MAGGIE HOLMES Photography and Scrapbooking Blog

Studio Calico April Kit: Singin' in the Rain

Hi there! It's been a while! I have been bogged down with a horrible cold that I can't seem to shake! Not fun, but trying to get back into the swing of things!! I meant to post sneaks of my Studio Calico layouts and now here it is after the full reveal.... time flies!!

Anyway, here are my layouts with details on shop items, techniques, etc. As always, if you have any questions about anything give me a shout!!

There were sooooo many cute girly things in the kits this month that I couldn't resist doing all three layouts about Emily! I have especially been anxious to get some of the new Crate Paper lines so I was ecstatic to some of it in the kits and the shop! 

First up is "e"........

This one is pretty simple actually. I didn't do any misting or anything. But I did paint the sticks for the banner (House of 3/Pink Paislee from the main kit) with the JBS Lemon Drops paint dabber and I rubbed some of the JBS Chewing Gum paint into the grooves on the metal piece at the top of the banner -- just to give it some more dimension and to make the pattern on the metal stand out more.

Next up is "baby doll".......

I used Maya Road Sunflower Yellow mist and Mister Huey's Lemonade mist on the background because I wanted the yellow to be more bright and vibrant. Neither of those are in the shop at the moment but you may have a similar yellow on hand that would work or check back to see if they will be back in stock later.

I used mostly American Crafts products on this layout.... loved the cute tags from the Make 'Em Laugh add on so I cut the bottoms of the tags in order to create the large banner here. Used the adorable SC flag stamp set from the Moses Supposes add on. And the AC ribbon from the Tap Dance add on. Used the AC Precision Pen for journaling and doodling on all three layouts.

Last is "darling girl".......

On the background I used Mister Huey's Lemonade mist and then Mister Huey's Calico White mist over the top. Used lots of the Crate Paper products here again because I just can't get enough of them.... including the Emma's Shoppe Trims that are surprisingly still available in the shop. Everything else I used is already sold out! Sorry!! I will be try to be better at posting all of these details earlier next time!

Now I'm off to check out the design team gallery to see what they all did with the kits this month! I'm always so inspired! And my cutest and sweetest friend Suzy Plantamura was our guest designer this month!!!! Love her and can't wait to see her layouts! I heard she did A LOT!! Go Suz!!

The Giveaways Go To....

American Crafts Blog Hop Giveaway: MixTape Set

Winner: 

jen shears said...

Your LOs are always so sweet- this is no exception- those pics of your adorable kiddos are highlighted perfectly! :)

ReplyMarch 17, 2011 at 09:44 PM

 

Stella & Dot Giveaway: Two Bracelets

Winner:

Melissa said...

These are so pretty!

ReplyMarch 16, 2011 at 08:59 PM

 

Congrats to both of you! Please email me with your name and address to claim your prizes!

American Crafts Blog Hop & Giveaway

Hi there! I am back with another giveaway and a super fun BLOG HOP!! 

All of us designers at American Crafts thought it would be fun to do a blog hop featuring their brand new products!! We just recently received them and I have to say that I have been anxiously waiting to see it all in person!! My favorite line is Hello Sunshine so my layout consists of almost everything from that line! Rarely do I create a layout with only products from one particular product line but this time was definitely an exception to that. There are so many bright fun colors and it all mixes and matches so well (with lots of contrast like I love) so I found that I didn't even need to pull much from other lines! Made for a pretty quick layout that came together super easily!!

These photos were all on my scrapbook table, intended for separate layouts or a mini album but then when I saw them sitting there all together like this I just knew that they needed to all go on one layout. The title - "Four" - comes from this simple sentiment: "4 adorable kiddos that I love with all my heart." Of course I could go on and on in detail about each one of them but sometimes I just like to keep the journaling short and sweet and let them know that I love them.... plain and simple.

Supplies Used: Thickers: Sunrise Natural (53180), Details; Daylight (78048), Elements: Pearl Brads (85545), Ribbon: Dawn (58620), Remarks: Good Morning (42194), Hello Sunshine Paper: Gossamer (35409), Delicate (35413), Brilliance (35415), Glow (35408), Glee (35402), Remarks: Gee Golly (42192), Mix Tape: Decorative Tape (61733), Medium Jewel Brads: Baby Girl: (85292), Plastic Rose Brads: Dear Lizzy Enchanted (85522), Slick Writer: Black Fine (62001)

Now, for the fun part......... I am giving away one of my most favorite American Crafts Products:

A package of MixTape! I used it on the layout above and you can find me using it on almost all of my layouts lately! I keep it right by my table and find myself using it over and over again! And the best part is that it never seems to run out! Love that!!

To enter to win, just leave a comment here on this post. I will be back on Monday to draw a winner! Good luck!!

Next, be sure to follow along on the blog hop so you can check out all of the other layouts from the super talented and inspiring designers and you can also enter to win their giveaways too!! 

The next stop on the hop is: Mahlin Wiggur

P.S. The Stella & Dot giveaway below is still open as well so if you are just visiting for the first time be sure to scroll down to check it out!!

