Polka Dots...

I am sooo excited..I just checked out Nichole's blog this morning and she is debuting one of her new stamp sets...POLKA DOTS!! My absolute favorite..it is so funny because yesterday I created a card around polka dots..I'm really drawn to them right now!!! This set looks so neat..she has 6 different polka dot backgrounds to choose from!! I will definitely be buying this set on the 15th and about a hundred other things..oh, my husband is not going to be happy... One of my to do's on my wish list is to create a personal crafting space just for me...I have been doing all my crafting at the kitchen table and countertops..I have all my supplies and paper in boxes and on the floor in my bedroom.. so, I will run from one room to the next trying the find the "right paper, embellishment, supply or ribbon". I can't do it like this anymore..I'm forgetting what I have and I truly feel like my creativity is suffering because of it.. So, I will be moving to the basement today!! Once the kids are asleep I'm going to start creating my own little nook in one of the bedrooms down there..I should have done it a long time ago but I do like being close to my babies when they are sleeping. Now that they are a bit older and sleep for longer periods of time I feel more comfortable going down there and working!! Now, if only I had the money to buy all the cool organizing tools out there..I would die to have Nichole's space..it is so organized..I told my husband I will only do a little at a time..before you know it it will be done!! I will definitely post a picture once it is completed!!! Wish me luck... I have included a picture of the polka dot card I created yesterday..the color is a bit different..it is not pink..it is a creamy off white color..(sorry).. I used my scalloped circle punch to create the flowers..I had the raised circular pebble stickers left over from my Christmas card so just placed those on paper and cut around them to form the centers of the flowers..it just adds a bit of dimension. I used the sentiment from the Out on a Limb set by Martin Luther..What a wonderful quote that really does make you appreciate your surroundings!!

Baby news!!

I'm so excited!! My brother-in-law Andy and his wife Shonda are expecting their first baby!! I know they have wanted this for awhile and we are just so happy for them!!! It is so funny because all our family and friends are pregnant now..we were the first out of all our friends to have babies and now that I'm done for a bit all my girlfriends are having babies..There is nothing like being pregnant for the first time..so many firsts and lots of unknowns..that is what makes it so special and scary!!! If they only knew what was ahead of them...I can't even explain it to them so I just sit back and watch...I don't think you really realize what a miracle this little person is until you are holding them in your arms for the first time...oh.. and once you have the baby..no sleep and no sleep and no sleep...but it is soooo worth it...I'm really looking forward to meeting all these new little ones!! I wanted to share with you a baby shower card I did for my cousin Emily..I just love girly stuff and love baby dresses... I came up with the dress template and printed the information onto the vellum paper..I then secured it to the card by the ribbon..I also created a smaller version of the dress to use as a placecard for each person at the shower.. I also had cut out several different patterned dresses and we hung them up throughout the house using ribbon and small clothespins..it really turned out cute.

Something fun to try...

I created this thank you card today that I would like to share with you..it was so fun to create and definitely is a bit unique...

I used the sentiment Thanks so much from the PTI set Out on a Limb..I stamped it in black across the paper and repeated this three more times so I had a total of 4 lines. I then stamped this same sentiment in red on a separate piece of paper exactly as I had stamped the black. This is a bit time consuming because I really had to make sure to follow the black pattern as close as possible. I then took my small square punch and randomly punched out 6 squares from the red pattern making sure to remember where they were in the pattern. I then placed each red square over the same black pattern using dimensionals. It really adds depth to my card and is definitely something a bit unique... I just love the contrasting colors of red and black..it always dresses up a card to the classy level!! Just thought I would share a little technique with you!!

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Supplies: Cardstock: Prism red, white, black

Stamps: Papertrey Ink/Out on a Limb

Embellishments: Velvet ribbon/hobby lobby; brads and jewels/Paper studio

Other: Small scalloped scissors; dimensionals; glue dots

Excitment brewing over at Nichole's blog

WOW..so exciting.. I was gone over the weekend with my husband celebrating my 30th birthday so didn't have time to check Nichole's blog..Of course as soon as we walked into the door last night I kissed and hugged and kissed and hugged Sam and Nora and then ran into the computer and checked out the blog..Wow..lots of neat things happening over there... New stamp designers, new design team members, new and fresh ideas..I'm just ecstatic( and a bit jealous..I wish I could be apart of that wonderful team...) I know, I know I have a ways to go to even be considered a gueststar stamper.. I can't get ahead of myself here and actually this is making me want to work even harder at my creations and to really start stepping up my game here. I know I can do it..it will take time and much practice...What I have to keep reminding myself is that this is a hobby..something I love to do the other things will follow if meant to be!! I was up all night thinking of one of my projects for Nichole..So, I'm anxious to get started..The funny thing is I come up with a core idea and then just can't get that out of my head..and many times the idea is sooo far-fetched it's almost impossible to create but that is how I then come up with my paper creations..I just love it..

