Sleep Deprived Stamper

Man, am I ever going to get sleep again? I'm exhausted!!! I'm not complaining, I love that I finally get to be a mom. I'm just tired. Last night he woke up more times than I can count! For awhile, several months ago, he was basically sleeping through the night until his 4am feeding. What happened? Waaaah!!!

Last night was another Unity new release party over at Splitcoast. What fun! I won a Unity t-shirt! I'm so excited! I may just have to go get a tiara, too. *grin* The new releases are very cool, too. Check them out here.

Still sharing my Dare to Get Dirty Challenges with you. The first one was to watercolor, which is something I'm still practicing. I wish I knew how to get things to look just right! It is fun to do, though, a little bit like coloring in a coloring book, only better! The second one was a sketch layout, which I *almost* followed. My rectangle extends a little lower than the designer wanted, but I totally love the finished card! It's so soft and pretty!



Thanks for looking! Well, I hope you have a lovely day, and Happy Stamping!

Cupcakes and Whiskey??

Good morning, good morning, good morning to you! (sing that, for full effect.) I finished the Dare to Get Dirty challenges last night. It will take me a few days to share them with you. It was kind of fun to have a "deadline" in which to get a whole bunch of stamping done!

Here are a couple of total opposites: a sweet little cupcake, and a somewhat questionable masculine card, both of which were Dirty challenges.

Can you believe these two stamp kits come from the SAME company? Unity, of course. That is one of the things I love about this company. They have everything from cutesy little birds and animals all the way to kits about drinks and motorcycles and hunting! How fun!

I'm leaving out the details for these cards, because I don't have time--the baby needs me. If you need to know more about them, check my gallery at Splitcoast, where I have listed details for each card---SWEET CUPCAKE CARD & FUN MAN CARD

Have a great day, and happy stamping!

Still Getting Dirty

Good morning. Another early day. Sure wish baby slept better! Although, I hear from others that now that I'm a mom, I will never sleep really well again, because there's always something to worry about.

Two more Dirty challenges for you today. The first is to "embrace the white space" which is very hard to do. The inclination is always to add MORE. This is definitely less, and it has "grown" on me!! :-)


The second challenge was to use vellum. I don't know if you can really tell, but there is a vellum overlay on the dandelion image, which softens the colors. I spent forever getting this bow just right, but I like how it looks!


I doubt I will have time to stamp today, so I'm glad I have a small stockpile of stuff to share with you! :-) You stamp for me, okay? Happy Stamping!



CARD RECIPE #1
Stamps: Tiny Trinity (Unity)
Cardstock: Whisper white, Old Olive, Certainly Celery
Ink: Staz on Black
Accessories: vine ribbon, markers

CARD RECIPE #2
Stamps: Wish (Unity)
Cardstock: Whisper white, Green Galore, gingham paper, vellum
Ink: Green Galore, Yo-yo yellow
Accessories: brads, ribbon, spiral clip

Silhouettes and Stitching

Good morning, friends! 10:30am is a MUCH better time to be awake posting on my blog. I am getting so spoiled having dh home to let me sleep in every other day. Too bad he'll be back in school in a few weeks, and I'll be getting up early every day! Oh well, I'll enjoy the sleep until then. The baby is being super cute right now--just looking at me, saying "da-da-da-da" and showing of his little front teeth. Yesterday he sat at the table (in a booster) with us for Sunday dinner at a friend's house. See? He even ate some mashed potatoes and peas, although I think the puppy got some of those as well.


I have two more Dare to be Dirty challenges to share with you. I got TONS of stamping done yesterday because of these challenges! The first one was silhouette stamping, and I can't believe I didn't add any bling. This has to be the simplest card I've made in a LONG time.



This next one was a stitching challenge, and I must say that I really enjoy using my sewing machine on a card! It makes such a fun look! This one has a fun pop of color on the inside, because I used a double sided printed paper with polka dots on one side and bright orange on the other, as my card base!


Check back again tomorrow, as I still have a stockpile of challenges to share with you! Meanwhile, happy stamping!


CARD RECIPE #1
Stamps: Unity kits: Gratitude=Joy (leaf) and Butterfly Beauty (words)
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Ink: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Accessories: NONE!!!

