Two Tree cards

This month I have a few male birthdays that I needed to make cards for. I struggle designing cards for men, but the new set from PTI: Through the trees is perfect for this! There are three large tree images that allow for a full range of techniques. These cards are very simple, with a clean design layout. I stamped the tree trunk with Colorbox chalk ink in dark brown, then using the "kissing" technique removed some of the ink with the Hero Arts woodgrain stamp. I think having the grain show up on the trunk gives it a more rustic look. The leaves are stamped using Distresses Ink in Shabby Shutter. Don't forget to check out
http://www.nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/ from now until Feb 15th, they are celebrating their 3rd anniversary,  lot's of fun stuff going on there. !

Have to share a sweet picture of my baby, he turned 2 in Dec., and he is getting so big. Every day he says or does something new, it is fascinating to see him learn new things. He is finally starting to put two words together, something his speech therapist and I have been working with him on.  He has been late doing almost everything, not crawling until almost 12 months, did not walk until he was 20 months, and said very little until recently. We went through the CDSA Child developement service association where he was tested and received physical therapy until October, and is still receiving speech therapy. What we have determined is there doesn't seem to be any disability it is totally about his WILL!  He now runs, jumps and climbs, you would never know it took him longer than most. He has the cutest way to say things like puppies, and grapes, I love it. He also walks around with his finger to his lip going "hmm", and puts his hands up in the gesture of where is it when he is looking for something. The best thing we ever did with both of our boys was to teach them baby sign language. It make a huge difference with Owen when he was little, but with Wyatt it has been crucial in communicating with him.  I recommend it to everyone with little ones!

Mojo Monday 123

It's been awhile since I participated in the weekly challeges at  http://www.mojomonday.blogspot.com/. They are a great source of inspiration. I find that I get stuck in a rut with the same card layouts. These sketches challenge me to think differently. I really enjoyed the circle card challenge although I did not stick to the sketch entirely.  Art is ones own interpretation, and I just could not find any type of embellishement that did not take away from the entire design.  I used Memory box pattern paper in Rubard Tart, and the stamp is from Memory box as well. The image is colored with markers directly on the stamp and then stamped on the paper.

We had some nasty cold weather here, our front deck is still covered with ice. Chris and Owen spent the day cutting tree's out of our ditch. While Wyatt napped I started on a set of quilted placemats, I needed something to practice my free motion quilting. I would like to do the quilt I am working on that way, and am not really good at it yet.

Two Rose cards and my swamp logger

Today I have two cards to share. I am so excited that I finally have been able to keep up with my blog. Using my blackberry to axcess the internet has worked out quite well so far! As long as I stay within my limit, all will be good. I am quite a blog surfer though, so many wonderful blogs out there! I could spend all day looking at them!

The two cards I have today are the cling set two birds CG152 from hero arts. I had not had a chance to play with it until today. The first card is stamped and colored with copics then painted with the distressed crackle paint in rock candy. I attached it to chocolate embossed cardstock and then mounted it on pink paper. I tried adding ribbon, and a few other things but i felt it just didn't work. I kept it simple and clean instead.

The second card is also stamped and colored with copics BG11,15 & 17, my favorite copic colors. Then I used sponged Old paper distressed ink to give it a vintage look. I am loving this color combo of teal and chocolate. I was totally inspired by a Kohls add for a bed set with the same colors. I don't need a new bed set, but I am tempted, may end up getting the shower curtain in this color though! I also added a picture of the mess I have created after my cards are done! Owen walked over and said "boy Mom, this is really messy" I wish I could be more organized as I go, instead of having to clean up each time to start again! You would not know it but I have at least a 10' counter and I believe every inch is occupied!

Stamp: Hero arts: CG152 , CG119& CL371

Paper: PTI, Bazzill

Yesterday was a beautiful day here and as soon as I picked up Owen from school he was itching to play outside. He is really into the show Swamp Loggers, which has a company that is based here in NC. We were watching the other night and heard them talking about highway 421 and working in Leland which is very close to us. Owen now checks every logging truck to see if it is them! He has created his own logging site in one of our very full ditches and uses Chris's grabbers to remove the branches and a wagon to haul them. Wyatt would go back and forth from my office to color and to check on Owen's progress. Wyatt is perfectly happy with a crayon in hand and some paper, while Owen is my busy child! It is so neat to see each of their personalities develop as they grow.

