MAGGIE HOLMES Photography and Scrapbooking Blog

Studio Calico May Kit Layouts

My Studio Calico layouts came together really easily for me this month. Once I got going, I found the mix of products super inspiring..... which always makes the creative process move along quickly!

One thing I definitely fell in love with this month, which I haven't really played with much yet, is the HEXAGON! I know that Studio Calico has had hexagon type products for quite a while now and for some reason I have just shyed away from them. They didn't feel like "me." In the main kit there is lots of hexagon paper, hexagon mistable stickers and then a hexagon stamp and they all coordinate and fit perfectly together so I decided to play around with them and give it a shot! Well I was instantly hooked and went on to do 2 more layouts with hexagons and a card too!!

You will not be disappointed in the main kit, that's for sure!

Another thing I fell in love with once I started making my cards is the stamp set in the Brownie Add On. They are 4 different stamps and the "hello there" one is just perfect for making quick, easy cards that you could use for anything!!

And next up we have BANNERS, which I still do and will always LOVE!

The Heidi Swapp mistable banners in the Lomography Add On are super fun to work with because you can mist or ink them to turn them any color and the pattern on each one is a resist so it stays white! Then the Dear Lizzy premade mini banner in the Holga Add On is just plain cute!

Some shop items  you might be interested in that I used for misting and stamping:

Mister Huey's Taxi

Mister Huey's Boss Lady

Mister Huey's Pretty Pink

Mister Huey's Water Cooler

Black StaZOn Ink Pad

My favorite journaling pens are here and here.

A few more cards for you as well that I made with leftover scraps and with the stamp from the Leica Add On.

 

Let me know if you have any questions on my layouts or the techniques!

Creating Keepsakes Blog Hop Winner

The winner of the March/April 2012 issue of Creating Keepsakes is:

jackie radu said...

i saw this magazine at my LSS and knew that it was your little baby girl :) would love to win!

ReplyMarch 19, 2012 at 10:31 AM

 

Congrats! Email me your info ASAP to claim your prize!

Creating Keepsakes {{Giveaway}}

I have another giveaway for you today! I am super excited about this one because it is very personal to me!

Do you recognize this sweet baby girl?

Yep, it is Elizabeth Kate! I was honored when the editors at Creating Keepsakes asked me to feature a photo of her on the cover of the March/April 2012 issue! And I got to create the layout as well!

The issue is on sale now and can be purchased on the Creating Keepsakes website.

Here is a little sneak peek inside the issue. This is a layout I created using some Instagram photos and I also shared some photo tips as well.

I am giving away one copy of this issue and will draw the winner at random. To enter, leave a comment on this post.

The other dream team members are participating in the blog hop as well which means you can visit their sites and enter to win there too! Now you will have more chances to win! Good luck!

Hope Smythe

Laura Vegas

Paper Crafts Magazine

Erika Hayes

Piradee Talvanna

Deena Boese

Also, did you know that Creating Keepsakes has online extras (including contests, downloads and techniques) that coordinate with each issue? Be sure to check it out!!

Last Day to Register: Happy Little Moments Class

Today is the last day to register for my

Happy Little Moments altered book class

at Studio Calico!!!

If you haven't signed up yet, then do it NOW!! The class is only $10, which in my opinion is a steal for what you get! The class is self paced, includes step by step instructions, and lots of inspiring ideas from my contributing artists for modifying the book and customizing it to your heart's content!

Not only will you learn how to make the book, but you will come away with some awesome techniques and tricks that could also translate into additional books or your regular scrapbooking.

I have been going through all of the images from the contributors and I can't stop looking at them!

Here are some sneak peeks at all of our books!!!!

Are you excited now???? I am!!!

Sign up here and I will see you in class tomorrow!!!!

Happy Little Moments Class & Kit at Studio Calico

I am sooooo super excited that I finally get to share this! It's always hard to keep secrets about fun projects and I have had the best time putting this together!! Yay! It is finally here!!!

Happy Little Moments is my first online scrapbooking class over at Studio Calico! It is a self-paced online class in which you will receive a PDF with step-by-step instructions for completing an album out of an altered book. You will also have access to the class message board to chat with other students and me!

