Love You Always

Today I have a bright and happy card using the Birds of a Feather set from Taylored Expressions.  I started by stamping the Clouds Background in Summer Sky onto white cardstock.  Then I stamped the birdcage, cut it out and inked up part of the Clouds Background stamp again and put the birdcage onto the background to stamp the background that would be "seen" through the birdcage.  I adhered the birdcage with foam tape making sure to line up the cloud that I stamped on the birdcage with the cloud in the background.

I stamped and die cut the branch using the Birds and Branch Die Set and die cut the bird out of patterned paper from the Summer Days Collection from Echo Park.  The background paper is also from the Summer Days Collection.  I "tied" the birdcage to the branch with some Baker's Twine and added some stitching and Tiny Twinkles to the card as well.

Thanks for visiting today!  Have a wonderful day!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- Birds of a Feather, Clouds Background (Taylored Expressions); Ink- Summer Sky, Rose Bud (Memento), Onyx Black (Versafine);  Paper- Summer Days Collection (Echo Park); Accessories- Tiny Twinkles, Birds and Branch Dies, Baker's Twine (Taylored Expressions);  Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

VLV Life Is Good

It's Friday and that means a new Viva la Verve Challenge!  This week's sketch is from Amber and it's awesome!  I used the Life Is Good Plain Jane for my card.  The papers are from the Summer Days Collection from Echo Park. . .so happy and bright! 

I stamped the sentiment onto the pink patterned paper and then die cut it with the Jotted Heart Die.  I added a couple of buttons, stitching and a photo corner for interest.  Come on over and play along in this week's Viva la Verve Challenge!  There's always a chance to win some Verve!!  Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful day!

Light Tomorrow

Here's a card I made using an embossed folder that I HAD to have, but then once I got it I never found an opportunity to use it!  The embossing folder is from Sizzix and I decided to pair it up with the Light Tomorrow Plain Jane from Verve. 

Since the chandelier took up the whole card front, I stamped the sentiment on a band of vellum and folder it around the front of the card and then added a bow of ribbon to the top of the chandelier.  Super simple and quick!  Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day!

Dude

I was able to play along with the latest Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge, so I decided to use the Moka Justin set that was just released at the beginning of the month.  As you could imagine, my 7 year old LOVES this stamp and loves this card!  LOL  ;)

I used papers from the Teen Angst Collection from We R Memory Keepers.  I die cut the star border out of a metal sheet using the Star Border Die.  The image was colored using Copic markers.  Come play along with the sketch challenge!  It's fun and you could win a gift certificate to the TE Store!  Come on, give it a try!  :)  Thanks for stopping by today!

Not Quite Extinct

Today I have a card that uses The Tribe from Our Craft Lounge.  It's such a fun set. . .so different than anything I have in my collection and perfect for humorous cards.  I created a little birthday card that will hopefully add a little humor on those "tough" birthdays!  :) 

The papers are from The Green Stack from Die Cut With a View.  I colored the images with Copic markers and added some hemp and buttons to embellish.  I love this sentiment.  It makes me chuckle each time I read it.  Hope it gives you a chuckle too!  :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Papertrey July Blog Hop Challenge

This month's Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge was a photo inspiration.  I just LOVE the colors in the inspiration photo!!  For my card, I used the Damask Designs set along with Orange Zest, Ocean Tides and Ripe Avocado ink.  I letterpressed the Orange Zest cardstock with the Damask Designs Impression Plate and some Fresh Snow ink. 

The butterflies were die cut from white cardstock using the butterfly die from the Love Lives Here Collection.  I added a little stitching on the two sides as a finishing touch.  Thanks for stopping by!

VLV You're Fabulous!

Today is Friday and that means a new Viva la Verve Challenge!!  This week's sketch is from Laurie!  I just LOVED her sketch!  I chose to use a little sentiment from the Small Phrases set, along with a background and sentiment from the Bountiful Backgrounds set.  The papers are from the Life of the Party Collection from My Mind's Eye. 

I die cut the chevron background panel with the Labels 9 Nestabilities.  The heart was die cut using the Jotted Heart Die and the little tag was die cut with the Charming Oval Die Set.  I stamped the die cut heart with the polka dot background in Berry Sorbet ink and then overstamped the "You're So Fabulous" sentiment from Bountiful Backgrounds in Fresh Snow ink.  I tied the tag to the ribbon bow using some Baker's Twine.  Finally, I added some green gemstones and stitched around the edge of the card. 

Come play along with the Viva la Verve Sketch!  There's always a chance to win Verve goodies!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- Small Phrases, Bountiful Backgrounds (Verve Stamps); Ink- Fresh Snow, Berry Sorbet (PTI), Onyx Black (Versafine); Paper- Life of the Party Collection (My Mind's Eye), Bazzill;  Accessories- green gemstones (Doodlebug), Jotted Heart Die, Charming Oval Die Set (Verve Stamps), Labels 9 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (May Arts), Baker's Twine (My Mind's Eye);  Finished card measures 4.25" square

While the Cat's Away, the Mice Will Play

Are you feeling left out because you can't make it to the CHA Craft Supershow this week? Well some of the Baker's Dozen and Taylored Expressions team were feeling the same way, so we got together to create some fun shopping specials of our own. Because you know...

