Welcome Benjamin

Justin's cousin had her baby boy last week and this was the card that I made for them. I got the idea for the faux stitching on the elephant from Heather Summer's Blog.
I inked up the elephant in versamark before I inked it in Baja Breeze so that I could emboss it with Clear embossing powder to give him a little shine.
Stamps: Wild About You, Short & Sweet, Polka Dot Background
Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Versamark
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: Baja Breeze 1" DS Ribbon, Not Quite Navy 1/4" Grosgrain, Styled Silver Hodge Podge, Clear EDP, Full Heart Punch

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Charlie

Charlie was born in early December and I've only just got his card in the mail a week ago, what sort of cardmaker am I??? I decided to pull out Big on Spring, I've tried to use it a few times with no success but I kept seeing beautiful samples of it all over blogland so I knew it was possible and I was determined to make it work for this card!
I've used some paper piecing (as opposed to paper *piercing*) on the little onsie. The little "Charlie" tab at the bottom was made with the linen background stamp first and then the name stamped over the top in the same colour (bashful blue).
Stamps: Big on Spring, Rough Edges Alphabet, Linen Background, Polka Dot Background
Ink: Old Olive, Certainly Celery SW Marker, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Cardstock: Certainly Celery Prints DSP, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Hodge Podge Pewter, 1" Bashful Blue DS Ribbon, Certainly Celery 1/4" Grosgrain

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Walk Tall

I made this layout for Paper Goddess' October Layout a Day challenge, I don't know if I'll be able to do every day because Charlotte's birthday (and party) are in the middle of the month, but a girl can try, right?
The sketch is from A Scrap Addicts Sketches again, I really love her sketches and blog right now, I seem to be lacking inspiration but have a million pages and photos I want to get scrapped and her sketches always give me some sort of direction to get started. You can see here I've moved some bits and pieces around but the point of a sketch is to be a jumping point not an exact science.
This page is probably the quickest I have scrapped a photo from when it was taken, the photo was taken on Monday of Charlotte walking, (she decided to sit down straight after this and the next photo is her crouching so it was good timing) I just loved how she has her little arms out and a look on her face that is a combination of pride and concentration! The day was also perfect for getting photos, I didn't have to touch this up in photo shop! After months of dodgy inside with flash photos over winter it was nice to just be able to point and click and have a nice shot.

Stamps: Polka Dot Background, Big Deal Alphabet, Polka Dots & Paisley
Ink: Regal Rose, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Mellow Moss
Cardstock: Petals & Paisley, Pretty in Pink, Rose Red
Accessories: Fairy Tale Ribbon Originals, Pretties Kit, Styled Silver Hodgepodge

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Thinking of You

This card was inspired by the beautiful swap by Larisa Brown that I received at regionals (on left) I loved it so much I just had to make my own version. The colour combination was a really random one, I knew I wanted Purely Pomegranate and when I went digging through my scrap box to find a piece (It is getting ridiculously full I'm trying to take my cardstock from there first to get it down a little) and when I picked up the purely pomegranate I accidently grabbed a piece of Elegant Eggplant as well and I was just about to put the elegant eggplant back when I noticed how nice the colours looked that I decided to use them together for my card!

Stamps: Wild About You, Polka Dot Background, For a Friend
Ink: Purely Pomegranate Elegant Eggplant
Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White
Accessories: Purely Pomegranate DS Ribbon, Corner Rounder with guard removed for scalloped edge

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

It really rattles!

I saw this card last night and thought it was so cute I had to show Justin, when he saw it he said it would be cool if it really rattled. As soon as he said that I thought of a Shaker Card and had to have a go!

I have used vellum for the window as I had no overhead transperancy sheets and couldn't wait to have a go. To give the card 'rattle' I used small pink seed beads instead of sand or glitter. This was my first attempt at a Shaker card and I really recommend that if you haven't had a go at a shaker card to try something bigger before you try something this fiddly.

Stamps: Happy Thoughts, All in the Family, Family Phrases, Polka Dot BG
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Elegant Eggplant
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Vellum Cardstock, Elegant Eggplant, Regal Rose
Accessories: Soft Subtles Brads, Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain, Scallop Punch, 1 3/8", 1 1/4" & 1" Circle Punches
Images (c) Stampin' Up!, Designs (c) Zarna Gould