Taylored Expressions Cupcakes and Tea

 Hello friends!  I hope all of you had a fantastic Thanksgiving with family and gobbled till you wobbled!  It feels like forever since I last posted to my blog. We had Thanksgiving here at our house so I was busy with all the preparations of cooking and cleaning, and over the last few days I actually put a dent in some Christmas shopping.

I'm here today to share two fun projects I've created using my November Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit.  The first is a birthday card that I created using last weeks TE Sketch Challenge #134, the TE stamp set For the Love of Cupcakes and some of the sweet papers and rick-rack from the KI Kit.

 For my next project I created a tea tray which I purchased from my local craft store.  I wanted to make something three dimensional and keeping with this months Key Ingredients Challenge something to spice up my kitchen.  I painted the wooden tea tray a yellow ochre and the inside base cherry red using craft paint and then punched out squares of the fun designer papers from this months KI Kit.  I stamped the center image of the cupcake, pedestal and glass dome as well as four other cupcakes from the For Love of Cupcakes stamp set and colored all of them using my Copic makers.  I applied a thin layer of Mod Podge to the base of the tray using it as a glue and placed my designer paper squares, cupcake squares and main image, then applied two more layers on top to really seal everything in know that I wanted a good coating because it would be in contact with water.  This was a fun and easy project to create and something anyone could do.

For more handmade gift ideas you can visit Taylored Expressions on YouTube for the 12 Days of a Handcrafted Christmas projects.

Thanks for stopping by!

CTD120 - Butterfly Birthday

Hello friends hope you're well today!  It's Wednesday and time for another Color Throwdown!  Danielle has chosen a very pretty color palette for us this week with the colors Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron and Old Olive.  For my card I used the stamp sets Flight of the Butterfly and Well Scripted to create a birthday card.

Supplies: Fight of the Butterfly, Well Scripted, Cottage Wall DSP, So Saffron DSP, Butterfly punch, Scallop Trim border punch, Perfect Polka Dot Impressions Folder, Ribbon, Floral Fusion Sizzlits die, Pearl, hole punch.

For all the details on how to play along, visit The Color Throwdown site.

And be sure to check out what the other design team members have created using the colors for this week:

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Danielle Kennedy - Wild Dragonfly Designs

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy

Kristin Beuter - Mindless Creativity

Laura Pryor - Lil' Inker Designs
Cathy Indelicato - Crafty Thoughts

To all of my American friends, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.



SSSC94 - Finding Each Other

 Good morning!  It's time for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge!  Karen has an excellent layout for all of us this week and I hope you'll find time to play along!  For my card using the sketch I decided to have some fun using the Two Step Owl punch and the stamp set A Word for You.  I think this layout using the owls would make a cute Valentines Day card as well.

Supplies: Two Step Owl Punch, A Word for You, Sunny Garden DSP, Two Step Bird Punch (for branch), Scallop border punch, Ribbon, Dimensionals.  Colors: Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive.

To play along create a card using Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch, then go to Karen’s blog The Sweetest Thing and link your card so we can all see your creation! 

Be sure to visit each of the Sweet Sunday Stampers below for more samples using this week’s sketch!

Joanne Basile: ...just a little something

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse

Laura Fredrickson: Scrapnextras

Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

You cannot always have happiness, but you can always give happiness. ~Author Unknown

Color Throwdown #119 - Greatest Gift

Hello everyone!  It's Wednesday and time for this weeks Color Throwdown!  Barbara has picked out a sharp looking color combo for this week of Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz and Cajun Craze and we hope you'll play along!  For my first card I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge for the layout and the retired SU stamp set Branch Out and since I don't have Pear Pizzazz I went with Kiwi Kiss.

Supplies: Branch Out, Retired DSP, Square Lattice Impressions Folder, Ribbon, Brads, Oval Nestie, Piercer, Dimensionals.

For my second card I used the stamp sets Aviary and Curly Cute (I love these sets together).

Supplies: Aviary, Curly Cute, Ribbon, Perfect Polka Dot Impressions Folder, Scallop border punch, Brads, Piercer, Dimensionals.

For all the details on how to play along, visit The Color Throwdown site.

And be sure to check out what the other design team members have created using the colors for this week:

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Danielle Kennedy - Wild Dragonfly Designs

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy

Kristin Beuter - Mindless Creativity

Laura Pryor - Lil' Inker Designs
Cathy Indelicato - Crafty Thoughts

Taylored Expressions November Key Ingredients Kit

Hello everyone!!!  Today is the release of the Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit and I'm super excited to share a few of the projects I've created using some of the fun materials from the Kit! 

Each month Taylor comes up with a challenge for all of us to get our mojo going and this months challenge is:  November Key Ingredients Challenge: There's a modern homemaker in all of us, right? For our challenge this month, you should create something to spice up your kitchen, or anything featuring kitchen icons or food (food stamp images or real food!).  

 For the challenge I created a few projects that I know I'll definitely use (I'm always striving to stay organized), I used yummy food images (can't go wrong with these cute TE cupcakes) and I know these items will help to spice up my kitchen.  I used the Taylored Expressions stamp set For the Love of Cupcakes to create a coordinated set with a notebook, magnetic calendar and cupcake magnets.  The Key Ingredients Kit for November has so many fun products included in it this month, one being the Modern Homemaker designer paper by October Afternoon.  I love the colors, patterns and designs on these great double sided designer papers and they offer so many possibilities when it comes to creating.  To see all of the details for this months KI Kit and to sign up to receive your TE Key Ingredients Kit click HERE.

Above is the notebook I created, which measures 4 1/4" x 6 1/4", I bought a pack of five Post-it note pads and used one of them for the inside.  The outside cover which was made using a piece of the Maraschino cardstock measures 6 1/4" x 9" with score lines at 4 3/16" and 4 3/4" to create a book cover.  This notebook is the perfect size to carry in your purse or have at hand.

