So much to share!

Hey, everyone!

I have been as busy as a bee lately! I love to swap with other paper crafters for new ideas, fun projects to inspire me and encourage me to create even more! I only have a few more swaps to go and then I will be nearly done with swapping for the year! I have several new projects coming up that I will share more about later! It's been fun but also a little hectic trying to get things done on time. My baby boy (13 months) loves to "help" but his busy little hands are a little more help than I need sometimes, so I end up playing with him instead! LOL His laughter is contagious and I love to see his precious smile!

Okay, so let me show you a few things that I have been working on lately! This is a fun little treat bag I wanted to try and make. It's doesn't sit perfectly straight up but neither do most real pumpkins! LOL I am really pleased with how it turned out, though. I used some orange snaps on the sides, black ribbon, my TAC scallop circle punch (page 115 in the fall/winter 2008 catalog) to create my tag, a stamp from the $1 bin at Michael's and I filled it with a cellophane bag and some candy! I was inspired to make one when I saw this one from SplitCoastStampers.

I already shared with you the birthday cards I had made for a swap I am in over at Paper Wings. There's only 3 of us swapping so it makes it easier for me to do a card with a little more detail since there isn't as many to do like that. For the baby shower invitation I used my TAC stamp set HELLO BABY and a couple misc. stamps I have picked up along the way. The diaper is paper pieced and so is the blanket. I used Gentle Beginnings paper from The Angel Company and premium white cardstock, also TAC. I sponged the edges of my card in Burnt Umber palette ink. I tied a brown ribbon with a pretty sheen to it on the left side of the card. I used my TAC scalloped circle punch on this card, too. Can you tell I enjoy using it? For my final swap project I want to show you, I made a gift card holder. This is another swap I signed up for at Paper Wings. I really like the Tutti Frutti paper that we carry! It's so fun! Inside I stamped a birthday sentiment. I left a lot of the white showing inside so the gift-giver can add their own doodle dots, fun stamps or designer paper that they would like or they can simply write a short and sweet note in the white section!
Tomorrow I will share with you the fun projects we'll be making at Memory Lane Scrapbooking store in Bedford on October 9. I had a lot of fun making those projects and am eager to share them with you. I hope you'll be inspired to create something fun today, too! Please let me know if you do. I always enjoy reading your comments!

And I wanted to say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my sweet and wonderful husband, Paul, of 8 years. We have grown a lot, learned a lot, loved a lot, and have come to lean on one another more throughout the years. We have 2 beautiful children that makes our lives complete. Here's a picture from our wedding day 8 years ago! Neither one of us had any idea what the future held for us but I am glad I have him in my life. He is my best friend and he always reminds me of how everything will just work out. His faith strengthens mine. I thank God for him.

Hugs,