Sweet Birth Announcements

Hello, sweet friends! I'm happy to be posting today on the Live & Love Crafts blog. :o)

This week the LLC team is showcasing Maja Design's Vintage Baby paper collection! The more I use it, the more I become enamored with it. It is the sweetest combination of elegance and whimsy. :o)

I was inspired to create birth announcements for two very special babies, which will be part of a memory box I am creating for their inspiring parents. These precious parents have endured such heartache. I found Miracles for Mabry-Kate at the start of this year and am honored to be creating for them. (A very short description of their situation is at the end of this post.)

As a fan of shaped cards, I couldn't resist making the birth announcements in the forms of a pretty dress and sweet overalls. Vintage Baby provides a marvelous variety of patterns from which to choose. :o)

The backs of the keepsake announcements display goodies from the Die Cuts sheet, which I am so thankful Maja thought to include! I love having everything so beautifully coordinated. The girl's is tucked in a pocket, while the boy's is held with the adorable Maya Road Love Heart Clip. The tiny tags are also cut from the Die Cuts sheet, which I've assembled to hold three special memories.

Mabry-Kate's dress is filled with Wild Orchid Crafts flowers, girly trims, and a layer of tulle. Pion Design butterflies are covered in Glamour Dust and I used a few of my favorite pearly products throughout. How adorable is the Maya Road Love Hanger? I've been so anxious to use it!

The rambunctious little teddies felt perfect for Owen's baby overalls! I couldn't find an SVG file that I loved as much as this shape that I had seen several times on Pinterest... so I sketched it out and cut everything the old-fashioned way! Sweet Little Boy (and Little Princess above) are from tear-away strips. Don't you love how Maja makes everything usable? I fussy cut the giraffe and elephant to decorate the pocket for extra whimsy.

Sadly, baby Mabry-Kate is no longer with us but she is celebrated every day by her family. She passed away in February at 10 months old. Sweet Owen was born five weeks ago and is fighting the same rare disease that took his sister. Mabry-Kate is called his guardian angel, as they never would have known to screen for this fatal disease if not for her. Owen has a chance to survive because of it and has already undergone transplant and intense chemotherapy beginning at 2 weeks old. He is a fighter and we are all believing he will survive! God and MK are watching over him to ensure it. :o)

Thank you for visiting and I wish you a sparkly day! :o)

Lovely challenges entered:
 *613 Avenue Create~ Anything Goes (Optional: Feminine)
 *Cute Card Thursday~ Add a Brad
 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ May Linky (Anything Goes)
 *Fab 'n' Funky~ May Flowers
 *Fussy and Fancy~ Lots of Flowers
 *Lil Patch of Crafty Friends~ Anything Goes
 *My Time to Craft~ New Baby
 *Penny's Challenge~ Anything Goes
 *Through the Craft Room Door~ Anything Goes

Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Flowers for Mum	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Cutie	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Sweet little Princess	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Adorable	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Die Cuts
Lace "Madeleine" (25mm)	Lace Juliette (35mm)	Pearl String, 2mm pearls	Pearl Hearts	Vintage Pearl Pins �Crown Spheres�
Pearl Stamens	WOC Wild Roses, 30mm	WOC Open Roses, 20mm	WOC Open Roses, 10mm	WOC Apple Blossoms
Pomegranate Apples	Maya Road Love Hangers	Maya Road Love Heart Clips	Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads

InLinkz.com

Sweet Inspiration at Live & Love Crafts!

Happy Friday, dear friends! Thank you for the lovely words about my new crafty adventure. I appreciate your kindness and encouragement, which only added to my excitement. :o)

Speaking of which, today begins a new monthly challenge at Live & Love Crafts and it's a sweet one! The photo inspiration is at the bottom of my post. We would love to have you join us! :o)

The sweet collage is filled with ice cream, which I paired with Maja Design's newest paper collection: Vintage Baby. This line is as versatile as it is lovely!

My card was made for an inspiring mother who is enduring the unfathomable heartache of watching her baby girl fight a terminal disease. I have been following her journey (and praying mightily for the miracle needed)... and you all know how this always ends up: my heart needed to create for her.

Treats lift a downcast heart, right? This challenge inspired me to send her sweetness. She's receiving a triple-scoop of kindness, sprinkled with healing love. All of the card front DP is from Vintage Baby, which worked perfectly for my confection. My cherry on top is one of Sandy's newest goodies: beaded pomegranate apples! This time I used the beautiful Wine Pudding shade.

Wild Orchid Crafts roses and sweetheart blossoms in white, baby blue, and lilac form my bouquet, to which pearl stamens are nestled within. They sit atop Cheery Lynn Design's Mini Fanciful Flourishes. Also tucked within the Madeleine lace-trimmed pocket is extra love, courtesy of Cheery Lynn's Two of Hearts. A flatback pearl flower centers my triple bow.

A La La Land Crafts Heart Banner flutters about, which I've layered in blue and pink plaids. My card base was created with Cheery Lynn's Horizon Square Boutique Stacker Frames, one of my favorites. The interior is a gorgeous design from Maja's Vintage Spring Basics line.

I hope this fills her heart with sweet love, knowing God and I are always here for her. :o) Thank you for fluttering on by and I wish you a beautiful weekend!

