Sites of the week

I’ve been playing with Valentine’s Day stuff even before Christmas, so it’s no surprise that I am thrilled that the holiday is just around the corner. This week the Cat Pack is having a blog hop to celebrate new buttons and glitter paired with TCP Valentine’s sets. Being that this is a blog hop, you should have come here from Susan’s blog and when you are all done peeking at what I have here, you should waltz on over to Amy’s blog.

As I just mentioned, there are **NEW** buttons and German glass glitter colors. Pair those with one of the cute Valentine’s sets and you have yourself a KITTY KAT PACK. This card uses two sets…Loving Mew and Puppy Love.

Detail shot showing the red German glass glitter cover heart…

Love the paper? It’s a digi paper download from My Favorite Things and can be found HERE.

Alright, it’s time to hop on over to Amy’s blog. It’s still TCP Tuesday, so participants have a chance to win some Kitty Kat cash, too! Good Luck!

Greetings! I have lots to share today, both stamping and non-stamping related.

First, I would like to thank the Cat Pack from The Cat’s Pajamas for surprising me with a Welcome Baby Boy Blog Hop as their TCP Tuesday this week. The start of the hop is HERE on Joanne’s blog. THANK YOU GIRLS!!

Second, I have another Verve sneak peek for you. Like yesterday, I made an ATC. Unlike yesterday, I didn’t make it into a card {just ran out of time before baby got here}. This is from the soon to be released set, Accent Notes…

Detail shot…

The Kraft paper with the white pattern is not DP, it’s stamped with white pigment ink with one of the accent stamps. The sentiment is framed under the stamped scallop circle frame that is popped up on glue dots. You can see more sneak peeks from the Verve DT on the Verve blog HERE.

Lots of family and friends have been asking about how everything baby went and for some more pics. Well, I will start out with the pics and then tell you the birth story.

Snappin’ to the beat…

Doing the Cha Cha…

Ellie giving her “Brudda” some love…

Nic with Gramama…

The story of Nic…
Last Wednesday Tony and I ventured to the hospital around 9am. I had to be there by 10 for my scheduled C-section {lil’ Nic was breach} at noon. We got there and did all the paperwork and such. The blood pressure machine said that I was calm, cool and collected, but my hands were pouring sweat. After they got me all hooked up to an IV we played the waiting game and watched America’s Funniest Home Videos on TV to keep my nerves {and Tony’s} at bay. Just a little before noon they came to get me to roll me away to the operating room. I thought that Tony would be with me the whole way, but he had to stay behind until I had my spinal block. That’s when I kinda lost it. I shed a few nervous tears and took some {really} deep breaths before they gave me some “Vitamin V”…aka a small dose of chill out drug. After I was numb, they went to get Tony. He said it seemed like an eternity waiting, but I think it was more like 15 minutes. My doc and his nurse {2 of my favorite people!} came in. Then the start of the surgery was called at 12:07pm and Nicolas was introduced to the world at 12:12pm. I remember talking to Tony a little during those 5 minutes and asking the doc what was happening, but none of the details really. After he was born, they brought him around and I couldn’t have been more delighted!! He was screaming like a mad cat and I had to laugh. After a bit, I was off to recovery and then off to the 4th floor where I called home for about 4 days. I couldn’t have been happier with all of the staff at the hospital! They were WONDERFUL! I think I had better service there than any hotel/resort I have ever stayed at…LOL! Now we are home, Nic is a week old and all is going well. Thank you to everyone for their love, support, friendship and well wishes. Love ya guys!!

Hey…I warned you last month that I was addicted to hops, so there shouldn’t be any surprised people out there reading this!

This time I am hopping along with the Skipping Stones Design crew. Have you seen their stamps? Quite cute and funny! I really like the sentiment “May your coconuts never hang lower than your grass skirt” from the Tropical Birthday set…cracks me up!

As far as the hop goes…
It started HERE at the Skipping Stones Design blog.
You should have come from Chelsea’s blog HERE and when you leave my blog you will hop on over to Belinda’s HERE {I’ll link her down below, too}. As you hop along, the Skipping Stones Design Team (aka the Stamp Tramps) will have blog candy for you to enter. As an added bonus, there will also be 4 stamp sets (new stamp sets not yet released) will be hidden along the hop, but we’re not telling you where so be sure to leave some love as you hop!!! Make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win!! The winners will be announced on Friday January 8th at Skipping Stones Design.

