February LOAW #2 Challenge

We're excited to feature these weekly challenges from the SC community! Below you'll find February's LOAW challenge #2. You can find challenge #1 here. Post your project in the gallery and copy a link to the comments below. You can enter anytime in February! Check in each week as one of our members shares a new challenge with you.

We are looking for LOAW hosts for 2018! If you're interested in hosting the weekly challenges, please reach out using the Contact Us form!


Challenge #2

This week, our member Jen (username jenwong) is challenging you to customize and create a background of your own and use it in your project. Be sure to follow Jen here at SC to see more of her work and keep up with her!

Hi, everyone! For this traveler's notebook spread, I wanted to use a subtle pattern as a background but didn't like any of the patterned paper I had. I decided to create my own pattern using cacti and travel-related stamp phrases that fit with the trip and love how it turned out!

Creating your own unique background can give your project a custom and personal touch. For this week's challenge, I'm challenging you to customize and create a background of your own and use it in your project. You could use watercolor, die-cuts, stamping, mists, pattern paper—the sky's the limit! Share your projects below and I can't wait to see what you create!

Now it’s your turn to create a project based on this week's challenge! Share your new project for the challenge in the SC gallery, then link up your project in the comments of this post by February 28th. We will draw a winner to win a $10 gift card to the Studio Calico Shop!


Guidelines for LOAW participants: 

The LOAW (layout-a-week) challenge came about from members challenging and encouraging one another to use their kits. Because it began before SC offered card and Project Life® kits, the challenge was for layouts, hence LOAW. Since scrapbook, card and PL kits are a part of SC's subscriptions, those types of projects are now included in LOAW. That means you can submit a LO, card, PL spread, minibook, or art journal page to a LOAW challenge. 

If you have trouble interpreting the challenge for the type of crafter you are, ask the host (person posting the challenge) for suggestions. Sometimes ideas we come up with make perfect sense in our minds, but don't translate as easily as we expect to another type of paper crafting. 

Each person may submit one unique project per challenge, i.e. you cannot submit the same project for two LOAWs. It's okay to combine LOAW with another challenge, though, such as a sketch or technique challenge. 

The project you submit should be one that is created in response to the LOAW challenge, which means no posting of older projects no matter how perfectly they fit the challenge. Any project submitted to the challenge should be made in the month of the challenge. 

Deadline for submissions is the last day of the month. Once the month changes on the SC site, it's too late to post for a chance to win. (I wanted to make note of this because I am a procrastinator and I'm sure there are a few more like me out there doing everything at the last minute.) 

When submitting a project for LOAW, please include a picture of your project and a link to it in the SC gallery on the challenge thread. Also, if the challenge asks for additional information, e.g. explain your inspiration, please include that in your submission post. SC generously offers a $10 GC to one participant. It's actually a promotion code good for 30 days. The winner's name is pulled from all of the entries. So if you enter one challenge, you have one chance of winning; two entries, two chances; etc. Hope you take a chance and take on one or more of the LOAW challenges each month.

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31 comments

  1. Joelaw says…
    02/08/2018

    😍

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  2. penny says…
    02/08/2018

    Your stamping is fabulous!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  3. TerryB says…
    02/08/2018

    That looks awesome!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  4. CeliseMcL says…
    02/08/2018

    Great idea! Love the subtle background. For my travelers notebooks I prefer to use paper rather than cardstock. I should make my own. I think I have a few stamps....

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  5. Shannon_Yates says…
    02/08/2018

    Jen, I love what you did with those stamps; so perfect for your story!!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  6. CeliseMcL says…
    02/08/2018

    I used a few Valentine stamps with memento desert sand ink to create a background on typing paper then printed my journaling from the PC.
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210117-big-plans

    2 Reply 2 Replies
    1. jenwong says…
      02/08/2018

      Wow @CeliseMcL you are fast!! :) Love how your background turned out and what a good idea to put the paper back into the printer to print on it!

      1
    2. Shannon_Yates says…
      02/09/2018

      This all around clever and beautiful!!! Love your journaling!!

      1
  7. jenwong says…
    02/08/2018

    @Joelaw, @penny, @TerryB, @CeliseMcL, @Shannon_Yates - thanks so much for the sweet words Ladies!!!

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  8. awriter says…
    02/09/2018

    I tore a piece of corrugated cardboard, then added white mist for my background: https://studiocalico.com/galleries/210130-snow-day

    2 Reply 2 Replies
    1. Shannon_Yates says…
      02/09/2018

      Love this layout with the misted cardboard as your background!!

      0
    2. jenwong says…
      02/16/2018

      Wow, your background is so creative!

      0
  9. Shannon_Yates says…
    02/09/2018

    Dipped into my paints to make the background for this challenge. Thanks for another fun challenge Jen!!
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210144-february-loaw-2-stormy-seas

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/16/2018

      I love how you painted your background - so perfect!!! I'm glad you enjoyed the challenge!

      0
  10. Leanne1965 says…
    02/09/2018

    Wow! I love your stamping!
    I created a scrapbook layout using rub ons and stamps.
    https://studiocalico.com/galleries/210146-nan

    2 Reply 2 Replies
    1. Shannon_Yates says…
      02/10/2018

      What a lovely background and a great way to use rub ons!

      1
    2. jenwong says…
      02/16/2018

      Thank you! I love how you used the rub-ons and stamps together - perfect layout!

      0
  11. CristinaC says…
    02/11/2018

    Here's my card using the mega date stamp to make a background:
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210191-happy-valentine-card

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/16/2018

      Such wonderful layers in your card!! I love how it turned out.

      1
  12. penny says…
    02/12/2018

    I used 2 heart stamps and Versamark resist ink on kraft paper to make my background: https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210212-together

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/16/2018

      The versamark ink creates such a lovely subtle pattern in your background! What a sweet story captured @penny!

      0
  13. b_manies says…
    02/15/2018

    I made my own background with a stamp set that I have had for a long time but I had never used (from October Afternoon, see second photo). I used it exactly as it was and I liked how it turned out but then layering on top of it was really hard (it's so busy) and I wished I had done it all in light grey maybe. If anyone has ideas of anything else I could add to this layout, please let me know :) It's a little plain now but also busy.

    Here it is :)

    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210290-park-date

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/16/2018

      I think it's perfect as it is! The bold colors you used are plenty and I like how the pinks and blues in the photos are picked up in the ink colors. :)

      1
  14. JaneD says…
    02/16/2018

    What a fun challenge! I haven't been able to stop making my own background after doing the layout for this challenge. On this layout I have used washi tape from several old kits to make my background
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210300-awesome-chips-and-nuggets

    Thanks for the challenge! Love your stamping @jenwong!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  15. jenwong says…
    02/16/2018

    Really like how you used the washi tape in your background - great idea!! I'm glad you liked the challenge and thanks for the kind words @JaneD!

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  16. tpgirl says…
    02/16/2018

    I used the package smooshing technique with some Distress Ink. I also stamped a border along the bottom.
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/210305-feb-2018-loaw-2-road-trip

    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/27/2018

      Your page turned out great!

      0
  17. Luckycat991 says…
    02/18/2018
    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/27/2018

      I like the paint swirling in your background! How did you do that?

      0
  18. Kristi_ says…
    02/27/2018
    1 Reply 1 Reply
    1. jenwong says…
      02/27/2018

      Beautiful card! Your stamped background looks excellent! :)

      1

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