CARD RECIPE #2
Stamps: Unity Kit: Eco Chic
Cardstock: American Crafts dots, watercolor paper, chocolate chip
Ink: Staz-on Black
Accessories: Watercolor crayons, aquapainter, sewing machine, dimensionals

Soul and Sleep

Good morning. I sure wish I wasn't awake right now, but it is my day to get up with the baby! He is busy getting into all his toy bins, so I'm going to post something quickly and then play with him!

Here is another Splitcoast challenge. This one was to stamp simply: pick a simple layout, some favorite paper, a pretty stamped image, and add ribbon and/or embellishment if we wanted. I wanted. I always want to add embellishment!!


I used an old Heidi Grace striped paper that I've had about 1/2 a sheet left of for several years. I love these colors ! They immediately made me think of my dragonfly stamp, which I then had to make sparkly. I don't know if you can tell, but there are itty bitty rhinestones on each wing! I love the words that are in Unity's Butterfly Beauty kit. "Soul" seemed a simple sentiment, although I don't know what you send a "soul" card for... maybe as a "just because" card?

Baby still isn't sleeping great. We quit the sleep training because he got a bad cold about a week ago, and wasn't even able to sleep in his crib for a couple of nights. He's still not back to 100%, but he's doing much better--just a drippy nose, mainly, and an occasional cough. He won't go to bed without being rocked, and he's up at least twice every night, including his one night feeding, which happens at around 4 or 4:40am. Then he won't go back to sleep without MUCH assistance, and then only until 6 or 6:30, which usually ends up only being an additional hour at the most. Before he was sick, letting him cry when we put him down was SOOOOOO HARD.... but I want sleep! And I want HIM to get sleep!

Well, have a great Sunday, and Happy Stamping!


CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Unity's Butterfly Beauty
Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Heidi Grace stripes
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery
Accessories: dimensionals, eggplant ribbon, tiny gemstones

Cherries and Challenges and a Lion, Oh My!

Good morning on a lovely Saturday, peeps! (I can't resist using that word now and again, since it allows me to think of you as squishy, sugar-covered marshmallow chickies!!! *grin*) I forced myself to squeeze in a bunch of stamping while the baby actually took an hour nap this morning. Since I was following the Dare to Get Dirty challenges from Splitcoast, it was pretty easy to whip a few of them up. Just in case I don't have the time to stamp in the next couple of days, I will just share one of them with you now. That way I'll have some pics for the next few blog posts!!!

This challenge was a sketch challenge, so the placement of the rectangular and oval portions were set for me. I chose the colors, stamps, and ribbon. I had to add the red stickles to the cherries, even though I know cherries aren't really sparkly! The ribbon is velvet, which I'm not sure goes with such a summery image, but I had no other green ribbon! I will have to fix that situation soon.

If you have never used a sketch challenge before, think about trying it! Splitcoast has one every Wednesday, and you can always go back and do any of the old ones. If you are ever having a creative block, sketches really help, because the layout is done for you. Or try a color challenge, and then the colors are picked for you. OR, try BOTH at the same time, and then all you have to do is pick a stamp set to use. You can't get any easier!!

We watched the movie "21" last night, which was based on a book that I've read, and on a true story. Since I was in Boston and at MIT, any movies which include either are of particular fascination to me. BUT I WAS SORELY DISAPPOINTED!!! This movie should have been exciting and interesting, like Good Will Hunting or Rounders, but it was really boring and BAD.

Finally, I'll leave you with an adorable pic of my baby, who has recently learned to walk with his little walking lion. Boy , he can really move now!


Have a fantastic weekend, and Happy Stamping!



CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Mix Up of Cuteness, by Unity
Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, old retired red DSP
Ink: Staz on Black, Glorious Green
Accessories: oval cuter by CM, red stickles, velvet ribbon, dimensionals

Wonderful Wednesday

Good morning, friends! It is a good day, isn't it? My baby is currently bouncing like crazy in his jumperoo while babbling at the top of his lungs, so he must feel better--yahoo! I got some sleep last night. For our anniversary "date" (and I use that term loosely) I talked my dh into watching the movie/musical Annie, which was a childhood favorite of mine, and he had never seen. I STILL love that movie, and could sing along with every song! I remember singing those songs at the top of my lungs in the basement when I was growing up. "Tomorrow" is even one of the songs I sing at bedtime to the baby! AND, I've ALREADY had a chance to stamp today. Baby slept for an hour at naptime, and since dh was sleeping, I decided to do something I haven't done in a LONG time . . . I did Kristina Werner's color challenge!!!!!!! Here is her inspiration piece:


Here is my card, which I LOVE!!!!!


