Stenciled Butterfly

Two posts in one day.  Wowzers.  If you are looking for my 'Tis the Season card, you can scroll down or find it here.  This care was another one I made for the Stenciled class at Online Card Classes.  I really love how much I've learned!  They are doing a one layer card class next and I think I might sign up for that one as well.  I sure need help with those.  This one used embossing paste.  I love that stuff after using it just once.  I hope I find time to make another card with it later today.  :)   

We had her 18 month check up today (a month late) and she was 33 inches tall and 25 pounds, 5 ounces.  She's getting so big!   It's a bit scary.  She woke up crying in the night again last night, so I don't know what's going on there.   I hope it's a short-lived thing as we don't function well without sleep.  I don't know how we survived the newborn stages on so little rest.  I guess it's what you get used to...and now I'm used to sleep!  lol

'Tis the Season 9: Ornament Keepsakes

Don't blink!  That is definitely a Christmas card you're seeing.  :)   Holly at 'Tis the Season asked me to be a guest designer for their 9th challenge.  They have a color challenge going on this week, so drop by and play if you get a chance!  

I used my Ornament Keepsakes set and some Iridescent Ice embossing powder to make a sparkly ornament.  This was one of those ever evolving cards because I kept messing up.  First I stamped the sentiment crooked so that got a new layer.  Then I moved the bow and tore the white so a ribbon hanger got added.  I decided I'd better leave it alone before anything else happened.  

I can't believe how long her hair is getting.  SO crazy!   It's been a very, very, VERY rough week here.  Tuesday night she wouldn't go to bed until almost 9.  Then she was back up from 1-4.  And then up for the day at 7:30.  Jason and I were so worn out yesterday.   We go for her 18th month checkup today, so I hope it's all good news.  Bandit will be getting a biopsy done on his spleen on Tuesday, so keep sending good thoughts our way.  I will have to take Laila with me when I drop him off and pick him up, so it should be interesting.  Oh to have family close by....

Stampin' Up! Yippee Skippee

This will be a quick post as I have a toddler who won't go to bed tonight.  :-/   This week feels so long; I swear it can't just be Tuesday! Anyway, the fabulous and oh so funny Linda has a new sketch for us at Freshly Made Sketches this week.  I had another idea I wanted to try after Laila went to bed, but that's not happening.  You just get my boring old first version.  Sorry!  

Isn't that fun?  So many ways to interpret it.  I hope I can try my hand at it again.  

Yesterday she just had to wear her sunglasses as much as possible.  It was cute, but the tantrums that followed them being put up were not so cute.  The good news is that the testing for Bandit wasn't nearly as much as we were told and it might all work out. 

Stenciled Class continued....

Even though today has been extra super crappy, I still managed to make a card for my online stencil class.  Now it was for Saturday's homework, but better late than never, right?  This is a simple one, but I think it turned out kinda cute.  It uses Real Red and Coastal Cabana with black for the neutral.   

She just loves playing outside.  :)   It was a gorgeous day yesterday, but now we might actually get snow tomorrow!  Crazy!  I would be so excited to see some snow.  After today, I think it's a small thing to ask.

Keep sending good kitty thoughts about Bandit.  I don't think we are going to be able to afford all the testing they are talking about, so I have to have a serious talk with our vet about what's realistic and what we can do.  I'm pretty heartbroken and have cried a lot today, but I'll take care of him as long as I can and love him always.

Watercolor Flower

Sharing my card for day two of the stencil class.  I'm having so much fun now that I've just relaxed and decided to play around and see what happens.  My projects won't be perfect or spectacular, but sometimes that's not the point, right?   This is a Silhouette Cameo heavy card.  I cut the letters and even the stencil I used with it.  Cool, huh?  

It's a gorgeous day here in Texas!   Laila had a blast playing in the backyard.  :)

Stenciled Class Projects

What a week!   We still don't know what's going on with Bandit other than he has an enlarged spleen and they are recommending a biopsy.  I spent almost 4 hours (most of them being aggravated that it was taking so long) at the vet on Thursday. Long, long day!   I do have something fun going on this weekend though.  I signed up for a class at Online Card Classes with a few of my buddies at Freshly Made Sketches and it started yesterday.  It's all about using stencils.  This is my first project for the sponging lesson taught by Debby Hughes.   It will be the one and only time you'll see me embossing on vellum; I have a trash can full of mistakes on that one!    

Everything is Stampin' Up! except for the sequins.  :)  Oh, and the stencil of course.  

My second project is all about misting and was taught by Julie Ebersole.  I have been having a rough time with these projects, so this one is simple to keep down on my frustration levels.  I tend to get very flustered, stressed, and aggravated when trying new things, so this class has been a stretch for me.  

