Fresh Flower Frame

When I saw this adorable Skipping Along Happily paper from Pebbles, Inc. I knew I had to use it with my Fresh Flowers set! Everything I've done with this set has been soft and subtle so I thought I'd try something different and do bright and fun. This little polka dot frame die has been sitting out on my desk for a while. I thought it would be a cute frame for the single flower in the set. I first cut and embossed the frame in Razzleberry Light cardstock. Then I cut it again in Snow White cardstock and stamped the flower on the inner frame piece. I colored the flower with Copics and popped up the piece inside the pink polka dot frame. Then I cut the frame one more time out of Certainly Celery cardstock. I took a strip off the bottom of the inside piece of the frame. I made lots of little cuts to look like grass and then adhered it over the top of my flower image panel. The layout is super simple... it's probably the layout I fall back on most often! I used a sentiment from A Year of Sweet Sentiments and a pink flower button from my stash. The ribbon is from May Arts. Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Enabler Announcement: Just want to make sure you all know that today is the last day to purchase the Tiny Twinkle Deal at the TE Store! We've offered this buy two get one free special through the month of April, so beginning tomorrow the twinkles will go back to their regular price of $3.99 each. If you're in love with the twinkles as much as I am you might want to stock up before the deal goes away!

Sweet Thing Sketch

I had a chance to participate in another sketch challenge over the weekend! I'm always admiring Karen's sweet and simple style so I thought I'd try my hand at sweet and simple with her Sweet Sunday Sketch this week. I've gotten into a habit lately (a good habit I think!) of putting all of my new crafting supplies into my Making Memories desktop organizer until they actually get used. Otherwise I end up filing away my new papers and other toys with the old and then they're forgotten until they're not new anymore! As I was rummaging through my inspiration station I came across this cute cupcake stamp that I picked up in the $1 spot at Michael's. I told myself I wouldn't buy another $1 stamp because I never use them, but I couldn't resist this cute cupcake... and I used it! So there! Ha! I inked up the words with Cameo Coral marker and the cupcake with black marker. I stamped the cupcake again, colored it with Copic markers, and popped it up with foam tape. Then I added little heart shaped tiny twinkle to the cherry on top. The image was cut out and layered with the Spellbinders Labels Four dies. The patterned paper strips are from the Chatterbox Happy Day collection. To finish it off I added two Zva Small Crown Flourishes to each side of the image and added a strip of Papertrey polka dot satin ribbon. Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

You brighten my day

Yesterday totally got away from me and I didn't have a chance to post the card I made for Sharon's Weekend Sketch Challenge! I was in a bright, springy mood so I grabbed my Funky Clothesline image from Stamping Bella and the new Feeling Groovy Collection of patterned papers from My Mind's Eye. I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. I cut out the image and layered it onto the same shape from my Spellbinders Labels Four dies. I added the layered Prima flowers and a brad to finish it off. The sentiment is from A Year of Sweet Sentiments. Thanks for a great sketch, Sharon! And thanks to you for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #65

Happy Friday and Happy Cupcake Day! Jon made it back home safely last night and I did up all the dishes and made the house look spiffy before he arrived. Well... actually I have to give credit to my mom for most of the house cleaning, but don't tell Jon! *wink* I'm super excited about the sketch challenge because it's so open to interpretation. I can't wait to see where your creativity takes you! In keeping with using my "old favorites" this week I pulled out this yummy image from Whipper Snapper. I'd have a big 'ole grin on my face too if I was sitting on top of a giant cookie surrounded by deliciousness! I stamped the image onto Choice Snow White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. This image is so fun to color, but it does take a long time. That was my "in front of the TV" project last night while watching Hell's Kitchen and Private Practice. I colored an extra strip of the image, matted it in black, and popped it up with foam tape. Then I used my Martha Stewart bubbles border and popped that up with foam tape as well. I added a thin black and white stitched ribbon bow and sentiment from Branching Out. And I couldn't leave the image naked so I added Crystal Stickles to some of the candies and Espresso Liquid Pearls to the sprinkles on the ice cream and the chocolate chips in the cookie. And now I'm so excited to introduce you to the Featured Cupcake Sampler this week! I've admired Joanne's work for a long time and she caught my eye last week with this adorable bunny cupcake card. Her interpretation of the sketch this week is different from mine which is the great thing about sketches! It's just a starting point to see what road your creativity leads you down! Her sweet flower image is so beautifully colored and she always finds the best way to incorporate embellishments! I love that metal loop with the ribbon tied through it and the little hemp bow...so sweet! You can check out all of the details on this card and more of Joanne's beautiful work on her blog: Just a Little Something. Thanks for sampling the sketch this week, Joanne! Now it's your turn to to try the sketch! I'll choose the most clever, creative, and cute creation from the submissions this weekend to be the Featured Cupcake Sampler next week. Your design and blog will be featured on my blog during Cupcake Friday. You're not required to use cupcakes for the challenge, but if you got 'em why not use 'em!? If you're uploading to Splitcoast use keyword TECC65 (for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge 65). I'm also giving away a free Tiny Twinkle to one random winner from among all the people who upload their sketch challenge cards to PaperCraftPlanet using the same TECC65 keyword. So while you're uploading your card to SCS and your blog, hop over to PCP and enter yourself in the fun there! Then come back here and leave a link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so I can check it out! You must have your cards uploaded by Monday, April 27th at 8am PST to be eligible for the featured cupcake sampler. Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

