a little bit of me.

{Studio Calico's Candy Shoppe: February's Kit!}

Studio Calico's February kit - CANDY SHOPPE - is now live.  You can click on over to the SC sight and snag it if you like.  ;)  i'm just sayin'....

and this is what i made with it...

..."Mr Sunshine" - this was a 'happy accident' type of page that I'll be blogging more about on the SC blog later on.  Stay tuned.  :)  That rainbow paper is part of the exclusive SC paper pack - and joint effort between Crate Paper and Studio Calico.  I love that i was able to "frame" my 4x6 photo with it!  The "sunshine" title was cut with my silhouette machine.

..."10 Piggies" is a favorite out-takey style shot from Noah's 6 month photo shoot.  The yellow polka paper is ALSO part of the More SC paper pack - and exclusive Crate Paper/Studio Calico print.  >> see why you need to get extras of these sheets?!  ;)  I also used the Mister Huey in white to distress the polkas a bit.  I think that the white Mister Huey is definitely the most versatile of the mist collection, and probably tops my 'must have' list.

The alpha background stamp that i used here is from the Licorice Twist addon.  Reason enough for me to snag that one!

..."Toothless" is all abotu noah's lack of teething activity to date!  hehe.  We keep waiting for one to sprout up through his gums.  He does love him some Haba teething toys though.  :)  That rainbow stripe paper is part of the Lollipop addon - this is such a fun, BRIGHT addon - my fave of the bunch.  The stitched sun was just something random that i added in with a sticker and my favorite cloud punches at the last minute.  But it makes me smile, and matches the sunny-ness of the page i think.  :)

To all of my SC'er blog readers - i hope that you were able to grab what you wanted this month - it's such a good kit and collection!  Can't wait to see what everyone else makes with it.  :)

{Sneak Peeks of SC's Candy Shoppe}

YUMMY.  :)

that's pretty much sums up the new February Studio Calico kit: Candy Shoppe - to be released at midnight EST on Thursday night.

This month I worked with the main kit - Candy Shoppe, and two addons - #1 Licorice Twist, and #4 Lollipop.  ...plus my standard & always-necessary, never-optional "More Color" and "More SC Paper".

...the colors in this month's kit were so bright & beautiful and perfect for me.  That rainbow paper is absolutely gorgeous in person and one of the reasons that you WILL NEED "More SC paper" this month.  ;)

...The yellow/red polka dot background paper here is an exclusive Crate Paper/Studio Calico collaboration effort - available only in this kit.  I used the white mister huey (which is back in stock!) to "distress" it a bit and tone down the color for this layout.

...The alphabet background stamp used in the peek above is available in the #1 Licorice Twist add on.  LOVE this stamp - its possibilities are endless.  I stamped it with pumice stone ink and then added a layer or mister huey calico cream mist on top.

...my favorite little cloud punches (XL punch) (and L punch) are a mainstay on my pages this month - that's because the FABULOUS new cloud stamps (that fit them perfectly!) included in the main Candy Shoppe kit.  If you've been holding out on these punches (which by far rank as my favorite new punch of the past year!) - this could be the reason that you break down and grab them...  teehee.  ;)

I also used with this kit:

Mister Huey's Sunshine - so warm and goes perfectly with the bright colors in the Main

Mister Huey's Lemonade - not to tease you, but you'll want this one from the new State Fair line when it becomes available sometime after CHA

Foam Tabs - what i use to "pop" all of the elements off of my pages

Tumbled Glass Distress Ink

:)

{Studio Calico's Winter 2011 Blog Hop}

ETA:  the winner is....

Posted by: gabby | January 24, 2011 at 09:27 AM

********************

Hi Everyone!  and WELCOME to the Studio Calico winter blog hop...

...so glad you joined us!

Studio Calico has come out with a couple of FABULOUS new lines that are debuting at the CHA-W 2011 trade show.  I was privileged enough to work with the new STATE FAIR line. 

These are the two layouts that I made for the Studio Calico booth...

...i happen to LOVE this recent shot of noah (above) and was excited to get to use a big version of it on a SC page.  His little blueberry Fuzzibunz dipe matched the "Sideshow" patterned paper perfectly!  :)

& this is another absolute favorite noah-pic.  The "Guess Your Weight" patterned paper background made it easy to make this layout one of my favorite current color combos...

...i'm apparently trying to catch baby Noah's scrapbook up to Evan's in no time at all.  ;)

And Finally...  (after the show layouts were finished) I cleaned up my scrap pile, and made this quick page for my own book.  My sister Kristi took this shot of us last November.  We don't have many recent photos of just the 2 of us, and I love it.  :)  the xoxo, be mine, etc is a die cut from my silhouette machine.

The pink background patterned paper is called "Cotton Candy".  How yummy is that?!  :)

In addition to the patterned papers, I love all of the embellishments in this new State Fair line so much.  I used the die cut tags on each of my pages, and threw a bunch of the wood veneer buttons on my XOXO page.  I'm also completely enthralled with the new mists.  LEMONADE is a must have in my opinion (i only have half a bottle left after completing these show pages, and my Studio Calico Feb 2011 kit pages!). 

To go along with the blog hop, we were able to choose our favorite items to give away as a "prize" of sorts for the hop.  So one lucky winner from my blog will receive both a package of the wood veneer buttons and the die cut tags.

In order to take a chance at winning a bit of the new Studio Calico winter line - please leave me a comment on this blog post.  Let me know what you love about the new lines.  I'll pick a winner on Wednesday.

And after you comment, be sure to HOP ALONG to the next Studio Calico girl on the hop list - TINA ASZMUS.  >>>  I can't wait to see what she's made with the new lines.  I'm sure it's absolutely fabulous!

