Number Three

Once upon a time this woman and this man sat around late at night discussing politics, religion and babies. The woman sat cross-legged on the foot of the bed. The man leaned on one hand. It was two in the morning. Their favorite time for big discussions.

"How many kids do you want?" She asked. This was important stuff to figure out in a relationship as serious as theirs.

"Four." He replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Four!?! No, two!" She held up two fingers for emphasis.

"And here's the deal," she continued, "I'll have one and if the pregnancy is horrible and I'm puking everyday, or the labor is horrific and the epidural doesn't work...one. That's it. One. Got it?" She leaned in close. He smiled again.

"Okay."

A few years later, with a marriage, a mortgage and an SUV under their belt, they watched the birth of their first born...a girl! Surprise!

"She's so pretty!!" Were the first words the woman said.

"I could do this a couple more times." She said meeting his eyes. Their newborn daughter wasn't even bathed yet.

A few years later, with two daughters, a miscarriage, and mother-in-law drama under their belt, they held hands in the waiting room at the obstetrician's office.

"Do you think everything is okay?" She whispered.

"Yes." He said.

And for now, with two blood draws and one ultrasound under their belt, it is.

Unscripted Sketch #21

This is my first time playing along with the Unscripted Sketch Challenge. They have some really cute sketches, and I love the format of the sketch image:

I mean with the graph paper and the little pink flower? It's hard to resist! Here's another Christmas card.

I used scallop lace for the scallop trim. I debated on whether to go with buttons or pearls at the top, as you can see, pearls won. And yes that is more postage stamp paper. I do have sheets and sheets of it...

Details:

Paper: polka dot (SEI), stamp (DCWV), red print (stash)

Ink: Chocolate (CTMH)

Other: lace (HL) pearls (CTMH), sponge dauber (CTMH), terrically tacky tape

CTMH September Workshop

This month's theme is Back to School...or at least back to school memories. Our layout will feature the chalkboard technique. {which is basically rubbing chalk over white pigment ink} I know the new catalog has an "oh snap" layout, but I promise I have been planning that title for months. We watch That's So Raven around here and I've been know to throw out an "Oh Snap!" every once in a while.

And I think after seeing that picture of my mom decorated by Little d I think you'll agree it was the perfect title for this layout!

Little m decided to copy Mimi and she took a blue marker later that day and colored on her eye. You may not be able to tell here, but it does show in the picture.

Our next project is all about staying hydrated when you get back into the school groove of here, there and everywhere! These handy little bottle tags that hold single drink mixers were on the bulletin boards last year and I just loved them! I am just now fitting them into a workshop...

This last project is another one I've been hanging onto for a while. In Papercrafts (about a million years ago) they had a cute little drink tote that they filled with apples and caramels and had a caramel apple recipe tag attached. I have no idea how to get those drink totes, nor would they be feasible for a workshop, so I decided to improvise with a kraft colored bag.

I found a template for the apple online and cut it up and traced it onto cardstock and stamped it with background stamps and inked the edges and reassembled it into an apple. Voila!

Here's how I cut the template. I think I had to print it three or four times to have enough. HERE's the template.

I haven't done the recipe card yet. I may just copy it onto red cardstock through the printer and round the edges.

If you have any question just let me know and I'll try to explain stuff in more detail. ;)

Details: all CTMH unless noted

Layouts:

Paper: colonial wht cs, olive cs, desert sand cs, bella b&t,
Ink: white daisy, desert sand (ink and marker), creme brulee, hollyhock

Stamps: Believe Lowercase, Tickled Pink (summer promotion), Journaling Jots

Other: antique copper bitty brads, hollyhock photo clips, white chalk and q-tips

Bottle Tag:

Paper: colonial white cs, perfect day b&t, unforgettable b&t

Ink: cocoa, sorbet, tulip

Stamps: Inspiration, Thank You

Other: colonial white brads and ric rac, coluzzle circle (i'm so going to miss that), sponge dauber

Apple Bag:

Paper: new england ivy, colonial white, cranberry, chocolate cardstocks

Ink: new england ivy, cranberry (+marker around stem), chocolate, desert sand

Stamps: Intrinsic Backgrounds, Spot On Backgrounds, Weathered Backgrounds, Annotations

Other: online template, gingham fabric (HL), kraft gift bag (HL) cranberry brad, sponge daubers

Whew! I think I listed it all!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I've started humming Christmas tunes when I rock Little m at nap time. Is this in direct correlation to all the Christmas cards I'm making? Current count: 16 made.

