Thinking of You Flybaby challenge

Today I’m participating in a challenge with some fellow flybabies.  In this new year, we wanted to encourage ourselves to craft and blog more!  January’s challenge was anything to do with the “Thinking of you” theme.  A month, yep, that’s how long we’ve had to work on this…and guess when I got mine done??  Yesterday afternoon LOL!  I’ve been so busy making Valentine’s…which I know will surely count for a “thinking of you” card when they receive it!

Here is my card using this week’s sketch challenge over at SCS. A fun one indeed, and even more fun to break into a new stash of Doodlebug cards, embellishments and envelopes I’ve had sitting off to the side of my craft table in my newbie stash!  The last time I was at Archiver’s, I had a hard time picking out just a few from the huge display of fun colors!!  These products have been the base of Stacy Julian’s Happy Mail challenge.  See her blog for tons of beautiful inspiration!!

I added a sentiment from PTI and some ribbon from SU. A  few pink gemstones.  Blushing Bride pink and Lucky Limeade green SU card stock cut with a PTI banner die.  And DP from a 6×6 paper pack, Lime Twist “Life of the Party”.  The card base (a fun folder shape…they have so many neat card base designs!) and gum-ball machine embellishment are Doodlebug.

Thanks for stopping by!

Now I’ve got to make some sympathy cards.  I gasped when I read the local obituaries in our newspaper last evening.  A man in our little town died, and while we don’t know the family real well, we do “know” them…small town, just a jolly fellow who in the winter could oft be seen plowing out the ends of driveways during the winter with his ATV w/a plow hooked up to it, his wife worked at the university DH works at so he “knows” her.  That sort of knowing.  So.  On to those kinds of thinking of you cards….

WOYWW #191

Linking up with WOYWW#191!  Welcome!

Time for another peek at the the work table status!

I’m DONE with Valentines!!  Done!   The massive stash of Valentine goodies had even been cleaned up and what’s left is a 6×6 pad of paper for DD2 to make her Valentines!  What else is in that pile over there??  Some new stamps that haven’t been used yet, some new Copic paper that I’ve never tried.  So a stash of new stuff that I don’t want to put away for fear of never using it!!

Next, I’ve been steadily progressing with my 2012 Project Life albums.  2 out of 4 are completely done and as you can see, this third was is just about done too!!

And I’ve been keeping up with my digital 2013 PL work.  My printed pages are on their way to me!  And I ordered the Seafoam paper and dividers and some 8x5X11″ page protectors.  Becky’s are so clear and nice.  I have used just regular office supply 8x5x11″ page protectors, but they just don’t have the quality as hers do.

This little stash of goodness is waiting to be put away.  Under my paper cutting table, I have several totes full of crafty goodness.  Two of them are full of supplies for soap making.  This last weekend, I made some belly butter for my ever expanding pregnant belly!!  Below is the avocado oil and some of my own hand-picked lavender that I used in the belly butter. I used a recipe from this awesome book, Organic Body Care Recipes.

 

And up next for me is some work on my EQ for Stacy Julian’s Finding Photo Freedom class starting soon!  See those two drawers open in the background…that’s the scrapbooking work I need to accomplish before June…I hope!  Or at the very least one drawer…which is DD1’s school ephemera.  She graduates from 8th grade this year and  I would love to have her school scrapbook up-to-date!  This and completing Project Life 2012 and some 2012 Shutterfly year-in-review books for each girl are the biggest part of my EQ listing right now.  All to be done by June you see!

And a little closer photo of those drawers, just full of memories and stories waiting to be recorded!

So there you have it!  Works in progress around here.

And a peek out my window…it’s a SNOW DAY today!  About 4-6″ today!

 

I Loo-ve you!

A sweet cow valentine for my DD2 who loves her Kohl’s cow.  He is well loved…

Remember the $1 Michael’s stamp rage??  This cow is from that era! I had to dig into my daughter’s stamp stash where all my oldie, but goodies go!  I participated in the CAS Monday challenge of CASEing a card from mamaxsix.  I chose this card, New Old Party to CASE for my Valentine.

And here is DD2’s well loved Kohl’s cow…poor little guy is so limp from being loved so well.  I think her cow will be about 7 years old this May!

 

Here’s what it used to look like!!

And her other cows.  A Pillow Pet and a lavender smelling (!!!) microwavable cow pal for comfort,

Sweetness!  And no, we don’t even live on a farm!  She got her cow for her third birthday present from an auntie with the Click, Clack, Moo book and has loved them ever since!!

Project Life Week 4

I ended up not having a lot of photos on my camera this week, so I was thankful for my fun Instagram pics!  It’s such a fun, easy way to capture and share life!  And so easy to insert them into my digi PL pages.

 

I will also be adding some printed recipes that we tried this week.

