TESC 143 - One in a Melon

Happy Friday everyone! It's my absolute favorite day of the week, and it's even more fun when it's a sketch challenge day. Here is our inspiration for the week...


I love this sketch! It has so many possibilities, yet I went pretty clean and simple with my card today. Check it..


I wanted something fun and summery...and let me tell you, it has been SWELTERING here. I swear, I think we have had 2 consecutive months of non-stop 100 degree weather here. Nothing like sitting on the front porch snacking on some ice cold watermelon though. :) I grabbed my Technique Tuesday stamp set, Fruit Stand and made this little number. Clean and simple for sure! Now I'm ready to get my Friday officially started, so let's check out what the rest of the crew has created for you!

• Dawn Easton
• Jami Sibley
• Lisa Hjulberg
• Lori Craig
• Taylor Van Bruggen
  
• Monika Davis
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Tracy Clemente

Don't forget, all the details regarding the challenge can be found in one of two places...Taylor's Blog or the TE Splitcoast forum. Hope to see you play along and thank you soooo very much for your visit!

TESC 142 - Thanks for Everything

Greetings everyone!! Wow! I feel like I haven't been on Blogger for weeks...and that is actually the truth! I've been on a loooong family vacation the past two weeks (and all of my TE release posts were pre-scheduled before I left) and I'm so happy to be home and back to crafting. I hope to share some photos of our 2 week long trek to Virginia Beach and then off to Washington DC later. :)

But you are here to see the latest Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge! Here is the lovely sketch for you, designed by sketch team member, Lori Craig!


Isn't it a fun one?! Since I'd been gone from stamping almost 3 weeks, it took me a while to get my mojo back...this card actually took me an entire day to put together, LOL! I'm pretty happy with it though. :)

Ahhh...soo delicate and pretty....just the way I adore them. I reached for my Technique Tuesday stamps for this card, and actually used THREE sets here. I stamped my banners in various colored inks using the Message in a Banner stamp set. I then took one of the hearts from their fabulous chipboard collection in Tile Toppers Classic and stamped that with Damask to form a pretty pattern on it...stamps just look so beautiful on all of the chipboards...very crisp and clean! And finally I used the sentiment from the new set Swanky Sentiments....a perfect card and sentiment to send to my Aunt and Uncle in Virginia, who so graciously hosted us for 3 days. We are missing them already!

As always, there is a PRIZE up for grabs if you would like to play along...and we'd love for you to play along, of course! And a little bonus if you use TE stamps! ;) You can view all of the details of Sketch Challenge 142 right on the Taylored Expressions Splitcoast forum HERE!

Now I hope you can hop around and see what the rest of the team has to share with you, along with our guest, Cindy!

• Dawn Easton
• Jami Sibley
• Melissa Sauls
• Monika Davis
• Rachel Sztonyk
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tracy Clemente
• Guest Designers: Cindy

Thanks so much for your visit! I am busy busy busy creating for the summer CHA show. I'm surprised I can actually type this with all the paint, glue, and glitter permanently affixed to my fingers! :) Can't wait to share soon ;)

Technique Tuesday and Coloring With Crayons...sort of!

Hello everyone!!! I have a fun card to show you today featuring one of my new favorite stamp sets from Technique Tuesday and featuring a product they just recently begun carrying...Crayons...for adults!! :) Check it...

I went kind of Clean and Simple with this card and let the large gorgeous image do all the work!! This set is the Pocket Full of Posies set...and it was just sitting there begging me to color it all up pretty! So I got out a few of the new Crayons available in the store and got to work. Now, these Crayons are available to be purchased one by one, and at a great price of $1.99!! Traditionally, you can use these to watercolor with, but I chose to instead use a nib and Odorless mineral spirits. Here's kind of a visual of how I colored...

See how I very conservatively added color with the crayons and then used the stump to blend with? Oh my goodness, everything spread just so creamy like butter!!! I used two different shades of pinks to allow for some shading. Soooo easy!! You will love it if you try it and be sooo pleased with the result. What do you think?? I am definitely doing this again soon!

Thanks so much for visiting!!

