October 20th Key Ingredients are Here!!!!

Good Morning Everyone!!

Today is the 20th of October and that means its time for another Key Ingredient's Challenge from Taylored Expressions. For those of you who are not familliar with these kits, every month, Taylor creates an awesome kit - full of Designer paper, coordinating cardstock, ribbon and embellishments - its such a great way to make cards - because everything you need is in one kit and now Taylored Expressions is now offering a monthly charge prgram - so that menas that instead of paying for all 3 or 6 month upfront, now their will be a charge every month on the 15th of each month of their subscription - so for example the 6 month program is $14.95 a month plus shipping! Now that is total YUMMINESS!

For the October 20, Key Ingredients challenge, we are so excited to work with some maya mist, chipboard and yummy papers!!! The DP is from the Cosmo Cricket line: Earth love and comes with coordinating Prism cardstock, coordinating ribbon, a ton of maya chipboard birdies and yummy Maya Mist (one tip is to make sure you tap the mister on your palm before spritzing the mist onto your project).

The challenge that Taylor has given us is to decorate our creations to give it a dimensional pop! So that could mean, liquid pearls (you know me - I LOVE dem liquid pearls :) lol!), real pearls, bling, chipboard etc. Anything that adds dimension to your creations! Today half of the Baker's Dozen is going to be feautring the elements from the October Key Ingredients - with some different projects from cards, to scrapbook ayouts to 3D items. I created a little 6x6 scrapbook layout of my daughter for this challenge:

Scrapbook page layout:

Paper: Key Ingredients from Taylored Expressions

Stamps: Downtown Diva from Taylored Expressions

Ink: Memento Lilac

Accessories: dimensionals, liquid glaze pens from Sakura, Martha heart punches, Corner chomper, buttons from stash, EK success punch, bling from stash, Frame your Imagination Vertical Stand.

This kit comes with an awesome package of Maya Road birdies chipboard - and I loved using the chipboard that I misted with the Maya road mist (Avocado Metallic mist) which just made it glimmer and shimmer. I then covered it the wing with some of the DP and added some buttons and liquid pearls, faux stitching and ribbon. Here is a closer peek at the little chipboard birdie covered in glorious mist :)

My most favorite thing to do is to display these pages in the Frame Your Imagination vertical stand after I am done - (this is a 6 x 6 layout) - I love being able to display the pages out for everyone to see and not stick it inside a scrapbook (right away at least :) and most of all my children are SO happy to see themselves on the counter (and they show it to everyone who comes in :)

I absolutely love this month's Key Ingredients (of course, I say that every month!!! :) I think one of the reasons that I love Taylor's Key Ingredients is that its so much fun trying out new papers, embellishements etc, and everything is already laid out to coordinate - so it saves so much time and helps to create projects faster! To see more of this yummy Kit- Please check out what the rest of the DT created with this lovely kit!! I can't wait to go surfing:

Dawn Easton

Karen Motz

Denise Marzec

Laurie Schmidlin

Jackie Pedro

and of course - Taylor VanBruggen!!!!

Thanks for visiting my blog!!! Hope you are having a fabu Tuesday!!!

Big hugs,

Sankari :)

Let Your Light Shine!

Good Morning Everyone!

Happy Sunday! Today, I wanted to share with you a scrapbook layout that I made for the Verve Project Parade, where the challenge this month is to create a project with Encouraging Words. Each of the projects have been so wonderful and the sets that Julee creates really makes it so easy to share a part of our heart with those around us. As soon as I saw "encouraging words", I knew I wanted to make something for my little man - he started school this year - and I wanted him to always remember that he is our shining star. I made him a 12x12 layout on an Acrylic cutout that can be hung from his room. The sentiment on the top reads: "Let Your Light Shine" and then on the bottom of the photos the sentiment reads: "You're A Star, Yes That's What You Are". I hung this Acrylic layout in his room - so that he always knows that he is a shining star :)

Here is a close up of the sentiment: "Let Your Light Shine". After I added the Acrylic Mat on top of the layout, I added some bling over the acrylic mat board.

Here is another close up shot of the the sentiment lining the bottom - "You're a Star, Yes That's What You Are."

Ingredients:

Paper: Paper pack from Abbey Road

Ink: Memento

Stamps: Star Struck from Verve

Accessories: star punch from CM, corner rounder, corner chomper, bling from Kaiser, ribbon from Taylored Expressions, acrylic matboard and cut out for layout from Acu-Cut templates.

