TCP Tuesday - Sweet Baby Blog Hop!

 

Happy TCP Tuesday, friends!  Today is an extra-special TCP Tuesday -- The Cat's Pajamas is throwing a Surprise Baby Blog Hop in honor of a newborn kitten.  Our very own Tracy Falco gave birth last Wednesday to her first child, a little guy named BRADEN! 

The hop begins at ALMA's blog, which is only fitting since she's this week's Hipster Hostess With the Mostess¹.  In honor of the Falco Family's new addition, she's decided this week's stamp challenge should be: BABY! 

Simple enough! Before I show you my card, though, I have to make sure you came this way via my buddy, pal, and dear friend AMY.  If you didn't, stop-drop-and-Rohl {hee... her name is Amy Rohl, get it? *guffaw*} back to her blog and/or the beginning, because this is definitely the *sweetest* blog hop ever and you don't want to miss a thing!

I combined three-three-THREE! challenges² in one to come up with this bright baby:

 There's a whole bunch of repetition going on up there, but I like to do that kind of stuff.  The background paper was created by repeatedly stamping the "Oh Baby!" sentiment from the And Baby Makes... set in Tempting Turquoise ink on yellow cardstock. I lightly drew lines in pencil so the stamping would be {mostly} straight, then erased them with a white eraser after the ink had dried.  For the main image panel, I alternated Baby Sprinkle and Baby Poochie, then colored them in with Copic Markers in last week's TCP Tuesday color scheme³.  See that pinking edge around the large circle layer?  I was inspired to create that by yesterday's Splitcoast Technique Lovers' Challenge, to create a circle border using a straight edge border punch or die.  I used our Pinking Border CutUps die, and I LOVE the way it turned out! 

Here's how you do it:

First, cut out your border.  Then, make little v-shaped notches at each point where the repeating part of your diecut meets; see how I ended up with a bunch of little weird shaped pentagons?  Next, draw about a 2" line of glue on the back of your circle, and start laying out the individual pieces.  You only want to do about 2" at a time or your glue will dry before you get around your circle.  And, wa-la!

I think that just the neatest effect, and a wonderful way to get more bang for the bucks you spend on your CutUps dies!

I also added a little yellow Copic marker to the white spaces on the ribbon to make it 'go with' my color scheme.  It bled a little onto the light teal portion of the ribbon, but not so much that you notice it unless I mention it.  Like I just did.  Don't go back and look! ;)

I've got one more thing to share with you before I send you off to your next stop.  Tracy had popped in the Cat Pack's discussion forum to let us know how she was doing, and we all got to talking about trying to enjoy those wee babies (even though it's so exhausting and overwhelming at first).  It reminded me of my favorite baby poem that I thought of every time I rocked my two little-now-much-bigger boys.  I'll just share the last stanza; it always chokes me up!

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,

for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.⁴ 

Now I'm all verklempt, so go visit the legendary JEN for something absolutely delightful and let me sob in peace!

 

CONGRATULATIONS, TRACY & FAMILY!!!

 

 

Supplies used:

• Stamps: Baby Sprinkle, Baby Poochie, and sentiment (from 'And Baby Makes...' set) by The Cat's Pajamas
• Paper: Neenah Solar White, Taken With Teal (SU!), Orange Fizz, Banana Split
• Ink: Marvy Matchables Black, Totally Turquoise (SU!)
• Accessories: Pinking Border CutUps die from The Cat's Pajamas, Copic markers, Creative Memories cutting system, ribbon, stamp a majig, Jody's foam boosters  

Footnotes:

1. Alma is subbing for Susan, our regular Stamp Challenge Hostesss, as Sus is very involved at the moment with helping her mother recover from a stroke.  If you have a spare moment, stop by Susan's blog and leave her some love.  And, if you have an extra card laying around and would like to help encourage Linda (Susan's sweet mother) in her recovery, send me an email at cburrage@mac.com and I'll forward you a mailing address.  
2. The three challenges I combined are: 1) last week's TCP Tuesday color challenge, to use yellow, orange, and teal; 2) yesterday's SCS Technique Lover's Challenge; and today's TCP Tuesday challenge.  A three-fer!
3. Last week's TCP Tuesday color challenge is to the right.   It also happens to be the color scheme of my blog!  It only took me about six days to realize that...
4. From "Song For a Fifth Child" by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton.

Comments

[jenny]

Oh Carole- you are just the coolest cat around!!!!

[Leigh O'Brien]

WOW, Carole! That's a lot of work goin' on right there! Looks terrific. I'm a big fan of making my won dp with the stamped images. You did a perfect job here!!

[Julie L Masse]

I am so in love with this card Carole!! Now I have to get those adorable stamps - I always forget to look at the rubbah!! Thanks for the prompt. This card is just awesome! :)

[Homeowner Insurance]

This card is so gorgeous Carole! You did a good job.

[Joan B]

clever girl.1

1. your footnotes crack me up