All About A Birthday!

Happy Tuesday to you all!  Today is a special day in our house because 15 years ago today I had my son Riley...almost 10 lbs, had to be induced and had him naturally (NOT by choice LOL).  He was so big that we had to return most of the newborn-baby-boy clothes and get 3-6 mos instead!  Even in my sonogram at 6 mos he had the plumpest, round cheeks hee hee.  He was the cutest, sweetest baby...yes I'm his momma...but he really was!  He was so calm, laid-back and always had a smile AND he was a momma's boy (till about age 13 sighhhh).  He also had the most beautiful brown-red curls all over his head...nowadays he still does & I'm always WANTING him to cut it, comb it or put it under a hat LOL.  And yeah he was a big baby and now he's a BIG boy...almost 6'3 and 200 lbs..pretty much can pick his momma up nowadays instead of the other way around.  And yep we've been struggling this past year with boy hormones, independent streaks, attitude and ALLLLLL those super fun things that happen with teens...some days I feel either that I've gone nutty or that my head is gonna be full of gray hair at some point soon.  BUT he is still the same empathetic sweet boy that he was, he just likes to hide it under a gruff exterior...but his momma knows better ;)  He's all about football, playing it, watching it, listening to it...and hockey and baseball too.  He's training for the high school JV football team now..building muscle & making himself bigger..makes me proud and sad...sighhhh.  If you are a parent you know what I'm talking about...that moment when you are proud of how they've grown and who they are becoming but miss the child they have left behind (sniff sniff).  I'm soooo there especially with Alexa turning 17 in a few mos too ugh.  I'm so proud of him, he had a great season in football, he treats people with respect, he's super smart (if unmotivated at times lol), loves his animals, and has a heart of gold...I know that whatever he puts his mind to, he will DO.  So Riley, I love ya baby (yup you'll always be the baby) and I'm so honored to be your mom and that I get to witness you becoming a young man.

So we aren't gong to Disney World like we did last year (sorry lol)...but we got him some gifts that he will get thru-out the day, we'll go to dinner and celebrate tonight and then this weekend he's going to a Washington Capitals Hockey game with his friends in DC.  So lots of fun and so appropriate that I have a Birthday post today...albeit a girly one hee hee!

HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY TO YOU RILEY!!! 

WE LOVE YOU!

A slideshow of pics of Riley from baby to now...I skipped a few years but concentrated on his cute baby smile :)  (YES I'm aware he may KILL me after this LOL....but as usual I don't care)

NewsBitz:

-I'll be in Florida next month teaching just one day in Bonita Springs if anyone would like to come out!  Two fun Copic classes...both are new classes and it will be laid-back & fun and just spent coloring :)  See more details HERE!  Hope to see you soon!

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All About Birthdays Challenge!!

So today we have a NEW & FUN Magnolia-licious & Wee Stamps Challenge...notice the change?  Yes Magnolia-licious has lots of NEW changes...they carry Wee Stamps now, we have ONE combined Design Team and we have new challenges each month along with blog hops 6 times a year!  So lots of new things in store and we hope you will join us for the fun too!  

All details are on the Challenge Blog HERE (check out the new banner by DT Norma Lee too)!

Every other Tuesday we will have a Challenge with a theme that everyone may participate in by using either a Magnolia and/or a Wee Stamp image.  

This challenge is "ALL ABOUT A BIRTHDAY"...

so anything that celebrates a birthday will do! 

I decided to create a Birthday Book & Card Organizer that has been on my to-do list for...ahem...2 years now LOL!  I used "Tilda with Big Ice Cream" from Magnolia-licious Love Collection cuz she's too cute!  All my papers from My Minds Eye/Prima got distressed real good.  I layered some Prima flowers on the front and then used some dies as well...the white leafy die is from La La Land, the pale blue swirl and the white border are both Memory Box Dies (Amira Flourish, Tessatina Border).  I used Spellbinder dies to cut out the main logo element...the words were done on my computer & printed out in pink and then I stamped a few swirls in pale blue as well.  The white leafy elements got coated with Stickles and the whole book got a few sprays of Maya Road Spritz in Snow White for a soft-all-over sparkle/sheen.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Make It Monday (anything goes)

Crafty Bloggers Network (anything goes)
Created With Love (birthday, emboss, diecuts)
Eureka Stamps (pearls & swirls)
Stamps + Fun =Create (pink, vintage)

This is the inside of the book...I used older papers from My Minds Eye & Prima because I needed larger 12x12 papers for this project.  The actual kraft binder and birthday/note pages are from PTI (Paper Trey Ink) and I bought 3 of each LOL with the hopes to make them up as gifts.  I love the inserts becuase the numbered page folds over and creates a flap for each month so you can stick cards, receipts, notes, etc into each one.  I put a strip of Scor-Tape on the bottom of each page so the flap stayed shut on the bottom creating a real pocket so things don't fall out.  You of course could use this for things other than birthdays too.  I also created a belly band with ribbon and a tab to hold everything tightly together and it easily comes off with velcro, just another accent. 

I used this cutie from Magnolia-licious is called "Tilda with Big Ice Cream" from the Love Collection because she's cute as can be!  She got colored with Copics and then I added some Stickles to her ice cream, dress trim and sparkly "Uggs" (I think they look like Uggs ahahaha)!  Ok I used RV11,RV32,E04 in Copics/ RP196,RP137 in TouchTwins for the pink dress.  E04 was only used just a bit for dark shadow inside folds.

The tabs I made with coordinating papers using my SU tab punch..quick and easy to do and you can write or stamp the month/subject on each.

I distressed all my papers for a Shabby Chic look which I love using my Zutter Distress Machine.  To cover up any areas of kraft binder showing through I used my Distress Paint Dauber in Picket Fence and laid down a couple of coats...it dries quickly and gives a vintage look, easy to use too (I did all the edges before adding any papers).

There are 12 tabs/pages for each month of the year no matter what you decide to use it for.

That's it from me today...I'm off to pick up a prezzie that came in for Riley at Best Buy and a cake for tonight!  Hugs to you all!