Do you know how hard it is to find baby neutral items

Even in the scrapbook world.

Sigh.

So I plundered Echo Park baby both boy and girl

to find that neutral stuff.

Because the parents want to be surprised.

And what a great surprise it'll be.

Tucked under the books are the crocheted 

blanket I made and I found really cute leggings

and onsies in grey and white.

My other niece in charge of the shower

asked if I could help with the grandma badges

and banners she found on pinterest 

and of course I could

Would you believe I had all the supplies on hand?

Surprised me too (well except for the badges and flowers needed for

the grandma pins).

Love the soft yellow and grey.

They also requested books so I found two of my boys

favorite books.

I have had this acrylic heart - like forever

and really wanted to use it.

 I forgot how tough it is to do see through.

But I made it work.

 Goodnight Moon another favorite book

that I couldn't readily find but love it as an ending to 

the baby album.

All this was completed in less than a week.

Love it when a deadline comes through.

So on our way to the shower is when we met up with our friends

at a campground in northern Florida.

Where we discussed going full-time and found our new coach.

So it's all their fault LOL.

Black & White monochromatic look

Keeping it real simple on this one.

A photo I took, and developed myself, back in the day

 of my favorite eldest son 

snoozing.

For some reason, the black laser cut paper was

whacked down to 6x12 so another piece in my

stash forever is now on a page.

I used it to cover those dumb doilies on the paper

that I had no idea what to do with.

Win-win.

How adorable is that.

 Used some of Tim Holtz words because

they covered it all, broke out

my Quikutz Spicy Chicken alphas for the title.

I really need to use them more....

I did use that blue bow mostly because I liked it

but it was the only one that color remaining so.......

The flourish under "dream" is also a Quiktuz die - woohoo!

That baby boy just turned 36 😐😮💗.

Using really old scrapbook paper

Basic Grey and it pains me they

are no longer in business.

I was a big fan.

Loved all their papers and have quite the collection.

 My friend Holli's daughter had a baby and of course

I crocheted a blanket and made a baby album

among other things for her shower and of course I took

photos of one but not the other.....

 Holli graciously took a photo of Kayli wrapped in my 

blanket and I decided to scrap it and it

needed this paper from the LilyKate collection was perfect.

I really wanted something soft and pretty to meld with the photo.

The K&Co embellishments have been around forever too.

Add it with a doily, a die cut border with word stickers and pretty flowers from

Spare Parts 

and well....Love the page.

 I also kept the invitation because the baby album I made (see here)

was keyed off the invitation and of course the shaker box heart.

Therefore I attached the invite to the back of the page

added the journaling (because I really didn't want it on the front)

and called it a day.

Color blocking sort of

I used Basic Grey patterned paper I got in my warehouse box

and wa-la there was a 6x6 paper pack too.

So I ripped out 2 papers and blocked them in opposite corners.

I really worked at the layering using some

of the basic grey stickers from the pack and really old tags.

Also, Studio Calico stamp, sticker and wood veneers.

As you may or may not know I love books. 

I inhale them.

I adore them

 I respect them 

and keep them looking good.

So imagine your surprise when I tell you that I ripped 

that page out of an old dictionary

GASP!

Even old books I really really have a hard time messing them up.

I really do. 

But I wanted a book page behind the photo

because it goes with mom - the librarian.

Along with the libary journal card.

And toddlers are so easy to please.

Looks like a tupperware container filled with water and ice.

Lou could go on for hours with this.

And who could resist Vanilla Ice's hit song.

NOT ME.