Caring Watercolor Trio

So it's allergy time here all of a sudden.  Both children are suffering in one way or the other.  Jase woke up from his nap this afternoon with a sore ear, crying and all.  For a brief couple of minutes I wasn't sure what to do and then it occurred to me to put a warm compress on his ear, lay him down with his head on my knee and turn on the cartoons.  Within a couple of minutes he was right as rain asking for his PM snack.  At times it's quite surprising to me this whole quasi-parenthood thing.  I spend so much time dealing with my ever nagging guilt complex.  I constantly worry that I am not doing the right thing, that I will miss something important and one of them will be hanging from a bell tower with a rifle or something (god, that's awful but it's my reality.)  David believes in letting them go, and I am trying.  Before her death this past June my sister-in-law Eileen told me to, "Just let it happen."  I have taken her precious words to my heart and while I can't commit to them completely I keep them present in my thoughts and do hope to attain that level of parenting soon.  Okay ... stream of consciousness there folks just skip to the card if it's strange or too much.

Because Watercolor Trio

Can we talk about the new products of Stampin' UP!   Some of the new colors already have me hooked, Marina Mist is my personal favorite at the moment, it's such a warm inviting blue.  Unlike last year's In Colors this year SU picked a winning combo Peach Parfait and Poppy Parade are my favorites.  

Which brings me to this card, I broke into the Sunny Garden DSP (wickedly early for me I usually hold on to this stuff for months.)  Stamp set is the beautiful Watercolor Trio from the SU Summer Mini ... I wish I could tell you how much I have coveted this stamp set (we've had a love affair for awhile.)  The design is from a Jeanette Lynton book of course. 

Supplies:
Stamps: Stampin' UP! Watercolor Trio, Because I Care
Ink:  Stampin' UP! Classic Basic Black, Peach Parfait
Paper:  Stampin' UP! Sunny Garden, Whisper White, Poppy Parade, Old Olive
Accessories/Tools:  Stampin' UP! Oval Punch,  EK Success Small Square punch, Colorbok Metal Dots
Design:  Jeannette Lynton, Originals, Pg. 102 Balance it Out

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Heart 2 Heart Challenge: Wishes - CityScape

Hello?  Is anybody out there?  After a very long absence from this blog and a nasty old scrapbook page that stalled ALL creativity for over a month I'm finally back to this wonderful but maddening hobby.  I hope someone is out there to take a peek at what I've been up to.

CityScape Take #1

The challenge from the ladies over at the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog this week, was to use the sketch CityScape from Jeanette Lynton's Wishes book.  I was nicely inspired by the sketch and wanted to take it a step further by reducing it to a 3-1/4" x 6-1/2" card size.  I used the Close To My Heart Smiles stamp set among several others and I think it turned out quite interesting.

Supplies:
Stamps: Close to my Heart Smiles, Close to my Heart Over the Rainbow, Verve stamps Up, Up and Away, and Stampin' UP! Many Happy Returns
Ink:  Sorbet, Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, Buttercup, and Basic Black
Paper:  Close to my Heart Caboodle Level II, Buttercup, Crystal Blue and White Daisy
Accessories/Tools:  Sorbet Collection Ribbon, Sweet Leaf Collection Ribbon, and Stampin' UP! Word Window Large Punch


As always, thanks for looking and yes HE still stamps!

Of all the people

Recently, I stumbled on a challenge over at SCS that's issued weekly called the Scrapbook Variety Challenge and a few weeks back they issued a challenge SVC118 Men in our Lives.  Since I have been thinking that I might need to do some scrapbooking for the adults in my life I thought this would be a perfect way to start.  As I previously mentioned on this blog I ran into a brick wall called life for awhile.  Eventually, I did finish the layout and here are those results.  My partner David and I have been together for 13 years now -- it's the longest sustained relationship in my life.  I won't go into the luck with which we someone found one another or the obstacles we have faced as a couple.

Of all the people

Details 
Paper: Stampin' UP!  Treehouse
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Buckaroo Blue, True Thyme, Basic Black
Ink: Stampin' UP! Classic True Thyme
Embellishments:  Stampin' UP! Whisper White Eyelets
Ribbon:  Stampin' UP! True Thyme Grosgrain Ribbon

Diecuts:  Making Memories Slice Basics 1 Design Disc, Sizzix Sizzlits Curlie Girlie

Design:  Reflections, Jeanette R. Lynton, Sidebar - Triple, pg 42 & 3

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

A little baby chic

This layout was so much fun.  How could it not be with a totally cute picture of my grandbaby and another interesting sketch from one of the Jeanette Lynton books.  Part of me wants to point out the things that didn't work out as well as I hoped but, I'm going to endeavour to stop critiquing my work to death.  It smells of pandering for compliments and I don't want to be quilty of that.  Anyway, I had fun with this picture and making the page.  Caroline definitely looks like she is posing for her mommy, wonder if she knew Audrey Hepburn in another life - definitely has that whole Breakfast at Tiffany's look going on. 

