Beach Birthday Invitations!

Whew!  I finally finished Laila's birthday invitations!   We decided to keep the party small, so I didn't have to make too many thank goodness!   She's having a beach themed party, so my sweet friend Mindy was kind enough to send me this retired set to use for her invitations.  Thank goodness for our demo sisters, right?!   I mixed up a bunch of bright colors and I'm not totally sure it worked, but they are done and I managed to use up some retired stuff. 

Now if I can figure out all the stuff I need to get ready for her birthday pictures on Tuesday and then finish up her party decorations all will be good!

I took her to the mall yesterday to get some quick pictures in this cute dress.  I just loved it and knew I wanted some pictures before she outgrew it.  She looked so, so cute!  I just can't believe how big she's getting.  It's crazy how fast the time goes by...   Now today, it's been long, but you know what I mean.  ;)

FMS90: Too Kind

It's time for a new sketch at the fabulous Freshly Made Sketches!  Linda C. is our hostess this week and she gave us this gorgeous sketch to work with:

For my card I used my favorite new set and favorite new color combination.   Too Kind is really awesome.  If you don't have it on your wishlist, I totally recommend that you add it!  It's lovely and so easy too!   The new Color Coach has the combination of Smokey Slate, Pear Pizzazz, and Pool Party listed and I am a bit addicted to those.  Aren't they great together?!  Man do I love my Color Coach! 

Stamps:  Too Kind

Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Smoky Slate

Paper: Smoky Slate, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Gingham Garden DSP

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

Laila LOVES books.  There's always 5 or 6 spread out around the living room and she is constantly flipping through them.  I love it!   I try to read a few to her every night and she cries and throws a fit when we finish lately.  That's good and bad I guess.  :)

Crazy Mixed Up Light Bulb

I wanted to play along with the sketch at Create with Connie and Mary this week but Jason got called out to work today and my stamping time was limited to naps.   Of course that meant that Laila took short naps.  ;)   I did run in and stamp once he got home and here's what I came up with.  I just had to have this stamp set and I love funny and cute stamps!  

Stamps:  Crazy Mixed-Up Love
Ink:  Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Basic Gray
Paper:  Basic Gray, Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Brights Coredinations and DSP stack
Accessories:  Brights button, White Baker's Twine
Tools:  Big Shot, 2 1/2 circle punch, Perfect Pennants die, sanding block, Stripes embossing folder

Laila's new favorite thing?  High Fives!!  :)  

VSN: Too Kind

Laila took a nap this morning that was actually a good one, no waking up crying, so I got to stamp a bit.   Splitcoast has a Virtual Stamp Weekend going on so I thought I'd try to play with some of those challenges.   The first one I did was to CASE a card of Lee's.   I chose this one and this is what I came up with.  I am really enjoying this stamp set!  It's so pretty and easy to do.   I'm so thankful that I bought it in wood mount!

Stamps:  Petite Pairs, Too Kind

Ink:  Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi

Paper:  Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi

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

Laila loves this zebra!   She will put it in her mouth and crawl around with it.  lol 

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.  

Yay for New Stamps!!!!

I finally finished my Convention display samples today!  Yay!!!!!!!!  I was so excited to get to ink up my new catalog goodies tonight!   I decided to try the new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch.   

Too Kind was one of the first sets that I fell in love with in the new catalog.  Now that's a bit shocking because I normally dislike...okay hate, two step stamps.   There was just something about this one though...  I really liked stamping with it, so yay!  The color combination is from my shiny new Color Coach too!

Stamps:  Too Kind

Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Smoky Slate

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Whisper White, Gingham Garden DSP

Tools:  Stamp-a-ma-jig, 1 3/8 circle punch

Accessories: Basic Pearls

It has been a fussy, clingy week for Laila.  I survived today, but I still have two more days alone with her.  Wish me luck!  This was us playing last week trying to get a picture on the giraffe.   

FMS89: Branch Out

It's Freshly Made Sketches day!   Or now as it should be called, Rita Is Still Alive Day!  ;)   I promise I'm almost finished with my display stamper samples.  Four more and I'll be back to normal.  Well, I have to work on Laila's birthday party so semi-normal.   My goal for July is to complete a challenge every day, so maybe I'll get back to posting a lot then! 

So last week I wrote about how much I'd love this set and how it was not in my budget at all.   Well, a lovely lady named Pat made me the happiest stamper ever by sending it my way.   I wanted to make a card for her with it, so here it is.  :)  I used the gorgeous new in colors along with my favorite color, Early Espresso.  I think they work together beautifully!  

Stamps:  Branch Out (OMG! Never thought I'd be typing THAT out!)

Ink: Early Espresso, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana

Paper:  Early Espresso, Crisp Cantaloupe, 2013-2015 In Color DSP stack

Tools:  Big Shot, Stripes embossing folder

Accessories:  Naturals Designer buttons, Early Espresso baker's twine

Yesterday we bought a new car.  I am beyond excited and scared to death!  We both had 2000 models that we bought 14 years ago, so it has been a long time since we had a car payment.  The truck that I normally drive was starting to have issues and Jason felt that it was time for us to find a new one.  We are enjoying it so far and feel safer with Laila riding in it.   

Laila woke up from her nap with the craziest hair this week.  It was so cute that I couldn't bear to comb it back down.  :)   

Freshly Made Flowers

Time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!  My clean-and-simple hero Jen M is the sketch designer this week and I love what she challenged us with.   I don't have a lot of time to stamp anything other than the display stamper samples, so an easy sketch was exactly what I needed this week.   (I'm halfway done with those samples, so hopefully I can finish up soon and get back to fun stamping!)

I grabbed my favorite color combination and a favorite stamp set and I think I made this one pretty fast!  I will sure miss Lucky Limeade.  It is such a pretty green and I want to keep it!   Well, I WILL keep it, but I mean all official and stuff, like current.   ;)   I made this for Mom.  I know she had a rough weekend missing Granny so I thought I'd send a little note her way.  

Stamps:  Love & Care (retired)

Ink:  Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant

Paper:  Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, In Colors DSP stack

Accessories:  Basic Pearls

Tools: Scallop Edge border punch

Less than a month now until she's a year old. I can't believe it!!!   She's currently obsessed with the kitties and has started saying kitty.   They are having to run and hide because she is getting fast at crawling and chasing them! 

One funny story and I'll sign off for the day.   Jason was watching TV while I played on the computer a bit before bed last night.  I was on eBay and I guess talking out loud because he laughed when I said I'd buy this  stamp set if we ever win the lottery.    I guess it does seem silly to think you'd have to win millions to afford stamps, right?  lol  If anyone ever does see Branch Out at a good price, be sure to let me know.  ;)   Until that happens, I'll be holding out for the lotto money to get it.