It's Me, KP

5.22.13 Project Life Update

I've been making some good progress on my Project Life lately and have a bit to share. I used a lot of pieces from my June + July Project Kit, which just happen to be shipping in a few days!  Exciting for me and I hope for you too.  Let's make cool stuff in June and July!

The papers all come from the kit as well as the washi tape. I added in my favorite white stickers and a white label sticker too. 

I used my Home Sweet Home stamp set combined with Brilliance Moonlight White - just to switch things up from my old faithful Brilliance Galaxy Gold. No surprise that I was still really impressed with how the white stamped onto photos. Crisp and clean and opaque.  I also used the little chicken guy from my Bon Appetit set with Saffron Ranger Archival Ink. The chicken stamped over and over just made me happy, which was so fitting for the amazing chicken that we ate at dinner (and I had for lunch the next day!)

I used a few die cuts from the Project Kit here and I like how easy they are to add a little bit of journaling. The days of the week stamps from the kit's stamp set are also used here so you can see the sizing.  The love stencil from the words stencil set was paired with Dirty Martini Dylusions ink spray. My first time using Dylusions and I was really pleased with the vibrant color.

I'm starting to work on the next kit already and have a lot, and I mean A LOT, of great ideas + improvements to put into motion.  This is so fun. Thanks for coming on the adventure with me.

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June + July Project Kit Stamps

My June + July Project Kit at Simon Says Stamp comes with a great exclusive 4x6 set of stamps that is going to be perfecto for your Project Life this summer. I tested it out by creating six 3x4 cards using the white and kraft cards that will come in the stacked deck. These paper stamp like a dream... after all those folks at Simon know what's best in the world of stamping!  Here's what I made:

The inks I used are some of my go-to's: Ranger Saffron Archival, Ranger Coffee Archival, Ranger Sienna Archival, Ranger Cobalt Archival, Hero Arts Soft Sand, and of course my favorite Brilliance Galaxy Gold (that was included in the April + May kit.)  It was super easy and quick to make a few journaling cards to add to my stack.

I have quite a few stamps and stickers in this shape and I never thought to do a repeating pattern with them until now. I was happy with the way it turned out and want to try it again in a variety of colors. You can find the shape in the Right Now set as well.

I tell you, that Galaxy Gold is swoon worthy. It works so well on non-porous surfaces like photos and the kraft cardstock that is included in the kit. There is just the right amount of subtle shine. I am in love.

I had a few questions about the Stacked Deck in the kit that I wanted to answer quickly. Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know and I'm happy to get you some info as well.

The first batch of cards were very slick - has this changed?
Yes! We are now printing them on more matte paper and they will also be a little thicker.  You'll also note that they are now all double sided with grids or ledger on the backsides. My friend mentioned to me that she wanted more cards that could be used for journaling so this was definitely kept in mind for the June + July kit.

Why don't they fit the Becky Higgins pockets? I have to keep trimming them down.
The cards will always be sized to 3x4.  There is not a standard size pocket out there - Becky's are a little smaller than 3x4 but the Sn@p album (as well as the Studio Calico handbook, I believe) are a bit bigger than 3x4.  Rather than trim them down to fit the smallest pockets, I went for a happy medium that will work well for whatever system you are using.

Why aren't there any landscape or 4x6 cards?
For the next kit I will make sure to include some landscape cards for those using that style page protector as well. The idea behind the Stacked Deck is that the cards are all 3x4 but four of these cards have been designed to sit side by side.  The pattern stretches to the next card so you can slip them both into a 4x6 pocket seamlessly.  Someday I hope to design more custom papers and will hopefully get you bigger cards included in the contents of the kit.

So there you have it!  Kits are still available right here... we upped the quantity this time so there's more to go around!  I am getting so excited to see what you're going to make.

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Project Kit Inspiration

I've got some inspiration to share today using the April/May Project Kit from Simon Says Stamp. It's been so awesome to see how you're using it and thank you so much for continuing to share with me.  The card above uses the white woodgrain card and white letter stickers along with a stamp from the kit.  I also had this spread go up on Simon's blog a few weeks ago from my California trip last February:

It uses the Project Kit plus my Eleanor, YOLO, Let's Go, and Bon Appetit stamps. You can pick up the label stickers separately if you missed the kit... they are addicting to use.  

Here's some awesome inspiration that's been posted on Instagram lately - thank you for sharing:

Remember to tag your posts with the hashtag #kellypurkey so they're easily found - and I can't wait to see them! 

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4.29 Project Life Update

Saturday night my friend Barb came to town so we went out to the crop at Archiver's with our friends Emily and Josie. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night at all. I made a little progress on my Project Life album with photos from my NYC trip and using my Simon Says Stamp Project Kit. 