And you don't want to miss the sketch challenge inspiration from the Cupcake Crew: Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Lynn Mercurio, Vicki Chrisman, Sherrie Siemens, Ana Wohlfahrt

You're the cat's meow!

Jon has been out of town for the last several days which means I have more spare time than usual! I do miss having him around, but it's kind of nice to do my own thing for a few days (you know... eat cereal for dinner and let the dishes pile up!). He comes home tonight so the bachelorette gig will be over soon, and I better do the dishes! While he's been away it's given me time to dig through my drawers of stamps and find some old favorites. This morning I pulled out my beloved Inky Antics kitty stamp. I stamped the image onto Choice Buttercream cardstock with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored it with Copic markers. I love the plaid patterned paper from the Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy Collection. It seemed perfect for my little critters. I'm addicted to Lori's Weekend Sketch Challenge so I used it again for this card. The sentiment was cut out with a Spellbinders Double-Ended tag. I attached the tag with some paw print ribbon and added a strip of chocolate rhinestones underneath the sentiment and to a couple of the kitty collars... tres chic! Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Cupcake Birthday Girl

I know it's not Cupcake Friday, but I just couldn't resist this cute cupcake Penny Black Cinnamon stamp today! I paired her with the new Downtown Manhatten patterned paper from Pebbles, Inc. and some Sassafras Lass Woodland Whimsy patterned paper that I've been hoarding for months! I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with the Copics pictured below. I usually don't photograph my Copic markers, but I thought why not start today!? Then I cut and embossed the image with the Spellbinders Labels 1 die. Since I used the largest die for the image I had to hand-cut the teal mat. Then I found the perfect glittery button in my Bella Collection and I tied it on with some 5/8" chocolate polka dot grosgrain. I also added Espresso Liquid Pearls to the frosting on the cupcake and Crystal Stickles to her yellow purse. I used a sentiment from Branching Out to finish it off and some flower twinkles to embellish the sentiment... and one in her hair for good measure! Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Somebirdy Loves You

Guess what!? I stamped for fun this weekend! Well, I should clarify that... all stamping is fun, but my stamping had no agenda this weekend. I got together with my friend Jami and we gabbed and stamped and even ate cupcakes! We both wanted to participate in our friend Lori's Weekend Sketch Challenge so we printed out a copy of the sketch for both of us and we got to work. I borrowed this stamp from Jami's collection and now I can't remember who makes it... I think it's from Magenta Stamps? Then Jami was kind enough to let me riffle through all of her patterned paper and use one of her prized possessions... Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie! I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers to match the colors in the patterned paper. I used the Stampin' Up ticket corner punch and some orange brads to dress up the image. Then I used a little scrap of patterned paper to make the flag and covered one side with Cozy Felt Flowers and a red button. I'm also not sure where the sentiment came from either... that's what I get for not using my own supplies! Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a wonderful day!

April 20th Key Ingredients now available!

Today is the day when our April 20th Key Ingredients kit is available for purchase at the TE Store! If you're a subscriber to our Key Ingredients Subscription Service then you've probably already received your kit... one of the perks of being a subscriber! If you're still interested in purchasing our Key Ingredients subscription, you can do so at any time! We have both a three month and a six month option! If you purchase the subscription on or before April 25th, you'll receive the April 20th Key Ingredients kit. If you purchase the subscription after the 25th, your subscription will begin with the May kit. Or if you're unable to subscribe at this time, you can still purchase the kit individually at the store. As a little refresher, here are some of the things you'll love about being a subscriber:

º Tons of creativity in a box! Everything you need to make at least 16 cards (including 6x6 patterned papers, 8.5 x 11 cardstock, ribbon, and various embellishments) in a different color palette each month. The subscription kits will coordinate well with the TE stamp sets, but you can also use them with the many other stamp sets you own. Simply add the stamps, ink, and adhesive to cook up a batch of coordinating cards.

º Key Ingredients savings

Regular KI price = $16.95 per kit

3 month Subscription price = $15.95 per kit + shipping

6 month Subscription price = $14.95 per kit + shipping

º You get them FIRST! These kits will debut in the store on the 20th of each month, but they will be shipped out to our Subscribers on the 15th, so in most cases you’ll have the product in your hands before anyone else even sees it!

