Mother's Little Helper

For Rachel

First off, I want to thank all of you who took the time to comment on the video of Carter walking.  Each one felt like a warm, congratulatory hug and many of them brought tears to my eyes.  You made me all verklempt! I feel so fortunate to have such wonderfully supportive cyber friends. 

There are so many people who have contributed to help making Carter a proud pedestrian, but I'd have to say that a big ol' piece of the credit pie belongs to Carter's primary physical therapist (and my dear, dear friend), Rachel.  You've heard me mention her before -- she's come to stay with Carter and me each time we've taken our act on the road, whether to EuroPeds in Michigan, getting botox treatments in Kansas City, or as Carter was recovering from surgery in St. Louis at this time last year.  When you consider the fact that Rachel has worked with him for several hours a week since he was an infant, she has spent more time with Carter than any single person aside from Sean and myself.  We are so incredibly lucky to have such a devoted friend and caregiver.  When I count my blessings, she ranks right up there near the tippy-top.

After several years of trying, Rachel and her hubby are expecting their first baby -- a little girl to be named Abigail (in honor of Abigail Adams -- again, I ask you: is this a gal after my own heart or what?!  I swear, we could have been separated at birth but for the pesky fact that I'm a decade or so older than her...).  Yesterday was Rachel's baby shower.  I had volunteered to make the invitations, but Rachel said she'd prefer me to focus my energies on making something for Abigail's nursery.

Little did she know I already had something special in mind!  When I first saw the amazing Becca Feeken's 'Sesame Street' submission to last March's Dirty Dozen Gallery (you can see it here if you're an SCS Fan Club member), I fell head over heels in love.  The general idea, and those precious sentiments...

So, I ordered the Children Are set from Stamp Camp and bided my time until the right pregnant person combined with the right inspiration came along.  When Rachel gave me a piece of her main nursery fabric, I knew we had a winner.  Check it out -- not your traditional pink for Miss Abigail!  The photograph doesn't really do it justice; the background is actually a warm, chocolatey brown, not the black-ish color it appears in my pic.

Anyhoodle, here's what I came up with, using Becca's general idea, Rachel's fabric inspiration, and a few little tweaks of my own...

I based the color scheme on the main colors in the fabric and the knowledge that her furniture was white and the walls have been painted saffron.  I decided to keep it simple -- even leaving the buttery canvas background that came with the frame as is -- so that the sweet sentiments wouldn't have to fight for the spotlight.  I used PaperTrey Ink's Simple Alphabet for the letters on each sentiment blossom, and PTI's Fresh Alphabet to spell out Abigail's name at the bottom.  The sentiment panels were cut using a Spellbinder Nestabilities Blossom die, and each were backed by an SU! Scallop Circle punch.  All were mounted using plenty of Jody's Foam Boosters.  The display box is from Michael's.

And just to show you how much I love you dear readers, I'm going to type out the sentiments so you can see for yourselves exactly why I find them so charming.  But if I'm going to go to all of this effort, you've got to promise me one thing: let me know if they make you tear up as you read 'em.  I want to know that I'm not alone in my sappiness...

A: Children are Amazing.  Acknowledge them.

B: Children are Believable. Trust them.

C: Children are Childlike.  Allow them.

D: Children are Divine.  Honor them.

E:  Children are Energetic.  Nourish them.

F:  Children are Fallible.  Embrace them.

G: Children are Gifts.  Treasure them.

H:  Children are Here Now.  Be with them.

I:  Children are Innocent.  Delight with them.

J:  Children are Joyful.  Appreciate them.

K:  Children are Kindhearted.  Learn from them.

L:  Children are Lovable.  Cherish them.

M:  Children are Magical.  Fly with them.

N:  Children are Noble.  Esteem them.

O:  Children are Open Minded.  Respect them.

P:  Children are Precious.  Value them.

Q:  Children are Questioners.  Encourage them.

R:  Children are Resourceful.  Support them.

S:  Children are Spontaneous.  Enjoy them.

T:  Children are Talented.  Believe in them.

U:  Children are Unique.  Affirm them.

V:  Children are Vulnerable.  Protect them.

W:  Children are Whole.  Recognize them.

X:  Children are Xtra-Special.  Celebrate them.

Y:  Children are Yearning.  Notice them.

Z:  Children are Zany.  Laugh with them.

Now tell me those don't make you want to snuggle with your kiddos and whisper that they're the best things that ever happened to you.  You can't, can you?!  Marshmallows, unite!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Children Are by Stamp Camp; Simple Alphabet and Fresh Alphabet from PaperTrey Ink

Paper: So Saffron (SU!), Suede Brown Dark (Prism), Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Pure Poppy (PTI)Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Color Box Pigment Brush Pad in Cranberry

Accessories: Display box from Michaels, Blossom Nestabilities by Spellbinders, SU! Scallop Circle punch, Jody Morrow's Foam Boosters, circle punches

Words Fail Me...

