Baby's First Christmas

Christmas, like Thanksgiving, will be very different this year.  We won't be with our older son and daughter-in-law who live out of state.  We won't see (in person) my sisters and their families like we usually do. 

But we do have a great gift this year!!  It is Theo's first Christmas.  And our younger son and daughter-in-law, who live nearby,  will be joining my husband and me for Xmas dinner.  We will wear masks like we usually do, around them.  

We'll get some baby snuggles.  And what could be better? 

Challenges:

I used the sketch from Try Stampin on Tuesday Challenge

Since I didn't create nearly enough Xmas cards this year, I think I'll try to play along with Christmas Kickstart Challenge.  Theo's card will be a good beginning. 

At Always Fun Challenges the theme is Christmas

Challenge #194

Our theme for the new challenge is
"Christmas"

Since I used a Gerda Design Stamp, I'm putting it into Share Your Design Challenge

I stamped the image on several pattern papers, and fussy cut them out, and paper-pieced it together.  I did use Copics to color the baby and bear. 

Products used: The stamp is from Gerda Steiner Designs.  The pattern papers are old Me and My Big Ideas, and the wood from Craft Consortium.  The shape die is an oldy but goodie from Spellbinders. 

Here's a peek at the inside:

I think the inside stamps are from a combo of PTI and Penny Black.

Thank you for taking a look.  I hope you are having a safe and Merry Christmas.  And here's to a Healthy New Year!!

Welcome Theo!! Yipee!!

Our first grandchild was born 2 weeks ago.  My son and daughter-in-law chose not to know if it was a boy or girl.  So I didn't make this card until he was born. 

I used the following Challenges:

1) CAS(E) this Sketch - I flipped the sketch upside down

2) Cupcake Inspirations - blue in my card, but other colors too. The pattern paper is from Doodlebugs. 

I'm not sure who makes this stamp -- it is realllllly old.  I've had it for quite a long time.  I colored it with copic markers. 

Here are a few photos of our newest family member:

Mommy & Daddy & Theo

Theo

Grandpa, Grandma, Theo, & our first grand-dog Chester. 

Here is a peek at the inside of the card. I'm not sure who makes this sentiment stamp either. 

I could overload you with baby pictures -- I'm doing such a happy dance inside.  But I'll restrain myself. 

Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look.  I hope you and your families are doing well.

A Bit Corny

My oldest son does not like Candy Corn; and I love it!  It's become a long-standing family joke.  So this is for him and his wife.  

Here's a look at the inside:

I'm putting this into the following challenges:

TGIF Challenge   A theme challenge.

Fab Friday 200 - It's a Color Challenge.

Your Next Stamp Challenge   Challenge #150 – Midnight   

The stamps & dies are from Your Next Stamp.  The rectangle window die is from MY Favorite Things.  The paper is from PaperTrey Ink.

Some people in our area love to decorate for Halloween. Here are some scenes from my neighborhood:

As always, thanks for stopping by to take a look. Have a Happy Halloween!

A Political Plea

 If you know someone with a pre-existing condition, this is for you.

Please take the time to watch, and read the captions.

Vote with your Heart

Thank you for taking the time to watch this. 

Many (perhaps all) of my friends and family have some pre-existing condition -- asthma, crohn's disease, diabetes, life-threatening allergies, cancers, pregnancy, blood disorders, mental illness, drug addiction, 

Running Late

Freshly Made Sketches - I rotated the sketch.  The pattern paper is from StampinUp.

Color Throwdown - The background looks blue on my computer, but it really is purple.  I stenciled the circles on the top part of the card. 

NBUS - The stamps (image and sentiments) are an old set from Taylored Expressions. 

Here's a look at the inside:

As always, thanks for taking a look. 

What will the Babee Bee?

I don't know if I've told you . . . My daughter-in-law is expecting our first grandchild.  Her sisters recently held a small shower for her - the theme was "What will Baby Bee?".  It was amazing -- the weather cooperated spectacularly for socially distancing. The decorations, food, company were over the top. It was fantastic.  

So I made this card (x many) for her sisters and mom, and for my very dear friend who made bee-themed masks), and for my sister and nieces who gave me Grandma-to-be gifts.  

Here's a peek at the inside:

I'm putting this into the following challenges: 

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge This is where I started my card -- I usually look for sketches, then colors.  This sketch was perfect.  

Papercraft Challenge     Challenge # 62 - Black + White + one additional Colour - When you add yellow to black and white you get a combo Perfect for Bees.  I did use a bit of blue for the wings and pink for the face.  

I'm also putting the card into the following challenges:

Always Fun Challenge #181 Anything Goes

NBUS - the pattern paper is an old unused pack from DCWV - the stamp "bees knees" is from an old sentiment set by Pink by Design - never been used. 