More projects for the GASC

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA. Things have been so hectic around here. We are in the midst of planning our family vacation...National Lampoon style. Watch out folks! The Griswalds are back on the road again, LOL! Anyway, I've been really busy trying to get ahead of my projects so I'll have scheduled posts while I'm gone. :)

I have some cards to share that I created last month for the Great American Scrapbooking Convention in The Crafty Scrapper booth. All the paper is from the Girls Paperie.



The stamps are also the Girls Paperie Vintage Whimsy clear stamps.

And finally, I couldn't resist getting out my Technique Tuesday stamps...


I used Mama = Love for this one


And finally, Love Always Wins for this last one. I used plenty of of my favorite embellishments on these...trim, Prima flowers, and chipboard and flowers from Maya Road.

Hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend! I have much more to share later. Thank you so much for your visit!

My inspiration - a wall hanging

Hey everyone and happy Memorial Day to you!!

I don't know if you have seen one of the latest posts over at The Crafty Scrapper, but they just published a post with a project I created for them that will be displayed this upcoming weekend at the Great American Scrapbooking Convention up in Arlington! I plan on making a trip up there this Saturday, so I hope you are going and can take a peek at all the awesome things they will have for sale (I read something about them having the new summer release from Maya Road!) Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed creating this project and I hope you will enjoy it too! :)


The paper that I used was entirely from Crate Paper's Portrait collection and it worked out beautifully. I used plenty of goodies from Maya Road (chipboard, zipper trim, flowers, etc) and rubons from my stash as well as stamps from Technique Tuesday.


I stamped "We thank God for you every single day" to the right of Catie's picture across the patterned paper AND fabric tape and it turned out just perfect! This is from the Ali Edward's set, Loving Words.


I also stamped "Live in the moment Love life" from the set Love Always Wins. Love that these sets are so wonderful paired with scrapping!


And finally, I used the Love Always Wins set again to stamp the large Love sentiment next to my pictures of Harrison. :)


This was a very fun project to put together, and you can find all of the supplies at the Crafty Scrapper store (you can order through them by calling!)

Thanks so very much for your visit and I will be back tomorrow with the beginning of sneaks for the June Taylored Expressions release!

Technique Tuesday Stamping Tech Hop

Welcome to the Technique Tuesday Stamping Tech Hop!! Today, the team (and myself!) are sharing some of our favorite projects made with Technique Tuesday stamps.

I created a card using a combination of color/ink I've been dying to try out...kraft cardstock with white ink. Check it...


Here I used the Paisley Park stamp set coupled with a sentiment from Mama = Love Ali Edwards set. :) I just love how detailed the images from Paisley Park came out and how subtle yet lovely it looks stamped with white! I'm pretty excited, can you tell? :)

I also have a little sneak of a project I made using some more Technique Tuesday stamps on a 3D project I created!


I just love that the stamps work so well on both cards AND scrapbooking projects.

Now, meet the rest of the Techs who can't wait to share their gorgeous creations with you!

Tobi

Charlene

Tanis

Daniela

Teri

Sharyn

Laura

Melissa

Jenny (Guest Stamping Tech for May)

And, what's a blog hop without prizes? :) With every comment left on the blog hop path, you'll be entered for a chance to win Technique Tuesday's Ribbit stamp set....SO CUTE!!!



The more comments you make, the better chance you have to win.
We’ll pick 2 people at random from comments left on all the blogs to win the stamp set.
Comments must be made by midnight Eastern time on 5/27.
Be sure to check the Technique Tuesday blog (techniquetuesday.typepad.com) on 5/28 to see if you are one of the lucky winners. Good luck and enjoy!!! :)

Best Friend. Ever

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. The weather here couldn't have been any more ideal. With temps in the 70s (Fahrenheit) and not a cloud in the sky, we headed out for a little "camping" trip in our RV. It was just a perfect little getaway. :)

But before I headed out, I needed to play with some freshly arrived goodies from Technique Tuesday....you know how priorities go? :) Well, if you haven't heard already, Technique Tuesday has begun selling high quality Watercolor Crayons, 50 different colors of seam binding, and various colors of felt! I haven't gotten my hands on the crayons (YET!) but I couldn't wait to play with the seam binding and felt. Check it out....


