Keeping busy in Florida

 This winter, while enjoying the warmth of Florida,  I picked up some yarn and made baby blankets for 2 little girls expected in April.   One arrived last week and the second has yet to make her entrance into the Brile family.

Of course, I made cards to go along with the blankets.

The fact that the colors of the cards sort of match those in the blankets was a totally unintentional, but nice coincidence.

For Baby

Kaisercraft has a darling 6x6 paper pad called Little Treasures, which I was using to make a card in my previous post.

Before I put it away, I decided one of the preprinted images and a pop out border would be perfect for Sketch # 504 at Try Stamping on Tuesdays.  And I got to try the beautiful lace embossing folder that the postman delivered just hours ago.

 

Sentiment stamp is from SU.

 

Challenges:

Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #504 - see above (I skipped the option.)

As You Like It Challenge - Favorite Way to Add Ribbon (I have a small bag of little bows that I make when the spool of ribbon is nearing the end.  When I want a ribbon on my card, I can just add a sticky adhesive dot and pop it right on the card.  Easy!)

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #146 - New Beginnings

Through the Purple Haze Challenge #180 - AG option gems/pearls

Creations in Pink Challenge #33 - AG in mainly pink 

Cutting Cafe Octopus

Here's a second card I made using a digi from the Under the Sea printable stamp set from The Cutting Cafe, this week's sponsor of Tuesday Throwdown Anything Goes Challenge.

Don't forget to play!

*******

No CTMH Card Class at Joyce's today,

so I'm at the beach!

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #307 with The Cutting Cafe

Anything Goes this week at Tuesday Throwdown Challenge.

Our wonderful sponsor is The Cutting Cafe.  

I'm using a digi from their Under the Sea printable stamp set

From the moment I first set eyes on this octopus, I knew I had to have it.  And I love the way this card turned out.

 For affordable printable stamp sets and cutting files, The Cutting Cafe is a great place to shop.

  

Check back and visit me tomorrow to see another baby card I made using the same stamp set.

In the meantime, why not head over to the Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Blog to see what inspiration my teammates have prepared for you.  Maybe visit their blogs and leave them some love?  Then create something to enter in this week's challenge, 

Anything

Goes!

Baby Card

My cousin, Nancy, dropped me a note requesting some baby cards.

Here's card #1:

I didn't want to color the image for fear I'd ruin it.

The stamp is from Graphic 45 Hampton Arts.

Die cuts are from Our Daily Bread.

(And I'm saving all those teeny, tiny pieces from the edges of the die cuts for inside a shaker card.)

Challenges: 

Robyn's Fetish Challenge #319 - Baby Cards 

Stamping Sensations June Challenge - Feature a Creature

Just Us Girls Challenge #346 - Birds

Dies R Us Challenge #50 - Birds

In the Pink Challenge #95 - 1, 2, 3  (1 image, 2 pieces of lace, 3 layers of pink)

 

Baby Shower Gift & Mojo Monday

Yesterday I went to a baby shower.  There hasn't been a baby shower in the family for some time.  It's always fun to see the adorable little outfits that they didn't even have for kids under 2 back when mine were born.   Remember the baby swings that weren't battery operated and you had to wind them up?  My daughter would be peacefully asleep, the swing would stop, she'd start to fuss, I'd rewind the swing, which made an absolutely awful noise, her eyes would pop open, her arms would go straight out in the air, startled nearly to death, and then she'd peacefully go back to sleep (most times). There were no wind up swings at yesterday's shower, but at least 1 of every other conceivable baby item on the market.  And Mom-to-be will never have to buy another baby gift bag for the rest of her life!

Here's what I made for the little one, a girl, expected in early December.

I made 2 hats, one newborn size, and one a bit bigger and a very soft baby blanket to match.  (Well, actually, I made a blanket and 2 hats to match because I had extra yarn.)

Now, let's move on to this week's card for the
 Mojo Monday Sketch Contest # 418.

 
 I used a CTMH stamp on the card and cut the 3 snowflakes using the new CTMH Artistry Cricut Cartridge.

Additional challenges I am entering include: 

Fashionable Stamping Challenge #103 - Words as the focal point

Glitter n Sparkle Challenge #157 - Anything Goes

Pile It On Challenge #89 - Recipe 1,2,3 (1 sentiment, 2 bows, 3 snowflakes) 

Crafting Musketeers Challenge #30 - Christmas with a Ribbon

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra  for October - Anything Christmas Goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge for October - Anything Goes with patterned paper

Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #219 - Monochromatic 

Aud Sentiments Challenge #141 - Christmas + a sentiment 

 

Big Sister Step Card for Tuesday Throwdown

This week's Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Theme is Sweet Little One and is sponsored by one of my favorites, Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps.  So often when a little one is born, the older siblings feel left out, which is why I decided to make my Design Team project a Big Sister Card with this wonderful digi image Good Night Princess and use a step card fold to give it center stage on the card. 

