Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek - Day 1

November Release At a Glance

• We have sneak peeks to share Monday through Wednesday.  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Thursday, November 3rd at 8 am PST. You'll find it all in the Fresh out of the Oven Department at the Taylored Expressions Store.
• Join us as a fan on Facebook for an early peek at the stamp sets, as well as a SPECIAL Facebook GIVEAWAY, on Wednesday night beginning at approximately 6 pm PST.
• Mystery Baker's Dozen Blog Giveaway: Each day, one lucky blog commenter will be chosen by random draw to win a $10 TE Gift Certificate.  Winners will be chosen from a different Baker's Dozen blog each day and will be announced on Taylor's blog on Release Day!  Be sure to hop around to see all the sneak peeks and leave comments on each and every blog for more chances to win. Limit one comment per blog per day, please.  Comments close Wednesday 11/2 at 7pm PST for the drawings.

Today we're introducing a new TE Giving Tree set, Labels of Love II!  This is a follow-up set to the popular Labels of Love.  This set covers just about every holiday throughout the year!  It contains 27 sentiments/images and coordinates with the Spellbinders Ribbon Tags Trio 3.  It was designed and illustrated by Taylor for the *te* line of stamps. 

The TE Giving Tree is a program designed to raise funds for a different charity each quarter.  For the months of November, December and January, Taylored Expressions will donate $5 from the sale of each Labels of Love II stamp set to the Union Rescue Mission. 

In part the URM's Mission Statement reads:

We embrace people experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Christ – giving hope and healing for a changed life – helping them find their way home.

By Embrace we mean to welcome, to encircle with our arms.
By Compassion we mean to love and touch others, as Christ loved us.
By Hope we mean providing encouragement and resources for a new start.
By Healing we mean being restored in body, mind, and spirit through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
By Changed Life we mean going in a new direction and to realize our God-given purpose.
By Home we mean having the opportunity to earn a living, secure housing, and be a healthy family again.

The Union Rescue Mission (URM) was founded in 1891 and is one of the largest missions of its kind in America--bringing help and hope to men, women, and children experiencing homelessness in Downtown Los Angeles. Taylor's husband, Jon, served at the Union Rescue Mission when they lived in California and saw first hand the impact it had on the lives of the homeless.  Visit the Union Rescue Mission website at http://urm.org/

The card I created uses the Sweet on You sentiment from the set.  I paired it up with the Build a Treat Border Dies.  I used the Build a Treat Borders set to stamp the cones, but the "tops" were just die cut and then covered in Stardust Stickles. 

The tag was stamped, die cut and threaded with ribbon.  I then stamped the sentiment within the smaller frame and cut that out by hand and attached it on top of the first tag with foam tape. 

I added some Tiny Twinkles for "cherries" on top of some of the sweets.  Be sure to visit the rest of the Baker's Dozen for more peeks of what we're introducing today!  Stop back again tomorrow for more! 

Danielle Lounds

Jen Shults

Jodi Collins

Karen Giron

Melissa Sauls

Melody Rupple

Regina Mangum

Sankari Wegman

Taylor VanBruggen

Tori Wild

Wanda Guess

Happy Halloween!

My kids have been excitedly waiting for this day!  Of course they realize that we have to take most of their candy due to the peanut/tree nut allergies, but they love going door to door to get the candy.  I don't think the excitement is so much for the actual candy as it is to dress up and run from door to door.  :) 

Here are some treats I made for their teachers.  I used the same Utz Halloween pretzels, but tucked them into little spider and bat boxes!  I used the Favor It Box 6 die to create the boxes along with the Mega Halloween Treats & Sweets Die Collection.  I used the Halloween Treats & Sweets set to stamp the face, but then decided to punch circles to make bigger eyes on the boxes. 

Hope you have a Happy and Safe Halloween!  Thanks for stopping by today!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- Halloween Treats & Sweets (PTI); Ink- Fresh Snow (PTI), Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Paper- True Black (PTI), green (Bazzill); Accessories- Favor It Box 6 Die, Mega Halloween Treats & Sweets Die Collection (PTI);

Halloween Treats

Things have been pretty crazy around here, but I HAD to whip up 40 Halloween treats last night for my daughters' classes.  Today was their Halloween Parade and Halloween parties in school.  I'm not usually a last minute kind of person, but time just got away from me.  Since I only started last night, they had to be super simple.  I had a box of the Utz Halloween pretzels, which already come in individual little Halloween bags, but I had to "craft them up" a little!  LOL  I got these ADORABLE Halloween $1 stamps a little while back at Michael's.  They are really quick to color, so they worked perfectly. 