Also, don't forget that my next online photography workshop is now open for registration..... spots are filling quickly but there are still some left! Details are right here.

Guest Spotlight and Giveaway: Stella & Dot Jewelry

Hi everyone! I have an awesome guest spotlight and giveaway for you today.........

Kelly Bird with Stella & Dot Jewelry

Kelly is a scrapbooker and a photography client of mine and has also become a great friend over the years! I asked her to write up some information to share with you about Stella & Dot!

Here's what she had to say.................

Have you ever wondered how you could be your own boss, be with your family, and make a monetary contribution to your family? Well, I used to wondered the exact same thing and then I found Stella & Dot! This company is transforming how woman work and truly giving them the means to style their own life. I have made the commitment to host a few trunk shows a month and coach a team of stylists all while still being able to spend quality time with my family -- but helping with paying for preschool, extra curricular kids activities, etc., and feeling good about myself. Wonder what Stella & Dot is all about? Check out my website and become a fan of my page and if you want to learn more about the opportunity available where you live, request a look book and information packet here. I will get it to you asap! And to share the great Stella & Dot style, which has been seen in In Style & Lucky Magazines, I am giving away 2 bracelets to one lucky winner! Become a fan of my fan page and then leave a comment here on Maggie's blog and we will draw the winner on Monday!

Here are the bracelets that Kelly is giving away. Gorgeous right?

Again, the giveaway is open until Monday! Good luck, and thanks Kelly for being our guest spotlight and for doing such a great giveaway!!

Online Photography Workshops: Updates & New Class Open

Yikes! It's been much too long since I last posted! Sorry about that!! I've caught the spring cleaning and/or nesting bug and I have been cleaning out closets lately! As you know that can suck away the time like nothing else and once you start you can't stop.... that is unless you want to live in a huge mess! :) The closets are all done now though so that feels really good! Now the kids are on Spring Break for 2 weeks so we will be enjoying the time off and hitting the swimming pool for sure!!

I have some awesome giveaways coming soon so be watching for those! The first one will be tomorrow!!

I also wanted to post an update about my online photography workshops. I've been getting lots of emails asking about upcoming class and dates, etc.

The next Beginner/Intermediate class will run from April 11th - May 21st. The link to register and all the details can be found on my workshops page here.

I am currently running an Advanced class that is now Sold Out. The next Advanced class date isn't set yet but will likely not be until later in the year.

I will be taking a small break to have the baby and then will start classes back up after that in the late Summer or early Fall. This means that if you want to take the Beg/Intermediate class sooner rather than later, you better jump in the April class and register now before it is sold out. Again you can register over on my workshops page here. The link is in the right column.

I haven't shared testimonials in a while so I thought I would share a few that I have received recently. I truly do have the best students and they send me the sweetest emails! It always means so much to hear such nice feedback and comments! Thanks you guys!!!!

I was just on the message board and wanted to thank you so much for your great feedback on my pictures!  I am loving your class so far, and even though I was a little frustrated at working in manual last week, I do love it when I get a great photo!  So worth all the struggles!!  :)  Years ago I had taken a photography class in college, (just for fun), but the book was so very dry and technical, I ended up not finishing the class (which my husband loves to tease me endlessly about!! :) Your lessons are so clear and well written, and I just love your writing style....and the message board is so neat because you can see everyone's beautiful pictures!...so, thank you for such a wonderful class! I am enjoying it very much!.................Belinda :)

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First I have to thank you for all the hard work you have put into your course.  I have been searching for some time for a course on-line that I thought would fit with my style. I happened to stumble over your website on a good friends family blog as one of. Her favourite websites.  As I opened your page I was instantly inspired by your photography. Snapping shots of infants, children and possibly maternity is something I have always thought I would enjoy doing. Not being able to shoot in manual made this a challenge.  So, I was SUPER excited to stumble across your courses. I signed up right then. your assignments have been EXACTLY what I have been looking for. Straight to the important things in lingo I can understand. I was laying in bed the other night with assignment 2 in one hand, camera in the other and my labtop on my knee and I said to my husband "mydream might come true! I already feel like I have learned so much." I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who supports my dreams 100 percent. So THANK YOU! I will definitely be signing up for the advanced course.......................Lara

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I wanted to say I learned soooo much from your class- it was a great six weeks and am sad to see it end (wondering if you are thinking of developing anymore classes??? )  The content was incredible- feedback great and I really feel like I have grown in my skills....!!! Thank you so much for everything- your insight, teaching and information was absolutely incredible!!!  I am going back to the tutorials/assignments to make sure I have all the information:)  Thank you again and good luck with everything!!!  I hope you do some more classes, I would take them in a heartbeat:).......................Rachel

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I've been meaning to email you this for months! I just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed your online classes. I took both the beginner and intermediate photography classes and they were great.

I've taken other online classes, and though I have learned a lot, I learned the most from your classes.

Thank you for sharing your hard work and your talent...............Deb

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If you have any questions about the classes, you can always email me!! Looking forward to having you in class!! Oh, and since blog posts aren't nearly as exciting without an image, here are a couple that I took up in Utah last year.

