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

Off to Disney!

Henri was granted a wish through the Starlight Foundation two years ago when he had his bone marrow transplant. The time has finally arrived and tomorrow we take off for Disney, Universal Studios, Sea World and a very special village called Give the Kids the World, coincidentally founded by Henri Landwirth. Our Henri is cured of his immune disease and healthy, so our experience will be very different than two years ago. We can't wait!! For Disney, I created autograph books for Henri and the twins and thought I'd share them with you...












I created the covers with some chipboard; cardstock; and my computer, Silhouette SD and sewing machine; and had the books bound at a local print shop (I don't have a Cinch, which probably would have been just the thing for this project!). I created the black border with dots and mickey ears with my Silhouette. If anyone is interested in this cut file, just let me know...leave your email in a comment and I'll send it to you when I return. The character bottle buttons are from Michael's. I think we're in for some real fun at Disney!

Thanks for looking...
~Nancy

Two warm winter stockings and a nest of hope

I finally got a chance to play with my adorable Papertrey stocking dies! I cut two in each colour (white and Hawaiian Shores) then trimmed off the lower part to make the cuffs in contrasting felt. I thought the blanket stitch detail in embroidery floss was just the touch to make my stockings cozy and tie in the aqua mist colour. The little snowflake hung from each cuff is cut from the Basic Grey Jovial Blizzard patterned paper I used in the background.

My next card came together surprisingly quickly last night after I thought about the idea all day. I wanted to make a card for this month's Color Cue challenge, a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Such soft delicate colours. I was also inspired by the ring my hubby gave me for our anniversary this year just in time for my trip to CHA Chicago to meet up with Taylor and her team. I love silver, nests and pearls!!!

So here's what I've got! I looked back through previous Mojo Monday sketch challenges and thought Mojo157 was perfect to showcase my nest of hope made from silver wire and a pink pearl bead. I also played with the letterpress technique again now that my new Papertrey impression plates have arrived! I didn’t really give the white pigment ink time to dry and let it smear on the panel but I like the effect.

The ribbon accent just seemed right as a pink ribbon for breast cancer support. I created my sentiment on my computer and printed on PTI rustic white cardstock. It’s hard to tell in the picture but I embossed the pink panel with my Cuttlebug Leafy Branch embossing folder to tie in with "the tree of life and the nest of hope" theme. A little corny, eh?

Here's my wire and pearl nest closeup...

I'd love to hear what you think...
~Nancy

Playing with ornaments

I've been playing with ornament shapes to cut with my Silhouette SD and today I have something to show...

I've used the snowflake cut out from the centre of the ornament in my background embellishment (layers of PTI aqua mist cardstock and wool felt cut with nestabilties labels 2, I think). This isn't a sketch...it just happened as I tried to cover up the seam created when I embossed the background pink panel. I like 5.5" square cards (if you hadn't noticed) and my embossing folder just doesn't do it for me. My pink and blue colour scheme was inspired by this fabulous decorative ribbon. I used my Sizzix Giant Scallops Decorative Strip Die to cut the scallop border and hid the seam under the ribbon. "Happy Holidays" is from Sparkle & Cheer. A little bit of sponging with PTI raspberry fizz and antique linen distress ink...and some half pearls.




Thanks for looking!
~Nancy

Letterpress with Cuttlebug folders!! Who knew?

Here’s a card I totally CASEd! The original is Maile’s, who has a style I adore! Her tips on the letter press technique with dry emboss masking got me playing. I tried it first in my Cuttlebug and guess I had too many layers. I said goodbye to my Cuttlebug (and the project and embossing folder that is forever stuck in its clutches)! I now have the Big Kick with a 40% discount at Michael’s and love it. It’s bigger but so is its cutting and embossing area.

Anyway back to my card... I’m waiting for Papertrey impression plates to arrive, but thought I’d try what I already have. Yes, the technique works with Cuttlebug folders with fabulous results. I’ve used SU whisper white craft ink braying (is that a word?) directly on the inside raised portion of the folder. I followed Maile’s steps and temporarily adhered the two layers of kraft cardstock in the centre of my panel, then placed it image-side down on the inked embossing area. The folder stays open when fed through the embossing machine with the embossing mat and appropriate layers for the machine—if you try this fun technique, don’t toast your machine like I did the first time!

This card is for my sister who is turning 40 something on Monday. I stamped the leaf outline after die-cutting the felt leaves using Versafine and the cardstock flower using Momento tuxedo black so I could shade with copics and prismacolors/gamsol. I’ve used copic W1 and prismacolor French Grey 70%...I think that’s all it needed. Easy.

Have a fabulous Canadian Thanksgiving weekend!

~Nancy

October Release Day at Taylored Expressions!

