We're on Team Pink!

We had our big ultrasound yesterday and it went great!

We got to watch our baby on the big screen for about 30 minutes while the doctor took all kinds of measurements of the various anatomy. The baby was awake and was doing cute things, like sucking on its fingers!

Most importantly the doctor said everything is measuring right on track and that he did not see any signs of any abnormalities. Yeah!

Along with that wonderful news, the doctor told us that it looks like a girl! We are super excited to have a daughter on the way! :)

Here's her cute profile!



Thanks for stopping by :)

A Couple Spooktacular Crop layouts

Hello everyone! As I mentioned earlier today, the Spooktacular Crop and Treat weekend at Scrapbook Deals 4 U is underway! I'm hosting two of the crop challenges and I thought I'd share my sample layouts here.

The first challenge is to create a layout about any pet that you have, had, or would like to have, or, about any animal at all that you love. Here's my sample layout for this one:


The second challenge that I'm hosting is a sketch challenge. The sketch that I chose is this one from PageMaps:


and here's my sample layout:


These two challenges along with 8 other fun challenges will be running until midnight PST on Sunday November 1st, so you have plenty of time to join in the fun! There are lots of great prizes just waiting to be won, so what are you waiting for? Head on over to the Spooktacular Crop forum at SD4U and jump in :)

Spooktacular Crop and Treat Weekend

The party has gotten started!


There are many challenges to participate in and several games too!
Lots of prizes are waiting to be won, including a guest designer spot!
Come join in the fun!

SD4U November Kit Projects Reveal and Online Crop!

Here's what I created this month using the super cute "Simple Pleasures" November kit from Scrapbook Deals 4 U!

That's Dan and me. The photo was taken this past summer.


My niece Amber when she was just under 1 year old.


My kitty Emily.


My niece Isabella when she was just under a year old.

Also, be sure to check out SD4U's first ever online crop! Spooktacular Crop and Treat Weekend starts on Thursday Oct. 29th and continues through Sunday Nov. 1st. There will be 10 super fun challenges and several games to participate in. I hope you will head over and play... you could win some fantastic treats! The GRAND PRIZE will be a Guest Designer spot for December and a free January Kit! WOW, huh?! The second place prize is a previous SD4U kit and the prize for third place is a grab bag of scrappy goodness. Each challenge will have a random draw winner too!

Rest in Peace Pumpkin Pie

Our dear kitty, Pumpkin, lived his final day today after a wonderful life of nearly 21 years. Dan has been his Papa for about the last 18 of those years. When I met Pumpkin almost 8 years ago he turned me into a kitty-lover, and I've been proud to be his Mama since.


Pumpkin was a loyal companion who got along very well with anyone of any species. He was most certainly the ruler of the house and was totally adored by our younger kitties. We are all going to miss him dearly.

November SD4U Layouts - Sneak Peek!

I spent the day today working with the November "Simple Pleasures" kit from Scrapbook Deals 4 U. This kit is really cute and as always Martha included tons of awesome embellishments!

I've finished 3 layouts with the kit so far and I plan to finish another tomorrow. Maybe some cards, too!

Here are a few sneak peeks at what I've been working on...

Sketch Challenges

Of all the various scrapbooking challenges that are available out there, sketch challenges are definitely a favorite of mine.

Today it was my turn to post a sketch challenge on the Scrapbook Deals 4 U forums.

Here is the sketch that I chose (from PageMaps):

Here's my interpretation of the sketch!

This was our second ultrasound photo at 9 weeks 5 days pregnant :)


I would love to see you play along! Entries are due on Sunday, November 1st. The poll for voting will be up on the 2nd, and the winner will be announced on the 3rd! So head on over to the forum and jump right in!

SD4U November Kits!

Ooooooh la la, Martha has done it again! All 3 of the SD4U November kits are beautiful and loaded with embellishments.

Kit #1 Simple Pleasures - 3 Bugs in a Rug:

Kit #2 Sam - Dream Street Papers:

Kit #3 Flutter Butter - Bo Bunny:

The kit club subscription members will be able to start selecting their kits tomorrow! The remaining kits will be available for non-subscription customers to purchase on October 25th in the Scrapbook Deals 4 U store!

