Thanks for the birthday hop!

What a wonderful way to start my day! My good friend Karen organized a birthday hop for me. Thanks for the fabulous cards and heart-felt wishes, ladies!

I'd have something to show you, but my most recent card was selected to be published in PaperCrafts May/June 2011 so I can't!! I think I'll sneak some stamping time at some point and head out now for a Starbucks (the kids gave me a gift card) and a long hike with the dog. My hubby gave me a smoky topaz ring (with some help and encouragement from my daughter):

While the smoky topaz is not the same as my birthstone, I like what this site has to say about it. Apparently smoky topaz is the official gem of Scotland (my maiden name is Ferguson so I'm always drawn to anything Scottish). I guess the smoky topaz is actually a quartz so it has powers! Quartz is said to draw out negativity from the wearer as the gemstone absorbs it. It improves mood. It improves the lower organs- digestive and reproductive...I'm not planning to add to the family, but without a gallbladder, good digestion is welcome. There's more...it supposedly raises awareness, clears the mind and enhances reaction time. Overall, it is supposed to help the wearer 'tune in and come to resolution.' Maybe, just maybe, by peering through the smoke, dreams can come true.

Shouldn't everyone have one!!

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you have a fabulous day!

~Nancy

More TE Sneaks for November

Today’s release day and the team is showing a little of everything now available at Taylored Expressions. I’ve got two more to show using What’s Cookin’ and Enjoy!, the newest additions to the Whimsical Wishes line—the stamps I illustrate.

First, I used Mojo Monday Sketch 156 for inspiration and had some fun with the apron skirt in the set. It's easy to trim along the top of the skirt once it's cut out with the coordinating full apron die. I've coloured the image with copics and prismacolors. Once again, I've used paper from the basic grey june bug paper pad. And maybe you'll recognize the Scalloped Eyelet Border Die I used for the edge of the red cardstock.

I’m probably enjoying one of these right now as this post goes live (that's a 'non-fat latte with a pump of mocha' if I can find one at Disney World)! The coffee cup with the “You Deserve It” label is also from Enjoy!

Guest Designer Mona Pendleton is joining the Baker’s Dozen today too...

• Charmaine Ikach
• Donna Baker
• Danielle Lounds
• Jackie Pedro
• Jami Sibley
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Tori Wild
• Taylor Van Bruggen

Thanks so much for looking...

~Nancy

Lots to ENJOY! at Taylored Expressions

Get ready for more exciting peeks for you to ENJOY today from Taylor and her team! I’ve got two using another new Whimsical Wishes set I illustrated, Enjoy! Guess what? There’s another coordinating die with this one too!!

My first project is just simple stamping (with masking but no colouring). When I was illustrating this set, I kept thinking...this is one my husband would actually use. He’s a great one for the I.O.U. So with this in mind, I kept my project simple and more masculine—no ribbons or frills...just black and kraft. The set is designed to work with the adorable small hinged tins Taylor has in her store. The die cuts the dotted frame to make quick little cards. I’ve used an assortment of images and sentiments on the six cards I’ve included in the tin. ENJOY!

Next, I used the fashion icons from the set for this card:

I’ve masked the stands and images and also popped up the shoes and purse that I coloured with copics and prismacolors. The ribbon is a gathering attempt gone wrong that I kept and decided to finally use. I think it looks like a whimsical rosebud. The patterned paper is from the basic grey june bug paper pad.

Can’t wait to see what the Baker’s Dozen has created with Enjoy! today...

• Charmaine Ikach
• Donna Baker
• Danielle Lounds
• Jackie Pedro
• Jami Sibley
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Tori Wild, and
• Taylor Van Bruggen

Thanks so much for looking...

~Nancy

What's Cookin' at Taylored Expressions?!

Today’s the first day of sneak peeks for the November release at Taylored Expressions. You’ll want to get all of the details on Taylor’s blog and visit the Baker’s Dozen for inspiration! I have two cards to share using the newest Whimsical Wishes set I illustrated, What’s Cookin’. What’s so cool about this new set is that we’ve also designed dies to coordinate with five of the images. I’m showing you four of them today—the tea kettle, oven mitt, apron and measuring spoons.

My first card shows the apron die, but also some paper piecing. I’ve followed Karen’s Sweet Sunday Sketch (SSSC90) for this one. The white eyelet lace is from Fabricland. I wanted the ribbon to coordinate with the colour scheme, so I pulled out a length and

coloured it with the same copic marker I used for the apron strings and measuring spoons. I used my bow easy to create my sweet little apron bow from the extra custom coloured ribbon.

Next, I went back to TE Sketch 126 for my inspiration. The tea kettle and oven mitts are die cut and coloured with copics and prismacolors. I stitched the green panel behind the images to coordinate with the stitching on the oven mitts. The rolling pin and ‘punny’ sentiment are two different images but work perfectly together. The frame is just cut with my paper trimmer and the opening is with a portion of a nestie.

Here are the links to the fabulous Baker’s Dozen. Can’t wait to see what they’ve created today!

• Charmaine Ikach
• Danielle Lounds
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tori Wild, and
• Jami Sibley

Thanks so much for looking...

~Nancy