TSTR Comforts of Home Challenge

I've got The Shabby Tea Room's Comforts of Home Challenge, to create a card or project that shows what my comforts of home are, for you all, today.  Oh!  And check out this gorgeous photo Debbie posted for inspiration.

Well, I've, always, been a HUGE lover of linens.  There's just something super comforting, to me, about lacy sheets, worn quilts, cuddly blankets, and a closet full of mixed linens.  I think that my favorite linens have got to be a set of cross-stitched pillow cases, that my great Auntie Myrt made, for BJ and I, for our wedding.  I, absolutely, treasure them; especially, because she is no longer with us.  I, also, have a gorgeous quilt that my Mom had made, just for me, for one of my birthdays, when I was young.  She, even, took me to the quilt shop to pick out all my own fabrics.  I still, truly, love it!  It became my inspiration for Adina's room. 

Anyway, I, totally, loved how my quilted card turned out for TSTR Hip to Be Square Challenge.  So, I jumped on board, with more quilty goodness, in honor of my own personal comfort of home, this week.  Here's what I came up with.

I started this card by machine stitching, with a pink-threaded, zig-zag stitch, across the lacy, patterned paper.

I, then, layered a strip of the heart, patterned paper across the top of it and machine stitched a pink-threaded, straight stitch around its edges, before adhering them to the Bordering Blue, cardstock, card face.  I'm, really, going to miss this color, when Stampin' Up completes their color renovation.  Sigh.  A trim of lace was, then, added between the two.  This part of the card reminds me of the top of a lacy-edged sheet being folded down over a quilted blanket on a made bed.  So pretty!  I, then, wrapped a Dark Chocolate, grosgrain ribbon, around the card face, right over the lace; tied it in a bow; and embellished it with a pink button, laced with white string.  Finally, I silver embossed the "For You" sentiment on a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock; adhered it in the lower, right corner of the card face; framed it with Styled Silver hardware; and embellished it with a couple of pearls.

I just love the elegance of this card!  Oh!  And check out this week's prize!

I've had my eyes on these gorgeous papers for waaaaay too long!  They, really, need to make their way into my stash :).

Thanks, again, for stopping by!  I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  The boys are headed to a big What If the Church? workday, tomorrow.  So, Adina and I will be on our own, and we've got some shopping to do :).

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Vintage Labels (SU) Paper: Bordering Blue & Pretty in Pink (SU); pink, heart patterned (Paper Studio); lacy patterned (?) Ink: VersaMark Other: silver embossing powder; Hodgepodge Hardware (SU); lace, pink button, & pearls (Paper Studio); string; pink thread & sewing machine; Dark Chocolate, grosgrain ribbon (PTI)

March Scrapbook Club Layout

We've, already, had our April Scrapbook Club, and I still haven't gotten around to showing you last month's layout.  Well, you don't have to wait any longer.  Check it out!

We started this layout, at Club, by using the Color Spritzer Tool...

and a VersaMarker to clear emboss some great texture onto the pieces of Kraft cardstock, which we, also, rounded a few corners of.  I'm really loving this tool right now!  I wanted to get it this month, but the Occasions Mini Catalog ends this week, and I didn't think that I could live without this super cute Fox & Friends stamp set.

Just adorable... Right?!  So, anyway, it took precedence, but I'm hoping to add the Color Spritzer Tool to next month's purchases.

We, then, adhered the embossed, Kraft cardstock, with a piece of Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper and a couple strips of Real Red cardstock, onto the Taken With Teal, cardstock pages.  The Real Red, cardstock strips were anchored, on either end, with staples.  Oh!  We, also, used Kim's Big Shot to create the Old Olive, cardstock, journal box.  I did the rest at home...

including using those awesome, alpha stickers to create the "BAPTISM" title and adding a couple, red, flourish stickers and, of course, a healthy dose of my favorite, water-simulated, Rain Dots stickers. 

I, also, journaled, It's always so fun to come together, as a church family, for our annual, Kill Creek Park Baptism.  This year, Ezekiel and Mason had a blast!

