Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies

I got an order for some baby and little kid birthday cards, so I've been working on those this week.  I made this one for baby shower gifts and I just love it.  The colors are fabulous together (Smokey Slate, Tangerine Tango, and Bermuda Bay) and I love the embossed alphabet with the little elephant.  :)

Do you have a favorite sketch or layout?  This one is a favorite of mine!  I find myself using it quite frequently.   It's just a fun layout and I do love banners.  :)

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies

It's Wednesday, so time for a new Freshly Made Sketches challenge!  The queen of layers and fussy cutting, Narelle, is our hostess is week.   She has a fabulous sketch with banners.    I am a bit short on time lately, so I whipped up this card for both the sketch and my stamping event this weekend.  It's nice when you can do that, right?   I might change out the designer paper (DSP) for my event so that the sentiment shows up a bit better.  I love the new set called And Many More.  Do you have it yet?!

Isn't that a fun sketch?   I love it and might even do a second card for my event with it.  :)   Our theme is kids birthday cards and I think that fits perfectly with the banners.  

We took Laila to the park last week and as always, I had to take my camera along.   I was so happy when I looked at my pictures and saw this one.   She's in motion so much now that it's hard to snap a lot of really good shots.  When I do get one, it makes me super happy.  :)    Unfortunately, she's feeling worse now.  I think she might have a summer cold.  Saturday night was rough with coughing and everyone waking up all night.   Yesterday brought sneezing and a runny nose along with no nap.    We are going to be worn out if this is a long lasting thing.  Blah.  It's times like this when I wish my mom was close.    Not having anyone nearby to help gets rough doesn't it? 

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies

I needed another baby card, so I decided to play around with the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch and see if I could come up with a cute boy card.  I only have 2 colors of distress inks, so I went with green since it paired well with my alligator.  It's a super simple card, but I used my neglected stencil and Zoo Babies, a favorite set.  

This month has been a huge mental struggle for me and I can tell in my stamping.  I'm avoiding my room and not liking the cards I make when I do go in there.   I'm hoping June brings some fresh mojo and some uplifted spirits.   

One of my customers (who is now a good friend) came by yesterday and brought Laila a giant Elmo.  She loves it!   Maybe too much!   Jason rocked her and Elmo to sleep for her nap yesterday, so he had to go hide before bedtime came.  ;)   We already have 2 loveys and a sock monkey to rock, so any extras make it even more challenging! 

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies

It's Wednesday, which means a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches.  The fabulous Cindy created this week's awesome sketch.  It's one I'm pinning for later inspiration for sure.  :)  

For my card, I wanted to make a fun card for a young girl.  I never seem to have enough of those for the little shop where I sell my cards, so I'm trying to focus more on them right now.  I found some animal print DSP at a craft store that I thought would be fun with Zoo Babies.  I kinda love how it turned out!  :)   

Stamps:  Zoo Babies, A Little Birthday Cheer (retired)

Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:  Basic Black, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Misc DSP

Accessories:  Basic Black 1/8 taffeta ribbon, Brights Candy Dots, Brights Designer buttons

Tools:  Big Shot, Squares framelits, Alphabet Press EF, Scallop Edge border punch

She had to get comfortable while Skyping with her Grammy.  :) She's finally feeling better, but now her bad attitude is back in full force.  Whew.   My hair is going to turn gray fast!  

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies

Time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  I'm the hostess this week and I created a simple sketch with a trio of circles.

Stamps:  Zoo Babies, Something to Celebrate (retired)
Ink:  Elegant Eggplant, Island Indigo
Paper:  Basic Gray, Island Indigo, Whisper White
Tools:  1 3/4, 1, and 1 1/4 circle punches

For my card I did a very clean-and-simple card with the adorable Zoo Babies set.   I picked a color combination from the Color Coach that looked interesting, grabbed my circle punches, and got down to business.   It's not a great card, which is kinda bad on my hostess week, but my heart just isn't into stamping right now.  It's been a rough week already for me and I want to hide in bed rather than stamp.   Hopefully that will go away and I'll get back to enjoying it.  Just feeling a bit off I guess. Family issues and a little one who refuses naps and bedtime will do that.  