Baby Chic

Details


Paper: Making Memories Animal Crackers Ella
Cardstock: Bazzill Textured Basics Chablis, Unknown Mfg. White
Inks: Close to my Heart Cocoa
Stamps:  Close to my Heart Chocolate Alphabet Small
Embellishments: Making Memories Animal Crackers Ella Pebble Stickers, Stampin' UP! Rub-Ons Lovely Lines
Ribbon:  A.C. Moore Satin White
Diecuts:  Cricut Fabulous Finds Shapes Cartridge
Design: Imagine, Jeanette R. Lynton, Right Layout, Perfect Prelude - pg. 26 - 27

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Halloween 2009

Being that the kids came to live with us in November 2008 we missed Halloween.  So these pictures are of the first Halloween that we got to spend with them.  Both Kam and Jasey had very definite ideas of who they wanted to dress as.  At the time Kam was entranced with the Snow White movie so she of course wanted to be Snow White.  Jase is crazy for two movies, Cars and Toy Story - he wanted to be Lighting McQueen but the costumes were horrible so we talked up Buzz Lightyear and he went for it.  They were so excited getting dressed and preparing to go out ... I'm not sure but I believe it might have been the first time they ever went trick or treating.  It was a special day for ALL of us.

These pages were so much fun to do.  I love the colors and images of Halloween.  I probably should have scaled back a bit and choose one of the more kid friendly collections like Imaginese has but I went for the ever reliable Making Memories.  There's a forgettable first attempt at stitching on the second page - needed to be larger and more dramatic but there's always next year.

Halloween 2009

Details
Paper: Making Memories Spook Alley Collection, K&Company Tim Coffey Whimsy Collection
Cardstock: DCWV Textured Black
Embellishments:  Martha Stewart Halloween Transfers
Ribbon:  JoAnn Crafting Essentials Orange Twill, Black Organdy

Punches:  EK Success Photo Corners, Martha Stewart Pumpkin Double-punch, Small Bat

Diecuts: Cricut, Stamped Font Cartridge, Making Memories Slice Spellbound Design Disc

Design:  Reflections, Jeanette R. Lynton, Maine Frame - Four Square Layout, - pg. 52,  Triple Play - Three is the Charm, pg. 96

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Future PC guru

Kamdyn plays games on the PC frequently and Jasey has been begging to for awhile.  So recently, I began letting him try it, he's quite good at the mouse and knows where to find the red X to close something.  I took these pictures on the first day he got on the PC.  He was one happy little boy.  I bought this paper online and it looked so much better there.  It served it's purpose but boy I did overbuy (as usual.)  I did a little fussy cutting on the second page with the stars in an attempt to have some of them pop.  I think the effect is lost here.

Future PC guru

Details
Paper: Fancy Pants Rough and Tough by lili
Cardstock: DCWV Blue and Dark Orange
Ink: Stampin' UP! Stampin' Write Journaler Basic Black

Embellishments:  I-top 22mm Brad Maker, JoAnn Craft Essentials Hinges, Stampin' UP! Star Brads

Punches:  Marvy Uchida 2" Circle, EK Success Paper Shaper 1-3/8", Stampin' UP! 1" Circle, 1/2" Circle, Making Memories Spiral Paperclip 

Diecuts: Unknown PC Font, Sure Cuts Alot Software, Cricut

Design:  Reflections, Jeanette R. Lynton, Main Frame - Offset - pg. 57,  Sidebar - Main Frame - pg. 41

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

First day of school

I can't believe it's been so long since I last did an update, time just slips away.  I have a few things to show you today.  First of all, I have a layout of my niece Kamdyn on her first day of school (we call it that, but it's actually daycare.)  She was such a trooper on that day, a bit scared but not a tear in site (that was the next week.)  She's finishing out her time at the daycare this fall she will start kindergarten.  She's a very special little girl who has been dealt quite a raw deal in life.  It is my constant hope and prayer that we can avert the disastrous decisions that have formuated so much of her life till now.  Sorry, about that my heart turns to mush about these little kids we are attempting to raise.

Now about this page, the patterned paper is Crate Paper and do I have a beef with this company.  Over the past few months I bought four different collections from them and this page was my first use.  This paper is not true 12x12 (at least this collection isn't.)  After a bunch of measuring and remeasuring I wised up to the fact that it was not me but the actual paper that was not 12x12.  I made due but not this paper will probably be relegated to card paper which means it will be around as long as Methuselah was.

First day of school

Details
Paper: Crate Paper Bliss Collection
Cardstock: Stampin' UP! Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Ink: Stampin' UP! Stampin' Write Journaler Basic Black

Embellishments:  Unknown Mfg., Floss Pink, Making Memories Alphabet Rub-ons Providence

Punches:  Stampin' UP! 1" Circle, 3/4" Circle 

Diecuts: Making Memories Slice Handwritten Fonts Design Disc

Design:  Imagine, Jeanette R. Lynton, Left Layout, Medley - pg. 34 - 35

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Swingin'

Here's another page for my grand-baby Caroline.  She is so adorable and looks so bright and awake in these pictures.  After my own heart she is holding on tight to that swing -- swings were never my favorite things growing up, particularly if some jerk got behind me and decided to push.  Unfortunately, I am having a bit of an issue with my Kodak EasyShare printer dock and color selections.  Since these printer docks have disappeared from the Kodak web store I am assuming they have been discontinued so it's day are numbered.  Technology just changes far too fast to keep up.

Just Swingin'

Details
Paper: Making Memories Animal Crackers Ella, Basic Grey Granola Collection
Cardstock: Bazzill Textured Basics Orange, Stampin' UP! Pink Pirouette, Unknown Mfg. White

Inks:  Close to my Heart Colonial White

Embellishments:  Recollections Pearl White
Diecuts: Making Memories Slice Basics 2 Design Disc, Music & Dance Design Disc

Design:  Imagine, Jeanette R. Lynton, Right Layout, Double Take - pg. 102 - 103

As always thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!