Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!

Yay, it's one of my favorite times of the month... time for the Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop! The theme this month is Going Green!

Once again, the wonderful Sankari Wegman has created a great sketch for us to play with.

Here's what I've come up with:

My card features images from the Discover Your Wings stamp set... a true classic! I've paired them with the gorgeous green patterned paper and coordinating brads from the February Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit. This month's kit is truly versatile, featuring five color choices from the Lush collection by My Mind's Eye. There's still time to subscribe and get this month's kit. You'll find all the deets right here!

Enjoy the hop!

Sending You Hugs and Kisses

Happy Friday! Just a few more hours and it will be the start of a three-day weekend. Woo hoo!!!

I'm sure missing the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge, aren't you? Hopefully Taylor will get that going again soon. In the meantime, I'm sharing a super simple card I created using elements from the February Key Ingredients Kit. This one appears in the February Inspiration Sheets, another wonderful feature of subscribing to Key Ingredients. I'm tellin' ya, Taylor's kits make it as easy as pie to whip up beautiful cards/projects in no time! Have you checked out the Key Ingredients Blog and Gallery lately? There's no end of great ideas there!

My card features the super cute Sealed With a Kiss petite stamp set. I just love those adorable penguins! Absolutely everything else came from this month's Key Ingredients Kit. Super cute, super simple in a snap!

It's not too late to subscribe and start with the February Key Ingredients Kit. You'll find all the information about the benefits of subscription HERE. I think one of the best is that you can purchase additional items from the store at 10% with NO ADDITIONAL SHIPPING. Yowser!!!

Have a wonderful day, my friends. I'll be back soon with more to share!

February Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit Release!

Hi all! Happy Friday! I'm popping in to share with you some goodies I made with this month's Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit. Every month when my kit arrives I think "this one's my favorite!" And of course it always is (*grin*). That's because Taylor pulls together fun patterned papers, coordinating cardstock and ribbon, and wonderful embellies that make card-making and other paper crafting projects a breeze!

For example, here are three note cards I made in no time at all! Each is 3 1/2" square.

The pink and green cards feature images from the Friendship Blooms stamp set, which I cut out with the coordinating dies Leafy Branch Die and Friendship Bloom Dies. I love love love coordinating dies! The images are stamped in Maroon and Dark Moss Colorbox Chalk Ink. The smooth coverage of chalk inks is wonderful!

The third card shows how easy it is to make cards without stamping using elements from the Key Ingredients Kits!

Tip: I cut the prongs off of the brad and then glued it to the bow. Oh, and I LOVE the velvet texture of this patterned paper and the coordinating ribbon. Yum!

Remember, if you're already a subscriber, then your February kit will be on its way to your doorstep on the 15th. And in the meantime, you can place orders for 10% plus free shipping at the TE Store! You should have received your subscriber discount email already with your special coupon code. A few more things to remember:

1. You can find all of the February coordinating products HERE. This is a great way to get extra mileage out of your kit while knowing that everything will still match beautifully!

2. The design team is continuously adding projects to the Key Ingredients Gallery so make sure you check back often!

If you're not yet a subscriber, what are you waiting for? Click here to learn more about subscribing or click here for the Key Ingredients FAQ page!

Enjoy!

Sending you love...

Hey y'all! Happy Thursday! I can't believe it's Thursday already. Gee wiz, where is the time going? And why am I not more caught up? Next week... that's it... I'll get caught up next week after I get back from CHA. Can't wait to go!!!

I was playing around in my neglected craft room last night and whipped up this card. I'm in LOVE with the yummy papers and other goodies in this month's Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit... it works well for both Valentine and birthday cards/projects. I just got the new Wreath of Love Bundle and I'm one happy girl! I can't wait to use the birdies next. I have a special fondness for birds, especially their song. :)

If you haven't already subscribed to Key Ingredients, what are you waiting for? There is an amazing New Subscriber special going on... check the blog for all the deets. There's never a shortage of inspiration, either, in the Gallery. Oh baby!

Thanks for stopping in today! I'll be back soon with more goodies...

Taylored Expressions January Key Ingredients!

Today is not only the day that the January Key Ingredients Kits start shipping, but it's also my day to post on the Key Ingredients Blog! Be sure to jump on over there to read more about my project AND to read about the special offer for new, current and former KI subscribers, plus all the new benefits of membership that debut this month!!!