º Monthly Challenge. Each month there will be a KI Subscriber’s Challenge. The challenge is simple... just create anything you desire with your new Key Ingredients! You will have until the 25th of that month to upload your card and link it back to my blog (using Mr. Linky below) to be entered into the monthly prize drawing. Of course playing is totally optional, but we just can’t wait to see what you come up with!

º Baker’s Dozen Samples. Each month when the KI’s are debuted on the 20th, half of the Baker’s Dozen will share a creation they've made with elements from the KI Subscription kit so you’ll have plenty of project inspiration!

º Storage. Subscriber kits will come in a plastic storage case. This $3.00 value is a FREE and exclusive benefit to Subscribers only. Non-subscribers purchasing the kits on regular orders will receive their Key Ingredients in the acetate envelopes they've always been packaged in. The plastic storage cases will not be available for separate purchase in the store for at least the first 6 months of our subscription program.

º Store Discount. Subscribers will be given a special discount code to save 10% on any order placed between the 10th – 14th of the month to be combined with your KI Subscription auto-ship.

Today, half of the Baker's Dozen took my April 20th Key Ingredients challenge to create anything but a standard A2 card and to find a creative use for the glitter included in the kit. I just love loose glitter because there's so much you can do with it! For my samples I covered two chipboard frames with Rapture Blue glitter. I first covered my frames with Versamark ink and Heat & Stick powder. After heating the powder with my embossing gun I sprinkled glitter over the top. For the first card I stamped the bouquet from Fresh Flowers in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. I love yellow roses so I had lots of fun coloring the yellow rose bouquet. The patterned paper, ribbon, cardstock, and rhinestone flower are from the April 20th Key Ingredients kit. The sentiment is from A Year of Sweet Sentiments. For the second card I decided to try something I've been wanting to try ever since I discovered Flower Soft. I've been wanting to make a bouquet using the Flower Soft wires and I finally did it! You can see the video on how to create these floral sprigs here. I used Spring Flower Soft for my bouquet and then I tucked the little sprigs behind the vase from Fresh Flowers. The patterned paper, cardstock, ribbon, and glitter are from the April 20th Key Ingredients kit. The first card is 3 1/2" x 6" (a mini tall card) and the second card is 4 1/4" square. You definitely don't want to miss the inspiration from the rest of the Baker's Dozen challenge creations:

Sankari Wegman

Dawn Easton

Denise Marzec

Laurie Schmidlin

Jen del Muro

Karen Motz

You can always find inspriation for our monthly subscription kits under the keyword TEKISApril (for this month) on Splitcoaststampers. And as you begin creating with your Key Ingredients, we hope you'll use this same keyword when you upload. I always love to see what you create! Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Velvet Photobook & Card

When I first started scrapbooking I must admit that I used a lot of stickers! Then when I dove into stamping it seemed stickers were just unacceptable....until now! I just love these Stampendous velvet stickers! The designs are really intricate and the lucious velvet will dress up any plain project. I started with a photo album that I picked up on clearance at Target (gotta love a bargain!). I added a black Damask flower to the corner and used my Cuttlebug letters to spell out 'photos' on the cover. Then I just added a few Tiny Twinkles to some of the holes in the flower design and some May Arts organdy polka dot ribbon. Seriously... this album took 10 minutes from start to finish and it's so much more fun to give than any old plain album! Then of course I had to make a card to go with it! I used two more of the Damask flowers included in the package of stickers along with some black crystal swirl rhinestones for the card. I used the same polka dot ribbon and dotted each scallop with a clear Tiny Twinkle. The sentiment is from the Verve Visual Fancy Florals set. The card was another 10 minute creation! My time for crafting is pretty limited on the weekend so I love quick projects that I'm still proud to give! Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #64

Happy Friday and Happy Cupcake Day! TGIF, huh? This week has been exhausting with all the tax preparation and I'm so glad the weekend is almost here... just need to get through one more day at work! My Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates sets were calling to me when I sat down to do the sketch challenge last night. I wasn't in a coloring mood so I decided to paper piece the tree top with some patterned paper from My Mind's Eye. Then I stamped the base of the tree over the top of the patterned paper and popped up the tree top over the tree trunk. I sponged around the edges for a little more definition and added a bit of Lime Stickles. To complete the little scene I stamped the tire swing and squirrel from the Coordinates set and colored them with Copic markers. In the background, I punched the border with my Martha Stewart punch and added a chocolate polka dot grosgrain bow. The sentiment is from the Branching Out Coordinates set also. And now I'm so excited to introduce you to the Featured Cupcake Sampler this week! Sandra MacLean caught my eye last week with this adorable cupcake card. She totally worked wonders with those $1 stamps and she's done it again this week with another cute cupcake creation! I love the images she used on this card and the sentiment makes me chuckle! When it comes to cupcakes "What diet?" is definitely my motto! Sandra's coloring is always so beautiful and you can check out all of the details on this card and more of her beautiful work on her blog Paper Funtastics. Thanks for sampling the sketch this week, Sandra! Now it's your turn to to try the sketch! I'll choose the most clever, creative, and cute creation from the submissions this weekend to be the Featured Cupcake Sampler next week. Your design and blog will be featured on my blog during Cupcake Friday. You're not required to use cupcakes for the challenge, but if you got 'em why not use 'em!? If you're uploading to Splitcoast use keyword TECC64 (for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge 64). I'm also giving away a free Tiny Twinkle to one random winner from among all the people who upload their sketch challenge cards to PaperCraftPlanet using the same TECC63 keyword. So while you're uploading your card to SCS and your blog, hop over to PCP and enter yourself in the fun there! Then come back here and leave a link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so I can check it out! You must have your cards uploaded by Monday, April 20th at 8am PST to be eligible for the featured cupcake sampler. Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!