Here is a peek at the album:

 

My other announcement is that I created an exclusive kit to go along with the class and can I just say that I LOVE how the kit turned out!!! I hand picked each paper and embellishment and some of the things are custom just for this kit!!! We only have a limited supply of the kits so if you want one, you better grab it quickly. After they sell out, they are gone.

The good news is that if you don't get a kit, you can still take the class and create the album with your own supplies. You can modify, substitute and alter the papers and products to fit with what you have on hand or to fit with a different color scheme as well.

I really just get giddy when I look at this kit image because it is pure "Maggie" happiness all packaged up and put together! It is sooooo me and it was so fun and rewarding to see it come to life!!

I can't wait for you to see the entire album!! I'll see you in class when it starts on March 1st!

Purchase the class kit here.

Register for the class here.

 

Giveaway Winners

 

The winner of the Dear Lizzy Chipboard Word Banner is:

Jennifer O. said...

Cutest banner ... can't wait to see the whole collection!

ReplyJanuary 16, 2012 at 11:28 AM

 

The winner of the Amy Tan & Studio Calico Class is:

Jenny-Lynn said...

I would love to take Amy's class and use up some of my stash! Your blog has been a favorite of mine for the amazing layouts and minis you make. I would love to see more scrappy goodness. :)
xoxo,
jenny-lynn

ReplyJanuary 14, 2012 at 06:01 AM

 

Congrats to you both! Please email me asap with your information!

Dear Lizzy & American Crafts: Blog Hop & Giveaway

Elizabeth Kartchner’s latest signature collection, Dear Lizzy Neapolitan, is fanciful & fresh featuring candy-shop colors and a diffused watercolor effect that takes you into a daydream of hand-drawn Mason jars, ice cream cones and balloons.
Dear Lizzy Neapolitan features 22 papers, including darling stitched ruffle paper & patterned vellum. Complementing the papers are a variety of embellishments from painted wood buttons, epoxy stickers, chipboard word banners, embroidered brads & wood grain chipboard pieces. Other new exciting products are Flutterbys (sewn butterfly & pendant banners), a Roller & Phrase Stamp and Paper Pinwheels. Here's a sneak peek of one of the products!

 

As part of the blog hop I am giving away the Chipboard Word Banner pictured below! So cute! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment here in this post and then I will draw a winner at random in a few days! Also the Amy Tan class giveaway is still open so be sure to check that out below this post as well!

 

Your next stop on the BLOG HOP is Liz Tamanaha. Be sure to check out all the stops because each of us is giving away part of the new collection and I also believe that someone is giving away the entire line!!!!

............................

In other news my first online Photography Workshop of 2012 starts today! I am super excited to be teaching again after the holiday break! Every class I teach is so rewarding becasue I get to see my students progress soooo much in such a short amount of time! The best is seeing people who start out shooting in automatic mode and then go to shooting in full manual in just a few weeks! They are always so surprised how easy it really is once they gain the knowledge along with my tried and true tips and tricks! Bye Bye frustration and hello to fabulous photos!! That's what it's all about!

There are a few spots left in this class so if you want to jump on board and join us, it's not too late! More information on my workshops can be found here at Maggie Holmes Design.

Amy Tan & Studio Calico Online Class:: Giveaway

Hi there friends! I have a fabulous giveaway for you today! I have been super absent here on the blog so this is a great way to kickstart my return!! I promise I will be back here regularly from now on!!

Are you ready to jumpstart the way you look at supplies?  Tired of letting your kits pile up month after month without touching them?  Ready to pull out the tools you have on hand and put them to use? Amy Tan is here to help show you how to see the Studio Calico Main kits in new ways and get those supplies onto your pages.  She’s ready to share tips and tricks on making your kit supplies stretch to create beautiful page after page.

Known for her playful and innovative pages, Amy is the perfect teacher to help you stretch your kits.  She’ll walk you through ideas for breaking open those brown paper bags and seeing your kits in a fun new way.  Amy and Studio Calico kits... what a great combination!

Amy is joined by creative powerhouses Kelly Goree, Celine Navarro, and Jen Jockisch who will all share inspiration for using ONLY the Studio Calico Main kit.  You’ll see their process for getting started on a layout, selecting which supplies to pull from the kits, and tips for using their favorite tools and techniques.


                        START DATE: FEBRUARY 1, 2012                              

PRICE: $30.00

You can find out more information and register at Studio Calico right here.

