Stop and Smell...

Supplies : Sugared paper by Basic Grey; Cardstock and Ribbon by Pebbles; Ink and Button by CTMH; Forest Friends Stamp Set by Papertrey Ink; Waxy Flax

This was such a fun little card to make. I was somewhat worried about the brown with the black skunk but it ended up working out just fine! The colors remind me of baby girl colors. It would be fun to make a card with the little stinker sentiment for a gift of diapers or other baby toiletries, lol. And Jenn asked what punch I used on the last card. I'm not sure if you meant the scallops but I actually just used the paper craft mini scallop scissors. Roberts and Michaels sell them for $1 or less, lol. For the heart I cut it out but the punch that fits these is the little pink EK Success heart :D.

A quick update on Paul, he's finally done with all his IV treatments and he's feeling really good right now. Hopefully that means the Solumedrol stopped the flare up. Of course getting them was pretty crazy, his veins just don't like getting IVs. They just kept moving and even though they did an IV he was supposed to keep in, it didn't work the next day so he had to get poked again. I think he got 7 pokes in all for just trying to get 3 IVs. One of them actually started to take and then his vein moved part of the way through the treatment. We just had to laugh because this kind of stuff happens every time he needs an IV. He has an appointment with the neurologist later in April to see how he's doing and so far things are looking up. Anyhoo, have a happy Tuesday!

A Little Luck

Supplies : Paper and Cardstock from Pebbles; Ribbon, Ink, and Button from CTMH; Heart Prints and Heart Prints Sentiments stamp sets from Papertrey Ink; Waxy Flax

A very simple card, I had actually made this to post on St. Patty's Day. I loved the clover made from hearts, the idea sprung to me before I was headed off to bed and I knew I had to make it instead of going to sleep, lol. Unfortunately late that night Paul started not feeling well so I skipped posting that evening, thinking I would do it the next day and as you can see that didn't happen either, lol. BUT I am getting to it now, lol. I remember trying to find four leaf clovers when I was little, though I don't remember if I actually found any. Back then anything that dealt with clovers reminded me of Patty-O-Green from Rainbow Bright. Now when I see clovers I think of Goodluckabella, lol!! Have a good Monday!

Musical Christmas

Supplies : Pattern Paper by My Minds Eye; Cardstock, Ink, and mini brads by CTMH; Big Brads by American Crafts; Ribbon and Snowfall Additions stamp set by Papertrey Ink

Though I missed posting my cards last week for Sparkle's Christmas Card Challenge, I did have some made. These were the ones I created this week. I really loved the pretty icy blue and dark chocolate in the reindeer paper. The week before I had a really hard time trying to use this line of papers, but this time I didn't have any trouble at all. The reindeers inspired the sentiment and the glittery snowflakes were an easy way to fill the space instead of an image. The snowflakes are also on pop dots giving them added dimension and if you look closely you'll notice the pattern they are on is a music themed paper, perfect to go along with the Jingle Bell song theme.

Supplies : Pattern Paper by My Minds Eye; Cardstock, Ink, Markers, and Bethlehem Stamp Set by CTMH; Ribbon by Papertrey Ink; Brads by American Crafts

These cards were the ones I made last week. I was using another Christmas music theme - "O little town of Bethlehem". I don't think they are as cute as the ones I had made this week with the same line of papers, but that was probably because I wasn't quite in the mood to be using these colors then. I had just spent the last few days spring cleaning my craft stuff before making these and when it came to create the practicality of using up my older papers outwayed my inspiration to use brighter colors for spring. Either way my SIL said they were really pretty so I know the recipients of these will enjoy them and that's what really matters :D Anyhoo, don't forget to check out Sparkle's Blog for the challenge and have a lovely Sunday!