Some of you may have seen this already on my Facebook page, but if you haven't, I'd be ever so pleased if you would take a second to check out the following video:

Hours of physical therapy: Countless

$$$ spent on surgeries, medical evaluations and specialists, therapeutic treatments, equipment, travel expenses, etc: More than I want to know

Years spent praying, wishing, hoping, worrying and wondering if this day would ever come: 4.5

Seeing the look of pride on Carter's face at the end of that video: PRICELESS

Congratulations, Mr. President

Where Am I Going, Where Have I Been?*

Hello, friends.  It's been a while, hasn't it?  Are you wondering why I left you high and dry for over a month?  Well, it's kind of a long story, but I'll see if I can whittle it down into something readable.

To start at the very beginning (which, according to Maria Von Trapp, is a very good place to start), I woke up one morning in late August and decided I didn't feel like stamping.  Actually, that feeling had been growing in me for a while.  But this particular morning, it felt more acute. 

Let me give you a little backstory.  As I've mentioned before, I came to stamping during a critical juncture. It was fall of 2006.  My husband was on the campaign trail, my youngest son had recently been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and I had left my position as an assistant professor at a local university to become a stay-at-home-mom.  In the course of a few months, my life had become unrecognizable to me.  Then, I discovered stamping and threw myself into it.   Stamping and the online stamping community provided me with a creative outlet and a much-needed escape from the stress and worry of everyday life.  I made neat things, 'met' new friends, and felt validated and encouraged by all the kind people who said nice things about my art.  It was all very comfy-cozy, unlike the uncertainty that seemed to be swirling about me in the 'real' world.  And so, I stayed there -- in the stamping world -- as much as I could.

I was lucky enough to have a lot of success in stamping, and was able to achieve many of the goals I set for myself like serving on the Splitcoaststamper's Dirty Dozen and doing design work for my favorite stamp manufacturers.  

But then... There's a problem, I learned, with having two worlds: whenever you're in one, you can't be (or, at least, I can't be) fully there for the other.  And as we know, everything is a trade-off.  I am not a fast stamper.  In fact, I'm not fast at much of anything, and I don't multi-task worth a darn.  While my stamping life thrived, my real life became careworn.  I always felt like I was playing 'catch-up' and many things were left undone. 

On that August morning when I woke up and didn't feel like stamping, I took a little tour of my house and saw it through different eyes.  I remembered how excited I had been to move into our home and realized that as of September, we would have lived here for 10 years.  Also during September, my little guy would be turning 5 and I would be turning 40.  Those are big milestones, and I wanted to give them their due.  I knew I couldn't do that and keep up with my stamping commitments, so I requested and was graciously granted a month-long leave-of-absence from all of my stamping 'bosses'.

September came, and Carter had a great birthday at the lake over Labor Day weekend.  A couple of weeks later, I was treated to an absolutely wonderful trip to San Francisco/Napa Valley for my 40th birthday by my marvelous husband.  And to mark 10 years of keeping my family safe and warm, I intended to honor our home with a thorough cleaning and light re-furbish.

Famous last words.

What started as a little nesting project has turned into a full-blown remodel.  (Yes, I know.  I have issues with moderation...)  New paint downstairs (including all trim and moldings, and resurfacing the ceilings where age/settling have caused cracks), new countertops and appliances in the kitchen, some new furniture and rugs, updating doorknobs, hinges, and bathroom fixtures from brass to chrome/nickel, new carpet on the staircase and upstairs, and tiling the floors of a couple of bathrooms that currently are carpeted.  Phew!

If all goes according to plan -- ha! -- our remodel should be finished before Christmas.  I'm really excited by this project, but as I noted above, everything is a trade-off.  After a lot of soul searching, I've come to the conclusion that there's no way that I can oversee this remodel, meet my my wifely and motherly duties, and resume my design team commitments.  (Just thinking about outside deadlines right now gives me the vapors!  Of course, it could just be paint fumes...)

Thus, I've made the tough decision to 'retire' from the Design Team business.  It wasn't an easy call, believe me.  I've so enjoyed the privilege of working behind the scenes with Alma, Kim, & Emily, and my design team-mates have become some of my closest friends over the past few years.  The Cat's Pajamas, My Favorite Things, Stamping Bella, Flower Soft, and GLUE remain my favorite products, and I leave them in hands vastly more capable than mine as they each are represented by some of the best designers in the industry.  And because any crafting I do these days needs to be schedule-free, I'm also stepping down as a sample maker for Jen's Sketch For You To Try (Jen got the better end of that deal, what with the incomparable Leigh O'Brien taking my spot as an SFYTT Sister).

