emboss resist toolbox

My poor DH always gets the shaft - his birthday is just days after our niece's, DD's, and Valentines Day.  By then, I'm crafted OUT.  So, I took advantage of the recent anniversary challenge at PTI.  The technique is emboss resist which was PERFECT for my needs. I wanted a toolbox like we have on the truck (DH is an umemployed commercial/industrial electrician).  I couldn't WAIT to use the lil' tools from Daily Designs :)

I sponged smokey shadow over embossed pewter on soft stone cardstock.  The stone was a little too soft, and the pewter too shiny, so the shadow ink helped tone it down.  I also used my T6 Copic on the bright metal tag.  The orange saddle stitch ribbon is a nod to Rigid tools (orange & black) - my DH's favorite tool brand ;)  The tools are also embossed in pewter - Alli Miles, they are toooooo cute (for guy things...)

I'm lovin' this one.

xoxo,
Christy

pearl's birthday

My beautiful niece Pearl is turning one this weekend.  

Here's a lovely card to go with a cute dress - beige with brown & blue striped ruffles, and an image of bird on a tree with swirls.

 

Thanks to Becky for the image download - all part of the fun today at PTI!  

I wanted to get those swirls in the card, and I snuck the sentiment into the clouds.  That little pop balloon - too cute! lol

blog hop - inside & out

Opsy!!  I almost forgot about the PTI blog hop tonight!  I didn't have a post prepped, so I'm just adding in a few shots of my latest creation - party invites for my almost-4 year old.  She's having an "Alice's tea party" as she calls it.  Very unbirthday.

I used a combination of PTI and Basic Grey stamps.  The neutral cardstock is a gorgeous textured celery - the last remnants from my wedding crafting :)

 

 

 

Ok!  Those were tons o' fun to make.  Hope you enjoyed them!  I also have an 'inside & out' wedding stationary set in my next post - feel free to take a look!

xoxo,

cch

wedding stationary: inside & out

One theme this month at my favorite stamping place, Papertrey Ink, is cards 'inside and out'.  Perfect!  I like to go bonkers with coordinated touches inside the card, on the back of the card, and on the front & back of the envelope.  Sometimes I stamp a tiny, coordinated image on the return address label.  But I never take the time to document it.  So for today, I've got a wedding gift and card for some dear friends of mine, Brandon & Evelyng.

First, the card, front: (has hard to see bling; flourish on envelope is avocado & chocolate).  The grosgrain ribbon was ivory, colored avocado with my Copics.  They do an AMAZING job, although the ribbon is rather stiff after wards.  This little tip has come in handy for altering ribbon, brads, gems, buttons... I love it!  Those markers are really money well spent for me.

and the inside:  (here is used a double mat - the gift notecards have the same inner stamp but with a single mat & monochromatic look.

and the back:

The stationary gift set was the All Boxed Up template over at PTI, with six notecards:

 

That's it!  I hope you liked it - I loved putting it together!


xoxo,
cch

raising baby

Some of what we did seems old-fashioned (minus the full-time working mom part) but we really loved it & feel good about our successes:

• Washed & folded cloth diapers.  But no pins - we bought proraps seconds from the factory.
• Breast-fed until 14 months with no formula.  I pumped at work every 2 hours, and she never used a pacifier.
• Cooked & smashed home-made organic babyfood (also never ate food from a jar).
• No TV/movies for the first 2 years.  Then when we moved 3 years ago we never set up the TV (but do love our Netflix on the laptop).
  
• Slept sweetie in her own crib so we could keep our bed (and get some sleep).
  

Of course, every baby has their way about things.  
As I watch ours grows, I know we're blessed with an outgoing, strong, adventurous, independent, willful, playful, young spirit - and I'm so happy about it.

jan 11th round-up

So many people I know personally have a birthday today - all cool, strong Capricorn gals:

1. Moriah McSharry Mcgrath - went to college with my brother (Haverford); we spent two weeks with her in Madagascar when she was a Peace Corps Volunteer and caught a partial solar eclipse the moment our plane landed on the island/continent; like a true sister to me
   
2. Amy Harms - my super awesome little 'cousin' (granddaughter of my mom's cousin)
3. Baby Leda - must be 2 or 3 today; DD of my brother & Moriah's friends, Laddy & Christine
4. Salma D. - 7th grade student in one of my Life Science class; sweet, scarved Muslim gal
5. Erin Relph - special ed. co-teacher in my 6th grade Earth Science class; witnessed me tripping over a rolling backpack and branding my knees by falling onto my classroom's outdoor metal walkway
6. Me - 36 and very excited; no work today because I teach year-round school & DH is not working either so we're dropping the kiddo off at school and going to the movies
   

mish-inspired notebook

Real quick, here's a notebook I CASEd last night from Mish in the idea gallery for Take Note at PTI.  I made it for my mom to go along with the card.  My dad just retired so they are permanently moving into their two homes - So Cal desert & Oregon coast.  This is to help her get organized w/ 2 houses to go between!