All I can say is MEOWWWW!

Happy New Year's Eve!

Happy New Year's Eve! Whatever you do to celebrate, I wish you good cheer and safety! We're staying in because we're getting up early tomorrow morning and heading to Disneyland to start the new year off at the Happiest Place on Earth!

In the meantime, I thought I'd pop in with a card I made to warm up my mojo featuring images from the Winter Wonderland stamp set by Taylored Expressions, as well as the coordinating dies. I've also used cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon and embellies from my Taylored Expressions December Key Ingredients Kit.

If you happen to see this in time and want the December kit, HURRY!!! I believe it's only available through today! If you miss it, then you'll definitely want to sign up for a Key Ingredients subscription so you won't miss January's kit!!! I've said it before, and I'll say it again... Taylor's Key Ingredients kits are the BEST and make it so easy to create beautiful cards in no time! Everything coordinates perfectly!

Since my mojo is in serious need of reviving, I decided to start with a good sketch. The best place to find one is the Taylored Expressions Sketch Books, the links to which you can find on the Taylored Expressions Blog. I chose Sketch 82 and went to work.

I inked the edges of the patterned paper with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I stamped the greeting in Colorbox Dark Brown chalk ink, and then the snowflakes in Ocean Tides and Aqua Mist ink by Papertrey Ink. I die cut one of the medium sized snowflakes with the coordinating die and then die cut a plain large snowflake to act as a mat for the smaller snowflake.

After tying a bow with a piece of the kit ribbon, I wrapped the prongs of one of the snowflake brads from the kit around the middle of the bow and then pushed the prongs through a small hole I made in the stamped snowflake and spread the prongs flat so it sits nice and snug on top of the ribbon and the matted snowflake. I added tiny rhinestones from the kit to the centers two of the snowflakes just for good measure. 

For more ideas of ways to use your KI kit, be sure to drop by our Gallery!


On a personal note, I know I've been absent most of December... basically, since just before Thanksgiving... but all is well. It's been a time focused on family and friends and enjoying the holidays, which is what it's all about. I'll gradually get back to full swing in January.

I say "gradually," because there has been a recent family development which requires my attention. The day has finally come for our dear step-grandmother, who is 100 years and seven months old, to be moved into assisted living. Yep, she's been living on her own (with folks coming in to help) up until now. It's a step she hoped she'd never have to take...preferring (like all of us, I suppose) to pass peacefully one night in her own apartment...but the Lord has other ideas. We pray we'll find just the right place for her where she'll be comfortable and the folks will be kind to her and blessing to her, and she to them. So Paul and I will be going back and forth to Arizona over the next few weeks to help her and his mom. I expect this will cut into some of my crafting time, but family comes first!

I hope you and yours had a fabulous Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Festive Season. And here's hoping we all  have a very Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas!

My card features an image and greeting from the Christmas Blessings stamp set by Taylored Expressions, paired with cardstock, patterned paper and rhinestone from the December Key Ingredients Kit.

You Shouldn't Have...

But I'm glad you did! Hey everyone! Thanks for stopping by today. I know everyone is into the busy-ness of the season, which makes your taking the time to visit that much more special. :)

Today is the day that the December Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kits ship. Hurray! Wait until you see this month's kit! It will surely knock your socks off! It's full of wonderful patterned papers from the Wintertime collection by Echo Park, plus snowflake brads, clear Tiny Twinkles, coordinating ribbon and cardstock. Yum!!!

The KI challenge this month is to make Christmas thank-you cards. What a great idea! We concentrate on getting our Christmas cards done and in the mail, but what about thank-you cards for after the holidays?

Since time is short these days, I came up with a super simple card that you can replicate in a snap.

First, you'll want to cut and assemble all the pieces. The card base is one half of a sheet of cardstock cut lengthwise to create a card that is 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". The patterned papers are 2 3/4" x 4 1/4". To save paper, rather than cut a full mat to place behind the patterned paper, I cut thin strips (1/8" x 4 1/4") to adhere at the top and bottom of the patterned paper.

The berries embellishment is cut from a branch I purchased at Michael's. They are clearing out these holiday sprigs... this one cost me a dollar. Score!

Next I stamped the greeting from Hangin' Out at the North Pole directly onto the patterned paper using Memento Tuxedo black ink.

