October Afternoon | Head in the clouds

It's time for Tuesday inspiration on the October Afternoon blog, I hope you will join me! 

go.be.inspired.

Shanna

#SCinspires

Happy Monday everyone! I am excited to be joining Studio Calico for an INSPIRATIONAL blog hop! They are giving away some amazing prizes JUST for sharing some inspiration, how easy is that?! First off EVERY.SINGLE.PERSON gets to download this ADORABLE art print. It is perfect to frame and put up in your home or even slip into your project life album, you really can't go wrong!

Seriously how cute is that?! You can win a SUPER duPER cool prize by simply downloading this print using THIS LINK and entering what inspires you in the comments section.  More on the super duper cool prize below! 

I am kinda smitten with this print! I makes me want to jump in a huge pile of fall leaves and make some hot apple cider. It makes me want to snuggle under our favorite blanket and watch a chick flick. It makes me want to CREATE! There is something about fall that I find to be SUCH an inspiration. How about you? So today I wanted to share 14 things that are inspiring me RIGHT this very moment!!

1. Vintage ephemera | Come on folks... is there anything better? I have been going through my Grandmother's scrapbooks and just soaking up all the GREATNESS of these old papers. 

2. Color Theory Paint | You really have to try it if you have been holding out, what are you waiting for? The creamy texture is just perfection, and the colors SC comes out with will leave you inspired!

3.  Woodgrain Hearts | When I am just not sure what to use a big old heart will always do the trick!

4.  Buttons | Oh buttons, how I adore you. They are the perfect item to finish off a fall project! 

5. Acorns | because, acorns = love. 

6.  Funky Wood Veneer | We are talking totally unique only can be found in Ashley's AWESOME class kinda of unique. Who can resist that cat? I don't even like cats!!!! <-- don't tell anyone I said that!

7. Teen Tiny Vintage Books | I pick them up whenever I find them because they are perfect for a little collection of acorns, or a frog with some vintage photos peeking out!

8. Color Theory Ink | Specifically this color of lime light, I want to stamp it on EVERY.SINGLE.BIT!

8a. (because I forgot to put a label on it) Fall Sentiment Tape | I have considered picking up another Project LIfe kit just got this tape, don't judge. Once you have it in your hot little hands you will understand and we will be best friends again! 

9. Lindsay Letters | EVERY single thing she does is such an inspiration! I had the pleasure of meeting her two weeks ago at the influence conference and let me tell you she is one of the sweetest most generous people you will ever meet in your entire life. Love her to bits! 

10.  Photos of those I love | because that is really what this is all about, right?

11.  Ribbon | I am lucky that the nice ribbon store in town is open mainly when I am working or I would be in big trouble. I LOVE the texture it adds to any project and this color is just YUM!

12. Funky Pumpkins | I LOVE this pumpkin I picked up at our local craft store last year. I adds just a fun touch on a mantle otherwise covered in traditional fall colors. 

13. Fall Art Print | Fall is such a magical time and anything that is inspired by that is just meant to be loved. 

14. YOU | My friends, I am humbled to be a part of such a creative, loving, giving, INSPIRING community. Each and every day I am left in awe of the things you create and the love that you spread, keep it up friend! 

Now since you are SUCH an inspiration I wanted to give you a little something from the amazing folks at Studio Calico! Remember the super easy rules? All you must do is download this adorable art print using this link  and leave a comment sharing what inspires YOU! I will draw a winner by next Monday to win *weneedsupercooldrumrollnoisehere* 

The Project Life Underground Kit from Studio Calico! How fun is that?! (see totally worth the wait!!) 

The is not where the fun ends my friend, Studio Calico is also giving away some AWESOME prizes and I want you to get in on the fun! We’re giving away over $1,400 in prizes drawn from the people who download the printable. The prizes get bigger and bigger the more uses of the #scinspires hashtag.  So get on your social media platforms and start shouting from the rooftops what INSPIRES you and make sure to use the #scinspires to get the word out! Check out the Studio Calico blog every Friday for update on how we are doing!!! Let's blow those numbers out of the water!! 

Head on over to my friends blogs for even MORE chances to win!!!

Studio Calico

Stephanie Bryan
Emily Branch
Natalie Elphinstone
Dana F.
Lilin Fang
Anna-Maria
Maggie Massey
Celine Navarro
Allison Waken
Barbara PIcinich
Kerri Bradford
Jen Picard
Tracy Armstrong
Liz Tamanha
Marcy Penner
Robyn Werlich
Suzy Plantamura
Julie Campbell
Lexi Bridges
Maggie Holmes

go.be.inspired

Shanna

P.S. For those looking for my guest blogger I have a very exciting post for you tomorrow!!! 

