Happy Mail!

I received a box in the mail from Studio Calico today and if I made a video of me opening the package and posted it I could win a year subscription! I posted a little video on instagram and wanted to share photos of everything that was inside the box. (I did take a longer video, but it is too big to upload and I'm not going to try to figure that out right now.

I got a new style black handbook.  I love these things.

Next are these color theory month labels in black and blue

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Some more color theory...this time in paint form...deja blue and blush crush

and these Lara Casey cards from this month make me happy...the colors are amazing!

and make stuff transparency pack from the month before last (Cirque Kit release).

and can you believe it...the Iris kit from this month. I adore that stamp set!

 and the Athena add on kit from last month (Odyssey Kit Release)

WOW! I know right...I scored big. Thank you so much Studio Calico for your generosity!

January stash busting project revealed.

I have picked the Holly collection from Crate Paper for my January stash busting project.  I picked this, put it back as too hard since it is a Christmas line and then picked it back up...I am always up for a good challenge.
I am working through the Sparkle class at Studio Calico and have been inspired to sparkle up my projects...a win/win in my book.

Here is what I am starting with...

There are about 8 full 12x12 pieces of paper, some partial sheets of paper, diecuts and 2 sheets of alphas...yes this is going to be a challenge.

The first cards I made (and I made 2 of them) uses the back side of the diecut circles, the solid B side of one of the papers and the stamp set from this Studio Calico kit.  It is still available. 

The sentiment and elephant were embossed with silver metallic Zing embossing powder and then the parachute was embossed on a different sheet of paper and the elephant was stamped with Color Theory ink and then cut out.  I gave one of the to a student who graduated last week and the second one will go in my graduation card stash.

I am hoping to SPARK some ideas that will allow you to look at your stash in new and different ways.  One great way to update old product is to use new stamps...that immediately makes the project feel more current.

let's finish off that Studio Calico Elementary

After adding some of the Studio Calico Elementary collection to the Love, Elsie I thought I might as well finish off the collection pack with these cards.

And I didn't quite get rid of the collection pack...I still have 1 full sheet of atmosphere and a partial sheet of the apples left.  I did give it a good go though.  And now the back to school cards are done. Yay!

And just when you have decided that you can't make one more thing with your scraps

you go and make 3 cards!

Here is what was left of my Love, Elsie stash

I thought I would just toss it in the recycling bin, but then I started moving the little bits of paper around and came up with these 3 back to school cards...

And then it really was stash busting at it's finest...there were only 3 tiny scraps left :)

Love, Elsie stash busting cards

As I continue on my back to school card making journey, I am determined to use up the Love, Elsie that remains in my stash.  This makes it harder to make cards because I can't make them all the same.  Each card has to be made to fit the scrap that is being used to make it.  But alas, I worked it out and made the following cards...

to my stamped shapes I have added the approved tab from a Studio Calico stamp set and an owl from Sassafras Lass...the later being stamped with brown color theory ink and the shapes colored with copics.

here I added the light bulb stamped shape from the same Studio Calico set as the approved stamp above and once again these were colored with copics.

here I added some stars on sparkly DMC floss.

here I added some sequins.

theses shapes were colored with copics.

here I just stamped directly on the paper with color theory ink.

these shapes were colored with Studio Calico Mr. Huey's.

and these with diluted Mr. Huey's.

Again, the painting takes so much more time than coloring with the markers.  I love the effect, but unless I invest in some good paint brushes, I won't be doing it very often.

Thanks for stopping by and I should have some more cards for you tomorrow.