Celebrate Halloween!

Today’s the last day of sneak peaks for this release and you can now fill up your cart! I have two projects to show you first.

For my card, I couldn’t resist working with my witch from the Hangin' Out Wicked Wardrobe set again. Lots of paper-piecing here and colouring with copics too. I’ve used SU kiwi kiss and purely pomegranate cardstock, which I think is a yummy colour combo. The sentiment is just a portion of the ‘celebrate’ border in Borderlicious and I’ve reverse masked my Whimsical Wishes a la carté tree, used Take Note Die 2 to cut the shape, then sponged the edge with kiwi kiss ink. Wondering what that border is? It's a Silhouette cut file I created yesterday when I was playing. ;)

Next, I wanted to create a quick Halloween treat bag topper, so I used the cat with attitude in the set and a combination of nesties and TE Take Note Frame 1 to whip this up. Very quick and easy—I could actually make a class set of these without going bonkers!

Can’t wait to see what enticing goodies the Baker’s Dozen has for us today...

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

Thanks for stopping by!

~Nancy

A Wicked Wardrobe!

I'm excited to be playing along again today as the Baker's Dozen shows sneaks of Hangin' Out Wicked Wardrobe. This may be my favourite Whimsical Wishes set yet!! I have two cards today and another to share with you tomorrow. I designed the set so the witch's dress could hang on a line or be combined with the sweet witchy head, satchel and hat to create an adorable witch. So... I had to use her in my first card! I coloured my witch with copics and prismacolors/gamsol and flocked her trim and hat with Martha Stewart flocking powder in ladybug, which I hope shows up if you zoom in. I wanted to keep the layout simple but add texture with tulle.

For my next card, I created a lamppost with the arrow, swirl and lantern. The border is a new Martha Stewart edge punch (Spiderweb) for me and the top border is cut from Cosmo Cricket's Haunted: Eerie paper, then lightly dry-brushed with white acrylic paint and sponged with black ink (that would be Memento in tuxedo black, Melissa!). I coloured the lantern and cat eyes with copics and applied crystal effects to make them shine. I couldn't tell which was the better picture, but you'll see the original version and a little later with extra half pearls on the border and glitter glistening in the spider web.

Can’t wait to see what Taylor’s team has cooked up with Hangin’ Out Wicked Wardrobe today...

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

Thanks for looking...

~Nancy

Make a Wish...it's time for TE sneak peeks!

The TE Baker’s Dozen is showing sneaks all week and I always love playing along when they feature one of my sets. Today, it’s Make a Wish, which is the newest Whimsical Wishes addition and part of Taylor’s Giving Tree program. For the months of September, October and November when you purchase this set you'll be helping to support the Make a Wish Foundation. Their mission is to grant the wishes of children with high-risk, life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Having a child who has been through lengthy hospital stays, too many tests to count, surgeries, medication that made him quite ill, chemo and a bone marrow transplant, I know how ‘a wish’ can provide strength and the promise of a brighter future. Planning a trip to Disney can help a child cope with the next poke, round of chemo or scan in the big donut (that would be a CT scan). Henri’s own wish is being granted this year and we’re making that special trip to Disney World in November!! Taylored Expressions will donate $7.00 to the Make a Wish Foundation.

If you’re new to Taylored Expressions stamps and the Giving Tree sets, TE charitable stamp sets are sold as a sheet of rubber and will need to be trimmed before using. This reduces the cost of manufacturing and allows Taylor to donate even more to charity. Taylor gives great tips here.

So what do I have to show you! I’ve got two cards today. I used images from both Make a Wish and Borderlicious (a coordinating set of borders that are also great on their own) for this one:

Masking is kind of my thing! I took the middle tier from the cake to serve up one fabulous slice of dazzling pink cake. Behind the main image, which I coloured in copics and prismacolors/gamsol, I’ve used the argyle, line up of fondant balls and sentiment borders from Borderlicious. If you notice that my bow is better than usual, I used my Bow Easy. I can’t believe how well it works!!

