Verve Sneak Peek

This is release week for Verve! As always, there's lots going on! Check out the Verve Blog for some beautiful eye candy as well as chances to win those sets!


There are also Release Week Challenges going on in the Verve Forum on SCS which means even more chances to win! Don't miss the release party tomorrow, Friday, January 15th beginning at 9pm Eastern!





For my project, I created a Valentine treat that would be perfect for my mom and mother in law. The papers match their style perfectly. I used the Heart's Desire set which will be released tomorrow! What I LOVE about this set is its versatility. It can be used for something classic and elegant like this project, or for something more cute and whimsical! I know you're going to love this set as much as I do!
Thanks for stopping by today and I hope to see you tomorrow night at the release party! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Heart's Desire (Verve Stamps); Ink- Burnt Umber (Palette); Paper- Wild Asparagus (My Mind's Eye), Dark Chocolate (PTI); Accessories- Plain and Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Baskets & Blooms die (SU), velvet trim (Taylored Expressions), pearl brads (Darice); Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Love Is Take Two

Back in October, I made a card using the Love Is stamp from Paper Pretties. It was perfect for "the bride" and you can see that card HERE. I gave that card to one of my daughter's teachers in an all occasion card gift set for Christmas. When we went back to school in January, she came out to tell me how much she LOVED that card and if it would be possible to make a few more. She mentioned that she wanted to give one to her niece and one to her niece's boyfriend. She didn't ask for a masculine version, but I thought he might appreciate a more manly version! :) This is what I came up with. Rather than the Damask embossing folder I used in the first, I used the Pajama Stripe Cuttlebug folder. Instead of the rounded Labels Nine Nestabilities, I used the squared off Labels Two Nestabilities. I also left off the glitter and exchanged pearls for brushed silver brads. Next to each other, the cards look like they could walk down the aisle themselves! LOL It's amazing how the look of a card can change so much by changing angles and embellishments!

Thanks for letting me share with you! Hope you're having a wonderful day! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Love Is (Paper Pretties); Ink- Wheat (VersaMagic); Paper- Kraft, True Black (PTI), white (Georgia-Pacific); Accessories- Pajama Stripe Cuttlebug folder (Provocraft), Labels Two Nestabilities (Spellbinders), brushed silver brads (Making Memories); Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Papertrey Ink Click Simple Sneak Peek

I have a sneak peek for you today of one of the new templates in the Click Simple template library from Papertrey Ink! This is the Elephant from the Rock-a-Bye Baby template collection!

I couldn’t get over how adorable this little template was when I saw it! For my project, I used it to create a “Welcome Baby” card, but it would also be perfect for child birthday invitations or even a “Don’t Forget” kind of card! I have so many ideas running through my head for this template and I can’t wait to try them all!

Complete instructions & supply lists for this project will be provided in the companion idea download that comes with the template and will be available for purchase on January 15th.
For more Sneak Peeks, head over to Nichole's blog, and see more template peeks by visiting Kim, Becky, Jennifer and Kelly!

Happy Birthday, Cambria!

Today is my sweet, sweet friend Cami's birthday! Help me wish Cami a Happy Birthday by leaving her some birthday love on her blog!

Happy Birthday, Cami! I hope you have a fabulous day, girl! Sending lots of love and hugs!

For my card I used the Fueled By Caffeine set from Our Craft Lounge. I just love the sentiment "hi ya sugah!" and thought it would be perfect for Cami. She IS sweet as sugar! The patterned paper is from the My Mind's Eye Ooh La La Collection.

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Fueled By Caffeine (Our Craft Lounge); Ink- Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Paper- Wild Wasabi (SU), True Black (PTI); Ooh La La (My Mind's Eye); Accessories- Copic markers, ribbon (Darice), circle and scallop circle punches (SU), paper piercer, white gel pen; Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Taylored Expressions RELEASE DAY!

Today's the day! All of these sets are available for purchase NOW at Taylored Expressions!

