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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A Beautiful Mess App + PerAnnum

Last week I was beyond delighted to receive a party in a box from friends Elsie and Emma of A Beautiful Mess blog to help celebrate their new app. You don't need me to tell you what incredible + inspiring people those two ladies are.  That's already a well known fact.  And their creativity has gone to the next level with their new A Beautiful Mess app.  It's pretty awesome and extremely fun to play with. I added the type and the doodle onto the photo above with the app.

The type on this Instagram was also done using the app... there are so many fun things you can add. Careful, it's addicting!  I took a little trip to Austin earlier this week and as you can see I had some Texas sized fun. I have some photos to share that I'll have to get up here on the blog soon.

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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What I Wore: Gatsby'd

Tuesday's date night this week was to one of the city's premieres of The Great Gatsby along with an afterparty and I was excited from the moment I got the invitation. I am not a big fan of Halloween at all but give me another excuse to play dress up and I am all about it.  

Dress: similar Forever21 | Necklace: Forever21 | Headband: Forever21 | Shoes: BCBG Holmy pumps

I was able to put together my outfit quickly with a sweep through Forever21 that afternoon.  I love the style of the 1920's and found the perfect swingy dress complete with a pleated skirt. They must've known I was coming.  It was fun to see the costumes that everyone at the theater put together - I'm not the only one who really got excited to get dolled up that night.

As for the movie, Robert Redford will always be the Gatsby for me but this remake definitely had some style. Are you seeing The Great Gastby this weekend?  Hope that you enjoy!

The Phone Photography Project

I'm happy that I finally get to let the cat out of the bag about this incredible new class that I had the honor of contributing to called The Phone Photography Project.  It was so funny because one day at brunch my friend Em was saying how amazing Elizabeth Dillow's Instagrams are and wondering how she does it.  I just had to smile because I knew she was putting together this awesome class! 

The Phone Photography Project
32 days of Android + iPhone photo challenges, daily inspiration, and app reviews

Need summer photo ideas or help improving your iPhone photography? Spend this July taking amazing photos with your iPhone or Android camera in The Phone Photography Project.

In this month-long workshop, you'll learn to take better photos with the camera you always have with you as you document your summer adventures—with help from 32 incredible instructors. On top of daily smartphone photography challenges, you'll also enjoy:

• dozens of tips and tricks from the pros for taking better photos with your mobile-phone camera
• a handbook of 60+ photography app reviews for iPhone and Android, so you know which are worth your time and money*
• dozens of project ideas for getting photos off your device and into your world
• interaction with 32 experienced iPhoneographers and Androidographers, and hundreds of fellow students in a private classroom and on Instagram
• giveaways, contests, discounts, bonus downloads, and fun fun fun!
  
  *Note: Many of the reviewed apps are available free in the App Store and Google Play, while the rest average about $1.99 each. App purchases are not required for participation in the class.

Take a look at the fabulous promo video for the class and check out the list of 32 terrific contributors:

Looks amazing right? The class is currently being offered at an introductory price of just $39 (this will go up to $49 soon) so be sure to register now!  See you in class!

May Product Release at Simon Says Stamp

The Kelly Purkey section at Simon Says Stamp has been filled with a heaping tablespoon amount of new products and I can't wait to share them with you! We've worked hard on getting these for you and I'm so excited that these ideas that were once just in my head are now able to be used on your layouts and cards and Project Life pages.  

Here's a look at the new June + July Project Kit! It is stuffed with product and some really fun pieces.  You can click HERE to see the full description and an image of all the pieces.

I will do another post this week going more in depth and sharing some examples with the kit.  They are limited quantity again so be sure to snatch one up if you'd like one.

There are SEVEN new stamp sets this time around and one in particular that I love:

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We also have a brand new product - stencils!  I sized some of these at 3x4 so that they're perfect to make Project Life cards with:

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Lots of new stickers this month. I love seeing you use the alphabets - they're my favorite too!

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And some new sets of badges, which I am so over the moon excited about:

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Whew! I think that about covers it. I hope that you enjoy this new release and it inspires you to go out and make something!  Thank you again so much for all your support for my little brand - it is so, so much appreciated. 

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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Bang Bang Pie Shop

In case you haven't heard, cupcakes are out and I've been saying for a while now that pie is THE NEW BIG THING.  Not that pie hasn't always been high on everyone's list of dessert favorites, but I think the time has come for it to really have its rightful day in the sun.  If you want to dig in and help celebrate this hot trend (and don't we all?) I highly recommend a visit to Bang Bang Pie Shop, in my neighborhood of Logan Square.

We hit it first thing Sunday morning and let me tell you, it was the best way to start the day.  The banana cream was definitely my favorite and perfectly topped with brown sugar. And in a span of the next 48 my friends and I had multiple conversations about their homemade biscuits.  We marveled.  We devoured. We want the recipe.

That one is still a secret, but the very friendly owner Michael did share the fantastic thick cut bacon recipe with me.  He promised that it was something that I could make at home (I only balked slightly) since we arrived an hour after they opened and the famous bacon was sold out.  

The shop is fairly small but now that it's warm they've got a big backyard open with lots of seating and just might be the perfect place to spend the day eating pie.  As we walked away we pondered just how early we'd have to get up to make sure we got some of that bacon.  And as a girl who doesn't roll out of bed on the weekends til the sun is pretty high in the sky, I'm thinking Bang Bang is just the place to get me up and running at the crack of dawn.  That pie.  Those biscuits. The frosting on the cinnamon roll. That promise of thick cut bacon.  Yes, please. 

Dove Real Beauty Sketches - Men

I posted the Dove Real Beauty video last week and still think that it's pretty spectacular. But here's one about men that has been circulating and I might even like this one just a tad bit more.  Take a look...

WC vs EC: Spring Jackets

Amy and I are back with another installment of our West Coast vs East Coast style series. I am now back to being a Midwesterner, but I think my closet is still going to say New Yorker for just a bit longer.  I'm still going to be the one wearing all black in the spring.

Today we're talking spring jackets and this one has been my favorite for about four years now. It was an inexpensive purchase at Forever 21 and has really held up over time. I love that it's a longer trench like jacket but still has a lot of girlyness to it with the ruffles.  

Jacket: Forever 21 | Shirt: Forever 21 | Jeans: Forever 21 | Shoes: Anne Klein | Necklace: Kate Spade | Photos taken by Meg Tsang

I find that I get tempted easily by jackets - there are just so many cute ones each season.  But this has been a long standing staple I like to pull out year after year.  Do you have a go-to jacket for the spring?