The paper is also the new Perspectives line that released at Winter CHA. I love that it has my favorite Ali Edwards set with the sentiments imprinted on the paper. :) So, I got my inspiration for this card from the latest Splitcoast Sketch Challenge and went from there. I chose to make a rolled rose from my pretty felt, and, of course, I had to scrunch my seam binding up to make some pretty bows. The sentiment (which I just ADORE) is from the Sweet Sentiments set. And I think that just about wraps that up! It's shaping up to be a really busy week so I better get cranking.

Thanks so much for the visit! :)

More Sweet Summer

Happy Friday everyone!! I hope you were able to check out my Sweet Summer mini over at The Crafty Scrapper blog a few days ago. If not, there were a couple of pages that I wanted to highlight and share with you today that actually features some stamping!! I really try and make an effort to include stamping into my mini-albums...it can be kind of hard to do, but I really like the personal touch it adds....and I love that I can accessorize the image any way I want. :)

Check it out...






I hope you can see the pictures side by side up there. The one on the left was my top page and the right one is the coordinating bottom page. I featured a new set from Technique Tuesday called Kids Are Cool, which was just PERFECT for this album! I actually used bits and pieces of the set all throughout this fun kid-centered album. :)



















And this next ensemble uses my most favorite new set from Technique Tuesday, Life is Good. LOVE this set. I stamped it right on top of a doily and then just added some pattern paper butterflies for a pop of color. :)

Stamping. I love it. Do you love it too? :)

Blingy Bookmark

Hello again everyone! Did you see my post over at the Want 2 Scrap blog?? :) I was recently inspired by some bookmarks in a Country Living magazine and just had to go and create my own. Of course, mine had to involve stamping, pretty ribbon, and of course, bling!

I used a new stamp set from Technique Tuesday, Love Always Wins...love, love, LOVE this set! You'll see why when you see it. ;) Be sure and check out my post HERE for all the yummy details!

Thanks for stopping by!

I just LOVE you

Oh I just love you indeed pretty little card. I created this card for the Want 2 Scrap blog using those YUMMY Nestabling! You can see my post HERE with all the wonderful details and how easy this card was to create, so I hope you'll visit me over there. :)

I used Loving Words by Technique Tuesday for my sentiment...I just love my TT stamps!! Simple. Beautiful.

Thanks for your visit! :)

PS. Totally off-topic, but I have to share. Why has nobody every told me about Miss Me jeans?? Oh holy cow I am in love with this expensive little habit. You see, if you are anything like me (lacking on the back side), these make you actually look like something is THERE!! It's so nice to put on some jeans now and not look like Sponge Bob from the backside. Ok...just sharing! HIGHLY recommended!

March All Tech Stamp Challenge

Hey everyone! Thank you all for your very sweet comments regarding my last couple of posts. They have completely made my days...yes, days!!! The kit and card got swooped up right away and it's already on it's way to new owner Jenny. :) I'm a little encouraged to try my hand at creating another!

But moving along, there is currently an all Tech Stamping challenge over on the Technique Tuesday Splitcoast forum to show off some of the new stamps! I've already shown off one of my favorite sets in this post here, but I have another big time favorite!! Check it...


Oh my goodness, isn't that image just two sweet?? Two friends, carefree, and one giving a helping hand. This set is the new Life is Good set....love it! I positively adore this silhouette and I simply embossed it with white embossing powder on some patterned paper that I've had sitting in my stash just waiting to be used. :) The papers are all from Echo Park's For the Record. My sentiment also came from the new set Swanky Sentiments. I added some little butterflies flitting by for fun and then some bling courtesy of Want 2 Scrap on my centers and tea stained tag. My layout completely came from the most current Sketch Challenge over on Splitcoast as well.

I hope you like it!! I kind of liked using all these soft muted colors...hard to photograph but looks really delicate and nice in person. :)

Ok, I am off to prepare for the release next week for Taylored Expressions...it's a GREAT one!! Thanks so very much for your visit and such awesome comments.

Playing with more Nestabling

Just sneaking by with a quick post to say that I have a post over at the Want 2 Scrap blog HERE today with this little playful card for a great mom. :) Stamp is from the Mom=Love set by Technique Tuesday. Thanks for peeking and have a great rest of the day!