And you don't want to miss the sketch challenge inspiration from the Cupcake Crew: Stephanie Hargis, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jami Sibley, Lynn Mercurio, Monika Davis, Vicki Chrisman, Sherrie Siemens, Ana Wohlfahrt

Key Ingredients Sketch Set

Last night I decided to try a few sketches using the new April 20th Key Ingredients Subscription kit. If you haven't heard about our Key Ingredients Subscription Service, you can read all about it on this post. I didn't have a lot of time last night, but the already coordinated patterned paper, cardstock, and embellishments made it super quick and easy to finish these two cards. I pulled out my Stampin' Up Cheers to You stamp set and discovered three of the stamps still unmounted... what a shame! Sometimes when I get an idea in my head I'll mount just a couple of the stamps in order to finish the card and then time passes and the rest of the stamps remain unmounted. I'm proud to say that's not the case anymore! All of the stamps in this set are now neatly trimmed and mounted. Now I just have to find time to tackle the rest of my collection! For the first card I started with Julee's Mojo Monday Sketch. I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with a combination of Prismacolor pencils and Copic markers. I also paper pieced the umbrella to match the patterned paper. The 'aloha' sentiment is from Amuse. I added some square brads on the diamond in the background, a scalloped border along the bottom, and a bow to finish it off. A little note about the ribbon... everytime I photograph this ribbon it turns orange! In real life it is a coral color that matches the patterned paper perfectly! And since I loved Laurie's Weekend Sketch Challenge so much, I decided to have another go at it for my second card. I stamped another drink image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it. I formed a Clear Crystal Strip to fit around the image and then I used my Stampin' Up horizontal slot punch to make a space for the ribbon. The sentiment is from A Year of Sweet Sentiments. Thanks for stopping by today! See you tomorrow for Cupcake Friday and another sketch challenge!

April 20th Key Ingredients Subscription

Thanks to everyone who subscribed to our Key Ingredients subscription service yesterday! We're so excited to be able to offer these coordinating kits each month and we're glad you're excited too! You still have until Sunday, April 19th to sign up for our 6 month subscription and receive a 1/4" grosgrain ribbon bundle FREE! That's 60 yards of ribbon, a $12.60 value, for free! Today I want to show you all of the fun elements included in the April 20th Key Ingredients kit. With this month's Key Ingredients kit you'll receive 20 sheets of 6"x6" patterned paper, 12 sheets of coordinating cardstock, 5 yards of ribbon, 1/2 oz. Rapture Blue glitter, and an assortment of rhinestone flower embellishments. Everything in this kit was hand-picked to make perfectly coordinating cards and projects! Each kit makes at least 16 cards with layers and embellishments... just add the images of your choice! Stay tuned on Monday when half of the Baker's Dozen will be showcasing projects they've made using the April KI Subscription Kit!


On another note, it's April 15th (notice there's no exclamation point at the end of this sentence). I think all of us in the U.S. know what that means....taxes! This picture likely depicts my day as I brave the crowds to mail out tax returns for work. We have about 90 state and 90 federal returns, 5 extensions, and another 10 payments to be mailed certified return receipt. And it's my wonderful job to cart them to the Post Office and stand in the massive line to get them postmarked on time. I'm hoping they're done before lunch, but that's probably wishful thinking! Kudos to all of you who didn't wait until the last minute to mail your returns and good luck to those of you who waited until today! Perhaps I'll see you in line! *wink*

Key Ingredients Subscription Service

Our Key Ingredients Subscription is ready to ship to subscribers tomorrow! Those of you who have subscribed are already enjoying the benefits that come along with your subscription, including a 10% discount + free shipping on anything from the Taylored Expressions store! And I have good news... if you want to get in on the fun you can subscribe at any time! If you purchase your three or six month subscription before April 25th, your shipments will begin with our April Key Ingredients kit.

