More is More

Happy Friday!  It’s vacation week for us and we just returned home from Santa Barbara last night.  We stayed 3 nights in a wonderful Bed & Breakfast just a block from the beach.   Since I was gone this week, I didn’t get a card made for the new Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge, but I do have something to share with you today.

My August Stamp Class is scheduled for next Friday, August 19th, and the focus will be the new Stampin’ Up! catalog.  We’ll be creating 3 projects featuring new stamp sets and papers from SU and I’ll be the hostess for a Stampin’ Up! order.  Class is $15 and I have just a few spots open at the moment. I’d love to have you join me!  Or if you can’t make it, but would like to place an order, let me know.

Here’s one of the cards we’ll be making in class.

This card features two new sets: Button Buddies and Pursuit of Happiness.  I think they pair up perfectly!  You can scroll down to see another card I made with them last week.  If you’d like to come to class, click the contact me button in my sidebar and shoot me an e-mail.  I’ll sent you instructions on how to enroll.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy Monday!  I have a special project to share with you today.  This was a gift that, although I put together fairly quickly, it was created with a lot of love.  Unfortunately my photos aren’t the best because I had to snap them somewhat last minute before I gave this gift to a friend, but hopefully you’ll get the idea.  🙂

First I’ll show you the gift bag that features Embrace Beauty from Taylored Expressions.

When I created this bag I dug through a drawer full of older 6×6 designer paper pads.  I came across Basic Grey Stella Ruby and knew it would be perfect with this stamp set.  I used the Spellbinders Fleur de Lis die set and a Martha Stewart wide border punch to embellish the design of the bag.  Here’s a close up of the tag.

The silhouette image was stamped in River Rock ink and the sentiment was overstamped in Espresso. I love the soft look of these images in lighter inks like River Rock and Crumb Cake.  I used linen thread to hang the tag from two points.

The main gift inside the bag was a set of encouraging Bible verses in vertical badge holders.  I’ve wanted to do this for a really long time and I think I got the original idea from Becca Feeekan’s blog.

I used verses from Verve,  Stampin’ Up and Taylored Expressions along with Spellbinder dies and dies from TE.  I kep each tag pretty simple to showcase the verse.  I didn’t get a photo of each individual tag, but here are a couple of them:

 I love how this turned out and this is a project I’d like to do again.  I love the idea of having verses at your fingertips!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Saturday!  I hope you are having a great weekend.  I mentioned yesterday that I made two samples for my DTGD Challenge.  I wanted to share my second sample with you today.

This card is SUO (oh except for the KaiserCraft black rhinestones.)  I’m planning a Stampin’ Up! Class for August 19th so of course I had to order some new stuff!  The first set I wanted from the new catty was Button Buddies.  I just thought the images were all sooooo cute!  For todays’ card I paired it with a new SU sentiment set – Pursuit of Happiness.  The sentiments in this set just spoke to me and I wanted it immediately!  Cardstock used here is Limeade and Black.  I used rhe rock’n’roll inking technique with various colors of ink on these flowers.  I used an embossing folder over just part of the image panel to add some textural interest.

So have you guessed yet what my challenge is?  If your a Splitcoast Fan Club Member please come play!

Thanks for stopping by.  Enjoy your weekend!

Happy Friday!  It is my turn to host a Dare to Get Dirty Challenge over at Splitcoaststampers!  If you’re already a Fan Club Member and playing along this week, you can just scroll down to my sample and then come on over and play.  However, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, allow me to explain.

SCS is the biggest stamping community on the web and membership has always been free.  Back in the day when it was owned by it’s creator, Daven Nolta, and the growth of the membership exploded it started getting expensive to maintain.  Daven insisted on keeping the site free, but members began to make donations to keep things running.  This is how the Fan Club was born.  And as a thank you to the Fan Club Members, the Dirty Dozen Design Team was formed.  This is a team of 12 talented designers who create projects for a specially themed gallery each month that is only available to Fan Club Members.  Dirty Girls consider it a huge honor to be asked to serve a 6 month term on the team.

I was lucky enough to be on the Dirty Dozen back in 2006.  The first Dare to Get Dirty week was held in the Summer of 2007 to give Fan Club Member a chance to play along and chat with DD Alumni.  It was a huge hit and has been held every Summer ever since.  We host several challenges every day for a week and you can play as few or as many as you’d like.   If you’re interested in becoming a Fan Club Member you can get all the info by clicking here.

Here’s the first sample for my challenge.  Can you guess what the challenge is?

You’re probably not shocked that I used the new Taylored Expressions set Embrace Beauty, huh?  I’m just a little stuck on this set at the moment. (Although I did also make a 2nd SUO sample, that I will share tomorrow.)  I was so excited to receive the Echo Park Victoria Gardens 6×6 pad in the mail the other day!  I have been chomping at the bit to get this pad and I was NOT disapointed!  It is GORGEOUS!  Here I’ve paired it with SU Pear and Black cardstocks.  Other supplies used are Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Doily Motifs die, Kaiser Craft black pearls and Smooch Illuminate (all from TE).  I just love how this turned out!

