Concord & 9th Feature Friday - Bits & Pieces

November 24, 2017

Happy day after Thanksgiving, friends!!  Have you been out & about shopping it up?  I have not.  Lol.  I worked in retail for far too long - I avoid leaving my home like the plague during the weekend after Thanksgiving.  There are a ton of great crafting sales that you can take advantage of right from home, so be sure to look for all of those!

I've got another installment of Feature Friday as a guest designer for Concord & 9th this morning!  Today we are featuring the Bits & Pieces stamp and die set, and it is awesome!!  By the way, Concord & 9th has a Black Friday sale going on as well.  Check out their Promo Page for all the details!

I created two cards for today's post, and I have a million more ideas that I am going to work on in the next week!  So, be sure to check back with me this next week and see what else I've created using this stamp set!

I focused on birthday elements from the Bits & Pieces stamp set, and the happy word die from the Bits & Pieces diecut set!  Here is a peek at both of them!

Ellen Hutson LLC's 11th Anniversary Blog Hop

November 23, 2017


Happy Thanksgiving, friends!!  I am participating in a special blog hop today, celebrating the 11th Anniversary of Ellen Hutson LLC!  We are featuring our favorite Essentials By Ellen products, and I am so excited to share my projects with you!



There are multiple prizes up for grabs, and multiple days of blog hops & posts...so be sure to get all of the details at the Ellen Hutson LLC blog!

In true blog hop fashion, you should have arrived from Lisa Adametz's blog.  I will give you your next stop at the end of the post!

To create my cards, I used the Modern Christmas stamps & the Modern Christmas matching dies....and LOVE how they turned out.  Here is a peek!

Winnie & Walter Black Friday "Free with $35 purchase" stamp set

November 22, 2017

Happy day before Thanksgiving, friends!  I hope that your week has been a great one!  Sorry it has been a little quiet around here - my schedule has been a little crazy!  I only; have one more week at my corporate job, training my replacement...so my schedule is going to have some give in it very soon!  I am so excited about that!

I wanted to pop in today, and share a card I made using the "Free with $35 purchase" stamp set for Winnie & Walter's Black Friday sale.  It is called "In A Word: Thanks", and the only way to get it before it releases at a later date is during the Black Friday sale!

Check out the card I made using this awesome stamp set!

Concord & 9th Feature Friday - Beautiful Branches

November 17, 2017

This month I was asked to guest design for Concord & 9th, and today is my second Feature Friday post using some of their latest & greatest!

All of the Concord & 9th November release is now available to purchase, so go pick out all of your favorites!

Today I am featuring the brand new Beautiful Branches stamp & die set, and there is SO much that you can do with it!  I have created 4 cards using this stamp set in different ways just so you can see how versatile it is.  I have also combined it with other C9 stamp sets so you can see how perfectly their products work together.

One Year

November 16, 2017


One year ago, Josh and I did what no parent should ever have to.  We had to make the decision to take Layton off of life support, and let him pass in Josh's arms, rather than in the middle of a code.

Before they started stripping Layton of all the machines, I put my arms around him on his warming bed and told him that it was okay to let go.  I told him that he didn't need to be scared, because Ellie would be right there when he got to Heaven.  And that he would see us again after we finish our time here on earth.

As they prepped him to move to Josh's arms...I had to step out.  On the other side of that sliding glass door...I slumped to the floor.  Breath evaded me.  As I let any grip I had on hope slip away....I sobbed.  Guttural, raw....exposed. 

One of Layton's favorite respiratory therapists, Patti, lifted me off the floor and forced me to take a breath.

Then I went and sat at Josh's feet.  As I sat there, my son's heart stopped beating as Rose, another respiratory therapist, gave him his final breaths.  I listened as more feet shuffled into the impossibly tiny isolation room that Layton was in.  And I heard sobs...not just from me.  Not just from Josh.  But from doctors, specialists, nurses & respiratory therapists that loved Layton almost as much as we did.

For the first time ever - we rolled a baby of our own in one of those acrylic rolly baby carrier things that hospitals have for new babies.  You know - the ones where sleep deprived, brand new parents roll their newborn around the hospital corridor just to get our of their room for a moment.  In a million years, I never expected that my only experience with one of these would be taking my deceased son to a room where we would mourn him.

Layton's final 16 hours of life were horrifying.  And scary.  And the most gut-wrenching hurt I will ever experience in my life.  I will likely never fully share all the things I saw that night.  But there isn't a day that goes by where it doesn't haunt me.

Friends, this is the raw & unfiltered pain my heart feels every single day.  It doesn't mean that I don't live my life, or love my life.  But I live this life without two huge pieces of my heart.  I will never, ever, ever.....be the same as I was before.  I will never live this life without one hand on earth and the other reaching for Heaven.

