Happy Birthday Trenton

We've had company all week, but I did manage find an hour to sneak into my stamping room and make this birthday card :) ! In the process, I think I discovered the most challenging type of card for me to create is one for a teenage boy. Maybe it's because I raised 2 girls...the whole boy thing is still a little confusing, lol! This card will have a little money inside, so that should help, and it will be attached to several boxes of candy, so that won't hurt either ;) ! Happy Birthday Trenton, hope your day is extra special!! Does anyone have suggestions on stamps or projects that are good for teen boy? Please feel free to share your ideas with me! I could really use some help in that area. Here are a few of the punches and the coordinating Polka Dot Punches (free!) stamp set that I used ~

The card features Pacific Point Blue & Kiwi Kiss cardstock. Love those colors together. I pulled out the sentiment from the All Holidays SU set. The 1 3/4" Circle was stamped with my free SAB set, Polka Dot Punch (pictured above) and layered up with several other circle punches and topped off with a Small Star punch. A little Striped Kiwi Kiss Grosgrain Ribbon, paper piercing and Silver Brad were the finishing touches. Finished size for my card is 4 1/4 square (my favorite!). I used Black Stazon ink for the senitment and Pacific Blue Classic Ink for the Polka Dot Punch Image.

Many of you are familiar with Sale-a-bration (SAB) ... but incase you're not, it's Stampin Up's biggest promotion of the year! There are lots of products that I wait to purchase until it's time for their "free gift with purchase" , like Clinique. That's kind of what SAB is like. For every $50 in merchandise you order, you get to choose a FREE stamp set or product from the SAB brochure...and there's no limit! Right now you can also get a FREE Spring Summer Idea Book & Catalog ($9.95 value) just for placing an order of any amount on-line. For more details on those promotions, just click HERE (or on any of the colored links above). And remember, YOU always get the LOWEST price on-line, just by specifying a demonstrator (hopefully me!). And... if you're ever thought about joing SU as a demo, either as a business or just to enjoy the discount on your personal orders, there are extra bonuses for joining now. I joined 2 years ago during SAB and it's been such a great opportunity for me. I know, I know, you probably think there's a catch, but if there is, I haven't found it yet. It's genuinely been a great deal for me. My hobby now pays for itself :) !!!! If you have any questions about any of the current promotions or products, please feel free to email me anytime at youcanstamp@hotmail.com :) !

I have a TON of un-inked stamps and gorgeous new DPs calling to me from my workbench. Hopefully I'll find a little creative time and will be back to share some projects and ideas with you soon.

Thanks for stopping by :) ... have a great weekend!!

Blog Candy Winner!

Wow! It was so fun reading your comments...I can tell you are as excited as I am about the new OCL stamps :) !! I hope you all enjoyed a fun Valentines Day! I had my son-in-law pick a random winner (thanks Ryan), for the Ducky Days set, and the lucky duck is...(drum roll please) ...

The Crafty Den said...
Hi Nancy, thanks for the chance to win this gorgeous stamp set. I love all the new sets but if I had to pick one it would be Kit the Kat. Have a great weekend. Hugs, Denise x

Congratulations Denise :) !!! Just email me (youcanstamp@hotmail.com) with your mailing address, and the OCL girls will get that Ducky Days set mailed out to you!

And...incase anyone hasn't seen that Kit the Kat set Denise picked as her fav, you can check it out right HERE. It's one of my favorites too!!

Chloe is really excited about the new OCL stamps and wanted to extend her congrats to Denise :) !!! The Valentine card pictured above is a super quick, simple one I made for Chloe and her mommy & daddy. It features one of my favorite OCL sets, Anna Mae. Not only do I adore that sweet little Anna Mae image, I also appreciate how versatile the set is. It's one I'll reach for all year. She's colored with Copics, Shined up with a Sakura clear glaze pen and matted with a Long Rectangle Scalloped Nestie.

And then there's Muffin......who doen'st know quite what to think of Chloe or the stamps. She got all dressed up for Valentine's day and even had her nails painted RED (by Megan)...but still, everyone seemed to be paying more attention to the baby. She's a little bit of a drama queen...you can see the sad eyes in the picture, but I assure you, she's still getting tons of love & attention :) !

Thanks for stopping by...and thanks again for playing along with the OCL give-away weekend! I'll be back to some sort of regular stamping/posting schedule soon...but for now, I'm off the enjoy some family time :) !!!

Blog Candy Friday!

Tomorrow's Valentine's Day...so how about a sweet treat? Yay, it's time for Blog Candy! A chance to win a brand spankin' new Ducky Days stamp set from Our Craft Lounge :) !!! And there's more. OCL is celebrating their Winter CHA Release by giving away a total of 28 sets this weekend! It's my pleasure to give away the Ducky Days set, and you can see it, along with the other 27 new sets, right HERE! Both of today's cards were made with the Ducky Days set. My favorite thing about this set are those rubber boots! Love 'em!! I colored the Duck's boots red with Copic R37, the covered them with Crystal Effects, so they're super-duper shiny. I added Crystal Effects to the boots on the 2nd card too.

So... you're probably wondering how you can get signed up for that blog candy. To sign up for my blog candy, just leave a comment on this post telling me which of the new releases is your favorite & why (one comment per person please). You can find 'em all right HERE. I'll pick a random winner on Sunday at noon (pacific time). And...to get signed up for the other sets to be given away, just pop over the CAMI's blog (stamp a little love baby!). She's got some fun up her little pink sleeve....something about a Surprise Hunt? You'd better check it out :) !

I'm looking forward to reading your comments. I'm going to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day today, because I have family coming to visit this weekend, so I won't be posting again until Sunday...when I pick that winner! Have yourself a wonderful weekend,thanks for stopping by!!

Supplies for today's cards (size 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 and 4 1/4 square): Stamps: Ducky Days (OCL) Paper: Baja Breeze, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss & Chocolate Chip and Neenah White cardstock, My Mind's Eye DP Ink: Ranger Distressed Black Soot & Chocolate Chip Accessories: Copic Markers, Sakura Clear Glaze Pen, Crystal Effects (SU), Ruby Red Brads, 3/4", 1", 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" SU Circle Punches, 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" SU Squre punches, Rectangle Nesties, Baja Breeze Button

*Stampn Up products can be found online HERE

* Copic Markers, My Mind's Eye DP & Ranger Distressed Soot ink can all be found at Eclectic Paperie's online store, HERE

Shhh...an early Valentine card

Quick post to show you the Valentine card I made for my wonderful husband :) ! Now I have to hide so he doesn't find it before Saturday. It's hard to be sneaky, he always seems to see whatever I'm working on. We got a bulldog puppy last August and, in the beginning, she was supposed to be for me & my daughter. But Bogue has absolutely fallen in love with that little dog. It's so sweet to see them together. I thought it only fitting that I make his Valentine with this new stamp set from The Greeting Farm, Pup Star. I also used my new SU Eyelet Border Punch..love that thing!!

Happy Valentine's Day (a little early) from Muffin!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to get signed up for BLOG CANDY!

Supplies for the card (4 1/4 square): Stamps: Pup Star (The Greeting Farm) Paper: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Candy Lane (SU) DP & White Ink: Ranger Distressed Black Soot & Chocolate Chip Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch (SU), Small & Large Oval Punches, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat pack, Heart brad (non su), Copic Markers & Sakura Clear Glaze pen

Simple Love & Gratitude

Simple seems to be my theme lately. I made this card last week before coming home. It was for my mother-in-law's 90th birthday!! I was a little worried that it was too simple. My supplies were pretty limited, but I think it turned out okay. And the most important part...Ruthie loved it and it made her smile :) !

The heart is covered in Crystal Effects so it's shiny and the Black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon sparkles because I colored it with a Clear Spica Glitter pen. Both of those details are hard to see in this photo (sorry). I used the new SU set, Love You Much along with the coordinating Three Hearts punch. Finished size is 4 1/4 square (my favorite size). I used Riding Hood Red, Basic Black & White cardstock. Dimensionals added dimension to my card, lol!

An another simple card made with the same supplies, but this one was a thank you note for a very special friend :) ... you can see the Crystal Effects on the heart and birds a little better in this photo ~

Good news ~ I'll have BLOG CANDY on Friday !!! Thanks for stopping by & be sure to stop by Friday, check out the goodies & get yourself signed up :) !

Divine Design Feb 09

After 8 weeks of being gone ... I'm finally home! Chloe is doing really, really well! I thank God everyday for that sweet little girl and for her amazing recovery. What an experience. Thanks again to everyone who prayed and shared kind words of encouragment with us. You were part of the miracle :) !!! I arrived home yesterday & was greeted by my wiggling bulldog and smiling husband. After being gone for so long, I wanted to spend some time with the hubby, so I kept my project very simple. I used my beautiful new stamp set from ODBD called Lift Up Our Hands, to make my bookmark...it features the scripture Hebrews 4:16. I found another translation (NCV) that I really liked and thought you might enjoy it too

"Let us, then, feel very sure that we can come before God's throne where there is grace. There we can receive mercy and grace to help us when we need it"

I use www.biblegateway.com to reference different translations sometimes. It's a nice resource. This Divine Design Bible verse Challenge is a wonderful way to combine Scripture and Stamping. I create a bookmark each month that helps me memorize and meditate on a particular scripture. I hope you'll consider joining us in this monthly challenge. You can get started anytime, just jump in when you can :) ! The simple rules can be found right HERE! And if you have any questions, please feel free to email me, anytime ~ youcanstamp@hotmail.com.

And, here are links to the other Scripture Chicks so you can check out their fabulous projects ~ Lori Craig: Make a Difference, Taylor VanBruggen: Taylored Expressions , Angel Wilde: Angelosity, Jami Bova: Stamp Happy

Have you seen this new Divine Design blog badge? It was designed by our very own Jami Bova : ) ! If you play along with the DD challenge, this badge is for YOU! To add it to your blog, just follow Jami's perfectly wonderful directions:

1. Copy everything between the /* and */ 2. Paste the HTML code onto your blog. (for Blogger, you'll add an HTML gadget and paste this code)

/* http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=408999" target="blank"> http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff2/jbova/DivineDesign2009.png" border="0" alt="Divine Design 2009"> */

Thanks for stopping by! I'll leave you with a fun little picture of Chloe enjoying her new swing. She looks pretty happy... hope you have a happy day too :) !

Supplies used for my bookmark (size 3 x 5 1/2") ~ Stamps: Lift Up Our Hands (ODBD) Paper: Kiwi Kiss (textured), Chocolate Chip & White Ink: Kiwi Kiss & Chocolate Chip Tools/Accessories: 1" & 3/4" Circle punches, Silver Filigree Flower Brad (SU), Silver brads

Smiles

What could possibly keep me away from stamping for 6 weeks??? This picture pretty much says it all. Chloe is simply amazing. She is such a fighter. Heart surgery at 5 days old, Omphalocele surgery at 5 weeks old...and at 6 1/2 weeks old, a healthy, happy little baby back at home! Katie took these pictures of Chloe & I this weekend and I think they're going to be favorites :) ! I will be heading home later this week & I do promise to start showing you stamping projects again. Lots of ideas and a bunch of brand new stamps waiting for me at home...but for now, I'm just going to enjoy these last few days with Chloe and a few days with my husband who's coming to visit too! I do miss my stamping, but this family time has been precious! To thank you for your patience while I've been away...there will be BLOG CANDY coming up soon...so be sure to check back :) !!!

Here's me & Chloe again. I had so many people tell me that being a grandma was going to be very special, but oh my goodness, I had no idea it could be this good. Couldn't be any better.

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome week :) !!!

Lovebug, Chloe, Tags & Awards

Isn't this little bug adorable? It's from the Love Bug Set, by OCL. Here's the inside~ Perfect for Valentine's Day, or anytime you want send a "just bugcause" card. Those just because cards are fun to send (and receive!). That awesome DP is from My Mind's Eye, Just Dreamy 2 collection. That paper comes in so many super fun designs...you can check 'em out right HERE!

Thanks again for all your prayers for my granddaughter Chloe :) ! This picture of Katie & Chloe was taken the day before her surgery.The last couple days were pretty rough, but she's doing much better now. Got her breathing tube out this evening and is resting peacefully. She's still got some recovery to do, but she's getting better and stronger each day... thanks to those prayers! And a special thanks to Jackie who works here at the OHSU campus. She emailed me to offer her help if we needed anything. What a sweetheart! Stampers really are the nicest people in the world :) ! Which leads me to my next thought...

Many thanks to Sherri, Chris & Teresa for the blog awards and tag. These girls have GREAT blogs that I'm absolutely sure you'll enjoy visiting... I sure did! Each blog is overflowing with fun and inspiring projects. Here are those awards ~

I've been tagged by Sherri at Roses in My Heart, to tell you 5 things I'm addicted to and 5 things I really, really don't like.

I'm addicted to: 1) Kind people 2) Coffee 3) My new granddaughter, Chloe 4) Store bought cake 5) Copic markers

I really, really don't like: 1) Liver ...blech! 2) Slow internet connections 3) Waking up and not having fast, easy access to coffee 4) Being idle, sitting still with nothing to do 5) Disorganization

Next, a butterfly award from

Chris at Twinkles Glow with Stamps

And last, but not least...

Teresa, at My Life's Art , gave me this Lovely Blog Award~

I am running out of time, space and energy, so I'll have to pass these awards on in my next post. It's late and I'm getting soooo sleepy (must be Chloe's heart monitor, it's so steady and rythmic, it's lulling me right to sleep!). Thanks for stopping by :)

To Have & to Hold Scrapbook pages

A couple more scrapbook pages to show you! This time featuring my daughter's wedding which was held on New Year's eve 2 years ago. I used the SU set, To Have & To Hold and some retired River Rock DP & Cardstock along with classic black and white cardstock. The ceremony & reception were held in a historic ballroom. I chose these colors, papers and stamps hoping they would reflect a bit of that charm.

You can double click on the first 2 photos to get a closer look at some of the shimmery detail. I used my Clear, Gold & Black Spica Glitter Pens to add a touch of shimmering elegance :) . I even used the Clear Spica on the black grosgrain and white taffeta ribbons so they sparkle too. I also used Kaiser self-adhesive pearls and a Martha Stewart Edge punch. I like using the self-adhesive pearls, because they're inexpensive plus you get 3 different sizes...so you always have just the right size! My pages today were both 8x8" size.

Incase you haven't heard...the new Spring Summer SU catalog is out and there are some super fun new stamps, papers and accessories! So far, my favorite new stamp set is Owl Together Now :) and you can see it right HERE. Isn't that just too cute? I'm being patient and trying to wait till Feb 1st to order it, so I can get some free SAB goodies. If you don't have a copy of the catalog yet, you can always check it out online right HERE or if you'd like your own copy, you can get one FREE, just by placing an order online, Feb 1st-April 30th. It's SU's way of saying thank you! Sale-a-bration is coming right up on Feb 1st. Another way to get free goodies just for placing an order! Whoo-hoo :) !!!

This will be my last post for a few days. After being back in Corvallis for 2 days, we're headed back to Portland tomorrow to take little Miss Chloe to the hospital for her next surgery on Thursday. I'll try to share updates when I can. Thank you so much for stopping by :) ... have a great week!

Barnyard fun

It's time for a little Barnyard Fun with the McSplendid Farm set from The Greeting Farm! This set also includes the most adorable horse, cow and cat. My card is super simple, but it was really fun to make! It's one of those cards that just makes ya smile :) ! Here's a photo that shows how I popped up the ears, nose & wing on dimensionals.I used a fat Copic Marker (YG03) to make the grass...super easy!

We're back in Portland. Made an unplanned trip after Chloe developed a little infection, so she's been admitted for iv antibiotics. The plan is for her to go back home in a day or 2, then come back Wednesday to be admitted for her next surgery. I had this grand plan of stamping yesterday afternoon, had several images all stamped & ready to color and put on cards, but when we woke up and discovered the infection, those stamping plans got put on hold. One look at that sweet little face, and as much as I was looking forward to stamping, she was instantly forgiven. Here's a picutre of her just after the iv was started...she was not a real happy camper, but in true Chloe style, she perked up really fast and was her cheerful self in a matter of minutes. She is such a trooper!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your sweet comments and the prayers. Chloe is 4 weeks old and a whopping 6 pounds 10 ounces. She's made amazing progress and I truly believe that is an answer to all our prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Okay... I'm off to search for a strong cup of coffee :) to make up for sleeping in a hospital chair/bed! Nothing a little caffeine won't fix, lol! Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your weekend!!!