Don’t forget – there is still time to win your favorite stamp set from the Taylored Expressions.  Just pop in to the TE Forum and let us know which new set is your fave and you’ll be entered to win.  You have through Saturday night at 6 pm PST to enter.

I hope you’ll come on over to SCS and play in my challenge.  It’s a pretty easy one, I think.  😉  Thanks for stopping by!

TE Release Day!

• All of the new products are now available for purchase! Check out the Fresh Out of the Oven Department and Taylor’s Blog for all the deets!
• More projects from the Baker’s Dozen to inspire you.  Just follow the link list below.
• Another chance to win… head on over tothe TE Forum and tell us your favorite stamp set from this release. We’ll be choosing one person to win their favorite set FREE!  You have until Saturday August 6th at 6 pm PST to enter to win.

I’m back with a couple more Embrace Beauty projects and everything is now available for purchase in the TE Store!  I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the ideas I have for creating with this stamp set!  And I so so so loved seeing the samples created by Taylor and the Baker’s Dozen girls!

First up today I have a CAS card –

I started by making a sponging template from a Nesties circle cut out of a square piece of copy paper.  I sponged regal Rose and So Saffron ink within the circle on Naturals White cardstock.  Then I removed the template and stamped the silhouette image in Not Quite Navy ink over the top.  I added some piercing (for my friend Bev’s DTGD Challenge), Kaisercraft pearls, and used some rose grosgrain ribbon for texture and interest.  Super simple.

My next card shows how Embrace Beauty also coordinates with Summer Afternoon.

For this card I pulled out an old favorite Kaleidacolor pad (do they even sell those anymore?) and I brayered it onto some glossy white cardstock.  I stamped the leafy round frame image from Summer Afternoon in black ink.  Then I heat embossed the circular butterfly image from EB with black ink and clear powder twice – once on Limeade cardstock and again on Bermuda Bay.  I punched out the limeade circle with a 1 3/4″ punch.  Then I cut out the butterfly and popped it up on foam dots.  The sentiment is also embossed and popped up.  I added some Want2Scrap black rhinestone swirls to finish it off.

So there you have two very different looks from the same stamp set.  Be sure to check out all the release details on Taylor’s blog.  There are some fun bundle options.  Also be sure to hop over to SCS to enter the release prize drawing!  Now let’s see what the Baker’s Dozen had cooked up for Release Day!

• Charmaine Ikach
• Danielle Lounds
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• Melody Rupple
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tori Wild
• Wanda Guess
• Nancy McKinney

Tomorrow is my day to host one of the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges, so I’ll be back in the morning with my sample for that.  I hope you’ll stop by!

August Release At a Glance

• We have sneak peeks to share Monday through Wednesday.  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Thursday, August 4th at 8 am PST. You’ll find it all in the Fresh out of the Oven Department at the Taylored Expressions Store.
• Join us as a fan on Facebook for an early peek at the stamp sets, as well as a SPECIAL Facebook GIVEAWAY, on Wednesday night beginning at approximately 6 pm PST.
• Angel Bundle Prize Drawing: We’re very excited to be supporting the Angel Tree with Joy to the World, the newest set in the TE Giving Tree Program.  If you’d like to be entered to win our Angel Bundle Prize Pack (Joy to the World Full Sized Stamp Set, Angel Kisses Taylored Card Kit, and the Musical Swirls Taylored Impression Plate) simply click over to the Angel Tree website and find the answer to this question: “Name the founder of Angel Tree.” (You’ll want to read the touching story of how Angel Tree got started while you’re there!)  E-mail Taylored Expressions with the answer in the subject line of your e-mail by Wednesday at 6pm PST.  The winner will be announced on Taylor’s blog at approximately 10 pm PST Wednesday night (tonight.)

I’m back with another TE Sneak Peek.  Tomorrow is release Day, so the wait is almost over!  Today the Baker’s Dozen has peeks of full sized set Wild West, Petite sets Moka Jane, Moka Jesse, and Moka Angel, as well as a new word A la Carte – School.  My sample showcases Wild West along with Moka Jane all designed by Nancy McKinney for the Whimsical Wishes Line and MOKA Collection.

As soon as I saw Karen’s Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge I pictured this card in my head.  I started by stamping the saloon doors and the wanted poster on TE Choice Buttercream cardstock.  Then I drew in the sidewalk boards.  Everything was colored with copics and then I cut out around the the outside of the saloon doors, so the whole thing could be mounted on a panle of kraft/crumbcake cardstock.  Before attaching the images, I rubbed crumbcake ink DTP over the kraft panel to give it a more textured look.  Jesse was stamped on Buttercream and colored with copics.  Then I cut her out and popped her up on foam tape.  I used the Star Border Taylored Die for the three stripe elements of the sketch.  The patterned papers are Pink Paislee Hometown Summer 6×6.  I loved that the gingham pattern was a rosy pink.   There is a layer of Chocolate Chop cardstock that has been distressed with and edge distressing tool.  The sentiment reads “Been missin’ you something’ fierce!”.  And did you notice the wanted poster?  It says “WANTED – ALIVE and KICKING”.  I think that’s such a cute detail.  And isn’t Jesse such an awesome cowgirl?  Love her!