Photo inspiration for our challenge:

Playing along with the following fun challenges:
 *Cheery Lynn Designs~ Anything Goes

 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ May Linky Party (Anything Goes)
 *Inspiration Destination~ Anything Goes
 *Simon Wednesday Challenge~ Anything Goes
 *Through the Craft Room Door~ Anything Goes

 *Word Art Wednesday~ Encouraging/Uplifting Sentiment

Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Flowers for Mum	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - It's a Girl!	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Precious	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - It's a Boy!	Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Adorable
Maja Design - Vintage Baby - Die Cuts	Maja Design - Vintage Spring Basics - 4th of May	Lace "Madeleine" (25mm)	Pomegranate Apples	WOC Wild Roses, 30mm
WOC Open Roses, 20mm	WOC Open Roses, 15mm	WOC Open Roses, 10mm	WOC Sweetheart Blossoms	Pearl Stamens
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads

InLinkz.com

Embracing Earth's Beauty and Exciting News!

Hello, sweet friends! Today is a special day on my sparkly little blog. I am honored to be the newest Design Team Member at Live & Love Crafts, my favorite store! (Truly I must be dreaming!) Thank you for this incredible opportunity, Sandy! :o)

I'm wrapping up the DT's Earth-themed week on the LLC Blog with a project that embraces and celebrates Earthly treasures. I was inspired to create a Springtime tussie mussie overflowing with the natural beauty that surrounds us. :o)

With Sandy's gorgeous range of products, there's no shortage of beauty with which to work! Pion Design's Blue Fabric from the Paris Flea Market collection was used for my cone base, chosen for its resemblance of a soft blue sky with flowers drifting in the wind.

Madeleine lace ruffles down the base as a breeze, lined with pearls because they are irresistible. (Maybe each one is a dream or prayer, floating upward to the One who gives us the desires of our hearts.) The butterflies are cut from the coordinating Pink Fabric sheet.

Shabby Rose Organza trims the top of cone in cloudy softness, which is filled with a plethora of LLC goodies. Among them are a few of Sandy's lovely new products: pale pink poppies, pink mist roses, and sweet beaded Apple Chutney pomegranate apples. I adore these apples, which even have beaded stems. Creating with such dreamy products is magical, as you all certainly understand. :o)

Thank you for fluttering on by! I wish you a sweet and sparkly day. :o)

Playing along the following lovely challenges:
 *613 Avenue Create~ Anything Goes (Optional: Humorous Sentiment)
 *Come and Get It~ Spring is in the Air
 *Cupcake Inspirations~ Spring
 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ April Linky Party (Anything Goes)
 *Fussy and Fancy~ Springtime Flowers
 *Penny's Paper-Crafty~ Use Spooled Items

Pion Design - Paris Flea Market 12x12 - Blue Fabric	Pion Design - Paris Flea Market 6x6 - Pink Fabric	Lace "Madeleine" (25mm)	Shabby Rose Organza Trim (35mm)	Pearl String, 2mm pearls
Pomegranate Apples	WOC Poppies	WOC Wild Roses, 30mm	WOC Open Roses, 20mm	WOC Open Roses, 15mm
WOC Open Roses, 10mm	WOC Cherry Blossoms	WOC Carnations	WOC Tulips	Flower Sprays
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads

InLinkz.com

Sympathy Card (and happy to be back!)

Hello, sweet friends! Thank you for the lovely emails and messages checking up on me over the past 2.5 months! I appreciate you and am thankful you stuck with me during my absence. :o)

The last three cards I posted were for a beautiful family whose little one was fighting for her life. Precious Audrey has earned her wings and is flying high, free from the battles she fought throughout her short 1.5 years. I love and miss her so much.

The inspiring love her parents share (celebrated in this card) continues and is helping them endure a heartache I wish no parent faced.

The gorgeous papers are from Pion Designs' Paris Flea Market, chosen due to their coordinating pink and blue patterns. Audrey was a twin, leaving behind a confused little boy who calls Heaven on his toy phone to speak with his sister. I wanted my card for their parents to show that Audrey and Asher are always together.

My sentiment is from JustRite's With Sympathy stamp set, which is layered upon Joy! Crafts Frame and 3 Corners. The coordinating Ornate Edge adorns the top of the card. Wild Orchid Crafts blossoms provide a sympathy bouquet that will never fade, with Cheery Lynn Designs Mini Fanciful Flourishes scrolling beneath. A Cheery Lynn Two of Hearts die accents the corner, topped with a Pion pink butterfly... Audrey's heart will always flutter within her grieving family.

The small banner is cut from a Maja Design My Precious Daughter paper, delivering a lovely message when words were so hard to come by. Beautiful Chloe Lace from Live & Love Crafts trims the center, which is topped with a WOC flat-back pearl strand. The papers and most of the flowers are also available from Live & Love Crafts, which is my favorite store. It's so dreamy.

A sprinkling of pearls, Pion Paris Flea Market butterflies, and machine-stitching finish a most difficult card to create. I pray it continues to deliver heavenly hope and love to this family I dearly love.

Thank you for fluttering on by and I wish you a beautiful day. :o)

Lovely challenges entered:
 *613 Avenue Create~ Anything Goes (Optional: Diamonds)
 *Crafty Boots~ Red, White, or Blue
 *Die Cuttin Divas~ National Garden Month (use something found in gardens)
 *Fussy and Fancy~ Springtime Flowers
 *Through the Craft Room Door~ Anything Goes
 *Through the Purple Haze~ Anything Goes