Here’s just some of what you’ll LOVE about your Key Ingredients Subscription:

º Tons of creativity in a box! Everything you need to make at least 16 cards (including 6x6 patterned papers, 8.5 x 11 cardstock, ribbon, and various embellishments) in a different color palette each month. The subscription kits will coordinate well with the TE stamp sets, but you can also use them with the many other stamp sets you own. Simply add the stamps, ink and adhesive to cook up a batch of coordinating cards.

º Key Ingredients savings
Regular KI price = $16.95 per kit
3 month Subscription price = $15.95 per kit + shipping
6 month Subscription price = $14.95 per kit + shipping

º You get them FIRST! These kits will debut in the store on the 20th of each month, but they will be shipped out to our Subscribers on the 15th, so in most cases you’ll have the product in your hands before anyone else even sees it!

º Monthly Challenge. Each month there will be a KI Subscriber’s Challenge included in your kit and you will have until the 25th of that month to upload your card and link it back to my blog to be entered into the monthly prize drawing. Of course playing is totally optional, but we just can’t wait to see what you come up with!

º Baker’s Dozen Samples. Each month when the KI’s are debuted on the 20th, half of the Baker’s Dozen will share a creation they've made with elements from the KI Subscription kit so you’ll have plenty of project inspiration!

º Storage. Subscriber kits will come in a plastic storage case. This $3.00 value is a FREE and exclusive benefit to Subscribers only. Non-subscribers purchasing the kits on regular orders will receive their Key Ingredients in the acetate envelopes they've always been packaged in. The plastic storage cases will not be available for separate purchase in the store for at least the first 6 months of our subscription program.

º Store Discount. Subscribers will be given a special discount code to save 10% on any order placed between the 10th – 14th of the month to be combined with your KI Subscription auto-ship.


Today I have a little sneak peek creation to show you using elements from the April 20th Key Ingredients Subscription! I love the bright fun colors of the patterned paper included in the kit. I started with Beate's weekend sketch (created by Laurie Schmidlin) and the June calendar image from A Year of Sweets 2. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and blended with gamsol and a stump. Then I added some red Liquid Pearls to the cherries and some Tiny Twinkle flowers. The sentiment is from A Year of Sweet Sentiments. I cut out the image using my new Labels 3 die and outlined half of the image with Clear Crystal Strips. To finish it off I added a little bow and a big Prima daisy in the corner.

I have one more announcement to share today! From now until Sunday, anyone who places an order that includes a 6 month KI Subscription will receive our 1/4" grosgrain ribbon bundle FREE. The bundle includes a selection of 12 different colors of this must-have for every ribbon collection (a $12.60 value!). There is no coupon code necessary to receive this deal. It will be automatically included in your shipment of the April Key Ingredients! If you're still looking for a little more information on our subscription service, check out the KI Subscription items in the store for all of the teeny details. And stay tuned tomorrow when I'll be debuting the full April KI kit. Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a wonderful day!

Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #63

Happy Friday and Happy Cupcake Day! And for those of you who celebrate Good Friday, take comfort in knowing that Sunday is coming! For this week's sketch I grabbed my new Downtown Diva set. I started by stamping the Sweet Shoppe in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and coloring it with Copic markers. I did the same for Cuppie and then cut him out and popped him up in front of the shop. I cut around the Sweet Shoppe image with a Spellbinders rectangle die and layered it onto the scalloped rectangle. I couldn't help but add the chocolate rhinestone frame around the image. I mean, really... who doesn't like bling!? Then I finished the sketch off with a big chocolate polka dot grosgrain bow. The flower in the sketch can be interpreted in any way you want... could be a bow, a flower, or even a big button! The patterned paper is from the American Crafts Everyday Collection. And now I'm so excited to introduce you to the Featured Cupcake Sampler this week! Joan Ervin caught my eye last week with this adorable Easter Cuppie creation. All of her cards are filled with wonderful detailed embellishments! She's done it again this week with another fabulous card using the Sweet Spring set. I love the bright colors and patterns she used and her coloring is fantastic! You can check out all of the details on this card and more of Joan's beautiful work on her blog Stamping with a Passion. Thanks for sampling the sketch this week, Joan! Now it's your turn to to try the sketch! I'll choose the most clever, creative, and cute creation from the submissions this weekend to be the Featured Cupcake Sampler next week. Your design and blog will be featured on my blog during Cupcake Friday. You're not required to use cupcakes for the challenge, but if you got 'em why not use 'em!? If you're uploading to Splitcoast use keyword TECC63 (for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge 63). I'm also giving away a free Tiny Twinkle to one random winner from among all the people who upload their sketch challenge cards to PaperCraftPlanet using the same TECC63 keyword. So while you're uploading your card to SCS and your blog, hop over to PCP and enter yourself in the fun there! Then come back here and leave a link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so I can check it out! You must have your cards uploaded by Monday, April 13th at 8am PST to be eligible for the featured cupcake sampler. Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Easter!

