thinking of you

First, a special THANK YOU to all you wonderful people who leave such amazing comment love :)  I know it takes a minute from your busy day to pause and say hello, so just know that it's always greatly appreciated.  You're all the best.

Tuesday will be 38 weeks with the twins, which is full term for multiples.  Twin B has gone breech, then head-down, then breech, and now transverse.  What a journey!  While I'd EAGERLY choose labor & delivery over surgery & recovery, my doc's advice is a C-section (twin B's not a good candidate for 'turning' due to a partial placental cord insert).  But since the pregnancy has gone well and the boys are growing at the same rate, she'll let me squeeze out one extra week, just to see what happens by 39 weeks.

I haven't done a lot of crafting, but I do have one card in the wings, also for Lee Anne.  Amidst all the craziness I think of her everyday which reminds me to stop, slow down, and pay attention to family.  Hugs to you, Lee Anne.

The dragonfly here symbolizes depth, unveiling, and life 'in the moment'.  I wanted a deep blue to accent rustic cream and woodgrain.  The dragonfly is inked in spring rain and kissed with pearl sky blue and enchanted evening.  I'm pleased with the design (even if photos didn't capture all the love). 

I call this shot, 'Still Life with Dirty Pot'.  But look at that perfect little dragonfly from Places Please.  The joy in discovery.

I also used this design for a melon berry birthday card with a sun-kissed peach.  I have the bitty dot ribbon in new leaf, orange zest, and blueberry sky as well, so I imagine I'll be making those color versions too.


xoxo,
Christy


SUPPLIES 

stamps - PTI Masculine Motifs, Fillable Frames #10, Places Please

ink - PTI enchanted evening, spring rain; Versamagic pearl sky blue

paper - PTI enchanted evening, rustic cream

accents - PTI enchanted evening vintage buttons, enchanted evening bitty dot ribbon, vintage cream grosgrain ribbon, rustic cream twine

dies - PTI Fillable Frames #10, woodgrain impression plate

tools - EK Success oval punch

thank you set

I made this simple set of thank you cards for Lee Anne, a fellow PTI Paper Doll friend who recently suffered a great loss.  Sometimes it's hard to know what to say, but a small gesture can let someone know they're in your thoughts and prayers.

I was drawn to the elegance of Beyond Border Basics in bright pastels and vintage cream with colored pearls to add warmth.  The background pattern is Mini Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger stamped in soft stone.

the melon berry card

the summer sunrise card

the simply chartreuse card

 the aqua mist card

I've been spending more time cooking than crafting this week so I'll be posting soon about my new discovery, 'Once a Month Cooking'.  Very addictive for people that love to cook and organize!

 

SUPPLIES 

stamps - PTI Beyond Basic Borders Collection, Mini Scrapbook Series: Library Ledger

ink - PTI melon berry, summer sunrise, ripe avocado, aqua mist, smokey shadow

paper - PTI melon berry, summer sunrise, simply chartreuse, aqua mist, vintage cream

accents - medium pearls

dies - PTI Mat Stack 1

tools - Copic markers (R05, Y38, BG18), Fiskars Paper Edgers scallop scissors

ipod - Cowboy Junkies

ppd33 - baby card trio

It's been a busy and crafty week!  Lot of lesson planning (I'm off duty from teaching since the babies have 'dropped'), new home organizing (we moved 3 months ago), doctor's appointments/twice weekly 'non-stress tests' (36 wks now), crafting cards, and work on baby & family albums (I'm lovin' Project Life).

One special project was my first set of cards for the 'kids'.  We've long been a comfy family of three (mom, dad, DD), but soon we'll be five and we couldn't be happier! 

For our #1 daughter and big-sis-to-be, Caitlyn May, a glittered cupcake treat:

I love the cupcake liner pp from Pink Patterns.  And I couldn't believe I found the perfect flower buttons in berry and blush.  The polka dot top is glittered though hard to see.

(I got a migraine right as I was stamping the 'smiles' and adhering the diecut sentiment.  I knew it was coming because I kept thinking, 'Why can't I SEE right to get this straight?"  Then, bam!  Migraine.)

For Twin A, Dean Michael, our first baby-boy-to-be:

I LOVE this snail (stamped in sage & aqua).  The fun, wavy sentiment was the inspiration for the side border on all three cards.

A little practice at coloring with Copics, which can be trickier than you anticipate.

And for Twin B ('bee'), James Madison, our second baby-boy-to-be:

I had no idea I'd be cutting out the trail when I started but I just did it - and I love the surprise 3D curliness it has!  Thankfully, these don't need to be mailed :)

Room enough for a quick welcome note once the little guys arrive.