I hope you will stop over at the Tuesday Throwdown Challenge Blog to see the wonderfully creative projects of my Team Mates and also at Robyn's Fetish Shop to see the variety of wonder digis available.  By then you should be inspired to join in this week's Sweet Little One Challenge at Tuesday Throwdown.

***************

This card was entered in the following challenges:
Craft-Dee Bows September Challenge - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Crafting from the Heart Challenge #34 - Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #122 - Make an Impression (Dry Embossing)
Digi Makeover Challenge #156 - Anything Goes
Through the Purple Haze Challenge #57 - Anything Goes
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #28 - Anything Goes  (I used the center step fold tutorial.)
Scribble and Scrap Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge - Anything Goes for Kids
Simply Create Too Challenge #69 - Show Us Something New (the pink striped bling and carriage charm are new)

Mojo Monday

My DH reminded me this morning that it was Monday.  I guess he couldn't quite figure out why I was making breakfast before heading to the craft table to make my Mojo Monday card. 

Actually I wasn't sure I was going to make one today since I had a Love to Scrap Challenge DT post scheduled for 6am.  But after rummaging through some images I already had colored, I quickly made this baby card using a Bugaboo digi.

 

This card is my entry for

Mojo Monday Sketch Contest #361

Have a great day!

 

Anticipation....

: a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen

: the act of preparing for something

My nephew and his wife are presently at the hospital having a baby boy.  I am waiting for the phone to ring so I can put the little fella's name on the card I just made. 

Actually I made 2 cards, one for my nephew, his wife and new son (above) and another (below) with some of the extra pieces. I don't always have a defined plan when I start a card.  I began by just grabbing a piece of white cardstock off the table to stamp the baby carriage, a fun stamp from Sweet Stamps.  Then I decided to use this great plaid DP and frame the image in gray CS.  As an afterthought, I punched the corners, but then the white piece with image was too small.  I set that one aside, measured another piece of white CS and stamped the carriage a second time.  I went in search of some little plastic baby doodads I thought I had.  I couldn't find them; they might have gone on the card for the shower.  Instead, I decided to use these fun metal curlicues I found. 

I embossed the background, wrapped it with ribbon and tied the bow, then added the 'congratulations' and image.

I started to tidy up my workspace a bit, which is when I decided I might as well do a second card. 

It wasn't until after I had the second card front finished and was left with a small piece of plaid paper that the first card became an easel card.  I used the wheels and handle of the stamp to add a little design around the edge.

As soon as the phone rings with the happy news, vital statistics and, as yet, undisclosed name,  I'll print out 

"Mom and Dad and Welcome (name inserted here)" 

to add to the top of that small piece of leftover plaid.

Does anyone else make their cards in such a helter-skelter way?

Ah...  the phone!!!!

Sorry, only the septic guy returning my call.

In the meantime I will enter the easel card in the following:

Addicted to Stamps Challenge #101 - Anything Goes 

The House that Stamps Built Challenge DCC#108 - Shaped or Fun Fold Card 

Inky Impressions Challenge #165 - Anything Goes 

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #183 - Embossing 

The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Monochromatic 

Oldie but a Goodie Challenge - Baby  (I won the ribbon in a challenge over a year ago.)

Card Mania Challenge #49 - Babies 

Crafting from the Heart Challenge 24 - Always Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge #122 -  for a child (baby)

We Do Doobadoo Challenge #8 - Ribbons

Still no word.  Guess I'll make dinner.  

It's a Boy

It was a busy day today with 2 baseball games and a baby shower in between.  My nephew and his wife are expecting their first child, a baby boy, on my mother's 84th birthday in June.  What a wonderful birthday present for her, grandchild # 8. 

This umbrella is a Great Impressions stamp, which I stamped 4 times on different colored papers and then did a lot of paper piecing.  (And I have enough pieces left to make a second card.)  I sprayed it with sparkle shimmer mist, which looks really neat but didn't show up in the photo.  There are Dazzles above the umbrella, liquid pearls on the points, and the sentiment is CTMH.

I am entering this card in these fun challenges:
My Time to Craft Challenge #245 - April Showers
Paper Crafting Challenge #8 - No patterned paper
Sweet Stampin Challenge - No DP
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #191 - Embossing
Milk Coffee Challenge - Use those bright colors
Fab n Funky Challenge #213 - Paper Piecing
Craft and Smash Challenge - Birth
Fairies Challenges #24 - Baby
Cuttin and Stampin Challenge 14-16 - April Showers
Tip Top Tuesday Challenge - Paper Piecing

Baby Gift Card

Doodle Baby Carriage by Sweet Stamps

preprinted sentiment on left; CTMH stamp on right

Using a bunch of stash stuff, 

this was a quickly made baby card with a spot to hold a gift card. 