Even though I'm taking a step back from stamping, I'm not forsaking it altogether.  I'll still play when I can, I'll just be doing so as an enthusiast as opposed to a 'professional.'  Life is good; I've gotten my arms and mind around what it means to be the wife of a politician and the mom of a special needs kiddo, and I'm no longer feeling an identity-void due to the fact that I don't work outside the home.  I'm so, so grateful to the stamping community for being there when I needed it and helping me get through a really tough time.  And most likely, if you're reading this, that means I thank you, personally, for the support and encouragement you've given me over the past few years.  I appreciate you more than you know.

So where does that leave this blog?  Well, in my first post I said, "I think this might be a fun way to entertain myself and hopefully those friends who stumble on to it."  A modest aspiration, and one I still think I might be able to pull off.

* Footnote on the title: Have you ever read the short-story 'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?' by Joyce Carol Oates?  It's positively chilling.  You can find it here in full.  Try to remember yourself as a fifteen-year-old girl as you read it.  And if you have teenaged daughters?  You might want to skip it for a few years...

A Collage-y SFYTT

Jen's really given us a challenge with today's Sketch For You To Try!  I thought about it for a long time before I actually decided what images would 'fit' and even as I was doing it, it went through several changes.  For example -- the Ruby Red layers and accents were an afterthought added for a little extra *pop* (just the brown, ivory, and aqua mist was a tiny bit too tame for my comfort.  If I were on Project Runway?  I predict the judges would sometimes say that they question my 'taste level.'  Consider me the card-making version of Santino).  Still, I like the way it end up; it's kinda different for me, but I think it works as a masculine card, which is what I was going for...
I used the just-released 'On the Desk' set from CHF's Rummage Bin line, designed by my sweet friend Julia Stainton.  It has a lot of vintage-y office images, and I just love that Emerson quote.  The pen is actually a very detailed image, but I sacrificed some of the detail in order to emboss it because I wanted the verdigris look on the brown cardstock. 

I challenge you to stretch yourself and see what you can do with today's SFYTT.  You'll need to head on over to Task Master Jen's for the Sketch and to see samples from her and August Guest Designer Megan Lock.  Then, blurf on over to my SFYTT Sisters' blogs to see their handiwork:

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Kelly Lunceford, and
Amy Sheffer

When you upload to your SCS gallery, be sure to use 'SFYTT' as one of your keywords so we can give you props. 

Have a great weekend, and make it work! :)

Supplies used:
Stamps: On the Desk by Cornish Heritage Farms (Rummage Bin line)
Paper: Aqua Mist (PTI), Suede Brown Dark (Prism), Ruby Red (SU!), Ivory (Neenah), patterned paper: Cerulean Chestnut Script by Scenic Route
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Ruby Red (SU!), VersaMark
Accessories: Nestabilities, Verdigris embossing powder (Ranger), red Copic Spica marker, gingham, Jody's foam boosters

Bellarific Friday -- Self Portrait

Don't you see the resemblance?

I used Halobella for this week's Bellarific Friday sketch (created by Mehanibella).  First, I stamped her out and colored her in with Copic markers, then I masked her with Eclipse Masking Tape and airbrushed her sky.  Her dress was paper pieced, and her clouds were made extra-fluffy thanks to Polar White Flower Soft. Shading was accomplished via Prismacolor pencils & odorless mineral spirits.  The wings were glittered via Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen & aqua painter, and the sentiment was hand-written.

Make sure you stop by Emily's blog today to see what the rest of the Babes and the Sistahood made of the sketch.  Just leaving a measly comment while you're there?  You could win some Bella Bucks!  What a deal!  And did you read her blog this week?  They've lowered the free shipping point for all North American customers -- woohoo!  I don't know about you, but I love me some free shipping!

Not a whole lot of time for a lot of jibber-jabber today, but I do want to say: Project Runway has successfully survived the move to Lifetime.  Phew!  It has the same look and feel that we know and love. And Mood Fabrics has an L.A. branch!  Who knew?  COLOR ME RELIEVED!!! (Although I disagreed with the judges' verdict in the All-Star challenge.  Call me fashion-backward, but I thought Daniel V's collection was fugly.) Heidi, you can relax now.  Though I will always prefer Bravo to the L-word, so long as Project Runway keeps its soul and Tim Gunn?  I will follow it anywhere...