:)

{365}

well almost.  ;)

I've always wanted to try to document a year in our life with 365 photos - 1 a day.

and after seeing a few tweets at the start of the new year from her - decided that the best way to attempt it (in our crazy, busy, and totally chaotic life as it is right now) was with my iPhone.  (or Eric's camera phone, as it may be sometimes.)

& i'm also giving myself permission to "miss" a day or two.  Because really the entirety of having "almost" a year of little random tidbits from our life - all in one place - is priceless.

Here's a link to my online "almost 365" album.

I'm already loving the cute little moments captured from my camera - and also working on persuading Eric that im in need of an upgraded iPhone... ;)

this one from yesterday is a fave...  (yet was still beat out by a shot of both boys playing together)

I can't wait to see "almost 365" photos of us all together in one place at the end of next december.

:)

{Evan's Artwork}

I love that Evan has been bringing home his own little art creations on a regular basis this year.

He's finally gotten to the point that he ASKS (in a hopeful way) if its "going to be art" today at school.  This is a huge milestone considering the fact that i had to have a phone chat with the preschool teacher because he was the only child who refused to wear a smock on day 1 of school - and also refused having his hand painted for a handprint.  (yep, that's my kid ;)

And because I want to especially remember these right now - I thought I'd photo him with a few recent creations and preserve them here on the blog.  :)

this first piece came home in his backpack about a week ago.  I took it out, ooohed and awed, and asked him what is was...

he told me: "It's evan, a spaceship, & two lollies!"

but of course!  why didn't i realize?!

and this is one of my faves.  :)  he got in the car telling me "momma i painted BLUE" on the day he created it.

his little self-portrait was a big deal at school.  we were sent a note telling us that the oval face shape was "pre-painted" and that our little artist would be creating the rest after learning about the concept of self-portraits.  eric and i kind of think that a bit more help may have been provided.  ha.  ;)

And this little guy is one of his most recent creations and also probaby just about the only snowman that we'll see in florida this year.  But i love him.  And evan does too, as he's currently hanging out with Thomas and his friends on Evan's train table.  Its Rusty, Percy, Stanley, and the Snowman from preschool right now.  ;)

Almost all of evan's artwork gets hung up in what we like to call his "Gallery".   We make a big deal out of unpacking Evan's art and oohing and aahing and then asking HIM where he'd like to hang it in the Gallery.

The "Gallery" is an idea that I borrowed completely copied off of my friend JJ.  I adored how she displayed her children's artistic endeavors in her house in Minnesota, and knew that we needed to do the same in this house here.

We have a super long hallway on one side of the house - the side with evan's room and bathroom on it, which proved to be perfect!

& Really all it is, is this curtain "rod" from IKEA.  I bought extra clips so that we could cram it full of art, and also clip up the occasional loose photo in between artwork pieces.

:)

{Wordless Wednesday: Phone Stealer!}

(isn't it funny how sometimes the blurry point-n-shoot pics end up being faves?! ;)

...(and I couldnt leave these 2 out)

:)

{at 7 Months...}

time is flying.

that's for sure.  >>  I cheated and took his "nice" 7 mos pic at the beach on New Years Day.  ;)

And so, at 7 Months Noah...

...weighs 17 lbs 2 ounces.

...seems to like every single food that I make for him.  He's had avocados, peas, acorn squash, bananas, apples, pears, and sweet potato (definitely the fave).  He's been eating breakfast & dinner - and we just started adding "lunch" into the mix now that he hit 7 months.  Our freezer is overflowing with frozen "pods" of food.  ;)

...is so intrigued by "puffs".  Santa brought him some for his christmas stocking, and after the initial shock of its texture (crunchiness?) - he can't get enough.  He wants to be fed puffs (we stuff them in the corner of his mouth) in between bites of baby food.

...is SO happy sitting up.  He's such a good "player" too.  And is finally getting some use out of all of the quilts that I made before he was born.

...flaps his arms around like a bird nonstop.

...is LOVING the baby boost dvd that evan cherished for so long.  :)

...has a ton of hair.  & its such a pretty chestnutty blond-brown color.

...wakes up around 5:30 to nurse - (mostly) goes back to sleep till 7:30/8 - naps 2x during the day (at least - we are working on establishing a more regular nap schedule) - and starts the bedtime/bath routine at 7:15.

...pulls off his socks and eats them daily.

...has been rocking the fuzzibunz dipes all month.  we all love 'em.  :)

...still has NO teeth.  but adores his Haba wooden teething rings.

...is always BOUNCING.  if not in the jumparoo - then he's usually bouncing on us - or attempting to turn the exersaucer into its own little jumparoo.  it probably doesnt help that we encourage him to start jumping by saying "bouncy bouncy bouncy bouncy!".  to which he smiles and starts jumping like it's his mission in life.  ;)

...still loves the swing for naps.  i officially gave up with trying to get him to nap in the crib, and we move the swing in and out of his nursery all day long.

...is a great car rider for the most part.  i think he's entertained just watching E in the backseat.

...sleeps with a half swaddle still.  and loves his mobile.

...would be thrilled if he could just be carried around all day and enjoy the view from my arms.  ;)

...& is SO super smile-y.  he just waits for someone to look his way, and then when he knows that he has your attention he lights up and his little smile-show starts.  and he KNOWS that he's adorable.

xo, sweetpea.  :)

{2010 in Photos}

2010 was so very good to us!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

i sorted out lots of favorites from the year and put together a few collages with these templates.  And while I know that I left out some of my very faves, I still love the result of this compilation...

 

Goodbye 2010 and Welcome 2011.

I can't wait to see what you have in store for us.

xoxo. :)