It's Me, KP

Saying Goodbye to Studio Calico

Well, the time has come to share some big changes happening around here.  A short while ago I gave my notice at Studio Calico and July will be my last month with them.  My roles of product designer + education coordinator have begun being transitioned to other talented team members and September is the last kit that I've designed stamps for.  I also decided not to renew my design team contract, so this month's gallery with the August kit will be my last as well.  For the next year I will be doing the Tips + Tricks post quarterly on the SC blog, starting in October.  I'll still be manning the Studio Calico booth at CHA next week in Chicago and looking forward to it.

These were obviously not easy decisions for me to make but as time continues to pass, it's something that I am 100% confident in.  There are other opportunities that have come along and I'm looking forward to pursuing them.  I'm excited about what's ahead in a way that I don't think I've ever been before.  Lots of good and happy things in my back pocket.  I have a sneaky suspicion everything ahead is going to be awesome.

Studio Calico Elmwood Park Reveal

It's Studio Calico Reveal time!  This month I used the Main Kit - Elmwood Park, Add-on Three Four Square, and Add-on Four Monkey Bars. And here's what I came up with...

My Main Kit only layout this month.  I did a little ombre action with Mister Huey's Sunshine, Sherbet, and Sunset.  I peeled back the negative part of the October Afternoon stickers to use as a mask.  It peeled up easily and I love a good grid.  And I love Elise.

I have a new photobooth obsession at Union Pool in Brooklyn.  It's UnIon Pool... but I had a stamping typo and just went with it.  It's ok.  I used the October Afternoon Doo Dads and Brads that are in the shop this month. 

I started three different layouts using these yellow Thickers because I love them so much and this one came about because I loved how they looked when I kept peeling them off of the discarded layouts.  The little tabs from Bananafish Studio was one of my favorite things in the kits this month - love everything from Bananfish.

Don't forget to sign up for our August Summer Stamp School before June 30th.  This class is going to be amazing and I've already used the stamp set many times... that little alphabet has my heart.  Hope to see you in class!

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Studio Calico Elmwood Park Sneaks

I've got sneaks to share using the Studio Calico July kits... this month I used the Main Kit - Elmwood Park, Add-on 3 - Four Square, and Add-on 4 - Monkey Bars.

The colors in the kits this month were perfectly me - I love the bold, bright, primaries.  I also used some of the new October Afternoon items that are coming into the shop, along with the supplies below.  Be back soon with the full layouts, hope you enjoy Reveal!

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Studio Calico Heyday Arrival Party

It's a party for the arrival of a special Studio Calico baby... our Heyday collection!  Back in February I designed quite a few products for this release and all the stamps, so I'm probably over anxious for it to finally be here.  The SC Design Team has put together a little blog hop using the new line and I'm excited to see everyone using these pretty new products.  Here's what I made with Heyday:

I am in love with the new mist colors - Sherbet, Buttercup, and Mint Julep.  They are perfect.  And work perfectly with the new mistable Thickers (hello, cute cameras!)

You can now buy the new Heyday line at Studio Calico - along with the NEW Stepping Stone numbers stamps that match the alphabet.  Hope you enjoy!

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Oh Canada!

I'm thrilled to share that I'll be joining Scrapbook + Cards Today at the Crop + Create event in Ottawa and Saskatoon this fall!  I was so honored that Catherine extended the invitation to me... I hear that these weekends are nothing but fun.  You can see more details on the event right here and also check out the descriptions of the two classes that I'll be teaching. 

Who will be joining me in Ottawa for this one?  Registration opens on June 5th so be sure to snag your spot.  I can't wait!

We also have a new class open for registration at Studio Calico - Summer Stamp School. 

Enrollment in the class comes with an exclusive stamp set I designed and I'm not even going to pretend to play this one cool because I LOVE LOVE LOVE this set.  My fingers are just itching to use it and I cannot wait to see what the contributors come up with.  Here's a little peek at April's layout putting the set into action:

More info for Summer Stamp School is found here - can't wait to see you in class!