Scrapbooking Muffin

A few more scrapbook pages to share with you today. These all feature my puppy, Muffin! I used some awesome doggie stamps, Pat the Dog and Pat the Good Dog, from Our Craft Lounge! Tons of fun accessory pieces that are perfect for scrapbooking. Speaking of perfect, I used my Copic Markers & Spica glitter pens to coordinate with the My Mind's Eye DPs from the Just Dreamy 2 collection. The stamps, markers and DPs all made this project fun & easy!

Muffin's growing up so fast, she's already 10 months old and over 30 pounds of lovable bulldog! That border of dogbones and hearts is one of my favorite stamps...perfect for creating a fun little doggie theme. And those fire hydrants...aren't they adorable? These first 2 pages are 8x8".
This is one of the first photos taken of Muffin when we brought her home last summer. I love the carefree expression on her face. She really is a "good dog" and this was a very "happy day for her, and for us too! And there's that dogbone/heart border again...love it! It almost looks like it's part of the DP doesn't it? This last page is 6x6".


If you're interested, I still have 2 retired SU sets up for bid over at ebay! But they'll be gone by noon tomorrow. One set alreay sold, but The Merci & Spring Solitude sets are still available. You can find all the details right HERE. The "Merci" set was my favorite SAB set from last year. You can scroll through several pages of projects I made with that set right HERE! I have the minimum bid set at just $7.50, which is a really good deal for a brand new, unmounted set.

Thanks for stopping by...more scrapbook pages and few other projects coming up in the next few day :) !

It's Ian

Hey you! I have a couple of new Ian cards to share with you today from The Greeting Farm (formerly known as Pink Poison/Splendid Little Stamps). You can see all the newest Ian stamps right HERE! Marie is rolling out a whole new crop of stamps! It's so hard for me to see all of these and not be at home with all my stamping supplies. I do have a few supplies and just received a few new sets from Marie, so I'm hoping, hoping, hoping, to do a little simple stamping this week. You can check out all those super fun new stamps right HERE! I made Sheriff Ian card last month and I've been saving it to show you.

My daughter Megan made this next one with the Quarterback Ian stamp!That girl is a creative genius!!! Ian's helmet is shiny, thanks to a generous coating of Crystal Effects. And how about that grass? I love every single shimmery, shiny detail she put into this card!

For those of you who have family in the military, you've got to check out the last couple posts over at the Greeting Farm Blog. Marie has designed a brand new Ian set to honor and celebrate our brave soldiers and you can check it out right HERE! I can't wait to get home next month and try this set out. It's going to be perfect for making cards for the troops!! Marie has a special offer for families of soldiers, so pop on over to the blog and check it out!

And here's a new picture of Chloe! She's almost 4 weeks old & a whopping 6 pounds 1 ounce! I'm not sure how it's possible, but she just keeps getting cuter by the minute. She's doing really well & her next surgery has been scheduled for January 22nd. I have to admit, I miss being home, but this is really a once in a lifetime experience and I wouldn't trade a minute of being here to help care for her. She is truly a little miracle!
Oh, and incase you're interested, I have 3 retired SU stamp sets up for bid at ebay. You can check 'em out right HERE. Great deals on some great sets :) !

Have a great evening! Thank you so much for stopping by :)

Divine Design January

Happy Friday :) ! It's time to kick off a new year of the Divine Design Bible Verse Challenge for 2009! My bookmark features a scripture that I find great comfort in. It's reminds me that in an ever changing world, Jesus is never changing, always the same! My family & I have experienced many challenges and changes in 2008, but Jesus has been our rock, our peace and our ever present source of strength. No matter what life throws at you, Jesus is still the answer!