After adhering the stamped patterned paper to the card bases, I adhered the thin red strips to the tops and bottoms of each one. Here's a tip: when affixing thin strips such as these, a temporary adhesive, such as Herma's Dotto, works well because any excess will rub right off.

The last step was to add the berries. I used Mini Glue Dots, hiding them under the berries. Voila! Quick and easy, but with a lot of punch, don't you think?

Be sure to visit Taylor's blog and the rest of the KI Design Team to see what they have come up with... no doubt stunning!

Jen Tapler

Jessica Diedrich

Lynn Put

Melody Rupple

and Taylor!

Don't forget, for inspiration any time, be sure to check out the Key Ingredients Gallery!

I'll be back soon with more inspiration of my own. This kit gives me lots of great ideas!

TGIF!!!

Yes indeed, TGIF!!! Why? Because we're back with another Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge!!

I love this sketch, don't you? I couldn't resist pulling out my November Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit. I'm in love with Modern Homemaker by October Afternoon, which is part of this month's kit, AND the new What's Cookin'  stamp set and coordinating dies! Everything except the buttons was in the kit, so my card came together quickly and easily. I love it!

Why don't you come along and play with us this week? You know you want to! Especially once you see what the rest of the Sketch Crew has created:

Alice Wertz: Alice's Little Wonderland
Jami Sibley: More is More
Lori Craig: Make a Difference
Melissa Sauls: In Stamping Mode 

Monika Davis: M.A.D. Stamper
Rachel  Sztonyk: Gingerbread Gallery
Sherrie Siemens: Card Creme 

and of course Taylor herself: Taylored Expressions

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a fabby day!!!

Note: This is my second post for today. Please scroll down for my La-La Land Crafts post and announcement. Thanks!

Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!

Hey everyone! It's time once again to show our "older" Taylored Expressions stamp sets some love!!! The creative focus this month is Autumn/Thankful.

Once again the incredibly talented Sankari Wegman has created a wonderful sketch for us. I decided to lean a little more towards the "thankful" side of this month's theme for my card. Of course this time of year is when all the seasonal flavors come out at Starbucks, and all I can say is YUMMO!!! Have you tried the Gingerbread Latte? How about Peppermint Mocha? I can't decide which I love more. And then there's Egg Nog... hmmmmm....

But I digress! My card features images from both the Take Note and Let's Do Coffee stamp sets. I used cardstock, patterned paper and ribbon (red rick-rack) from the November Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit. You KNOW I love my KI kits! I also used a couple of Black Candy Dots on the label, and covered the coffee cups with Glossy Accents to make them look more like real ceramic. Some black zig zag stitching and voila!

You can join us next time! Just lick the blinkie on the left to find out how! Enjoy!

Taylored Expressions November Key Ingrediens Kit Challenge!

What a wonderful way to start the week!!! Today Taylored Expressions ships the November Key Ingredients Kit to all subscribers and it is definitely one of my all-time faves!!! I am head-over-heels in LOVE with October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker patterned paper!!! And, of course, Taylor adds the perfectly coordinating cardstock, ribbon and embellies so that your papercrafting projects come together in a snap!

The November Key Ingredients Challenge: There's a modern homemaker in all of us, right? For our challenge this month, create something to spice up your kitchen, or anything featuring kitchen icons or food (food stamp images or real food!).

Haha, this is a funny challenge for me, who is NOT what you'd call a culinary queen. In fact, my husband does most of the cooking. I'm the one who makes reservations or phones in the take-out! lol But I've made a couple of things that I actually find handy in the kitchen. The first is a notepad! I need these to make shopping and honey-do lists!

My projects were made using the goodies in the November Key Ingredients Kit. The notepad is actually half of a standard paper pad, which Staples was happy to cut in two for me. I used cardstock to make the cover, which required a bit of scoring and piecing at the top since the pad is a bit taller that 11" and I wanted to completely cover the top, going over the edge and a few inches down on the back. The cardstock is scored just above the red rick-rack at the top so that the cover lifts easily in order to write on the paper inside.

The apron is from the brand new What's Cookin' stamp set (which I LOVE!)... I stamped it on Choice Buttercream cardstock, and then again on two different patterns of  Modern Homemaker to paper piece the image. I die cut the apron using the Apron & Pocket Dies (which I also LOVE, along with the coordinating Kitchen Accessores dies).

