Card For Mommy To Be

My sister-in-law is expecting her first "critter" and we couldn't be more excited. Her baby shower is this weekend and unfortunately we aren't able to drive up there for the Sunday afternoon event :( We've already sent the gifts but here is the card I created to let her know we are thinking about her and wish we could be there. I used one of the $1 stamp sets from Michaels for the center image. I used chalks to color it in. The other stamped images are from Papertrey Ink in conjunction with my marvy giga scalloped punch (love it!). Embellishment flowers and pebble brads are from Making Memories. I also used my current favorite ribbon. It came in a monthly kit and I wish I had a whole roll.

Have your cake and eat it too

I finally got my Hey There Cupcake stamp set. I'll admit I have a few more stamp sets than I actually have ever used. These I were determined to give a try. They were just too adorable not to. Here are the first cards I came up with. I do love this stamp set.

iScrap Challenge #8

I've been hiting the iScrap challenges hard this week. This is the 3rd one I finished up. The challenge was to scrap 5 things you are loving this month. Complete description here. This was one of those challenges I was a little unsure of when I read it, but turned out to be a lot of fun. The things I'm loving right now:

1. Illuminations vanilla poundcake candles!! They smell so great burning. The scent is a bit strong when you smell the "raw" candle but I love the way it scents the room.
   
2. Margaritaville! It's 5 o'clock somewhere, need I say more?
   
3. While we were on vacation my mom just couldn't help herself and spruced up our patio and planted some new flowers. It was really sweet and I love the hint of spring.
   
4. Brand new Payless Shoes I'm in love with. They are American Eagle Flutter Mary Jane Skimmers.
   
5. Asian pearl drinks.... yummy!!
   
   

iScrap Challenge #6

This challenge was to scrap what Valentine's Day means to you. The challenge description is here. The journaling reads:

"The years I was single after college were rough. I had an especially hard time from Thanksgiving through New Years. This was the time of year for couples. The last holiday hurdle of the year was Valentine's Day. Now that Kyle and I have reconnected I value our time together and love him so completely. He is my Valentine."


Our first Valentine's Day he bought me a ceramic cat. It's become tradition that each year we've been together on Valentine's day he picks out another whimsy ceramic cat for my growing collection.

Paper Heaven

Since I'm still off this week on vacation!! I headed off today to do some shopping at Santana Row, one of my favorite spots to wander when I have free time (which is far too infrequent). I started off by picking up a sweetened hot jasmine green tea with milk (no pearls today). And headed off to my first stop Anthropology. I absolutely love this store. I love the all of the colors and the patterns and the housewares and just the way the store feels. I love all the clothes on the hanger and despite the fact that every time I've tried anything on it's looked awful on me I still must do at least one lap around the store when I'm in the area. Then I headed to Paper Source.

Some very good friends gave me a gift card for the holidays and I haven't had a chance to start spending it yet. Today was my first chance. I was so excited. This is another one of my favorite stores at Santana Row. They have AMAZING wrapping papers that are like works of art that I admire. They also have some scrapbooking supplies, envelopes galore and all sorts of other fun miscellaneous fun paper related items. This trip I picked up this amazing pick polka dot paper ( It feels amazing, is that a weird thing to say about paper?), a couple of beautiful sheets of cherry blossom vellum, heavy envelopes, crystal lines, a couple small inks, an envelope templates that I have been lusting for since I first saw them. Now they are mine!!!! ;) It's good day!!!

Normally next up would have been the Container Store. However, today there was nothing that I really "needed" and I had a long list of errands I still needed to get to. So I took a quick spin through tried and true Ann Taylor Loft, love this store (at least for work / dressy casual clothing). It was at this point I concluded the colors for spring are green, yellow and blue..... not sure how I'm feeling about this.

Now I just need to find time to dig into my new goodies!!

iScrap Challenge #7

I'm back from vacation and before I dive into our vacation photos (which right now feel a little overwhelming!!! It was quite a vacation!!) I'm back diving into the iScrap challenges. This challenge was to scrap something you (your child or pet) can't live without that isn't human. The only thing I could really think of was tivo, and I wasn't feelin' it so then I thought of Pixels current must have.... CAT GRASS. So here's another one dedicated to the bestest kitty in the world.

Happy Birthday for my Brother

Here's the birthday card I sent my brother. I missed being able to wish him an actual Birthday since we were away on vacation on a cruise ship and our cell service was pretty hit or miss. I'll save the vacation for another blog posting. This card was one of those cards that took forever to come together. I loved elements of it and I love the end result, but the patterns on the balloons gave me nothing but trouble.

Happy Birthday Jen!!

It's was my friend Jen's Birthday last week. She's headed off to Legoland to celebrate. She's such a kid at heart I love it!! Here's the card I sent her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

First Valentine's Day card as husband and wife. Also the card that launched my card making obsession. I'd already caught the scrapbooking bug, but it finally dawned on me that paper crafting could be "more". Cards, tags, gift bags etc. are a totally fun way to use supplies. I am obsessed.

Valentine's day for my sweetie this year. It's funny that I see them side by side to see the similarities. It reminds me of the time I bought my dad the same birthday card 2 years in a row.