I apologize for the not-so-great photo (I miss my photoshop!!)...I'm away from home for another month or so, but I didn't want any of that to stop me from getting started on the challenge. So, I used my limited supplies, very limited time & marginal lighting and you know what...that's okay! I want to encourage you to do the same...use what you've got, make a project & join us for this year-long challenge!!!

I'm so grateful to Lori Craig for getting this challenge started one year ago and I'm honored to be co-hosting this year along with my friend, Angel Wilde! The rules are really simple. Just make a project each month in 2009 that features scripture. Some of the girls are doing scrapbooks, cards, journals, calendars...whatever works for you. I'll be making a bookmark for my project each month. As Lori pointed out last year, the important thing is to create a project that helps you meditate on and memorize God's Word. For all the details, you can check out the Divine Design thread at SCS right HERE! And when you upload to SCS, be sure to use the keywords BVC09, so we can easily find everyone's projects for 2009 in one gallery!

I'd like to introduce you to the Divine Design Scripture Chick team for 2009. We'll be posting our projects on the 9th of each month. These girls are so much for than just super talented stampers, they are beautiful Christian women and their love for God's Word shines through their projects. Here are the chicks along with links to their blogs & SCS galleries ~

Lori Craig: Make a Difference, SCS Gallery~ Stamp_momma

Taylor VanBruggen: Taylored Expressions , SCS Gallery~ TayloredExpressions

*taylor will be posting her divine design project this month on the 10th

Angel Wilde: Angelosity, SCS Gallery~ angelwilde

Jami Bova: Stamp Happy , SCS Gallery~ SgtStamper

Nancy Morgan: Paper Smiles, SCS Gallery~ ncmorgan

If you have any questions, just email me (youcanstamp@hotmail.com)! Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend.

Supplies used for the bookmark (size 3x6") ~ Stamps: *Love You Much (SU) Paper: Pirouette Pink, Riding Hood Red, White, *Candy Lane DP Ink: Computer generated Scripture, Ranger Distessed Black Soot Accessories: *Heart to Heart Punch, Scallop circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Pretty in Pink brad, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon

*the Love You Much Bundle that I used to make my bookmark is currently available at SU for 20% off ... you can find all the details right HERE :)

Scrapbooking Megan

Happy New Year! I have several scrapbook pages to share with you over the next couple of weeks. Starting with two featuring my daughter Megan! This first one was made using the new Love You Much Bundle from SU! I love this set & the coordinating heart punch. The bundle also comes with some beautiful DP, but I was going for a bold orange & black theme (Oregon State University...Go Beavs!), so I saved the Valentine DP for a future project. I used some Pumpkin Pie DSP Prints along with Basic Black, White & Tangerine Tango cardstock. My Scrapbook pages are 8x8. For me, that's the perfect size for a scrapbook page. I sometimes get a little intimidated with trying to fill a 12x12 page.

Here's a scrapbook page using the Get Physical set from Hanna Stamps (tennis shoe) ~ Then I used my Copic Markers to color the shoes and draw in the sand. This is a fun, fresh combo of Real Red, Bashful Blue & White!

Baby Chloe got to come home from the hosptial on New Year's Eve :) and is finishing her recovery at home...she's doing really well & getting ready to head back to the hospital in a couple weeks for her next surgery. Thank you SO MUCH for your sweet comments and prayers. Here's Mommy Katie & Chloe getting ready to leave the hospital and head for home...the perfect way to celebrate the new year!! I'm staying with Katie & Ryan, helping them care for Chloe. I won't be home until after Chloe is fully recovered from her next surgery, sometime in February. So I am here and most of my stamping supplies are at home. I appreciate your patience while I'm away from home and not able to post as often as I normally would.

Many of you are familiar with the Divine Design Bible Verse Challenge. We're starting a new year of Divine Design 09 later this week. We'll be posting on the 9th of each month, for 2009, and I hope you'll consider playing along. It's a great way to combine scripture & stamping. It's easy too!! You can find details right HERE and if you have any questions, you can email me anytime

(youcanstamp@hotmail.com)! Angel Wilde & I are co-hosting this challenge for 09 and I'm looking forward to sharing my projects with you & being inspired by YOUR scripture based projects too :) !! More on DD later this week.

