into the woods

the march kit, into the woods, is now available at studio calico! this month i again purchased all four add-ons.

i have never really been one for all four in the past, but the last few months i've decided i need to build my stash up again.

over my pregnancy and in the early days after the babies were born, i lost a bit of mojo. i got rid of a lot of supplies that had just been sitting around for ages.

besides, everything this month called my name for different reasons. SC is pretty much the only place i shop now, with no LSS here (boo hiss), so for a few months I'll just get it all. :)

here's what I came up with this month. i decided i wanted to challenge myself a bit with scrapbooking. when you design for a company, you are supposed to inspire people to use their products. in order to do this, you have to keep things fresh and i think it's high time for me to learn a few more techniques!

nothing fancy, i'm starting slow...but i want to learn how to incorporate techniques and still keep my style.

 

 

three

size: 12x12

made using:

piglet mister huey

chicken feed jbs dye ink

martha stewart butterfly punch

wildflower add-on

alphabet from main kit

yes it's true. i misted! i can't believe it myself. i've resisted the trend for a while now. mainly b/c it's not "me". and i'm fine with that. but i really wanted to use PINK mister huey!

i really feel i found a way to use mist and still have the layout look like "me". pretty proud of myself i must say. HA!

i used the violet die cut paper as a mask, placing it on top of a sheet of cardstock. i misted with piglet, removed the die cut paper, and voila. simple, i know. but oh do the results make me happy.

i then cut a couple of the flowers from the die cut paper to frame these sweet photos of sadie.

the book page to the left has a banner on it, i trimmed the banner off of the page so it could overlap my photos.

i think the little yellow tulle flower is super sweet as well.

i used the woodgrain stamp and chicken feed ink to stamp on cardstock, and then i punched butterflies using the martha butterfly stamp.

you know what i love about this page now that i think about it? it's SO sadie.super soft and sweet, but also messy. just right if you ask me.

 

awe

size: 12x12

made using:

close to my heart lagoon ink

fiskars upper crest punch

fiskars apron lace punch

stampin' up! scallop punch

martha stewart scallop dot punch

 

mossy knoll add-on

a smidge of babbling brook (stamp,paper,trim)

my favorite part about this page is the "ruffles" i made using border punches.

i layered them and flipped up the edges with my finger to give the page a  bit of texture.

and yes, i stamped again. i figure it's time to stop saying i don't stamp and get over it. i want to stamp, so i'm going to dang it! it sure doesn't have to be perfect!

i treasure these photos of j and the babies. i think every day how cool it is to have twins. i'm STILL in shock and awe that we have TWO. i'm wondering if that feeling will ever stop and i wanted to do a page about it. :)

 

 

already

size: 8 1/2x11

made using:

versafine onyx ink

a little bit of everything, ha!

from main kit: stamp, patterned paper

from babbling brook: office pockets, sugar and spice sticker

from mossy knoll: ribbon

from sunny clearing: alphabet, crochet doily

from wildflower: button, sticker

 

this photo? makes me laugh SO HARD. so so so so so hard. i wanted to do a page that was a bit quirky...about how lucy already has a bit of sadie spunk to her.

not much to explain here, just fun bits and pieces here and there.

 

 

feels like spring at forsyth park

size: 12x12

made using:

jenni bowlin lemon drops ink

sunny clearing- yellow die cut paper, gingham paper, butterfly

main- papers, stamp, alpha

mossy knoll- alpha

i was looking at these KI die cut calendar papers and thinking how much i loved them. then i realized that one kind of looked like a sun and one could be a hill.

we had just visited forsyth park on a beautiful sunny day...i decided to go with my idea and do a page about that day.

i cut an edge from the yellow calendar paper and used it, along with the gingham paper for the rays, to make a sun at the top of my page.

i placed my title work, and a sweet little bee (stamped using lemon drops), on the sun.

on the "hill" i did a collage of my iPhone photos from our day at the park. I backed each square photo with patterned paper, and scattered tiny butterflies in the collage.

this is a different style for me, but it was so fun to make and i'm super happy with the results.

 

so that's it for this month! if the sickies wouldn't have gotten me, who knows how many i would have done...this month is so bright, happy, and full of fantastic texture.

i also wanted to let y'all know that the january stamps are now available in the store.

i LOVE how the circle/words stamp looks here, it's one of my favorites and i'd grab it up if i were you :):

happy monday!

xo

s

Comments

[Kate]

My lord you are creative. Love them all- and especially the lucy one.

[Joan]

Well I believe you have found your MOJO! One stunning layout after another! I do love the "three" page of Sadie the most...the misting is FAB! And how can ya not love that pic of Lucy! The layers on the "Awe" layout pulls it all together and the photos are so touching! Have a great Monday right back at ya!

[erin]

great great great job, steph! this year, i've been about stretching myself more too. go 2011~

[Dawn W.]