Supplies used:
Stamps: Halobella by Stamping Bella
Paper: Sweet Blush, Kraft, Bitty Dot Basics (PTI), Solar White (Neenah), cloud patterned paper by K & Co.
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copic Sketch & Spica markers, Eclipse masking tape, Copic airbrush system, Polar White Flower Soft, sewing machine, circle and oval punches, Nestabilities, SU! silk ribbon, Prismacolor pencils & odorless mineral spirits, Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen, Dimensionals (SU!)

A Two Pot Kind of Day...

... ever have one of those?
Poor Flopsey.  He looks like he's been up all night.  Check out the bags under his eyes...  It's hard out there for a bunny.

And yes, I do consider Flopsey a 'he.'  There's a debate out there about his/her gender, but I'm fairly certain he's a dude.  Even though I've put him in Baby Pink Flower Soft fluffy slippers. (He's man enough to pull it off.) 

I Need Coffee Flopsey (by My Favorite Things) was colored with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits. The yummy gingham ribbon is from MFT's Perfect Plaid Ribbon Nest.

Toodles, gang.  Time for a refill... 

Edited to Add:  Hey -- MFT Fans -- did you hear the good news?!  FREE shipping through Saturday!  Here are the details (read through 'em all, because you will be required to follow directions):

*Code SCS0809 will deduct $4.95 from your order total from all orders over $25 (in sets or products, before shipping)

*Your order will be shipped first class, or the most cost effective way possible

*This special is valid 8/19 - 8/22 ONLY and will not be honored at any other time

*If your order is over $50, and meets the free shipping criteria, the code will still deduct $4.95 from your total

*If your order is shipping Internationally, the code will still deduct $4.95 from your total

*Your cart contents need to over $25 (in sets or products, before shipping) to qualify

*You MUST use the code to receive the discount

Supplies used:
Stamps: I Need Coffee Flopsey by My Favorite Things
Paper: Aqua Mist & Sweet Blush by PTI, Natural White (Neenah), 'Tease' from Basic Grey's Blush collection, polka dots by A-Muse
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Prismacolor pencils & odorless mineral spirits, blending stumps, MFT gingham ribbon, PTI button & twine, sewing machine, oval punch, brown twill, Dimensionals (SU!), Baby Pink Flower Soft

School of... Whales?

Have we ever got a fun and timely TCP Tuesday Challenge for you this week!  Amy is our Hipster Hostess With the Mostess this week and here's the Inspiration Piece (selected by Toni):

Doesn't that just make you want to break out your Crayolas? 

All of those colors reminded me of some yummy new ribbon I bought, and since I've been dying to get the whale from the new By The Sea set inky, I figured I'd make a school of whales...

The card is long-note sized and the whales were colored in with Copics and popped up on Dimensionals.  I trimmed the turquoise layer below the whales with mini-scallop edged scissors to resemble tiny waves.  Since my oldest fishy is beginning Junior High tomorrow, I think I'll use this to write a note telling him how proud I am of him and to wish him a wonderful school year.

Wanna play with us and have a chance to be this month's Swanky Stamper? 

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one member of The Cat Pack will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night at midnight EST to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE!
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. She/he will be deemed that month’s Swanky Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword TCPTUES72 for this challenge.
8. Alma will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Can't wait to see what you'll come up with!

Supplies used:

Stamps: By The Sea by The Cat’s Pajamas; Paper: Yo-Yo Yellow, Totally Turquoise, Soft Sky (SU!), Georgia Pacific White; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, Dimensionals (SU!), Inkessentials white pen, mini-scallop edged scissors

A Swirly-Sweet SFYTT

This, folks, is about as vintage as I get...

For today's Sketch For You To Try by soon-to-be-Mommy-of-a-son Jen del Muro, I pulled out my 'Minty Wreath' stamp from Stamping Bella.  At first I tried to color it with Copics, but found the nib too fat, so I stamped the image again brought out my trusty Prismacolored pencils and odorless mineral spirits. 

You can't really see from the main photo, but I added some sparkle to the mints via a Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen.  The patterned paper is from Cosmo-Cricket's Early Bird line.

For the sketch and samples by Jen and August Guest Designer Megan Lock, blurf on over to Jen's blog at iheart2stamp.  And don't forget to check out the sure-to-be-sensational stuff by my SFYTT Sisters

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Kelly Lunceford, and
Amy Sheffer

Wanna play with us?  Then be sure to use SFYTT as one of your keywords when you upload to your SCS gallery so we can give you props.

In non-stamping news, I'm excited about the coming week -- we're about to enter into a golden period of television!  Three of my favorite shows begin their new seasons over the next few days: Mad Men, Top Chef, and the much-anticipated return of Project Runway.  TV doesn't get much better than that! 