Next, I wanted to use the cake from the set for an anniversary, wedding or other special occasion other than a birthday so I used a grey, silver and blue colour scheme and topped the cake with the heart in the set. I’ve separated the sentiment, using “Wishing you a special day” on the front and “filled with happiness and everything you enjoy!” inside. I used Taylor’s tiny twinkles to highlight the cake and I have to say that embellie gellie is a very good thing!

Can’t wait to see what the Baker’s Dozen has cooked up with Make a Wish and the coordinating sets, Borderlicious and Birthday Bubbles today...

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

Welcome to the new girls!

Thanks for looking...

~Nancy

A VERY Sweet Sunday Sketch

Today I’m playing along as a guest stamper for Karen’s Sweet Sunday Sketch. While we were at CHA in Chicago, some of Taylor’s design team and I enjoyed a few laughs after the show over wine and long island iced teas. There are stories to tell, but I won’t go there! Today’s sketch is the product of such an evening. I think it looks much sweeter than it did on a cocktail napkin!

I used a few of the goodies I picked up at the MFT and Papertrey booths. Coming from Canada, I took advantage of the do-it-yourself shipping and walked out of the PTI booth with 4 free CHA-exclusive sets—that gives you an idea of how much I stuffed in my bags!

For my card, I stamped the tree image from MFT's Sheltering Tree and cut it out with the coordinating die-namics die. I also used MFT die-namics for the leaves, which I scored and folded slightly, and the grass border. I cut the circle in PTI's scrumptious Hawaiian Shores wool felt with nesties and stitched the swirl pattern. The squirrel and acorn are coloured with copics, then prismacolors with gamsol. And to help pop the sentiment, I sponged the nestie label with PTI's aqua mist ink and then with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in walnut stain after removing the nestie die.

Be sure to check out the Sweet Sunday Stampers' blogs today and see their take on the sketch...and don't forget to link your project to Karen's post. She might just spotlight you on her blog next week.

Thanks for looking!

~Nancy

August Release Day at Taylored Expressions!

I was pleased with myself getting a card ready for yesterday's sneak peeks, but with the kids in camps this week, I was able to stamp in the afternoon too, which is unheard of--I usually start around 11pm. So I have two more cards for you today. The new sets and dies become available to purchase later today at 8am PST!!

First, I had two clever TE customers tell me at the booth during Make 'n Takes at CHA that the pedestal for the bird bath in the new Tweet Hearts set could be used as a dress. You've seen it as intended as a bird bath in Carolina's adorable card, as a cool tree trunk in Charmaine's project, and today Jackie has mushrooms!!! I wanted to run with this idea and create a precious little black dress and Congratulations card. Could be for a stagette, to congratulate a friend who lost those pounds she felt she needed to, for a wedding (although I'm not sure where the groom is hiding!)...the possibilities are endless. I also wanted to show you that although the dies that coordinate with the new Take Note set are to 'DIE' for, if you have to make choices and keep them on a wish list for later, they still look good trimmed with scissors, which is exactly what I've done here. I added half pearls at the neckline and bling along the border folded at the bottom of the card. When my card was finished and photographed, I thought the label would look even better heat embossed...here's that version, which I hope shows the embossing:


Simple, and hopefully, elegant.

My second card turned out exactly how I imagined. I cut the bird base with legs intact and a second, separate striped body layer using my Silhouette, then stamped a wing with the large paisley print in the Tweet Hearts set. Each layer is popped up. I'm loving this Martha Stewart branch edge punch! I thought I'd leave the threads raw to tie in with the whole bird nesting theme. I'm so fond of this sentiment: you make a good day even better. So many of our friends deserve to know this, don't you think?



I also wanted to share three more pictures from CHA that Sankari forwarded to me. It's such a thrill to see myself with Taylor and her talented team in front of my Whimsical Wishes stamps!!!

And these are of Melissa and me, roomies and fast friends (I don't mean speedy...we just feel like we've known each other forever even though we just met).

