My Soulmate

Have you checked out the Animals in Love from the latest Taylored Expressions release? What's great about this release is that you can purchase individual stamps if you're not "sold" on the whole set! I just love all of the images. . .it's hard to decide which to stamp with! Today I used the adorable little puppy dogs for my card. I paper pieced the doghouse and colored the puppies using Copic markers. The sentiment just seemed perfect for this image.

Thanks for stopping by today! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Animals in Love, Animals in Love Sentiments (Taylored Expressions); Ink- Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Paper- Indian Summer Fall Stack (DCWV), Prism; Accessories- border punch (EK Success), Berry Sorbet ribbon (PTI), Copic markers); Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Fabulous

I have been missing in action for quite a few days. We were staying at my sister-in-law's since we were without power and heat because of all of this snow! When we were finally able to come home, the house was frigid! In fact, I went to wash some dishes and the dishwashing liquid was solid! Granted it wasn't a full bottle, but still! It IS nice to be back home though! Nothing like your own bed!

Today I have a card for you using the Love's Flower set from Verve. I also used one of the February Viva la Verve Challenges. I just LOVED this simple sketch and the inspiration photo! Amber does such a wonderful job with these challenges. If you haven't ever played, I urge you to check it out!

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're staying warm! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Love's Flower (Verve Stamps); Ink- Whisper White Craft, Kiwi Kiss (SU); Paper- Indian Summer Fall Stack (DCWV), Orange Zest (PTI), Kiwi Kiss (SU); Accessories- paper piercer, white gel pen, EK Success border punch, white embossing powder; Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Taylored Expressions RELEASE DAY!

It's time! You can now purchase all of the new stamps over at Taylored Expressions! Today the Baker's Dozen is showing you more of the Animals in Love and Animals in Love Sentiments sets. There is also a special going on!

Love 'em All Special

Purchase all 8 Animals in Love rubber stamps and the Animals in Love Sentiments set and you will receive a $10 Gift Certificate toward your next purchase in the TE Store. You will receive the Gift Certificate Code via e-mail within 2 days after your order is placed - no coupon code or comment needed. Please note this offer expires at the end of the day Monday 2/8/10 and cannot be combined with any other coupons or discount offers. Click here to purchase the Love 'em All Special.

My project today is something I created with kids in mind. Didn't we all LOVE picking which Valentines we were going to give out each year? I know I did! I made this little Valentine set, complete with box using some cardstock and my slot punch from Stampin' Up. Remember how some of the Valentines you'd purchase would fold in half and tuck under a little tab? All I did was cut my paper to 3"x6" and then punch close to the bottom of one end. Then I tucked the opposite end under the "tab" and completed the fold in the card. Next I stamped and colored the animal images. NOTE: The sentiment on the puppy card is from the Love Is Everywhere set. The box is a template I had printed on a piece of cardstock and never used. Unfortunately, I have no idea where I printed it from.

I stamped the sentiment "Big Love" to attach to the front of the box. As I mentioned in my newsletter interview, when something needs a "little extra" I usually add glitter and faux stitching. You can find both here on this set. I used some faux stitching on the front panel of the box, and all of the hearts on the box are glittered! I fit 8 little Valentines in this box and I could definitely fit a few more! I know my daughters will LOVE signing these to put into their friends' Valentine boxes!

So, are you ready for "the twist" I talked about in my interview? If you wanted to give more than just a Valentine, it's very easy to add a lollipop to this little card! Just slide the stick down through the slot and fold the card over the lollipop and back into the tab to hold it closed again!

What's great about these images is that it can be a whole project in itself for your kids! You can stamp and cut all of the images for them and they can color them in and assemble the cards!

I hope you've enjoyed my project today! Be sure to stop by and see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen has to show you today!

Dawn Easton, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jami Sibley, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laurie Schmidlin, Melissa Sauls, Sankari Wegman, Taylor VanBruggen and Guest Designer Jeanie Witmer.

One Last OCL Peek!

I have one more peek to show you of the new sets releasing at Our Craft Lounge! This is the Spring Sketches set. Yet another adorable set being released!

You can hop on over to the OCL Blog to see the peeks of the last few sets as well as more samples! Thanks for stopping by all week to see the new release peeks!

Have a wonderful day!

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek - Day 2

Today the Baker's Dozen will be showing you another exciting development at Taylored Expressions - Stamps A la Carte! TE will now be offering you a single serving of sweetness in the same top quality deeply etched pink rubber you love! For February we have 8 irresistible Whimsical Wishes Animals in Love! These were one of the hottest sellers in the TE booth at the Super Show. They are single images you can purchase for only $6.95 each! Plus we have the perfect full size set of sentiments, Animals in Love Sentiments, to coordinate with these images and probably many other stamps you might already have. Currently my favorite sentiment in the bunch is "I'm turtally in love with you!" I just LOVE that. . .and so does my 6 year old. She wanted me to make her a card using that sentiment, and now at random times she'll say to me "I turtally love you, Mom". Sometimes she'll even add "the turtalliest". LOL She cracks me up!