However.  As all Project Runway lovers are aware, PR has changed networks and left it's home at Bravo for Lifetime.  I was barely watching a cheesy Lifetime movie as I created my card this morning (hey -- don't judge me.  I like to mock the dialogue while working on projects, and it's not as if you have to pay close attention to follow the plot -- John Stamos was being framed for the disappearance of his wife...) and caught an even cheesier commercial for Project Runway.  It was explaining -- much as you might to a preschooler -- what Project Runway is.  *sigh*  I really fear Lifetime's influence on my favorite program.  If they dumb it down, I will be forced to do something drastic... Heidi Klum: you've been warned!

Supplies used:
Stamps: Minty Wreath and Happy Holidays by Stamping Bella
Paper: Ivory (Neenah), Red Riding Hood Red (SU!), Kraft (PTI), patterened paper from Cosmo Cricket's Early Bird line
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Vintage Touch chamomile & chai
Accessories: Nestabilities, sewing machine, satin ribbon, PTI Vintage Buttons and twine, Prismacolored pencils, odorless mineral spirits, blending stumps, Dimensionals (SU), Sakura Stardust Gelly Roll pen.

Bon Appétit!

It's Bella-rific Friday, and I have some fun non-stamping news to share!  I made a late post yesterday and gave you a little hint.  I haven't seen any guesses yet, but I also know I haven't given it a whole lot of time. 

(By the way, do any of you use Feedburner?  If so, how do you get your posts to show up in GoogleReader and/or emailed out to your subscribers simultaneously with your posting?  Mine sometimes take up to 24 hours to be updated/emailed out. Thus, if a post isn't made first thing in the a.m., it can get 'lost,' KWIM?  I've tried doing a search to find out this info, but to no avail.  So if any of you have the answer?  Please share it with me!)

Anyway, the card I created with this week's Bella-rific Friday sketch (courtesy of Shannanabella) is your second hint...
I'll go over the card details whilst you ponder the significance... Chefabella was colored with Copics and shaded with Prismacolors and odorless mineral spirits.  Her kicky little apron was paper pieced.  Don't you love that veggie background paper?  It's courtesy of Basic Grey's Offbeat 6"x6" paper pad.  The sentiment was hand-written, and the gingham brads were some that I found long ago at the Target Dollar Spot. 

Be sure to check out Emily's blog today to see what the other Bella-rific Babes and the Sistahood created using this fab sketch -- lots of inspiration and just by leaving a comment, you could win some Bella Bucks!

Now for a little backstory on my scoopage.  See, I've always been kind of a foodie at heart.  I'm a decent cook for someone who is totally self-taught, though I'm utterly reliant on a recipe and my timing is terrible.  I've long been a subscriber to Cook's Illustrated (greatest cooking magazine ever, IMHO), and I own countless cookbooks.  I love reading foodie memoirs (The Soul of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Calvin Trillin's Tummy Triology, and Ruth Reichl's books are particular favorites) , and have harbored a long-standing fantasy of attending the Culinary Institute of America.

Well, the whole Julie & Julia hype (regarding the current movie starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams) made me buy a second copy of Julie Powell's book about how she set a challenge for herself to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking in one year.  (My original copy was loaned out before I had a chance to read it and was never returned.)  So, instead of my first edition hardback (which is now going for good money on eBay...), I bought a movie tie-in paperback while I was in Michigan and read it this past week.  It was delightful, and re-kindled the abovementioned culinary school fantasy. 

Clearly, CIA (the main campus is located in Hyde Park, NY) isn't an option, unless I wish to abandon my family.  And if I were to do that?  I'd definitely have to do something like work in the restaurant industry... um... no thanks.  I don't actually know what I'd want to do with a Culinary School degree; I just want to go through the process of getting one.  Better stick with the hubby and children.  I looked at the culinary program at OSU Okmulgee, but that's a year and a half long and an 1.25 hours away, one-way.  Just not feasible; at least, not now.

Sean, always the voice of reason in this particular household, suggested that maybe I should start slow and take a few cooking classes here or there, just to make sure it was something I truly wanted to do.  As opposed to impulsively diving-in, full immersion (my typical style) and then deciding I didn't really want to invest so much time, money, and energy.  I reluctantly lowered my sights and did an internet search for cooking classes in Tulsa.

My hopes weren't high.  Most cooking classes I've seen are so specific -- learn to make sushi (I love sushi, but have no illusions that I'll ever want to make it at home; which is saying a lot because I'm fairly delusional, as a rule) or something related to whatever gadget they're trying to sell at Williams-Sonoma.  But what to my wondering eyes did appear?  It looked too good to be true: a course called 'Pro Chef I' at a Tulsa gourmet shop.  According to the website:

This 14-week comprehensive cooking program is for the cooking enthusiast who is interested in developing professional chef's skills. The Pro Chef program is a fast track curriculum that has been developed using the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) textbook and the professional experiences of our chef. Our goal is to equip each student with skills that they can use in catering, a career in the restaurant industry, as a personal chef, or simply to advance the home gourmet's culinary expertise.