And you don't want to miss the sketch challenge inspiration from the Cupcake Crew: Stephanie Hargis, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jami Sibley, Lynn Mercurio, Monika Davis, Vicki Chrisman, Sherrie Siemens,

Divine Design 2009 - April

Good morning! It's one of my favorite times of the month... time for another Divine Design challenge. I always enjoy seeing how God is working in the lives of those who play in this challenge... how he's prompting us, reminding us of verses pertinent to our situation, and playing a part in our everyday lives. Each month I like to pick a verse that is meaningful for the circumstances I find myself in during that moment. Lately, I've found myself troubled with big decisions and the Lord has been whispering this verse to my soul so I decided to share it today. From Psalm 55:22,

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall."

I laid out the verse in a Word Document with the KonTiki Enchanted font (cursive) and the Trajan Pro font (print). Then I cut out the frame using my new Polka Dot Frame die and added brown crystal strips around the inside of the frame. I'm continuing with my 6x6 Frame Your Imagination Vertical Stand project using the SEI Dill Blossom collection of patterned papers. Each month when I add a new layout to my vertical stand I get more and more excited about reaching December when I'll have 12 layouts of my favorite verses on display! If I can bear to part with it, it will make a great Christmas gift! To finish off my layout I added Stampin' Up brown satin ribbon with a Carribean Swirl organdy over the top. I covered a chipboard swirl with green cardstock and used that as a stem for my felt flower. I cut the inner flower from a piece of patterned paper and added a canvas brad to the center.

We'll be posting our Bible verse creations on the 9th of each month, and we hope that you'll join us in sharing a verse that has meaning for you. There are very few rules to this challenge, but you can read all of them on this thread at Splitcoaststampers.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the Divine Design inspiration from my fellow Scripture Chicks: Angel, Jami, Lori, and Nancy (her post will be up a little later). Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

JustRite CHA Release #1 Blog Hop

Today is our very first JustRite Blog Hop, but it definitely won't be our last! I'm excited to show you what I made using the new Recipe Borders & Centers, a new JustRite release that is available now. I started with the apron cutout and created a little pocket out of Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie patterned paper. I used my scalloped border punch for a little extra detail on the pocket. I also added a rhinestone to each scallop. Then I printed off the a simple recipe card I created as a Word Document and added one of my favorite recipes, Cranberry BBQ Chicken. I stamped the Bon Appetit border inside the square with Memento Ladybug ink. Then I stamped the 'main dishes' center in Memento Bamboo Leaves ink, punched it out, and popped it up inside the border. I also used one of the original JustRite borders "From the Kitchen of" for the front of the pocket. I signed my name inside the circle for a little personal touch. I think this would be a super fun way to give special recipes to the bride-to-be or to set out next to your dish at a potluck! You definitely don't want to miss the rest of the new release inspiration from the Just Rite Blog Team:

JustRite Stampers

Barb Schram

Becca Feeken

Debbie Olson

Heidi Blankenship

Kellie Fortin

Lauren Meader

Lisa Somerville

Michelle Wooderson

Sharon Harnist

Sharon Johnson

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Fresh Flowers Scene

So did you catch the big release at Taylored Expressions yesterday!? I'm always in a bit of a stupor the day after a big release... it's like coming down from a sugar rush! Thank you all for your orders and your sweet comments about the new stamps! I'm totally in love with the new Fresh Flowers set so I couldn't help but use it again last night. I started by masking and stamping a row of flowers. Then I masked all of the flowers and stamped the window, shutters, and window box to create a scene around the flowers. If you have a good eye for lining up images (and a Gridline Acrylic Block), you shouldn't have any trouble lining these up without a Stamp-a-ma-jig. I know many stampers who wouldn't be caught dead without their SAMJ though, and it's definitely useful for these images! I also added the bird from Branching Out perched atop the window. The images are colored with Copic markers. I added Glossy Accents to the window panes and Lemon Flower Soft to the flower centers. I also scored along the shutters so they would fold in a little bit. Then I cut out the scene and popped it up on 1/8" foam tape. The background is embossed with the Cuttlebug Birds & Swirls embossing folder. All of the cardstock, patterned paper, and ribbon are from the Mother's Day Key Ingredients. To finish it off, I added a Zva rhinestone to each of the scallops on the border. That's about it for this card! Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Taylored Expressions Release Day!

The BIG DAY has finally arrived! We're so excited you're joining us for another special release! If you've followed along during previous releases, you know my release day posts are filled with information. So don't miss a word as I take you through all the new release information as well as lots of sales and new product info!

I don't want to keep you waiting any longer, so here are the newest sets available right now at Taylored Expressions:

Fresh Flowers, our newest stamp set in the Whimsical Wishes collection, is such a versatile set filled with endless combinations! It's perfect for those Mother's Day cards we'll be making soon, but it works great for get well, birthday, and thank you cards too! Downtown Diva, our newest Cuppie stamp set, is another must-have for all those shopping divas we all know and love (or maybe you are one yourself!?). The stamps are the same high-quality, deeply etched pink rubber and each set comes already trimmed and mounted on a full-color storage panel. Make sure you pick up an extra Mini Binder Box to store all of your new stamps!

