Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Freshly Made Sketches: Warm Thoughts

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jennifer Timko!



It was a cold and rainy weekend as I was working on this.  Since my husband refuses to turn the furnace on until November (if I'm lucky) and I woke up to a 53°F house - the fireplace was on much of the weekend also.  I hate to admit it - but it was wonderful!!  Fall weather has begun and I adore fall.  So clearly I was going to go for a fall focus for my card.

FMS Warm Thoughts

I love the crisp weather and the frost on the bright fall leaves - so I representing that on my fall cards with bright colors on white.  The leaf was from a panel I did when I got my first Distress Oxides.  I've kept every practice panel just in case they come in handy - and this one did!  I played around with some right autumn plaids for the my background strip but I ended up keeping it neutral too.

It's truly a fun sketch - I hope to see you playing along!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Hero Arts Coloring Layering Fall Trees (sentiment)
Dies: Taylored Expressions Mega Leaves, My Favorite Things - one of the Fishtail sets, Stampin' Up Layering Circles Framelits
Paper: Kaisercraft Base Coat 6 1/2" pad
Inks: Distress Oxides (I did this panel when I first got the inks and I cannot remember which colors they are), Versamark with WOW! Opaque Bright White Super Fine embossing powder
Sequins: Hero Arts Ombre Sunshine

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Freshly Made Sketches: Iconic Birthday

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Mitchell.


I need a birthday card to give to my sister-in-law tonight!  She's not a girly-pink kind of person so I went for richer colors.  This cupcake with the sentiments right in it, plus their coordinating dies, made it all come together easily.

FMS306

Then I got it all done and realized that the cupcake isn't currently available.  Sorry!!  It was a party favor during Taylored Expression's 9th birthday last week.  BUT...I'm told that it will be available for purchase sometime in the future so keep watching!

Hope to see you playing along!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Taylored Expressions Iconic Wishes Birthday Stamp & Die Combo (available in the future)
Dies: Taylored Expressions Stitched Rectangles Stacklets
Patterned Paper: Simple Stories We are...Family 6x6 pad.
Ink: Taylored Expressions Chocolate Truffle, Cookie Monster
Embellishments: Taylored Expressions Enamel Shapes in Lemon Meringe, Cooke Monster and Cherry Pop

Friday, September 15, 2017

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Hang Out

It's time for a new challenge at the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Hang Out.

decorpad.com
Be sure to check out the rest of the design team on our challenge blog and our guest designer, Jen Shears from Jen Shears Designs.

I was inspired by the bright colors and all of the open white space - even within the pattern on the pink pillows.

CC Hang Out

I love that flower!  It's actually an overlay to a card-size cutting plate that say "With Sympathy" but I think it works perfectly well on its own.  The kraft cardstock was inspired by the carpet.  I'm not 100% sold on the blue enamel dots - I wanted so badly to tone them down, but they are really a perfect match for the blue in the inspiration photo so I left them.

I hope to see you "hanging out" and playing along with our challenge!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Taylored Expressions In & Out Birthday, Striped Background (in Versamark on the kraft)
Dies: Taylored Expressions Blooms Overlay
Cardstock: various - to match the inspiration photo
Other: Doodlebug Glitter Sprinkles Blue Jean


Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Freshly Made Sketches: A Purple Birthday

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Amy.


I have a work friend with a birthday tomorrow.  She is passionate about purple!  So I had no choice but to combine some purple papers and a glittery balloon!

FMS Purple Birthday

When I got done, I felt the balloon was too high - or maybe the whole design was too high.  I tried to compensate with some heavier sequins to the bottom to draw the eye down, but I don't think it was overly successful.  Oh well - sometimes I just need to get over myself, don't I??!!

I hope to see you playing along!

SUPPLY LIST



Thursday, September 7, 2017

TE Release Day: Harvest Thanks

It's release day at Taylored Expressions!!  Everything you have seen this week is now available. I'm not going to chat much because there's shopping to do.  And you definitely have to head over to the Taylored Expressions blog and check out the winners of all of the birthday prizes!

This release includes the fall additions to the Sitting Pretty line of dies.  It's Sitting Pretty - Fall Accessories. I've used bits and pieces of them over the last few days - but today I focused on them by placing them over By the Fireside.

