June Stamp-of-the-Month Blog Hop

A new month is almost upon us.  Is it really June already?!  I'm sure you're going to see that a lot this time.  It seems like each month goes faster and faster.
If you came from Kimberly's blog, you're on the right track.  If you get lost along the way, just click here to get a complete list of all the participating blogs.

I love the truly masculine stamp set CTMH has for us this month.  It's perfect for all the Father's Day cards that will be made for those special men in our lives, but it's also fabulous for a birthday card or any other occasion when we want to celebrate that guy.

Here are the two cards I made:

Inside:

If they look familiar that's because they're taken straight from the artwork in the Idea Book, showcasing this set.  I taught a masculine card workshop last month and we made these two cards.  The larger, 4 1/2x4 1/2, card is a complete lift.  For the smaller 3x3 card, I used the colours from the artwork made with the May SOTM in the Idea Book and the layout from this set's artwork.  I love the fact that our catalogue is such a treasure trove of ideas!  No wonder it's called an Idea Book.  Want one for yourself?  Just email or call!

Now it's time to hop on over to Teri's blog and see the fabulous work she's made.

Happy Creating!

Unforgettable Moments

I finally got around to scrapbooking my daughter's first real haircut.  My mom used to cut my hair, now cuts my nephews' hair, and of course, had to cut Arianna's.  I had a lot of fun with this layout, just playing with all sorts of aspects, including using an old brads package to house those precious curls.

I did some zigzag stitching for the first time, added lots of distressing along with some My Stickese.  I am trying to use up my older paper kits and after choosing the fun flowered paper that matched Arianna's top so well, I realized that I didn't have enough for the layout.  So I just stamped another one.  Can you tell the difference?

I always get a bit nostalgic when I work on old photos.  Arianna looks so little and still a bit baby-like in these photos, even though she was already 2 1/2.    Here is what she looks like today:

I guess the other reason I'm feeling nostalgic is because she's turning 5 on Sunday and I can hardly believe it!  She's a sweet girl, so smart and imaginative.  She loves school, already reading at an early Grade 1 level even though she's only in Junior Kindergarten!  We love her to bits.  Arianna is really excited about her first friend birthday party and I'm hoping that I can kick my present cold before my family comes on Sunday.

Okay, thanks for letting me ramble on.  I'll quit now. 

Happy Creating!

Celebrating Babies

I love our church.  We attend a Christian Reformed Church just minutes from where we live.  It's a fun, lively congregation.  We have a live praise band every Sunday and our pastor preaches from the heart.  We also have lots, and I mean lots, of young families.  In the past year there have been probably 10 births, with more on the way.  Most of these have been to brand new parents.  That means baby showers!  I'm not particularly close to all those young moms, but I did get invited to my friend Ruth's shower.  Her little guy Noah is adorable and I got to cuddle with him while she opened her gifts.  My mom "expertise" was put to work and I was able to get him to sleep.  I got my baby fix in.  I wish I had a photo of Noah to share with you.  It was strange, for most of the shower I was the most experienced mom there!  That's not my normal situation and it was kind of nice. 

Ruth has expressed an interest and desire to start scrapbooking and we've been trying to set up a date for a home gathering, but life is busy for her, and I completely understand.  So with that in mind, I made a special little gift for her.  I went to Ruth's registry to see what sort of theme she had for Noah's bedroom.  This is what I found:

Now doesn't that just scream Magic Moments?  The following accordian album is 9x9 and almost totally copied from another consultant, whose name I did not save. I wish I had.  

I used all kinds of stamp sets and had a lot of fun making it.  This paper is still one of my most favourite.  Because the paper looks better with Colonial White and the album is White Daisy, I sponged the edges with Cocoa ink to make the white less obvious.

All the guests really loved this and are talking about wanting me to do a workshop with this.  We'll see what happens.  I made this to celebrate my friend's new baby.  I wanted something really special for her.  But using Close to my Heart products really sells them and I might have new customers.  Two birds, one stone.  Love it.

And of course I have do make a matching card using Love You Forever and an Irresistible frame.  Here it is:

And the inside:

Happy Creating!