Hugs and Smiles

So, spring break is almost coming to a halt here in my household. I'm kind of sad that it's almost over! I mean, we didn't do anything so notable with our staycation, but we spent lots of time with the kids and family friends, which was GREAT! We discovered geocaching (the kids loved finding little treasures), grilled out at a friends, enjoyed a St. Patty's day shin dig, made a trip to the zoo, and will celebrate Holi day (in the Indian culture) Saturday evening. I've also begun taking an online photography course and I'm spending lots of time taking photos practicing the SLR in Manual mode...HELLO!! It's taking some getting used to. :) But yeah, totally been kept busy.

There has been one thing at the top of my to-do list though...and that was to send a heartfelt "thank you" over to Stacey Caron with Spellbinders. She was sooo generous and sent me a NICE selection of new dies for my work on the Want 2 Scrap design team. Yes, I have the new pennant die in my hot little hands already!! ;) So here is my card...made with one of the new sets from Technique Tuesday, Sweet Somethings. Yep, I also got my order from Technique Tuesday and this set is just one of the new ones that was released at Winter CHA 2011!! I just adore this greeting! I'm sending her big hugs and smiles because I just can't thank her enough!


Love, love it!! I used some of the new Nestabling Labels 2 in Black rhinestones here....also a new release from CHA. My layout inspiration came directly from the latest Mojo challenge, which was just too gorgeous of a sketch to resist.

So as I was creating this card, I realized that I should share some of the things I use to create with. I hoard so badly, really. So this is what I did...I set things aside that I used to create this card with...and added a few of my prized vintage goodies.

See this?


These are my beloved jar of authentic vintage buttons. My mother-in-law gave them to me and these all came from her mom and grandmom. Awesome, right? Well I've had these for well over a year...and, I'm ashamed to say, this is probably almost the exact same amount that I received back then...minus only a few. :) Do I really need to hoard these so? NO! So this is for you....

Papers used on my card from Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 Collection
1 yard of hand dyed seam binding
Maya Road Crochet trim in Ivory
3 mini clothespins
3 vintage ivory buttons
vintage crochet doily
3 vintage tickets
1 hand dyed Prima flower
1 mini kraft bag

All packaged up in a folded and sewn lunch bag...each pocket has a goodie! :)


All the bits and bobs perfect for your creation! What do you think?


It will be up in my Etsy store...one of a kind, so when it's gone, it's gone! Who knows, if this is a hit, maybe I'll create more with future creations? We shall see! Enjoy the weekend everyone....it's ending is already creeping on us!

Black and White and a splash of color!

That was the subject of the latest Play Date Cafe Challenge for an awesome chance at a prize of yummy Twinery twine!! I tell ya, this card took a while to make! I wanted to make my own custom patterned paper with a damask pattern...yes, that's not patterned paper up there! I actually used 3 sets from Technique Tuesday to create my pattern. The long bordered lacy line is from the set Vintage Lace set...my goodness it stamps sooo beautifully! The actual damask image is from the Damask set and finally, I grabbed an image from the Favorite Memories set to fill in the gaps. I love the way it turned out. :) My Thank You sentiment comes from the Little Sentiments set and that wraps up a whopping FOUR sets used on this card, LOL!! It's so nice to have a variety on hand and mix and match them up all together.

Ok, off to shower. I've been taking a Zumba class and it totally kicks my butt...but in a good way!! Look forward to it every week. :) Hope you have a wonderful week!!!

A couple quick challenges

Every time I go out of town I get completely inspired to hide away in my stamp room and get busy. Maybe it's for fear of losing my mojo...or maybe I just get to missing my hobby so bad! So after a much needed long weekend at the in-laws (they live on a ranch) I attacked...yes, I attacked a couple of challenges.

First up, Papertrey's new Make it Monday challenge to use Scor-tape in a straight glittered line. I likey.


I went clean and simple with some vellum over patterned paper. I didn't get a chance to play in last week's challenge to make a vellum label so I wanted to carry that over here. :) I took a que from the Framed set and made my glittered borders from that. My sentiment is from my all time favorite Signature Greetings...added some colored rhinestones and called it done!


