Bella Was Pregnant! Who Knew?

Bella with her new babies - Sunshine, Whiskey, Cappuccino, and Latte (we think)

Good morning everyone.  I had done another card yesterday morning but did not have time to write up anything about it because my day went haywire in the afternoon.  

We have puppies!!

As many of you know, we have 3 dogs.  Sasha (a pitbull,) and Max and Bella, mixed mutts from the streets.  Both rescue dogs.  Well, long story short - I wanted to get Max fixed as soon as we got him.  But we didn't.  Then Bella went into heat right when I was leaving for NY.  Ruy did his best to keep them apart but apparently it didn't work.  LOL.  It seems that Bella had gotten pregnant while I was away.  Yeah, I know, it's not just her fault!  

When I got back here to Brasil the first thing I said to Ruy - after I saw Bella - was that I thought she looked pregnant.  Her nipples were larger, her belly was bigger and hanging down.  He told me there was no way she was.  

A few days ago I went online to ask Uncle Google how to tell if a dog is pregnant. Bella pretty much had all the symptoms.  One thing that Uncle Google told me was that about 2 days before giving birth, she would start to "nest" in her comfort zone.  Well 2 days ago she went into her house and pretty much stayed there all day. Again I told Ruy that I think she is pregnant and going to give birth.  He told me "no way is she pregnant". Yesterday she would not come out of her house at all.  At one point Ruy went to the back to check on her and I was upstairs, when all of a sudden I heard "oh my God!".

Well, Ruy cannot tell me that I am crazy anymore.  Because he went to the back just as she was giving birth to puppy number 1. Numbers 2, 3, and 4 came right after.  What a wild ride.  

I video taped her giving birth to puppy number 3, which is below.  Some might find the video gross but I think it is the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.  It still amazes me that she knew exactly what needed to be done.  She cleaned the sack away from the baby's face to get her breathing. She bit the cord away so that she could get her to one of her nipples.  Just amazing!!

Anyway, Momma and babies are doing well.  We put them in a big box in the store since we are there all day.  I will post photos as they grow.   

Hugs from Brasil -

~Michael

"Fowl Play" Holiday Card No. 2

Happy Tuesday everyone.  Yeah, it finally rained.  Not much, but a bit.  So, everyone in the states must be enjoying the short week.  Where is everyone going for Thanksgiving?

Today's post is another Christmas card using the Fowl Play stencil designed by Andrea Matus DeMeng for StencilGirl Products. Again, this card is easy peasy!!  

Step by Step:

Cut a piece of red cardstock 8.5" x 5.5", score at 4.25" and fold in half. This is your card base.  Cut two pieces of white cardstock 4" x 5.25". Adhere one piece to the inside of the card to be written on.    

On the other piece of white cardstock, lay the stencil on one side of the phrase and, with a dauber and black ink (I used Black Soot Distress Ink), daub the bird stencil outline.  Now clean your stencil, flip it over, and do the other side.  

Again, trust me on the "clean your stencil" part!!

Die cut the Traditional Ornament (98917)by Memory Box from red cardstock, and the Snowflake Ornament (98231)by Memory Box from gold cardstock.  Adhere the gold snowflake to the ornament front. Adhere the ornament to the card front.  Glue 3 crystals to the ornament front. Stamp a phrase on the bottom.

Adhere the white cardstock to the card front.

I then went over the birds with a Clear Wink of Stella Brush Marker to give it a big of shimmer. 

Supplies Used:

Fowl Play by Andrea Matus DeMeng for StencilGirl Products
Traditional Ornament Die (98917) by Memory Box
Snowflake Ornament Die (98231)by Memory Box
Red, gold and white cardstock
Black Soot Distress Ink by Ranger and a Dauber 
3 Crystals
Merry Christmas Phrase (mine came from a set called "Just To Say...(D1629) by Close To My Heart
Clear Wink of Stella Brush Marker

Make sure you give this card to someone special in your life!!  

Hugs from Brasil!

~Michael

Today on StencilGirl Talk - StenDoodled Ornament and Necklace

Happy Monday everyone.  I hope everyone had a great weekend!  It was overcast and muggy here all weekend and, as much as we wanted it to rain, it didn't.  We NEED rain so badly! But I got a few cards made for blog posts, and that's a good thing!  LOL

Today I am over on StencilGirlTalk - showing a step by step on how to make the two pieces in the photo above.  Both are StenDoodles done in some heart bezels by Spellbinders. One is a Christmas tree ornament and the other is a necklace.  

Hope you can pop on over and check the post out.  Leave some comments and tell me what you think! 

Just click HERE! 