I love you, Layton bear.  I wish you were still here.  I wish I could cuddle you.  I wish I could breath you in - because even amidst all the medicine & machines, you still smelled like a scrumptious baby.  I wish I could see your smile just one more time...even though that would never be enough. 

I am beyond thankful for the time I had with you and the impact you made on my life...but I will never feel like it was enough.  Never.  Not until I am on the other side of the veil, and we are together for eternity.

Until then my sweet boy....enjoy Heaven's nursery.  And give that sister of yours the biggest hug ever.

Loving and missing you both every single second of every single day.

-Mommy.

Crafty Comeback Party Giveaway Winners

November 13, 2017

Hey there, everyone!  It is time to reveal all the winners from my Crafty Comeback Party!!



Day 1 - Little Things from Lucy's Cards - 8 sequin mixes

Day 2 - Prima Marketing - Amber Moon prize package

Day 3 - Lil' Inker Designs - $35 gift certificate

Day 4 - Flora & Fauna - Winter Woodland stamp set

Day 5 - Ellen Hutson - $50 gift certificate

Day 6 - Taylored Expressions - Stamp set & Cutting Plate prize package

Day 7 - Lawn Fawn - (2) $25 gift certificates


Day 8 - Neat & Tangled - Guest Designer Giveaway 
**I am adding her blog comment for consistency, but she linked a GORGEOUS project for the guest design spot, and that is where the winner was pulled from!**

Day 9 - Honey Bee Stamps - $25 gift certificate

Day 10 - Hero Arts - $25 gift certificate
**Winner was randomly drawn from all comments on Jessica Frost-Ballas's blog.**




Day 11 - Concord & 9th - $25 gift certificate

Day 12 - The Ink Road - Stamp prize packages
Prize Package #1

Prize Package #2
**I'm adding her blog comment for consistency, but this was picked randomly from those that linked up projects!!**
Day 13 - My Mind's Eye - Joyful prize package

Day 14 - Avery Elle - Snowflakes stamp set

Day 16 - Pretty Pink Posh - $30 gift certificate
Day 17 - Pinkfresh Studio - December Days prize package
**Sophie - I can't seem to find your email address.  Please email me at lea@lealawsoncreates.com so I can get your prize out to you!!**


Day 18 - Reverse Confetti - gift certificate

Day 19 - SugarPea Designs - $20 gift certificate

Day 20 - Jillibean Soup - Shades of Color prize package

Thank you everyone, for all your sweet comments & taking part in my crafty comeback event!  I do want to make sure you know that all giveaways were truly picked randomly, and that is why I chose to use Rafflecopter!  I wanted everyone to have a fair chance at winning!

Have an awesome day, friends!!






Concord & 9th Feature Friday - Hi There Bear

November 10, 2017

Hey there, everyone!  Welcome to my second post of the day!  This month I was asked to guest design for Concord & 9th, and I couldn't be more excited!!

All of the Concord & 9th November release is now available to purchase, so go pick out all of your favorites!  Better yet, check out the entire November 2017 release bundle!  You get a discount for purchasing it all, and a free stamp set!

Today I am featuring the brand new Hi There Bear stamp & die set.  I fell in love with this stamp set when I saw it.  When I was pregnant with Layton, we had many, many ultrasounds checking on him.  Layton rolled around like a little bear, evading the ultrasound technician as much as he possibly could.  When he got big enough that I could feel him move, he kept me up most of the night rolling all over the place, and kicking me like crazy.  Thus, he was nicknamed little bear, because if you have ever seen bear cubs you know that they roll all around with their brothers & sisters A LOT.  Bears have always been my favorite animal, but I love them even more now.

Today I've created cards showcasing 3 different ways to use this adorable stamp set!  Check them out!

Winnie & Walter November Release - Day 4

Good morning & happy Friday!  Welcome to the final day of the November Winnie & Walter release!  All stamps, dies & screenings will be available for purchase tonight, so start making your list of all your faves!!

Before I get to my card, I want to let you know that Winnie & Walter always has a big giveaway each release where 1 lucky winner gets the entire set of stamps released!  (BTW - there are 8 stamp sets this month!!)  Follow the giveaways instructions on Winnie & Walter's Big Giveaway post in order to try for your chance to win!

I have one cute card to share with you today using one of the new sets designed by Evelin T.  Here are the details:

Winter Wishes with Evelin T Designs
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
6x8 stamp set
Retails for $22.00
Includes Thirty-one (31) stamps--twenty (24) images + seven (7) sentiments

Winter Wishes with Evelin T Designs Cutaways
Wafer Thin Steel Dies
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
Retails for $40.00
Includes twenty (20) dies

Here is my card! 

Winnie & Walter November Release - Day 3

November 9, 2017

Good morning & happy Thursday!  Welcome to day 3 of the November Winnie & Walter release!

