sneak peeks!

I'm so excited about August's kit, I can't even tell you. At Studio Calico, we've been working diligently to give you the newest releases in your kits, and I think you'll agree, the August kit is PACKED with them! Also, there's several exclusive items in the August kit that you won't find anywhere else:

• 2 Studio Calico patterned papers
• 2 Crate Paper patterned papers
• 1 SC + Hero Arts stamp
• 1 Sassafras mini sticker alpha
• 1 SC Chipboard alpha

Hopefully you can spot some of those items in my sneaks below.

This is the Tide Pool add-on. LOVED it! that Sassafras paper is a must have and I highly recommend getting the Add-on Patterned Paper kit because you'll want duplicated for sure!


This is my favorite layout that I've made in a long time. The mistable trim is AWESOME, but the reason I like this so much is that I felt clever using the main kit stamp on the ribbon. And, if you think I planned the size to match so perfectly....think again. It was a happy coincidence. I used the main kit ENTIRELY on this layout.

And, last but not least, another layout using the main kit alone (plus a shipping tag of my own). Do you love those exclusive Sass alphas as much as I?

Here's my list of mist (I like that title....it rhymes):

• Clover
• Lemonade (sold out right now, but it is returning)
• Piglet
• Orchard
  

SC + Hero Arts Blog Hop

I've been waiting for MONTHS to share with you this stamp release and I'm so glad that day is finally here. Studio Calico has collaborated with Hero Arts to bring you top-quality stamps that are perfect for cardmakers and scrapbookers alike. To our current customers, thanks for all the feedback on which stamps you've liked best and wanted to revisit. We've taken your advice and don't worry, if you don't see everything you wanted just yet, let us know! We may already have it in the works, and if not, we might put it in the works!

For this card, I used the new Autumn Press 6x6 paper pad along with the white Mister Huey's Mist and the new Calico Shine...obviously layered over the ampersand mask. Then, I stamped the phrase with staz-on. The cloud was made using white zing powder on white cardstock, then adding ink with my ink blending tool & punching with Fiskars Large Cloud punch.
This card was super simple. I used the Silhouettes set and the Alpha background. The Silhouette's pieces layer and are 3 different stamps so you can make the phrase, head, and patterned circle all different colors. LOVE THAT! After it was all said and done, I wish I would have thought to use Pink Glitter Zing for my girl there. (the buttons are chipboard and are from the new Memoir collection.)
This is my favorite stamped item...I was so proud of myself for this. Again, I used White Zing Embossing Powder, this time on a shipping tag. After that, I used 2 different color inks and my ink blending tool to create the orange look. Then, I stamped "hooray" and added the little bits and pieces. Wouldn't this look awesome on a birthday gift?

Be sure to return to the StudioCalico blog to enter your response there for a chance to win a fabulous prize. Also, be sure to come back tomorrow...begin at the SC blog...for another chance to win plus lots more fabulous designs using the SC + HA stamps!

sneaks!

I've been without my computer 2 whole days and I didn't like it one bit. I felt like my right arm had been chopped off.

I wasn't prepared for 2 days or else I probably could have dealt with it better. I'm on a brand new computer that was desperately needed, but also desperately put-off (my "n" key was worn away, and the mouse pad didn't work, plus I got blue-screen almost daily). I knew it would be such a hassle to transfer everything, but the "guru" told me it would only be 2 hours. Even at 2 hours, I scheduled it in on the least inconvenient day and planned to be away.

As soon as the guru started transferring all my pictures, he told me it would be overnight. I about panicked....we're leading in to CHA and emails are flooding my inbox constantly. Just to give you an idea, in 10 days, I had 1828 emails (of course 300 were sales at Gap, Banana, and zulily updates), but I still have to filter through them, you know.

So, here I am on my new computer, having survived the separation. Now, it's learning and getting the feel for everything all over again. Can't say that I'm enjoying it, but it was time.

Below are my last 2 sneaks that I was able to successfully transfer from my camera to this computer.

pulling up

It's officially time to lower the crib.

Then, I'll be able to sleep at night instead of worrying that Claire has somehow figured out a way to climb her bumper and propel herself over the edge.

She's very attached to this blankie. I believe one of our Studio Calico members gave it to her. A very generous gift that Claire absolutely adores. And, if she takes this to college, I'll be hunting you down! :)

Still, the tongue....ahhhhhhh.

Is it just me, or does she look Asian here?
Okay, maybe it's just me.

Does every kid in the world chew on their crib? I think so.


Here you can really tell she just woke up.





If you scrolled through all my massive photos, congratulations.

7 months

I almost forgot it was Claire's 7 month birthday earlier this week. It seems that this month has gone by faster than any other. She's so active and I really love this age.

She's almost at a crawl. She can scoot wherever she wants to go. She can sit and pull up, actually she pulled to standing at 7 months 1 day. I'd say she's pretty mobile, but I'm still quicker!

She is definitely preferring her mommy and has started crying when others try to take her from me. Of course her Grammy & Aunt Lorie are the exception to that rule. I secretly love that she does that. Makes me feel like an official mommy.

She eats just about anything, but peas are still a "no" in her book.

She loves reading and turning pages.

When she's crying, I sing almost anything and it makes her happy. Usually "The Green Grass" song wins out because I know all the words. Her daddy on the other hand usually goes with U2.

