Sketchy Thursdays & CR84FN15

Good morning!  I hope that yours is starting out much better than mine.  Do you ever get the feeling that everything around you is crumbling, and you just want to throw your hands in the air and quit?  Well, that's exactly where I'm at today.  Plus, I'm, still, recovering from our family, Valentine's Day dinner at Red Robin.  The food didn't settle well with me.  So, I'm letting go and reminding myself to soar.  But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.  They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.  Isaiah 40:31  All that aside, I do have a sweet, little layout, for you all, today.

I started, this layout, by adhering the yellow polka dot and green, floral, patterned papers to the Intense Teal, cardstock, layout base, which had been distressed with Moonlight White ink, and machine stitching white-threaded, straight-stitch frames around the edges of both.  After adhering pictures, I set Jumbo Eyelets, approximately 3-1/2" above the bottom edge of the layout base, on either side; laced them with dyed, with Yellow Daisy Glimmer Mist, and crinkled, seam binding ribbon; teal ribbon; Peapod twine; and green, paper roses.

I, then, stamped the journaling image, in Old Olive ink, on Very Vanilla cardstock; distressed it with Tea Dye and Antique Linen inks; framed it with a piece of Daffodil Delight cardstock; and journaled, in Basic Black ink, She's so tiny!  Now, I can't wait for Brooke to get here!  A couple, Very Vanilla, cardstock strips, which, also, had been distressed with Tea Dye and Antique Linen inks, gave me a place to journal, Sam and Kim Ryden (To see some of Kim's papercrafty genius at work, check out her blog here.) just 3 mo. before your friend Brooke arrived.  11.2.08.

My full title reads "2 (two) new FRIENDS" and is made from a number card, the flowers on which I dressed up with yellow glitter...

as well as green plaid and black alphas.  The latter of which were anchored with messy, white-threaded, machine stitches.

A green, polka dot, photo tab, anchored with a Vintage brad, completes the look.

My inspiration, for this layout, came from Sketchy Thursdays' current sketch...

Create For Fun's Color Challenge #15...

 and my February, Jenni Bowlin kit.

Here's the deets:

• 1 Pink Paislee Double Sided Paper
• 3 October Afternoon Double Sided papers
• 2 Basic Grey Double Sided Papers
• 1 Coredinations Embossed Cardstock
• 2 Bazzill Cardstocks
• 1 October Afternoon Die Cut
• Exclusive Mercantile Paper (2)
• 1 sheet Sassafras Lass Woodland Whimsy cardstock stickers
• October Afternoon Schoolhouse Number Cards
• Vintage Valentine Card
• Doodlebug Mini Jewels, bon bon
• Exclusive Mercantile Stickers Tab Sheet
• Exclusive Mercantile Large Bingo Card Month
• Pillow Box containing:
• Maya Road Ruffle Blossoms - cream and golden yellow
• Maya Road Love Notes Chipboard Set – styles will vary
• Maya Road Trinket Pins
• Doodlebug Welcome Home boutique brads – styles will vary
• May Arts Ribbon

And, finally, just for fun, how about a picture of my baby girl reading her new, Valentine's Day books and wearing my new, cowboy boots?

You've got to get a closer look at those boots.

I'm loving them in so many ways!  They came back, with me, from our trip to Dallas for my sister-in-law's wedding last weekend, of which I, absolutely, promise to have pictures, for you all, before the close of the week.  I've sorted, deleted, edited, and am ready to show them off, but would you believe it?  There's not a single picture of myself in the bunch.  Sigh.  Anyway, thank you so much for looking in!  It means the world to me!  And I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Journaling Blocks (Hero Arts) Paper: Daffodil Delight & Very Vanilla (SU); Intense Teal (Bazzill Basics); yellow polka dot patterned (October Afternoon); green floral patterned (Jenni Bowlin) Ink: Old Olive & Basic Black (SU); Moonlight White (Brilliance); Tea Dye & Antique Linen (Ranger) Other: Jumbo eyelets & Vintage brad (SU); green polka dot photo tab (daisyd's); seam binding ribbon (Zipper Stop); Yellow Daisy Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels); teal ribbon (Hobby Lobby); Peapod twine (The Twinery); green paper roses (Taylored Expressions); yellow glitter (Doodlebug Design); number card (October Afternoon); black alphas (Basic Grey); green plaid alphas (Sassafras); white thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome)