Sneak peek #2

This is another of the darling images on the February ONLY stamp set that benefits Operation Smile.  

I loved this stamp set when I first saw it.  Then another consultant posted a card similar to this one and I was enchanted with the idea of using the hole punches to create sparkly dots by punching the shimmer tape!  GENIUS!  Wish I could tell you who she was . . . not me, that's for sure!

Sneak peek - February Operation Smile Benefit stamp set

This is a sneak peek at the exciting D-size stamp set special for February that is also a benefit for Operation Smile.  $7 of every stamp set sale will go directly to help children get much needed surgery for cleft-lip and palate.  Not only that, but it is an awesome stamp set that I would have wanted anyway!  Win-Win!

We will be using this one at Open Stamping on Sunday 1/31/16.  

January Stamp of The Month - Beloved Bouquet

This was inspired by another CTMH consultant that also doesn't water-mark her name/web-site on her cards.  So, I don't remember who!  Perhaps she will forgive me since I changed a few things on it. 

The paper pack is La Vie en Rose.  I stamped the baby's breath in Slate but next time would use Whisper, the leaves in Fern and a base rose in Hollyhock and Cotton Candy. Then I heat embossed with white embossing powder onto vellum. I cut out the leaves roses, curling the edges of the leaves a bit, and using foam adhesive to pop-up the roses. The sentiment is from a retired set "Let Your Light Shine" and the banner is another retired set. The black design paper is adhered to the inside of the card (not sure that is clear from the photo). It is really pretty in real life.

Other news?  Not much - I've been trying to get into the studio all day long but chores and laundry and a headache have demanded my focus instead.  That's okay - more tomorrow.

Possible first page of the album?

There are a few photos that include my niece, her husband, and their new baby and this one just was so delightful - they are obviously smitten with this little boy!  I thought it might be a good "first page" for the baby book.

The papers have a dinosaur theme because Dorian was a dinosaur fan from a very early age!  I just hope I can stretch them out enough to finish the book.  I bought every sheet I could find at the time and it was retired in 2010, so there is zilch hope of finding any more! 

I did cut some additional blue clouds with the Cricut to add words.  My additions are given dimension with a little foam tape. 

Dorian's fingers and toes

This two-page spread has a lovely canvas tag by Little Yellow Bicycle for recording the birth statistics. I think one of life's most beautiful things is a baby's tiny fingers and toes!  I also simply swoon when that baby grabs tightly to his Mum's finger!  So sweet! 

The papers are a combination of a retired CTMH pack and a retired Little Yellow Bicycle paper.  This is my punishment for waiting so long - the papers are all unavailable now!  Anyway - we'll make it work.

What awesome facial expressions!

So, I'm finally getting started on that baby book!  I have loads of photos - some awesome material!  I decided to just pull out something that inspired me to get the ball rolling, and these three photos captured my heart!  Dorian is such a happy and inquisitive baby!  I love each one of these!

I used the Georgie papers and rounded corners to try to compliment the circles in the design paper.  I'll send along a pile of journaling cards for his Mum to use to add her own thoughts (that's why it is so bare of journaling!).  More to come!  I'm on a roll now!

Cacti and lizard!

The new CTMH Seasonal Expressions mini-catalog has Cacti stamps with matching thin cuts!! I also found THE COOLEST stamps in our Australasia offerings (which can be ordered, do a search on the name of the stamp set) - this card is a mixture of "Stuck on You" C1643 (USA/Canada) and "Outback Adventure" D1596. I watercolored the background paper, stamped and then decided the details didn't pop quite right on the lizard so I "improved" him with the white gel pen and black micron marker. *Giggle* and then there is the cacti - not sure why I put them in a pot! 

I'm anticipating a "play day" with one of my "best-est" friends today - I will FINALLY begin work on the baby book for a relative.  The poor child is half grown and asking his Mom where his baby book is!?!  My goodness!  The good news is that I found all of the memorabilia and photos, the papers and embellishments that I've collected for these past YEARS.  I'll try to post photos of my work as I progress!  

Hope your week will be filled with delightful things!

Re-Purposed engraved cards and envelopes

While my daughter was here over the holidays, we cleaned out the "first 18 years" of her life! There was a LOT of saved items! One box held a box of pre-printed thank you cards (I've edited off her name) and their special size envelopes. She suggested I might re-purpose them; so I did! I used a combination of CTMH Kaleidoscope and CTMH Georgie papers, and the new flowers with their own Thin Cuts.

She has gone home now - I miss her already!  But I might find a moment here and there in the studio.  Stay tuned!