In honor of the women we love, we're offering the Special Lady Bundle. With the bundle you'll receive the following products: Fresh Flowers, Downtown Diva, Mother's Day Key Ingredients, an assortment of 5 daisy & purse charms, 10 scalloped purse favor boxes (in an assortment of colors to match the Mother's Day Key Ingredients), Foof-a-la Savannah buttons, 1 pot of Flower Soft (in a color of your choice), and a bottle of Flower Soft Glue. The total retail value of these products is $85.28, but when you purchase the bundle you'll get it all for just $79.95 plus you'll receive the KaiserCraft Tidy Handbag FREE! You can see what I created with the free handbag below. You'll also find handbag samples on Jen del Muro's blog and Laurie Schmidlin's blog today. Some of the Baker's Dozen is also showcasing the scalloped purse favors you'll receive in the bundle. You can see the samples on these blogs: Karen M., Jodi, Karen G., Charmaine, Sankari. One important note regarding the bundle, please specify the color of Flower Soft in the comments section of your order. You can choose from the colors shown here.

I have a few more deals to tell you about before I show you my release day creations! First, we're debuting two new Tiny Twinkles! Yes, the tiny twinkles you love are being joined by two friends... the clear twinkles and the multi-colored shape twinkles. When you purchase both of the new twinkles, you'll receive the original Multi-colored twinkles FREE! Click here for the special item to guarantee you get the freebie deal!

We're having a JustRite inventory blowout on the following items that are being discontinued from the JustRite catalog: Sonnet Self-inking Stamper, Chique Self-inking stamper, Monogram Stamper Kit, Birthday Stamp Ensemble, Harmony Classic Oval 1 Ensemble, and the Harmony Classic Oval 1 Blister Pack. Snatch up the last of these items at a 30% discount before they disappear for good! You can find all of our deals in the new "What's the Deal?" category.

One more thing... Taylored Expressions is now proud to offer Spellbinders dies! You can find them all in the new Spellbinders category. As usual, don't forget to check our Fresh Out of the Oven category for all the new products!

Every time my mom comes over to our house she pulls out the Fresh Flowers stamp set and declares, "I love this set!". She must have said it at least a dozen times. So I knew I wanted to make my mom a set of notecards for her Mother's Day gift using the Fresh Flowers set. She's probably reading this right now so Happy Mother's Day, Mom! *grin* I started by stamping and coloring six different flower and vase combinations. I colored them with Prismacolor pencils to match the SEI patterned paper I picked out. Then I used my JustRite Harmony Rectangular Stamper and Trompe Lowercase font to write out 'a note from linda'. I embossed the background with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and added a different colored button to each card with a little white bow to finish it off. Then I decided to store my set of notecards in one of the Large Perfect Packages. It fits approximately six cards and envelopes. I created a little place along the side to store postage stamps. I used my JustRite Vertical Stamper and Trompe Lowercase font to mark it's purpose and also for the "mom" frame I put inside the front cover. I also wanted to alter the KaiserCraft Tidy Handbag for another gift for my mom. This handbag is only available when you purchase our Special Lady Bundle. There are so many possibilties with this fun purse. It could be used as a pen holder, flower pot, gift card holder, or a place for the stash of chocolate we all keep near our desk, right!? It's made of sturdy MDF board and will require a little E6000 glue to put together, but it's totally worth it! My mom is one of those shopping divas I was referring to earlier and she definitely passed that trait on to me! So I created this purse to hold a gift card to her favorite store along with a little stash of her favorite candy, Hot Tamales! I painted the purse with Making Memories paint. Then I traced the scalloped portion (which comes separately so you can add it or not) onto patterned paper and adhered it to the front of the purse. I layered some buttons from the Foof-a-la Savannah collection (also available in the Special Lady Bundle) and added them to each scallop on the purse. I also added some wavy rhinestones around the front of the purse and on the handle. Then I finished it off with the sentiment tag and Bay Blue twill bow. Thanks for stopping by for our release! The Baker's Dozen has even more candy for you to feast your eyes on:

Ana Wohlfahrt, Charmaine Ikach, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Donna Baker, Jen del Muro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laura Fredrickson, Laurie Schmidlin, Sankari Wegman, Jami Sibley

