Sweet Baby Girl Layout

Hello!  Well I finished a layout!  This is huge considering the fact that I've been very out of the swing of things lately.  If you missed out on why, visit this post.  It is my turn to host over at Bitten by the Bug.  This week's theme is "baby."  All you have to do to join in is to create a project with a baby theme.  I needed a little motivation to get going on my baby girl's first year album.  She'll be two next month.  This layout will go in her album as the first page.  I really love how it came out!

Her birth announcement I ordered from Shutterfly was my inspiration for this whole layout.  I found it, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the layout.  I love it when that happens.  I need all the creative help I can get lately.  This new baby is draining me.  I'm looking forward to that so-called return of energy that is supposed to come along with the 2nd trimester.  I'm still waiting on it!

The word cuts came from Gypsy Wanderings.  Aren't they so beautiful and elegant?  The scalloped circle is cut from Elegant Edges.

The pacifier is cut from Baby Steps.

I love the announcement, and it already has all her birth information on it.

The pattern paper is Teresa Collins Chic Bebe Girl.  Gorgeous!

The solid cardstock is Recollections.

I'm also entering this layout in this week's Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #195 Mix and Match and My Craft Spot #124 Polka Dots.

In other EXCITING NEWS...

Friday we had a "Snow Day!"  I think it was more like an ice/sleet day, but hey when you are 50 miles from the Gulf coast, this is a big deal!  I haven't seen it where the ice lasted all day since I was 17.  My kids were so excited.  Now we have had it where it actually snowed and lightly covered all the ground before, but that doesn't usually last long.  It was so strange to look out my window and see "white" collections all over our flower beds and on the rooftops all day long.  My poor plants aren't doing so well. Here are some pictures:

Eating snow...

Some News and Survival Mode

Well it has been about 7 weeks since I was really active on my blog!  Why the long absence? 

Well, my life changed dramatically right before Thanksgiving...in a good way with a little setback along the way.  My husband and I found out we are expecting our FOURTH child.  Saying that still shocks me.  If someone would have told me 8 years ago that I would have four children, I would have never believed it.  We feel blessed beyond measure!  It was such a struggle to get pregnant the first time.  We went through 2 miscarriages and months of nightmare fertility medicine.  But we finally had our first baby girl in February 2007.  It has been a wild ride since with no other fertility issues.  Again, we are blessed!!!
However, with pregnancy for me comes horrible morning, noon, and night sickness.  My poor husband has had to do mostly everything the last 7 weeks.  Sometimes I literally could not sit up because I would have to run to the bathroom or the nearest trash can.  If it wasn't sick, then I was passed out from exhaustion like no other pregnancy before.  I did manage to work; however, I am fortunate to have an easy job working for my husband.  It is not demanding, and I was late and sick on most days.  Looking back, I'm glad I had that to try to get my mind on something other than I how I felt.  
My kids have been such great sports.  They know that with a new baby Mommy sometimes gets very sick.  Our little one, who is almost 2, is such a daddy's girl anyway, so she has really been fine with him doing everything for her.  
So needless to say, this has been a time of survival mode for me.  I have been able to do the essentials in day to day life to get by and take care of my family, but I'm pretty ready to start feeling like myself again.  I am 13 weeks right now, and I usually start feeling better around 14 weeks.  
Crafting, obviously, was put on the very very back burner of life.  When you don't feel good, there are no creative juices flowing!  I slowly feel myself having more of a desire to get back at it though.  My hubby got me such awesome crafty things for Christmas, and I have a brand new Silhouette still sitting in a box!  I know...how could I?  I just have to feel really good to learn something new.
I hope to be posting new projects soon for Bitten by the Bug 2.  Thank you design team ladies for being patient with me and giving me the time I needed to get better!
Until then here's a little picture to share:

Birthday Card with a Number

Hey everybody!  Long time, no blog right?  Well I have a pretty good explanation for my 7 week hiatus, which I will share with you tomorrow.  But before I get to that, I wanted to share with you a project I made for the latest Bitten by the Bug 2 challenge.  A card was an easy way for me to get back into the swing of things.  I must admit flipping through my stacks of paper was enough to get me motivated again.  

For this week's challenge, all you have to do is create a birthday card with a number on it.  Just make sure you tell us what Cricut cartridge you used.  

This card is for my oldest daughter's 7th birthday coming up in February.  

That cute polka dot paper is from an 8.5 x 11 Recollections stack at Michaels.  It is called Rainbow.  It has tons of cute and colorful girly patterns.

Supplies/Details:

Card Base:  Papertrey Ink Plum Pudding cut to make a 5 x 5 card

Recollections Rainbow Pattern Paper Stack

Cupcake cut-Sweet Treats-4 in.

"7"-Cricut Craft Room Basics-cut to fit inside of heart

Sentiment-My Pink Stamper Simply Sweet Occasions

Recollections glitter-Fairy Dust

So I hope you'll join us for the challenge!!