So here it is! The second January challenge, and the last before the new DT come on board! I’m also sad to say that this is the last time we will see Melissa’s work for the DT as she is leaving us this month. Thanks for all you’ve done for us over the last 6 months, Melissa – we’ll miss you!

So, onto the challenge!

1. Take your alphas and alter them. Maybe you have a font you love but in the wrong colour – well change them! Show us what you can do!
2. Use a symmetrical page design – everything on one side should balance what’s on the other.
3. Use fabric of some kind on your page!

The DT got to make use of that fabulous Studio Calico Dec ‘09 kit again for this challenge. Don’t forget, our sponsor this month is Studio Calico! We were lucky enough to receive the December main kit to create with and yes! The prize for this challenge is one of these kits!

Amanda Jones

I love to create symmetrical pages, and so that part was easy for me. I was over the moon to see a sheet of Sassafras paper in the kit as I have been trying to find a paper to match this photo for months! I cut out some of the shapes from the paper and distressed them to make embellishments. I decided to make the fabric into a “ribbon”, to use as an accent and to place behind the title to make it stand out more. The letters I painted and then stamped a grid design onto them with white paint, to make them more interesting. I really like how they turned out!

Melissa Priest 

For this page, I went with a basic layout, where if you cut my layout in half, the two sides would be the same. For my letters, first I painted them black. I then went back and added the white messy outline, to help tie in the white paper and snow in the picture. I used the glittery frame from the Studio Calico kit, cut in half, to
serve as a background for my title. To fullfil the requiremement of using fabric on the page, I simply cut up my son’s shirt along the hemline. This allowed me to use the fabric as a simple border on the page, and by adding the geometric print with the blue, the border truly stands out.

Andrea Tuttle

Symmetry . . . funny thing about this challenge is that I taught some lessons to some very excited 3rd graders about this very topic.  I wanted to try to make my layout symmetrical, but didn’t want a mirror image or anything like that.  I started by misting some green paper and masking some snowflakes and a butterfly.  Then I cut some Sassafrass paper that had an interesting pattern . . . !the Studio Calico kit has such a great collection of paper in it).  I wanted to ground the pattern with some kraft paper.  I typed up some topics and then asked my daughters about them because I thought the picture would be perfect . . .one daughter was on one side . . . the other daughter was on the other side.  It was actually quite fun to hear their answers! I cut out some banners and tucked them behind the patterned sheet.  Then I adhered my picture.  The kit came with some great fabric so I used some embroidery floss and made a running stitch, pulled the strings together and walla . . . flower!! I stuck down some buttons and then added some sparkly bits.  I altered my alphas using gesso and glitter.  The two letters that aren’t gessoed are the initials of my daughters! Finally I cut apart the circle glittery frame and put it over a semi circle of patterned papers.  The last step was to tuck in the circle calendar dates!

Lisa Saunders

I love altering materials. These Basic Grey alphas have been lightly painted over and drawn on in pen to help them stand out better. To make the 2009, I stuck on the same alphas and sprayed over then removed once dry. Once removed the 2009 can be seen. To make my flower I used the fabric from the Studio Calico kit and a die, then cut a circle of felt and stitched a button on the top. Easy!!

Laura Johnson

For the fabric part of the challenge, I decided to use a strip of the canvas material from the Studio Calico kit and made it into a simple flower, with a button middle.  I decided to change the alphabet to a brown colour, so that it would stand out more against the pink patterned paper.  I found this a little difficult, as although I primed the letters with gesso, some of the paint still flaked off – I think I need new paints!

The symmetrical part of the challenge was what influenced the design most heavily and I opted for a grid arrangement.  The block of patterned paper mirrors the photograph, the grid is symmetrical and the arrangement of the large buttons on the grid also echo the shape that Kate’s body makes in the photo.  I added stitching to soften the
layout a little, as it is quite a ‘girly’ one really.  This challenge was a lot of fun and certainly made me plan out the layout more than normal – I normally just see how things turn out!

Elina Koutsouradi

I punched out with the same punch a photo, paper and two pieces of fabric. I sanded my chipboard then painted with crackle distress paint and gave a few purple stains with my smooch markers!

Diana Daijogo

Guest Designer – Helena Virpi

You have until 31st January to enter your layouts for a chance to win January’s prize! To enter your layout for a chance of winning the prize you need to upload a picture to your blog, gallery or the gallery here at the studio. Then post your link to Mr Linky in the sidebar! We’d love it if you came back and posted here too, but as long as Mr Linky has your link you’ll be in the running for the prizes! If you are struggling to upload for any reason then you can email me your layout and I will post it up for you.

Next month there will be a few changes to how we work the challenges. From 7th Feb we will be setting a new challenge EVERY Sunday! I was going to name it “Studio Sunday” but thought it was a bit too cutsey! What d’ya think?! Each week 6 members of the DT will inspire you with their awesome challenge inspiration, and we will also have a bit of mid-week fun from one of them every week. I’m excited, are you?!

Recent Entries

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• Technical difficulties!
• Easter Super-Sunday!
• 26th March challenge!
• 21st March Challenge!
• Tutorial from Tessa
• 14th March Challenge!
• Extra extra!
• March 7th Challenge!
• This week’s extra!

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 16th, 2010 at 5:19 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.