Hugs from Brasil -

~Michael

"Fowl Play" Holiday Card No. 1

Happy Sunday everyone.  It's a bit overcast here today and I am really hoping it rains. We are having a major H2O shortage and we can REALLY use the rain here!  

Today's post is another card with a stencil - the Fowl Play stencil by StencilGirl Products.  Not only do I love this stencil but I love the name even more.  

Fowl Play....what a great play on words here.

Several holiday cards popped into my head as soon as I saw this stencil.  Today is the first card.  I'll have other cards this week using the same stencil.  

Instead of my usual step by step with 32 steps (LOL), I am going to give a short paragraph of how I put the card together with a list of the supplies used should you want to try it yourself.  These cards are not difficult at all and I am sure many of your family and friends would love to receive one of these cards!

Step by Step:

Cut a piece of red cardstock 7" x 7", score at 3.5" and fold in half.  This is your card base.  Cut a piece of black cardstock 3.25" x 6.75" and adhere to card front.  Cut two pieces of white cardstock - 3" x 6.5". Adhere one piece to the inside of your card.  

On the other piece of white cardstock, stamp the sentiment in the middle.  I used Barn Door Distress Ink by Ranger.  Lay the stencil on one side of the phrase and, with a dauber and black ink (I used Black Soot Distress Ink), daub the bird stencil outline.  Now clean your stencil, flip it over, and do the other side.  

Trust me on the "clean your stencil" part!!

Adhere to card front.  Adhere a red crystal in each corner.  I also applied Orange Wink of Stella to the beaks and tips of the feathers and Clear Wink of Stella to the rest of the birds.

Supplies Used:

Fowl Play Stencil (S204) by Andrea Matus DeMeng for StencilGirl Products

White Christmas Stamp Set by Stampin Up

White, Red, and Black Cardstock 

Black Soot and Barn Door Distress Inks by Ranger

Dauber

Orange and Clear Wink of Stella Brush Pens

Hope you guys liked this card!  Let me know.  

Hugs from Brasil -

~Michael

Cosmopolis Street Art

Just a cool photo of some cool street art on a textured wall here in Cosmopolis, Sao Paulo, Brasil.  Some might call it graffiti, some call it dirt, but I call it art!

What do you call it?  

~Michael

"You Mean The World To Me" Card

Hey everyone!  Well, I am back in Brasil.  I had a great two months in NY and will blog a bit about my trip in a few days. Got out just in time as the cold swept down as my plane left.  As much as I loved being back home, it was very hard for me to do much crafting since most of my stuff was here. But now, I can get back into the groove.  

One day when I was hanging at The Ink Pad NYC's best rubber stamp store) - I saw the phrase used in this card and knew I had the stencil to go with it when I got home. This is a VERY simple and easy card to make to show someone you care about just how much you love them - no matter where in the world they may be.

Step by Step:

1.  Cut a piece of dark blue cardstock 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and score in half. This is your card base.  

Cut 2 pieces of cardstock 4" x 5 1/4". Stamp the phrase on the bottom of one piece. Distress the edges of the other piece and adhere to the inside of the card.

2.  Adhere the stencil to the card front with painter's tape.  Make sure you put a piece of tape between the two globes so that you only emboss one of them.  Using black embossing paste and a palette knife, apply the embossing paste over the stencil.  Smooth out, remove excess.  Remove stencil carefully and clean immediately. 

Place embossed piece to the side and allow to dry completely.

3.  Adhere the cardstock to the front of the card.  I also went over the phrase with a clear Wink of Stella brush pen. 

4.  Sign and give to someone special!

Hope you enjoyed this card.  

Hugs from Brasil -

~Michael

Supplies Used:

Phrase - You Mean The World To Me (1170E) by Catslife Press

Latitude and Longitude Stencil (S160) by Mary C. Nasser for StencilGirl Products

Dark Blue Cardstock - 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" scored in half

White Cardstock - 2 pieces at 4" x 5 1/4"

Vintage Photo Distress Ink and Applicator

Matte Black Embossing Paste by Dreamweaver

Palette Knife

Clear Wink of Stella Brush Pen

StenDoodled 2015 Calendar with StencilGirl Club Stencils

Hey everyone.  I am on the StencilGirl Blog today showing how I transformed one of those $1.50 two-year calendars that every craft store has, into a one of a kind StenDoodled calendar.  But I used only stencils from StencilGirl's Monthly Club!  Come check it out - HERE.

For more info on the monthly kit, which includes stencils only available through the club, click HERE!  If you LOVE stencils, you will want to check it out.

Hugs!!

Michael