Can't wait to see what Taylor and her Baker's Dozen have cooked up with all of the goodies available at Taylored Expressions today:

• Alex Maldonado
• Carolina Buchting
• Charmaine Ikach
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jami Sibley
• Jeanie Witmer
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Sankari Wegman

Thanks for having a look!
~Nancy

Tweet Hearts-Day 2 of TE Sneak Peeks

I didn’t want another fabulous Taylored Expressions release to arrive and not play along, so here’s my card using the newest addition to the Whimsical Wishes line I illustrate—Tweet Hearts. This set is full of fun and versatility—I’ve used at least 8 of the images (each leaf, the bird, branch and whimsical nest are separate stamps) and there are still plenty more! I stamped the larger paisley print image in versamark on my PTI Hawaiian shores cardstock base and carried that delicious colour through with the coordinating saddle stitch ribbon and blossom buttons.

When I don't use a sketch, this seems to be my 'go to' square card layout. Late at night, it just happens! I had to laugh at how much the basic layout looks like Karen's birthday card. I've switched up the colour scheme, used my new stash of Basic Grey oliver paper and played with the newest Taylored Expressions stamps though!!

Thought you might want to see pictures of some of the TE girls at CHA Chicago 2010 while you're stopping by (I only had my camera with me on the first morning of the Supershow so I don't have everyone). They are exactly how they sound in their blogs...fun, cheerful and warm not to mention talented. The photos they post are terrific, but let me tell you that their cards are truly incredible in person!!

Karen Giron, the official TE photographer for the show

Carolina in that adorable cupcake apron!

Alex, Sankari and me

Sankari in a Karen sandwich

The Canadians-Karen and me

Can't wait to see what Taylor and her Baker's Dozen have cooked up with Tweet Hearts today:

• Alex Maldonado
• Carolina Buchting
• Charmaine Ikach
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jami Sibley
• Jeanie Witmer
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Sankari Wegman

LIVE * LAUGH * LOVE...
~Nancy

TE Blast from the Past-June

I wasn't able to get stamping time in before today's TE Blast from the Past but I thought I'd repost two of my favourites from 2009 just in case I get a few visitors along the hop. First, here's a happy birthday card using Branching Out from back in May 2009:



I loved how the sentiment weaved through the tire punched out with circle punches in this one. The second is a cupcake tic-tac-toe card using For the Love of Cupcakes from June 2009:




I told all about it here.

I'm looking forward to what everyone participating has to show us today!



Thanks for visiting...
~Nancy

Happy Birthday, Karen!!

It's a weekend of birthdays and today is Karen's! So some of her friends have gotten together to celebrate with a hop and the party starts over at Dana's blog. I was playing with my Silhouette this week and have something special just for Karen.

I created the image first in Illustrator and then converted it to cut. This may give a closer look:

The sentiment is printed on cardstock. I just love this American Crafts paper--it seemed perfect for my friends celebrating birthdays this weekend. I cut three of the gorgeous flowers out and adhered them to the SU melon mambo cardstock before stitching around the edge. I saw the button and half pearls treatment over on Dawn McVey's blog and thought it was perfect for Karen's swirly leafy flourish!

Next stop--Janet. If you didn't start out at Dana's, Karen's hop today goes something like this...

Dana & Leslie

Jodi

Karen G

Jeanie

Paula

Nancy<<--that's me

Janet

Wendy

Joanne B

Karen the birthday girl :)

That's right...Karen has created something beautiful for herself too.

Have a fabulous day, Karen!
~Nancy

Happy Birthday, Taylor!!

It's Taylor's birthday and I've got a blast from the past with a twist for her. Was your shiny new Silhouette a little treat for your birthday, Taylor? Well...I created a little something so Taylor can play with her new toy using her own TE images from For the Love of Cupcakes!!



The cupcake and its liner and frosting together with the stand were all cut using my Silhouette SD, which made paper piecing a breeze. The frosting is then coated generously with layers of crystal effects and topped with leaves also cut with my Silhouette and a lovely half pearl. 'Happy Birthday' is from Extra Credit inked in Adirondack espresso. The cupcake itself is in SU melon mambo cardstock then embossed. I sponged the nestie oval frame with SU pink pirouette and melon mambo. Mmmm...I like that colour and thought it paired nicely with the American Crafts Romaine a la Carte patterned paper.