The final set being released is called Cuppie Love Scenes. The idea for this set came from our very own Donna Baker! Isn't it adorable? I have three cards for you today since I couldn't decide which image was my favorite! I just LOVE them all!

The first card uses the Cuppies on the couch with the sentiment "thanks for always being by my side". I paper pieced the couch and then shaded it using a Copic marker. The patterned paper is meant to look like the wallpaper. Two little added extras that you might notice on this card are the heart rhinestone above the Cuppies and the heart stick pin in the ribbon. Both of these items are part of the Valentine Accessory Add-on available at Taylored Expressions.

My second card uses the movie theater image in the set. Can you stand how cute this image is? I can't! LOL I paper pieced the curtain and mounted it using foam dimensional adhesive. All of the coloring was done using Copic markers. Another new item at Taylored Expressions are these Polymer Clay Buttons created by Jamie Pyles. Aren't they just the cutest? Jamie created these exclusively for Taylored Expressions. These buttons were designed to coordinate with the cardstock and patterned paper in our Valentine Key Ingredients.

The last card I have to share with you uses the hot air balloon image in the set. I paper pieced the balloon and sponged Burnt Umber ink on the edges to give it some depth and contrast. You'll notice two "different" items on this card as well. The first is the frame. This also was created by Jamie Pyles. They are called Frameabellies. These frames were designed to coordinate perfectly with Spellbinders dies. Just cut out your cardstock panel and adhere the frame directly over the cardstock. Isn't it amazing what Jamie creates with polymer clay? The second item on this card is the Velvet Heart Trim along the bottom. This is part of the Valentine Accessory Add-on. I think it adds a really neat touch, don't you?

I hope you like this set as much as I do! Be sure to stop by and see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen has to show you today!

Alex Maldonado
Donna Baker
Jackie Pedro
Jodi Collins
Karen Giron
Karen Motz
Laurie Schmidlin
Nancy McKinney
Melissa Sauls
Sankari Wegman
Taylor VanBruggen

Jamie Pyles and Guest Designer

Jeanie Witmer

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek - Day 2

The set we're featuring today in TE's new lineup is called Sprinkled With Love. The set has various "sweets" to which you can add sprinkles! So cute! It will be available for purchase tomorrow, January 7th at 8amPST. I didn't add sprinkles to this cupcake, but I did add some Stardust Stickles which comes as part of the Valentine Key Ingredients.

For my card and cupcake mix, I used some Kraft cardstock and some Cupcake paper from Basic Grey. I used some distressing and twine to add texture. This set is just perfect for sending those "just because" cards, or even cards that accompany homemade sweets that you might be giving to cheer someone up. Just adorable!

If you haven't been over to the TE store, stop on over to see the "new" look! Sign up for the newsletter so you don't miss out on sales and events! You can even follow Taylored Expressions on Facebook!

Be sure to stop and see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen has for you today using Sprinkled With Love:

Alex Maldonado

Donna Baker

Jackie Pedro

Jodi Collins

Karen Giron

Karen Motz

Laurie Schmidlin

Nancy McKinney

Melissa Sauls

Sankari Wegman and

Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks for stopping by! Check back tomorrow to see the final set! You're going to LOVE it!

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek - Day 1

It's time again for new stamps from Taylored Expressions! There are three sets releasing this month and today we're sharing the Love Everywhere set with you! It will be available for purchase Thursday, January 7th at 8am PST. For my project for today, Taylor asked the Baker's Dozen to create a Valentine treat that was easy to mass-produce along with a coordinating card. I decided to make rice crispy heart lollipops. I saw this cookie mold in the store around Valentine's Day last year and picked it up. You can use it for cookies and brownies too. As you know from the rice crispy birthday cakes I make for my kids' birthdays, rice crispy treats are the perfect, allergy-friendly treat in this house! They work perfectly for Valentine treats! All I did was cut plain and scallop hearts using the Plain and Scallop Heart Nestabilities, stamp the image and sentiment and attach the hearts to the front of the lollipop and tie on some ribbon! Super simple. . .and something that my kids can definitely help put together. What's even better is that now I have a headstart on my Valentine treats! :) This month's coordinating Valentine Key Ingredients consist of paper from the My Mind's Eye Be Loved Collection along with coordinating Prism cardstock, 5 yards of coordinating ribbon, assorted Valentine chipboard, and a bottle of Stardust Stickles!