What I've now termed a "Happy Mistake" led to the flower corsage on the dress. I was re-inking my sage shadow pad, which I didn't even end up using, and I somehow got a dab of ink next to the dress. Well, I had already paper pieced it twice, because of another mistake, so I decided to figure out how to "fix" it... hence the flower corsage, which is a fun addition to the dress. That's about the right placement for it, isn't it? I mean, it wouldn't go any lower, because of, well.... :-) I suppose it would probably be a wrist corsage in real life, but that just wouldn't work for this card!

Happy Stamping, friends!


CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Cocktail Party (dress) and Cupcakes a la Yummy ("party") both by Unity, SU! (circle--I forget which set)
Cardstock: Rose Red, Regal Rose, Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Rose Red Designer Paper
Ink: Staz On Black, Regal Rose
Accessories: ribbon, green gemstones (K&Company)

Happy Anniversary, Me!

Hi friends!! Sorry I've been away so long... We've been dealing with a sick baby for several days now, and I've been exhausted and had a permanent attachment (my baby who has not wanted to do anything but be held.) It has been so sad... we feel so helpless watching our little one be so miserable, and we are unable to help him! He's had trouble breathing, and sleeping. He is actually playing today, and taking naps, so I STAMPED!!!


This is one of my favorite color combinations: Pixie Pink and Wild Wasabi. I'm so sad that Wasabi is retiring. I will miss it! I used a blender pen and smooshed ink pad lids to color the tree, which is from Unity's awesome July kit of the month. I love how the word "friends" shows up in the tree over and over. I highlighted those in pink, to make them pop, and I added lots of pink bling too, I think to be either flowers or berries. I'm not sure if you can see them in the picture, but they are in the center of all the three-leaf clusters.

It is also my husband's and my 8th wedding anniversary. Of course, with baby sick, we are not doing anything, but it is still amazing to me that 8 years have gone by already!!!

Hopefully I can stamp again soon, and it the baby will be even better next time! Until then, take care, and happy stamping!



CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Unity June and July kits of the month
Cardstock: Pixie Pink, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Ink: Staz on Black, Pixie Pink, Wild Wasabi, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Wild Wasabi ribbon, oval punches, dimensionals, blender pen, bling

More Yumminess!

Tonight after the baby went to bed, I stamped a couple more things. I guess I'm making up for all that time when I couldn't stamp. I left a HUGE mess in the dining room which I'm just not capable of cleaning tonight. However, I seem to be capable of posting some pics online! I tried Taylor's Cupcake Challenge for the first time ever. How could I not, with these kickin' cupcake stamps from Unity's Cupcakes a la Yummy kit?! (can you believe they are only $7? what a steal!!!) Here it is:


The color combination, strange as it is, was inspired by some polka dot ribbon that I ended up not even using on the card, because I couldn't figure out where to put it! The other things I stamped were my Unity card swaps, so I can't show you. Once the swaps have all been mailed back in August, I will post a picture. I LOVE the card I came up with, and I actually used a color I really don't think I have ever liked or used (Orchid Opulence)--I needed an accent color, and there was a stripe of Orchid in the patterned paper I used! You'll just have to check back in August to see my super cool swap card!

See my teething baby? He likes to suck/bite on his lips--so cute!


Have a great Saturday, and Happy Stamping!


CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Cupcakes a la Yummy (Unity)
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Green Galore, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, unknown striped paper
Ink: Staz On Black, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Ribbons, punches, watercolor wonder crayons, aquapainter, dazzling diamonds

Brain-Fried Friday

At least I *think* it is Friday. I'm so tired, it could be Christmas and I wouldn't even know it! Why I am tired? I think you know that answer. We are *attempting* sleep training with the babe, because I decided I didn't want to rock him for two hours at night, since that was how long it was taking him to fall asleep, even though he was tired. It is and it isn't working. Yesterday he wouldn't nap, and this morning he wouldn't go back to sleep after his 4am bottle, so I've been up since then! I'm trying to survive on only 4 and a half hours of sleep. (Yes, I KNOW I should have gone to bed earlier.)

I DID get a chance to stamp last night and today. I finally got him to nap this morning, and whipped out a few cards. The problem with being exhausted and brain dead while stamping is that I don't feel the creative juices running so well, so I end up copying my own cards. I've kind of been stuck on this same small/tall card layout with striped paper, ribbon, bling and scalloped circle. I think the last 7 or 8 cards I've made have all had this layout. I MUST try something different next time. On the plus side, my Unity order finally arrived last night and I got to play with some new cupcakes! Yum! (btw, shipping from Unity is usually SUPER fast, there was just a mix up with my order.)

