle punch and played around a bit. i stamped the alpha border stamp again, and then stitched over it. speaking of stitches, i am in LOVE with those Hambly stitch rub-ons...here, i used them under the photos and then painted inside the lines with that tiny brush again. not sure that you can tell either, but the journaling strips this month all have mist on them, lol. i was experimenting (hey, i'm new to the mist thing!)...and hated to waste the cardstock...so i ran it through my computer and cut it to bits.

you know i am a fan of using old pics...i do it every month. this is a long time fave of mine...it's one of those photos that whenever my little brother and i reminisce about times we've had, i immediately think of this photo. it just captures his spirit...and reminds me of so many things about growing up together. love him, love this photo. the ledger i journaled on is the packaging from the stamps...like i was going to let those go to waste?!

and lastly, would be this page...about Allie and who she is right now. (and the misted cardstock i was playing around with to get the journaling strips mentioned above, lol. ended up with brown and a touch of green on this one, and i love how it turned out. both are available here in the shop as well!!) again, something i do from time to time...randomly pick a few things that she is about to remember that specific age/time in her life. did i mention i loooove the Basic Grey herringbone paper??!! the green is delicious.

so that's it.

now i need to go finish sewing the ruffle back onto her Halloween costume, since i had to rip it off because i was a moron and didn't check the overall length before sewing it on and it was touching the floor, lol.

enjoy your day!!

MarketPlace Sneaks.

good morning everyone!! as i sit here, enjoying the best $1.09 that money can buy, in the form of a giant cup of java from McDonald's...i thought i would post a few sneaks of the MarketPlace kit from Studio Calico before i head back over to my desk to work on another layout or two. it's funny, because i am looooooving a few things from this one, and i seem to keep reaching for them, lol. somebody stop me.

anyway...here we go.

here, i profess my love for the alpha stamp border that can be found in the Bazaar add-on. there are no excuses...you need it. this one here is from the sneaks...using only Flea Market (the second add-on). i am obsessed with the alphabet and the green herringbone paper from Basic Grey.

hmmm...aforementioned alpha border stamp. i am having a hard time not reaching for it on every single page this month. and i may have had fun with the Vintage Findings words from Making Memories. maybe. :)

yes, i know...i cheated. i snuck in a 2nd pic of the same layout, but the colors just make me happy!!

not done playing with this kit yet...i have a few ideas churning, but we'll have to see if they play out on paper, lol.

as for life, it is crazy right now. new electronic paperless charting at work has everyone in a tizzy, county soccer tournament this weekend (which we made it into, despite a very tough loss this past Saturday), then fund raiser Saturday evening for soccer...a Night at the Races event, which are always a hoot (this will be the first time for us on the worker bee end of it...wish us luck!), and vacation for me.

wait?

did somebody say vacation?

yesssssssssssssss.

starting as soon as they release me from work Thursday evening, lol.

man, am i overdue for one.

have a great week!

busy, busy.

it's funny...just when you think things will settle back down and the routine will snap back into place, BOOM.

no way, jose.

we were looking forward to the start of school as a catalyst for the return to 'normalcy', lol...man, were we wrong. the past few weekends, i've been up to this: that's right, i am a sucker.

i agreed to make Allie's Halloween costume again this year...and after some discussion, she will be a gypsy. so in the picture above, the pink is her dress, the orange is her hip scarf and the black/gold her hair scarf. everything is cut...just have to start assembly. and while i love her dearly, that is something best left to do while she is at school lol...so i'm hoping Tuesday to get that started. funny side note: the inspiration for this costume??

gigantic hoop earrings.

we saw some at the mall and she flipped out...like, went gaga over them.
uh...no.
not happening.
(haha.)
and then i made some comment like 'Allie, only gypsies can get away with hoops like that.'

you see where this is headed, yes?

so a gypsy it is.
and with the $4 BOX of costume jewelry she won at an auction we attended Friday night, she should be all set to glam it up to the max.
our other project...redoing her bedroom.