Be sure to stop by and see what the rest of the Baker's Dozen has cooked up for you today as well as welcome the two newest additions to the team, Alex Maldonado and Melissa Sauls! We're so excited to have them joining us! There's also a new Guest Designer opportunity and we're very excited to introduce Jeanie Witmer as our first guest designer! Head on over and see the "new look" of the store and blog too! We know you'll love it as much as we do!

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 today! Be sure to come back tomorrow for another sneak peek!

Grateful Heart

It's amazing when I look back through my card files just how many I never post on my blog. I guess I create them before I'm "allowed" to share them, and then after I'm allowed to share them, I forget! LOL

Here's a very simple card I created during the last Verve release using the Grateful Heart Plain Jane. I also used a flower image from the Budding Blossoms set. I used some Christmas Stickles on the flower to compliment the glittery ribbon. The die cut piece that the flower is stamped on was actually sitting on my desk from another project for which I never used it. Gotta love when a card comes together quickly AND you get to use scraps!

Today, Savannah started back to school. Christmas break seemed SO fast. They only just got out of school for break it seems! She was so excited to go back to school, though. She missed her friends and her teacher. :) Now I miss her! I suppose she'll be home before I know it, though! Hope you're having a great day!

Flurry of Love

I finally got to ink up this adorable image I got from My Favorite Things called Flurry of Love. It's from the Pure Innocence line. This particular set was always sold out, so when I happened to see it in the store the one day I snatched it up real quick!

I used some My Mind's Eye paper from the Ooh La La line along with some Bermuda Bay cardstock. I added some faux stitching with a white gel pen along the left side of the image. Doesn't this image just make you smile? So, so cute!

We're supposed to be getting a flurry of love here! It's definitely cold outside, but the flakes haven't started falling yet. Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you're staying warm! SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Flurry of Love (MFT); Ink- Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko); Paper- Bermuda Bay (SU), Ooh La La (My Mind's Eye); Accessories- button (Foofala), white gel pen, Copic markers; Finished card measures 5.5"x4.25"

Happy New Year!

Melanie Muenchinger is celebrating two years of blogging and illustrating for Gina K Designs, and today she has invited 25 designers and YOU to join the party! First, hop through the following designers' blogs using every set she has created since January 2008, from the first to the 25th! Then, go to Melanie's' blog to leave a comment for a chance to win a number of different prizes! So let's get hopping!

Here we go!
Just So Hippy-Charmaine (you are here!)
Just So Hoppy-Donna
What’s in Your Tin 1 & 2-Donna
Hip Hop Accessories-Bee
Jumping for Joy-Barb
Cuddles and Hugs-Jessie
Little Tees-Cat
Just So Sporty-Pam
A Year of Flowers-Theresa
Say it with Flowers-Selma
Have a Cookie-Carolina
Tee Talk-Gabby
Hand in Hand-Ally
The Best Things in Life-Shannon, Sankari
A Charmed Life-Cathy
Wee Tees-Libby, Laura Jean
Arranged with Love-Selma
Sporty Accessories-Tina
Inspiration Mosaic-Jennie
School Sports Spirit-Melissa
A Year of Leaves-Geri
Hip to Be Square-Karen
Festive Frame-Linda
Tech Talk- Lee

Finally, Nina and Jessica from the GinaK Senior Design Team have joined in, too! You can also get in on the hop yourself and increase your chances of winning a prize by creating your own project with any one of Melanie's sets and linking it in the Mr. Linky in her post, see full details here. Hope you can join the fun! Enjoy your first hop of the year!