I'd also packed a lot of my samps and used YOLO, Bon Appetit, Home Sweet Home, Eleanor, and Let's Go throughout the pages along with my alphabet stickers and sequins.

I'm still really obsessed with how the Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink (included in the April/May Project Kit) stamps on photos. But I also learned that some have a fear of stamping on photos and all I can say is practice makes perfect. Keep trying it on mis-prints or over and over on one photo - you'll get the hang of it!

I have more of April to work on and a lot of February and March to still share.  Now that I'm just a bit more unpacked in my office space, I am inspired to keep creating and working on it.  How is your album coming along?

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Introducing Kelly Purkey Project Kits

We've finally let the cat out of the bag (thank goodness, that poor kitty!) with news today on the Simon Says Stamp blog about the Simon + Kelly Purkey Project Kits.  I'm beyond excited to be working on this fantastic venture to deliver right to you.  It's a bi-monthly kit, as not to overwhelm you with product, full of my favorite products and items designed by me just for the kit.  Here's a little more info and some sneak peeks:

Life as you know it is already a project and we're here to help make documenting it even easier! Introducing Project Kits from Simon Says Stamp and Kelly Purkey. We've put together a fantastic bi-monthly kit full of coordinating supplies to help you get those everyday moments documented.  Our Project Kits work perfectly with the Becky Higgins Project Life and Simple Stories Sn@p! systems.  We hope our products help the "paper lover in you" build and customize your pages.

Included in every Project Kit is an exclusive new item called a "Stacked Deck". This is a set of thirty unique 3"x4" cards in a variety of paper. You'll receive cardstock, vellum, wood grain embossed cardstock, wood, and even beautifully hand letterpress pieces hand selected and designed by Kelly.  The wood and woodgrain pages are especially inviting for die cutting!  It's a Stacked Deck to give you a winning hand each time! 

The stamps, stickers, badges, tokens, and Stacked Deck have all been proudly made in the Good Old USA. You can reserve your kit now for $49.99. April/May kits will begin shipping with the full reveal on March 25.  Due to the limited nature of the products, there are limited quantities available. 

You have been asking us for these products and we heard!  We are thrilled to be able to bring such quality, well designed products to the market for YOU!

Thank you so very much for all your support on Instagram, Facebook, email, texts, Twitter - all of it! I appreciate it so much, I can't tell you.  And I am giddy with anticipation to see you use the kits and incorporate them into your Project Life albums.

Today we also released an expanded line of Kelly Purkey products... dies, washi, sequins, stickers, and tons of stamps!  You can check them out here and I will be back soon with a fun post to share a close up look at all of the new goodies.

2.19.13 Project Life Update

About mid-way through January I started documenting everything. I wanted to take all those memories with me when the month was over and I left NYC, so I quickly filled up my Project Life album.  It was borderline over-documentation, but really... I ain't mad.

I said it before and I'll say it again - Brilliance Galaxy Gold ink pad! It is amazing. It looks so good on photos in real life and is a gorgeous shade of gold.  Snatch it up.

Some social media tidbits went into the album like a tweet from Amanda (about our awkward run-in with Susan Sarandon at ABC Kitchen) and screenshots from my Facebook status and an Instagram that my friends posted for me. I also printed out a shot of the Obama girls that I love.  My layout from the Simon Says Stamp blog hop went into the album too using my Hey Foxy and InstaLove stamps.

Battersby had been at the top of my must-eat list since I read about the restaurant in Bon Appetit.  Their kale salad was named Dish of the Year (and truth be told it's amazing) so I added the recipe from the magazine into the pocket along with a little piece of the menu. 

I had an Instax photo that didn't quite develop, so I added some of my Let It Snow stamps to make it pretty.  The Archival Ink doesn't smear on photos and I find it just a little more juicy than StazOn.

I also went through and added some gold sequins here and there.  I like the little sparkle they add. I use Glossy Accents to adhere them and they stay put nicely.

It goes without saying that I love this album. I have a lot more to share from January and I've already got my February album started. More to come.

 

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1.24.13 Project Life Update

I really want to type this in capital letters so I will... I LOVE PROJECT LIFE.  The smaller format that I decided to do this year has made me very very very happy.  Basically I want to fill the pockets every day (and have been procrastinating other things to work on PL whoops!)  It's been much easier + more fun keeping it on the smaller scale.  Again, I'm using the Sn@p! album and inserts - available now at Simon Says Stamp.

This month is incredibly special to me since it's my last month living in New York City (for now... you never know if I'll be back!)  I really wanted things I'm doing and people I'm seeing saved.  I'm seriously thankful for this way to document my life right now.  Project Life truthfully has changed my life and I can't express how grateful I am to have this outlet to house photos, important thoughts + feelings, and good times with my friends.  Ok ok done with the sappiness now.