Flatlander Chili

Onion Rice

Along with a chocolate cake and frosting recipe I typed up in Word from one of my cookbooks.

Then I printed off some pictures from Obama’s inauguration on Monday!  Bits of history to add in!!

I’m busy spending some 15-20 minute sessions getting caught up on my 2012 PL albums (2 out of 4 albums are DONE!  The others have a lot of stuff done, but need journal cards and/or photos put in…see photo below!).  I listened to a Paperclipping Roundtable during my treadmill workouts last week.  Last week’s episode is all about PL and how it should not be a guilt-producing hobby!  Mine isn’t, I’m enjoying even if I am behind…but working on the paper version has only helped me to be thankful I’m doing digital this year!  So, so much easier and more efficient.  Here’s what my little to-do list looks like for PL 2012,

I’ve ordered my first 2013 digital pages from Scrapping Simply, so I’ll be anxious to see how them come out.  My binder, Sea Foam dividers and some ephemera are waiting anxiously to be put together with the new pages.

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I am linking up with The Mom Creative Project Life Tuesday.

Links to frequently used elements on my pages.  I will try and list the specific links to a post in red and the rest just leave in black for general purpose!  I don’t want this to be too labor intensive every week, but I do want to give credit where it’s due for sure!!

Project Life Seafoam Edition

Becky Higgins Project Life Templates

Ali Edwards Days & Months Hand Drawn Brushes

Traveling Typewriter Font freebie

Lobster Font freebie

Cathy Zielski Week in Review cards No 1

Awesome freebies from Jessica Sprague Digital Project Life class

Persnickety Prints StoryTeller Freebies

September Blue Weekly Circle Titles Freebie

Pixels and Company Twenty13 calendar cards

Cathy Zielski Instagram Template card freebie

Echo Park Birthday Girl Mini

Echo Park Hello Summer Full Edition

Smiling Colors Blog Project Life Freebies

Wishy Washy-feedsack

Currently…

I love Bet’s posts and I should rename mine “Happiness” too.  She always has such a joyful outlook on life, and I so need to remember this when baby comes.  And even now, with baby within me.  I’ve been so moody of late.  Not liking that at all.  Especially when I start feeling like this baby is going to change. so. much. in our lives. And then DD1 reminds me that God sees we need change and that is why Baby Twinks has come to us.  Umm, yea. Whew, deep for a 13, almost 14 yr. old.  Oh my!!!

So….CURRENTLY…

I’m enjoying hot bowls of chili.  So tasty.

I’m not enjoying spaghetti.  It. does. not. stay. down. ??  Too bad, b/c it’s such a quick, easy meal…

Enjoying Coke.  (and pizza and Cheetos…)  After I eat these things, I feel really good.  Like really good.  Energy abounds.  Am I about to have a child that will only eat hotdogs and chips or something?  Eeep.

It’s sunny.  I still really like sunny days and still really dislike cloudy days.

Mostly feel good.  A few days of ick still thrown in for good measure I guess.

Reserving a bunch of books on pregnancy and childbirth.  I find myself being a bit apprehensive with the thought of l&d this time around.  I’ve had two wonderful experiences, so  I really don’t expect this one to be any different.  I’m working on prepping my mind and body already for it.  I feel a bit more introverted as I do prepare…  DH is an awesome coach.  I know everything will be fine.  My body knows what to, I just have to relax, breathe and let it do it’s beautiful work.

I’m reading up on breastfeeding again.  Really looking forward to this blessing again.  It’s a wonderful part of motherhood.  I find myself daydreaming about it a lot lately.

I’m sleeping good still.  And resting during the day.  Feeling lots of baby kicks.  The girls and DH all felt a few kicks this weekend too!  DD1 said it gave her major “baby-itis”.  Yea, you and me both girl!  🙂

I daydream a lot.  Of giving birth, of our first glimpse, of that first cuddle, of the first feeding session, of my kids coming in to meet the baby, of the euphoric feeling after giving birth.  You get the idea…

wondering how much company we’ll have this weekend.  Could be just my BIL, but could also be two more for the weekend+.  I’m ready, just wondering!

Valentine’s Send Out

Good morning!  I’m up and running a little later today.  We had a 2-hr delay which allowed for some delightful sleeping in. I  didn’t even wake up gross feeling and starving hungry which was a rare treat!

Last evening, I sat beside the fire, addressing my Valentine cards.  I love that they are all ready, waiting for the new postage stamp coming the beginning of February!  I think I have two more cards I want to make.  Then it’s time to get to work on the gifty things I bought for my kids and husband. Think cute Target $ spot mailboxes, filled to overflowing with some fun goodies!  Found some little bottles of baby lotion…the kids have been dying for me to buy baby stuff…especially the scented stuff that smells like BABY!!  I won’t be using much of that stuff…never did, but it does smell nice.  So they’ll each get one tucked way back inside their mailboxes!