Today’s release day at Taylored Expressions! You’ll want to get all of the details on Taylor's blog at 8am PST and visit the Baker’s Dozen for more inspiration. I have two more cards to share with you using several of my Whimsical Wishes designs in Hangin’ Out—At the North Pole, Sparkle & Cheer and Winter Wonderland. First, I created this one for this week’s Mojo Monday Sketch (159):

I printed the border on kraft cardstock, then cut out the inner square with nestabilities. My favourite whimsical reindeer from Sparkle & Cheer is stamped on the insert behind the window and then again on the top portion of the window. I covered the window with some scrap paper so the legs wouldn’t appear—just the antlers. It’s a fairly simple and quick card with no colouring...I used an EK Success edge punch below the sentiment, one of the fabulous new Winter Wonderland Snowflakes dies (which coordinate with the snowflake images in Winter Wonderland) for an embellishment, a rhinestone brad in the centre and some half pearls to adorn the deer.

I think this next one is my favourite. I was thinking about Karen when I brought out these non-traditional colours for the Holidays: tangerine, aqua/teal and black.

I paper-pieced my snowman’s mittens, scarf and nose from the same My Mind’s Eye paper and highlighted/shaded with copics and prismacolors with gamsol. I always think paper-piecing looks better with some shading. The background cardstock is Cosmo Cricket Aegean Mixed Dot Core’dinations sanded to reveal the white inner core. The felt snowflake is cut with another die in the Winter Wonderland Snowflakes trio being released today. I found this wooden snowflake at Michael’s (three in different sizes for just C$1.50). I used the same Momento tangelo ink that I used for sponging on the focal image, then lightly dry-brushed some white paint and sponged a hint of black ink. I've tucked a scrap of the striped SU ribbon behind the snowflake to tie it all together. Instead of stamping snowflakes, I added Taylor’s tiny twinkles in the air and on the snowflake embellishment. Of course, embellie gellie came in handy!

Here are the links to the fabulous Baker’s Dozen:

· 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

Holiday Frames-Day 3 of TE Sneak Peeks

I’m joining in again today with sneak peeks of one of the Whimsical Wishes sets the TE Baker’s Dozen is showcasing...Take Note Holidays. The frames in this set coordinate with the three Take Note dies released in August. I’ve used two of the frames; Take Note Die 1 and Take Note Die 2; and images and sentiments from Hangin’ Out—At the North Pole.

For my first, QUICK card I have to show you, I used the coordinating die to cut out the red frame and hand-trimmed the black inner frame. I sponged both (and each square background panel) with Distress Ink in antique linen, punched a tiny hole in the left bottom corner of the outside frame and strung thread to hang my little, copic-coloured mittens.

I think this next one is my favourite. I was inspired by what I saw already this week on the TE team blogs. Both Charmaine and Danielle teamed this sentiment with Santa’s suit, and Danielle also inspired me to try my liquid appliqué. I usually create late at night, but I waited until this morning to heat set the appliqué.

Amazing stuff, really! Of course, I torched it a little too long and achieved a toasty marshmallow look. I’m sure Santa wouldn’t mind, but I touched up the hat trim with my white Uni-ball Signo gel pen. Seemed to work. Again, I sponged the frame with Distress Ink in antique linen to tame down the white and match the toasted marshmallow! I’m loving the Bow Easy for these puffy, perfect bows.

Finally, one more today. It’s not actually part of today’s peeks, but rather yesterday’s... I just didn’t create it until last night. The Christmas bird and sentiments are from Sparkle & Cheer.

I printed the frame on kraft cardstock leaving room for the sentiment. My frame seemed a little large for the focal image, so to fill the space I used the lattice die, which was actually too big for the frame. To fix this, I cut a piece away from the centre and covered up the seam with the image and the half crystals. Can you tell?

Enjoy the wonderful creations the talented Baker’s Dozen have for you 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

· Taylor Van Bruggen

Tomorrow all of the goodies you’ve seen this week will be available at Taylored Expressions! Thanks for looking...

~Nancy

Sparkle & Cheer-Day 2 of TE Sneak Peeks

Today Taylor and her Baker’s Dozen are bringing you sneak peeks of two new Whimsical Wishes sets, Winter Wonderland and Sparkle & Cheer. I’ve used my favourite image, the whimsical reindeer, from Sparkle & Cheer:

I designed the sentiments to mix and match and have combined ‘MAY YOUR HOLIDAYS’ and ‘BE FILLED’ to introduce my ‘Sparkle & CHEER’ sentiment shaker box. To work with the colours in the Basic Grey Jovial patterned paper, I used silver and gold seed beads in the shaker. I brought out my SU soft sky ink to sponge both the sentiment and focal image.

A little stitching, a little glitter...and another Christmas card done!

Enjoy today's sneak peeks...

· 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

I'll have more Whimsical Wishes peeks again tomorrow. Thanks for looking...

~Nancy