I think the best part of creating this layout was showing my son after I was done - his face totally lit up and he picked out where in his room he wanted to hang it - so sweet! Now, I have to make one for our little daughter - who is wondering where her layout is :)

Check Out all the amazing projects for the Verve project parade for the Encouraging Words challenge on the Verve blog and take the challenge yourself where you can win a Verve set!! For more details - check it out here!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today!!!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!!!

Big hugs!

Sankari :)

RELEASE DAY -at Taylored Expressions!!!!!!!

Good Morning Everyone,

Well - the day is finally here!!! It's release day at Taylored Expressions - where Taylor is releasing 2 new stamp sets: Berries and Cherries and Chillax - along with a new coordinating Key Ingredient Package called the Berries and Cherries Key Ingredients (complete with coordinating DP, Cardstock, strawberry brads, ribbon, etc) and she has a whole LOT of new stuff at the store (Check out the Section: Fresh Out of the Oven) and now you can get your Copics at Taylored Expressions as well!!!! How exciting is all of that???!!! 

Well - before you head out shopping at Taylored Expressions - here are a few more samples from newest release - I seriously SERIOUSLY LOVE LOVE LOVE these new stamp sets (okay - I know I say that about all the TE stamps - but I adore these fun images and sentiments!)

MARGARITA MADNESS!

Here is a fun Margarita Madness card "Cheers" using the Chillax stamp set and using the SCS Sketch 40 . I loved stamping these fun Margaritas and coloring in the different flavors and then adding some clear glaze to make it all glass-y. 

Here is a close up of the glasses and the bling and the rub ons:

Card Details:

Paper: Doodlebug, Bazzill basics

Stamp: Chillax Stamp Set

Ink: Stazon' Black

Accessories: K&Co rub ons and bling, ribbon from stash, circle cutter from CM, EK success punch, orange stickles, dimensionals, spellbinder's die

THANK YOU BERRY MUCH GIFT PACKAGE

If you haven't tried Taylor's Perfect Packages - you have to check them out - they come folded flat and have strong magnetic clasps for closure and are a snap to decorate - and you can put whatever you would like in them like: giftcards, chocolate, knick knacks, etc. I went with the chocolate route - because.... well.... its chocolate!!! I used the papers in the Berries and Cherries Key Ingredients to decorate it along with the sweet flower and strawberry image in the Berries and Cherries Stamp set:

Here's what it looks like when you open it up --- yum!!! 

(Maybe I should give myself the present! ha!)

Details:

Paper: Berries and Cherries Key Ingredients

Stamps: Berries and Cherries

Ink: Stazon Black

Accessories: Spellbinders, bling, dimensionals, ribbon from stash, color pencils and of course Chocolate!

Check out the  perfect packages  and also all the different favor and treat boxes and bags that Taylor has - its really such a great thing to have on hand and decorate when you need a quick thank you or birthday present, etc.

6 x 6  CHILLAX-'in'  LAYOUT

I snapped this pic of my kiddies on the porch having strawberry popsicles after a hard day of riding bikes and swimming (oh the hard life of a kid!) - I loved this picture of them just relaxin and chillin' --- also known as CHILLAXIN' :) on the porch with their popsicles. I couldn't wait to use this sentiment from the Chillaxin' Stamp Set for my layout! I used the Scrappy Sunday sketch from Jen Tapler this week from PaperCraft Planet for this layout:

Here is a close up look at the sentiment and the details:

And then thing that I LOVE LOVE LOVE about making these 6 x 6 layouts is that they are simple and quick! AND that I can display them right away in our living room for all to see using Taylor's calendar stand. The kids love seeing themselves!

Layout Details:

Size: 6 x 6

Sketch: from Jen Tapler: Scrappy Sunday Aug 5th

Papers: black from stash, ki papers, Cardstock from Taylored Expressions

Stamp: Chillax stamp set

Accessories: bling, K & Co. rub ons, pink lemonade swirl ribbon from Taylored Expressions,

Taylor is also offering special Bundles on these two stamp sets: 

Check out the AWESOMENESS of these deals!!! :

I want 4 of everything!!!!! I am running over to do some shopping right now - so glad that I can do it in PJ's :)  But before you head out to check out all the deals and steals at Taylored Expressions  check out the Berry Sweet and Chillaxin' samples from the rest of the awesome Baker's Dozen:

Donna Baker

Jodi Collins

Jen del Muro

Dawn Easton

Laura Fredrickson

Karen Giron

Charmaine Ikach

Denise Marzec

Karen Motz

Laurie Schmidlin

Ana Wohlfahrt

Jami Sibley

and of course: Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks so much for visiting my little ole blog!