Poor girl.  We gave her some treats in her little snack cup and she started shaking it like crazy.  The cats thought she had treats for them so they swarmed her.  She was a bit confused why they were running TO her rather than AWAY from her.  :) 

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies (remix edition)

Jason is taking a gift to his pregnant coworker tomorrow and needed a baby card to go with it.  I thought about sending this card, but he told me her nursery was pink and green so I just couldn't!  It's been a long week already, so I decided to CASE myself and remake the same card in different colors.  I think it turned out pretty darn cute in Old Olive and Melon Mambo.  :)

Stamps:  Zoo Babies
Ink: Melon Mambo, Old Olive
Paper:  Old Olive, Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Brights Core'dinations pack, Brights DSP stack (retired)
Accessories:  Brights buttons (retired), White Baker's Twine
Tools:  Big Shot, Alphabet Press EF, Perfect Pennants die, 2 1/2 inch circle punch, sanding block

This top picture of Eli is one of my absolute favorites.  It was taken on Thanksgiving of 2008.   We had no idea he was seriously ill until a few days after Christmas.   In a matter of 2 weeks he went from a healthy looking baby to this poor thing in the bottom picture.  SMA is such a cruel disease and I recommend anyone thinking about having kids to be tested for their carrier status.  Laila is a carrier and I am so thankful that we know that already.  I hope she will never endure losing a child like we did.  Knowledge is power.   

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies for Mojo Monday

My 600th post!!!!!!  Wow!!!!!  I thought the sketch at Mojo Monday looked fun today so I worked on a card using it.  I didn't end up following it exactly, but close enough I think.   I found the color combination on my Color Coach and I think ti's another keeper! 

Stamps:  Zoo Babies, Happy Day

Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Basic Black, Smoky Slate

Paper:  Basic Black, Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Neutrals DSP stack (retired)

Accessories:  Basic Black Chevron ribbon (YUMMY!)

Here's another picture from Laila's swimming and bubble adventure last week.  The weather is a little cooler this week, so we might fill the pool back up tomorrow and let her play again.  

To all you guys going to Convention, let me know if you see any display samples that look like my work!  I can't wait to see pictures of the boards and see if my cards made it or not.  

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies & Dictionary

While Mom and Jason assembled playroom furniture last night, I ran off to my craft room to stamp.  It feels like it had been ages since I made anything and I needed the break!   I decided to combine Dynamic Duos and Retro Sketches and here's the result.  I think it's kinda cute.  :)

Stamps:  Zoo Babies, Dictionary

Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate

Paper:  Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight

Accessories:  White Baker's Twine, Neutrals buttons (retired)

Tools:  Big Shot, Alphabet Press TIEF, 2 1/2 inch circle punch

     

Laila's party went great.  It was a lot of work, but she seemed to have fun.   Now we are doing some serious work on getting her a playroom set up.   My favorite "decoration" was a timeline of photos from birth to 12 months.  I saw one on Rochelle's blog a while back and immediately pinned it.  Mine didn't turn out as cute as hers, but it was so great to look at her development.  ;)  

Stampin' Up! Zoo Babies for HSS

I have been having a rough week emotionally, so I tried to find some time to stamp today.   I loved the sketch at Hand Stamped Sentiments, so I used it to get me started.  I'm not sure where the Pumpkin Pie and Daffodil Delight combination came from, but it looks happy to me.

Stamps:  Zoo Babies, Tape It, Happiest Birthday Wishes (retired)

Ink:  Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight

Paper:  Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight Coredinations, Whisper White

Tools:  Big Shot, Alphabet Press embossing folder, Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, and Mat

Laila got her own little box of goodies today!   We tried out a monthly subscription thing for her and it came today.   We probably won't keep it, but it was fun to get one and let her open it.  The sun hat will definitely come in handy next week as her grandma is coming down and wants to take her for some rides in her wagon! 

Zoo Babies for Fab Friday

More new stuff!  Zoo Babies is my favorite set from the new catalog and one I couldn't wait to get my hands on.   I paired it the the new Dictionary background and the Alphabet Press embossing folder.  Aren't they fabulous together?!  I used the cute sketch at Fab Friday to make this lovely little card.  

Stamps:  Zoo Babies, Dictionary

Ink:  Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight

Paper: Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight Coredinations, Whisper White

Tools:  Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die, Alphabet Press EF, 2 1/2 circle punch

Accessories:  Neutrals buttons (retired), White Baker's Twine

We bought Laila a tunnel the other day and it's been a hit...with the cats.  lol  She's crawled through it a few times, but they LOVE it.