This card is also for two of the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges this week.  All SCS Fan Club Members are invited to play all week long.  If you’re not a member, you can still sign up!

Of course after my card was totally finished I looked at it and thought I should have stitched around the edges.  Oh well…there’s always something I think of too late.  LOL!

Time to see what the rest of the Baker’s Dozen has cooked up:

Charmaine Ikach
Danielle Lounds
Jami Sibley 
Jodi Collins
Karen Giron
Melissa Sauls
Melody Rupple
Nancy McKinney
Regina Mangum
Sankari Wegman
Taylor VanBruggen
Tori Wild
Wanda Guess

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy hopping!

Happy Tuesday!  I’m super excited to jump in on the TE sneaks today!  I hope you’ll love what you see when you hop around today!

August Release At a Glance

• We have sneak peeks to share Monday through Wednesday.  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Thursday, August 4th at 8 am PST. You’ll find it all in the Fresh out of the Oven Department at the Taylored Expressions Store.
• Join us as a fan on Facebook for an early peek at the stamp sets, as well as a SPECIAL Facebook GIVEAWAY, on Wednesday night beginning at approximately 6 pm PST.
• Angel Bundle Prize Drawing: We’re very excited to be supporting the Angel Tree with Joy to the World, the newest set in the TE Giving Tree Program.  If you’d like to be entered to win our Angel Bundle Prize Pack (Joy to the World Full Sized Stamp Set, Angel Kisses Taylored Card Kit, and the Musical Swirls Taylored Impression Plate) simply click over to the Angel Tree website and find the answer to this question: “Name the founder of Angel Tree.” (You’ll want to read the touching story of how Angel Tree got started while you’re there!)  E-mail Taylored Expressions with the answer in the subject line of your e-mail by Wednesday at 6pm PST.  The winner will be announced on Taylor’s blog at approximately 10 pm PST Wednesday night.

Today we are showcasing two new full sized stamp sets along with lots of Taylored Dies and a new Impression plate.  First up on the menu is a set presented by yours truly *GRIN* and expertly and beautifully illustrated by Nancy McKinney!  I can’t tell you how excited I am to finally have this set in actual rubber, as it’s a concept I presented quite awhile ago based on some home decor pieces in our living room.  The set is called Embrace Beauty and it features a total of 9 imags and sentiments.  You’ll see that there are two sizes of circular silhouette images that work with a 1 3/4″ punch, Spellbinders Classic Circles (both small and large depending on your preference) and Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Dies (all available in the TE Store.)

I’ve had so many ideas floating around in my head for this set that I really didn’t know where to start.  (I’ll have some more samples with Embrace Beauty on Thursday.)  For this 5.25″ square card I started with patterned paper from the Authentique Uncoomon 6×6 pad and added Basic Gray and Basic Black cardstocks.  Both the focal image and the sentiment are heat embossed on Gray cardstock using white craft ink and white embossing powder.  (Of course this bird image is my very favorite in the set – no surprise there – but there are also gorgeous butterflies and a dragonfly.)  This was die cut with Standard Circles Small and layered onto Standard Circles large and Fleur de Lis Doily Motifs.  The sentiment was die cut with Ribbon Tags Trio 3.  KaiserCraft pearls in two colors were added around and on the image.

Embrace Beuaty was designed to also coordinate with Summer Afternoon, Care & Comfort, and Discover Your Wings.

Next up is Bugabee which was the concept of Baker’s Dozen designer Charmaine Ikach.  It was illustrated by Taylor for the *TE* Collection.  I’m so excited for Charmaine, as this is her first stamp set for Taylored Expressions!  Bugabee includes 27 images to combine and layer to create flowers, lady bugs, bees, butterflies and more!  It’s a super fun bold and graphic set that includes several large sentiments.  And there are two sets of dies to coordinate with it as well.

For my sample I used a color bright color palette of Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait and Black.  Wow – no patterned paper here – just some good old fashioned stamping!  LOL!  I stamped the flowers on the white panel and then embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder.  The butterfly was created with an image in the set that can be bug wings, a flower, or leaves.   I saw a butterfly with it.  I wonder what you’ll see? (Notice how the butterfly wings are a larger version of the same shape I used for the flower leaves?)  I used the rock’n’roll inking technique on my butterfly wings and added some sparkly clear rhinestones. You are going to love playing with this oh-so-clever set!

Now it’s time to see what the rest of the Baker’s Dozen has cooked up with these two new sets!

• Charmaine Ikach
  Danielle Lounds
  Jami Sibley  <– you are here!
  Jodi Collins
  Karen Giron
  Melissa Sauls
  Melody Rupple
  Nancy McKinney
  Regina Mangum
  Sankari Wegman
  Taylor VanBruggen
  Tori Wild
  Wanda Guess

• Don’t forget to enter the drawing for the Angel Prize Package Giveway – info on that is at the top of my post.  It’s easy to enter!  Thanks for stopping by.  I’ll be back tomorrow with a Western peek.  😉  I’d LOVE to hear what you think of what you’ve seen so far!