This page boasts all the same goodies, as the first, with the addition of a metal-rimmed tag, which Kim sent home with us.  I embellished the center of mine with an old, Simply Scrappin' Kit sticker, which was overlayed with another Rain Dot, and journaled, August 24, 2008, picnic & fun, around its edges.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Be sure to check out Kim's design here, and have a super, spectacular day!

{Supplies & Tools}
Paper: Taken With Teal, Real Red, Old Olive, Kraft, & Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper (SU) Ink: VersaMarker & Basic Black (SU) Other: metal-rimmed tag, Corner punch, & Color Spritzer Tool (SU); red, flourish stickers (K&Company); Rain Dots (Cloud 9); Tag Types, alpha stickers (EK Success); staples; Big Shot

Color Cue {3} Challenge

I think that it's about time for some more papercrafty goodness around here.  So, I've got Dawn's Color Cue {3} Challenge, for you all, today.

 

Here's what I came up with.

I started this card by stamping the looking glass image, several times, in Cameo Coral ink, on a strip of Cameo Coral cardstock (I wish you could see the little ant on the inside of this image better.  It was having so much difficulty photographing well.); the baseball glove image, several times, in Bordering Blue ink, on a strip of white cardstock; and the space craft image, in Summer Sun ink, on a strip of Summer Sun cardstock.  I, then, pieced each of the strips together and secured them with a white-threaded, zig-zag stitch.  Before they were adhered to the Bordering Blue, cardstock, card face, I stamped it, in Moonlight White ink, with polka dots.  I, then, added gemstones, for blinking lights, to the space craft images and Crystal Effects, for a more glass-like look, to the centers of the looking glass images.  I, also, stamped an extra, baseball glove image, in Bordering Blue ink, on white cardstock; hand cut the baseball from its center; and adhered it to the second glove, in the row, with dimensionals.

 

Finally, the "just BECAUSE i Care" sentiment was stamped, in Bordering Blue ink, on a piece of Bordering Blue cardstock; hung off the right side of the card face, overlapping the row of space craft images; and embellished with a coral button, laced with white string, tied in a knot.

This card is for Zach.

Zach is another one of Jennifer's Cards for Kids kiddos.  According to Jennifer's blog, 8-year-old Zach was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma, a form of brain cancer, on July 21, 2009.  Two days later, he had surgery to remove the tumor.   This was just the beginning of this journey for this family, but they will travel it together, faithfully.  Zach and his mom are, currently, at St. Jude Children's Hospital, in Tennessee, where he just started his chemotherapy.  They will remain there for the next few months but enjoy visits from his dad and two younger brothers, Ryan and Chase.

{Supplies & Tools}

Stamps: Toy Box, Best Yet, & Polka Dot Jumbo wheel (SU) Paper: Bordering Blue, Cameo Coral, & Summer Sun (SU); white (Georgia Pacific) Ink: Bordering Blue, Cameo Coral, & Summer Sun (SU); Moonlight White (Brilliance) Other: gemstones & coral button (Paper Studio); white thread & sewing machine; dimensionals; string; Crystal Effects

Quillow Reveal

So, my brother asked for a quillow (A quillow is a quilt that folds into an attached pocket to form a pillow.), like the ones I made for my nieces and nephews a few Christmas' ago.  Although it took me much longer to oblige, than I had hoped, he, finally, received his request, for his birthday, this year.  Here's how it works.  One side looks like this...

and the other side looks like this.

Be sure to take notice of the sewn-in pocket, in the bottom, left corner, of which the opposite side has the same, stripe material as the first photograph.  It makes an excellent pocket into which to tuck cold toes, when it's not holding the rest of the quilt.  That's the quilt part of the quillow.  To turn it into a pillow, flip it back to the stripe side, or the side opposite the sewn-in pocket, and fold one side in towards the center.

Now, fold the other side in towards the center, overlapping the first folded side...

and fold 1/3 of the quilt down, beginning at the end furthest from the pocket and folding toward it.

Then, fold another 1/3 down, still working your way toward the pocket.

Folding the last 1/3, brings the quilt into this position.

Now, flip it over, so the pocket side is up...

and tuck the entire quilt into it.

The pocket is, now, turned inside out to reveal the stripe pattern, but the other side is still blue.

