Expecting Gavin

Hello everyone!  Boy, have I been an absent blogger!

Truth is, I've been planning a baby shower for the past two months!  We picked a date the first of March, then we visited three (yes, 3!) baby retailers to set up the registries.  My dear daughter, April, wanted to decorate the nursery with a jungle theme.  Well...that's all I needed to know and then...

...I was off and running.

First, I set about making the invitations. 

Technically (from the old school of etiquette), the Grandma does not host the shower, but I just couldn't resist jumping in and sprinkling a little bit of Judy all of the details!  Afterall, Oprah says, "Love is in the details."  Making the invitation got my head a-spinning!  And this one thing lead to another and another...

I happen to think a shower isn't complete without a couple of dorky games (even though the younger girls hate them).

Of course, games need prizes:

We need take-away party favors with a matching sign:



What's inside?
Why animal crackers of course!

April's shower was rather large.  Did I mention we had 40 RSVP's?  Forty?  OMG!

Oh, and what about a sign-in poster?  Could that be made a bit more permanently to hang in the nursery?

Maybe Gavin should have some custom nursery decor (thank you Pinterest!).  And, it could pull double-duty as the shower decor and after it can adorn the nursery. Genius.

Gosh, shouldn't the water bottles match?

Can you make some signs for the Mimosa bar?  Sure.

Wouldn't it be great if we could design cards for the guests to fill out to give Gavin a little love, good wishes, and life's blessings?  Wouldn't it be great if they were sized 4" x 6" to slide perfectly into Gavin's ready-and-waiting Project Life First Year Scrapbook?

 

Do you think we need directional signs?

I think the new momma to be should also have a cute corsage:

I'm exhausted after the big event, but so happy to have helped give April a baby shower she'll never forget.  I'll be back with some "people" pictures!

P.S.  I'm tagging this post in the scrapbooking category. Why? Because if I weren't a scrapbooker, none of this would have been possible!

Sketch Winner (Repeat)!

Wa hoo!  My second time at designing scrapbook layouts has produced another winning entry at Let's Scrap.  You can read the official results here.

I find that I really do enjoy this side of scrapbooking.  I'm kind of a linear, straight, and balanced scrapbooker, hence that is what you will see in my designs.   

I'm not exactly sure which layout was the "winner" as I had entered three in the contest.  As soon as I know which one and when it will be featured, you'll hear it here.  I promise.  Of course, you'll also get to see the losers...

3-27-13 Sketch

Yes, I have another sketch over at Let's Scrap!  This is the last of the "non-winning" sketches from the design contest held last Fall.  I submitted three new sketches for the February contest, and am anxiously awaiting results.

This nine-photo sketch was designed for the very popular instagram photos that print square.  Due to it's grid-shaped design, this sketch could easily be adapted to hold an additional seven photos.  All of the square shapes are merely "holders" for any other object, be it a piece of patterned paper, more journaling space or room for lots more embellishments.

Here is my take on the sketch and it mimics the sketch exactly.

 

Happy Easter
2012

Noteworthy techniques:

• I used one of my very favorite Power Palettes from Creative Memories.  I absolutely love the bright happy colors!
• I'm sure everyone has run out of an alphabet letter a time or two.  I needed two E's for my title and only had one left.  I simply cut the letter outline from the packaging (still with the adhesive backside) and mounted it on a scrap of the matching green paper.  Then I cut around the entire shape leaving a white border.  
• I really loved the distressed edging of the paper and wanted it to be the background for the entire layout so I eliminated the extra layer of cardstock under the photos.
• The paper flowers all have a pop dot under each of them to give added dimension.
• The beautiful embossed tags come exactly as shown with layered textures and embossed flowers.
• The subtitle banner was made using a banner punch from paper scraps.

Take a closer look:

Products I used:

• Patterned Paper, embellished tags, stickers, journal box, and paper flowers:  Creative Memories "Simply Beautiful" Power Palette
• Pop Dots:  Creative Memories
• Alphas:  Creative Memories Swirly Monograms and mini Swirly ABC's
• Hologram Flower Centers:  Sticko
• Dot border: Doodlebug Paper Frills Cupcake

I hope you find something here that inspires your next layout.  Oh, and if you have not tried microwave "Peep S'mores" ...

 

what are you waiting for??????????  They are delish!

 

I wish you and your family a very blessed Easter Sunday.

Card Swap

It is merely a COINCIDENCE that last month's card swap was for baby cards!  I swear.  But, I am so thankful that it was.  I'm all set.