I should be receiving my kit in a couple days, so check back to see my projects!

SD4U November Kits Sneekies!

Take a peek at the 3 choices of kits that Scrapbook Deals 4 U will be offering for November!!!

I see some 3 Bugs in a Rug goodies here!


Oh oh oh how about the Dream Street goodies in this next one!


Oooooohhhhhhh who can resist the Bo Bunny?!


I can't wait to show you the full kits soon!

Half-Way!

I really cannot believe we're already half-way through this pregnancy! It seems like it was just last week that I was a human pin cushion getting all of those IVF injections in the abdomen and hips! It's hard to believe that there are only 20 weeks, or 4.5 months, to go until our little miracle arrives!

So in celebration of this milestone I want to share something that my sweet little nieces Amber and Isabella sent to me. I actually received this several weeks ago, right after my first ultrasound in fact, but it's only now that I'm really starting to believe I'm actually pregnant.


They sent me a super soft baby blanket along with handmade cards. Isn't that sweet?! The cards have been hanging on my fridge and the blanket is safely tucked away waiting for our little one :)

6 days to go until the big ultrasound! Any guesses about the gender?? We can't wait to find out!

Creating Handmade Lollipop Flowers!

I'm sure many of you have seen and even played with those pretty flowers made by Prima Marketing called "Lollipop flowers".

Well, I'd like to show you how simple and fun it is to create your own handmade lollipop flowers! I know that many of you already make these as I've seen them on your amazing layouts! So please bear with me as I attempt to inspire the rest of us :)

Let's get started!

Step 1: Gather your supplies (patterned paper, scissors, edge distresser, mini mister (or regular squirt bottle), heat tool, white acrylic paint, Stickles (or other glitter glue), glue dots, twine, and a button).

Step 2: Using your scissors, cut 3 squares from the patterned paper, making the second square about a half-inch larger than the first, and making the third square about a half-inch larger than the second.

Step 3: Next, trim one of your squares into the shape of a circle. The circle does not have to be perfect!

Step 4: Trim the remaining squares into circles.

Step 5: Using your edge distressing tool, distress the edge of your first circle.

Step 6: Repeat the distressing process for the other two circles.

Step 7: Using your mini mister (or squirt bottle), spray clean water onto the edges of your first circle.

Step 8: Continue to spray the entire circle, getting a bit of water in the center of it as well.

Step 9: Next, crumple the wet circle in the palm of your hand, smashing it all up!

Step 10: Unfold your crumpled circle and then bunch up the edges of it (the circle should still be wet at this point, allowing you to easily shape the paper).

Step 11: Using your heat tool, dry your circle until it is no longer wet (the heat "sets" the shape and the dimension that you made by crumpling and bunching in the previous steps).

Step 12: Repeat steps 7-11 for your remaining two circles.

Step 13: Time to get messy! Squeeze some of the white acrylic paint onto your fingertip.

Step 14: Using your fingertip and thumb, spread the white acrylic paint all around the edges of your first circle (this process adds to the distressed look of the finished product!).

Step 15: Repeat steps 13-14 for your remaining two circles.

Step 16: Time for some sparkle! Apply Stickles (or other glitter glue) all around the edges of your first circle.

Step 17: Repeat the "Stickling" process for your remaining two circles and allow to dry.

Step 18: Line your circles up largest to smallest and grab your glue dots.

Step 19: Adhere the middle circle on top of the largest circle, and then the smallest circle on top of the middle circle. It's starting to look like a flower!

Step 20: To create your flower center, string a piece of twine through a button.

Step 21: Next, tie the twine into a bow and trim the excess off.

Step 22: Press your button onto a glue dot.

Step 23: Adhere your button onto the center of your flower.

Here is the finished handmade lollipop flower!!!

Here's a look at the wonderful dimension that using water and then a heat tool adds to the flower!

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial for creating handmade lollipop flowers! They are so fun and quick to make. You could use these flowers to embellish your layouts, cards, and other projects!