And guess when the next semester starts?  Next week!  Is that kismet or what?! Well, I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself!  I told my great friend and next door neighbor, Marguerite, about it the next morning on our daily walk.  Her response: "I want to go to there!" a la Liz Lemon.  By the end of the day, we were both signed up (there were only two spots left -- more evidence of destiny?), and starting next week, we'll be spending every Wednesday evening through November learning mad knife skillz and wearing our white chef's jackets just like the Cheftestants on Top Chef! 

So you've been warned.  This paper-crafting blog is going to be a hybrid paper-crafting/foodie blog for at least the next several months.  Are you ready to cook vicariously? 

Bon Appétit!

Supplies used:
Stamps: Chefabella by Stamping Bella
Paper: MFT Perfect Paper Panels, Pure Poppy & Ripe Avacado (PTI), patterned paper from Basic Grey's Offbeat 6"x6" pad
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Nestabilities, Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils & odorless mineral spirits, PTI Pure Poppy grosgrain ribbon, gingham brads from Target Dollar Spot, Jody's Foam Boosters

Gifty Girl

Last month, My Favorite Things started offering MFT Kits: Just Add Color!  Each month, a new kit is revealed which includes an exclusive, unreleased stamp set and all the items needed to complete a special project.  The only thing the purchaser needs to add is color!  I just love this idea; these kits have become my go-to birthday present for all of my crafty friends. 

This month we have the Gifty Girl Kit, which includes:

-- 6 Shopping Tote Die Cuts ($6.00 value)
-- 1 Package Perfect Paper Panels (24 panels) ($3.95 value)
-- 2 yards Red/White Polka Dot Ribbon in 3/8” ($2.00 value)
-- 2 yards Black/White Polka Dot Ribbon in 3/8” ($2.00 value)
-- 50 Silver MINI Round Brads ($2.50 value)
-- 50 Red MINI Round Brads ($2.50 value)
(brads are packaged in an adornments case)
-- Exclusive, UNRELEASED Gifty Girl MINI stamp set ($9.00 value)

All for only $25.00!  Joanne has a super-cute sample of the kit all put together in this post, so you can get a good idea of what your project could look like using the kit contents.

I don't have any of those handy-dandy shopping tote die cuts (yet!), so I improvised and put to use one of the nesting wooden tote bags I've been hording for I don't know how long...

The Gifty Girl image was stamped onto a Perfect Paper Panel, then masked so that I could stipple Ruby Red ink on the background to create a brick wall (the 'mortar' was drawn by hand using a ruler and dark gray Copic marker).  I colored in WTG (Who's That Girl)'s flesh and shoes, as well as the sidewalk, with Copic markers, then paper pieced her dress and gift bags.  I could help but add a tiny bit of tissue to the bags for extra dimension.  The bags looked to plain on their own, so I added a tiny heart punch to reinforce the sentiment and add a dash of color.   

I painted the box with white craft paint (I use the Folk Art brand that you can buy for $1 or so at Wal-Mart), then I added panels of black polka-dotted paper and kraft to all of the sides. 

To create the bow embellishment, I 'bunny-ear' tied a bow in black saddle-stitch ribbon.  Then, I threaded a piece of twine through two holes of the button, put it on top of the bow, wrapped the twine around the box handle, threaded the ends through the other two holes, and tied a basic knot.  No glue or Glue Dots necessary to keep the bow where it belongs!

I think this will be a wonderful little container to house a gift card for our babysitter who is heading back to college next week.  She has been such a help and blessing to me this summer, and I'm going to miss her terribly...

*sigh*

Come back tomorrow -- I'll have a little somethin'-somethin' for Bella-riffic Friday AND some non-stamping related fun news to share about an adventure I'm embarking upon!  I'll give you a little hint...

Supplies:
Stamps: Gifty Girl Mini set, exclusive to August MFT Kit by My Favorite Things
Paper: MFT's Perfect Paper Panels, Kraft and Bitty Dot Basics (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ruby Red (SU!)
Accessories: Small nesting wooden tote bag, white craft paint, Copic markers, True Black Saddlestitch Ribbon and Pure Poppy Vintage Button (PTI), twine, heart punch, stipple brush, tissue paper, Jody's Foam Boosters

HOW about a sketch for TCP Tuesday?

