Sweet Babies

I just had to share this layout I did last night - my bestest friend just had twin babies this week - a boy and a girl! She has had a rough time of it, including being on bedrest for months and feeling super tired. I can't even imagine what it must have been like - but look at how beautiful they are! Every time I see this picture I feel happy and at peace. I am so excited for her and her new little family.

And here's another good friend of mine who just had a baby. Look at that little sweetie! She's the best baby - never makes a peep and smiles all the time. I am so happy for both of these girls and their darling children. :)

And here's something I received a few weeks ago from a good friend - all I had to do to win it was answer a few questions on Jeannene's blog! Love Conquers All Isn't what she sent me beautiful? I love it - thank you Jeannene! You all should go over and check out her blog - it's like taking a European vacation. She's the nicest person and very creative.
Hope all of you are enjoying the warmer weather. I know I am!

Could it be ... Spring?

So, we're having a heat wave here today - 43 degrees! But it's something. When you go outside, you can hear the birds singing and the snow is melting slowly on the front lawn. I can see grass! Oh my. Still it's not enough to melt the 8 foot high snow banks in the back yard. And another storm is expected for us on Friday. Ah well, I'll take today. Here's some cards I did recently and thought I would post. I love making cards and I love sending them! Ooh - I just noticed that every one of them has a heart on it! Ha.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone today! It's also my father's birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD! I am very close to my parents - I am lucky to have the very best parents around.
Growing up my sister, brother and I used to make him green cakes every year, until we got old enough to know that maybe he was sick of the green! I hope you have a great day, Dad. I love you! XOXOXOX

Feeling sorry for myself

Well, I haven't posted in a while because I've been so darn sick. It's taken all the energy out of me and left me bored and lifeless. Plus it's raining and cold here today and I'm sick of winter. When will spring ever arrive??? Okay - enough whining! The best thing that happened this week was that my son finally came home after being away all week in Florida, - he had a great time but is happy to be home and we're happy to have him back. :)

And then I got the cutest little birdie in the mail from Jeanne over at Collage Art Studio. Here's a picture of the one she sent to me in a teacup (adorable!) and the one I sent her in return. Go check out her blog for more fabulousness. Plus she's a sweetheart.


Here's a few cards I did before I got deathly ill! Today I go pick up more amoxicillian! Hooray! Hope everyone else is having a better week than me!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hey Everyone - Happy Valentine's Day! I was going to post yesterday but we had an ice storm and lost power and phone service all day long. We all spent a very long day inside with a fire going in the stove. The kids were so thankful when the power came back on and their wonderful tv and PS3 was able to be turned back on! :)
This morning the school buses got stuck going up our icy hill and they all had to let the kids off near my house to walk up. Many mothers had to park their cars at the base of the hill and wait for the bus to back down and move. Ah - spring - where are you??
Here are some tags I've done recently for two tag swaps. The first is for "Close to My Heart" and the second through Heather at Speckled Egg. She hosts the best swaps! What have all of you been up to?

I have a crafting problem...

Hi, I'm Laurie and I like to make things. Here's some cards I made this week using swap materials from my crafty sister. Thank you, Lisa!




I also like to paint things - things most people probably wouldn't paint. Oh well... I think I'm making the world a prettier place. Here's the yard sale cosmetic case my daughter and I painted. Cute, eh? Now it matches my melon-green studio accents. Kind of a kooky color - but I like it!

I have more things to post but Blogger won't allow me, so I'll save it for another day. Off to make more! :)

A New Beginning

So - can you believe the holidays are over? They seemed to fly by without much pomp and circumstance - just a lot of hectic rushing around on my part. I am sad Christmas is done, but I am enjoying the slower pace and getting myself re-organized again. I took down the tree today which took quite a while. All those pine needles to vacuum!

Here's something I did before Christmas. It's a little altered house shape from Say It With Letters. I am really getting into collage these days. I'm not that great at it, but I enjoy the process.

And these are a set of Matryoshka/Russian nesting dolls that are new shapes for Say It With Letters that I got to design! Aren't they cute? I love that there's so many of them. I had fun decorating them.


Another thing I have been doing a lot of over the Christmas break was crotcheting and knitting. I have never done it before except when I was very young and my Mom taught me. Now, with the help of the internet - it's all coming back to me! My husband brought me home a huge bag of beautiful yarn and I went and got a few more skeins today - aren't the colors inspiring? So far I have made three hats, two scarves and am currently working on a new scarf which is my favorite color of seafoam green. Happy Crafting!

Stormy Weather

So - I haven't had much time for scrapping lately. There's been so much else to do - Christmas concerts, classes, school assemblies, gift wrapping, shopping - whew! I'm tired. But I did this tonight and used my new "thickers" alpha stickers. Too cool. And I love this picture of my daughter in the snow. We went out and made another snowman today, too!

