More is More

Happy Friday!  It’s been a busy week – somehow turned out much busier than I expected.  Although I did do a little stamping this week, I realize now that I didn’t get a post up all week.  Today it’s time for a new Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge – TESC138.  New sketches are posted on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month.  Get all the info in the SCS TE Forum and come play along with us.  TE stamps are NOT required and you could WIN a gift certificate to the TE Store!

Ok – I have to admit that I was a little scared when I first saw this sketch.  I’m not sure why, because I ended up really liking it.  Here’s my card feauring Treasure Life and the Apothecary Jars Taylored Die Set.

After the jars were stamped and die cut, I colored the candy (I like to think they’re filled with some sort of yummy candy) with Copics and then covered them with Crackle Accents. I know it’s a little hard to see in the photo, but it looks so cool in person!  The jars are popped up on small foam squares for dimension.

I want to highlight a few of the products that I used on this card that I really love:

SU seam binding (Rose Red used here) – I love the weight of it and how nicely bows turn out.  Look Ma, no bow-easy!

Webster’s Pages Little Whimsies (Pink Lotus used here) – I only bought one pack of these and just the single color, because although I thought they were adorable I wasn’t sure I would really use them.  I’ve already used several and I LOVE them.  I will definitley be putting more on my next TE order!  They are just the perfect little touch I think.

Small Foam Squares from Scrapbook Adhesives at TE – I really didn’t think I’d ever find foam dots I would like as much as SU dimensionals, but dare I say that I think I actually like these better?!  My HUGE roll of foam tape is getting low and I need to get another one, but I’m also lovin’ the squares! 

The Banner Day Series of stamps and dies (It’s a Banner Day 3 and Banner Day 3 Die used here) –  Seriously don’t even try to pick just one of the 3 sets.  You NEED them all!  I just love how cute and how versatile they are!  With all 3 sets, you pretty much have a sentiment for any ocassion along with a darling banner to showcase it!

Girls Paperie (Kitch used here) – This was my very favorite booth at CHA.  Just love the GP style and so so so sad that it will not be produced any more!  For reference I used SU Rose red and Bashful Blue with it on this card.

Let’s see what the rest of the Sketch Crew has in store today (please note that as I type this post Blogger has been down for quite some time and some of the girls have been unable to get a post typed.  So if a link doesn’t work, just check the TESC138 thread in our SCS Forum and all of our samples will also be there!)

• Dawn Easton
• Jami Sibley
• Lisa Hjulberg
• Lori Craig
• Melissa Sauls
• Monika Davis
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tracy Clemente
• Guest Designers: Iwona Palamountain, Molly Joly

Thanks for stopping by!  I’m off to prep for my stamp class tonight where we’ll be using Taylored Expressions stamps and focusing on different ways to frame an image or sentiment on a card.  I shared one of my samples last week and I’l have the others up for you here next week.  Happy stamping and have a great weekend!

I am beyond thrilled to participate today with some special in friends to help Taylor spread the word that she’s expecting a GIRL in September!   Taylor invited each of us to share a sweet girlie project in celebration of this wonderful blessing!  Create something PINK and sparkly and share the joy of a sweet friend?  You didn’t have to ask me twice!

I decided to decorate a Perfect Package to coordinate with the baby card I posted on Monday.  The box holds a little gift now and I’m hoping it can hold special keepsakes in the nursery in the future.  This was a really fun “play” project…the more pink and flowery and pearly, the better! Click on the photos below to see them larger.

I love Perfect Packages and they are so easy to decorate!  The paper I used here is Girls Paperie *swoon*.  I think pretty much all of the supplies, other than the flowers, came from Taylored Expressions.  Spellbinders Fancy Tags, Fleur de Lis, celery silk ribbon, pearls, pom pom trim and more.  All of the pink cardstock elements were painted with Smooch Illuminate, so they have a pretty soft sparkle.

Here’s the inside of the lid of the box.

The two sentiments I used are from two new stamp sets at TE – Baby Cakes and Welcome Little One.

I really couldn’t be happier for Taylor and Jon!  Well, ok…I’d be a tiny bit happier if they still lived in California and I could play Auntie in person!  I know they are going to be fabulous parents and that’s going to be one lucky little girl!

I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone has created today. You’ll also want to hop around to the rest of the blogs linked below as Taylor will be giving away one stamp set of your choice from the May release to a lucky commenter on one of the blogs! You have through Sunday, May 8th to leave your comments and the winner will be announced on Taylor’s blog on Monday!

• Beate Johns
• Jami Sibley – you are here!
• Jenn Balcer
• Joy Kennedy
• Lori Craig
• Sharon Harnist
• Veronica McCollum
•  Taylor

• Thanks for celebrating with us today!

IT’S TIME TO SHOP!   Everything we’ve been peeking over the past few days is now available at Taylored Expressions.  I have one more sample to show you.  My card features

• Moka Olivia Petite set
• It’s in the Bag full-sized set
• Shopping Bag & Labels Die set
• Heart Frame A la Carte
• Frame It Up 2 Die

The pattern on the tiny 3D bag is one of the stamp images in It’s in the Bag, as is the “tissue” I stamped on patterned paper and cut out.  The little label is part of the Shopping Bag die set and I used it both on the bag and for the sentiment on the card.  The Heart Frame A la Carte, originally designed to hold a wallet sized photo, is just perfect for 2″ x 3″ stamped image panels!  The layout for this card is Karen G.’s Sweet Sunday Sketch SSSC115.

Today the Baker’s Dozen has NEW samples to showcase ALL of the new sets, so check it out before you go fill up yur shopping cart!