I ADORE this card

I had every intention of making cards to put on my etsy site, but well I made a card for my sweetie (to be posted later), then I made this one that absolutely adore and pretty much lost steam after that. I've been admiring my own work (how egotistical is that!) for like the last month, but still couldn't get motivated to make anything else for the day of love. Generally speaking the last project I've finished is my favorite.... BUT I think this is one of my favorite cards ever.

iScrap - Challenge #2

Alright so I'm trying to keep up with these iScrap challenges. This one was to do a page recapping 2007. => Description of Challenge. I would really like to wind up with a 2008 album so I'm not sure I will end up including this one and I'm kicking myself because I accidentally flipped the patterned paper on the first page before gluing down the photos. The patterns would have lined up at the seam so just ignore that little boo-boo. We all make them right. Sometimes it works out better that way, and sometime we just have to live with it. Even so I'm pretty happy with the results. It's a layout I had in my head and worked out on paper.

The next challenge is to scrap something new. A new place, a new restaurant, a new experience etc... This one just feels really hard right now. I think I might just hold off and capture a piece of the cruise we are going on in mid Feb. I know I should really embrace the challenge and find a twist on the theme..... Perhaps inspiration will strike.

Snow Much Fun!

Kyle's never really been to the snow. He was super excited to see more than just a dusting as we entered into to OR this last weekend to visit family. So as we entered Ashland we took the first exit and found a place to pull over. Kyle looks so happy in the snow. We got a lot of time in the snow over this weekend. I officially got my snow fill.

I finally had a chance to use the snowflake transparency I've been hording. Paper is from Coordinates Collections monthly January Debonair kit.

Family Traditions

Here's a page with my brother in front of "the clock" not just any clock but the grandfather clock that my grandfather did indeed build. Ever since I can remember every occasion worth (or in some cases not worth) remembering warranted a picture in front of the clock! Each first day of school, Halloween, Wedding Days... you get the idea. Well as we've grown up the "clock" pictures have become fewer, but every chance my mom gets she still lines us up in front of our grandfathers clock and takes a picture. The clock has moved houses, us kids have grown up but the pictures are priceless because they do represent family tradition.

The paper is from a Coordinates Collections monthly kit. The papers are from October Afternoon and they are amazing. I had to buy more I ended up liking the paper line so much.

iscrap challenge #1 - right now

Right Now! I thought this year it would be fun to try out some scrap challenges. There are a lot of things I've been watching other people do that I eventually want to try (self portrait Saturdays, one picture a day, etc) I've never really done specific challenges. So this year I'm taking the plunge. There is still the rest of the year to fall off the wagon but so far so good. This first one was fun. Here's the description of the challenge. And you can see what I can up with here:

iscrap gallery

Another Baby Card

Here's another variation using the same baby carriage die cut. With a simply stated love sentiment in the corner.

Me & Mom... a few (*gasp*) ~30 yrs ago.

Just Hangin' Out
I've been going through some old pictures partially looking for some inspiration and looking to work on something a bit different for a change. I found some old baby pics / childhood pics that I'd scrapbooked some of for my parents as a gift, but never did anything with for myself and though it would be the perfect opportunity.


Paper:
Cosmo Cricket - Jitterbug

Chipboard Embellishments:
Scrapworks Textured Shapes - Sweetheart Love Affair Chipboard Shapes
Scenic Route - Charlotte Girlfriends

Alphabets:
American Crafts Thickers
Making Memories - Funky Chocolate Alphabet (clear alphabet)
EK Success Sticko Label Lingo Stickers Fuschia
ProvoCraft Girls Are Wierd AlphabittiesSilk flowers

Other:
Silk Flowers
Epoxy circle

On the Job

I don't have too many pictures of my hubby. He's gotten better, he smiled for all our photos on our wedding day and when we are on vacation he lets me snap shots. But have almost zero photos that are candid or just every day pictures of him. This is the rare gem that a coworker took while he was working up in SF.

Baby Card

I've been in a big baby mood lately. No we aren't even close to trying, BUT my sister in law is pregnant so I will be a new Auntie soon!!! It's so exciting!! I've got a stack of baby die cuts I've been playing around with using the Cricut and needed to do something with them. So here's a baby card with a baby carriage die cut, felt, ribbon, and flowers. Fun fun fun.

Happy Accident

Some accidents are just a change in plans. And sometimes that change turns out to be better than the originally scheduled program. I love this card, but to be honest I didn't really intend for it to be a file folder card, but when I decided to add the velum sticker I'd already glued down the rest of the pieces and really liked the "Aged to Perfection" sticker. The only problem was it didn't fit on the card. So my solution was to add a tab to give a bit more room. The papers were scraps laying on my table, and the die cuts made using the cricut.

Welcome 2008!

Happy New Year!! It's hard to believe it's 2008 already. For New Years Eve we went to the Melting Pot for bit of an over priced "special" menu for New Years Eve. And then headed home for an evening in front of the TV. Today I enjoyed my last day of freedom before heading back to work. In honor of the New Year here are some of my resolutions)

• Start and actively maintain a craft blog (started this one ;) just need to keep it up)
• Finish halfway finished wedding projects (preferably before our 2yr anniversary):
• Finish wedding DVD
• Finish Honeymoon Scrapbook
• Finish Wedding Planning Scrapbook
• Read the last Harry Potter Book (it's taunting me, I just haven't found the time *sigh*)

And here is a card I recently made. It was made using cricut Stretch Your Imagination cartridge. I got this cartridge a few weeks ago and LOVE it. It has so many options, layers, outline, card, border. It's awesome. The balloon cut out on the front was made from the card feature then backed with pattern paper. I then overlayed it with another color balloon and used the border feature to create the border around the balloon. Rub-ons were used to make happy birthday. This was one of those hard fought cards that just didn't want to come together, but I like the way it finally came together.