For my "Oh Baby, Baby" cards, I really wanted to create a onesie with punches, but time got away from me; and oh yes, I have a new Silhouette Cameo machine that works wonders!  So, I downloaded and cut this shape from the Silhouette store.  I was able to cut two cards at a time (love the new 12" x 12" cutting format!) and came up with these:

I needed 12 cards (yes...a BIG swap) and decided to give the gals a choice, so four were for a girl, four were for a boy, and four were gender neutral. I loved them all, but truly the boy cards and the striped/green cards were the best because the printed cardstock had a white backside (which becomes the inside of the card after folding).   

The "baby" was cut separately.  I love that I can cut 8 at a time with the Cameo!

Here they are fully assembled...ta da!

The "Oh Baby" is from a new Stampin' Up set and it was stamped onto white cardstock and punched with a 1" circle punch and adhered to the card front with pop dots.  The faux stitching was painstakingly added with matching markers (all paper, ink, and markers are also from Stampin' Up).

What did I get in return you ask?  Feast your eyes on these:

Aren't they cute? 

It's a Boy!

I'm not sure I really wanted to know.  I am one of the few remaining women on the planet that thinks one shouldn't ruin one of life's true remaining surprises, but it wasn't my choice to make.  So, at exactly twenty-one weeks, we took a peek at our little peanut...and we were all elated to find out that our new grandbaby is a boy!

Well, if you haven't realized by now, I'm a photo opportunist!  Couldn't let this one getaway.  Uh uh.

April and Beau were very patient, non-confrontational willing photo subjects!  I had prepared my home makeshift photo studio and purchased several props.

I ended up with 82 photos!  Yup.  Eighty-two!!  Ya see, I need lots and lots of crappy shots to get a few good ones.

After the shoot, most of the photos got some editing and some extra ooomph using Photoshop. (That program sure helps disguise an amateur photographer!)  These are the half-way decent photos:

 

 

This photo was the happy couple's favorite:

I was tickled pink blue with the photos!  Here's my favorite:

Good lord, that was so fun!  I'm making a list of the must-get "Anne Geddes" style photos for Gavin's arrival...

 

Oh, and I may or may not have bought a few things.

Happy LOVE Day!

Okay.  I admit it...I am a sucker for Valentine's Day!  Always have been...always will be.

As a kid, I loved the tradition of choosing a Valentine card for each of my classmates (boys included).  I loved decorating the shoebox to hold the tiny treasures.  I loved bringing home my box of childhood innocence and friendship.

My mom used to give us our own box of chocolate covered cherries each year.  Loved 'em (the kind with the liquid centers of course).  She also gave each of us a wrapped Valentine gift.  It was usually something red.  My mom.  Gosh, I still miss her so much.

Some of mom's traditions stay with me through today.  Because of the way I was raised, I still give Valentine's gifts. Everybody gets a little something...a small gift from mom, a card and the family tradition of a box of chocolate covered cherries (if I am lucky enough to find them).  This year, I found only one.  We'll have to split them up!

Since I started scrapbook and card design so many years ago, my Valentine's cards have become homemade. I no longer support the local Hallmark store.  (Well, that's not exactly true.  I do still love the Keepsake ornaments at Christmas.)

I thought I would share the cards I made this year.  I cannot take credit for the design (thank you Pinterest). However, I did design the word shape/cutouts using the Silhouette Design Studio, and my beloved Cameo cut each card.  I chose to weed out the centers of some of the letters so the handpicked Valentine paper would show throught the images a bit more.  The paper is cut 5" x 7" and is adhered to the entire inside left of the card.  I added a few Valentine stickers for a little pizzazz.  Super easy.

No, I did not do the math.  I used an online age calculator!

I delight in the fact that they are each unique and so personal to the recipient.  Can't wait to give them.


For April

For Eric

For Bill

May your Valentine’s Day be filled with
love, understanding, and contentment
as you journey through life with those you hold dear.

 

Been a Little Busy!

Boy...I have been absent here on the 'ole blog...just about 2 1/2 weeks since my last post! 

Life has been

busy

&

wonderful!

We've had our first wedding! Bill's oldest son, Billy, married Brittany on January 25.  The rehearsal dinner and  wedding/reception, coupled with out-of-town visitors kept us busy the entire weekend!  The wedding was very small, but beautiful.  So small, in fact, Bill was the officiant!  Seems that anyone can marry anyone in the State of Colorado (one of the very few states with very lenient laws these days!). Yes, it was a bit weird, but very touching.

Meet our new daughter-in-law, Brittany:

 

It was a beautiful wedding and the kids are still honeymooning!