A few of Taylor's friends have gotten together to throw a little blog hop party:

Alex Maldonado

Alice Wertz

Carolina Buchting

Charmaine Ikach

Donna Baker

Jackie Pedro

Jami Sibley

Jenn Balcer

Jodi Collins

Karen Giron

Karen Motz

Lisa Hjulberg

Lori Craig

Melissa Sauls

Monika Davis

Nancy McKinney ßßßthat’s me

Rachel Sztonyk
Sandra MacLean
Sankari Wegman
Sharon Harnist
Sherrie Siemens

Have a fabulous day, Taylor, and everyone stopping by!
~Nancy

Hangin' Out at the Beach Sneaks

Today’s another exciting day of sneak peeks at Taylored Expressions! I’m joining the Baker’s Dozen to show you the newest Whimsical Wishes set I illustrated, Hangin’ Out at the Beach. Didn’t we just show you Hangin’ Out? That’s right, this is a summer set that coordinates.

My cards today are a complete departure from yesterday’s and what I usually create although they are square—I admit, I have a thing about square cards!

My first follows this week’s TE sketch challenge #115. I thought the Fancy Pants Summer Soiree Beach House paper was perfect for the palm tree in the set, which I coloured with copics and shaded with prismacolors and gamsol.

I kept the nestie circle and labels dies in place when sponging around the inner edge of the palm tree panel with Momento Dandelion ink and the Relax sentiment circle with Momento New Sprout ink. The half pearls were originally a light pink but I used Taylor’s trick and coloured them to coordinate with copics. One of my kids’ friends is going to love this card!

I think we may be seeing a few yellow polka-dot bikinis today. Well, mine is more tangerine and hung on a line with the towel and guy trunks in the set:

I stamped the images on TE choice snow white card stock and coloured with copics and prismacolors/gamsol. I embossed the border leading up to the sentiment “enjoy Life!” with one of the folders in the Cuttlebug Border Frills set, then added a half pearl to each centre to match the bikini bra. The pre-printed summer scene is part of the same Fancy Pants Summer Soiree paper—just perfect for drying my beachy, summer clotheline.

Looking forward to seeing what the talented Baker’s Dozen has done with Hangin’ Out at the Beach…

Alex Maldonado; Carolina Butching; Charmaine Ikach; Donna Baker; Jackie Pedro; Jami Sibley; Jeanie Witmer; Jodi Collins; Karen Giron; Melissa Sauls; Sankari Wegman; and Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks for stopping by on your way!

~Nancy

Summer Afternoon - Day 2 of TE Sneaks for June

Today I’m playing along with the TE Baker’s Dozen with some sneak peeks of the Whimsical Wishes set I illustrated, Summer Afternoon, which will be available at Taylored Expressions along with lots of new products on Friday, June 4th.

I hope my samples show you the simple beauty of the images. This whimsical frame is a favourite of mine:

I’ve inked it in black and highlighted the inner part of the frame, butterflies and dragonfly with versamarker then heat embossed with SU classy copper powder. I sponged Tim Holtz distressed ink in tea dye around the edges of the sentiment circle cut out with nesties. The Gibran quote is one of three separate sentiments sized to fit within the frame. I thought this bold image stood for itself with a simple layout framed with Bo Bunny Delilah You & Me patterned paper and layers of cardstock.

My second card highlights the poppies and bird silhouettes in the set with the sentiment “A life without love is like a year without summer.”

My layout reminds me of a book, so I’ll likely hand-write something like “…and what would summer be without a good read” on the inside to go along with a favourite book as a gift. I just finished People of the Book, which would definitely be one I’d recommend and give. I accented the poppies with versamarker and Stickles glitter in pink, which I heat set. The paper is also from the Bo Bunny Delilah collection but was part of a preprinted cutout sheet. I used my X-ACTO retractable pen knife (a knife I can actually say I'm happy with and looks like it's not going to break under pressure!) to cut around the curved edges of the border piece.

Looking forward to seeing what the talented Baker’s Dozen has done with Summer Afternoon…

Alex Maldonado; Carolina Butching; Charmaine Ikach; Donna Baker; Jackie Pedro; Jami Sibley; Jeanie Witmer; Jodi Collins; Karen Giron; Melissa Sauls; Sankari Wegman; and Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks for stopping by on your way!
~Nancy