Journaling Bible | Put it in the cup

For those that have been following me for a couple months you know this year started off rough. I took some time away from my online commitments and really took the time to focus on family. During that time, I am not going to lie I struggled with God. My mother in law suggested (ever so slightly) that I listen to a sermon from Doug Fields at Saddleback church. The name of the sermon was "have I got a surprise for you"  and I LOVED it. I think sometimes it is difficult for church leaders to share where they struggle and they do in fact struggle with the exact same things we stuggle with. Doug did just that, in such a HUMAN way. I love that. The sermon was great, and I highly suggest listening to it yourself but my favorite part was when he talked about "putting it in the cup". He talks about how we pray to God, and then we worry. When we really need to hand it all over to God and trust him with our desperate prayers. Of course worrying is natural human process... but allowing God to work in your life  is a learning process (and sometimes harder than others). It was certainly something I PERSONALLY needed (need) to work on in this season of my life.

I wanted to share my start to finish process for this week in my journaling bible.

Lindsay Letters designs some of the cutest stamps for Studio Calico so I pulled those out as I love how they look when stamped in my bible. I also saw this adorable cup sticker that was perfect for the sentiment "put it in the cup".

I LOVE the BE BRAVE stamp and used my staz-on ink (my fave) right under the cup and then journaling "put it in the" with my favorite journaling pen.  I love making sure I add a mixture of my own personal handwriting along side stamps and alpha stickers!  

I have been sort of hoarding these adorable stickers from the Hola kit (sold out, but keep your eye out some cute alpha sticker in the upcoming kits!). Something I kind of think about when adding alpha stickers is how long the word is, and alternating styles (for example traditional or block letters). 

I love seeing how everyone is adding mist (I used Mister Huey's) to their pages and wanted to add a little unexpected color to my pages today. In this photo it is still drying but I wanted to show you all to NOT be afraid to get messy in your bibles! I just sprayed it on there and once it is dry and you close the book the page is still in perfect condition!

One of the last things I always do is add my tab. I try to think of a sentiment short and simple that will remind me what I will find inside. I used one of the tabs from Veronica's amazing (free) printables.  I also added a "2" from one of my favorite Studio Calico alphas from a past kit, but good news, if you missed out on those they are coming out with MORE and you can find them here. 

If you are new to the idea of using your bible in this way, or would like to find a community to find some amazing inspiration and some of the sweetest gals you will ever meet, please come join us on facebook in our new journaling bible group.  I have also taught a class through influence network called journaling bible: the basics. You can purchase the recording and get more info here. Hope to see you there!

go.be.inspired.

Shanna 

Pamela Baldwin | Inspires

 | boots | be happy | gold alpha | camera | cork awesomness | typewriter |

| be silly | map | wood venner | color theory paint | tag | photo |

I am sure you already know her, but if you don't you are missing out! I love Pam's sense of style and how she tells a story. Her pages draw you in and her stories make you fall in love! When we were asked to lift a member for our gallery this month over at Studio Calico my mind went directly to PAM!!!  You will have a chance to be inspired by Pam and win a $35 gift certificate to Studio Calico also!!! But before I share all the details with you let's get to know Pam a little better, shall we?

  Hi there! I'm Pam Baldwin :)  I'm Canadian, I'm a wife and a mom, I'm a Hematology-Oncology nurse, I'm a pretty good cake decorator, I'm an overuser of smiley faces :) and exclamation points!!!, I dream of the day when sleeping in means later than 6:30 am, I am not a coffee/tea drinker but I am hooked on the caffeine content of Diet Pepsi (see pervious statement re: dreams), I'm our family memory keeper aka. scrapbooker & photographer, I am thrilled to be a member of the Studio Calico Community, and I'm so happy to be here with you today!

Tell how about how long you have been scrapbooking and what got you into it in the first place? 

     I started scrapbooking in January 2011 when my very first Becky Higgins Project Life supplies arrived on my doorstep :) (It was the Turquoise edition!) I was getting ready to return to work after a year long maternity leave, and I was SO worried that I was going to miss out on watching my son grow up.  The first 9 months had already been a bit of a blur! So after learning about Project Life, I decided our family stories HAD to be documented, and that's where I began.  

rrr

I love that! We started scrapbooking the same year!! Where do you find your inspiration from?

