Give Thanks

I made this card a while ago (obviously) but hadn't yet posted it to my blog. Thanks to a nudge from Moxie Fab World's latest challenge: Fun with Floss, here you go. We can give thanks year-round, right? :)

I paper pierced the border and sentiment, then hand stitched them using embroidery floss. The orange leaf is solid chipboard decoupaged with orange patterned paper. I traced and cut the shape of the taller leaf out of More Mustard patterned paper, painted the chipboard brown, then layered the chipboard shape over the patterned paper.

Supplies
Paper: Bazzill Basics, Stampin' Up! (More Mustard Prints), Scrapworks (green leaf print and orange dot print).
Accessories: Stampin' Up! (chipboard leaves, button, 3/4" circle punch).
Other: embroidery floss, paint.

Train Birthday Party

My toddler is gone. He's officially a three-year-old little boy. This morning we celebrated his birthday with the train party he's been requesting since the day after his last birthday.


The favors. (There are close ups farther down.)


Ben used painter's tape to make train tracks around the house.


We intended for the kids to walk on the tracks and play in the train tent that was parked in the other room. Leave it to three-year-olds to figure out that you can pick up the tent and drive it on the tracks. Genius, I tell ya'! LOL.


Favor bags. I bought solid blue bags and stamped the train tracks on the front. I also made the name tags to look like yellow railroad crossing signs.

Those wooden trains are little train whistles. I'm pretty sure we were only 10 minutes into the party before I stashed them away in the kids' favor bags. Whoa, noisy!


Train-shaped lollipops.


Train sipper cups. Are these cute or what!?


Moving along to the party food...I made cupcakes and topped them with yellow railroad warning signs that I designed on my computer.


I also made fruit kabobs and cheese cut into train shapes. Dairy cars - I'm so clever. I bought three loaves of bread and a large train-shaped cookie cutter to make train-shaped sandwiches, but completely forgot about making them until I was setting out the food this morning. Oops. The kids didn't miss them. But I guess my boys will be eating French toast for breakfast everyday next week. :)


The adorable Waldorf doll Lincoln's preschool teacher made for him. I perched our plush friend where he could watch over the festivities.


See this amazing train setup? Three levels high. I made it. Yep, I'm finally getting the hang of playing with boy toys.


Last but not least, the birthday boy showing us the proper way to eat a cupcake - icing first!

All Things Grow With Love

All things grow with love, especially little girls. Can't wait to meet precious Zaya when she arrives.

Supplies
Paper: Stampin' Up! (kraft, whisper white).
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Everyday Button Bits).
Ink: Stampin' Up! (Chocolate Chip).
Ribbon: Stampin' Up! (Pretty in Pink, tan gingham).
Punches: Scalloped rectangle Nestabilities, corner rounder.
Felt Flower: Martha Stewart.

Baptism Cards - His and Hers

I realized that when I posted the picture of C.'s CTR towel, I neglected to post a photo of the card I made to go along with it.

The rainbow has long been associated with baptism. It was a token from God after the great flood that covered and cleansed the entire earth to show His promise that the Earth would never be flooded again. When I am Baptized is a sweet Children's hymn that talks about the beauty and cleansing power of baptism. (Click the link to hear the song.)

I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain
And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.
I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

I know when I am baptized my wrongs are washed away,
And I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.
I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.
I want to be the best I can and live with God again.

from Children's Songbook, #103.

I also had the opportunity to celebrate the baptism of one of the girls in my Primary class. So I appliqued a pink CTR shield on a towel for her. I also had a lot of fun making her card. If you look closely, the color on the rainbow and sun comes entirely from using colored glitter - no ink or coloring in with markers. This card is so pretty and sparkly in real life! I thought it would be perfect for sweet little girly Miss A. She loved it!







After searching online for baptism poems, I also revised the poem that I included with the towel.

This clean, white towel is a reminder for you
Of your baptism day for all the years through.
When you come out of the water, clean and pure,
Dry off with this towel and you can be sure,
That you are as clean as the towel is white
And soon the Holy Ghost can guide you day and night.
For the Holy Ghost is your gift after the laying on of hands
And will be a comfort and guide if you obey God’s commands.
This CTR emblem will help remind you to be strong
As you continue to learn right from wrong.
When your towel becomes soiled, remember that we too
Make some mistakes but have been taught what to do.
Just as you can wash your towel so again it will be clean,
Your sins can be washed away and never again be seen.
The price for all your sins was paid by Jesus Christ with love.
Through repentance you’ll be worthy to return to Him above.
You will follow the Savior’s example as you make this choice.
Continue to try to be like Him and listen to the still, small voice.
Your Heavenly Father loves you. Remember to always pray,
And His Spirit will be with you forever and a day.

Congratulations to my little man C. and sweet Miss A. I'm so proud of you both. :)

Supplies: His Baptism Card
Paper: Bazzill Basics (blue and yellow), Stampin' Up! (Whisper White).
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Heavenly Medley).
Ink: Stampin' Up! (Pacific Point), StazOn (black).
Color Pencils + Blender Pen: Stampin' Up!.
Punch: Stampin' Up! (1/2" circle).

Supplies: Her Baptism Card
Paper: Papertrey Ink (Raspberry Fizz, Lemon Tart), Stampin' Up! (Whisper White).
Stamps: Papertrey Ink (Heavenly Medley).
Ink: StazOn (black), VersaMark.
Glitter: JoAnn's (ultrafine in pink, green, blue, yellow), Stampin' Up! (Dazzling Diamonds).
Punches: Stampin' Up! (corner rounder, scallop border).
Ribbon: Stampin' Up! (white taffeta).

Train Party Invitations

My baby turns three next week. He's still my baby, right? :) Lincoln's been asking for a train birthday party since the day after his last birthday. So what's a mom to do but deliver?



My favorite part of the invitation is the ticket the little engineers can remove and bring to the party. Or at least carry it around the house like my boys do when they get an invitation. A party invitation is a badge of honor that must be treasured.

Lots of fun crafts on my To Do List this week. I don't know that I'll get them posted this week, but I'll be sure to take pictures so I can play catch up later. Take care!

Supplies:
Paper: Stampin Up! (Kraft, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Blue Bayou, Wild Wasabi patterned paper from Creative License Simply Scrappin' Kit).
Stamps: Stampin' Up! (Choo Choo).
Ink: Stampin' Up! (Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, Blue Bayou, Pumpkin Pie).
Computer Fonts: Pointedly Mad, Abadi MT Condensed.
Punches: Stampin' Up! (slit punch, ticket punch, corner rounder).