Hello Baby!

Happy Monday!  It certainly is a busy one!  I have another inspiration project to share with you based on this week's sketch challenge over at Sunday Stamps.  I also am honoured to participate in the Creative Blog Hop...my Q & A and nominations are at the bottom of this post.  Finally, today is my dear Dad's 70th birthday!  Unfortunately I won't get to see him today, as he lives 4 hours away, but I'll be thinking of him all day and look forward to chatting with him tonight.  So, let's get things rolling!  Firstly, here is another project I designed using this week's sketch from Sunday Stamps:

Baby card featuring the Crazy About You and Something For Baby stamp sets and coordinating Hello You Thinlits.

I am holding an all-occasions card buffet in a few weeks and this is one of the projects that will be on offer.  I love that this card is relatively gender neutral...perfect to have on-hand just-in-case.  I used Best Year Ever DSP (available FREE with a $60 order until March 31st) for the background panel, drawing my colour scheme from it.  Building up from there, I used half a Tea Lace Doily and some Crushed Curry Chevron ribbon.  The rubber ducky is from the Something For Baby stamp set and is stamped in Crushed Curry ink and die-cut using the Baby's First Framelits.  The word "hello" is die cut from Coastal Cabana card stock using the Hello You Thinlits.  Both are adhered to a heart cut from Sahara Sand card stock using the Hearts Collection Framelits and embossed using the Argyle TIEF. 

The word "baby" is from the Crazy About You stamp set and is stamped in Coastal Cabana ink on a scrap of Whisper White card stock, which I trimmed into a banner using the Banner punch.  I added a wee silver glimmer heart, also cut with the Hearts Collection Framelits, and embellished it with a Coastal Cabana button from the Best Year Ever SAB accessory pack and a bit of Crushed Curry baker's twine.   The entire card is built on a Sahara Sand card base.

Inside view with sentiment from the Petite Pairs stamp set.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment from the Petite Pairs stamp set in Coastal Cabana ink.  I also stamped the little rubber ducky again along the bottom using Crushed Curry ink and added a wee silver glimmer heart punched with the Hearts Border punch.

Now for the Creative Blog Hop Q & A...each question is listed below along with my answers:

What are you working on now?  
At the moment I am designing the rest of the samples for my all-occasions card buffet, along with the invitations for my son's upcoming 8th birthday party.

How does your work differ from others in your genre?
I'm not sure my work is all that different!  I do use exclusively Stampin' Up! products because I love the quality and the ease with which my projects come together, thanks to the fantastic colour-coordination.  I have tried other companies' products, but always come back to Stampin' Up!

Why do you create what you do?
I love having a creative outlet that is different from what I do all day in my "real" job.  I am a high school music teacher by day, which, although an outlet for creative expression, is loud and exhausting.  I love that in the evening I get to spend time in my craft room, enjoying peace and quiet, being creative in other ways.  I also love making others happy by sending them a handmade card.

How does your creative process work?
I typically start with a purpose...usually to create samples for upcoming classes or events.  Sometimes I work from a sketch, whether it is one I create or one I find elsewhere, others times I just let the stamps, paper and ink lead me where they want. It is those times I find my final product ends up looking nothing like I had originally envisioned it!  I am also the queen of hiding my mistakes.  Many an embellishment has been used to hide design flaws and inky fingerprints...there, now my secret is out!  The next time you look at one of my projects you'll be wondering what sins those embellishmenst are hiding!

Thanks for stopping by!  I am nominating the following bloggers for the next stop in the Creative Blog Hop.  Their posts should go up next Monday, March 9th:

Jenna Hampshire at The Card Chronicles

and

Wendy Johnson at Pink and Dotty

Jenna is a new blogger from my team who does such cute projects and Wendy is someone I discovered on Pinterest who also does fantastic work.  Be sure to check out each of their blogs when you get a chance.  Have a fantastic week!!