     My inspiration usually starts with the story I want to tell or a favourite picture :) When I need more of a push to get started, I often find myself browsing Pinterest (the poster and Illustration section and the design section almost ALWAYS have something that'll catch my eye) and the Member & Creative team galleries over at Studio Calico.  (Can't speak highly enough about the galleries there!!  I try to stop in often just to ooh and ahh over all the amazing layouts people share.  It makes me so happy and definitely inspired!).  Sometimes, a good sketch will get my brain working overtime when I'm supposed to be going to sleep at night. Most recently, I found myself photographing a McDonalds take out bag because it had a really cool "grid" design on it!

Office Hours Project Life

What are your three favorite products of all time? (scrapbooking related) 

     Wood Veneer has the top spot for sure!! Especially the dark woodgrain hearts from Studio Calico's Atlantic collection, and stars of any size :)

Foam pop dots make their way onto almost all of my layouts somehow....I think they sneak their way in there when I'm not looking.

Remember those little word strips that were included with the Antiquary Kit? I LOVE them and all other word strips like them.  I find that some of those strips say what I want to say better than I could say it myself :)

Grow Little Pumpkin

(I love how Pam used the wood venners from South of Market!) 

YES, you mentioned some of my favorite items as well! So glad you love those word strips, I think you will see more in the future! If you had to pick ONE stamp set to use over and over again which one would it be?

     Hmmm....I'm not normally a big stamper.  But I sure do give my roller date stamp a workout!

What are the colors your find the easiest to work with?

     There is a whole lotta blue, green and brown going on in my pages these days :) I've tried to use patterned papers for my backgrounds more recently, but I think my preference is still white cardstock.   More than colour, I really like the look of different textures!! I think I would happily add woodgrain, cork, manila shipping tags and a little splash of gold to anything and everything.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Pam! I loved getting to know you a little better and seeing what makes you tick!!! One thing I really take from your pages is your ability to REALLY focus on the photos and the story. One of the ways I see that most in your projects is with a SUPER big photo and lots of journaling so that is what inspired my layout this month! 

I used the adorable Sandlot kits from Studio Calico to create this 2 page 8.5x11 spread inspired by Pam. I love the red alphas and really allowed the story and photo to be the main feature here. Taking some notes from Pam, and loving it!!! Photo was taken by the amazingly talented lemaire photo! 

Now here is YOUR chance to be inspired by PAM!!... Here are the details I promised you! 

You may enter a comment to win the gift certificate in each of the following ways!

1. Post a link to your layout, card or project life using the mood board as inspiration

2. Post a link to your social media site where you shared the mood board with info :) 

3. Post a link to your instagram with the mood board tagging myself and Pam.

4. Post a link to where you pinned the mood board from this post. 

5. Post a link to any other CREATIVE way you thought to share!! 

All links must be posted by noon PST July 31st to be counted for

 the drawing to win the $35 Studio Calico gift certificate! 

I can't wait to see what you come up with

go.be.inspired.

xox

Shanna

Finding the inspiration & the story with Amy Tangerine

To see how this layout came together check out Amy's blog! 

oh my stars!!

Happy Thursday! I am a sucker for two things. 

1. stars.

2. metal dies that match stamp (I am a little late to the game on this one!) 

So when I saw this set from Studio Calico, I snatched it RIGHT up!

I just got this in the mail today so I wanted to gather up some star projects that inspire me! 

I love how Alex used color and the stars to create a focal point for this beautiful layout!

Oh my word... RAINBOW stars? Yes PLEASE! I love what Paperpilkitten did with this! 

Jil ROCKED the stars in such a unique way! 

So excited to start playing with these, did you order them? What are you plans?

Talk to you soon!

xox

Shanna

The one where I show off all of YOUR talent... oh and another gratitude documented download!

I am having SO much fun seeing how everyone is using the gratitude files, and I wanted to share a couple fun ideas with you that I have seen in our community!! 

Heather is getting her circles all ready to go!

Miri6guez is inspiring me so much!! Hello, watercolors & cut files!

Um WOW. Sasha surprised me with this little gem this morning, looked how she rocked that brush!!

I am in awe of each and every one of you, thank you for being so inspiring to me!

And here are your files for today!!

You can download them here  !

I hope you enjoy and don't forget to add #gratitudedocumented to your IG posts!

 I can't wait to see what you create!

xox