Happy Smiley Hugs to ALL!!!

Sankari :)

For my friend Kristen and her beautiful family :)

Happy Thursday Everyone :)

First of All - I canNOT even begin to express my gratitude to all of YOU!!!  Thank YOU - the hugest thank you that I can say - to all of you who left comments on my blog during the 2Sketches4You card showdown - I can't even express - HOW grateful and thankful I am for all of your lovely beautiful comments! I am still in shock to have won!! I can't believe it and have had to pinch myself a few times this week!!! It was such an amazing journey and I am so grateful for everyone's congratulatory wishes and a big huge thank you to Kazan and Laura. all the judges - all my fellow participants and all of you! Thank you from the depths of my heart!!!

I am sorry to be quiet on the blog front - we had to deal with some family issues and along with that - i also burned part of my finger (right hand ) so was unable to craft or even type till a day ago - thankfully everything is better now and my finger is doing better - but the side and pad of my finger are still painfully blistery - but luckily it was only that and not more... Last night I was psyched to finally sit down and craft a little bit finally! I made some layouts and card for my lovely friend Kristen who is visiting Iowa from Seattle. 

These layouts and card was made for Kristen (isn't she beautiful!). Kristen asked me if I could help her make something for her husband Matt for his birthday and also something for her grandfather's birthday (he is turing 85!!) - and I was totally psyched to help! She and Matt are one of my fave couples and have the cutest little girls ever - adorable!!! She has a wonderful blog where she chronicles their adventures  (all of these pictures are from her - except the bottom right one which I took last week when they were visiting Iowa :) and then created a little 8 x 8 layout using the March Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions.

 I used the colors from the Color Throwdown this week for this layout. I love the colors that these lovely ladies throwdown and have missed playing along in their challenges :) I also used the stamp set: Love is Sweet from Taylored Expressions to detail the leaves and used American Craft Thickers for the sentiment: 4 Ever. The best part of this? was seeing Matt and Kristen hold it and say that they liked it :) I love the picture of M and K from their wedding and the other picture of them was taken by their little daughter!! So Cute! I love the pic of Matt holding his girls - look how cute his littlest daughter's expression is - SO cute!!

Here are some close up shots:

Here is a closer shot of the happy pics:

Layout Details:

Paper: March Key Ingredients from Taylored Expressions 

Stamps: Taylored Expressions: Love is Sweet sentiment

Accessories: Butterfly punch from Martha Stewart, bling from K&Company along with embroidery thread and pattern, buttons from Hall Pass Bag o Buttons from Taylored Expressions

This second layout is a 6 x 6 that I made for Kristen to give to her grandfather for his birthday -  where he can see his granddaughter and great grandaughters  - these were made using Jen's sketch from Paper Craft Planet and using the Easter Key Ingredients from Taylored Expressions. I ADORE this picture of Kristen and her beautiful girls - they are truly the sweetest!

Layout Details:

Sketch: By Jen Tapler for Paper Craft Planet

Paper: Easter Key Ingredients from Taylored Expressions

Accessories: Butterfly stamp from Martha Stewart, bling from K&Company, threading punch, circle cutters from CM, American Thickers letters

And lastly - here is a card that I made for Kristen's grandfather's 85th birthday (the colors for his birthday party are navy blue, cream and gold) - so I used those colors for the card and followed Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday sketch (which is being guest hosted this week by my darlin' Sarah Jane Keller :) yay SJK!). Initially the card was kinda close to the sketch but then I don't know what happened :)  probably because - I have to say that it is beyond hard to make a man card - I am not a man card kinda girl - it seriously always ends up swirly whiry girly - but Kristen liked it and so I was psyched :)

Card Details: 

Paper: Paper Company 

Stamps: Celebrate is from Taylored Expressions and the happy birthday is from stash and 85 is from the American Craft Thickers

Accessories: ribbon - K and Company, star and circle from CM 

I had such a fun visit with Kristen  - she is truly an angel and it was so much fun to make these personalized gifts for her - somehow that is when craft making becomes so special and fun - when you know who you are making it for and to see them hold it and love it makes the journey complete :)

Here is a picture of my two little children playing with Kristen's little ones - I absolutely love this picture - it feels so very summertime-ish  :

Hope you are all enjoying your summer moments! I am trying to savor it because it is flying by quick!

Thank you all for visiting my little corner - you make the sun shine!

Sunshiney smiles and hugs!

Sankari :)