Simply Lovely

I wanted to teach masking at club this month but ended up changing my mind and will use this lovely creation for another event later.   I just love this stamp set!   I started out doing clear block stamping but decided I wanted a cleaner look and made a mask instead.  I think it looks much nicer/cleaner this way.

I've been getting so many emails lately asking about how to make certain cards and what supplies I used.  I don't always have time to answer back, so I'm going to try to find the time to list the supplies again on my blog.  It might not always happen, but I'll try.   I'm glad you guys enjoy my work so much.  :)

Stamps:  Lacy & Lovely
Ink: Baja Breeze, Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo
Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Baja Breeze, Whisper White
Tools/Accessories:  Basic Rhinestones, Large Rhinestones, Stampin' Sponges

Rough day yesterday.   Laila is teething, but I think she also picked up a cold.  Long day for all of us as she wouldn't nap and didn't sleep well the night before either.  This always seems to happen on my stamp club weeks and I end up so tired trying to stamp with my ladies.   Thankfully they are super understanding and roll with the punches.   We all enjoy eating as much as stamping, so it all works out.  Anyway, here's Laila in her ugly pajamas.  Twelve months pajamas are a bit strange and ugly.  These were on clearance as they should have been.  lol

Freshly Made Onesies

It's time for a new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches!   Linda S. created this one and I just love it.  My stampin' buddy LeAnne turned me on to the "three rule" a while back, so now I like using threes.  :)   We also have a fresh new design over on the blog AND two new very talented design team members, Amy and Narelle.  Be sure to go check it out!

I have a baby shower to attend this weekend so I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone and make a baby card this week.  I bought the Baby Tees wheel a while back thinking I'd cut it apart and mount it on the cling foam I had.  Well, I got scared about cutting it so I didn't do it and the wheel ended up in my shelf.  I wanted to use it for this card, so I rolled it and then cut out the images I wanted.   I still want to try to cut it up but now I can't find the cling foam.  Goodness!  I used Pool Party and Pretty in Pink for this one.  I know our friends are having a little girl, but her room will be in teal so I wanted to add in blue of some sort.  I think they work together pretty well.  Pardon my coloring; I am only good with crayons.  :)

Laila had a very grumpy day yesterday.  That's not normal for her, so we looked and her gums were pretty swollen on top.  It looks like one tooth is about to pop through and she could be getting a few more along with that one.   Poor baby.   We gave her a bit of medicine and she was back laughing after her nap.  I hate knowing she's hurting, so I'm not a big fan of teething.  Hopefully it goes fast!  

Nothing to Celebrate!

I thought I'd share another reject from my recent stamping for club session.    I love this set but it wasn't liking me last week!    I rarely use River Rock and maybe grabbing it first was the problem.   This was using a previous sketch from the Fab Friday stamping challenge.   I'm keeping it short today because I have a million and one things on my to-do list.  I wish I had a clone that could go do the grocery shopping! 

This stubborn girl is still working on crawling.   I'm beginning to think we are just going to skip it but we'll see.  She still manages to move around and get into stuff, so I'm guessing that is all that matters to her.  It's just bad when EVERYONE keeps asking if she's crawling.   I get that panicky feeling that she's behind or something.   

Ears to Pink Paper Bakery

I was recently asked to share a project over at Pink Paper Bakery and today is the day.   I have to admit, Easter is one of my absolute favorite holidays.  I LOVE making up baskets, coloring eggs, and having a big family dinner.  I don't usually send out cards, but this adorable single stamp, Ears to You, just might change that.  I can't stop using it!   It pairs so perfectly with the awesome Sycamore Street DSP from Sale-a-bration too.   

Isn't it cute?   I really love this layout and have used something similar in the past.  It is a great way to use up scraps from your scrap pile.  You can stick some DSP on there, embossed or die cut card stock, or even ribbon!   It all works.  Awesome, huh?   If you want directions or a supply list, be sure to check out the website over at Pink Paper Bakery!

...and speaking of Easter, Miss Laila will be getting some Easter pictures made on Friday.   This is her cute outfit that she'll be wearing.  I am not a frilly, lacy kind of girl, but I think it's adorable...and so does her daddy.  lol   Hopefully I'll have some cute pictures to share with you in a few weeks. 

Hello? I'm still here...

It's me.  I thought I'd check in since my posting hasn't been so great lately.  I'm in a bit of a stamping slump I'm afraid. I've made 6 cards over the past few days to try to finalize my ideas for stamp club and none of them really turned out very well.  I decided to try to do a bit more with my business and it seems like less stamping for fun equates to less creativity for me.   I am hoping to find a balance to that soon though.  It just takes work and planning. (and more stamping and less time on the laptop!)