Thanks for stopping by :) !

Merry Christmas To You & Yours

Merry Christmas! I almost forgot that I'd uploaded these cards to share with you on Christmas. I made this first card earlier this month with the Shimmerz I won as blog candy (thanks Stacey!). I used the To You & Yours stamp set (SU) and painted on some Sky Blue Shimmerz. It's really easy to use and the results are so pretty (you can double click on the photo to see the shimmery details). The simple, elegant sentiment is from the All Holidays set (SU). Here's another card made with the To You & Yours set ~We are so grateful to our family & friends for their faithful prayers & encouragement as we've spent the past 8 days in the NICU and Pediatric ICU. God has answered those prayers and Chloe is getting stronger everyday!! Here she is, 8 days old, celebrating her first Christmas! She's showing off her beautiful hat, made with love by our special friend, Nancy Littrell :)Experiences like these make you remember what's really important...and it's not the stuff under the tree, that's for sure. It's the love of family & friends and the gift of salvation that baby Jesus brought to this world. We've enjoyed a wonderful Christmas day & I hope you have too. Santa visited the PICU today bringing joy & toys to all the kids...even the youngest little patient...baby Chloe :) !

Peace, Love & Joy to you & yours

from Chloe, Katie & Santa

And the Winner is...

Chloe's smiling 'cause we get to pick a winner for some blog candy today! I'm happpy to report that Chloe had her heart surgery yesterday and it went very well. She's recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit and receiving excellent care. Mommy & me spent the night in the room with her and she had a rough night, but much better this morning. I had my Katie pick a number for the random drawing and that winner is....(drum roll please) ~

okienurse , who said...
Awesome baby girl! Everything will go well with the surgery tomorrow and she will be much stronger for it. I really love all the stamps available but my favorite is the treemendous set.Merry Christmas!

Congratulations Okienurse, you're gonna love your new OCL stamp set! Please email (youcanstamp@hotmail.com) me with your snail mail address & I'll make sure that you get your So In Love set asap! I have to agree, Tree-mendous is one of my favorites too! And another favorite that got mentioned a lot was the new Love Bug set! Here's a card I made with that set ~

and a closeup of that adorable little bug!

And here's my favorite little love bug...Chloe, hanging out with some of her new friends!

I have MORE BLOG CANDY coming up real soon :) and a few projects to share with you including scrapbook pages! And, of course, updates and photos of Chloe. Thank you so much for the sweet comments and prayers...we appreciate it more than words can express :)

And remember...today's the last day to take advantage of FREE shipping with SU on all orders over $70 and the first day to order the brand new sneak peek Love You Much bundle at 20% off. All those details can be found right HERE!

Welcome Chloe!

I have something VERY very special to share with you...pictures of Chloe Kate Thurman, my very first grandchild! She arrived via c-section, at OHSU, on December 17th, 18 1/2" inches long, 6 pounds 2 ounces. She's soooo beautiful!!! Mommy, Chloe & Daddy are all doing well.

As we anticipated, Chloe has two problems that will require surgical correction. Her first surgery will be to repair Coarctation of the Aorta and that will take place on Monday. When she is recovered from her heart surgery, she will have surgery to repair her Opmphalocele. Other than that, she is perfect and gorgeous :) ! Here's another look at her with her eyes open (the photos are a little marginal but they're completely unedited...I'm just excited to have the laptop here at the hospital and have the ability to take photos and email them to friends & family!)

It's snowing and beautiful in Portland! Sounds like we're going to be here for a month or longer, so we're getting settled into our routines and I've located all the good coffee shops here at the hospital :) ! If you haven't signed up for the Valentine Blog Candy yet, there's still time. I planned on selecting a winner on Monday, but it could be later, since Monday is surgery day. You can get yourself signed up by clicking HERE!

Here's a great photo of mom & dad having one of their first visits with Chloe in the nicu earlier this week. Thanks for stopping by. I have several projects uploaded and waiting to show you over the next few weeks, along with more updates and photos of Chloe :) !!!

hugs...from "grandma" nancy :)