Card Worthy: 2013

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Taylored Expressions November Sneak Peeks: Wine!

I'm playing along again for the second day of November sneak peeks at Taylored Expressions. This release has so many fun dies that coordinate with new and existing sets, but today I decided to combine the Pockets & Pages Bubble In die with another favourite of mine—wine! This die is perfect for framing pictures and almost any sentiment you might want to include on a scrapbook page or card. I thought these Witty Wine Quotes were just cheeky enough to stand on their own with very little embellishment.

For my second card, I flipped the die to point the quote bubble in the opposite direction and tipped it slightly to fit the sentiment. I also included the corkscrew and one of the wine glass charms to the frame.

Have fun seeing what the TE Baker's Dozen baked up today...

Thanks for stopping by...

~Nancy

Monday, November 4, 2013

Taylored Expressions November Sneak Peek: Pockets & Pages

It's the first day of TE sneak peeks for November and I'm playing along too. Taylor is introducing a new line of products designed for pocket scrapbooking—Pockets & Pages. I was first introduced to scrapbooking when my twins were born. Today they turned 15 and I have so much to catch up on—important events, celebrations, trips...but also with daily life and pages dedicated to telling them who I am. The essential elements TE is releasing this week are perfect for quick and meaningful scrapbooking. Once I get my photos and thoughts organized, I will be back with scrapbooking inspiration in my hybrid style, but for today I used a few Pockets & Pages dies on this card:

I've framed a fun picture of my gorgeous niece with the 3"x4" bubble callout die and stamped "InstaLOVE" from the Pockets & Pages {InstaFun} petite stamp set, which I highlighted with a touch of smooch. The background is cut with layers from the 4"x6" collection of Pockets & Pages dies. An instant birthday card for Morgana today! Imagine these same elements popped into a pocket-style scrapbook page protector.

Check out today's talented line up...

Thanks for stopping by...

~Nancy

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Taylored Expressions August Sneak Peek: Thanks to Teachers!

I'm playing along again today on Day 3 of TE sneak peeks for August. Today's theme is 'Back to School,' which can be both exciting and depressing for some. Teachers and kids are excited about a fresh new year and weary parents are happy to get back to routine, BUT who wants to say goodbye to summer break? I remember as a teacher that feeling on August 1st that holidays were almost over—that's right...only four weeks left to go. For friends who looked forward to just 4 weeks of holidays during the entire year, this was hard to explain. Teachers need and deserve their holidays to give their all to everyone else's kids from September to June, let me tell you!! So my first card goes out to them...

I've used the newest addition to the window view collection I illustrate, A Classy View. This mini set includes a view looking in and one looking out. I coloured the teacher's desk with copics and prismacolors and layered acetate behind the window frame. I added rain drops/tears on the acetate with glossy accents and popped up the Build a Scene Swirly Clouds lightly sponged with chalk ink.

Next up, here's a simple card to thank a teacher. Given that last year, Henri's teacher told him he "was getting on her LAST NERVE!" I thought I'd have a few teacher cards at the ready.

I combined the dotted swirly line from the new Butterfly Parade set with doodles from Doodle Notes and the "Thanks..." sentiment from A Classy View. To create a thick chalkboard frame, I glued together five layers cut with the new Blackboard & Accessories die set. My boards were never clean, so I smeared white craft ink on black cardstock to create a well-used blackboard.

Have an awesome day!

~Nancy

Here's today's line up of talent...

Monday, August 5, 2013

Taylored Expressions August Sneak Peek: Butterfly Parade

It's the first day of sneak peeks for August and Taylor and her team have so much to show you. I'm playing along today with a new set and the coordinating dies I illustrated—Butterfly Parade. For my first card, I stamped two sizes and styles of butterflies with distress ink and cut them out with the coordinating dies. I created the focal panel using banner stacklets 2 and two of the Curly Swirlies dies, then layered the butterflies in a whimsical flight.

Next up, I've created a variation on the same theme and stamped butterflies in a variety of sizes in raspberry fizz ink and highlighted one cut in felt. I love the dotted swirly line in this set and can see myself using it with other stamps and dies.

