MAGGIE HOLMES Photography and Scrapbooking Blog

Scrapbooking: Studio Calico September Layouts

The September Studio Calico Scrapbooking Kits definitely have a "back-to-school" vibe for me so I went with it and did 3 layouts with that theme! I haven't even printed my kids' back to school pics from this year yet but I had some instagrams that I printed through postalpix from last year that were ready and waiting to be scrapped! 

First up is Nathan's page:

I used the Main Kit only on this one. I really love the exclusive SC papers this month and especially this one that I used above with the handwriting guide on it. 

Next up is Matthew's page:

I am obsessed with the gold star trim that is in the Captial Avenue add on kit. I could hang that all around my house and use it on every single scrapbook page! It just makes me happy and works so well in strips or cut up into individual stars!

Finally we have Tyler's page:

Really loved the "you are here" piece and the orange tag from the Style Guide add on kit and knew I had to use them on a layout!

I did some misting as per usual and used the color Passport on the mistable arrows. I used the color Taxi on the big number on Tyler's layout. On the big number on Matthew's layout I used the color Leaf Green. I thought those numbers were super cute but ended up needing to mist both of them so they would stand out and "pop" on my pages. 

I also created a whopping 7 cards this month with the rest of my kits!

I am getting more and more into making these cards lately! You can see all of the cards I made for this month in my gallery on the Studio Calico site. Also did you know that the new site allows us to link related products that we used for each layout/card? You can see right there which inks, mists, etc I used for each project! Pretty cool!

Also I have a fun little announcement: 

I am going to start doing a giveaway each month in relation to these kits. No matter how hard I try I just can't use all of the fabulous goodies that are packed in the kits. Sometimes certain products don't go with the pictures I have chosen (even though I love them and wish they did) and other times I just simply can't make enough pages or cards to use up all of the cuteness!

And soooooo, I am going to start doing a giveaway EACH MONTH after I post my projects. The prize will vary from month to month and will consist of some of the products that I have left over. Sometimes the winner will get paper, other times there will be only embellishments but most times it will probably be a mix. I know it is not a big huge grand prize but I think it will be fun and it will give those of you that don't get all of the kits (or any of the kits) to have a chance at winning a sampling of the fabulous products I get to create with each month. It is my way to share some love each month with all of you!  

To enter, leave a comment here on this post. I will be back to draw a winner at random on Monday!

Please Note::: Because of the cost of shipping I can only offer this giveaway to those in the US. I feel so sad that I have to exclude some of you but the cost to ship the items would likely be more than they are worth and since these giveaways are not sponsored by a company, the cost is coming out of my pocket. If, however you are willing to pay the excess shipping fees over and above what they would be in the US, then you are welcome to enter. Please note in your comment that you are international but that you are willing to pay the extra costs.

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Also, plan on seeing lots more of me here on the blog from now on! I have lots going on that I plan to share with you and some fun things coming up in the near future!! 

Organization: Scrapbooking Supply Storage

I love organizing in general but I especially love organizing my scrapbooking  and crafting supplies. 

I was a guest blogger on the Creating Keepsakes Blog recently and I shared a bunch of fun storage ideas for your scrapbook supplies!

Here are a couple little peeks:

You can see the entire blog feature here and read my tips on where to find storage containers that are not only useful but also really cute!! Enjoy!

Photography: UTAH Photo Shoots

I will be in UTAH next week doing some photo shoots: August 15th and August 16th. There are only a few spots available so email me ASAP if you are interested. This is a great chance to get your Christmas card photos done early and check that off the list!! 

I have received quite a few emails asking if I will be in Utah this fall and unfortunately I will not. This is the only time I will be in Utah doing photo shoots for the rest of the year. 

If you are intersted email me at maggie AT maggieholmesdesign DOT com. Emails will be answered as quickly as possible and spots will be filled based on the order in which I receive the emails.

The cost is $350 and includes a 45 minute shoot along with the high res edited digital files of your photos. The number of images you will receive depends on the number of people in your family and the age of your kiddos (basically how cooperative they are during the photo shoot). With an average sized family you typically have plenty of time to get a few different family poses, individuals of each child and then a few other groupings - kids only, mom/dad, girls, boys, etc. You will get plenty to work with for Christmas cards, photos for scrapbooking, photos to print and hang in your home etc. You also get the full print release which means you can make your own cards, print as many copies as you like, share them on facebook, blogs, etc. 

Here are a few shots that I captured of our kiddos when we were up in Utah this summer. I can't get enough of the awesome locations up there!

Maybe I will be seeing YOU and your cute family up in Utah next week! Can't wait!!!

Photography: How to use Photoshop Actions to Edit Your Photos

I get a lot of emails from people wondering what exactly actions are and how they work.

An action is a preset series of steps that is already recorded in Photoshop that allows you to quickly and easily alter or edit your photos. Not only is it time-saving but it opens up a whole new world of creativity with your photos.

I have Photoshop actions on my website that can be used in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. You can find them here: Maggie Holmes Design Photoshop Actions.

Here are some examples of what my different actions will look like after they are run on your photos.

Original Photo:

Urban Cool Action:

Sun Kissed Action:

It's kind of like an Instagram Filter but you run these in Photoshop on your regular photos! Fun right? But one of the best things about my actions is that you can adjust the amount of the effect so you can keep it really natural and subtle or you can make it really strong and bold. I have adjusted the opacity of the effect on both of the above photos because I like to see the effect but I also like to keep my photos looking nice and natural. You can see all of my actions and examples of each one on my website here.

There's a great tutorial on the Creating Keepsakes Blog using some of my Photoshop actions. Not only does it show you what the actions do but there is also a video tutorial that shows you how to install and run a Photoshop action. If you are new to Photoshop or new to the world of actions, it is definitely worth checking out! 

DIY: Make Your Own Washi Tape

Hi there! I have a fun DIY for you today:

How to make your own washi tape using masking tape and a few other basic crafting supplies!

Here is the scrapbooking layout that I used my custom washi tape on:

You can find all of the steps and instructions in my guest blog post that was featured on the Creating Keepsakes Blog. Here is the link to the full post!

Hope you enjoy it! If you do, come back and let me know what other DIY's you would like to see here on the blog! Have a great day!

Scrapbooking: Creating Keepsakes Mixed Media Giveaway Winner

The winner of the Creating Keespakes Mixed Media Special Issue is:

Alisa Logue said...

Looks like a great issue! I would love to try using texture paste on my projects.- Alisa (alisalogue@charter.net)

ReplyJuly 22, 2012 at 04:20 PM

 

Congrats! Please email me asap to claim your prize. Prize must be claimed by August 15, 2012 or a new winner will be chosen.