{ Baby Photos }

Yesterday was a memorable experience. Seeing our baby in 3D/4D was amazing. We spent an hour in a very cozy room, watching our little boy move, stretch and make faces. He was cooperating for the most part and we were able to get some awesome images.

{ Cosmo Cricket Biography 101 Album }

Cosmo Cricket is our DT sponsor this month at Create My Keepsake. I received this wonderful album, Biography 101 and Little Boys paper collection. How perfect to start an album for my little boy. This album is going to contain all major milestones and I am calling it "A book of firsts". This required some planning, but once I got my page designs it was easier than I thought. I have three basic layouts and I made sure I had spots for horizontal and vertical photos. Once the baby is here and I have all those photos at least I will have one completed projects and all I have to do is add photos. I have a plan for another little album project and this album is going to record things by months. I took an online class at Srap-A-Faire called All about baby by Janna Wilson and she presented a simple layout album that can be completed in advance.
All the photos are small because I have 20 pages, but you can click on each one for a closer look.

{ Baby's new crib }

After we got the new car on Monday we were able to pick up the new crib. We put it together this week. I am really excited, the room is coming together and I can't wait until it's all finished. We decided that I would paint four more big canvases and several small ones. I am trying to get all that done this week while my husband is home so we can finally decorate the walls. I will share photos when it's all done.
Here is one of me painting. My husband loves to take photos. Each painting takes about three hours and I still have two big ones to finish. It's getting harder to sit, but I enjoy painting. I finished a big project that I will share with you tomorrow...and I have some exciting news that I can't wait to share with you.

{ Beate's weekend sketch challenge # 28 }

I made this card for Beate's sketch challenge. I know I am a little late posting this, but I had it made for a while and never took a photo of it. I am using new papers from Scenic Route Roxbury collection. We still have the card contest going on at Create My Keepsake. You have until December 5 if you want to play and win a prize. The round chipboard tag is from Around the Block.

{ SCS color challenge }

I made this card for Splitcoaststampers color challenge, CC141. Pretty in pink, wild wasabi (garden green), whisper white or shimmer white. I don't have any new colors, wild wasabi, so I used garden green. I used my new Impression Obsession clear stamp set: Word circles. I stamped the flower using VersaMark. The sentiment is from Impression Obsession Spring Blooms. The ribbon from Bo-Bunny Press matched perfectly.

{ Sketch this cards #33 }

I made this for Sketch this cards # 33. I used the new Die Cuts With A View Christmas Glitter stack , cardstock and rub-on. DCWV cardstock has a white core so when you sand the paper the white shows through. I really like that look. Creative Imaginations chipboard, Prima flower and snowflake and Offray ribbon.
I hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving tomorrow.

{ New family car }

We got a new car yesterday. 2008 Toyota Highlander. Love it! It was time for a bigger family car, especially with the baby on the way. My little Ford Mustang that I traded in was good to me for eight years and I was sad to see it go. This new car is so big and I am still getting used to it. I am glad the side view mirrors fold in, because I couldn't make it into the garage.
Just one more photo I wanted to share with you of my big belly.

{ Paper Crafts Dec. 2007/Jan. 2008 }

I received several of these from Paper Crafts the other day. I have two published cards in the magazine. One is featured online. You can see it here. Since I have an extra one I would like to give it away, along with some new stamps from Michaels. I will try to do that this week.

{ Sketch this cards #32 }

I made this for Sketch this: cards. I was actually cleaning my room and in the middle of it all I had to make a card. This happens often. I used new Basic Grey Periphery patterned paper, October Afternoon stamp, Making Memories craft words, flower and buttons, Hambly overlay.
OK, I have to go back to cleaning now. My husband comes home tonight and I have to make the house pretty again.

{ CPS #39 }

I got this box of goodies from Paper Crafts last week filled with Pebbles Inc. products. I got all 6 collections. How cool is that! The one I used here is called Theodore collection. Love the colors. You can see the CPS sketch here.
Did anyone notice that the card posted two days ago was also posted in October? I just looked around my blog earlier and noticed it.

{ Here is an old one }

Well, old to me, new to you. I made this in March. I am sure there was a call for fall cards. I love this little stamp set from Stampin' Up. I used watercolor for the image and it's stamped on watercolor paper. The leaves on the bottom I cut out after I stamped them. Patterned paper is Die Cuts With a View. The sentiment is from the set, as well, but I used the marker to ink the word only. I used my stamp positioner for that perfect placement.