And finally, here's a very simple card starting with the fun butterfly trail sentiment and a few butterflies cut from felt and accented with half pearls.

Check out today's talented TE line up...

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Heather Jensen - Guest Designer

...wishing you a beautiful day...

~Nancy

Friday, June 7, 2013

Taylored Expressions June Spotlights: Soak up the Beach!

Surprisingly I had some time in my craft space last night so I have a quick card to show today using my new TE Beach Border die.

I cut the border out of textured black to create the silhouette scene and also out of the main kraft panel to create a type of window for the scene. I generously inked up white card stock with cantaloupe memento ink and wild honey and spiced marmalade distress inks for the background and sentiment tag. The sentiment is from A Day in Paradise on the smallest of the Banner Stacklets 1 dies. I added few random lines of tan stitching along the bottom and that's it!

The Baker's Dozen has more inspiration for today too...

Soak up the sun if you have it...

~Nancy

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Taylored Expressions June Release Day: Dude on a Board

It's release day at Taylored Expressions for June! Finding 'me time' in my craft area has been a challenge, but I have a card for today using several of my designs now available in store. I've played with the new Ray of Sunshine cutting plate; Ride the Wave stamp set; Surfboard and Ride the Wave dies; and one of the Pinking Circles stacklets...

I went back to a technique I used with TE's first cutting plate and cut a mask with removable label paper. Love this simple, inky technique. I stamped the dude and sentiment and used the edge of the distressed wave image in the Ride the Wave set to ink the edges of my surfboard-shaped sentiment. The Ride the Wave die reminds me of an armband tattoo when tucked behind. Kind of cool, I think.

Here's the line up of talent for today...

Hoping there's lots of sunshine in your neck of the woods...

~Nancy

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Taylored Expressions May Sneak Peek: Mr & Mrs

Today I'm playing along again with sneak peeks of a new cutting plate and Whimsical Wishes stamp set I illustrated for this Taylored Expressions release. Love the detail we were able to include in the new MR & MRS cutting plate! It stands alone with very little embellishment as in my first card.

I added some half pearls to the front and stamped the sentiment inside from Happily Ever After. I rarely decorate the insides of my cards but I couldn't resist trimming and placing a portion of the cutting plate pattern.

My second card started with the cutting plate again. I layered it over vellum and I think that's enough for a quick wedding card.

After I made the card, however, I wanted to play with the idea of a pocket invitation. My sister is getting married sometime in the next decade so this is just a fake to get the idea across. I found inspiration for the layout and wording on the Jaffa Printing website—some very cool ideas! I wouldn't want to make 100 of these by hand, but I'm sure the cardstock pocket itself could be ordered through a printer and then the cutting plate and Happily Ever After stamp set could add the special DIY finishing touches.

Can't wait to see what the Baker's Dozen has cooked up for today...

Thanks for stopping by...

~Nancy

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Taylored Expressions May Sneak Peek: Looking Though the Trees

It's time for sneak peeks for May and Taylor and her team have lots to show you. I'm playing along with a few dies I illustrated for this release: the Birch Tree Border, Birch Tree Accessories and the Birch Tree Cutting Plate. I can't tell you how thrilled I am with these dies!

For my first card, I created a window using my Picture Window die. I stamped the "Thinking of You" sentiment from A Glimpse Inside on a strip cut with one of the smaller banners in banner stacklets 1. On the inside I've used the new Birch Tree Border and the cardinal from the Birch Tree Accessories set...

Next, I've used the stag die from the Birch Tree Accessories and tucked him in the trees cut with the Birch Tree Cutting Plate, which I popped up.

"Missing You" is from From My Window and again I've used the smallest banner in banner stacklets 1. Mixed with a birthday, anniversary or Father's Day sentiment, this card is quite masculine...I think.

Check out Taylor's talented team for more inspiration...

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Joan Ervin—guest designer

Kerri Mchaud

Lynnette Kauffman

Nancy McKinney<<—you're here