 The oven mitt is one of the many adorable chipboard pieces that come with the kit. I covered the chipboard with matching paper, sanded and inked around the edges.

Speaking of which, if you haven't discovered this already, the very best way to get a really finished look when you cover chipboard with patterned paper is to sand a bit after gluing the paper to the chipboard. The very best way I've found to do this is with the Precision File Set. I've had my set for years and can't do without it! It comes with very narrow files (including one that is circular) which allow you to get into the smallest nooks and crevices of your chipboard piece, such as the measuring cup in my next project.

Yep, I made a Cook-Book-Mark! I'm showing it off with one of my treasures, a first edition copy of Pillsbury's Best of the Bake-off Collection published in 1959. My mother handed this down to me, so it is extra special. Some of the patterned paper in October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker collection reminds me of the typeface in this cookbook, which you can see here.

I've marked the page of one of my all-time favorite cookie recipes... Peanut Blossoms. I'm thinking this must have been the origination of that now famous recipe entered in the Pillsbury Bake-Off more than 50 years ago.

As you can see, I used one of the "cookbook page" patterns, which I adhered to a piece of the Blossom cardstock, and then finished each edge at the top and bottom with some of the yellow ribbon in the kit. I stamped images from What's Cookin' in black ink right onto the patterned paper. After inking around the edges in brown, I slipped the bookmark into a plastic protective sleeve I found in my stash.

I covered three chipboard pieces (chef's hat, rolling pin and measuring cup) in Blossom cardstock on the backs and patterned paper on the front, then sanded and sponged with brown ink before punching a hole in each with my Crop-A-Dile. I threaded the finished pieces onto ribbon from the kit, tied them together in a knot at the top of the bookmark sleeve, and voila!


Taylor has once again compiled all of the Design Team (and her own) cards/projects into a handy guide with step-by-step instructions on how to recreate them yourself, which will be a FREE download for all Key Ingredients Subscribers! Woo hoo!!! If you weren't already a subscriber, now's the time! You won't be able to resist once you see all the "kitchen" goodness made by these amazing ladies:

Melody Rupple: A Paper Melody
Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs
Lynn Put: The Queen's Scene
Jessica Diedrich: Yeah, She Stamps
Rosie Hughes: Love my Craft Room
and, of course, Taylor herself: Taylored Expressions

Don't forget...whenever you need some inspiration or just want to stroll through some gorgeous eye candy, it's just a click away in the Key Ingredients Gallery!

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Thanks a bunch!

Happy Friday!!! Time for another fabulous Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge!!

I'm partial to square cards... so much more room to spread out. (*grin*) I flipped the sketch on its side for my card, which features Garden Party Blooms and the coordinating dies (set one and set two). I used the dies to cut out the flowers from yellow felt. All of the cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon, and buttons are from the  October Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit. There's still time to grab this fabulous kit before it's gone gone gone! It's perfect for all your autumn/harvest cards/projects. Let's not forget my favorite time of year! lol

For more delicious eye candy and inspiration, you'll want to visit the rest of the Sketch Crew:

Alice Wertz: Alice's Little Wonderland
Jami Sibley: More is More

Monika Davis: M.A.D. Stamper
Rosie Hughes: Love My Craft Room
Sherrie Siemens: Card Creme 

and of course Taylor herself: Taylored Expressions

I hope you'll join us this week! Taylor's sketches are always a great way to kick off your weekend of crafting! 


Have a wonderful weekend!


Note, this is my third post for today (whew!). Please scroll down for the Waltzingmouse Stamps November Release Previews - Day 2 and Simply Betty Stamps New Release Blog Hop. Thanks!

Happy Birthday From All Of Us

Happy Saturday my friends! It's time for another fun sketch challenge at Sketch Saturday!!!

I wanted to play with my Taylored Expressions October Key Ingredients Kit, and decided to pull out a favorite stamp set, Pet's Place. I think I ended up making this sketch more of a challenge than intended. (*grin*) My image is a bit tall and left little room for an embellishment at the top, so I ended up with a stick! What do you think? I'm kinda diggin' it. It's fun to try new things! This was also the first time I've tried a pleated ribbon treatment. I'm not sure I did it correctly, but it seems to be sticking... for now! LOL

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend that includes a bit (or a lot!) of crafting! Be sure to stop by the Sketch Saturday blog for more inspiration and play along in our challenge. I'd love to see your take on it!