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peeks - Day 2

What would a Taylored Expressions release be without Jessie Oleson's illustrations!? Well, definitely not as sweet! So today the Baker's Dozen and I are showing you some sneak peeks with our new Cuppie stamp set, Downtown Diva. For my first card, I stamped the shops in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them with Copic markers. I used patterned paper from W R Memory Keepers that I picked up at Michael's. I just couldn't resist the bright, springy colors! The twill is Apricot from the TE Store. To finish it off, I added little orange flower brads to each of the scallops on the border. And as usual, I couldn't stop with just one card! All of the patterned papers and matching cardstocks were still laying on my desk from the first card so I decided to use them again in a little different combination. I took one of my favorite images (the purses) and sentiments ("If friends were purses, I'd pick you!"). I stamped them in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them with Copic markers again. I used my Martha Stewart bubbly border punch that I picked up at Michael's yesterday... gosh, I've been shopping at Michael's a lot lately! To finish off the card I added some polka dot satin ribbon and Key Lime twill along with a metal purse charm. The Tuck & Close favor box from the TE Store matches the cute purse image perfectly so I decided to make a little gift card holder to be given along with the purse card. Before I assembled the box, I added the patterned paper and stamped the sentiment. I layered flowers and a leaf from the Mother's Day Key Ingredients and added a Flower Flourish crystal. Thanks for stopping by for our second day of sneak peeks! All of the new stamps (and lots of other goodies!) will be released at 8 AM PST on Sunday, April 5th! You'll want to make this your first stop tomorrow morning to find all of the new release details!

And don't miss the Downtown Diva inspiration from the rest of the Baker's Dozen: Ana Wohlfahrt, Charmaine Ikach, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Donna Baker, Jen del Muro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laura Fredrickson, Laurie Schmidlin, Sankari Wegman

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peeks - Day 1

Happy Friday and Happy Cupcake Day! Today is even sweeter than an ordinary cupcake day because the Baker's Dozen and I are kicking off sneak peeks for the next release, on April 5th at Taylored Expressions! Today we're showcasing the newest set in the Whimsical Wishes collection, Fresh Flowers. The endless possibilties for image combinations make this set one of our most versatile stamp sets! I guarantee it's different from all the flower sets you already own. In order to showcase our new set, I had to forgo the cupcakes on my sketch card. Instead I chose a bouquet of roses from the Fresh Flowers set. The image is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers. I added a few touches of Fruit Punch Stickles for a little sparkle. I cut and embossed the image with my Spellbinders classic circle die and layered it on a scalloped circle. The patterned papers, cardstock, and ribbon are from Mother's Day Key Ingredients kit available with this release. All of the coordinating components work perfectly with the Fresh Flowers set! The Featured Cupcake Sampler is taking a break this week, but we'll resume the Featured Sampler again with next week's challenge. So now it's your turn to to try the sketch! I'll choose the most clever, creative, and cute creation from the submissions this weekend to be the Featured Cupcake Sampler next week. Your design and blog will be featured on my blog during Cupcake Friday. You're not required to use cupcakes for the challenge, but if you got 'em why not use 'em!? If you're uploading to Splitcoast use keyword TECC62 (for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge 62). I'm also giving away a free Tiny Twinkle to one random winner from among all the people who upload their sketch challenge cards to PaperCraftPlanet using the same TECC62 keyword. So while you're uploading your card to SCS and your blog, hop over to PCP and enter yourself in the fun there! Then come back here and leave a link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so I can check it out! You must have your cards uploaded by Monday, April 6th at 8am PST to be eligible for the featured cupcake sampler. Now you know I couldn't stop with just one card, right!? So I created this scene with the table, vase, and flower stem and colored it with Copic markers. I cut the image with a Spellbinders long rectangle die and popped it up with foam tape over the top of more patterned paper from the Mother's Day Key Ingredients. I added some crystal swirls and a little flower charm (more to come on those later!) to finish it all off. The card fits in an A10 envelope. That's all I have for today, but there are lots of other ladies excited to show you their goodies with the newest Taylored Expressions stamps!

Check out what the Baker's Dozen has created: Jodi, Denise, Laura, Jen, Karen G, Charmaine, Ana, Dawn, Sankari, Donna, and Karen M.

And you can find more sketch challenge inspiration from the wonderful cupcake crew: Jami, Sherrie, Jackie, Steph, Monika, Lynn, Ana, Vicki and Donna.

Sweet Spring Flowers

Did you know it's that time of the month again? It's time for another release at Taylored Expressions! Sneak peeks start on Friday with the release on Sunday, April 5th. The Baker's Dozen and I are so excited to show you our newest stamp set in the Whimsical Wishes collection and of course our sweet cuppie! So that's the reason for my absence yesterday... just needed some time to put some final touches all the goodies! I did have a quick chance to pull out my Spring Flowers (a combination of sheer, sparkly blossoms and felt flowers) for this quick card. It was so simple to layer these flowers and leaves and connect them with a brad in the center. I punched out four white squares to attach each flower to and then pierced around each square on the blue layer. I added the 'sweet spring' tag using a sentiment from the Sweet Spring set and one of my Spellbinders tag dies. And I just can't stop using my new EK Success border punch! Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you'll all tune in for a sweet Cupcake Friday celebration to kick off the new release!