Totally off topic, but if you haven't seen the Evolution of Dance video on YouTube, then get over there and watch it! Totally funny!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg&eurl

I really, really love this card! The design is CASED from the inside cover of the new SU 2006 IB&C. The original uses the Artfully Asian stamp set, but I saw another CASED card where Artfull Asian had been replaced with Toile Blossoms, so I thought I'd give it a go. I deliberately used the image upside down as I wanted more flower showing than would have been otherwise.

Recipe: Linen, Curvy Verses, Toile Blossoms stamp sets; Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Natural Ivory Cardstock; Ruby Red, Basic Black, Mellow Moss inks; Chocolate grosgrain ribbon.

In responding to a thread about not stamping as much as we'd like, I posted the following tips which I thought I'd share here.

- Don't leave stamp sets unmounted. I mount everything as soon as it arrives. Its much easier to pull out a mounted set when you are in the middle of a project than to pull out an unmounted one and then have to mount it. You know you won't do it, you'll just reach for an alternative set instead.

- You don't need hours to make a card. And you don't have to make whole cards each time. I have small kids and usually only get 1 hour breaks (when they take their naps). The trick is getting prepared.

On your first break, go and cut some cardstock in 1/2 and score down the middle (i.e. make the cards). On your second break, go pick a stamp set and a neutral piece of cardstock and stamp all over it. Then cut out these stamped images in the required sizes (often I am casing so this is decided for me). If you have time, color them. Now when you get to your third break, start assembling the designs to the card fronts, play with mats and accessories.

If only I could apply this logic to scrapbooking! I seem to have a much harder time working on layouts than cards as layouts (for me) seem to take much longer.

I have been playing with my new Toile Blossoms stamp set. This set is retired but I picked up one of ebay for a reasonable price. This is a beautiful set and it's almost impossible to make an ugly card with. It is also one of the sets from the Definitely Decorative series which means it is designed to be used for decorating (stamping on walls etc). I have seen some beautiful photos with this stamp set used in a monotone way on walls.

Anyway, I had admired a lavender toile card posted at SCS so I thought I'd follow suit for my first projects.

Toile Blossoms, Its Your Birthday stamp sets; Lovely Lavender, Whisper White CS; Basic Black, Lovely Lavender, Mellow Moss Inks; Michaels grosgrain ribbon.
Toile Blossoms, Its Your Birthday stamp sets; Lovely Lavender, Whisper White CS; Basic Black, Lovely Lavender, Mellow Moss Inks; Michaels grosgrain ribbon.

Toile Blossoms, Its Your Birthday stamp sets; Lovely Lavender, Whisper White CS; Basic Black, Lovely Lavender, Mellow Moss Inks; brads.

Ok, I'd be lying if I said I did ALL these today :)

The top two I did at the last crop night at the LSS. I hadn't quite finished the title on the top one (which I did do today) but that was a minor adjustment.
This one I actually did do today during J's afternoon nap. Lucky for me it was a 2 hour nap!

This one was also done today but it was super-quick, really just involved gluing... just the way I like it...

This is what I was up to last night / this morning. C is out of town so I got the kids off to bed early (well 8.30pm) and managed to pull a few quick layouts together last night and this morning (after K went to daycare).

This one is of K at the park. She just loves the slides but poor J has to sit and wait in the stroller :(

This is of K at swimming lessons. She loves swimming (as does J).

And now for something a bit different. Earlier this year K was having an obsession with turning the light switches on and off. I think it was because she could finally reach them! Anyway, you would be constantly plunged into darkness during the evenings.

And lastly this one, just some pics I thought were cute of K with her comfy fleece hat (a steal for $4 at the Gap).

that I haven't posted any layouts since April. Ok, it's not that I've done loads (because I haven't) but I have done some. Here is one I did of K at the local orchard farm. She loves the goats in particular.