It's time for another TCP (The Cat's Pajamas) Tuesday Challenge, and I'm your Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week.  You know what that means -- a sketch challenge!  As I was drawing the challenge for this week, I became enthralled with a new shape I discovered in Microsoft Word (I am extremely low-tech, but plan to change that one of these days.  In the meantime, I draw all my stuff in handy-dandy user-friendly Word...) -- a rectangle with rounded corners.   Check it out:

So get out your corner rounders and get funky with a long note (3.25" x 6.5")!  Here's my sample:

  I'm planning to send this to a friend of mine who is recuperating at home after a terrible zip-line accident.  She was playing in her folks' backyard with her kids, and went down the zip-line.  The kids use a harness when they go down the zip-line.  Not grown-ups, however -- thus, when Mom lost her grip mid-flight, she went boom and ended up breaking four ribs and puncturing a lung.  She was in the hospital for a few days and is now confined to a hospital bed in her living room for several weeks.  It's going to be months before she fully recovers.  My husband bruised his ribs in a bike accident a few years ago and said it was the worst pain he's ever felt; I can't even imagine how my poor friend is coping.  Lots of painkillers, I imagine...  The moral of this story: beware of zip-lines!

Enough cautionary tales.  Let me tell you how you can play with us. 

Here are the deets. (Lifted from Ana's page.)
1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until {this} Saturday night to complete the challenge.
4. Link your project on this week’s hostess’ challenge announcement. This week you will link your project HERE!
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. She/he will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. When uploading to SCS or PCP, please use the keyword TCPTUES71 for this challenge.
8. Alma will post the entries from the week the following Monday on her blog.
9. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

Can't wait to see what you'll come up with!

Supplies used:
Stamps: Havin' a Pow-Wow by The Cat's Pajamas
Paper: Basic Black & So Saffron (SU!), Solar White (Neenah), patterned paper: Boy Doodle Dots by SEI
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: corner rounder, Copic markers, paper piercer, buttons (from TCP's Candle Sprinkles buttons and PTI), Jody's Foam Boosters

Mother Button Son-of-a-Basket! part 1

First off, let me explain the title of this post.  See, at the CHA Supershow in Orlando, FL, weekend before last, a few of us from the MFT/TCP crowd spent a wee bit of time and money at the Paper Trey Ink booth.  On Friday, the first day of the retail show, the line to get in the Paper Trey booth was CRAZY.  To say that it moved at glacial speed would be an understatement.  We'd been up late the evening before and were all a bit punch-drunk and giggly from just standing around, so we started using the names of Paper Trey products as curse words.  I believe it was Christina who came up with one of the best: "Damask!"

Anywhoodle, once finally in the booth, we did our Damaskedest to enable each other.  "You need that.  Really," was uttered countless times.  The one set we all agreed that we needed was Vintage Picnic, and then Leigh came up with the great idea of having a challenge to get us actually inking our purchase up (novel idea there -- inking a stamp set we bought, LOL!).

So there's the backstory.  Here's a little more, regarding my particular challenge submission.  In my house, I have a wall hanging with little minature plates depicting a tree throughout the seasons.  Someone (I'm not mentioning any names, but it wasn't me...) broke one of the plates, and now my once cute wall hanging looks... shabby.  Still, I haven't taken it down because it's such a narrow panel of wall where that nail is driven, nothing else fits there, and I don't want an empty nail hole.  You know what I mean.

Looking at all of the seasonal variations in the Vintage Picnic set got me thinking, and I had a little 'A Ha!' moment -- I could create little seasonal basket vignettes to replace the tree plates!  So, I opened up my Craft-a-Board from Ellen Hutson's to give it a little more heft and got started.  I began with my favorite season, Autumn, and here's what I came up with:

 And here's what it will look like in display on the plate rack:

Pretty cute, no?  I hope to show you one more of these per week until the entire project is finish.  Stay tuned!

And in the meantime, go visit my fabulous friends and see how they've stuffed their baskets... (We've decided that could sound dirty, but I promise you'll see nothing but good clean fun. :) )

Amy Rohl
Christina Fischer
Joanne Basile
Kirsten DuBosque, and
Leigh O'Brien

See you tomorrow with a swanky sketch for TCP Tuesday!

Supplies used:
Stamps: Vintage Picnic by Paper Trey Ink
Paper: plaid from Cosmo Cricket's Mr. Campy collection, Natural White (Neenah), Soft Suede and More Mustard (SU!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo
Accessories: Craft-a-Board, Nestabilities, EK Success Circle cutter, brown twill, Copic Markers, Jody's Foam Boosters

Sweet 16th

Sixteen years ago yesterday, I married my college sweetheart and best friend.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to celebrate our anniversary together -- he's currently an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow and has been traveling through China and India for the past week and a half.  Which is cool.  For him. While he spent our anniversary visiting the Taj Majal, I spent it chauffering children hither and yon and putzing around the house. 

