Today Eli

About a month after my son was born, my nephew was born, so we got to celebrate two births very quickly....and the number of grandchildren on my parent's side doubled very quickly! 

I created this layout to show us meeting Eli for the first time - as well as my brother meeting little Owen for the first time!

I used the recent Elmwood Park kit from Studio Calico for this page.  I loved the chevron paper as well as the huge letter paper from Basic Grey.

I added this darling little vintage circle boy (Pretty Little Studio) next to Owen - look at his cousin Gage giving him a kiss!  So sweet!

And here is my daughter holding Eli - funny story - she was the only one of us who got to hold Eli!  We didn't get to stay long, so it was okay.  Look at those cheeks!  Adorable, I tell you!

I used the Heyday sentiment stamp on the right side and a vintage cuddle card from Pretty Little Studio under the October Afternoon tag.

You are my Sunshine

I found a new website that I think I'm going to really like - it is called Designed to Color.  I have Copic markers and bought them becuase I really do love to color.  I got inspired by their website to make this card. 

I used an image from By Lori Designs - I colored it with my copics and then added punched circles to the dress where the polka dots in the dress's design were.  I made this for the sketch challenge they are having right now.  All of the supplies for this came from the City of Lights kit by Studio Calico.  I added a few ephemera butterflies from Heyday, and cut some little pearls to add a trail for the butterflies to follow.  The sketch had butterflies, and yes, I realize you don't have to use butterflies....but I LOVE butterflies!  I just couldn't help myself!

Now....to wait patiently for my digital issue of the magazine!  ;)

The Dance Off

I still have no idea how this silly game came to be one day.  My daughter was showing her newest dance moves she learned in dance class.....which turned into a little game of, "Bet you can't do this...." between her daddy and her!  I can only wish this one picture could do justice to the silliness of the moment!  We were literally ROTFL!  Which is probably why I didn't get many good pics - guess you have to hold the camera somewhat still for that!  ;)

Anyway, I was inspired to create this page after looking at a layout made by Maggie Holmes on the SC Design Team gallery.

All of the pieces on this page come from the So Cal kit with the addition of some ephemera from the Heyday Collection at Studio Calico.

Our Anniversary

It was our 13th anniversary this week, so I wanted to do something a little special so it wasn't just another day or another year.  We used to take a special trip on our anniversary, but it hasn't been possible lately, so I wanted to do something sweet....well, probably more cheesy than anything! 

I saw this idea on Pinterest....and actually did more than just pin the idea!  Novel idea, I know!  ;)

I decided to get my husband cokes (they are his favorite) and tie a balloon to each one for a total of 13 - one for each year we've been married.  

And to make number 13 extra special, I went all out and splurged on a pack of the little glass bottle cokes - they were even regular price!!!!  That's big time, people!  That was actually his favorite part of the cokes!  He drank 3 bottles that evening at dinner.....yes, I know, my husband doesn't down a case of beer - he guzzles Coca-Colas!  Hey, I'm not complaining! 

And, just in case I wasn't cheesy enough, I bought his favorite socks and started making silly little tags with Smash journaling spots and Washi on plain tags!

By the way, he got a kick out of that one! 

Now, I realize these are not the most artistically designed tags ever.....by the time I made it home with balloons, filet mignon, and an ice cream cake (LOVE Culver's), I only had about an hour to get this done before I had to get the kids and he got home!  Needless to say, I rocked these out in record time!

I was loving the incredible ease and cuteness the Washi tape and the Heyday ephemera were adding to the tags!  In fact, I bought some more Washi last night at Archivers! 

And here are some of the Smash journaling tags - the were super easy with the Galaxy markers from American Crafts.

So, there is a super easy and fun idea for your anniversary - you don't have to plan it a month in advance...you just have to have ample space in the back seat for the balloons.

Oh....and a word to the wise....DON'T try to back up with 13 balloons in your car!  Nearly gave myself a heart attack doing that!

2nd birthday

Phew!  I made this just in the knick of time....literally!  I was cropping and pasting like a madwoman tonight!  I had this idea in my mind - I just had to get the kiddos off to bed first...you know how that goes! 

I saw this sketch on Pretty Little Studio's blog this week and decided to play with some of these darling new die cuts....are these not just the CUTEst!? 

Well, it just so happens that we might possibly be invited to a birthday party of a little boy who is turning two.  Totally a random thing.....the people know my husband and are related to my husband's cousin's husband......totally random and crazy!  See what I mean?  Anyway, so when I found out that I may have to get a present and take the kiddos off to this random party on Saturday, I went digging.  And I found this die cut.  Totally random and crazy.....and perfect!!!!

So....anyway, to make a long story short, I whipped up a boyish card (my husband bans ribbon from boy cards.......boys.....what can we do with them?!)  I tried to use argyle embossing folders, chevron paper and die cut edges, and grid paper.  Okay....so I did add a somewhat girly little accordian flower - but it is green and brown to match!  ;)

The paper all came from the latest Studio Calico kit, Elmwood Park.

Take 2

Using a little bit of the Handmade and Brooklyn Flea kits, the two oldest kits I still had intact from Studio Calico, I made this layout about finally getting to eat at the Whistle Stop this spring.  When I was pregnant we tried to eat there, but it was closed for the winter and reopening a few weeks later.  This would have been no big deal....except it is about 2 hours from our house!

Here you see the circle garland I recently bought from Studio Calico.  I hid half of it under some Riding Hood Red ribbon from Stampin' Up - I love that it is already pleated.

My daughter - held her ears because the train was so loud...

My mom - actually looked at the camera and didn't blink or squint!!!!  Miracle in Glendale, Kentucky!

The tag was in the kit and is from Ormolu.  I spritzed it with Barnwood Mr. Huey and splattered it with Holly Berry Mr. Huey.  And...I actually caught a smile from my dad - he usually doesn't smile, because he's afraid you'll notice that he doesn't have any teeth!  Ah....the rewards of chewing tobacco.....

So Tiny

Okay, so I looked at a layout by Maggie Holmes as the inspiration for this little number.  I always adore these patterned papers by MMI, but I can't always figure out how to use them.

So...I started by stamping the hexagon with Early espresso on the background and adding a few hexagons spritzed with Bluegrass mr. Huey. 

I used a few paper scraps behind the picture as well as some new October Afternoon paper for the mat.

A few word banners from MMI and these Heidi Swapp letters for the title. 

I sprayed the title with Dewey Mr. Huey to match the Adorable word....but now I'm thinking I should have used Bluegrass even though it was clogged up.....oops!  Maybe need to fix that one!  ;)