We're throwing our own little party and you're invited! Each of us perused the TE Store and chose a favorite product to bring to you at 20% off!! Hurry before we get caught- these specials are only good through Sunday!

Wanda's Pick: Crafty Cuppie

Jodi's Pick: Sweet Celebration

Karen M.'s Pick: Wings of Joy

Tori's Pick: Sprinkled with Love

Jami's Pick: Picket Fence Border Die

Regina's Pick: 1/16" foam tape & 1/8" foam tape

Charmaine's Pick: Take Note Die 3

Melissa's Pick: Kitschy Kitchen Cardstock Stickers Homemade and Retro & Tag Collection

PLUS We're bringing you the actual Show Specials so you can feel like you were there!

• Purchase any 4 full-size stamp sets (including those on sale listed above) and receive a FREE Mini Binder Box! (Do not add the Binder Box to your cart, it will automatically be included in your package upon shipment.)
• The first 10 orders each day beginning at 8am PST will receive a free A la Carte stamp of our choice.
• All orders placed Thursday through Sunday will be entered into a random drawing to win a CHA Prize Package which includes two exclusive stamp sets never available for sale. This prize package is valued at over $100! The winner will be announced on Taylor's blog on Tuesday.

ALL OF THE ABOVE OFFERS ARE VALID THURSDAY JULY 21ST AT 8 AM PST THROUGH SUNDAY JULY 24 AT 10 PM PST.

Important Shipping Notes

• Shipping at Taylored Expressions is suspended from Monday July 18th through Monday July 25th while the TE Crew is away at CHA. Shipping will resume on Tuesday July 26th.
• Remember that shipping is FREE on all orders over $75 within the United States every day!

I chose the Take Note Die 3 for my sale item!  I use this die constantly.  I love it because it's big enough to stamp the focal image on and add a sentiment if you like.  It's also great for creating a matte for a smaller die cut piece. 

In this project, I used the Take Note Die 3 for the focal image and I also used it to create the little tiny treat purses that accompany the card!

In this project, I used the Take Note Die 3 as a matte for a smaller die cut. 

You can view projects using the Baker's Dozen choices of sale items by visiting their blogs!  Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Jodi Collins
Karen Motz
Melissa Sauls
Regina Mangum
Tori Wild
Wanda Guess
Jami Sibley

To the Newlyweds

Today I have a card that uses the latest color combo from Summer Card Camp.  I used that and a sketch that Kristina provided to create this card.  The stamp set I used was Birds of a Feather from Taylored Expressions along with the coordinating die set, Birds and Branch Dies.  I also used the Heart Border Die to create the background. 

I stamped the bird cage, cut out the inside of the heart in the image and added the green paper behind the bird cage.  The birds were die cut and then adhered with foam tape onto the bird cage.  As a finishing touches, I tied some Baker's Twine from the top of the card to the bird cage. 

I think this makes a great card for a summer wedding with the nice, bright colors!  Thanks for stopping by today!

Fairy Bookmark

My oldest daughter Savannah LOVES to read!  She's 7 and it's unbelievable to me how much she'd reads.  Sometimes she even chooses sitting and reading over playing or swimming.  She just loves bookmarks, so I make her quite a few.  She really likes this kind that "hugs" the page.  Sometimes I put magnets inside so it has less chance of slipping out of the book, but she likes them either way. 

I used the Tooth Fairy Fun set from Our Craft Lounge to create this bookmark.  I colored her with Copic markers and added some Diamond Stickles to her wings.  I didn't add a sentiment since it was going to be a bookmark.  The patterned paper is from the Valentine Collection from We R Memory Keepers. 

Thanks for stopping by today and have a GREAT day!

Verve July Diva Dare

In case you've been missing it, the July Diva Dare is going on over at the Verve Blog.  This month's theme is Sentimental About Paper.  We want the focus to be on those fabulous Verve sentiments, so get out that patterned paper and let the sentiments take center stage! 

Today is my turn to share my creation on the Verve Blog.  I chose to use  the Uncommon Collection from Authentique paired with a sentiment from the New Mercies set.  I also used the Flutterby Die with black cardstock along with some ribbon and pearls.  The sentiment panel is die cut with the Wonky Rectangles Nestabilities.   

Would you like a chance to win some Verve?  Head on over to the Verve Blog to find out how!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! 

Get Your Diva On!

I have been a total slacker in telling you about Maureen's Get Your Diva On Challenge going on in the Verve Forum right now!!  Things have been pretty crazy here this week and I can't seem to get back on track. . .yet!  It is called Pretty Purse Plastic and it challenges you to be inspired by those plastic gift cards in your purse!  Maureen has a few samples that you can use for your inspiration, but you are free to use your own! 

I chose to use the Michael's card that Maureen attached to the challenge thread.  It was right up my alley. . .white, black and red!  Love it!  I chose to use the Blessings set from Verve.  I stamped the flourishes in white craft ink onto black cardstock.  The sentiment is stamped in white craft ink onto red cardstock and then die cut with the Labels 18 Nestabilities. 

Hope you find time to take the challenge!  You have until Sunday, July 17th 9pm Mountain to enter!  Tomorrow starts the July Diva Dare on the Verve Blog!  Be sure to stop on over!  Have fun and thanks for visiting!