Thursday, February 28, 2013

PCL Blog


I just wanted to pop in and let you know I have a couple of projects on the Paper Crafter's Library Blog today!  I have the extreme honor of being the Featured Artist!  I would love it (and be so grateful) if you'd head over there to check them out!!  Thanks so much and have a wonderful day!



Monday, February 25, 2013

I'm TURTALLY in Love


I know Valentine's Day has passed, but I can always find a reason to create a card with one of the Animals in Love Series at Taylored Expressions.  For my card today, I used what is probably my favorite, Animals in Love: Turtles.  The image is so sweet and paired with the sentiment from Animals Love Sentiments. . .adorable!

I did change up the sentiment a bit.  I only stamped a part of the sentiment and finished it with a die cut "love" using the Whimsy Alpha Dies.  The papers are from the For the Record 2 Tailored Collection from Echo Park.  I paper pieced the turtle shells as well as the heart.  The Layering Doily Die Medium was used for the doily that is tucked behind "love".  The black scallops were die cut using the Small Scallop Border Die.  To complete that "rule of threes", I added some orange twinkles to the doily to go with the orange shell and ribbon. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope your week is off to a great start!

SUPPLIES USED








Sunday, February 24, 2013

Taylored Expressions Customer Survey

Hey Taylored Expressions Fans!!  The TE Team has launched a customer survey and they'd love to hear from you!

It's important to TE that they continually strive to make your creative experience the best that it can be. They would like to invite you to take a brief (10 minute) survey in order to help improve how we can inspire you with both TE products and our projects.

CLICK HERE and you'll be directed to the survey.

The survey will close at 11:55 pm CST on February 28, 2013. To show their appreciation, once your survey is complete you will receive an exclusive discount code for use in the TE Store!!  Thanks so much!



Friday, February 22, 2013

Verve February Spotlight Hops - Day 4



Welcome to Day 4 of the Spotlight Hops and RELEASE DAY!  Yes, that's right!  Everything you've been seeing this week is NOW AVAILABLE in the Verve Store!!  I have a couple more projects to show you today.  The first one uses the Surely Goodness set.  I started by stamping the sentiment onto black cardstock die cut with the Banner Bundle Die Set.  The sentiment was stamped in white craft ink and embossed in white. 

Next I die cut two shades of pink cardstock and a piece of green cardstock with the Goodness Flowers Die Set and layered them, finishing them off with a rhinestone brad.  I drew a frame around the card and added a few pink dots which are the leftovers from using the circle border from the Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set

My second card uses the Remember This set along with the Banner Bundle Die Set, the Starry Die and the Flag It Die Set.  The polka dot panel was die cut using the Labels 8 Nestabilities from Spellbinders.  I added some bling to finish the card.

Thank you for stopping by all week!  I hope you've enjoyed the spotlights on all of the new products!!  Next on today's hop is Christyne!  Happy Shopping!!

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win THE ENTIRE RELEASE! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.

Friday, 2/22/13
Today's Prize: The entire release!

 
1. Amber7. Julee
2. Andrea8. Laurie S.
3. Charmaine9. Laurie W.
4. Christyne10. Marisa
5. Janelle11. Maureen
6. Jen S.12. Teresa     


SUPPLIES USED: 








Thursday, February 21, 2013

Verve February Spotlight Hops - Day 3


Hey there!  It's Day 3 of the Spotlight Hops!  Only one more sleep until all of these new products are available for purchase!  :)  Today the spotlight is on Purely Goodness and the Happy Anniversary Plain Jane.  I actually have cards using both today.

My first card uses just the Purely Goodness set.  I stamped the flowers in white ink onto black cardstock and heat embossed them.  The sentiment was stamped on a pink panel and then I die cut a border from the Scallop Trim Trio in a darker pink and added that to the edge of the card.  To finish it off, I used some seam binding from the Truly, Madly Deeply Collection to make a bow. 

My second card combines Purely Goodness with the Happy Anniversary Plain Jane.  I started by stamping a pattern as a background using different colors.  I tied some seam binding from the Stormy Skies Collection on the seam of the cardstocks.  The anniversary date from Calendar Countdown was stamped onto a piece die cut with the Flag It Die Set.  I finished the card off with some lavender pearls.

Everything you see previewed along today's hop will be available in Verve's online store tomorrow, Friday, February 22.
 
Want to win some shiny new Verve?
We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured products! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.  Next in today's hop is Christyne!

