Birthday layout

Well, my "baby" is now 2... I just put the finishing touches on it this afternoon (don't ask what I did with the kids!) hehe.

I like it, but am not super thrilled with it. I took the sketch from CTMH Cherish book (a must have for any scrapbooker!), then changed it up to fit the photos I had.

I used the white ric-rac ribbon (American Crafts) to help make something seem cohesive (besides the paper). I've had the paper for about 18 months (bought from HL or J's... called Emily's).

I stamped the elmo stamp I bought for the invites behind her picture and on the name.

I used a CTMH white chipboard flower and sponged Hollyhock and Cranberry ink on it. Jasmine and CDS for her "name". A random white #2, matted on the green cs I was using, with Eucalyptus stickles (think, light green) as dots to finish things out.

Enjoy!

Kristin

New Blogs!!

Check out the right side column of my blog... I've joined a bloggers group on SCS and we list each other's blogs in OUR blogs so our friends/family can find them and vice versa. I've already visited most of them and WOW, some of them have got some great stuff.

Please go visit and share the love!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Christmas Red...

So, Terry took one look at this and asked me if it was going to be a Christmas card (knowing that I've been working on our Christmas cards for over a month!). haha.

I just wanted to use this 'red' and still loving the sketch that I did this card with... but changed it up a bit. I used CTMH Holiday Red ink and paper. The flower is from CTMH Love in Bloom (I think?). I put red stickles around the outside edge of the flower and the inside dot. The ribbon is American Crafts (got it in the stash I got when buying the REAL christmas card ribbon!).

Haven't a clue who'll get this car or for what... but I really like it!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Hmmm, like it, like it not...

Just don't know about this one. I was wanting to do some paper piecing with Balloonabella's dress, and trying to do something that would look cute. I colored her with copics, balloons too, and put glossy accents over them. I used the threading water punch at the bottom of the card to go along with bottom shape of her dress.

Had the paper and flowers forever (flowers are Paper studio).

What do YOU think??

Enjoy!

Kristin

A Sweet Thank You

I found this sketch (either Inking Aloud or Jen- can't remember now!) recently and wanted to make a card. I also felt a need to ink up Daintybella. I used the papers from yesterday's post for the Christmas gifts. I also used CTMH vineyard berry cs, ink, and marker and CTMH hollyhock for the brads. The flowers are CTMH Garden Green and Olive. I finished up the bella image with copics for the hair and some shading. Behind the Bella image in CTMH garden green organdy ribbon.

I gave this card to a new friend who had done something so sweet. She deserved an awesome card!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Merry Christmas Teacher!

So, if all goes well, I'll have a few posts for ya'll to read over the next several days. Apparently, last week was the "week of lost mo-jo" in blog land. Lots of us out here that love to create, just couldn't or wouldn't... mine was a bit of both. But, after a little FREE time (don't ask to explain, happens so rarely, I'm not sure I'll experience it again soon!), and a few projects created... I've been crafting again. In fact, if I can get everything done today that I want too, I'll have 4 to 5 scrapbook pages complete too! (but that is sooooo pushing it)

Anyway, as you can see these are the notecards I am doing for the kids' teacher Christmas gifts. Since my mom was a teacher forever, I know what NOT to get/give. I created 5 notecards, monogrammed and embossed.

I used Capedia's adjustable circle scallop on my CDS, Oriental Trading monogram stamp, clear embossing powder, CTMH vineyard berry ink and organdy ribbon, Threading water punch, and paper I got at J's forever ago (the kind you hoard and never use....).

I mass produced by doing all the cutting, stamping, and embossing. Cut strips of the plaid/argyle paper, and the punched the bottom. Included envelopes and tied it all together.

If anyone out there knows how to get my embossing to look "better" give me a shout!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Thanks from Emma!

I wanted to send some cute thank-you cards for gifts received from Emma's birthday party. I needed to use supplies on hand, so I used white cs base, yellow DCWV summer cs stack and rounded the corners. The cute pink paper I've had for awhile and used the Base Camp cartridge on the DS make the sentiment. Those are Bella baubles (raspberry?) at the top!

I was SO pleased with how cute this card turned out... really looks like what I wanted it to (isn't that GREAT!).


Enjoy!

Kristin

What a blog!

Okay all, if you have never visited Michelle Zindorf's blog, you are missing amazing creations. This swan card about knocked me off my chair. And, every post is a detailed tutorial with pics and supplies- that takes A LOT of work!

Please go visit her blog and look around- even if you don't care about cards or stamping!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Happy Birthday Emma!