A Girl and Her Cat

Supplies : Pattern Paper by Basic Grey; Buttons, Ribbon, and Cardstock by CTMH; Thickers Letters and Remarks Stickers by American Crafts

Okay, unlike the layout I posted yesterday, this one was fast. I made it to coordinate with the flutterby page even though these pictures are more about her with Mao. I was looking at the pictures and comparing them to how he is now and boy that cat has been through a whole lotta lovin in just the past year!! He doesn't come out that clean anymore in the wash, he has a hole chewed through his tale, part of his nose is chipped off, and his mouth threads are all loose. Poor thing! Audrey still loves him to pieces though (literally!) lol, and Mao's latest adventures have been playing Bus Driver for her chameleon (not a real one thank goodness!). She sets them up in her Little People bus and Mao is always in front driving them around, lol!

Anyway, with all that has been happening with Paul's health and trying to prep Cait for Kindergarten I'm not going to worry about submissions like I wanted to this year. I've also been working out a lot since late January to get healthier (15 lbs lost so far!), so a lot of things have been taking the place of my crafting time. And right now when I finally get a few moments to craft I want it to be just for me - to escape the stresses of everyday life. Hopefully there will be a chapter in my life where I can devote more time to trying to get published. Right now it's just not a priority anymore. Enough of my yakking though ^_~ As always thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! I'll have both sets of the Christmas cards I made for last week and this week up tomorrow :D

Finding Flutterbys

Supplies : Pattern Paper by Basic Grey; Cardstock, Buttons, and Ribbon by CTMH; Thickers Letters and Remarks Stickers by American Crafts; Chipboard Butterflies by Scenic Route; Embroidery Floss by DMC

It's been such a crazy couple of weeks for us. Paul is having another relapse. The effects began last week on Tuesday when he blacked out once and nearly passed out another time. All that week we ended up taking him to the VA clinic here to see what was up. It was so drastic that we thought is was something other than his MS. Yet all his tests came back fine by this Tuesday and it wasn't until he talked to the neurologist that they were like yup, it's a relapse. Luckily, it's been long enough since his last treatment so he can get the IV steroid treatment used to calm down the inflammation in his brain. His last relapse in October was too soon for them to do it again as they had just done it in April. Three relapses in a year! I'm really praying that this is it for a while, poor guy!

I did create a little bit last week but just haven't had the time to really take some pics and get stuff posted. Now that we have his treatment all set up for the weekend I can relax a little and do some other stuff. This layout was made using the IB sketch #12. As simple as this looks it took me forever - the handstitched embroidery border and those butterflies were what did it, lol. Audrey loves butterflies, her shirt in this one has a pretty embroidered butterfly on it which is what inspired the more crafty elements on the page :D Anyway, the girls are at least doing well. It's been really windy so they haven't wanted to play outside too much but I can totally understand since I don't like going out when it's that windy either. Anyway, I hope you all have a fabulous Friday! Thanks for stopping by!

Every Girl Needs a Pony

Supplies : Pattern Paper - Sugared by Basic Grey, Notebook paper by Collage Press; Buttons and Ink by CTMH; Thickers and Remarks letter stickers by American Crafts; Heart Prints stamp set by Papertrey Ink; Marvy Heart Punches; Waxy Flax; Ribbon and CS from LSS; Fiskars Majestic Scissors

Both my girls love ponies so much! And lately, 'Daddy Pony' has caught Audrey's special attention. He goes everywhere with her and she adores him. I often wonder if her love for Daddy pony is more of an extension for her love for Paul though. Audrey adores Paul so much, and usually when she's fawning over Daddy pony, it's when he isn't around. So I totally have to wonder if 'Daddy Pony' isn't just being loved because of his name, lol.

Anyway, I finally delved into the March Pagemaps this month :D Sometimes it's just really hard to use those guys because there always seems to be a huge photo in the sketch. You know, one of those that you have to have a large photo printer for - which I don't have, lol. So to get by I usually try to fit in more than one photo in the big photo spot. For this sketch it worked pretty well ^_^ The two stacked photos were supposed to be one big one.

And I have a short funny conversation for you. This happened yesterday afternoon.

Cait : Mom, let's go swimming!
Me : We can't hunny, it's too cold.
Cait : I can use a jacket with my swimsuit!
Me : (trying not to bust up laughing) It doesn't work that way sweetie, it's still too cold.
Cait : Ahhhh, nuts!

You have to just love kid logic!! I almost couldn't stop laughing to tell Paul. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy and have a good Monday!