I thought I'd share a card I made where I attempted to CASE my super-talented friend Jenn.   She blows me away with her creativity and she was the reason I ended up buying this set.   My card is no where near as good as hers, but I had to work with what I had.  Jason thinks it needs a different ribbon, but it is what it is.   I may try to work on the idea a bit more and do it for an event later on.

I used the Tea for Two DSP that I'd purchased last month and the combination of Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, and So Saffron.   Like I said, not horrible, but most definitely NOT as good as Jenn's.   I am never good at copying ideas, so I really prefer to make my own designs.  Sometimes we need that boost of help though and that's going to be me this month for sure.   

Time is going by too fast.  I still can't believe she's 8 months old now.   I had to get her 12 months clothes out and wash them today as her 9 months stuff suddenly quit fitting this week.   We keep discussing what we want to do for her birthday and are going to have to get serious about that soon so that I can make decorations.  It feels like we have so much time, but I know how fast time is passing and it will be here before we know it.   I'm just so, so excited about the idea of a birthday party.  We never got that with our Eli so we'll be so thankful to get that with Laila.   I'm hoping to incorporate some crabs into her party (hence the beach theme) so that her brother can be a part of it as well.   

Now that I've made myself cry, I'm off to play with my family.  Have a great Sunday and stay tuned as I have two guest designer cards to share with you this week!   One will be featured tomorrow, so check back in the morning.  

FMS75: Wheel of Shame

Sorry it's been so long since my last post!   It's finally Freshly Made Sketches time again, so I had to post today.   :)   Tui has this terrific sketch for us this week.  I'm sad because this is her last sketch with us, but I'm also happy for her because she's leaving to do some amazing things!  Be sure to stop by her blog and leave her some love this week!

Now on to the card...  I had lots of ideas, but they disappeared when I sat down to stamp.  Does that happen to you?  Frustrating, huh?!  Anyway, here's my not-so-fabulous creation:

This is so NOT what I had in mind when I sat down to make my card.  I don't know what happened to my original idea but it didn't come back.   This reminds me of the couch my parents had back in the 80's.   It had wagon wheels, but Ferris wheels, wagon wheels...it's all round, right?  What's so bad is that that couch had blue flowers and what color did I add?  BLUE!!!!!!!  Hopeless mess.   Hopefully somebody out there likes 80's wagon wheel couch cards...this one is totally for them!  Now I'm off to tease my hair and listen to some hair metal bands.  Ha!  

My sweet girl is 8 months old today.   It's crazy how fast time is flying by.   She's grown so much this past week that we are going to be moving up to 12 months clothes soon.   The 9 months are just too short now!   That happened overnight.   Crazy, crazy.  

SCS424: Chocolate Bunny

I found a little stamping time yesterday, so I thought I'd play along with the new sketch challenge on Splitcoast.  I thought it was a fun one and immediately had an idea!  

I LOVE the Chocolate Bunny stamp.  I didn't buy it when it was current, but was able to purchase it from my friend Ann when she was ready to send it to a new home.  It's one of my favorite stamps and will always be in my collection for sure!  I used some of the gorgeous Sycamore Street DSP that you can get for FREE, yes, I said FREE, during Sale-a-bration!   A bit of embossing, a banner, and a button finish off this simple beauty!  

Jason and I have been kind of bad about taking Laila out to restaurants because we weren't sure if she'd be okay or if she'd get upset and we'd have to try to pack up things and scramble out of the building.   We were brave on Tuesday and went to Chipotle and she did great!   She sat in the highchair like a big girl and looked around the whole time.  It was great!  

We also rearranged my stamp room this week to make Laila a spot.  Well, now she occupies MOST of my room, but I can still stamp and not worry about her being in everything or possibly getting hurt.   Win, win I hope!  

FMS Latte Oops!

I had to laugh as I put up the picture of our new sketch from Freshly Made Sketches tonight.  I totally didn't make my card right!!!!!   I forgot to chop off the side of my doilies before I stuck them down and I couldn't get them back off my paper.  I hope Allisa doesn't kill me for totally mangling her sketch.  Everyone else on the design team did a great job, so be sure you go check out those cards and ignore my goof up!   (No more watching TV and stamping my design teams cards!)

My two loves (after Jason and Laila) are stamping and coffee.  I LOVE coffee.   I can't even think about starting the day without a cup.  I keep this fun retired set called Like It a Latte for days when I feel like coffee on my stamping. I always like using colors that remind me of Starbucks on these cards as that and Target are two of my favorite places to go.   

...and speaking of Target, here's us being silly there today!  :)