I basically just wrapped cardstock around the little pretzel bags and added the Halloween character "buttons" with foam tape.  I actually can't believe I got them all done, but since I did, I was able to create a few treats for the teachers too.  I'll share those with you in the next day or so!  Thanks for stopping by today and have a great day!

Holiday Hoopla with Taylored Expressions!

Taylored Expressions is hosting a Holiday Hoopla today and I'm excited to be a part of it. You should have arrived here from Melody's blog.  If you didn't (or if you get lost along the way) you can head back to the beginning at Taylor's blog for the full list of participants. There are 22 designers showcasing Christmas/Winter/Holiday stamp sets from TE with samples that include all sorts of projects from cards to gifts and beyond!  We want to inspire you to get your holiday crafting and card making into high gear!  Be sure to stick with me all the way to the end of the post to get a coupon code for 25% off holiday stamp sets at Taylored Expressions! 

The set I'm showcasing is Penguin Pals and I love it because it's just adorable.  It's a fun set to use, especially for kids! 

I created a scrapbook page using this set.  This picture is one of my favorites from our "photo session" last year before Christmas.  You wouldn't believe how many pictures I had to take to get the perfect picture to send out in our Christmas cards!  LOL  I didn't pick this one because Isabelle was absolutely DONE taking photos and wearing that pretty dress. . .but I just LOVE it because it captures a moment of our everyday life.  Somebody is always crying, whining or screaming!  ;)  Paired with the sentiment "from our house to yours" makes me chuckle.  Those of you with small children know what I'm talking about, and those of you whose children are grown remember those days well, I'm sure! 

The patterned paper is from the Holiday Wonder Project Pantry.  I also used the Winter Wonderland Snowflakes dies to create the glittery snowflakes and the Keeping Tabs die to embellish the side of the picture.  The Winter Wonderland set was used to actually stamp the snowflakes in white craft ink and then glitter was sprinkled over top.  The photo doesn't show it very well on those big flakes.  The tab was stamped using the Keeping Tabs set as well.  The penguin image was stamped, colored with Copic markers, cut out and attached to the page with foam tape.  I used Taylor's Tiny Twinkles for the "flurries". 

Creating for this hop caused to me to go back and look at some of my previous creations and I wanted to share a couple of those with you today too. 

This box uses the Sparkle and Cheer set.  I created a Perfect Package using this set and it can hold a gift set of cards, treats, a gift. . .anything you'd like it to hold!  In fact, you can view a video from the 12 Days of A Handmade Christmas Series that shows you how to create one! 

This card also uses the Sparkle and Cheer set.  I just love how you can add any kind of bling to the tree to dress it up!  

Now, who loves a SALE?  Use Coupon Code HOOPLA2011 to get 25% off the following holiday stamp sets (released in 2009 and 2010) at Taylored Expressions now through November 2:

Christmas Blessings, Enjoy!, From the Heart, Hangin' Out -  At the North Pole, Holiday Wonder, Home Sweet Home, Keeping Tabs, Merry Little Cocktail, Penguin Pals, Season's Sweetings, Sparkle & Cheer, Tag Treats , Tag You're It, Take Note - Holidays , Wings of Joy, Winter Wonderland.

The coupon code is case sensitive. Follow these instructions to apply the discount to your order:

1. Add the desired stamp sets from the above list to your shopping cart.
2. Insert the coupon code into the Promotional Code box.
3. Click the Update Cart button.  Your discount should now be applied.
4. Proceed to checkout to finalize and submit your order.
I hope you're inspired to create!  Next on today's hop is Tracy Clemente!  Head on over to see what beautiful creation Tracy has for you!  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Hopping!

TESC148 Happy Happy

I was able to play along with the latest Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge.  If you play along, you could win a gift certificate to the TE Store!    For my card, I used the Woodland Winter set along with the Trim the Tree Dies.  The papers are from the 12 Days of Christmas Project Pantry. 