I also have been excited about posting my first project for the Say It With Letters Design Team! It was so fun to alter and embellish these three little houses! You really should go and check out everyone's projects there - very inspiring! There are so many cute shapes for the holidays. Happy wrapping!

A Banner Week

Aren't these birds cute? My daughter helped me make these glittery birds to hang around the house and on the tree for the holidays. She enjoyed it as much as I did!

So, I had to check in because things have really been looking up for me this week! First - I got some really great news. Something I have wanted for a very long time - I was chosen to be a member on the Say It With Letters Design Team! Deb has an amazing product and I am so honored to help spread the good word about her creative alterable letters and shapes! The Design Team has already been assigned their first project and I'll post a sneak peek of mine very soon! Here's a picture of the illustrious Deb and hubby Steven, working hard at their home show last weekend.

Then my sister and I met with the very nice, Dee, over at Village Greenhouse in Henniker. If you're local, you should definitely check out her store. Not only does she sell beautiful holiday wreaths and plants, but she's also opened up consignment space for crafters! Here's some of my signs and wares for sale.


And then, if that weren't enough - over Thanksgiving my Mom, Dad and sister surprised me with gifts for an early birthday celebration! My Mom and Dad gave me a Mary Englebright crafting book and my sister gave me this beautiful birdhouse! Isn't it to die for? I have always wanted one. And it's huge! Thank you, Lisa, Mom and Dad! What a surprise!

Oh - and before I forget - my group TRINKETS is doing a show this Saturday at the St. Theresa's Church from 9 - 3 in Henniker, NH if you're in the area. Stop on by and say hello to us and do some holiday shopping! :)

A little bit of Christmas every day...

So I visited a blog this week with someone who is crafting a "card a day." I was inspired by this idea and have since made one card a day in the last three days. They are very simple but I am enjoying the progress. My friend Deb sent me the link to these holiday sentiment stamps at PaperTrey Ink and I just can't stop using them! She is such an enabler! :) But I love them.
And just look what I received in the mail yesterday from the very talented Lori over at Faerie Window! Isn't this beautiful? Lori, my kids are fascinated with it. I put it by the kitchen window and the snowy glitter catches the light. Thank you so much for starting off my holiday with such a pretty decoration! Go check out her blog and see her other fabulous creations!

Now I'm off to my 101 other projects on this rainy day. Happy creating! :)

Pay It Forward

Here is a wonderful little celebration of giving that I signed up for at Faerie Window. Thank you, Lori, for passing on the great idea! I even stole your wording here - hope you don't mind!
I have agreed to make a little hand~crafted item for three people who agree to do the same on their blog to "Pay it Forward"... The first three comments to this post who agree to do this will continue the chain of giving:

1. You comment on this post.

2. You receive a handmade gift from ME.

3. You post this message on YOUR blog and offer a handmade gift to the first three who comment

4. Thus, the cycle continues and everyone has fun and beautiful crafts to display in their home.

I will contact you for your addresses. Let's spread the handmade love! ~ Laurie

Busy, busy!

I can't believe were halfway through October already. I am not prepared yet for Halloween - mentally, that is. But I am very proud of myself - I actually finished reading a novel yesterday. It was on my "goal" list for the summer. (Sounds silly, I know!) And although it's technically not summer, I still finished it and loved it. How I've missed books! Since my daughter was born, I've been much too busy to spend that kind of time on myself. Now that she's four and doing some more on her own, I've had more time. Anyway - I read "Here On Earth" by Alice Hoffman. It's a bit dark, but the story is set in New England and really makes you feel the fall. I enjoyed it.
Here's what else I've been up to. This is a shape from the illustrious Deb over at Say It With Letters. It was so much fun to make and really only took me a short time. I love how "fall-y" it is. :)

And here's some of the many layouts I've been making - not all of them stellar - but since I just scrap for myself it really doesn't matter, now does it? :)



Also cut up some fabric tonight - don't ya love these colors for a little quilt? I do!

Bling, bling!

Look what I made this morning. Isn't it cute? It's going to be for my daughter's room since she's such a diva. We had fun adding all the bling! The back had a hang hole but I covered it with paper and now we can use both sides. I drilled holes in the top and just ran wire through it - it's so easy to paint and alter. And, I just got all that beautiful purple paper (My Mind's Eye - Bohemia) and I can't stop using it!
The shape came from my good friend, Deb, at Say It With Letters. You should check out her site - she has the coolest shapes, kits and finished products and even an etsy shop.

Blog Slacker

I have been such a blog slacker lately. But our summer has been so busy! My good-looking hubby is painting the house and in turn, I get to spend every waking hour with the kids (and non-waking hours too, I might add!). Not that I don't enjoy it - but both of us are pretty exhausted. The house is going to look great when it's all done, too - I can't wait!

Here's some layouts I've done recently. They're all 8x8's. I love having my new studio all to myself! I am so much more organized. I don't get more done, necessarily, (ha) but I do have fun doing it!