{ CPS sketch #38 }

I made this card for CPS #38. The Snowflake stamp and Christmas Borders are brand new stamp from Impression Obsession. Patterned paper is from Frances Meyer and I just love those colors. The ribbon I got at Michaels couple of weeks ago in their dollar section. I guess I am just skipping over fall cards. I do have some, maybe I will post one next time. It's been a lazy day around here. Hope you have a great weekend.

{ Scenic Route Roxbury Card Contest }

Have you seen the new Scenic Route Roxbury collection? If you haven't you have to !!! Look here for the collection.

There is a CARD CONTEST at Create My Keepsake. Make a square card, a round card, an interactive card, a gift card holder, or anything else you can dream up! There are no rules except that you MUST use the Roxbury Collection papers. Cards need to be uploaded into our Scenic Route Contest Gallery by 12/5/07 at midnight CST. The winner will be judged by Scenic Route and will be announced no later than 12/10/07!
There is still plenty of time. You can purchase your papers here.

{ Published cards }

I wanted to share some of my published cards with you. These were published in September Cards. This was the first time that I had five cards in one magazine. I do have a link to the left for my published work and I try to update it as soon as I am "allowed" to show it.
This first one I used Creative Imaginations patterned paper, KI Memories stamps, DCWV star rub-ons, EK Success alpha sticker, Pressed Petals chipboard star.
This one you might have seen before. I used Creative Imaginations and Scenic Route patterned paper, DCWV rub-ons, Heidi Grace Designs stickers. I made the flowers.
American Crafts patterned paper, ribbon and alphas, Heidi Swapp flowers and label holder, Darice rhinestone and Fontwerks grid note.
SU cardstock, ink and stamps, Frances Meyer patterned paper, Cuttlebug embossing template.
Frances Meyer cardstock, American Crafts photo corners and DCWV rub-on.

{ Finished paintings }

Remember my post { Down Under } theme for our baby's room. I finally finished the big paintings. Each canvas is 20 x 16. It takes me about three hours to finish one. From the base paint, drawing and painting. Depending on the color I have to paint some things, like leaves, several times. I just love the way they turned out. Turns out I am not done. I will do several more of the big ones and a couple of the little ones (10 x 10). I have all the colors figured out and my table all set up with brushes and newspaper so why not. I just need to go to Michaels and get more canvases.
Let me know what you think. I will take photos of the room when it's ready. As soon as my husband gets home we will go and get the crib and have all the wall art somewhat figured out.

{ Favorite recipe }

Do you have one? I love to cook and bake, especially this time of the year. I posted a challenge over at Creative Xpress along with my blog pick of the week. My pick was Megan, she has such beautiful creations on her blog, so make sure you check it out. The challenge was to share your favorite recipe.

APPLE PIE
1 (15-oz) pkg. Pillsbury All Ready Pie Crust (or make your own)
FILLING
6 cups (6 medium) thinly sliced peeled apples - I use Golden Delicious, they are sweet, semi firm
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
Prepare pie crust according to package directions using 9-inch pie pan.
Heat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; toss lightly. Spoon mixture into pastry-lined pan. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
Bake at 350 F for 50-55 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edges of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.
This recipe came from Down-Home Cooking and Baking coobook magazine (Classic Pillsbury Cookbooks). It is from November 1993, wow, that is long time ago. I remember I made this pie when I still lived in Wichita Falls while I was in Nursing school. The original recipe is made with a top pie crust and a Praline topping. I like my version better. I have been making this apple pie for a very long time. I am surprised I still have the little book.

I made it the other day and I like to sever it with Vanilla Bean ice cream, and I like my apple pie cold. Enjoy!!!

{ Happiness and supplies }

Sorry I didn't list my supplies when I wrote my post last night. I thought about it this morning and then just now after I received questions about the label. The sticker label is by Creative Imaginations Art Warehouse. I got the sheet with my box of goodies from Cards. The other little white label is just a plain white file folder label that I cut up. What really happened is that I stamped "happiness" on the sticker label (which has a slick surface) and then I smeared the ink. I didn't like that, so I looked around for a new solution and the file labels were there so I worked with that. I hope that answers that question. 7 gypsies and Sassafras Lass patterned paper, Stampin' Up stamp and ink, Heidi Swapp and Prima flowers, Making Memories round tag, hemp cord and some buttons.
The second card has Bazzill cardstock, Urban Lily and Autumn Leaves patterned paper.

{ Card Studio Designs }

There is a brand new site dedicated to card makers !!!!! ~Card Studio Designs~ How fun is that? Janelle Richmond, who also runs Sketch this: cards, has sketch challenges on the new CSD site. I made these two cards for the sketch challenge.