• Amber Hight – Guest Designer
• Charmaine Ikach
• Danielle Lounds
• Jackie Pedro
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Nancy McKinney
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen – Taylor’s blog has photos of all of the new sets in their entirety today!
• Tori Wild
• Wanda Guess

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Wednesday!  I hope you’ve been enjoying the Taylored Expressions Sneak Peeks.  Everything will be available in the TE Store tomorrow morning at 8 am PST.  Today is a huge day with lots of non-baby-related new stamps and dies.  The peeks include a super fun stamp and die set to make mini shopping bags – It’s in the Bag – as well as the introduction of a BRAND NEW collection of stamps – the MOKA Girls. 

 The peek I have for you features Summer Wreath.  This is the 4th in the series of Seasonal Wreaths (originally concepted by yours truly *grin*) and illustrated by Nancy McKinney (previous sets – Wreath of Love, Wreath of Luck, Spring Wreath).  Summer Wreath, along with all of the wreaths in this series,  coordinates with the same Taylored Die – Seasonal Wreath Die and the Basic Bow Die. This is a Petite Set  on a 3″ x 5.5″ full color sturdy storage panel and includes 9 images including the wreath, 3 butterflies and 5 mix and match sentiments.  This little set packs a big punch and I think this might even be my favorite wreath in the series so far!

The Technique Lovers Challenge on SCS a few weeks ago was Let’s Make a Trellis (TLC316) and I’ve wanted to try it ever since I saw it.  It was a little time consuming, but really fairly easy and fun to do.  All 3 of the butterflies are included in the Summer Wreath Petite set along with the mix and match sentiment I used.  Papers are MME Fine and Dandy Tickled Pink, MME Stella and Rose – Hazel, SU Regal Rose, TE Choice Snow White.  Spellbinders dies are Labels 5 and Ribbon Tag Trio Three.  Pearls and Rhinestones are Want 2 Scrap.  Wreath flowers and butterflies are covered with Smooch Illuminate.

There’s so much to see today!  I can hardly wait to see what the Baker’s Dozen has cooked up!

The release happens tomorrow morning with an early reveal on the TE Facebook page tonight.  I’ll be back in the morning with another sample of new goodies!  Thanks for stopping by!

Time for more Sneak Peeks for the upcoming Taylored Expressions Release.  The team has 2 full-sized, baby themed sets to show you today.  As always, TE sets are made from the highest quality deeply etched RUBBER and these sets are DARLING!  The sample I have to show you was created with Bringing Home Baby, illustrated by Nancy McKinney as part of the Whimsical Wishes Collection.

Oh my goodness, you are going to love playing with this set of  23 images to build nursery scenes.  I love to build scenes with stamps and when I saw the tutorial on SCS for the Side Step Card, I just had to try it.  I was shocked at how easy it was!  Beate’s instructions are very clear and easy to follow and I know I’ll be making more of these fun cards!  And it fits in a standard A2 envelope when it’s folded shut.

I’ll admit that this card was time consuming with lots of fussy cutting, but I was just so tickled with how it turned out.  The designer paper is Girls Paperie – I just LOVE their papers!

This stamp set would be great for some very simple cards as well.  It has so many images and sentiments to work with!  I can hardly wait to see what the Baker’s Dozen have cooked up!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I’ll be back tomorrow with a non-baby-related peek and I hope you’ll check in!

Happy Monday!  Did you see Taylor’s news on Friday?  I am over the moon with excitement for her and Jon!  And to add to that excitement, Taylored Expressions has a new release coming this Thursday at 8 am – a large portion of it dedicated to everything baby!  You can see in the graphic above a list of everything being peeked today by the Baker’s Dozen.  The main thing is a full-sized set called Welcome Little One designed and illustrated by Taylor herself.  I know she’s been looking forward to designing her own baby set for a long time and I couldn’t be happier to play along in the peeks today!  Here’s the card I created featuring Welcome Little One.

I know that Taylor’s idea for the set was a little more of a clean graphic style, but i just couldn’t help but channel our friend Melissa just a little bit when I was working on this card.  Designer Paper is by Girls Paperie.  Along with Welcome Little One, I incorporated Hangin’ Out (the pennant image) and the brand new You’re My Type – Upper.  The 4 images on the focal panel are separate so you can configure them in lots of different ways.  I put the 4 stamps on 1 block and stamped them in Kiwi Kiss ink.  After rounding the corners with my Corner Chomper and sponging a little ink to age it a bit, I covered the entire panel in Versamark and heat embossed with 2 layers of clear embossing powder.  Here’s a close up:

Hopefully you can get an idea of how shiny it is IRL.  I used Want 2 Scrap Baby Bling all around the edge of the Labels 1 Nestie die cut mat. I pulled the flowers from my Primas collection and added a new Websters Pages Whimsy to the center, plus I added Smooch Illuminate to the flowers for some sparkle.

Welcome Little One is the next stamp set in the TE Giving Tree Program which supports various charities for 3 months at a time.  For the months of May, June and July when you purchase this set you’ll be helping to support Bethany Christian Services, the nation’s largest adoption agency. BCS also cares for women facing unplanned pregnancies as well as orphans living on 5 continents. Their comprehensive services include adoption, temporary foster care, counseling, training, and family support knowing that children thrive in safe, loving, and strong families. Taylored Expressions will donate $7.00 to Bethany Christian Services for each Welcome Little One  stamp set sold in the next 3 months.  I’d encourage you to check out this wonderful charity!

This set (along with the companion A la Carte stamps and dies) are designed to have so many possibilities!  I can hardly wait to see what the Baker’s Dozen has cooked up today!

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy the hop!