My first project uses the fishbowl image and matching sentiment. I made a little treat by folding some cardstock to fit over a cello bag filled with Goldfish crackers. I stamped the image on the cardstock and then cut out the inside of the bowl. I stamped the image again on white cardstock, colored the fish, cut them out and applied them on top of the bag. The flap of the cardstock cover was embossed using a polka dot embossing folder from QuicKutz. Finally I added some Pacific Point ribbon to match the cardstock.

My second project uses my current favorite sentiment in the set. Aren't these turtles just the cutest? I just LOVE them. Be sure to check out what the rest of the Baker's Dozen has in store for you today!

Alex Maldonado, Dawn Easton, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laurie Schmidlin, Melissa Sauls, Sankari Wegman and Taylor VanBruggen.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to come back tomorrow for more peeks using these sets!

Even More OCL!

Are you enjoying the peeks of the new sets from Our Craft Lounge? There's a lot to choose from, isn't there? One of my favorite sets this release is Dandy Days. I just LOVE the images and I adore the sentiments! Not only do I love the images because they're beautiful, but because I don't have to color them if I don't want to and they'll still look great! I just love silhouette images for that reason. For this card, I just sponged three different colors of ink over the flowers. Easy peasy, right?

You can check out the OCL Blog to see the other four sets that are being peeked today! Thanks for stopping by!

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek - Day 1

I can't believe it's time for another Taylored Expressions release! This month, you are in store for some exciting new things! It's Day 1 of the Taylored Expressions February Release Sneak Peeks and we have something EXTRA exciting to share today - a whole new line of rubber stamps called Apple Doodle Ink! We are launching this FUN new line with two stamp sets designed to coordinate perfectly together - Window Shopping and Bakery Business. I just LOVE the fun, cartoon style of these images.

I have two projects to share with you today. The first is using both Window Shopping and Bakery Business to create a bakery bag gift. When I was thinking of how to use my Window Shopping set, I thought "I wonder if one of these windows will fit over the bakery bag window. . .and it did! First I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the window onto the bag. Then I stamped the window on various pieces of patterned paper in order to paper piece. I mounted the awning using dimensionals. I used the sign from Window Shopping, but a partial sentiment from Bakery Business for my little "sign in the window". I also added the display plate and cupcake from the Bakery Business set. I stamped the cupcake all over the bag to personalize it. The cupcake on the plate was colored using Copic markers and I added some Stardust Stickles. The bag is filled with Apple Cinnamon muffins that my daughters helped bake.

My second project is a card that I'm sure so many of us can identify with! Thankfully, I think the "diet phase" of my life is over. "Anything in moderation" has been my mantra since having kids. It's so much less frustrating that way! LOL This card uses only the Bakery Business set.

Be sure to stop and see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen has cooked up for you:

Alex Maldonado, Dawn Easton, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laurie Schmidlin, Melissa Sauls, Sankari Wegman and Taylor VanBruggen.

Stop back tomorrow for more peeks of what's to come!

More OCL!

I have a couple more peeks to show you of some new sets from Our Craft Lounge.

The first card uses the In Flight set. It is such a beautiful set! You can't see it in the photograph very well, but there's lots of glitter on this card. The butterfly is all glittered up as well as her flight trail.

The second card I have for you is more on the cute and funny side! It uses both The Barnyard and Barnyard Banter sets. I just love sentiments like this. How could you not smile if you received a card that says "What's Moo?" Too cute! Be sure to stop by the Our Craft Lounge Blog to see other new sets!

Thanks for stopping by!

Another OCL Peek

Here's a super simple little card using another one of the new release sets from Our Craft Lounge called Say It Big.

I was cleaning out my scrap bin one day and I found this piece of patterned paper that was a part of a 12x12 piece from one of my DCWV Stacks. It was too cute to throw away, but with such a big pattern on it, it was hard to find something to use it on without it overtaking the project. This little sentiment was perfect! I cut it out using Plain Circle Nestabilities and sponged it before taking the piece out of the die. I mounted the patterned paper on Lemon Tart cardstock and added a little faux stitching along the bottom of the patterned paper and some Stickles on the flower with the sentiment.

You can see the other four "peeks" over on the OCL Blog! Thanks for stopping by! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Say It Big (Our Craft Lounge); Paper- DCWV, Lemon Tart (PTI); Accessories-Plain Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Stickles, Copic markers, paper piercer; Finished card measures 4.25" square

Peek at New OCL!

Our Craft Lounge is releasing 24 new sets! You can hop on over to the OCL Blog to see five new sets each day this week! You can also hop around to different design team member blogs to see peeks! These sets should be at your favorite retailers and available for purchase by the end of the week! You can find a list of retail stores posted on the OCL Blog.

The peek I have for you today is of the Hippity Hoppity set! Isn't it adorable? Be sure to check out the other four sets that are peeking today over on the blog!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!