Sparkle challenged us this week to use something from nature on our cards. I settled on this treeline rubber stamp I had from years ago. I went for simple and glitter:

The CPS sketch this week immediately made me think of a snowflake!

I bought a silver and gold pen set at Hobby Lobby the other day. I have become quite comfortable (or is it lazy) with hand written sentiments of late.

Thanks for stopping by y'all!!

Details: all CTMH unless noted

Treeline Card:

Paper: white card base

Ink: Topiary

Stamp: treeline (? there is no label on this clearance bin stamp from HL)

Other: bonding memories glue and Prisma glitter

Snowflake Card:

Paper: burgundy from stash, HP glossy paper

Ink: Versamark, silver pen (Pentel)

Stamp: Holiday Trinkets

Other: silver brads, snowflake sticker (HL) clear ep.

Inspiration Challenge

You all have heard me gush before about Traveling Mama. First when I came across her blog back in February. Then when she started her Traveler's Inspiration Challenge this summer. Now I am hoping you again take the time to check in as her Traveling Tribe starts a new adventure. They have started an Etsy shop to raise money for a school in Morocco. You can learn all about it here on her blog.

Her recent challenge was to create something inspired from a series of pictures taken at a market. I was inspired by the little old man leaning over his sewing machine. I have wanted for over a year to use my machine to sew on paper. But I've been too intimidated.

But today was the day. Today I would be inspired to put that machine to use again. This time on paper. It was so excited to watch the stitching create the card. I have tackled my fear. You know what that means??? You'll be seeing more sewing from me in the future!!

Details: CTMH unless noted

Paper: red pattern (stash), Bamboo pattern Serendipity Collection

Ink: Black

Stamp: Say It In Style

Other: Kenmore sewing machine and white thread

Polka Dot Hi card

I felt like doing something a little creative today. I started by staring at my patterned paper stash. I thought this polka dot paper was so FUN! Next I thought it would work with a really bold ribbon--Cheeeeetaaaahhh!

I was originally going to use a flower stamp, but it just didn't look fierce enough. {Hehehe "fierce" like I'm on Project Runway.} Anyway I remembered that Penny was doing a flourish challenge, and I thought a flourish would look fierce...

Thanks for stopping by!

Details: CTMH unless noted

Paper: black cs, dot paper (SEI)

Ink: Versamark

Stamps: Key to My Heart, Believe Lowercase

Other: black ep, ribbon (HL)

Moxie Fab Vintage

I've never entered one of the Moxie Fab contests before but I couldn't pass this one up since I am so hung up on vintage right now!!





I really struggled to do this card. I wanted it to be so perfect. I started with the postage stamp paper, then the brown rusched ribbon. Then I went straight to my stash of ivory estate sale buttons. The Colonial White embossed paper was an idea I had that I was so proud of...although I'm sure someone has thought of it before me! I love the effect! I used the damask embossing plate through the Cuttlebug, then I used my bonding memories glue on the raised area and then hit it with the Prisma Glitter! In person it looks so neat, y'all!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and be sure to visit the Moxie Fab blog for some fantastic entries!

Details:

Paper: Bamboo Textured CS (CTMH), Colonial White CS (CTMH), kraft (stash) green (stash) postage stamp (DCWV)

Other: embossing folder (Cuttlebug), Bonding Memories Glue (CTMH), Prisma Glitter (CTMH), edge distresser (CTMH), Sanding Block (CTMH), ribbons (HL), button (estate sale)

$50 Cookbook

My cousin in law at in all weathers recently posted a book review that reminded me of a cookbook a bought a couple of years ago.

When I was little my mom made the best pancakes and waffles. Although, waffles, not often enough...ahem. Anyway. She also made amazing cornbread. My favorite! All her recipes came from this one particular cookbook titled Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook. It is a binder style book and the front cover looks like a red and white checkered picnic blanket.