I am going to quickly enter it in a few challenges and then get back to some chores.

Those challenges I am entering include:

Sweet n Sassy Stamps Friday Feature and Challenge #7 - Stripes or Dots (I used dotted paper)

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun-Day Friday Challenge #44 - Anything Goes

Scrapping 4 Fun Challenge #14 - Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge #51 - Anything Goes

Totally Papercrafts Challenge #213 - Pastels

Savvy Inspiration Challenge - Oh Baby! Photo Inspiration (thought I'd pick up the lavender for my card)

Country View Challenge #14 - New Beginnings

Mema's April Challenge - Anything Goes

One Crazy Stamper Challenge - Anything Goes (no digis)

Treasured Times Rubber Stamps and Scrapbooking Challenge #15 - Mix it up!

4 Crafty Girls Challenge #15 - Anything Goes

Crafty Ribbons Challenge #83 - Anything Goes with Ribbon

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge - Showers

Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #97 - Anything Goes

Perfectly Rustic Design Challenge #19 - Baby

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Cards und More Challenge #103 - Let's Play Bingo (purple,pink,green)

 

The dryer is buzzing.  Gotta go.

Baby Hedgie

Spyder's Corner offers free digis on Wednesdays.  

(This week's freebie is a bunny cupcake.)

Isn't this little guy precious?  

I think I'm going to make another in pink, and one in yellow, maybe mint green..... 

(Sentiment is CTMH)

For now I'm going to enter it in a few challenges.....

4 Crafty Girls Challenge #14 - Anything Goes

Delightful Challenges - Out like a lamb (add a critter)

Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge #22 - Baby + Blog Hop

Little Red Wagon Challenge #230 - Bling

The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Animals

Creative Card Crew Challenge #58 - Animals

Digi ChoosDay Challenge Week 12 - Animals

Top Tip Tuesday Challenge - Metal or Faux Metal

Perfectly Rustics Challenge #19 - Baby

 and go back to doing my income taxes. 

Congratulations to the new Mom

I don't usually find craft supplies at the grocery store.  But I recently came across a package of adorable 3D dinosaur stickers at the checkout.  All the stickers are of adult dinos with their offspring.  Since my granddaughter decided a while ago that she wanted purple not pink for her baby girl,  (She painted the room purple, had my mother make her purple sheets for the cradle, got a purple car seat, purple this, purple that...... ) I thought I'd use the purple Mommy Dino with Baby Dino sticker for her card.  The rest of the stickers will make great Mother's Day and Father's Day cards.  The triple loop bow was made with my Craft Dee Bowz Maker. 

Sentiment stamp is CTMH

I am submitting this card to the following challenges:
My Time to Craft Challenge - New Things
Brown Sugar Challenge #82 - Use a Charm
Crafty Ribbons Challenge #77 - Anything Goes
Craft-Dee-Bowz February Challenge - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Cutie Pie Challenge #63 - cute with spots and dots

She's here

As of 4:48 this morning, I officially became a great grandmother.  Mother and baby doing well.  We've been to visit them in the hospital and all had a chance to cuddle the babe cuddle a bit.  The baby's such a little doll.  She has the cutest dimples.  I think the blankets in which she is bundled weigh more than her 6 lbs 7 oz.   I'll be adding a few rows to one of the hats I made her because it doesn't quite cover her tiny ears.  My granddaughter loved the cocoon I made, although she called it a taco, and will probably be bringing the baby home in it tomorrow evening.

Here is a card I made in anticipation of the occasion.  I punched the edges of the layers to give the appearance of several baby blankets.  The moons on her pj's  have glittered flocking on them.  The image is a digital stamp by Teroladas (printed once on white cs and once of the DP so I could paper piece the jammies) and the sentiment is a CTMH stamp.  
 

 

I plan to enter this card in the following challenges:

Digi Stamps 4 Joy Challenge #86 - Use Dies or Punches

Fab n Funky Challenge #204 - Spots or Stripes

Handmade Harbour Midweek Papercraft Party 25 - Ribbon

Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge #298 - Ribbon

Paper Shelter Challenge #146 - Punches and dies

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #165 - Lots of Layers

Word Art Wednesday Challenge # 120- Anything Goes

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #259 - A Lotta Polka Dots

I almost forgot.

Here is Great Nana Debi with ............

Laila