I'm not sure how well it shows up in the photo, but after diecutting the pieces of my tree, I ran the pieces through the Cuttlebug with the Lots of Dots and Musical Swirls Impression Plates.  It gives the tree some interesting texture.  The stamped trees were colored with Copic markers.  To finish off the card, I added some Happy Holidays Mini Jewels and Christmas Doodle Twine, both from Doodlebug Designs. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you can play along with the sketch challenge!  Have a great day!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- Woodland Winter (Taylored Expressions); Ink- Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Paper- 12 Days of Christmas Project Pantry (TE); Accessories- Trim the Trees Dies, Lots of Dots and Musical Swirls Impression Plates (TE), Mini Jewels and Christmas Twine (Doodlebug Design);  Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

VLV Thank U

It's Friday and time for another Viva la Verve Sketch!  This week, I'm hosting the VLV Challenge!  I hope you'll find time to play along!  I always love to see what you create!  This week's sketch is pretty simple, so hopefully it will inspire you!

I used the You and I set for my card paired with some papers from the Colorwheel Collection from Doodlebug.  I also used the I Heart U Die set.  I stamped "thank" in the different colors found in the patterned paper onto the white circle I die cut using the Plain Circle Nestabilities.  I die cut the "U" and heart image and attached them to the circle with foam tape.  I added three Doodlebug gem stones on top of little circles I punched to make them stand out more on that busy background.  The ribbon was the finishing touch. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you're inspired to play along!  Have a wonderful weekend!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- You and I (Verve Stamps); Ink- Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Hawaiian Shores, Hibiscus Burst (PTI), Bamboo Leaves, Tangelo (Memento); Paper- Colorwheel Collection (Doodlebug); Accessories- I Heart U Die Set (Verve Stamps), bling (Doodlebug), ribbon (Taylored Expressions), Plain Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders);  Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Boo To You!

Today, Verve is releasing a Halloween set entitled Boo To You!  There is a limited supply of Boo To You available on the website today with more arriving in the coming weeks, but we can’t guarantee the re-stocking will be here in time for Halloween. So if you’ve got to have it, grab it fast!

I created my card using this week's Mojo Monday Sketch along with papers from the Apothecary Emporium from Echo Park.  I stamped the ghosts, shaded them with Copic markers and then added some Stardust Stickles.  Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're having a great day!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- Boo To You (Verve Stamps); Ink- Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Frost White (Colorbox); Paper- Apothecary Emporium (Echo Park); Accessories- Stardust Stickles, scallop border punch, scallop circle punch, circle punch (SU), bling (Doodlebug Designs), ribbon (May Arts);  Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

VLV Because of You

It's Friday, and that means a brand new Viva la Verve Sketch!  This week's sketch is brought to us by sweet Maureen!  I decided to use the Just For You set from Verve.  I paired it up with papers from the Finally Fall Collection from Bella Blvd. 

I created this card in memory of my dad.  Our family has had an extremely rough past week.  One week ago yesterday, my dad very unexpectedly passed away.  It's very hard for me to type this even now because it still feels like a bad dream that I'm going to wake up from.  I was VERY close to my dad.  I just can't imagine my life without him.  He was such a wonderful person. . .he was always there.  Anything anyone needed, he was always there.  He was content to be in the background and never needed to be the center of attention, but he was always there when you needed him.  I love you and miss you SO MUCH, Dad.  As this card says, I am who I am today because of you!  And I hope that others see a little bit of you in me. . .the wonderful person you were, the person that was always there for everyone else.  Thank you, Dad, for being such a blessing in my life.  I'll love you always and I'll miss you forever and ever! 

Holiday Wishes

Today I have a card using one of the newest releases from Taylored Expressions, Peaceful Poinsettia.  I just love this set.  I think the poinsettias look so elegant.  I started by stamping mine onto one of the red patterned papers from the 12 Days of Christmas Project Pantry.  Then I die cut them using the Poinsettias Dies and shaded them using some Copic markers.  I stacked them using foam tape, then I added some Liquid Pearls to the center and some Stardust Stickles to the leaves. 

I stamped the sentiment in Frost White Colorbox ink onto another patterned paper and then added the ribbon, Happy Holidays Jewels and faux stitching with a white gel pen. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you're having a great day!  SUPPLIES USED:  Stamps- Peaceful Poinsettias (Taylored Expressions); Ink- Frost White (Colorbox); Paper- 12 Days of Christmas Project Pantry (Taylored Expressions); Accessories- Poinsettias Dies (Taylored Expressions), Stardust Stickles, Liquid Pearls, Happy Holidays Jewels (Doodlebug Designs);  Finished card measures 4.25"x5.5"