I used rubbing alcohol, some Pool Party reinker, and the Stampin' Spritzers/Misters whatever they are called on a chevron stencil for a pretty easy background.  The hello was cut with my Cameo.  Easy and simple! 

Peanut butter and jelly... Oh my!!!!

Stampin' Up! Hardwood for FMS

 

I'm the hostess with definitely NOT the mostest this week at Freshly Made Sketches.  I was totally thinking sunflower and then I saw the inspiration photo at Fusion and went a different direction.  I think it would have been prettier in browns and yellows now that I look at it.  Hindsight, right?!  lol I do love the new Hardwood background.  It's one of the best stamps we've ever had I think. 

 

I am really looking forward to seeing the entries this week.  I just love cards with banners!

 

Stamps:  Hardwood

Ink:  Smoky Slate

Paper:  Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Old Olive

Accessories:  Glimmer brads

Tools:  Silhouette Cameo, Big Shot, Decorative Dots TIEF (SAB)

 



 

She looks happy here, huh?  lol  I guess she really likes pasta!   We did have a great day on Monday, but yesterday not so much.   I don't know if it was me in a bad mood or her being more difficult than usual, but it was rough.  Tomorrow she has her 18 month checkup and Bandit goes for his test.  It is just one of those weeks.  You know those weeks where you really, really wished you liked wine.  Ha!

Fusion Bunny

 

I'm such a huge fan of this color combination, so when I saw the inspiration picture at Fusion, I just had to play along.  I thought about flowers, but I had this set that I hadn't inked up and needed to work on my coloring goal I set for the year.  He's such a cute little bunny, huh?   I got this set with one of the gift certificates I won participating in the Hope You Can Cling To challenges.  It's fun to get to try out some other stamps sometimes, especially for free!  :)  I wish I had used Basic Gray, but oh well.  I always find that I'd change something once I start editing and working with the picture. 

 

 

Stamps:  The Cat's Pajamas Presto

Ink:  Memento Black

Paper: Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

Tools:  Big Shot, Star Framelits

 

Stampin' Up! Countless Sayings 1

I thought I'd share our other project for my hostess club today.   It's actually a fun one and everyone will have some options to make theirs unique.   I made a few samples to show them, but they will get to decide the details like designer paper, which way their flags and embossing go, etc.   I can't wait to see how they all turn out.   I'll try to snap a few pictures and post them on Instagram tomorrow.  :)   

• Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folders
• Brights Core'dinations Cardstock
• Coastal Cabana 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Countless Sayings 1 Photopolymer Stamp Set
• Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack
• Stampin' Sanding Block
• Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock

Here's the $118 brushing of teeth in progress.  It's turning out to be an expensive week.  Please keep my fur baby Bandit in your thoughts as he is having an ultrasound this week to rule out cancer.  :(  He's my sidekick, so I've spent a lot of time crying and am super stressed.  He's really my first pet as an adult and I love him to pieces. 

Stampin' Up! Geometrical Love

I've had this poor card on my desk for a while now and finally finished it up before I climbed in bed tonight.  We always hop in bed early to watch a show or two once Laila's in bed, so I never seem to get any stamping done after the middle of the day.  This card using the fun sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday with the colors from colourQ.   I didn't have Poppy Parade, so I subbed in Calypso Coral.  It looks like everyone else went with Real Red for a current color, so oops!  Hopefully mine still counts.  Sorry, guys! 

  

• Arrows Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Calypso Coral Baker's Twine
• Designer Buttons - Neutrals Collection(retired)
• Geometrical [wood]
• This And That Epic Day Designer Series Paper
• Basic Gray 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Island Indigo 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Pool Party 8-1/2 X 11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Small Heart Punch

She is so silly.   We had our first trip to the dentist today.   Taking an 18 month old is such a waste.  $118 and all they did was brush her teeth and look at them for like a minute!   We won't be going back for a while.  That's just crazy!   She did great though, so maybe taking her will make her not be afraid like I am.  

Love for Freshly Made Sketches

Time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!   One of our newest members, Cindy L. is showing off her first sketch this week.  Be sure to play along and leave her some love for this fun and challenging design!   For my card, I used My Digital Studio, my e-cutter, and regular supplies.

• Brights Designer Series Paper Stack
• Neutrals Candy Dots
• Red Glimmer Paper
• Basic Black 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Hearts Collection Framelits Dies
• e-cutter

I snapped a quick photo with my phone while we were at the cemetery yesterday and it turned out so amazing.   Laila knows Eli's name and ran up to his headstone saying his name.  It's sad, but I hope we do okay teaching her about him.   

Eli

No card today, just my sweet boy.   Tonight at 7:30 will make five years since I last held him.   I thought I'd share some pictures.  As always, if you aren't familiar with SMA, spinal muscular atrophy, please take time to read about it.  That's especially important if you are planning on starting or adding to your family.  