Before I get to my card, I want to let you know that Winnie & Walter always has a big giveaway each release where 1 lucky winner gets the entire set of stamps released!  (BTW - there are 8 stamp sets this month!!)  Follow the giveaways instructions on Winnie & Walter's Big Giveaway post in order to try for your chance to win!

I have created 2 cards for you today! 

Winnie & Walter November Release - Day 2

November 8, 2017

Good morning & happy Wednesday!  Welcome to day 2 of the November Winnie & Walter release!

Before I get to my card, I want to let you know that Winnie & Walter always has a big giveaway each release where 1 lucky winner gets the entire set of stamps released!  (BTW - there are 8 stamp sets this month!!)  Follow the giveaways instructions on Winnie & Walter's Big Giveaway post in order to try for your chance to win!

I've got 2 sparkly holiday cards full of glitter to share with you today!  Here is a little bit of info on the items I've used on them:

Tagged: Holiday Cheer
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
4x6 stamp set
Retails for $15.00
Includes thirty-seven (37) stamps--eleven (11) images + sixteen (16) sentiments

Tagged: Holiday Cheer Cutaways
Wafer Thin Steel Dies
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
Retails for $14.00
Includes seven (7) dies

Scenery:  Scenery: Ticking Creative Screenings
6x6 stencil
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
Each retail for $4.99
Includes one (1) stencil

Sentimental: Gift
Available on November 10, 2017
3x4 stamp set
Retails for $8.00
Includes twenty-three (23) stamps
Here are my cards using these items!  Check them out!

Winnie & Walter November Release - Day 1

November 7, 2017

Good morning & happy Tuesday! Well friends, I took a few days off because I was super busy with a wedding show.  But I am back today and am joining in with Winnie & Walter's November release week!!  This release is FULL of amazing holiday themed products, and you are going to just LOVE them!!

Before I get to my card, I want to let you know that Winnie & Walter always has a big giveaway each release where 1 lucky winner gets the entire set of stamps released!  (BTW - there are 8 stamp sets this month!!)  Follow the giveaways instructions on Winnie & Walter's Big Giveaway post in order to try for your chance to win!

Now let's get to my card!  It might seem a little familiar...that is because I created a similar card during my crafty comeback party!  This one features 2 of the new Cutaway sets.  Here is a little bit of info about each of them first:

In a Word: Holiday Tiles Cutaways
Wafer Thin Steel Dies
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
Retails for $20.00
Includes seven (7) dies

In a Word: Believe Cutaway
Wafer Thin Steel Die
Available for purchase the evening of November 10, 2017
Retails for $5.00
One (1) die

Here is what I created using these items!

Crafty Comeback Party - Day 20 - Jillibean Soup + Giveaway

November 3, 2017

Happy Friday!  Are you ready for the weekend?  I definitely am - we aren't supposed to have the greatest weather, so it will be a hang out at home & stay cozy kind of weekend {my favorite!}.

Today's post is all about Jillibean Soup!!  They have always had some of the CUTEST paper collections, and really fun embellishments!  They also have stamp & die sets, and really fun shaker shapes!

Today I am using a paper collection that just speaks to my heart.....because it is rainbow colored!  I created these cards using the new Shades of Color collection...check them out!

Crafty Comeback Party - Day 19 - SugarPea Designs + Giveaway

November 2, 2017

Happy Thursday!  I hope that everyone is having a great week so far, and are happy that we are almost to the weekend!

Today I'm featuring SugarPea Designs!!  They are new to me, and their items are SO cute!!  I fell in love with all the campy/outdoor themed items that they released recently.  Layton's nursery was mountain/woodland animal themed, and we {when I say we, I technically mean Josh} had painted snow capped mountains on one of the walls.  So, I have a very soft spot for anything mountain related.

Wendy sent me some of the items from that release, and I created an adorable campy birthday card!  Check it out!

Crafty Comeback Party - Day 18 - Reverse Confetti + Giveaway

November 1, 2017

Happy Wednesday!  It's the middle of the week, and my crafty comeback party has just a few days left in it!  The snow is lightly falling outside my window right now, and it is just beautiful.  I always love the first snowfall of the season.  The next couple of posts will likely be in the afternoons due to my schedule right now - but no worries, because the giveaways are open all the way through Friday, November 10th.  So, there is plenty of time!

Today my post is all about Reverse Confetti!  I am feeling pretty special, because I used products that aren't available yet!!  So, you are getting a sneak peek at a few items that will be releasing very soon!!  So exciting!!  These products are set to release on November 8th, so be sure to keep checking the Reverse Confetti blog for more information!!

I created two shaker cards for today's post, but I didn't photograph them together because the colors don't match at all.  So, we are going to start with the festive, traditional Christmas color shaker with some adorable little elves on it!