Then, toss it wherever you please, on whichever side you like best, until it is needed.

There are lots of quillow tutorials out there.  None of which I knew about, until I had made my own.  I used a quillow, that I had received, for Christmas, when I was young, as a template for this one and all the ones I've made in the past.  It takes 2-1/2 yards of two different patterns of fabric.  The large pieces of fabric, for this particular quillow, measure 70" x 43", and the pocket measures 18" square.  I used 5/8" seam allowances, and everything was lined with high loft batting to make it extra soft and comfy.  I don't make blankets any other way!

Oh!  And Cath, over at Moxie Fab World, named my brother's birthday card a Trigger Target!  Yippeee!  Thanks, Cath!

We're Back!

We had a wonderful weekend visiting my sister, Jamie, and her family in Wichita.  Friday night, she babysit Adina for us, while BJ and I took Ezekiel to see Walking With Dinosaurs.

It has been a long time, since we got to do something with just Ezekiel.  So, it was truly a blessing, and the show was soo fun!  This paleontologist actor did all the narration...

and aside from the awesome display of lights and growing foliage, the dinosaurs stole the show!

This baby t-rex, shown here with his mommy, was the best!

Then, on Saturday, the rest of our family came to help my niece, Madison, celebrate her birthday, just one week late.

Take a second look, and check out her Fabric Floral Headbands.  Yea!  I'm so glad that she loved her gift, which I mailed; because I didn't know that we'd get to be celebrating with her, when we planned our trip.

My brother and Dad had a few gifts to unwrap, being they have April birthdays, also.

I know I promised, you all, in my One-Layer Card Challenge and Tuesday Trigger post, that I'd show you what I made for my brother, early this week.  So, come back, tomorrow, on his real birthday, to check it out!  We spent the rest of the weekend eating...

(Hee!  Hee!  Love that one of my Mom!) jumping on the trampoline, staining my sister's deck...

doing some of the same things we do at home...

and just hanging out, enjoying one another's company.

We played hard and crashed on the trip home!

Thanks for being such a wonderful hostess, Jamie!  We need to get together, again, soon!

Pencil Lines' Sketch 183

I, completely, realize that I've skipped a few sketches to get to this one, and I want to try to go back and finish the others, but I was, really, drawn to this particular one, the minute that I saw it.  It's Pencil Lines' Sketch 183, provided by Anna Bowkis.

I, obviously, tipped it one turn to the left and came up with this.

I started this page by adhering the paisley, patterned paper and orange, polka dot strip, which had been punched, down its right side, with Martha Stewart's Doily Lace Edger punch and distressed with a number of inks, on the Barely Banana, cardstock page.  After adhering Adina's birth announcement, I ran a ribbon of butterflies down its right side, right through the center of the orange, polka dot patterned paper.  I, then, twisted lengths of a soft green, tissue paper into flourishes and embellished their edges with pearls and their center with a glitter pumpkin, which I cut, from Pumpkin Pie cardstock, with my Speaking of Fall, Cricut cartridge.

All the lacy flowers were made from ribbons, of varying widths, of lace, which I stitched at the bases, gathered, and embellished with soft yellow buttons and more pearls.

Finally, the edges of the entire layout were brushed with Moonlight White, Chamomile, and Chai distress inks.

This is, also, my attempt at Wee Memories' Vintage and Ribbons Challenge to make a card, scrapbook layout, or altered item, using this inspiration board...

and ribbons.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  We're so excited to get to spend some time with family and take Ezekiel to see Walking With Dinosaurs.

Oh!  And be sure to scroll down to check out my previous, One-Layer Card Challenge and Tuesday Trigger post.  So fun!

{Tools & Supplies}
Paper: Barely Banana, Pumpkin Pie, & orange, polka dot patterned (SU); paisley patterned (?) Ink: Moonlight White (Brilliance); Chamomile & Chai (PTI) Other: pearls, buttons, & lace ribbons (Paper Studio); butterfly, ribbon trim (Making Memories); Doily Lace Edger punch (Martha Stewart); tissue paper; Speaking of Fall, Cricut cartridge; white glitter (K&Company)