We are having a low key day.  We are going to the cemetery soon and will be sending out a box of the crab toys you see in some of the pictures to Families of SMA.  They add them to care packages that they send out to newly diagnosed families.  Other than that it's hard to know what to do besides cry.   

Stampin' Up! Language of Love

Dude!  I don't know what is up with my horrible photography skills lately.  I hope you'll forgive me, but I tried to doctor it up and it just wasn't happening.  I'm such a mess lately.  Anyway... I am working on ideas for my stamp club.  I had planned out what I wanted to do and then I went to Leadership...   They gave us the new Language of Love set so I just had to use it.  I mean it IS a Valentine's kinda set and that's a month away.   I paired it with a Sale-a-Bration set that has a matching punch.  Super fun!  I love them already.  The punch will be going into the new annual catalog, so that's fabulous.  

• Banner Blast (SAB)
• Banner Punch (SAB)

• Bermuda Bay 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Itty Bitty Banners Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Language Of Love [clear]
• Tag A Bag Accesory Kit
• Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Full Heart Punch
• Petite Pennants Builder Punch
• Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents
• Banners Framelits Dies
• Bitty Banners Framelits Die

Before I go, I wanted to share a new thing I decided to do.  If you are on Instagram, I have an account for my crafty stuff now.  Be sure to come follow me!   I think you can click on the camera?  Still learning...  lol

She woke up from her nap in the best mood today and had some crazy hair.  I swear she's growing by the minute and so is her hair!  She was a good girl today and I'm glad.  Tomorrow makes five years since sweet Eli passed away, so it's a rough week for us.  Having a grumpy toddler wouldn't help, so let's hope the good girl trend continues.

Stampin' Up! Leadership Update and Swap

I thought I'd share my swap card that I made for Leadership.  I didn't do general swapping, so it was just 20 for an organized swap.  I hope people liked it as it was much different than most of the ones I got back.  They were mostly soft and bright, not the dark masculine thing I created. lol   I was happy that I got to meet a few friends at the swap, especially Pat Smith who I was hoping to run into.  (Hi, Pat!)

I'm trying out a new thing for the supply list, so you'll have to let me know what you think.  If you are in the mood to shop, you can click the links and go directly to my store to buy all these goodies!

• Banners Framelits Dies
• Early Espresso Baker's Twine
• Hardwood [clear]
• Lovely As A Tree Wood-mount Stamp Set
• Naturals Designer Buttons
• Neutrals Core'dinations
• Perfect Pennants [english, clear]
• Stampin' Sanding Block
• Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Early Espresso 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Soft Suede 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock
• Very Vanilla 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
• 2-1/2 Inch Circle Punch

I had a fantastic time at the event.  My roommate was super fun (Love ya, Anne Marie!) and I got to meet some awesome new people and a few blog followers too!  It did make me think about where my business is at the moment and where I want it to go.  I'm down to very few customers and the thought of dropping has crossed my mind more than once over the past few months.  I am now hoping that maybe I can turn things around a bit.   If you are local, please consider coming out to an event, contacting me about any questions or needs you might have, and let me know if there's any type of event you'd be interested in.

I'm sure if you've been on any Stampin' Up! related blogs or websites you saw the awesome information about the new markers that are coming soon.  Exciting, right?!  Learning to color was on my list to practice and improve on this year, so they are totally helping me out there.  ;)   I need all the help I can get, so yay!  Here's a peek of the colors:

Finally, there's an awesome new promotion for new My Paper Pumpkin subscribers.  We got to see the next 3 months of the kits and let me just say, if you aren't subscribing yet, GO DO IT NOW!  I am so in love with the March kit!  If you are a new subscriber, sign up NOW to get the Welcome Kit in February and then you can get the March kit that I LOVE!  Plus if you sign up before February 10th you get a free set of markers! Between the markers and the clear block included, it's like getting all the cards and stamps for free! Who doesn't LOVE free?!   If you sign up before January 25th, I'll also be sending out a little freebie.  I'll also be hosting a My Paper Pumpkin night for my local subscribers to get together to assemble their kits.  Fun, fun!  So head on over and sign up! 

The other big announcement was also AMAZING!  Demonstrators who signed up after July of last year and those who sign up before Convention registration ends get to attend Convention for free*.   Well, free in that they don't have to pay the registration fee.  You'd still be responsible for travel and hotel expenses.  Saving almost $300 off the registration fee helps a ton though!  I wish I was new again.  lol  Be sure to contact me today if you are interested in signing up and getting in on that! 

Laila and Jason survived okay without me, so it was nice to get away and not worry too much.  Maybe I'll have to do it again! Ha!