Thursday, 2/21/13
Today's Prize: Surely Goodness, Happy Anniversary PJ
1. Amber7. Julee
2. Andrea8. Laurie S.
3. Charmaine9. Laurie W.
4. Christyne10. Marisa
5. Janelle11. Maureen
6. Jen S.12. Teresa



Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Verve February Spotlight Hops - Day 2

 

Welcome back for Day 2 of the Spotlight Hops!  I hope you've been enjoying the peeks of what's to come this Friday!!  Today we are featuring So Fluttery, Shining Star and the Beautiful Plain Jane.   I actually have two cards today.  The first uses the So Fluttery set along with the Beautiful Plain Jane

I started by stamping the base of the butterflies onto a white cardstock panel using Flannel Kaleidacolor ink.  Then I went back and stamped the outline of the butterfly in black over top.  I stamped the Beautiful Plain Jane onto black cardstock in Frost White ink and heat embossed it.  I added "you are so" from the So Fluttery set onto a little banner I die cut using the Banner Bundle Die Set.  I also added a die cut border (black on black) to the panel using the Scalloped Trim Trio

My next card is clean and simple.  It features the Shining Star set.  It is a one layer card in which I stamped the sentiment from Shining Star and then embossed stars onto the card using the Scalloped Trim Border and the Starry Die.  Then I colored the insides of the embossed stars with a yellow Copic marker.  The big star, I filled with Stardust Stickles.  The polka dot edge is simply washi tape. 

I hope you've enjoyed today's spotlights!  We still have more for you tomorrow, so please stop back!!  Everything you see previewed along today's hop will be available in Verve's online store on Friday, February 22.
 
Want to win some shiny new Verve?
We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured products! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.  Next in today's hop is Christyne!

Wednesday, 2/20/13
Today's Prize: So Fluttery, Shining Star, Beautiful PJ

1. Amber7. Julee
2. Andrea8. Laurie W.
3. Charmaine9. Marisa
4. Christyne10. Maureen
5. Janelle11. Teresa
6. Jen S.



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Taylored Expressions February Studio Challenge





It's time for the Baker's Dozen Studio Challenge.  This is a monthly opportunity for the Taylored Expressions team to share what makes our stamping studios hum.  Each month we  have a fun, crafty question so we can share our favorites, some tips and tricks, stamping advice and more.

The question for February is:
Recipe for success!  When you sit down to create a card just for fun, for the pure joy of stamping, without any type of assignment or deadline, what steps do you usually take?
Tell us how you get started and take us along on your creative journey.

 Usually when I sit down to create a card, I almost always start with a sketch.  I may not end up with the sketch, but my card will most often be inspired by that sketch.  If I sit down to make a card for fun, I don't usually start with a sketch though.  A sketch is a "sure thing" for me, meaning the card always turns out.  lol  When I sit down for fun, I like to try new things, or things I've never done before and there's no pressure for the card to turn out perfectly. . .because it's not for a design team or some assignment.  If it doesn't turn out, nobody ever has to see it!  ;)  This particular card was inspired by a photo in the Lowe's booklet that came in the mail. When I create for fun, I am usually inspired to do so by a photo, as in this instance, or by a craft magazine where I've seen a technique or project that I particularly liked.

The photo above is what inspired me for this card.  I LOVED the wallpaper in this small corner of a room.  What a neat idea to spice up a room by adding a vibrant corner like this!  I stamped the leaves from the Friendship Blooms set onto the cardstock tone on tone.  The flower in the wallpaper reminded me of the flowers in the new Posh Posies set, so I stamped the flowers onto the cardstock in Frost White ink and heat embossed them in white. 

Once I had the background, I looked at the photo to draw some more inspiration.  See that afghan on the chair in the picture?  Now, I wouldn't normally put these flowers with a chevron pattern, but I thought it was a nice contrast in the photo.

 I got out my Chevron Border Dies and die cut borders of dark and light blue, kraft and white.  Once I was happy with the pattern I put them in, I attached them to the card.  I stamped the frame from Make It Amazing and die cut it using the coordinating Frame It Up 3 Die.  The card still needed a little something and I decided on a big butterfly!  I used the Elegant Butterflies Die Set along with the new Elegant Butterfly Overlays Die Set to create my butterfly.  I ran the top layer through my Xyron and then coated it with glitter.  The sentiment combined two sentiments from the Posh Posies set. 
And there you have it!  The finished product!  I hope I've given you a little insight into what inspires me to create when I create just for fun.  Like I said, it could be a photo, a craft magazine or even a home improvement magazine.  :)  Try it sometime!  See a pattern you like?  A billboard?  Try to recreate it on your card.  It's a lot of fun to step outside of your comfort zone when "nobody's watching".  LOL  Who knows, you may create a masterpiece!  :)

Now it's time to check out what the rest of the Baker's Dozen does when it's "just for fun"!!  Thanks for stopping by!!
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