TO ENTER: Please post here in the comments and tell me something you are interested in seeing here on my blog.... I'm gearing up for lots of posts in 2012 and I'd love to hear what you want to see. Whether it is photography, home decor, scrapbooking stuff, family posts.... anything and everything. Let me know and I'll get working on it!! I'll be back to draw a winner at random in a few days!

December Daily Photography Workshop

Here it is.... my newest online photography class that I have been soooo excited to launch! 

This one works differently than my other 2 photography workshops. The class is an email based workshop in which you will receive 1 email per day for every day in December. The class is inspired by Ali Edwards' wildly popular December Daily Album concept in which you create an album that includes photos/thoughts/memories/memorabilia/etc for each day in December.

In case you aren't familiar with this you can find a lot more information about the December Daily Album concept on Ali Edwards' site.

The only glitch I have ever run into with my December Daily albums is keeping up with them and staying on track in order to finish and complete the whole album. For me it is a super crazy busy month and I am sure it is for most of you too. So, it is easy to forget about it or get stuck and not know what to take pictures of, what to document, etc and then we give up.

My photography workshop is designed to help you stay on track with your album and it also takes the guesswork and confusion out of the equation when it comes to taking your photographs. The daily emails will be a great reminder to take your photos and you will also be inspired with examples and ideas. This will keep you from falling behind and then being stressed about not having photos for some of the days.

:::Here are a few more details, and answers to questions about the class:::

If you struggle for ideas and creativity when it comes to taking the photos each day for your December Daily Album, this class is for you.

If you struggle with not knowing how best to capture the details, like the twinkling Christmas lights at night, close ups of decorations, etc, then this class is for you.

If you are looking for easy and applicable tips and tricks on how to improve your everyday photography, this class is for you.

There is no certain camera required for this class, although I will give technical information on settings when it is applicable. You can take this class no matter what type of camera you will be using to take your photos. In fact I will be using a mixture of cameras including my digital SLR, point and shoot, instax cameras and Iphone. My photos, ideas, inspiration, tips and tricks will be varied amongst all of them.

You don't have to be doing a December Daily Album to take this photography workshop. Anyone can join in. You can simply come along for the inspiration and ideas and use them in your own creative way. You could also take my class and simply create an album that is only photos using the ones you take each day with me. Whether you create a detailed Dec Daily Album or something super simple, the things you learn will apply!

Not all of the emails will be Christmas focused. The December Daily Album concept is about documenting your life each day in December, not just documenting the Holidays. My class offers a nice balance between Holiday related photography and non-Holiday related photography.

If you have any other questions, let me know! Registration is open now and class starts December 1st!! 

Way too long...

Seriously a month? I can't stand that I haven't blogged in such a long time! But instead of beating myself up over it I am trying to remember that this seems to happen each year around this time. Not only am I busy doing my normal things - being a mom, wife, studio calico, my online photography classes, etc - but it is the craziest time of year for my photography business. Every year I try to gear up for it and think I am going to stay on top of it all but it seems like something has to give and it ends up being the blog. :)

I do keep up with posting on instagram, twitter and facebook so if you don't follow me and want to keep up with the little day-to-day things that are going on around here you can find me and follow me by clicking on the links or by looking me up on instagram under maggiehdesign.

I have lots of exciting things to share with you today!!

1. Elizabeth is almost 6 months old! Hello! Where does the time go? She is an absolute joy and is the happiest baby on earth! She is rolling around now and her first little tooth just poked through as well!

2. I was featured as the guest designer for Crate Paper this week! You can see the post along with my layouts here on their blog! I'm not sure why my layouts look all pixelated over there though :( They don't look that crazy in real life!

3. Did you see the 2012 Creating Keepsakes Dream Team announcement yet? I will be back for another year and couldn't be more excited about it! 

4. I will be launching some new online workshops at Maggie Holmes Design very soon and can't wait to share the details with you!! I will still be offering my current photography classes which start back up again in January 2012 so no worries, those are not going away! In fact, the first one is almost full so if you are thinking of signing up, do it quick! It might be time to snag yourself an early Christmas present!! :)

And just to tease you I will give you a little hint about one of the new classes - It has to do with documenting December......... any ideas?? Stay tuned! I will be back to announce it soon and link you up to the registration page!