Love these two!! Tyler is super duper sweet to Emily Jane and always has been. It has been really fun to see what a special and tender love he has for her. Ever since she was tiny he would go up to her and put his head right to hers and talk really quietly and sweetly to her..... and even now he is still doing it. Now that she is older and getting more spunky she won't always let him and she will often tease him by saying "Tyler's kisses are yucky kisses." He knows she is joking but I think he still gets a little hurt by it. The other day she said out of nowhere: "Tyler I love you.... you are my best friend..... your kisses are yummy kisses, not yucky" and he lit up like I have never seen! 

Studio Calico March Kits: Into the Woods

If you haven't checked out this month's design team gallery, you should do it now! There are so many creative and inspiring ideas in there this month! Things I never would have thought of and things I want to try now!! Everyone really outdid themselves!!

All of the kits sold out super fast this month again... There is just one Add-On left: Wildflower and it is actually one of my favorites! It is perfect for Spring!! The Add-On Paper is still available too so you could always snag that and then add in some of your own alphas and embellishments if you didn't get the kits you wanted. 

This month my layouts were all about the boys! The kits were a perfect fit for lots of the photos that I took up in Utah last summer and luckily for me I just edited and printed them recently so they were all waiting and ready to go!! I love it when I don't have to sit down to edit and choose pictures before scrapbooking! It makes it so much more fun for me when I can just grab the photos and dive in!

First up is "Milestone"......

This one talks about Matthew finally losing his two front teeth last year after what seemed like waiting forever and watching all of his friends lose theirs before him. He was super excited and I think he looks super cute in these pictures without his teeth!! 

Loved those Studio Calico label stickers that were in the main kit and the American Crafts Thickers from the Mossy Knoll kit that I used for the "M" above. Such a great color and font!! Extras that I used included the Maya Mist in Hydrangea Blue and the Mister Huey's Mist in Bonny Blue. I also covered the chipboard stars with the Claudine Hellmuth Multi Medium and then sprinkled glitter over the top of that. Used the American Crafts Precision Pens in .01 and .03 for the journaling and the lines.

Next is "I Absolutely Love Your Laugh".......

It's rare for me to get natural looking pics of Tyler because he hates to have his picture taken and doesn't quite feel comfortable in front of the camera. So when I can get him giggling like this and I can capture some shots of him laughing and just being himself, I really truly cherish it!

Typically I use a lot of plain cardstock for my backgrounds.... but I loved this American Crafts paper from the main kit and thought the subtle pattern was effective without being distractive, so I used it as my background here. Used the same precision pens for the doodling and journaling. Used a mix of the Thickers and other alphas for a fun title. On the chipboard star you see above I misted it with Mister Huey's Applejack and then Calico White over the top of that to tone it down a little.

Finally is "N"......

More of those pictures that I just love and don't really know why.... I know his eyes are closed and so you may not think I would love these but do. It is so Nathan and how he often tries to hold back his cutest little giggles but then he can't anymore and eventually they come bursting out. He has the cutest laugh ever and these photos remind me of it!

This one is pretty simple. I created a garland using a Martha Stewart punch and then I stitched all the circles together with my sewing machine. Then I just added a cluster of things underneath the photo and left it at that. I used the Mister Huey's Schoolhouse Mist on the chipboard star. That's about it for this one. Oh and I used the Precision Pens again for the journaling and doodling here. Let me know if you have any questions about anything! Have fun with your kits!!! 

Valentine's Day Recap Part 2

Well, I am super late in posting this but figured I would still post anyway. Emily has been sick the last two weeks - more high fevers so they sent us to the lab for some blood work and a urine test. She was not happy about the whole experience but it gave us a diagnosis and she is now finishing up her antibiotics and doing much better!! Today is her first day back at preschool after 2 weeks off. She was pretty shy and nervous to go but after multiple hugs and kisses she finally went in.

Anyway, part 2 is a recap of Emily's first Valentine's experience at school. It is always such a big and memorable event the first year they get to make cards and pass them out at school! She was talking about it for weeks before and heard the boys talking about their "lists" so she kept asking when she would get her list. When it finally came home in her backpack she was super excited. She was jumping for joy and yelling "I got my list! I got my list!". My mom, otherwise known as "Nannie" was here at our house the same day and she very patiently helped Emily fill out each and every single card, including one for herself! She insisted she had to make one for "Emily" too! So cute!

Emily's party was the day after Valentine's day because she didn't have school that day.... which meant she got her own little photo shoot of opening up her cards after school. She insisted on sitting up on the piano and each and every time she would look in her box to get out another one, she would say to me "take a picture!" Then she would hold it out to me so I could read it and tell her who it was from. At that point she would reply with things like "for cute!" or "that is darling!" or "I love it!"

Then I also took her out back for a few quick photos in her skirt and heart tights. She's definitely soooo different from my boys in that she LOVES having her picture taken on occasions like this, while the boys literally run away from me! Haha! It's like pulling teeth for them, so I have to save up and wait for the bigger holidays like Christmas and Easter! 

Be back soon to share my Studio Calico layouts for the month!!