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Animal Antics - Bees are in the Animal Kingdom. 

Products:

• Stamps: Honey Bee - the front image and inside sentiment; MFT the inside images
• Paper: DCWV 

And here are the grandparents to be:  

This week we said Good Bye to summer.  Here is a photo of the last summer sunset taken from Patchogue dock.  Doesn't this just look a card waiting to be made? 

As always, thanks for taking a peek.  Stay safe

Cherry Ave Birthday

My friend works at Cherry Avenue School. She likes to give birthday cards to her co-workers.  This is for her stash.  

I stamped the cherry pair on watercolor paper.  The sentiment was embossed on black paper.  A slit was made along the cherry stem & leaf line, to tuck the sentiment strip under. Splatters of paint were added, and accidentally smudged before they dried - oops!

I used the sketch from Cas(E) this sketch 

The Male Room 

Just Add Ink

The stamps are from Unity. 

As always, thanks for taking a look. Have a sweet day.

Birthday in Flames

This card is for my hubby's birthday -- He LOVES anything related to cars. In fact when people used to carry pictures in their wallet, his first picture was of his favorite car.  Wife and kids came second. 

I thought this flame stencil would work great for a birthday card. 

I'm putting this into the following challenges:

Just Add Ink The challenge is for a masculine card (challenge # 520)

And The Male Room is celebrating their 7th birthday!

Fab Friday - Color Challenge

Here's a peek at the inside:

supplies:

• Stamps - Art Impressions (front sentiment & inside image)
• Stamp - inside sentiment - Technique Tuesday
• Flame stencil & frame die - HoneyBee
• Distress inks

Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look.  I hope you enjoy. 

Sunflowers over the Fence

 Actually it's sunflowers over my neighbor's fence 😀

When I look across the street every morning, this is the sunny view with which I am greeted.  It is my inspiration for this card.  

My neighbor started these sunflower plants from seeds.  She said she'll help me next year.  I'm afraid my green thumb may only work on paper. 

I started by stamping the Penny Black flowers on watercolor paper.  I  used distress inks to watercolor them.  Then fussy-cut them out, and  popped them up.

To create the fence I used a wood plank background stamp by My Favorite Things.   I stamped and clear embossed it with Morning Mist by Versafine Clair.  Then I "smooshed" it with Weathered Wood and Tea Dye distress inks. I cut it into thin strips for the fence boards, then cut in 1/2, then cut the tips on each board. I inked the edges in Weatherd Wood. 

The flower was popped up, and I placed the fence boards over the flower.  A die cut sentiment from PhotoPlay and done.  

I'm putting this in the following challenges:

• Penny Black. *Say it with Flowers*

• Double D Challenge - The Theme is Sunflowers
  
  
  
• Double Trouble This card will go to my neighbor.  I think it will brighten her day.  So I'm putting it in the 
  Thing 1:  Trouble Maker  says, "You make me happy when skies are grey.  Thing 3: Twisted Sister says, "Let's start with using any shade of grey and then brighten the day with your choice of TWO additional colors. And Thing 2:  Double Dare says, "If you have taken on Twisted Sister's color palette above, it also matches the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge #407.  
  
• Color My Heart Use Gray and 2 other colors of your choice. The fence is shades of grey and the other 2 colors are green and yellow.  The white is a freebie. 

  

As always, thank you for stopping by and taking a look.

Stay safe and stay well.

Trying out Vintage

This card is for my friend who is a scrapbooker, and loves vintage, layered, embellished layouts.  

And I made a second, similar, card for my stash. 

There was so much put into this project. I used distress inks (and sprays) for all the coloring - mostly vintage photo and the new speckled egg.  The "sewing" is from a stamp set that another friend gave me.  The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions. The flower is stamped and embossed, and colored. The green leaves are from a Tim Holtz die cut set.  I "distressed" the edges of the watercolor cardstock. The tags were cut from pattern paper. Ribbon from Stampin Up was "worn" with some distress ink. There is a deco edge of paper created with a Martha Stewart punch. Phew! 😀

I had a blast doing this -- I'd work on it, and leave it.  Then work on it and leave it - and so on.  Then I saw these two challenges -- to use a tag on your project.  And the whole thing finally came together.

• A Vintage Journey Tag You're It - It's not a stand alone tag.  So I'm not sure that it qualifies for this challenge.  But I wanted to share. 
  
• Just Add Ink -  Just Add T  - Tag starts with T. 
  

I don't usually craft in this style.  But I saw this card by Stacy at Tattered Nest Designs and fell in love with it.  And felt a need to try something like this.  

Will I do another one like this?  I don't know.  So many ideas and projects. . .  so little time. 

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. Until next time, stay safe.