Today is the 2nd birthday of my baby. My last child. We decided we’d only have 2 kids, and are very happy with that decision, but knowing I no longer have a baby is a little sad. I now have a toddler and preschooler. The advantages are obvious and include being able to converse with both kids about their behavior, being in pain/sick, and of course, we see the light at the end of the tunnel on this “diaper situation.” The disadvantages are much more subtle, but I am still aware of them. The baby smell, the “tinyness” of that little person curled up in the crook of your neck (without legs dangling down below your waist!), and the end of all the *firsts*- smiling, laughing, words, sitting, crawling, standing, and walking.

Our pastor has 3 grown young men. He once spoke about how he and his wife chose to enjoy each stage and not try to anticipate the next one or grieve the last one. Smart man. When I think of not having that baby anymore, I am sad. But when I see the joy my kids get in running around with each other outside before dinner, or hear them laughing and playing in one of their rooms on a Saturday morning, I am so at peace. Right now they like each other quite a lot and yet I know those days of “dislike” are just around the corner- and I am NOT ready for it!

So, again, today is her 2nd birthday. She is a precious girl. She is so much like me, I feel kind of bad for her (lol). But, at least she will grow up knowing what she wants out of life and hopefully, will think to ask her mom how best to achieve that without stepping on too many toes!

I made this cute little card, using a little girl image I saw on the ‘net while surfing one day. I colored her with watercolor pencils and a blender and a CTMH Hollyhock marker. I used PTI chocolate cs and chocolate remix pp (that I colored a bit on some of the butterflies). I also used PTI chocolate ribbon, random flower, and a cute brad I got at the Queen and co. vendor at GASC in June. Last, I used a bit of stickles on the girls’ wings.

Enjoy!
Kristin

Who knew?

Right now, Emma's napping away and I logged onto one of the stamping sites I love to visit. There was a thread about how to "fold cards correctly"... curious, to say the least, I went in and read it.

The question was: After scoring a card, do you fold it with the scored part on the inside or outside?

I have always folded it with the score on the inside, but I am WRONG to do so *gasp*... (hehe).

Here why:

"The scored valley always goes on the outside. The whole purpose of scoring prior to folding, is to break the paper fibers uniformly (in a straight line) so that when you fold, you're not left with cracks in the card stock along the fold line due to the paper fibers breaking haphazardly."

So, I just did it with the score on the outside and WOW- I am convinced. For you cardmakers out there, try this- it works!

Cute bday card

Morning all! I did another card last weekend (did you know it was World Cardmaking Day??... you didn't??... then tell your hubby you need to celebrate THIS weekend! lol).

I have a big stash of double-sided cs (that is more like pp in weight and texture) that I am going to start using. (yes, I am a paper-aholic)

Here's the first card using it:

It's 12x12 for scrapping, so after cutting it to an A2 size and folding it with the pattern showing, I used the leftoever to create the solid cs look over the pattern. I used an organdy purple polka dot ribbon (had in my stash for at least 6 months and this is the FIRST time I've used it!) that matched really well. I also used Eloise Greengrass from Stamping Bella, colored with copics, cut out, and glittered wings and dress. I put her on a piece of Bazzill bling cs and pop-dotted it off the card.
The number 2, is pink to match the bling cs, with stickles for more bling -hehe.



The 2 heart brads are super old, but I put stickles on them, then covered them with glossy accents. Old is new!

I learned a neat trick for the glitter, I used a glue pen and then sprinkled the doodlebug glitter (from the last time I was in Austin and got to visit Archiver's!) over it before the glue dried. ta-da!





Enjoy!
Kristin

Scrappin' Away...

Sorry for the lighting, nothing I did worked and it was the middle of the day!!

Anyway, last weekend, I had the "itch" to scrap. I actually planned on scrapping some pics that were older, but this picture of the kids just had to be done. When we drove to OK last weekend, (which btw, was the MOST pleasant trip we've taken since before I was pregnant in 2003!!) we started looking for a place to have lunch. We passed where we needed to be and had to turn around (which wasn't easy, of course). So, the natives got restless and I started singing songs at the top of my lungs (actually helpful!). We got to the Wheels on the Bus and everyone joined in- hand motions and all. The pic was taken during the "baby goes wha, wha, wha"... (we enjoyed it!).
The other 2 pics were taken after the first bday party we went to a couple of weeks ago. Just fab shots of the kids.



The paper and chipboard flower I got at the GASC in June. It is Pinecone Press cs/pp. I used the CTMH Cherish book for a layout (that I flipped). I used my cricut and CDS with George for the title- Havin' Fun.