 For the base of my magnetic cupcake calendar I used some of the Lakeshore blue cardstock and cut it to 4 1/2" x 8", I attached a computer printed calendar with brads and cut and colored this cute cupcake image using my Copic markers.

Here you can see the calendar and magnets on my fridge already in use.  This set would make a great gift for a friend, co-worker or teacher.

Be sure to visit the rest of the Key Ingredients Design Team members below to see what they've designed for this month's challenge.

Melody Rupple

Jen Tapler

Jessica Diedrich

Lisa Hjulberg

Rosie Hughes

and Taylor of course!

We would also love to see what you can create for this month's challenge when you receive your Key Ingredients Kit!

Thanks for stopping by!

SSSC93 - Eat Cake

It's Sunday which means its time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge!  For my card today I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Cupcake Collection.  I had to laugh after I finished this card because so many times Karen's sketches are square and I end up making my card into a standard 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" and today I did just the opposite.  I guess it will just show how versatile Karen's sketches really are right?

 Supplies: Cupcake Collection - Papertrey Ink, Designer paper from my stash, Ribbon, Button, Perfect Polka Dot Impressions folder.  Colors: Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, So Saffron.

To play along create a card using Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch, then go to Karen’s blog The Sweetest Thing and link your card so we can all see your creation! 

Be sure to visit each of the Sweet Sunday Stampers below for more samples using this week’s sketch!

Joanne Basile: ...just a little something

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse

Laura Fredrickson: Scrapnextras

Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

At our house today we're having a party and celebrating our boys birthdays with the family, it's hard to believe that our oldest is turning "16" and our youngest is "4" on Monday.

Have a good day everyone!

The Color Throwdown - Christmas & Kindness

 Hello friends!  It's Wednesday and time for another Color Throwdown Challenge!  Broni has selected some gorgeous colors for all of us to work with this week and I hope you'll join in and play along. 

For my first card I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Wreath for all Seasons.

The second card that I created uses the SU stamp sets Pocket Silhouettes and Heard from the Heart.

For all the details on how to play along, visit The Color Throwdown site.

And be sure to check out what the other design team members have created using the colors for this week:

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Danielle Kennedy - Wild Dragonfly Designs

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy

Kristin Beuter - Mindless Creativity

Laura Pryor - Lil' Inker Designs

Thank you for stopping by!



SSSC92 - Crazy for Cupcakes

 Good morning!  It's time for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.  Karen sure has a sweet sketch for us today, I love the scallops on this one!  In my quest to get ahead on creating birthday cards for next year I decided to use the stamp set Crazy for Cupcakes for my card.  I wasn't so sure about the colors I used on this card, I found this combo in the Color Coach and figured I'd give it a try.  I guess if you never try anything new you never find out what you really like.

Supplies: Crazy for Cupcakes, Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder, Sizzix SU Blossom Party die (for flower), Ribbon, Scallop square Nestie, Button, Dazzling Diamonds, Aqua brush, Dimensionals.  Colors: Early Espresso, Marine Mist, Pink Pirouette.

I added Dazzling Diamonds on the pink frosting of each chocolate cupcake for a little sparkle.

To play along create a card using Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch, then go to Karen’s blog The Sweetest Thing and link your card so we can all see your creation! 

Be sure to visit each of the Sweet Sunday Stampers below for more samples using this week’s sketch!

Joanne Basile: ...just a little something

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse

Laura Fredrickson: Scrapnextras

Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.  ~Robert Brault

Exciting News!!!

Guess who the new Guest Designer is for The Color Throwdown?  Yep you got it, me!  I'm so excited and honored to have been asked to design cards and projects for the next month and a half along with the talented women from The Color Throwdown. 

So without further ado onto the cards, yes that's right I created two cards because these colors were so fun to play with and I hope you'll play along too.  The first card I have uses the stamp sets On a Pedestal and A Word for You.  I'm going to try and stock up on birthday cards so I'm ready for some of next years birthdays when they come around instead of being last minute {OK I said try}.

Check out these great colors for The Color Throwdown:

For this next card I used the fun colors from the challenge and the Two Step Owl punch as well as the stamp set Curly Cute.  These owls crack me up every time I see them!

For all the details on how to play along, visit The Color Throwdown site.

And be sure to check out what the other design team members have created using the colors for this week:

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcombe - Splashes of Watercolor

Danielle Kennedy - Wild Dragonfly Designs

LeAnne Pugliese - Wee Inklings

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy

Kristin Beuter - Mindless Creativity

Laura Pryor - Lil' Inker Designs

Thanks so much for stopping by!



MTSC98 - Forever Friends

 Hello, hope you're having a good day!  My day has been crazy or I should say crazier than normal, lol.  I wanted this card that I had created for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge posted this morning but ended up having to run our three year old to the doctors.  The long and short of it is that we've come to the conclusion that our youngest son is lactose intolerant which may be the reason for him waking in the middle of the night screaming and for the cause of his on and off again stomach problems.  If indeed that is the case I'm grateful that that's all it is and nothing more serious.

Anywhooo, I used my fun Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit to create this card for the sketch challenge.  I absolutely Love this Cider Apple designer paper that comes with the Kit and the rich fall colors are right up my ally!  So if you haven't already ordered your Key Ingredients Kit this month, what are you waiting for?  You can click here to find out all of the details.

Supplies: TE October Key Ingredients Kit, Branching Out, Branching Out Coordinates.

Have you seen the adorable sneak peeks of the new Taylored Expression Stamps & Accessories?  If not you can click here to hop over and take a look.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow because I have some exciting news that I'll be sharing!