Birthday Card for a Princess

Other than a baby shower to go to on Saturday, Grayson was invited to a neighbor's two-year-old birthday party. I made the little princess her own card. I got this stamp set from Lizzie Anne Designs a while back at my LSS and haven't really had an occasion to use it until now. Well, I guess I have had occasion, but forgot I had it. I don't really have all the cool colors or Copics or whatever you use to color these kind of images in. I'm still out of the loop on that one, but I'm making do with what I have right now. I actually used some paint mixed with some crystal Stickles. It turned out okay. I painted the chipboard scallop frame and the "2" with the same paint color. The brown behind the stripe paper is actually felt from Michael's, I think. I don't even know what this paper is called, but it came in a kit type thing and it is so cute for little girls' birthdays. The striped paper was run through my Sizzix with my Cuttlebug embossing folder. I still don't have a Cuttlebug, but they work pretty good in the Sizzix. I used a die cut that came with the kit and stamped "Happy Birthday, Princess" on the inside. I can't wait to put this in Madison's mailbox tomorrow since the 19th is actually her birthday. I will make her a little tag or something to put on her present for Saturday.

Baby Card

I finally got my baby card done that I need for a shower next weekend. My next door neighbor is having her second child, which is going to be a boy, so I wanted to do a cute card for her. I purchased the Bitty Blessings set from Papertrey Ink a while ago and I just love it. Their website has some really cute ideas for the stamps. I actually found the one I used at Taylored Expressions blog. Using from my stash, I went with the Making Memories Kids Collection called Sam since I had the paper and stickers, and I had this navy ribbon with the red trim that I think pulls it all together. I stamped "Welcome, Little One" on the inside. I also punched out 3/4 inch circles for the scalloped edges since I don't have any Spellbinder dies yet. I got this from the talented Kristina Werner from her MACM cards.

Finished Mistreatment

Well, after working on my mistreatment in the playroom all day yesterday, I finally finished all four windows. You can only see three of them in this picture, but there are actually four. I went back and added some white fabric to the backs so they wouldn't be so sheer. I ended up moving the couch that was in there downstairs in the living room where we have no furniture. There is so much more room. I don't know how I ever fit all that furniture plus all the toys in there. It looks so much better. I also covered some Styrofoam and added some striped paper on them and a sticker to add some more color on the wall. I have no idea what color to paint in there. It still has the lovely painter's beige on the walls. I am really getting into the mistreatment of my windows. I can't wait to do the rest of the house. I will post more pics of the other rooms I finish.

Valentine Scrapbook Page and Window Mistreatment

I hardly ever do one-page layouts because I take so many pictures that I can't just pick out one for a layout, but this is a picture that I had made this past weekend for Valentine's Day presents for everyone. I've had the paper, the scalloped heart paper, and the glitter hearts for a while. The Valentine tickets are a free download and can be found here. They are so cute and would look good on a scrapbook page or card. I have been in the creative mood for the past few days and have gotten a lot done. I have done some other scrapbook pages too. I just started printing pictures that were on my camera card and went from there.

I found all these great blogs on decorating on a budget or with very little money at all. Everyone can use those types of tips, right? I know I can. I have a lot of material that I've bought to put curtains or valances up and also bought patterns to use to make these beautiful curtains. Have I done it? NO!! None of my windows have had curtains until now. I started in Grayson's playroom with a red gingham print and added white ball fringe. I put them up with upholstery tacks and used some clips I had and then hot glued some covered buttons on the clips that I had covered in black gingham. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Anyway, here is a pic of the window in the playroom that I've gotten done so far. I didn't get enough ball fringe. I only got the one window done. I've got three more to go. Check out The Nesting Place for window mistreatments. This is where I got the idea. I also did some in my dining room with a toile print I found at Hancock's for $4 a yard. It was a steal. Hancock's also had fringe 40% off, so I'm headed back for more. I will have to upload the dining room ones tomorrow.

Valentine's Day Card

Here is a Valentine's Card that I made, not sure who it's for at this point. It could be for my husband or my son. It's pretty simple. I used that same frame as I did in the birthday card I made this weekend. I've had these glittery hearts and paper for a while and haven't done anything with them. I like the way it turned out, the simplicity if it. I am in the mood to create more things today and even maybe scrapbook some pages, but I'm not sure I have the time. I have a job I have to get back in today and I'm still typing on it and still have to proof it. Not sure I'm going to get everything done that I want to get done today. That's nothing new. I am so behind on Grayson's albums. I have 2004 complete, his first year, but I've still got some to go on 2005 and on. 2005 is not too far off, but I have a few done here and there after that. I would love to get 2005 finished and start on 2006. I really want to get caught up this year. Maybe I will have some pages to post this week.

"Happy Birthday To You" Card

Here is the other card I entered into the contest. I didn't quite get the baby card I needed done last night. I couldn't find any paper that I wanted to use. I know I have some here somewhere in this mess that I could use, but I wouldn't have been up all night finding it. I have been cleaning up in my scrap room today, so maybe I can find it and get it made this week. My shower isn't until the 21st, so I still have a weekend to get it done. I loved the ribbon on this card, the color and the width of it. The big black and white element in the middle and the months strip is actually a free digi download by Jennifer Pebbles from Two Peas. I'm not sure about entering these contests since I don't have the latest and greatest things, but I have to start somewhere. Hopefully, it will get me comfortable in entering things and one day I will have new products to use and might actually have a chance. There were so many great entries.

I took Grayson to get pictures made today at Portrait Innovations. This was my first time, and I had been warned that they will try to get you to buy more than what you went in for. I just wanted some Valentine's pictures for Grayson's grandpa, whose birthday is actually on the 14th, and for Grayson's dad too. I got six Valentine photo cards, which was the perfect number to send out to all the grandparents, great grandmothers, and great aunt. Luckily, I only was in love with a couple, so that made it easy not to overspend on pictures. I got out of there for $26, which I thought was great.

Encouragement Card

I finally entered my FIRST contest. I know I won't win, but maybe one day! A girl can dream can't she. I did this card to go along with all the other "thinking of you" cards I've done recently. Some of my friends are really having a hard time these days. Several of them have lost one of their parents in the last few weeks and are trying to deal with this devastating time in their lives. I can't imagine how that must feel and am very thankful to still have both of mine. I hope this card will encourage them. The contest is over at http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/. Well, I'm off to create one more card for the contest. You can enter two cards. This one will be a baby card since I have a shower to go to in a few weeks. Maybe I will get it posted tomorrow.

Trying to get the hang of blogging

I can't seem to get in the groove of doing this every day yet. Life and work seem to be getting in the way a little. I am easily distracted. I'm sure I'm not the first to say this and won't be the last. Today I am posting some cards that I'm sending to two of my good friends. They both have had a tough couple of weeks and I wanted them to know I was thinking of them. I hope this does the trick. I need to make a couple more cards to send too.

I can't believe it's the first of February. Where did January go? I so wanted to get started on the right foot this year with everything, but like every other year, it just doesn't happen. I wanted to do Project 365, but do it my way. I actually started the year off taking a picture a day. By the end of the first couple of weeks, I was done. I gave up trying to take pictures every day. Maybe I will get motivated and get back on track. I doubt it.

I am going to count down the days to Valentine's Day with my little boy using the mailbox I posted earlier. I plan on putting a chocolate in it every day and maybe sneak a hot wheel car or something little in it a few of the days until the 14th. He will be so excited. He loves chocolate and cars!