I pop-dotted the blue mat so the chipboard flower could fit underneath it. The stamped image on the words is from the free stamp I got from Judith at GASC too!





I also use CTMH Spot on Backgrounds and Hollyhock ink with green stickles for the big blue mat. Random ribbon and CTMH garden green brad are on the journalling tag under the blue mat.

(I am doing so well at using all my stash, heh??)


Enjoy!

Kristin

A friend's birthday

So, at some point in the next several weeks, I know someone having a birthday (there, that should be secret enough, right??). I wanted to make her (okay, the card is peach, has polka dot ribbon, and says "what's up cupcake"- it's NOT to a guy!!) a card she could really enjoy.

Again, a sketch I got from somewhere, but don't know who- sorry!

I used PTI Berry Sorbet cs and ribbon, and CM Gazebo pp for the outside panel (and inside too!). I ran the cs through my cuttlebug with the D'Vine Swirls embossing folder. The stamp set is What's up Cupcake from MFT stamps.

I stamped the base, cupcake, icing, and sprinkles in different colors- black, CTMH Hollyhock, and CTMH chocolate. I also used my blender pen to even out the coloring.

On the inside I used the same pp as a liner, and then stamped 3 candles in CTMH chocolate.

After this pic was taken, I decided to add stickles to the sprinkles, and cover the icing with glossy accents.



Enjoy!

Kristin

Patient Birthdays

Well, Lisa and I have always wanted to send personal birthday cards to our patients. Now, we can! We don't have *that* many patients, but they ALL seem to have their birthdays in the next 3 months!! I used the very first sketch I ever copied into my "little book of sketches"... so unfortunately, I have no idea whose it was- that was before I had my own blog and knew to copy down the info to give credit. (So, if it's yours, or you know whose it is, leave a comment, and I'll edit the post!). I used more of the same blue cs I got (so cheaply at HL awhile back), and DCWV glitter matstack. Then, my scallop punch helped give the image panel a bit of class. I used CTMH Dutch blue ink, and a happy birthday set of stamps bought in August at J's (I got it with some bday money myself!).

Enjoy!

Kristin

Happy 7th birthday!

Towards the end of September every year (since 2001) is a pretty special day. The "first" child of our best friends celebrates her birthday. She was the first baby I ever held who was only an hour or so old, the first heartbeat I ever heard (in real life) when she was still in the womb. And the first child I ever loved like so dearly (before my own children were born, of course). She is now 7 years old and I can't believe it! She is turning into a beautiful young girl. She deserved a very special card, and her mom said she loves flowers and butterflies... so this is what I created.




On the inside, I cut 2 butterflies, glued the bodies together, and lifted the wings of the top butterfly so it would look like it was flying.

I used DCWV blossoms and butterflies, glitter matstack, summer cs pack, and flowers I've had for awhile.

enjoy!

Kristin

Cute "creates" for the Ribbon Cutting

Finally! I can post some things for ya'll. (if there's anyone out there still holding out hope, anyway).

So, the Ribbon Cutting was Tuesday and we served some refreshments. I wanted to have some cute things to show what the foods/dips/drinks were... but again, spend no money (that is my mantra- ha!).

I took the same cs I had used for the base of our invites (which I never took a pic of- sorry!) and used my square scallop nesties.

Then, on linen paper (the good stuff we use to send physician letters) I printed out all the things we would serve. On the square nestie that would match the scallop cs, I cut and embossed. Then, I only glued down the bottom and folded down the top half of the scallop square so they would "sit" properly on the table.

Right before everyone showed up, Lisa took a quick pic of Terry & I (even though the "Dr." on my jacket is covered up!).

Enjoy!

Kristin

The best story...

Tonight, after bath I was swaying Emma (my daughter who'll be 2 next week!!) and singing her the "night-night" songs (routine I started about 2 or 3 weeks ago b/c she was had become so awful about going to bed).

Now, I don't sing the normal nighttime-type songs for little kids. Never remember the words, or think they're awful (who wants to sing about the baby falling out of the cradle AND the tree!). So, these are songs that I sang in church youth group (like TWENTY years ago- yes, that IS how old I am!!). That was when the chorus songs became popular (as opposed to Hymns which were popular before then and worship music which is popular now).

So, as I am singing and swaying, Emma starts to sing some of the words with me!! (that's what she does when she sings Row, Row, Row your boat!). So great! Mother and daughter singing songs to Jesus.

That is a moment I'll remember- and if possible scrapbook (not sure *how* yet, but any suggestions would be great!).

Thanks for letting me share!

Enjoy!
Kristine