Here's a look at my next few pages for the first weeks of January...

I like switching up the size of the pockets and using the different sized photos.  Instax has really been key for this year.  I used a few of the pieces I've been hoarding from my friend Tina's shop - these are some of my favorite papers and I finally decided to stop being greedy and use them.  

I'm already in love with my 2013 album and flip through it everyday... it just makes me happy (sorry for the extra dose of sap here at the end.)

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Simon Says Stamp - Valentines Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on the Simon Says Stamp Blog Hop!  I'm happy to have you here because I always feel so much love for Simon... they make me want to sing from the rooftops!  They have some amazing new releases for Valentine's this year and I'm excited to share a project along with this incredibly talented group of bloggers.

I used my new exclusive Valentine's stamp sets now available at Simon to create a little "Love List" layout.  I sized it 6x8 so that I can slip it into my Project Life album (see more about that here and what format I'm using this time around.)  Take a peek at my InstaLove and Hey Foxy stamp sets in action...

I really hope that you like the new Valentine's stamp sets - they make my heart pitter patter and hopefully they will get your blood pumping as well.

And now to the giveaway part... leave a comment on this blog post and one lucky winner will receive a Simon Goodie Bag (if you know Heidi, it will be a good one!) We will draw the winner on Thursday morning 1/31/13 at 9:00 AM EST so be sure to leave your comment by then.

Keep on hopping - the next stop is the fabulous Lucy Abrams.  While hopping if you come across a broken link, you can go back to the Simon Says Stamp blog to get links to all blogs participating.  Enjoy!

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ETA: My new wood stamps have arrived in the shop as well!  Click through to see them...

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Project 12 with Gossamer Blue

My creative friend Davinie is hosting a really cool project this year called Project 12 - it's all about creating one layout to summarize each month.  She's teamed up with Gossamer Blue to use their awesome kits to create the layouts.  I love this idea because, as I've mentioned before, it was sometimes a struggle for me to keep up with Project Life and do a spread for each week. With Project 12, I just have to wrap it up in one spread... which is so much more do-able for me!  Done and done.  Learn more from Dav here.

Here's my Project 12 spread for December that I made with the Gossamer Blue January kits...

December was such a busy busy month and full of goodness + good friends, but it was fun to pull together my favorite photos from the month.  

I adored these little labels from October Afternoon that were in the Main Kit.  They are awesome and made it so easy to include journaling.  

I'm also obsessed with that gold glitter tape from American Crafts that's in the Color Kit.  I use smaller size all the time and was really excited to get the wider width in this kit.  It's so fun just to add as a little touch here and there.

The January Main Kit is still available at Gossamer Blue so be sure to check it out for your own Project 12 spread - it makes it all so easy to come together!

2013 Project Life: Here We Go

I started a new Project Life album for 2013 with only about 20 weeks done in 2012.  Maybe I will go back and work on some more but the truth is I'm really glad to be done with that year.  I want to move forward.  

I switched up the size of my album to a Sn@p one so that it could be more managable.  I've decided to cut myself a break on a lot of things this year... no more trying to do a photo a day or an Instagram a day or make my life fit into eight pockets.  The truth is - sometimes it feels like a big accomplishment for me to just make it out of bed in the morning, so whatever I can do this year to make things easier on myself, I'm going to do it.  Moving forward.

I really like the size of the Sn@p albums and the variety of page protectors you can buy for them.  I stocked up on them all from Simon Says Stamp.  My title page is simple.  Are you noticing a trend here?  Simplify simplify simplify.

That's my "the best is yet to come" stamp with the gold Archival Brilliance ink pad that I love.  

It's ironic that I ended 2012 and began 2013 in Chicago, as that city is going to be a big player in the rest of this year.  We did some fun stuff there for a few days, including eating and drinking.  Eating and drinking enough to last the rest of the month, really.  And hanging out with some great friends.  Love my Chicago friends.

I like these pockets are just full of randomness.  It was so much faster for me to just trim and slip things in.  I added Instax photos but didn't necessarily glue them in there, so they can be pulled out and looked at any time.  

One of my favorite things is the pig paper clip.  I saw that they're in stock here at Studio Calico.

And then back in New York.  I like that I'm able to switch up the pocket sizes and have the spread mismatched.  I'm really digging this non-structured thing in case you couldn't tell.  When I was out with my friend the other night he told me about this quote from Company on leaving New York and it definitely belonged in my album.  

And that's what I've got.  Thanks to Jamaica for the inspiration to switch up my PL.  Let's do this, 2013.

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