On to 2014- Family, Stampin ' Up, Card Making

So I completely missed 2012 & 2013... it was a busy 2 years! We now have a beautiful baby girl-who actually will be 2 this summer. Alana was born 3 months early and is now a little sweetheart.

Sweet, sweet, Alana Celeste

The boys are crazy, huge and amazing.  DH is great, as usual. And I'm, well, keeping busy.  Between family, activities and social events,  I've found a little bit of time to take up some baking, start a small hair bow business and have reignited my scrapbooking/card making fire. Yep, that's what a $100+ order from Stampin Up will do to you. Seriously, if I thought I could make SU a profitable business for me, I would have joined yesterday! I just know I'd only spend even more. That's the rule of the crafter, right??? Way too much stuff and not enough time or projects to use it all.  Then I feel like a hoarder and want to purge. Cycle repeats. Ah, the stress! :)

I know Christmas was a while ago,
 but this really is our most recent family picture.

Even though this is the first post I've made in a very long time, I'm not going to rehash the last two years. Instead I'm going to share some pics of projects I did this past week using the new Stampin' Up materials I purchased from SU consultant Dalia Pawlak. DH and the kids have been pretty kind to me with allowing me dedicated play time. Here are the fruits of my labor....

 

I made 10 of these for a "Celebrations" themed card swap
organized by Dalia Pawlak.  

I bought 7 more paper punches from Stampin' Up, including the owl.
I'm loving that 2-step Owl punch! 

Hostess Express YourselEstamp and
3 new paper punches used here, including the
banner punch from the 2014 Sale-a-bration promo.

I made this at a SU fundraiser hosted by
SU consultant Best Mattson. 

A bit of heat embossing and water coloring here.
I used some of my new Whisper White card stock for both
the raised flower and the background.

The sentiment is from Stampin' Up's Express Yourself set.

Super cute paper punch art using the SU Owl punch.
Aside from the chicken, the doll dress, & the whale, the other
characters were inspired by or per the direction of other craters
I found on Pinterest or surfing the web.

I recreated this card found on the Darlene DeVries YouTube channel.
Absolutely adorable Owl birthday card! Thank you for sharing!

The doll's hair, barrette, dress, arms and legs were made with the owl punch
and her head with a 1" circle punch. The barrette is made of 2 hearts
combined with a rhinestone covering the center. The dress is the chest of
the owl punched 6x then layered. I found this on Pinterest but can't remember where.
If you know, please comment so I can give proper credit!

I'm making no promises for 2014. Life is busy with 3 kids. I will try to check in here and there though- at least to share crafts, food and special events. Thanks!