Once when my parents were on vacation, their trailer caught on fire. {My uncle had a grease fire while he was staying there, but he was able to put the fire out and not get hurt thankfully} In the fire pictures melted off the wall, and this cookbook was charred. So every time my mom brought out this cookbook to make a recipe she would carefully turn pages so that she wouldn't damage the book further. And it was always "it's in the burnt cookbook" or "hand me the burnt cookbook". That's how we identified that book.

As I got older, I would even make some of the recipes. The cornbread, much to my delight, is so easy I don't know why anyone would buy one of those awful box mixes. {I'm quite the cornbread snob.}

When I was moving to our house in college, my mom wrote out some of the recipes for me to take. I really used them after I got married and moved into this house. I treasure these recipes not only for the memories, but also because they are written in my mom's hand.

Favorite Pancakes!

Everyday Waffles {and yes you should eat them everyday!}

A few years ago, probably when I realized through scrapbooking that damaged paper is not going to survive archivally-speaking, I decided to look for another copy of this cookbook to have. And also just because I really wanted my own copy. Needless to say, it was hard to find. BH&G has put out this cookbook several times! And I think there is even a brand-new New one floating around. But I wanted the old one with the old recipes and the old pictures. In the binder style. Finally I found one (with the same copyright date) on some old book site. I could buy it along with a BH&G Garden Book for fifty dollars. I ordered it. I am glad that I did, it's in really good shape and it brings back so many memories, even though the edges aren't torched.

A few weeks later of course I found one for three dollars at a garage sale, but who's counting?

Pink Elephant #29

What? Two challenges in one day? I must be goofing off instead of cleaning house! This card is for The Pink Elephant Challenge. This week their sponsor is The Little Paper Shop and I just happen to have one of their stamps. I bought it last spring because my plan was to do snow globe cards for Christmas. And the set includes a house to put in the snow globe and I really thought we would be sending cards from our new house..blah blah blah...here's the sketch:



And here's the card.




For your information if you use the heat gun on HP paper it will curl up. But I just hit it with heat a couple of seconds at a time and it never burned! So that's what the globe is made from and it had Liquid Applique and Prisma Glitter on it. And I just realized I was going to put google eyes on the penguin...may have to go back and do that later.

Details: all CTMH unless noted
Paper: HP photo paper, Aspen Level II, Desert Sand cs
Ink: Twilight (second generation), White Daisy, Black and Creme Brulee markers
Stamp: Global (Little Paper Shop)
Other: Liquid Applique, Prisma Glitter, glue pen, heat gun, DMC floss

Raspberry Suite #15 [a late grad card]

It's been a few weeks since I've played along with Dawn's challenge, but today I found time to use these yummy colors!



I really needed to make a graduation card. Since the recipient just moved into her college apartment! Hopefully she'll forgive me!

I think my all time favorite cardstock from CTMH is vanilla cream. Or maybe sorbet...who can decide? On this card I used the dot embossing folder, but I used adhered the cs dot-side down. I thought it gave it a little different look.

Thanks for stopping by y'all!

Details: all CTMH unless noted

Paper: Sorbet cs, Hollyhock cs, Vanilla Cream cs, Sweet Leaf cs

Ink: Hollyhock, Sweet Leaf

Stamps: Dream Big, Fringed Phrases

Other: cream ribbon (HL) Cuttlebug, scallop punch (SU!) foam squares

I had a dream...

And so it begins. I have this funny little pregnancy symptom that keeps my family entertained. Dreams. Weird, bizarre, vivid dreams.

With Little d I remember the first one I had. It was about the saltwater rabbit. What? Didn't you know there was a difference between saltwater rabbits and freshwater rabbits? I remember that in my dream the rabbit in the aquarium died because it was not a saltwater rabbit and it was in our saltwater tank. Ironically I had this dream before I even knew I was pregnant. It's ironic because the rabbit died. Get it? The rabbit died? That means you're pregnant, right? I couldn't make that up if I tried.