Guess what? I also have a set to give away! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post. A winner will be drawn and announced sometime next week. Sorry to be so vague about “next week,” but with baby boy coming TOMORROW, I am sure that you can give me a break just this once

So, onto what I have created for the hop! This card uses the set, Cupcake Cutie. Ellie has even enjoyed coloring in a couple of these cupcakes. Now that I think of it, I should have photo’d her work and posted it along with mine! Taking note of that as something to do in the future. Anyways, here it is {and that’s not DP, I created the kraft/white paper with a stamp from the set}…

Detail shot…

Don’t forget to leave some love here for a chance to win a Skipping Stones Design set from me and then hop on over to Belinda’s blog HERE. Happy hopping and shopping…all stamp sets are 25% off Tuesday and Wednesday this week when you enter the coupon code 25off.

Either me or Tony will be back later this week with updates and pics of baby boy del Muro! Thanks to everyone for their love and support!!

Still seeking a 12-step group for Blog Hop Addicts. Somehow, I {very willingly} have ended up participating in several blog hops over the past few weeks or so, and today is yet another hop. This one is very special…it’s a birthday hop for Stamping Bella. Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday To You, Happy Birthday sweet Bella, Happy Birthday To You!!

So, if you are hopping you should have started HERE on the Bella blog, came to my blog from Sheena’s blog HERE and when you are all done on my blog, you can hop on over to Meahni’s blog HERE.

Since it’s Saturday, it’s also time for another SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY {scroll down to be introduced to the new Designer of the Month}. Here’s the sketch…

My take on the sketch, using Birds Decorating Trees from Stamping Bella…

Detail Shot…

More deets about the hop…
Leave a comment and have a chance to win a $100 Stamping Bella gift certificate! There are 3 of these hidden along the hop, so be sure to show some love here, there and everywhere along the hop. Good luck and happy hopping! {PS~winners will be announced on the Stamping Bella blog this Monday}

Since this is a hop in addition to the SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY post, I am doing this a little backwards. It’s the first Saturday of the month, which means I have a new Designer of the Month to introduce to you. I usually do that at the top of my post, but here it is kinda in the middle. Please Welcome KIM MORENO…

Here’s a little about Kim in her own words…
Hi my name is Kim Moreno and I am excited to be the guest designer!
I am a stay at home mom to 5 sweet kids…. ranging in age from 7.5 yr old twins to a 14 yr old. I stay busy just keeping them in order and all that they do but in my spare time I love to craft! I enjoy knowing that I am capturing everyday moments in my kids lives that we can all look back on and remember as they grow older.
I have been scrapbooking for over 8 years now and have been fortunate to have my designs published in most major craft magazines including BHG, Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbook Trends, Cards, SCT, Papercrafts and more! I currently design for Jillibean Soup, Dream Street Papers, Core’dinations, Glitz, Noel Mignon kits, and the CPS sketch site.
Thank you once again Jen for having me this month… I LOVE your sketches!!
Visit my blog: www.livingthecircuslife.blogspot.com, I’d love to see new faces stop by!

Here’s her fantabulous take on the sketch…

Want to see more SFYTT goodness? Check out the SFYTT sisters…
Amy Rohl
Amy Sheffer
Kelly Lunceford
Susan Liles
Leigh O’Brien

Don’t forget, if you are hopping along to head on over to Meahni’s blog!

Gonna play along? Just link your fantabulous creation below on Mr. Linky…

Yep, it’s another blog hop! I think I might need a 12 step group for participating in all these…LOL!! I love them, tho! Tonight’s blog hop is all about the new releases from Verve Stamps. So, not only is it just a happy shopping day, but there are BRAND NEW stamps to be had, too! YAY!

If you missed it, there are reveals and challenges on the VERVE BLOG, including a challenge from myself and Susan to create a pizza box {tutorial HERE}. Here’s a peek at my pizza box using Thankful Accents…

So, did you happen upon my blog without hopping along? If so, you can START HERE and when you are done, be sure to check out Michelle’s creations HERE!

A card using the new Heartfelt Thanks set {that’s not patterned paper either; it’s stamped Kraft cardstock!}…

Detail shot…

This card uses Celebration of Thanks…

Detail shot {eeek…I can’t sew a straight line!!}…

Don’t forget to hop on over to Michelle’s blog!