She got her ears pierced last week at the doctor's office. She was cute before and is still cute after.

She went swimming for the first time and LOVED it. That word is capitalized for a reason. She kicked and splashed and cackled. Then she came home and slept for 3.5 hours.

She is learning to wave "bye" and her personality has totally taken over my heart.

We certainly got our money's worth with her.


And, just a small peek at the July main kit MIND THE GAP and the PETROL add-on.
This is my favorite layout I've made in a while. Can't wait to share the full version on the 28th!

Natalee the Entertainer

I dare you to watch this video and not crack a smile. Double Dog Dare You. Let me know if you accomplish it.

A few things to note about this video that make me laugh even harder:

• Natalee asks Claire, "Do I look cool to you?" Definitely, Natalee, definitely. How cute is that?
  
• My mom noticed 50 seconds in to the video that the record light was blinking and thought something was wrong because a button was blinking. Love you, Mom. ;)
• It's 95 degrees outside and Claire is wearing socks.
  
• Notice my dark tan. I got sprayed the other day. And it reminded me about the HUGE bruise I had on my thigh from falling down the stairs. As I was being sprayed, I forgot to warn the girl spraying me and she said, "Whoa, that's some bruise." (It seriously is about 8x7"), to which I replied, "I fell down the stairs." Cool, April, cool. And, unlike Natalee, I didn't have to ask.
  

she falls at the end

(for those of you reading in your email, there's a video here, but you have to come to my blog to see it. This is mainly directed at my mom and my aunt, one of whom said, "you sent me a blank email today." That person shall remain nameless, but you have a fifty-fifty chance of guessing who it was. Love you, Mom.)

This is the table in Claire's room and she loves, with a passion, looking at it. And since her space heater is off-limits, she really likes the table. Yes, we have a heater in her room in June and it was 95 degrees outside today. It seems to be the only solution to keeping her from freezing at night no matter what we have the AC set on.

Anyway, she falls at the end of the video, but I my reflexes made me shut off the video in order to catch her. I'm telling you, I have cat-like reflexes lately....flinging centipedes & catching falling babies.

sitter & a crazy night

Overnight Claire learned to sit-up.

Seriously it was like a light bulb switched on in her brain and it all made sense. In a matter of minutes she went from sitting for 3 seconds to sitting for 3 minutes. And later that day she sat for 15 minutes straight!

I love this stage because she's so happy. She can scoot on her belly and sit up and look at things and still not move too quickly for me to be worried about her getting into something if I'm not looking for a milli-second.






Oh, and this tongue thing is new, too.
This I don't like so much, but oh well.




And as for the crazy night, I don't have a photo of it, thankfully.

Last night, Greg awoke to me saying, "Ah!!!! Something was on my neck and I flicked it onto you!" (accidentally of course, but it was my reflex none-the-less)

(we both scurry to get our glasses because we're blind as bats without them)

"I think it was a spider, it was definitely not a tick (which is the insect which usually finds it's way into our bed....). It stuck to my fingers and I had to flick it."

(Greg is loving this explanation)

We finally spot it on the quilt and it was not a spider.....what was it, you ask?

a CENTIPEDE (which at first I called a caterpillar, but it was 1:15am). It was 4 inches long, black, with tiny little legs.

It was dead still, so Greg left to get a paper to pick it up with. As soon as he left, that thing took off like a lightning bolt. I had no idea it could move so quickly, but Greg was nimble and caught him and threw him in the toilet, where all nasty little insects go.

Immediately, Greg went back to sleep and started sawing logs. Meanwhile, I was on my iPhone googling "centipedes" and learning all about them. At that point, I got nervous because they live in colonies, and I thought our bed might have become such. So, I wake Greg back up and make him get up so we can strip the bed and look everywhere for a colony. Poor guy, but if I hadn't done it, I would've been awake all night with the heebee jeebies, thinking bugs were crawling on me.

No colony and not a house centipede after my extensive research and investigation, so it looks like we're in the clear. Whew!

we got headbands in the mail today

And this isn't the half of them. I estimate they'll last her well into first grade.

onwards and upwards

Today, I watch those busy hands scaling the side of the coffee table.



Today, I'm fascinated watching Claire discover the world around her.


Today, I love that my baby looks over her shoulder to gain my approval.


Today, I see her smile at the sound of my voice.

Today, I'm amazed by how quickly a child can learn.

Most of my day is spent with daily and necessary activities: folding clothes, washing diapers, unloading the dishwasher, working on the computer, answering emails, conference calls, washing diapers, making the bed (sometimes), feeding Claire, did I mention washing diapers?

But, for a brief moment each day, I try to soak in the moment Claire is in knowing that it is so temporary. Whatever she's accomplishing today is old news tomorrow.

I try to take in all her smiles, coos, activities, all while teaching her about the world in which she lives. Teaching her there is a time to play, there's a time to sit, a time to eat, a time to read, a time to sleep. Boy, is there at time to sleep!

There's no shining trophy or certificate to tell you, you're doing a good job as a mom. But, there is the happiness you see in your child's eyes, the obedience they begin to show, and willingness to please you that's so priceless.







Yep, that's my girl.

And, seeing these photos makes me want to go wake her up from her nap so I can give her a squeeze. almost.