Thank you cards

I received some wonderful gifts for my 30th birthday and wanted to get my thank you cards out to everyone. One of my favorite color combos is soft pink and green..Two of my favorite colors. I decided to keep it very simple and sweet and created this card...it was so simple to make and easy to mass produce. Once it was finished I felt it had a Hawaiian feel..it could have been the hemp used as the ribbon or the fact that it has been 40 below zero here the last 5 days..help me.. I'm also really into polka dots these days..they are so fun and can be used to really dress a card up or make it more playful...It is definitely a classic design that works for many projects. The sentiment I chose is from the Mixed Messages set from PTI. Hope you like it!!

Supplies..Supplies

I'm so excited!! I received a couple of gift cards to Micheal's to stock up on supplies!! I dragged the whole family there on Saturday evening and shopped my little heart out! I was throwing everything into my cart that I saw and let's just say it was everything I saw..then aisle 6 and what do I see with my spying eye??? A Cuttlebug!! YAAA... I have always wanted one and have read about Nichole using hers for many projects so back went most of the supplies I had thrown into my cart and in went the Cuttlebug!! Now, I just need to start stocking up on the Spellbinder Nestibilities at PTI!! I cannot wait to try cutting and embossing with those..they look like an excellent product!! This cardmaking hobby of mine definitely is not cheap but like I tell my husband..life is too short and this makes me happy!!

I have some great ideas for this coming month to send to PTI!! I'm hoping for another honorable mention if not a gueststar appearance..We'll just have to see..fingers crossed!!! I created a couple of cards over the weekend that I would like to share with you...the first is a card I made using the sheep set from My Punny Valentine and the second is a Welcome Baby card created by using the Mixed Messages set..(which I just love)...

Countdown to Valentine's Day S.W.A.K challenge!!

I just loved the little heart template that Lisa Johnson created to go along with PTI's new heart tins!! I'm waiting for mine to arrive in the mail here..fingers crossed!! Although I was not part of the challenge I thought I would do one for fun!! My brain was swimming with ideas last night while I was running back and forth to get different paper, supplies and embellishments for my creation..there is nothing more exciting than coming up with your ideas..I just love it.. Not sure about you but I'm definitely a talk-to-myself-out loud kinda person.. My husband thinks I'm crazy that's for sure.. I've even caught myself talking to my cards!!LOL! Anyway, once I got the kids to bed I got to work.. Every year since I have met my husband I have given him "love tickets" at Valentine's Day..Usually things like 1 ticket to sleep in; 1 ticket for a night at the movies; 1 ticket for a massage(of course, his favorite!!) and so on.. Well, I thought this year my tickets could be the hearts!! What an easier and adorable way to use them.. and once I receive my tin hearts that is where they will be stored.. So, I cut out 14 hearts from a beautiful patterned paper..I tried to keep it a bit masculine..I then stamped the sentiment Be Mine from the Limitless Label set from PTI to put on the outside of my heart..I then put a piece of cardstock inside the heart to form an envelope for my "ticket". I then punched a small heart in the front of the card so you could see the cardstock through it. This is where I placed my numbers for my countdown to Valentines.. I then cut small strips of cardstock and wrote out each of my "tickets"..Some examples, Walk by moonlight; Dinner and a movie; Body massage; Sleep as late as you want and so on...this is great because YOU can do whatever you want to do... I folded them once in half and tied a small ribbon around them. I then just placed them inside my little envelope in the heart. Now, once I receive my small tin I will place my hearts in order starting with the number 14 and make my way down to number 1..Then each day he will open up a new heart to read the "ticket". I wanted to make my number 1 ticket more special so I wrote on the ticket "Look on kitchen table" Here is where my bigger tin comes into play.. I will fill it with Hershey truffles(his favorite) along with Minnesota Gopher Basketball tickets!! He is going to just love it!!! So, I thought this little Valentine creation would be fun for both of us..it will keep our romance alive(sorta..with a 2 and 1 year old that is almost impossible) and get us through most of the month of February(the winters here just kill me)!! I'm looking forward to February 1st for when I can give it to him and hoping my tins get here today so I can finish!!! Thanks again for the template Lisa!! I just love your work!!! And, please keep me in mind for the next time around!!