Here are my small/tall yummy cards:




Have a great day, and happy stamping!

Yumminess!

Why the sudden obsession everywhere with cupcakes? I know I've got the bug!


Good morning! The baby ate some lovely big wagon wheel cereal pieces this morning, so I was able to get a quick card done times three! I need to remember when I create something that I really like, to make duplicate copies of it, because then I can share the love and still keep one for myself (I don't know why I feel the need to keep one, but I do! It is like I can't bear to part with it or something.) I am still waiting for my Unity new release order (there was some sort of mix-up, and I should have had it ages ago!). It should be here any day now, but meanwhile I decided to use one of my other favorite Unity stamps. One of the reasons I'm so anxious to get my order is that there are a WHOLE BUNCH of cupcakes! Yippee!!

Yesterday my friend Kelly and I went to Hollo's, this WILD paper store in Brunswick, Ohio. It has all these different rooms with CRAZY amounts of paper products. There's a whole room with just envelopes of ALL different sizes and colors... for 2 cents, 5 cents, 8 cents, a piece! Cardstock was $1 a pound, and I got a stack for only $1.92. Plus I got tons of different size blank boxes to stamp on for I don't even know what reason! I just LOVE paper products. Kelly and I spent over an hour and a half there! It is a total assault on your senses, but fantastic! If you live in Ohio, or even Southern Michigan, Hollo's is worth a little field trip! Gather your friends!


CARD RECIPE
Stamps: Unity
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, American Crafts PP
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Ribbon, Bling, dimensionals, punches, dazzling diamonds

Craziness

So I SAID I'd be better about posting, but WOW, being home from vacation is exhausting! Or is it having a baby who crawls that is exhausting? Or maybe a baby who won't go to sleep? Or it could be unpacking and cleaning? Or grocery shopping? I know, maybe it is watching a friend's dog while she's on vacation, and dealing with the fleas the dog has brought inside? Grrr.... I really have NO idea why I haven't had time to stamp or post. :-)

I am currently waiting for the pet supply store to open so I can go buy Frontline for both my friend's dog and my cat. I also have to buy tons of vacuum bags so I can vacuum multiple times a day and trash the flea bags. So, watching my friend's dog to save her money by not boarding the dog, is only going to cost ME $100 or so.... Grrrr!!! I'm so freaked out about having fleas in the house with the baby crawling around. It just gives me the creeps. ooooh...

Hmmm.... stamping. I hope that I will find time to do some either today or tomorrow. Until then, please enjoy this:

I enjoy the tall cards now and then. This was a stamp camp project that a friend of mine designed with Eat Cake. Fun! I always love the pink and brown together!

Look what I found in my fortune cookie! Thank goodness! I needed this fortune today. (hee-hee.)

Happy Fourth of July, Almost!

PLEASE don't quit visiting my blog!!!! I've been on vacation in Michigan with family, so I have been without internet access for awhile.... When I get home I will get back to posting pretty close to daily, I promise! So please don't give up on me! I've missed my "stamping world" SO much while on vacation...even though we are having a great time!

Vacation is good. Family is good. Water is good. Deer--not so good. See picture below.

This is what happens on a Michigan road when a deer jumps on top of your car. Thank goodness dh was driving, and kept a cool head. I was just drifting off to sleep since the baby was napping, and all I heard was dh saying some choice words (not even yelling them) and a big *CRUNCH* and I opened my eyes and the car looked like this. Baby slept through it all! The car was still able to be driven, so we finished our trip. Now we are driving a rental car for the remainder of our vacation, for the oh-so-affordable and totally unexpected cost of a $500 deductible!!! In case you were wondering, the damage shown above only costs $2800 to fix!!! I'm not even sure our 1997 Accord is worth that much! :-( Ah, life throws such unexpected things (like deer) at you, doesn't it!!!???? Thank goodness I've finally learned to roll with the punches, or crunches, as the case may be!

I'm unable to stamp while on vacation, other than I did finish up some change of address cards for a dear friend of mine. If you or anyone you know needs something like this, let me know! I had fun making them!


On the baby front, he is CRAWLING! Oh boy, it is fun to watch! But we have some serious baby-proofing to do when we get home.

Have a great day, and happy stamping!