JAMSquared

So, if you read my blog regularly, you might remember these name tags I made for the Mothers of Young Children group at my church. Well, Pastor Britta, the children’s minister, liked them and ordered some non-name name tags for something she is doing. Originally, she only wanted 8, but she decided to go for 10 once she saw the picture of the one I made to show her what I proposed. She emailed me, “I think when everyone sees how darn cute they are, it’ll help me recruit more folks to the team!” I had meant to take a picture of the group of them once I put them in the badge holders, but I forgot to do that, so you just get to see the picture that got Britta so excited about them. This was my first paying craft job. Kinda exciting, isn’t it?

Stamps: Stampin’ Up All God’s Children
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Whisper White
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Delicate Dots
Ink: Stazon Jet Black; Dell printer (SHPC text)
Tools: Stampin’ Up markers

Here’s a mish-mash of pictures from the last two weeks of my cutie pie.

My parents were in town for a tax conference recently. We got to have dinner with them and my Dad read Jessica a story before she went to bed. Don’t you like this photo of them with their granddaughter?

I really like this next photo.

I’m rather fond of my baby girl and her Daddy. Aren’t they cute?

Jessica started crawling on hands and knees July 20th. A few days later, there was no more army crawling. Around the same time, she started pulling up and standing. She has become pretty stable standing up. She will even cruise along the length of the couch. Needless to say, the same day I took this photo of her standing up in her crib, James took down her mobile.

We’ve started playing more in her room (especially this week while the tile is being installed) and she has discovered how well she can pull books off of her bookshelf.

This next picture shows how fast her hair is growing. She got her first haircut the beginning of June and now two months later, she needs another one. Luckily, we’re seeing her Aunt Sarah this weekend and she will get another trim.

Yesterday, we met Julia and Aspen for lunch and then shopping at the Party Pig Superstore. The girls seemed to enjoy their shopping excursion. I have to say I really love the Floppy Seat. Jessica is constantly chewing/sucking on the straps that hold her in and I’m so glad the Floppy Seat comes with its own straps so she’s not chewing/sucking on high chair/cart straps that have been in who knows how many other kid’s mouths.

I’ll end with the last picture of Jessica as a two-toothed baby. I noticed this morning her upper right central incisor has erupted, which explains her recent fussiness.

It’s time for another edition of Texas Tuesday (Texas themed cards on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month). Today is a special Texas Tuesday. Mark of Deadbeat Designs (who is part of our little Texas Tuesday group) sent each of us one of his new stamps (Texas, Our Texas) and challenged us to come up with something special for today’s Texas Tuesday. When I opened up the package containing the stamp, I immediately thought of a Texas flag design. It didn’t quite turn out like the vision in my head. I feel like it is missing something.  Maybe it is too clean and simple. Can clean and simple cards be too clean and simple? I had wanted to make a second card and possibly not have even shown this one, but life has been a little hectic the past few weeks. So, don’t be surprised if you see me using this stamp for the next Texas Tuesday as I have another idea that I want to try out.

I can’t wait to see what everyone else has come up with using this same stamp. Let’s check them out together: Geeta, Libby, Mark, Betty, Tina and Shannan.

Stamps: Deadbeat Designs Texas, Our Texas and Howdy
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Real Real, Basic Black, Brilliant Blue
Ink: Stampin’ Up Brilliant Blue

This week’s All That Scraps Weekly Wednesday Challenge was to make anything but a card. I browsed the resources at Splitcoast Stampers and decided to make this hanging treat box. I decided I would go Christmas even though Christmas is five months away, because it might get busy then. And I’ll be ready for a last-minute party. I think this would be great to hang on a bottle of flavoring syrup and stick a packet or two of hot chocolate in it also. However, I did have some wine and candy canes in my pantry. Who knows how long either of those have been there. I always forget to open up the wine when people bring it to our annual Christmas party and James and I don’t really drink wine. I think the treat box might need a little something like a tag, but I couldn’t make up my mind. What do you think?

Stamps: C.C. Designs Sugarplums Angel Emma
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Real Red, Whisper White
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Christmas Cocoa
Ink: Stazon Jet Black
Tools: Xyron 5″ Creative Station; Stampin’ Up 1-3/8″ circle and scallop circle punch; Nestabilities Classic Ovals Large and Classic Scalloped Ovals Large; dimensionals

This is a layout I started at the scrapbooking convention crop back in June, but I didn’t finish until recently. I used Ella’s Pink Scrapbook Challenge #10, which was a sketch. I’m really happy with how the layout turned out.

Cardstock: DCWV the Spring Cardstock Stack (blue); white textured cardstock; DCWV Nana’s Kids (polka-dot)
Designer Paper: Imaginisce Fairest of Them All
Stamps: Stampin’ Up Baby Firsts
Ink: Stampin’ Up Border Blue
Markers: Stampin’ Up Blush Blossom, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue
Accessories: Frances Meyer Baby’s First stickers;