LOVE these layout. You did a great job challenging yourself. The first one with the Mr. Huey mist is my favorite, but I do love them all. I just adore your style. Thanks for sharing these.

[Vanessa M. Santamaria]

Beautiful layouts! Love all the details on these- love that piglet mist on Sadie's layout and the forsyth park one with the sun :)

[Michelle Wedertz]

Thanks so much for sharing your work--it is so inspiring! AND I totally hear you in regards to the misting-I too have resisted. I am so afraid of making a mess out of it, but I think I just need to let my control freak go and get my mist on :-)

[amy tangerine]

so much to love, can't pick a fave, so i pick them all!

[Pat]

Beautiful - all of them!

[Mel Tallman]

Your style of scrapbooking is so inspiring. Even for someone like me who scraps pretty simply. Seeing your work makes me want to run down to my scraproom and scrap or make cards. Last month after seeing your Studio Calico work I ran out to order and it was sold out already. So I've signed up and this is my first month to receive a kit plus I had to add Babbling Brook. I wish I had gotten to the stamp page sooner, but I'm just learning how to do the SC release shuffle.
Thanks again for sharing your beautiful work.

[marcy]

I love these all! Techniques are tough for me too.

[jackie]

all of your layouts look fabulous! love them all!

[JulieHollis]

I love your work to pieces!!! You are one of my most favoritist inspirations. Because of you, I have tried (or am planning on trying) a lot of new things.

[Sherri]

It's too bad the kit is sold out :( I love every single one of your layouts! Thanks so much for sharing.

[amy]

oh gosh darn. none of these kits for me anymore, so i'll live vicariously through your lovely work! the way you stamped the bee is just brilliant. BRILLIANT! love all your pages!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jennifer Camplin]

love.love.love.love.love your layout!

[Natalie Hua]

Your pages are AMAZING!!

[linda]

I am not trying to be a bitch. BUT, Steph dear, it is important to put the names of the babies on your layouts. I know, I know, you can tell them apart. 20 years from now, they might not be able to tell themselves apart.
My mom has her albums in date order (old style photo corners and large webway albums) if it weren't for the date order she wouldn't be able to tell us babies apart. Granted, she had 7 in eight years and it made her a bit...crazy (not really but the lack of sleep caught up to her). She forgot all the baby moments you treasure right now.
Even if you don't want to ruin the journal area, at least make a note on the back.
Oh wait, unless of course each babe has their own albums. hmmmm.
oops, never mind. PSA over

[Stephanie Howell]

Their names and dates are always written on the back of the layout.

Sent from my iPhone

[Noelle Reese]

Good gravy! They are all fantastic! I don't think you lost your mojo! :)

[Mel Tallman]

I am totally outside of my comfort zone, but I'm going to just go for it... Stephanie, If I had to deal with comments like Linda's above, every time I posted, I don't know if I could do it. I'm sure she means well, or at least I hope so, but it really reads harsh and critical. As a mother of four myself with my youngest being twin 3 year olds I applaud you for, 1) staying sane, 2) staying positive 4) taking photos, and 5) what makes you a saint in my book is that you scrapbook at all. And then you do such amazing work I'm always in Awe.

Please Please don't take that smile off your face for a minute.

[Brenda Faylee Turner]

Hi Stephanie!
Wow! Wow! Wow! How do you do this? I looked at the kits & tried to imagine what I would do with them & then looked at your pages & my mouth flew open - Wow! How does she do that? You have amazing talent & I LOVE your style. Problem is, since my style evolved into being quite matchy-matchy, I have a VERY HARD TIME getting out of my box! I love your style but it just won't come naturally for me. But that's OK - I can always kinda copy you:) Thanks so much for sharing with us so generously. You're alright, girlfriend:) Even much more than "alright" :)

[Michelle Unruh]

So so cute!!! Every single one of them!!! The twinnies look SO tiny in Jimmy's hands!!! So sweet!! I LOVE the look on Lucy's face!!! Just cracks me up! Every one of your LO's just perfect!!! Your girls' are just too cute (aside of mine of course!). They have that look that makes you want to just squeeze them!! Give them a big hug for me!!!

[Jenna]

i love all these pages. Love Studio Calico, just wish the postage to the UK wasn't so high x

[Stephanie Howell]

thanks so much mel. i needed to read this! :) xoxo

[ScrappinA]

Here Here! to Mel's post. haha. ok but wow, i love the misting you did and i am excited to see how your style evolves as you stretch into new techniques. i love your style and i hope to one day get these kits on a regular basis. i just love how SC bundles things together so perfectly. i am always amazed at how you use the products so keep calm and scrap on! ;o)

[Jennifer]

your layouts are so inspiring! Love them all :)

[Lonely Scrapbooker]

All so beautiful Stephanie. I think I like the last one best but they are all amazing.

[Jill]

Oh I love seeing these photos on scrapbook pages!!!