Nesting and Crafting

Hi,
This week has been a whirlwind of both nesting and crafting for me! So, I felt it made sense to title this post Nesting and Crafting. With our boy cub due to arrive in the next 9 days or so my nesting/ restlessness has kicked into high gear! This week I was in the girl cubs room organizing her toy cubby and the next thing I know I am tearing the room up from top to bottom switching everything around and having my Hubby Bear move dressers into the closets to make more open space in the kids room. Three to four hours later I was one proud Mama Bear of my accomplishment in the room. Tossing out toys that were broken or missing parts, getting a collection of clothing to give to a friend of mine, and giving the room a little switch-a-roo gave my nesting buzz its fill.
My sister turned 24 this week and I actually found time to switch gears and go into crafting mode! I made a quick birthday card for her...not another hour long masterpiece but I would say I shaved off a good hour on this one. Fun times! Here's the card:

It's always nice to give a handmade card! Especially one that she really liked and actually was impressed that it wasn't store bought. Now that could just be the nice thing to express when receiving a card but I'll take it! Ha Ha.    I love the colors on this card...Blackberry Bliss as the card base with  Whisper White to stamp on, Midnight Muse and Crushed Curry for the stamping on the inside of the card. On the outside I used a cool stamp called Vivid Vases. I started out by using black ink on the stamp and then I colored in the vases different colors with Stampin' Write Markers. This is becoming a favorite technique for me. Stamping an outline then coloring in the design. It brings back memories of coloring back in the day. Don't you ever get the urge to buy a box of crayons and a coloring book?!  Oh, just the smell of opening a brand new box of crayons could bring happy tears to my eyes. Back to school shopping..when I go near the crayons and markers...well school supplies period-this Mama Bear could go hog wild!

So, I've gone a little crafting crazy and I also made two cards today! Wow, this Mama Bear is going craft crazy, right?! At the church my Mom and Granny attend they are celebrating two baptisms so I created two "idea cards" for my Granny so she can make a couple for the two men getting baptized. I realized making a masculine card is not easy. Well, not easy when the majority of my stamps are kind of girly...you know flowers, cute birds, and girly script. So, I was thinking out of the box when I put together these two cards. The Hubby Bear said they looked good so I'll share them.
Here they are:

On this card I used a lovely new card base color called Mossy Meadow and my all time favorite Baked Sugar for the inside. The stamp is actually not a Stampin Up stamp- But it was one that my Granny wanted to use on the cards so I used it. :)

This card is made with a Tangelo Twist card base and I used wash tape on the outside to add a little pizzazz to the card. The washi tape is called Watercolor Wonder. I think I may be in love with wash tape! There is so much you can do with it!! Fun times.

Well, that's all this Mama Bear has to share today. I hope everyone reading has a happy and blessed weekend! This has been a fun week for me. We'll see if the boy cub decides to arrive this coming week! I'll keep you posted.

Blessings
Mama Bear, out!!

Getting Back With the Program

Wow, I feel like I've been gone forever!! I have been so tired lately. I guess the last stage of pregnancy is hitting me hard. This baby boy cub is busy and we anticipate his arrival in the coming weeks-unles he decides to arrive early...which is fine by me!
I have not crafted in so long. My nesting has taken over in the last few weeks and I have become an organizing and cleaning machine. Needless to say after a day of cleaning and organizing this Mama Bear is exhausted! So, much for busy crafting hands after a day of cleaning like mad. I must look like a wild woman to my husband when I get going on a project. I feel like after our girl cubs birthday I settled into a rhythm of work, nest, rest. And a major joy for me...crafting has taken the back burner! What in the world? How is that possible? Pregnancy did it! And the excitement of the soon arrival of our little boy cub. But today I set aside an hour...which turned into an hour and a half of crafting a card. ONE CARD took an hour and a half. One moment I sat down and had an idea in my mind the next I looked up and realized two things one my card was pretty cool and second it took an hour and a half to make one card!! I guess that's my cue to get back into my crafting rhythm. Especially, since I am planning on doing another class toward the end of September. Like the title of this post it's time to Get With The Program.
Here's my hour and a half card...haha.

And the inside:

This one took a while because I stamped the flowers then colored them in with Stampin Up Markers and the final step was cutting the flowers out. I enjoyed making this card. I used some new Designer Series Paper that I just ordered called Gold Soiree- which I have to admit I am in love with this double sided paper. I used the stamp sets Work of Art and Bloom with Hope. These stamp sets are great and leave you open to create different cards using the same set. Oh, the possibilities.
Well, this Mama Bear is tuckered out! Hey, I just spent an hour and a half on one card! haha. I must admit it was fun crafting again. I hope to post again this week...and make another card. Maybe this one will only take an hour.
Love and Blessings
Mama Bear out!

What a week!!

Hello!!
I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. It's always nice to relax, swim, eat, and watch fireworks with family and friends. My 4th of July weekend was CRAZY busy! My little girl cub turned two on Saturday. So, in addition to celebrating and helping out my family set up for their annual 4th get together...I had to prepare for the girl cub's party. I love that we get to celebrate her! She's such a joy! We went with a Minnie Mouse theme and my mom made her cake and cupcakes-which I must brag came out great!! What a day it was we actually had great weather not too hot with a nice breeze. We had a lot of fun and food and games. I love games! Especially, games where I put a twist on them. We had a water balloon toss and my twist was speed. We started at a normal rate and then once groups started getting out I turned into speed rounds- everyone enjoyed the twist...as it was unexpected!

This past week has been so busy that I have not had a chance to craft! :( can you believe it? This Mama Bear was busy mentally preparing for two parties! Thankfully they both were a blast and ran smoothly. I hope to get out some cards this week to share with everyone. Fingers crossed! I am now in the countdown weeks for the boy cub to arrive. Being pregnant in the summer time is exhausting! The heat. The dry heat...oh, did I mention the heat?! Let's just say if he is ready to pop out in the next two weeks I won't be mad! lol! I can't wait to meet him.

Here's a picture of the birthday cake that my mom made for the girl cub:

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday! Have a great week!
Mama Bear, out!

Renee