At least he sent me flowers... (my favorites, stargazer lilies)

No pity parties for me, though -- last night I got together with two dear girlfriends for a little noshing and catching up.  The husband of one is currently deployed in Afghanistan, so I couldn't feel too sorry for myself.

Hubby will be home tomorrow, so our celebration will only be belated by a few hours, and I'll give him the card I made for today's Sketch For You To Try:

Image ('Kissieface') and sentiment are by Stamping Bella, and I colored them in with Copics.  'My' dress was paper pieced, and every thing else is pretty self-explanatory.

While the cat's been away, the mice have been kinda messy.  We'll be spending today getting our act together, cleaning and laundering and what not.  Hopefully you have a more fun day in store, and if it includes a little stamping time, be sure to use this week's nifty sketch, which you can find on Jen's blog along with samples by Jen and this month's Guest Designer, Megan Lock.  And of course, you need to stop by my SFYTT Sisters sites for even more inspiration:

Susan Liles
Amy Rohl
Kelly Lunceford, and
Amy Sheffer

Have a good one!

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Kissieface and sentiment by Stamping Bella
Paper: Solar White (Neenah), New Leaf & Raspberry Fizz (PTI), patterned paper - K & Co.'s Berry Sweet
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copic markers, felt heart, PTI Vintage button, cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder, edge punch by Martha, gingham ribbon

I'm Just a Girl Who Caint Say 'No'

If I had to choose a part to play in the musical 'Oklahoma!' (of which I am quite fond, for obvious reasons -- it's set in my hometown of Claremore, and based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs by one of Claremore's favorite sons, Lynn Riggs; a main road in our town is Lynn Riggs Boulevard.  Any other fun facts you'd like to know and tell about Claremore, Oklahoma?  Didn't think so...), it wouldn't be Lori. Even though Shirley Jones was so sweet and young and pretty in the movie, and later became Shirley Partridge and was in-real-life mom/step-mom to two teen heart-throbs...  I don't care if she's the star; I'd much rather be Ado Annie, as Annie gets one of the best numbers in all of musical theater to sing:

I'm just a girl who caint say no
I'm in a terrible fix
I always say 'Come on, let's go'
Just when I oughta say 'Nix'

I have to say, I identify with Ado Annie.  I'm game for almost anything.  I find dares somewhat irresistible, and I have a hard time saying 'No' when a fabulous offer comes my way.

And when THE Stamping Bella asks if you want to be a Bellarific Babe?!  Tell me, just tell me: HOW does one say 'No' to that???  One -- if by 'one' you mean 'me,' and I do -- does not.  One jumps up and down and is thrilled and says "YES! YES! 1,000 x YES!!!"

So, guess what?  Emily's announcing it on her blog today: I'm officially a Bellarific Babe -- a BABE!  Take that, you unrequited loves of my youth who couldn't see beyond my glasses, braces and tragic perm! Eat your hearts out!  I'm very excited to join Em's team of wonderful stampers, made up of friends both old and new.  And I honestly feel like the most fortunate stamper in the whole wide world to work for what must be the trifecta of cool stamping companies.  *pinching myself!* (To which myself responds: 'ouch!')

Here's my first Bellarific Friday creation as a Babe, based on a sketch by Paulabella Williamson:

I thought it would be appropriate to Okie-fy my debut. ;)  Giddy-upabella and her cream-colored pony (mmmm.... crisp apple strudle... focus, Carole!  Focus!) were colored with Copics and then masked off to sponge in a trail in Sahara Sand, and airbrush a Copic B00 sky.  I was inspired by yesterday's SCS Ways to Use It Challenge (Just Pleat It) to add the paper pleats on the bottom.  (Gracias to my pal Amy Sheffer for her fabulous paper pleating tutorial, which you can find here.)

Be sure to visit Em's blog to check out what all the other Bellarific Babes have put together with this sketch, and to see all of the submissions by the Sistahood.  There will be eyecandy and enabling galore!

And in closing, may I quote the Bella herself and say to all of you: MWAH! 

See you tomorrow with a sample for Jen's Sketch For You To Try!

Supplies used:
Stamps: Giddyupabella and Howdy from Stamping Bella
Paper: Enchanted Evening, Summer Sunrise (PTI), Natural White (Neenah), patterened paper from Graphic 45
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Sahara Sand (for ground)
Accessories: Copic Markers & airbrush system, Eclipse Masking tape, grosgrain ribbon, twine, conch, Nestabilities Labels 1, Jody Morrow's Foam Boosters