Also exciting news (at least to me) we finally found our part to the dishwasher! With no help from Sears, we called the manufacturer Whirlpool who did a seach and found the one hardware store in our area that carried the "special part". The owner laughed when we told him the trouble, and said he keeps them on hand for this specific dishwasher! It works beautifully, so exciting, no more dishes to handwash! Life is good!

Just a quick card for today, digi-baby only took a short nap this afternoon. I stamped the flower with Ranger Shell pink pigment ink on pink paper, then cut out. Then I embossed another piece and cut out using a spellbinders flower die. A button was added with twine. I love this background paper, I only bought one piece, now wish I had more. The starburst, starburst lace and La Lettre were stamped with the same pink ink. It looks much better in person than on the photo.

On a side note, we are still without a dishwasher! Yes, it was delivered but now we need a specific hose fitting (not included of course), the local hardware stores do not know or have what we need. We called Sears to order and it is back ordered until at least Feb 11! Needless to say if I wanted to wait 3 plus weeks for a dishwasher I would not have bought one already! Emails and calls have not fixed the situation as of yet, and if it is not corrected we are taking it back! We are so frustrated and really can't believe they sell something without the parts readily available. It is a shame things are so difficult sometime!

Fern card

I love this fern stamp from Hero Arts new catalog! Of course I love most of their stamps! I stamped the script with shabby shutter distressed ink, then overstamped the fern with peeled paint distressed ink.I die cut with a spellbinders label, then used the distressed crackle paint in rock candy, (love this stuff) to paint over the image. Once it dried I mounted it on pine colored cardstock. I randomly stamped the fern flourish with peeled paint distressed ink on kraft cardstock. The butterflies are stamped with black memento ink and colored with copic markers YR12, 15 & 16. I am pleased with how this came out.

Stamps: Hero Arts: CL 383, CL371, K5344, K5314

Paper: PTI, Bazzill

Button: PTI

We got our new dishwasher delivered today! Hopefully hubby will be home in time to hook it up tonight! I am looking forward to not having to wash dishes! I also finished piecing the quilt, now have to go get batting to quilt and some coordinating fabric for the binding. Hoping to have a free few hours without the kids to run those errands sometime this week. I love looking at fabric, and the boys not so much!

Valentine Puppy

I have grand ideas to make Owen's valentines for school, like last year, just not sure if it will happen! I played with my new set from PTI: Tiny Treats. There are so many cute images, that are very versatile I have lot's of ideas. I used my new Martha Stewart punch, which I love. I have held back from purchasing many of her punches, but I love all the cards people make with them. There are quite a few on my wish list, along with all the new things debuting at CHA! I can't wait till they start hitting the stores! Although quite a few things I am interested in have ship dates in April! It seems like a long time away, but it will be here before I know it!

If time could just slow down, it seems I am always busy and don't have much time to enjoy the everyday things. My boys are getting so big, Owen will be 7 on Feb. 16th, I wish I could keep them little, they are so much fun. Wyatt is just getting old enough to play really well with Owen. Although my house has turned into a racetrack, I love hearing them laugh and play together. I am not saying we don't have our share of crying and screaming too, but they are both pretty sweet together.

Baby card

Rain, rain go away.... At this very moments, we are surrounded by a moat, our ditches are unable to keep up with all the rain. Funny how last year we were wishing for rain and now we have way too much!

Today is day 7 of not having a dishwasher, I despise washing dishes! Friday we picked up our new dishwasher from Sears, brought it home, started to install it only to find the door broken and dented! Nice! After an hour of arguing on the phone with Sears, who wanted us to bring the dishwasher back to return it, we were told to call the next day. Apparently their systems would not allow them to reorder the dishwasher on the same day it was picked-up. The next day I spent another hour arguing since the woman we spoke to did not note our account to the agreement we made. Now as it stands, I may have a dishwasher sometime Wed., dropped off at out house. I don't know, I wish companies would have better customer service it should not be that hard!

Anyway I made a simple card yesterday, just to get something done with my new stamps from PTI. This one is from the button bits baby, I love the snail it is so cute. There are so many cute images in this set, I hope to have time this week to make some more for my stash!

Stamps & Paper: PTI