Taylored Expressions Sitting Pretty Fall

To get the fall colors, I sponged Granny Smith, Dijon and Candy Corn onto a scrap piece of paper and then cut the leaf banner.  I then noticed some extra portions with Dijon and Candy Corn and decided to cut the fire pieces out of them for a softer look. A little Bead Board Embossing on the walls and some Brick Embossing in the fireplace and I have the scene that I wish I were relaxing in front of right now!!  (I love all things autumn!)

Taylored Expressions Sitting Pretty Fall

Here's my supply list and be sure to keep reading for one more card!

SUPPLY LIST


I love images that do all of the work!  If you've been following the release this week, you've seen the promo for Iconic Wishes - Birthday which is a fun cupcake with the sentiment right in the frosting and cupcake!  We also have Iconic Wishes - Fall Stamp & Die Combo.

Taylored Expressions Iconic Wishes Fall

I used my Mini Misti Stamping Tool to ink just the tip of the leaf in Dijon; stamped it; then inked the rest in Sweet Basil.  The Leafy Branch is in Dijon - I did add a bit of sparkle to the leaves because I love the autumn contrast of rich fall colors with the frost. A few frosty sequins and a sentiment from the same stamp set - and I have a quick and easy Thanksgiving card!

Taylored Expressions Iconic Wishes Fall

This is just a quick post because it's time to head over to the TE blog for links to all of the designers and to find out if you have a party favor!!  Then head over to the TE Store because it's full of new products!

SUPPLY LIST


Wednesday, September 6, 2017

TE Sneak Peeks Day 3: Sketches and Party Favors

It's day 3 of sneak peeks for the September release from Taylored Expressions and it's a really big day!!  I have three cards to show you - all different themes - and there's three more chances at prizes and favors (read all the way to the bottom).


First, you can help Taylored Expressions celebrate nine years of sharing joy by creating a card using this fabulous sketch! Then be sure to enter for a chance to win one of nine amazing prize packs of Taylor's nine favorite crafty things each valued at over $115. Best of all, one luck winner will be chosen by Taylor to join the Creative Team as a Guest Designer for the October Release and will receive an incredible prize package of the newest TE goodies! Click here for all the details!  [The sketch is due TODAY so do not wait!!]

Here's my take on the sketch using the brand new Peek-a-Boo Birthday along with a little cheese from the previously released Little Bits - Mac & Cheese.

Taylored Expressions Birthday Sketch

I was going to go with Enamel Shapes down the side but for some reason, I decided some slices of cheese made sense and would be oddly cute!

Taylored Expressions Birthday Sketch

I did sneak a sneak peek of Peek-a-Boo Birthday into the sketch.  Here's the supply list, but keep reading for two more sneak peeks!!

SUPPLY LIST




One more party favor before my next peek because it wouldn't be a party without a favor! So for a limited time, when you spend $50 or more at the TE Web Store, you’ll earn this super sweet Iconic Wishes - Birthday stamp & die combo FREE!




Now I'm going to totally change directions.  I have another card that I'm using for Thanksgiving.  It's the new Big Blooms - Sunflower which would go in many directions but I also wanted to use the new Thanks Script.

Taylored Expressions Big Bloom Sunflower

To make the "thanks" die work for Thanksgiving I found an appropriately sized "give" in the Fall Florals set and I masked it off to just stamp the "give"!

I used Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks to watercolor my flowers.  I love how that ink works on kraft-colored paper.  I just pressed some ink onto a craft sheet and then used a water brush to add the color. The white embossing repels it so it makes it so easy to just slop it on and it still looks good!!
Taylored Expressions Big Blooms Sunflower

One more sneak peek after this supply list and it's an even bigger change in direction.

SUPPLY LIST




My next card uses the new Sympathy Blooms Cutting Plate.  This is an essential in any collection for those sympathy cards that can be so hard to make.  I think this is a lovely card and it has absolutely nothing to do with my creativity or abilities.  It's literally 2 colors of cardstock, the die and some enamel shapes.

Taylored Expressions Sympathy Blooms

There is also the option to step it up.  Another new die set called Blooms Overlay work perfectly as overlays to the flowers and leaves on the cutting plate (or they can work on their own.)  But those of you who follow me know that I don't step it up very often so you won't see it on my blog - be sure to check out the rest of the creative team.)  Here's a close-up of the cutting plate with my simple take on it.

Taylored Expressions Sympathy Blooms

The big day is almost here.  The full release is available tomorrow morning.  I'll have two more fall cards to show you and then it will be time to shop!

SUPPLY LIST