Stampin' the Day Away!

My poor Magpie was sick with a high fever (102!) & headache for the WHOLE weekend. I spent so much time hanging out with her this weekend, browsing all the creative blogs online while she rested, that I had all these ideas buzzing in my head! I had big plans to "get my craft on" first thing this morning!! So when morning rolled around, I knew that even though she was acting like herself again, I couldn't send her to school because she needed to be fever-free for 24 hrs (school policy).

Can you say "BUMMER?"

But, she was so great today! Playing & watching movies & "wrecking" the house AND letting mommy "work" for the better part of the day!!! Boy did I get a lot done!!

One of the ideas I had was to create a bunch of tag sets to sell in The Scrap-a-Teeny shop. 

I pulled out all the stamps that I own, some plain paper & tons of ink & started scheming! I had a great time pairing images & playing with layering techniques ALL. DAY. LONG.

Such fun!!!

I haven't had a day like this (by myself!) in ages!

{Thank you Maggie! I love you even more today - if that's possible?!?!}

I hope I get to do some more tomorrow, but school's closed due to CRAZY blow freezing temps (wind chills -35!!) here in Denver! And, I don't think I can "ignore" my kiddo for 2 days in a row!! But keep your fingers crossed I get a little time in my studio! Maybe I can bribe her with some playtime at the gym & her own crafting project...hmmmm, the wheels are turning already!

Here's a glimpse of the sets I did...

Message in a Bottle Set

The Journey is the Reward set

Gotta Have Vision set

Wonderful You set

Cupid's Arrow set

See you soon!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to My WONDERFUL Mom!!

I have a wonderful mother! 

Not only is she my mom, but she is my friend. She has been there for me no matter how awful I was to her as a kid & whenever I need her as an adult. Not too many days go by that I don't speak to her on the phone, get together with her to shop, scrapbook, craft, watch movies or do family stuff!

She is just an amazing woman! She's wise, kind, thoughtful, beautiful, funny, intelligent & Uber-crafty! 

She's what you would call a "jill-of-all-trades!" She dabbles in needlework, quilting, sewing, knitting, mixed media art, watercolors & of course, she is a fabulous scrapbooker!! (Here's one of the albums she's done for sale in our Etsy shop.)

So, the photo above was taken on her birthday many years ago & it has inspired me twice now...I used it for a Graphic 45 DT Call! This time around, it inspired me to create this little printer's box:

As I remembered the gorgeous dressing gown she has on in the above photo, I said to myself, "wouldn't it be fun if I could do something with a vintage child's dressing gown pattern for mom?" And behold!

I found this one from a seller on Etsy & snatched it right up!! It is an actual, used pattern from the the decade mom was born in - the 1940's!! I then bought all those great shell buttons that I have already used in another project (here), from a seller on Ebay!

Then I scoured the craft stores looking for just the right box & found this one at Hobby Lobby for $5.99!! I have to go back & get more!!!

I covered the back, sides & inside with pieces of the pattern tissue using modge podge (not super easy to work with in tiny places as well as it tearing when it gets too wet! But I think all that just gives it a more vintagie feel!) For the lid, I stained it with some FolkArt Antiquing Medium, & used hot glue to put all the shell buttons around it.

After all the tissue paper was in place & dry, I brushed a light coat of varnish over the whole thing & let that dry.

Then the fun began!!! Putting all the nick-knacks inside! I had collected a few things here & there that I thought I wanted to use, but then while visiting family in Kansas over the holidays, I found the MOTHER-load: a mason jar FULL of vintage sewing notions at an antique mall! What luck!!! (wish I'd taken a pic of it while it was full!) So, here's a peek at the interior...

I used hot glue again to put everything inside. For the girl & the other paper pieces, (bird, dress form & little "fabric bolt" are all from a set of "Paper Girl" paper dies by The Girls' Paperie) I used a strip of chipboard as a stand to keep them in place. Isn't it just PERFECT!!! I love that both my mom & the pattern girl are holding dolls & their hairstyles are similar!!!

It just makes me giddy!!! :D

I will give it to her tonight - If I can wait that long!! I will see her in just a little bit - we (sis & me) are getting together to do some crafting with her & then the whole fan-damily will go out for yummy Mexican food (one of her faves!) tonight!

Mom, this day last year!

So Mom, if you are reading this now, then it's probably a day or two after your birthday. I hope that you loved your gift(s) & had a wonderful day with all of us! We love you so very, very much & we look forward to more birthdays to come!!

XOXO

Beck

Her wonderful reaction to opening tickets to see Michael Buble last year!

If you're looking for the CC&M January Hop...

Kim & I are now working as a team on these hops, so I will no longer be posting the CC&M projects on my personal blog (this one) & the links haven't been corrected yet along the way!

To continue on the CC&M hop, please click HERE to go to The Scrap-a-Teeny Girls blog!

Happy Hopping!

Valentines!

Hi everyone!

Just a quick note to let y'all know that the talented ladies over at the Die Cut Diva blog are working on a lot of Valentine ideas this month for our regular posts AND our monthly hop on the 19th! Be sure to check it out!

Here's a little peek of my post today...

Happy New Year!

Photo: http://gmtplus9.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year to everyone!!!

I can't believe it is already 2011!!!

This year, I hope to post more projects for y'all to get inspiration from & to share some of the ideas where I get my inspiration!

Today, my sister & our good friend Noelle are coming over to crop - something we have been trying to do for months now! Maggie & Noelle's little girl Carlee will have fun playing while we get down to business! We are all three on the DT for Creative Cuts & More as well as good buddies! We always have a blast together! You just can't be in any sort of bad mood or uncreative around Miss Noelle! She's got to be the most positive person I have ever known & she always makes me laugh!!

So, hopefully by the end of the day I will have some projects to share with you! Albeit, they might just be sneak peeks for the posts to go up on the CC&M blog, Die Cut Diva over the next couple of weeks!

In addition to trying to be more creative, 2011 holds a couple of other resolutions for me...Nick & I are trying really hard to get healthy together. He's on a mission to climb many, many large mountain & even though I plan to do a few with him, I just would like to feel better about myself & my future with my family! I want to have more energy to play with Maggie & make some lifestyle changes to ensure that I am here for her when she's older! We joined the gym together & I have found another workout buddy through one of Maggie's playmates (also becoming a fast friend too!)

My other resolution is to get this crazy house in order! Finish projects that need attention (like the horrible paneling in the family room!)! My goal is to get the house ready to either sell or rent - as long as I can get the hubby back on board with this, things will go smoothly!

So, cheers to everyone! Here's wishing you a happy & healthy 2011!

See you soon!