Taylored Expressions October Key Ingredients Release and Challenge!

OMGoodness, could Friday get any better than this? Today Taylored Expressions releases the October Key Ingredients Kit and it is definitely one of my all-time faves!!! If you know me, you know that I'm an autumn/winter girl, so the patterned paper, ribbon, buttons and Stickles in this collection sing to my heart!

The Subscriber Challenge this month is to create simple cards. I have to admit this was truly a challenge for me. I've become so used to adding layers and embellies and such to my cards, that I had to force myself to take a step back. I even looked through magazines to get some ideas.

One thing I learned is that you don't have to take tons of time to make a perfectly lovely card! As long as you have the key ingredients, it's a snap!

Both of my cards were made using only the the goodies in the October Key Ingredients Kit (except for a bit of twine to tie the button to the bow). The stamp sets are Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates, which I love love love! The possibilities are endless with these two sets!

Taylor has compiled all of the Design Team (and her own) cards into a handy guide with step-by-step instructions on how to recreate them yourself, which will be a FREE download for all Key Ingredients Subscribers! Woo hoo!!! If you weren't already a subscriber, now's the time! You won't hesitate any longer once you see all the cards made by these amazing ladies:

Melody Rupple: A Paper Melody
Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs
Lynn Put: The Queen's Scene
Jessica Diedrich: Yeah, She Stamps
Rosie Hughes: Love my Craft Room
and, of course, Taylor herself: Taylored Expressions

Don't forget...whenever you need some inspiration or just want to stroll through some gorgeous eye candy, it's just a click away in the Key Ingredients Gallery!

Oh, and by the way, if you haven't already, you MUST check out the Twelve Days of a Handcrafted Christmas at Taylored Expressions!

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Note, this is my second post for today. Please scroll down for the La-La Land Crafts New Release Blog Hop. Thanks!

Pursue Happiness

Happy Friday! Hooray! I have such a fun day planned, spending most of it with dear friends, doing what I love most... going out to lunch, shopping and paper crafting! How lucky am I?

Tomorrow is World Card Making Day, and there are lots of fun activities planned all over cyber-space and at homes, in stores and at other venues, some of which will last throughout the week. Here's something to get you started... a new sketch from Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge!

Okay, maybe it was an obvious choice (subliminal message?), but as soon as I saw this sketch, I reached for Discover Your Wings. The images in this set are so lovely, and I adore all the greetings. And, of course, I couldn't help but pull out my September Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit. The Restoration collection by Crate Paper is one of my FAVES, and I LOVE the brads Taylor included in this kit.

Okay, so I moved my butterfly a little, but a girl can take a little artistic license, right? (*wink*)

Don't forget... next Friday is the Taylored Expressions monthly release, with previews starting in a few days. I've heard through the grapevine that it's going to be a doozy (but when it is not?)! lol

In the meantime, please visit the rest of the Sketch Crew to see what loveliness they've turned up using this sketch.

Alice Wertz: Alice's Little Wonderland
Jami Sibley: More is More
Lori Craig: Make a Difference
Melissa Sauls: In Stamping Mode 

Monika Davis: M.A.D. Stamper
Rachel  Sztonyk: Gingerbread Gallery
Rosie Hughes: Love My Craft Room
Sherrie Siemens: Card Creme 

and of course Taylor herself: Taylored Expressions

Have a HAPPY day!

Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past Blog Hop!

Woo hoo!!! It's time once again for the monthly Taylored Expressions Blast From the Past Blog Hop, when we show our "older" Taylored Expressions stamp sets some love!!!

Once again, Sankari Wegman has come up with a great sketch for us to use for the Hop. When I saw it, I immediately reached for my September Taylored Expression Key Ingredients kit... I love love love the Restoration collection by Crate Paper... it's so beautiful... all the colors and patterns sing to my heart. And Taylor has, of course, made it super easy to whip up a card by providing coordinating cardstock and embellies, including these very cool doily transparencies.

My card features images from For the Love of Cupcakes. I just love this stamp set... who doesn't love a SWEET cupcake card? Who doesn't love cupcakes? (*grin*)



I can't wait to see everyone's creations myself. See you on the Hop! Enjoy!