it was loooooooooong overdue. as in, hadn't been done since she was a wee girl. her dresser left much to be desired, so we trekked up to Ikea in Detroit to get one...and also brought home this great black wrought iron daybed, which at $99 was a total steal. i have to say, i LOVE Ikea for stuff like this. i just can't bring myself to spend tons of money on furniture that she may/may not destroy at her age...let alone the stress of worrying that she may be destroying it while i'm not looking, lol. when she's older, we'll talk about 'nicer' furniture...but for now, she is over the moon about this bed and new dresser.

steal of the century goes to me though for being at Target at the right time. the bedding (now, this is only a twin daybed) cost me $15, people. FIFTEEN DOLLARS. that would include the comforter, sheet set and extra sham...it was all marked down to 75% off since it was the 'back to school college dorm' line, and fit all of her requirements:

• blue and green must be prominent
• minimal pink
• nothing 'cute'

haha.

what can i say, she is a tween who knows what she wants.

add to it the very cool art canvas of different spots in L.A., and it's a home run. now if we could only find it's matching counterpart for N.Y.C...we have a few more local Targets to check. the color of the walls is Glidden Granny Smith Apple...just right. she insisted on using Glidden paint because they are the main sponsors of our fave MSL soccer team, the Columbus Crew haha...luckily, they offered this awesome color and it went on like a dream.

so, now since i am stalled in costume making...
and her bedroom is finished...
guess i'll be forced to sit down and scrap with my new Studio Calico November kit.
(sneaks available Tuesday night at midnight EST!!)

sheesh...torture, i'm telling ya.
lol.

side note: i was completely flattered when Caroline from Maya Road asked if she could feature my mini album made with their kraft envelopes that i whipped together using last month's Studio Calico kit...she posted it on their blog yesterday...that made my day!! now, if i could only get my hands on more of those darned envelopes...

Studio Calico October...YearBook.

hey everyone! sorry it took so long to get these posted...crazy times here in Harper-ville.

i so enjoyed working with the kit this month. lots of vibrant colors and new product. it is still available here if you haven't gotten yours yet, so don't miss out!! i suspect they won't last much longer, as they are perfect for so many projects...not just auatumn or even back to school.

do you ever pick something up at the store and know right away what you plan to do with it? that's how i felt about these Maya Road envelopes...sigh. i loved them from day 1, and knew i would make a mini album with them. i sliced off the scalloped edges to use elsewhere (see my other layouts from this month) and sat down to play. i received 5 of these...1 of each size/shape. i originally thought i would bind all 5 together, but nixed that idea after seeing how thick they were...i was afraid i would bust my sewing machine, lol. so i thought, hey...i could use one of them as a 'holder' for the album, that would be different. so i just kind of kept arranging/rearranging until i liked how they lined up. i simply held them together and ran the edge through the sewing machine with a straight stitch over and over...maybe 3 or 4 times. i didn't use ANY ADHESIVE to hold it together initially...i didn't want to gunk up the needle.

then i just saw the edge of the Sass paper laying across the desk from me and thought 'that would be cool as a border around the holder'. so i sewed it onto the bottom.

decided to stamp the contents of each envelope outside...using the Story Time stamps. then i grabbed my tiniest paint brush and painted inside the stamped letters.

after that, all bets were off...and i went simple. just made each envelope look alike and tucked a list inside of things that are happening right now with Allie. added a tab to the top of each list...

i stapled a ribbon along the edge of the binding...just to 'pretty' it up. oh, and of course, some paint around the edges...you know me. it literally came together in an hour. the key? simplicity and repetition.

this one makes my heart smile. i took a few shots of Allie & Mike on Father's Day a few months ago and this one is my fave, lol. it shows their comfort and closeness perfectly...and makes me tear up whenever i look at it.

this one is actually the last one i did...and i think it's my fave. a quick example of using a pic that has nothing to do with what the story, but 'fits', if that makes sense. i played around with leftovers to make the border and stamped the journaling lines with both red and orange ink before applying it to the cardstock.

a past fave pic of Mike & Allie...from her 4th birthday. super simple, but i wanted to focus again on their relationship. the little monsters in the middle were a last minute addition, lol.

this one came together after a heart to heart we had one evening before bedtime. sometimes at 10, it's hard to remember to shake things off...and i find myself reminding her that it's ok to feel down, but it's picking yourself back up that matters.

no matter how many times it takes.

:)