So Cal

I had to spread my work time over a lot of different tasks this month, so I was only able to get one layout done for the So Cal gallery at Studio Calico.  I used the stamps from the Venice Beach add-on to create a fun title to go with one of my favorite new photos.  The ink that I used was Stampin' Up Regal Rose - a nice pretty peachy pink that matched the papers well.

I know that the kits sold out really fast this month so I hope you were able to get what you wanted!  And I can't wait to see you use the stamps... the "Hey Girl" stamp from the Main Kit is already been put to good use around here.

SC June: So Cal Sneak

A little sneak to share of the layout I made for SC's June kits - pretty pretty So Cal.  This month might have the best stamps ever.  Just sayin'.  This layout uses the stamps from the Venice Beach add-on and butterflies from the Main Kit.

The photo is an Instagram (oh but of course) snapped last Friday night in the elevator going up to a rooftop party.  A night out with my homegirls and it was the best.  Lots of laughing, some good food + cocktails, and a little bit of rootop dancing under the bright lights of the Empire State Building.  A reminder that life is good when I stay put and don't travel non-stop.  I need those reminders, as my feet get itchy often.

Here's to another happy weekend - hope you all have a wonderful one!

2012 Project Life: Week Ten

Someone left a comment the other day asking if I'm still doing Project Life and the answer is yes! I still am working on my album and loving the process.  However, everything I make these days is for my book so you might not see me share anything new til after my deadline this summer.

But I did do a spread for Project Life Week Ten that I wanted to share now...

This layout went up in my gallery at Studio Calico for May because it used just the Main Kit - 35mm.

That's Doug from Big Gay Ice Cream lovin' on Amanda.  That week also included a night in Miami and a trip to my favorite restaurant, Michael's Genuine - home of my favorite dessert in the world.  I also did Ippudo noodles and saw The Best Man on Broadway with my friend Kary. 

I'm still far behind in the album.  Very far.  I think I'm captain of the same boat a lot of you are in.  But I'm not sweating it.  It'll come together and everything will be just fine.  If I have to finish the album in 2013, so be it... the memories aren't going anywhere!

NEW Studio Calico Project Life Stamps

There two new Project Life - or whatever you'd like to use them for! - stamp sets I designed up for sale at Studio Calico today.  I am biased.  I know.  But I am in love with these sets.  I can't wait to see you use them.

Buy ADVENTURE and GOOD STUFF.  Be quick, they might go fast.

And there is one more set out there to come very very soon.  Save your pennies.

ETA: Here it is... EXCLUSIVE for Two Peas in a Bucket and oh so fun:

Happy happy stamping, friends!  And happy weekend too.

How To Make Hexagon Photos

I have a little sneak to share from Studio Calico's May kit, 35mm:

This month's kits are filled with awesome stuff and lots of hexagons - which I'm loving right now.  Want to know how to make your photos into hexagons without using a punch?  I'll tell you how!

I did a bunch of hexagon photos for this layout using Studio Calico's March kit.  It was all done in Photoshop using masks. Start by making a hexagon using the custom shapes tool:

Bring in your photo on a separate layer and place it over top of the hexagon.  The hexagon is now your mask and you'll create a clipping mask for the photo.  Select layer > create clipping mask OR hold your mouse between the two layers in the layers panel and click ALT/OPTION.  This makes your photo fill up the hexagon shape:

You can now resize your photo and move it around to make it fill the mask how you want it.  Just be sure you are only working with the photo layer and not changing the size of your hexagon mask:

Repeat for more hexes:

To make the big honeycomb on my Thirty-One Down layout above I created the pattern of hexagons in Illustrator then imported it into Photoshop to use as a mask - it was just easier to set up the pattern for me this way.  But now the possibilites with hexagons are endless.  Go forth and mask!

Don't forget that I have a free ship code for Two Peas in a Bucket going on right now:

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Treat yo self and buy some new supplies to create your new hexagon-ified pages with!  Click HERE to shop the new products in-stock now.