And here's my Splitcoast CAS challenge for Monday. I know, two challenges done the day they were put?? Surely I must be ill. I do feel maybe a cold coming on. :\ So the challenge was to stamp your own background. I've been itching to use Fruit Stand by Technique Tuesday lately...must just be me longing for some warmer weather. :) So I stamped the strawberries boldly as my background and then subtly with my sentiment. I think it's sweet and those strawberries really look just good enough to eat!

Ok, there's my CAS cards for the month....quick and simple...attacked, right?? :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Pretty Pearly Princess

Please tell me you are guilty of this...impulse buying?? So I'll instantly fall in love with something and have to purchase it that instant. I do that a lot with stamps, ok, and paper and embellishments too, but I'll just focus this conversation on stamps for now! So I bought this super adorable stamp set from Technique Tuesday called My Little Princess, when my little girl was still a baby. I just HAD to have it! I knew she'd love the whole princess thing...who doesn't?! And very recently, my eye caught onto a new set of papers that COMPLETELY matches this set. Yeah, I had no excuse. I had to buy the paper. This means I MUST create something with both of them...no excuses!


See?!?! Perfect harmony of image and papers I tell ya!! Isn't she just as sweet as can be? I thoroughly enjoyed coloring her in with Copics...took my sweet time, princess style! I couldn't leave the card be either...what's a princess without her bling?? :) I used White Pearl Swirls from Want 2 Scrap as a nice delicate accent in the background. Ahhh...perfect for a princess, don't ya think? :)

Enjoy your weekend friends! I'm taking on a big project that was completely inspired by THIS post. More to follow! :)

A bit of this and that

I realized some time yesterday, in the blur of this week, that I hadn't posted in a while. I gotta admit...things have been a little rough with a wide array of emotions going on. You see, my son attends a Christian private school that we absolutely ADORE! We love everything about it...the people, the teachers, the kids and parents, and we loved the principal. Moreoever, EVERYONE loved her!! Well, last Saturday, February 5th, she passed away suddenly in her sleep. Fifty-six years young...that's all she was when she was taken. It's hit everyone so hard...she literally lived, ate, breathed those kids, and wholeheartedly believed in a good Christian education. Her funeral was today, and so my son and I attended his very first funeral. It was a BEAUTIFUL service. There was literally a sea of people there all converged to celebrate her life. We love and miss you Mrs. Owen, but are comforted to know you are in a much better place.

And really, I don't know of a much better therapy than holing up in my cave and creating. Are you with me at all? :)


This was a card I created for Technique Tuesday using a couple of their sets. My focal image comes from the set In Bloom (which is a part of the Little Treasures collection), and to change things up a little, I stamped the "blooms" on TT's Tile Buttons. I love how the ink sets on the tiles like they are stamped right to paper...just a beautiful vivid and clear image. The sentiment comes from the Thinking of You set. It's simple and quick. Easily mass produced. :)


And another card, but would you believe there's no patterned paper here? I've got a Passion for Polka...and that's actually the name of the set used here. I was inspired from a card that I saw in Paper Crafts Magazine and used that as my inspiration....colors and all! The sentiment also came from the same set I used above, Thinking of You.

And finally, a treat box using Passion for Polka, In Bloom, and a sentiment from the Little Sentiments set. All three projects were pretty quickly put together...GREAT projects for mass-production!

Ok, I'm off to relish every ounce of my family and friends....that message was made abundantly clear today. Enjoy everyone to the fullest my friends!! And thank you so much for your visit. :)

Want 2 Scrap sponsors the latest JUGs Challenge!

Hey everyone! The title pretty much says it all! I'm making this a quick post as I've got totally fattening snacks brewing for a little Superbowl get-together. :) Here's to hoping I don't gain 10 pounds alone this evening!

Anyway, have you seen the latest and GREATEST release of NESTABLING over at the Want 2 Scrap blog and Facebook page? If you haven't seen it yet, they have created coordinating bling shapes that completely match many of your favorite Spellbinder's Nestabilities dies!!! It's REALLY awesome and I heard was a complete hit at CHA!

So it goes without saying that I had to use some of that bling that coordinates with the Scalloped Hearts die...

