Make it Work + October SC Layouts

Roller Rink was really fun to play with this month. I think I finished 3 layouts the first day I opened the kit. That's pretty good for me. My 2 favorite layouts contain cut designs that I thought were really cool this month. The Stencil Tags + For Like Ever. The Curious Chevron is cool too but I messed up the layout I had used that design on. Maybe I'll be able to rescue it in the future. You know when you go to mist and you think you're aiming it the right way and ends up spraying in a total different direction. Yeah, that's what happened with that layout. I kept misting thinking I could fix it but ended up looking like a hot mess.

I've had a couple requests to bring back the Make It Work feature here. It's something I do every month with my layouts anyway. I'll just have to remember to photograph the process to show how exactly I made it work. This installment is all about those leftover strips of paper you get when you cut your 12x12 down to 8.5 x 11. I get lot's of those since I only scrapbook in that size. I usually stash them and or cut them up. A lot of times I make quick little cards or tags to adhere to birthday gifts. That's what I've done below.

Simple. I created these after my layouts were completed. I'm seeing all these great pieces and embellishments from my add ons and thinking I need to use these. Otherwise they'll go in a box and I won't think about them again. Here are some other cards I created with the "leftovers".

My favorite card was created by inking a repeating pattern with the "Seriously, everything will be ok" stamp. It really looks like a letterpress card up close.

Here's a list of supplies I used this month: Roller Rink Main Kit Add on #1 Add on #2 Add on #3 Add on # For Like Ever cut design Stencil Tag cut design Printable #1 Printable #2 XOT

make it work

I bit the bullet and purchased a Cameo a few weeks ago and I have to admit I was regretful at first. It sat on my counter top for a good week before I even plugged it in. I thought to myself, "did I just buy this because everyone's talking about it?" I read tons of reviews on this. How awesome it was. How much you could do with it. I already own a Slice which I never use. Why do I NEED this? So here I was with SC's January kit staring at me. What to do, what to do. I finally took all the styrofoam bits out of it, skimmed the instruction manual and purchased a few dies through their online store. We (me, Jeff and Tyler) gathered around after inserting a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper. (The Denim Crate paper in the Ring Toss add on to be exact.) Tyler was startled by the noise at first but we all ooo'd and aahh'd watching it cut. Pretty cool seeing this machine at work. And then it's done. Being impatient and not realizing just how sticky the blue mat was, I forcefully pulled up the paper only to rip one my of cuts. Ooops. Newbie mistake. So I gingerly unstuck the rest of my die cuts, laid them all out and stared at them admiringly. I take back any regretful feelings I had before. This machine is really really cool and it will change the way I use a kit for sure. I will no longer put aside papers I never thought twice about before. (like said Denim paper) Is it worth the money? My honest answer..yes, it is. (this coming from a girl who fears big purchases and is a bit on the thrifty side) It's built really well and more importantly, it cuts like butter. I'm able to utilize a full sheet of 12x12 paper now or maybe just a smidgen of it. My only complaint is the tackiness of the blue mat and what it does to the rest of my paper. But again, that's a very minor complaint.  Overall, I give it 5 stars. The online shop makes it that much cooler. I think I may have Cameo'd on almost all of my layouts. I will be getting some great use out of my new machine.

Ready for the giveaway I talked about?
I've got one free spot for the first ever Studio Calico class!

Class starts January 1st! Post your comment here and I'll choose a winner on Friday!
xot

make it work

Confession: Baker's Twine is not an easy embellishment for me to work into my scrapbook layouts. Doesn't mean I don't like it. I use it in my packaging and gift wrapping but when it comes to scrapbooking, I'm always at a loss. I adore the twine that came with the Snow Cone add on and I had to make it work. Here's how I did it. First, ***tape down your letter onto some scrap cardstock. Straight lines work best but I'm sure if you're careful and determined enough, you can manage a curvy letter. :) Snip pieces of twine and place onto your taped letter as shown above. You want your twine to extend beyond your taped letter. Get your sharp scissors out (Honey Bees work great for this) and snip out your letter. Fun, right?

xot.

Ha...did you think I forgot about choosing a winner for Maggie's class?? Fooled ya.

NANCY - This is my first attempt at a Dec Daily!! Need all the help I can get. Can’t wait to see your full reveal!

Nancy, please email me at lifelovepaper@gmail.com by Tuesday at the latest to claim your winnings. The Studio Calico blog is giving away another spot so be sure to comment there for another chance.

**The ProGlide Tape Runner is great for this. It's nice and tacky. I wouldn't recommend any other plain tape runner for this. You can also use that redline tape as well...will probably be better if you are creating O's and S's.

make it work.

 There's always that one item in a kit that I like but don't know how to use. Sometimes I dismiss it, most times I make it work for me. Deconstructing embellishments is something I enjoy, especially flowers. It's easy to to snip a few petals and make something completely different. Another technique I'm loving is the effortless ink drops. Just unscrew the cap from your Mister Huey, tap off excess ink and fling onto paper.  Again, I'm making it work. Atmosphere was a hard color to work with....I don't do well with darker shades. Now, it's made it into my go to Misters that I keep in my faves box. Here are the other layouts I did with rest of November kit + ad ons. Cutterbees where my workhorse this month. I don't know what I'd do without them.

xot.

ps. If you'd like to pin my layouts individually, please visit my Studio Calico gallery. :)