So this afternoon I took a nap. A luxurious two hour nap courtesy of my husband and kids. I slept so hard, and of course I had a bizarre dream. I was cutting up barbie dolls, with scissors, because Little d wanted to play with them in pieces. Now before you say my God woman, what do you let your child watch on TV? Let me explain. Little d has a very vivid imagination, and she loves to play with bits of paper and ribbon (that she cuts into small pieces). She makes them into characters and they act out stories. So it's really not a big stretch that she would want things in pieces, of course she would NOT want me to cut up barbies but you know how crazy dreams are...

or at least mine are.

{PS I just did spell check and it said No Misspellings Found--that never happens!}

Two more Chrismas cards

I'm still on that mission to get Christmas cards done. Current count: 11 made, 17 to go.

This first one was made using this week's Mojo Monday Sketch #101.

I worked for hours to get an ornament to hang in the rectangle but couldn't get an ink to match that paper. In the end I scrapped the ornament idea and stamped Santa!

This next card was made for Sparkle's weekly Christmas card challenge. This week she used a sketch. I'm actually really happy with this monochromatic card. I may make another just like it since I have a couple of blue lovers on my card list.

Thanks to all you who gave me well wishes and offered prayers for my spilling the beans post. I am still on cloud nine. I had the blood work done today and am just waiting on a call from the doctor on the results.

Details: all CTMH unless noted

Santa Card:

Paper: green cs (stash) red pattern (stash) green pattern (stash) tan cs (stash)

Ink: Holiday Red

Stamp: Holiday Joy

Other: antique copper brads

White Christmas Card:

Paper: white cs (stash) Aspen Level II

Ink: Twilight

Stamp: Christmas Melodies

Other: corduroy brad, white ribbon (HL) scallop punch (SU!) adhesive pearls

Spilling the Beans

Okay so all the key players have been told.

And the official laboratory has been consulted with the home laboratory results confirmed.

So it's officially official.

I'm pregnant!!!!

For now I'm due April 29th. {give or take}

Since I've had a previous miscarriage, my doc takes some extra precautions. I'll be going for blood work tomorrow and when my numbers reach 5000 I get an ultrasound. I'm hoping that will be within a week. I also get to take a progesterone suppository. Lovely. {and by a suppository I mean one per night until I'm twelve weeks.}

I'm already tired.

We're already discussing names. I am totally and completely decided. Now to convince my husband.

The Chinese Gender Predictor says girl. And it's been right twice before.

I'm worried as usual. I'll feel better, but not relieved when I pass the point where I had the miscarriage before.

Today I delivered an order, and passed the hospital where I delivered my two babies. And I got excited.

Really really excited.

CPS 130 (act surprised it's a Christmas card!)

Love this week's sketch at CPS. And remember I'm on that mission to do all my Christmas cards. This year is the first time I am doing a different card for everyone on my list. So when it comes time to send it out I'll be the anal retentive one in the corner trying to match the card to the recipient. It'll be like second grade Valentine's cards all over again!

The green ornament and the sentiment are both covered in clear ep. I used a sponge dauber and covered the ornament with Versamark and then covered it with clear ep. Then as soon as I finished heating, I covered it again with more clear ep while the first layer is still hot and sticky. I heated it again and it really gives it a nice clear coating. It's kind of like the effect of a very thin coat of Liquid Glass.

Thanks for stopping by!

Details: CTMH unless noted

Paper: red cs (stash) burgundy cs (stash) vanilla cs (stash) patterned paper (DaisyD)

Ink: Garnet, New England Ivy, Cranberry, Versamark

Stamp: Holiday Trinkets

Other: clear ep, foam squares

Penny's Sketch Challenge (and a cloud picture)

I just now realized that Penny was doing a challenge blog. Can you say slow? I thought her sketch was so cute! And beware I am on a mission to get all the Christmas cards done that I can! Here's the sketch:



And here's my card:



I finally opened that santa suit ribbon I bought a while back. And I thought I would have a little fun with the sentiment. Now...who on my list gets this one???

Guess what? We actually had a little rain! Here's a picture of the weather rolling in yesterday evening...

Details:

Paper: HP photo paper (works great for glossy cs)

Ink: Holiday Red marker (CTMH)

Other: red and white ribbon (HL), black ribbon (HL) silver brads CTMH, foam squares