See how the bling nestles so perfectly inside the scallops? Pretty cool, huh?! And since Want 2 Scrap is sponsoring the Just us Girls Challenge, you can have a chance to win a $25 gift card to the Want 2 Scrap store to score yourself some Nestabling! All you need to do is make a creation following this sketch and make sure you enter at the JUGs site!!


There's also ANOTHER awesome challenge going on at the Technique Tuesday forum and I combined both challenges in my project. :) All you have to do is create a project using Red or Pink! Easy Schmeazy!! And did you check out what's up for grabs?? Oh my...I wish I could win it myself!! It's one of the new sets that was just released at CHA!!!


I used my beloved Ali Edwards set, Loving Words for my sweet sentiment on my lovey card. I also couldn't resist stamping and embossing the Vintage Lace border across the top to follow with the sketch. :)So what are you waiting for?! There are TWO amazing prizes up for grabs here!!! If you get bored with the Superbowl, just go stamp!! :)

JUGs/Want 2 Scrap challenge HERE
Technique Tuesday challenge HERE

Happy stamping and thanks soooo very much for the visit! :)

Some Technique Tuesday goodies

Hey everyone! I'm excited to share with you a few projects that I made for Technique Tuesday for their booth at CHA.


This first little lovely uses my faaaaavorite Ali Edwards set, Loving Words. My heart is also stamped with some hearts from the gorgeous paisley set, Paisely Park and the chipboard heart came from the Classic Tile Toppers. I do just loooove this card. :)

I also participated in the all Tech challenge over on the Technique Tuesday Splitcoast Forum to get inspiration from a card in the Technique Tuesday gallery and make another new card! I loooove this card by Charlene Austin that actually was on the cover of Card Creations, and created this little shabby mom card number.


Just nevermind the fact that I spelled my own name wrong when I made my watermark on this one, LOL!

This was a 3D project that I made that didn't make to CHA, but was still fun!

This is a little matchbox make from kraft cardstock and the glittered piece is actually a piece of chipboard from the Baseboards Variety pack cut to fit the top of my box. The sentiment is stamped from the Little Sentiments set and this makes a quick, cute, and easy little gift box for a special small treat!

So have you been following the thread of sneak peaks of newly released stamps and papers!!!! that Technique Tuesday is releasing in February? You can see the thread HERE and I'm excited as all get out to get my hands on them!!!

Seriously...seeing all the sneaks this past week has got me saving up to get my hands on sooo many goodies! Can't wait!!!!

Have a great day!

Welcome 2011!!

Happy New Year everyone!! I hope you all had a wonderful beginning to the New Year! We actually packed up the entire family...kids and all, and spent the evening, into the wee hours, with some dear friends. Absolute fun was had by all and we welcomed the new year with plenty of hugs and kisses...as it should be! :) I'm looking forward to new wonderful memories to be made, but for my near future, I'm looking forward to a calm week ahead, LOL! This past month of December has just been a non-stop whirlwind of going, going, going and I'm actually surprised that I had ANY posts on my poorly neglected blog. I've missed my papercrafting time dearly and I'm jumping back into it like a kid jumps into a pool at the first inkling of summer sun...gigantic smile and all. :)


So before we welcome some new (and I loooove welcoming new goodies!!!), we must also say goodbye to oldies (but goodies!) Technique Tuesday will be welcoming some new images soon so I just HAD to pay a little homage to a set that will be leaving...Va Va Va Bloom. This set features absolutely gorgeous bold flowers and you can see that I stamped them, tone on tone, directly to my card front and then embossed. And not only is this set saying bye-bye soon, so is the Technique Tile I used here from Buckles & Tags. These tiles (which are a light colored chipboard) are absolutely wonderful to stamp directly to! Not only do I NOT have to alter the color of the chipboard (don't you find you always change the color??), but it absorbs the ink beautifully for a perfect image. Just a simple perfect greeting from the Mama=Love set and I called it done! What do you think? Pretty clean and simple?

Now head on over to the Technique Tuesday forum and check out samples of other sets that are retiring HERE.

And there's also a special deal you can take advantage of and today is the last day!!!! 50% off retiring stamps!!! Check out more of the details on THIS forum post!

Happy shopping guys....thank me later. :)