A few fun Pinterest ideas I have stuff for…

“I CEREALsly love you!”

“You make my heart POP!”

And I’ll be decorating my mailboxes simply, similar to this mailbox…but not filled with those goodies for sure!  This Valentine’s will very likely not be filled with my usual baked Valentine goodies and fun dinner ideas.  Plus my dad has a doctor appointment on that day.  I’m excited to share my baby news with the NP he sees.  We have kids similar in age and always enjoy catching up on what the family news.  She’s a wonderful NP, we love her!  She’ll be shocked at my news I’m sure!!

Have a wonderful day!  Thanks for stopping by!  We had a icy, rainy weekend and now we’re headed for rain/thunder tomorrow with temps in the high 50s, low 60s!  So much for the school ski trip tomorrow…that will most likely be cancelled and rescheduled.

Penguin Love

For my oldest daughter who loves penguins!!  The sketch challenge over at SCS this week was just what I needed to get her card done!  And to use this set for the very first time.  Oy!  Been in my stash for a l-o-n-g time!  You might know how that goes!!  Once again, a treadmill workout leaves me refreshed and energized to head to my craft corner next.  I’m battling pregnancy sickness again this week, but trying to keep it in the background and get a few things done.  Ugh, ugh, ugh!  20 weeks today!!  1/2 way there and in 5 months I can safely say (I would think…) that this will all be a thing of the past and I will have a beautiful baby in my arms instead.  YES please!

I’ve got a few more Valentine’s to make, yes, yes, yes!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Project Life Inspired “Love You” card

Since I have a lot of paper left over from the Cobalt Edition of Project Life (I bought a few stacks of all the paper collections when Becky put them all on sale at some point last year!!  Fun!), I was inspired to make a Valentine’s card with some of the heart themed papers!!  While walking on the treadmill…that’s where a lot of my thinking and inspiration comes from after all…I was inspired by the color combo of the  heart filler 3×4 card below and the CAS sketch challenge over at SCS this week.  Perfect use for some cute little heart buttons I found at Target by American Crafts.  The white layer with hearts and “Love You” (sentiment from an old SU set) is a leftover 3×4 journal card from the Cobalt Edition.  And the green layer is a 4×6 textured piece of card stock, also from the Cobalt Edition.  (link is to the 3×4 cards b/c they must be out of the 4×6 size)

Color inspiration from one of the 3×4 filler cards in the Cobalt Edition,

Again, thanks for stopping by!  Special shout-out to Janeen, you are my top commenter LOL!  Hugs!!

And now I’m wanting to dig into some future scrapbook projects, first working on my EQ Statement (Enough Quotient) for Stacy Julian’s Finding Photo Freedom class that I’m taking for a 2nd time!  This should help me set some realistic goals.  Although, not having a baby in the house for 9 years, I’m a little fearful that I’ve forgotten the reality of all that…but I’m trying hard to keep my ideas and hopes and dreams as realistic as I can!  I’m hoping I can get a little further in the beauty of Stacy’s liberating scrapbooking process!  Stay tuned…

CAS Sweetheart Snowman

I was inspired to play along with this week’s CASology challenge.  “DRINK” is the theme and I instantly thought of this lonely snowman stamp in my stash!!  I’ve had him for awhile and maybe only used him once.  Sad!  When I went to work on this card, I set out to use bright colors, such as turquoise and red.  But after flipping through my 6×6 Valentine paper pad, I fell in love with the soft pink and white polka dot paper.  And that brought about a whole different, much softer color scheme of course.

Thanks for stopping by!  It’s been a busy day here today, with two other posts published also!!

WOYWW #190

I’m back with another WOYWW!  Not a whole lot changed, some areas are cleaner than last week though!

This is my second blog post today!  My first post was about my OLW, choose.   And I have a card challenge to enter, so you might see a third post today!!

Area #1, Project Life station.  I made great strides over the weekend on my 2012 albums.  Now what’s left is mainly computer work, photos and writing/printing journal cards.  So I left this area all picked up for when I return with photos and journal cards in hand to complete the albums!

Paper cutting area!  Just a few remains of my Project Life work on Saturday!

And my main work area!  Valentine creations are in full gear!  And a card I just made for this week’s CASology challenge.  Note the “keep calm and stay organized” picture on my tool caddie!!  LOL!  Not so organized, but I’m calm, no worries!  And as we’ve mentioned in another series of “WOYWW”, the method you see below is “organized crafting”.  It’s all good!

Have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by!  We are getting a steady snowfall today!  Beautiful!!  Temps have warmed up from below zero to about 11* with a wind chill of 1*!!!  Heat wave!!