These cards were also designed with Leish's baby card challenge in mind.  Go on and join the fun over at the PTI Paper Dolls blog (link here).  I made a girl card, a boy card - and a gender neutral card, since I'm thinking multiples :)

xoxo,

Christy

Baby Card Trio 

stamps - PTI Baby Button Bits, Borders & Corners: Circle, Fillable Frames #5, Cupcake Collection; Basic Grey gamma series (tiny cupcake with cherry topper)

ink - PTI sweet blush, aqua mist, berry sorbet, ripe avocado; Versamagic sage, Distress Ink antique linen

paper - PTI sweet blush, aqua mist, spring moss, stamper's select white, Polka Dot Parade, Pink Patterns, 2008 Bitty Dot Basics, Bitty Box Basics

accents - PTI sweet blush, berry sorbet, aqua mist, spring moss & lemon tart vintage buttons, rustic jute button twine; Crystal Glitter multi ultra-fine

dies - PTI Fillable Frames #5

tools - Copic markers (BG18/13/11, YG 95/93, T1, 0), Marvy giga circle punch (purple), EK Success border punch

ipod - Deee-Lite

paper dolls blog hop

I hope you're enjoying getting to know the Dolls a little better!   I'm the last stop on the hop so if you want you can return to the Paper Dolls blog (link here).

This weekend was my baby shower and the theme was peapods:

"Two peas in a pod, double the fun!

The Hall Boys are coming, look out everyone!!!"

So for the P.T.I. challenge, I included the following elements in the favors and cards I made:

P - peapods, polka dots, plaid, pinking

T - tiny treats, thank you, twins

I - impression plate, italics, inside & out

Hellllllo cuties!  There were a baker's dozen of the treats and the thank you's.  The favor nestled a Russell Stover's caramel egg - picked for it's green packaging.

Here's a better shot of the Diamonds impression on the library card pocket.  The pea pod patterned paper (say that fast!) comes already glitter embossed.  The twins are the two button peas (I have a 3/4 chance of 2 fertilized eggs & a 1/4 chance of one split egg).  The thank you sentiment (from Inside & Out) is in italics that matched the baby shower sentiment.

The peas were easy to stamp & punch but the pods required hand cutting. {The one I photographed was poorly done - I usually leave more white around the edges.}

Plaid & pinking shown here.  When it was time for the shower I hadn't made the thank you cards yet, but I knew the image would be a preview of what I wanted to do in '3D'.

Sunshine goodness & shiny ribbons!  I used five colors of polka dot ribbon but balanced the blues, greens and yellows.  Honestly, I didn't want to use up too much of any one color :)

One last look.

And, some juicy Paper Dolls info:

-name  Christy Compton Hall (christea)

-state  CA... I grew up an Army brat (Kansas, Augsburg, San Francisco, Alabama, DC area),  but grandpa went to Cal, dad & uncles went to UCLA, mom & dad went to UCSF, & I got my undergrad/credential/grad degrees at UCSD where I've stayed put

-age  37 & pregnant with twin boys (spontaneous)

-day job  6th grade Earth, 7th grade Life, 8th grade Phys/Chem teacher (previously, HS bio/physics/adv.physics, then science professional development specialist)

-family information  Married to an electrician turned SAHD with 5-yr old DD, twin boys 't-minus 1 month', female Rottweiler, kitty... RIP ball python

-When did you discover PTI? When I discovered paper crafts in December 2008

-How long have you been a Doll I'm a newbie (~month)

-Favorite PTI products (besides stamps)  Coordinated ribbon, buttons, felt; dies!

-Favorite PTI stamp sets  Fancy Flourishes, Fillable Frames, Button Bits, Tiny Treats, Around & About Sentiments, Borders & Corners

-Favorite PTI color  Aqua Mist or Ocean Tides

-Favorite PTI color combo  Pure Poppy, Plum Pudding, Spring Moss, Rustic White

SUPPLIES 
Baby Shower Favors  

stamps - PTI Baby Button Bits, Tiny Treats: Christmas, Tiny Treats: Valentine

ink - PTI aqua mist, ripe avocado; Versamagic sage

paper - PTI kraft, stamper's select white

accents - PTI harvest gold felt, swiss dot ribbon in harvest gold, lemon tart, simply chartreuse, spring moss, aqua mist

dies - PTI Favor It #1, Mat Stack #1, Limitless Layers 1 3/4" Circle; EK Success 1 3/4" circle punch

ipod - Bauhaus, Icicle Works 

Baby Shower Thanks

stamps - PTI Library Card, Baby Button Bits, Tiny Treats: Valentine, Inside & Out: Thank You

ink - PTI aqua mist, ripe avocado, dark chocolate; Versamagic sage

paper - PTI aqua mist, kraft, rustic white, Library Ledger, Polka Dot Parade, Bitty Stars Basics, Pretty Pastels; DCWV Nana's Nursery Baby Boy

dies - PTI Library Pocket, Large Ric-Rac, Background Basics: Diamonds impression plate

tools - Marvy mega scallpoed square punch (pink), 5/8" circle punch 

ipod - Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard