Garden Variety

Happy Tuesday!  Hope you're doing well.  Today I have a card using the Papertrey Ink stamp set Garden Variety, this is a new set that just came out last month and I was excited to finally get my hands on it this month.  I started out with a kiwi kiss colored card base, some rose red and crumb cake cardstock and My Mind's Eye designer paper.  I also used the picket fence die, tiny tags die, seed packet frame and coordinating dies for the Garden Variety set.  This was a fun card to put together, I'm looking forward to creating with this stamp set again.

The kiss of the sun for pardon,

The song of the birds for mirth,

One is nearer God's heart in a garden

Than anywhere else on earth.

~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts"

SSSC123 - Poppies

Good morning!  It's time for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #123, Karen has another fantastic sketch for us this week and we hope you'll play along.

For my card I used the Papertrey Ink anniversary stamp set Botanical Silhouettes, the first time I saw this stamp set I thought of the red Oriental poppies that I used to grow at our first home.  Some of the blooms would get so large that they were the size of small dinner plates and so gorgeous to look at with the translucent petals that were a vivid red.  I started out by inking the stems in old olive ink and stamping off before stamping them onto my cardstock so that my sentiment would show up nicely stamped on top.  Then I stamped my petals in poppy parade (perfect color huh?) and added my outline using a fine black pen.  The two poppy parade squares were stamped with another stem image from the set in poppy parade ink and adhered to the front of my black card base. 

Once I tied on my green ribbon I adhered my image using foam tape and added four red rhinestones to the petals.

This photo is courtesy of Pinterest and you can find the link here.

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!

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse she's off this week, but stop on by and send her some love
Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

Dana White: Dana's House of Cards

Karen Giron: The Sweetest Thing

Have a wonderful day!

Papertrey Ink June Blog Hop Challenge

Hello and welcome!  Today is the Papertrey Ink June Blog Hop and whether your going along with the hop or you've just stopped by, I'm glad you're here. 

This month for the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge we were given the photo above as inspiration to create a card or project.  When I first saw this photo my head was swimming in different directions as far as how to start my card, but in the end I pulling two of the colors from the photo and focused on the cute little pair of boots sitting on the bench.  If you look close you can see that the boots are pink with roses and green leaves along the side.  To imitate the roses with leaves I used the PTI stamp set Blooming Button Bits along with the Beautiful Blooms die, the Mat Stack 3 die, Picket Fence die and Tiny Tags die.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day!

CPS120/CR84FN32 - Four of a Kind

Happy Thursday!  Today I have a card that I created using two challenges, the Card Patterns Sketch Challenge #120 and the CR84FN32 Color Challenge.  Combining these two challenges was kind of a stretch for me, I'm not sure whether I like the end results or not but I guess that's what a challenge is all about, mixing things up a bit.  I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Four of a Kind, tempting turquoise, garden green, daffodil delight cardstock and kept it clean and simple.

Thanks for visiting!

SSSC122 - Beautiful Butterflies Thinking of You

Hello!  I'm here today with my Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge card, I'm a day late but better late than never I say.  As much as I enjoyed it, I'm actually just happy to have made it through last week and the weekend.  Between my daughter's dance practices last week, two nights of dance recitals, birthday party/Father's Day BBQ and all of the cleaning, grocery shopping, birthday gift/Father's Day buying and all that comes with it I'm wiped out.  So that's my excuse as to why my cards late :)

For my card using Karen's sketch I used the SU Sizzix Beautiful Butterflies die, the Beautiful Wings Embosslit die and layered them together along with the retired stamp set Warmest Regards.  The card base is old olive card stock with a panel of poppy parade and Sunny Garden designer paper.   

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!

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse

Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

Dana White: Dana's House of Cards

Karen Giron: The Sweetest Thing

Hope you're having a great day!

TE June Key Ingredients Promotion

Hello everyone!  I'm back today to share a card that I created using the June Key Ingredients Kit and to share some exciting promotional news about subscribing to the KI monthly kit club.

This month's KI Kit is full of beautiful product, the Basic Grey Sweet Thread designer papers, the card stock, ribbons, brads and flowers are all so pretty and fun to work with.

For my card I used the TE stamp set Cozy Cottages to create a tent topper card.  The colors on this card are two of my favorite colors, the raspberry card stock with the chartreuse ribbon from the kit are such a great combination.  I used two of the patterns from the Sweet Thread designer papers and added rows of the Medium Scallop border die along with one of the little flowers with a brad in the center to the edge of my image.

Now on to the KI Kit Promotion:

If you are not a current Key Ingredients Subscriber, now is a great time to join the monthly kit club! You will have so much fun creating with all the coordinating elements right at your fingertips! Perhaps you've been sitting on the fence thinking about it for awhile. And if all the regular subscriber benefits aren't enough, we might have just the Special Offer you need to take the plunge!

•Enroll in a 6 month Key Ingredients Subscription with payment to be charged to your credit or debit card monthly and receive your choice of one of the following Mini or Petite stamp sets absolutely FREE: Crafty Expressions, Beary Special Accessories, You're my Type Upper, You're my Type Lower & #'s, A Little Love, Moka Olivia, Moka Charlotte, Capture my Heart, Collectors Anonymous, Summer Wreath.

•Enroll in a 6 month Key Ingredients Subscription with one upfront payment and choose a FREE stamp set (Full-size, Mini or Petite) from this list: Miniature Motifs, Borderlicious, Fashionista, Bakery Business, Trick or Sweet II, Sweet Indulgence, Love Everywhere, Tweet Hearts, Luxurious Labels, Sweet Occasions, Crafty Expressions, Beary Special Accessories, You're my Type Upper, You're my Type Lower & #'s, A Little Love, Moka Olivia, Moka Charlotte, Capture my Heart, Collectors Anonymous, Summer Wreath.

•IMPORTANT: Do not add the FREE stamp set to your cart. Leave a comment at checkout with your selection and we'll make sure it gets included with your first KI shipment.

•Offer good to new Subscribers only through June 30th. You will receive the June KI kit while supplies last. If we run out of June kits, we will notify you and your first shipment will be the July kit.

•A note to our current Subscribers - you received a special renewal offer via e-mail last week. Please e-mail us at kits@tayloredexpressions.com if you missed it.

Well that's it from me today, I hope you'll have a chance to stop the Key Ingredients Gallery throughout the month for even more inspiration and ideas using this month's kit.  And don't forget to stop by the Key Ingredients Blog where there's information about the kit, inspiration, and fabulous other links to check out!

CR84FN31 - Green Thumb

Hello there!  Today I have two cards that I've created using the colors from the CR84FN31 Color Challenge and the Papertrey Ink stamp set Green Thumb.  I was lucky enough that a few weeks back my Hope Your Day is Fabulous card was chosen as a winner for the Papertrey Ink Make-it Monday Challenge #12 and I got to pick a free stamp set and Green Thumb was my choice. 

For the above card I used the gardening boot image from the Green Thumb set along with the stems, flowers and sentiment.  I stamped, cut out and popped the center flower and added a small button, I also added a row of stitching, scallop border and some pink bakers twine.

For both cards I used an embossed panel of pretty in pink cardstock, crumb cake as a base and My Mind's Eye designer paper. 

The second card I used the pot image from the Green Thumb set and the flower, stem and die from the Flower Fusion #1 set.  I saw Maile's beautiful card combining these two sets and love it, so I thought I would give it a try.

Not to toot my own horn...but I was very excited to have my Teapot Thinking of You card chosen as one of the Terrific Top 3 from the CR84FN30 Color Challenge. 

Taylored Expressions June Key Ingredients Kit Sneak Peek

Hello friends! Yesterday was my day over at the Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Blog to share a few of the projects I've created using this month's Kit. I hope you'll take a few minutes of your time to follow this link and hop over and take a look at not only what I've created but all of the fabulous creations from the rest of the KI team. If you're interested in finding more information about the TE Key Ingredients Kit you can click here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday Party Across the Miles

Welcome to this Fantasy Birthday Tour for sweet friend Taylor VanBruggen.  Since we couldn't all be together today to throw a party we're having a virtual Birthday Party Across the Miles and everyone is invited to come along! 

You should have come here from Melody Rupple's blog, but if you didn't you might want to start this Fantasy Birthday Tour at the beginning on Jami Sibley's blog. 

The birthday card that I created for Taylor uses the stamp sets Friendship Blooms (with coordinating Leafy Branch die) and In the Park, along with those sets I used the supplies from June's Key Ingredients Kit (which will be available June 15).  The Basic Grey designer papers, ribbons, flowers and brads are all so pretty this month, you're going to love them!

  

What's a fantasy party without fantasy gifts? If money were no object, this would be my gift to you Taylor a personalized matching mother and daughter pearl bracelet set.

Taylor I hope you enjoy your day! 

I also used today's Sweet Sunday Sketch to help me create Taylor's card, Karen has another fantastic sketch this week and we hope you'll play along.

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!

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse

Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

Dana White: Dana's House of Cards

Karen Giron: The Sweetest Thing

 Please hop over to Taylor's Blog and wish her a Happy Birthday today, I know she would appreciate it!

Next up on the Fantasy Birthday Tour is Lisa Hjulberg.

SSSC120/CTD144 - Create a Cupcake

Well hello there, thanks for dropping in!  I hope you're enjoying your weekend.  Here in Michigan we've had a cool rainy spring and so many of us have been wishing for some warmer weather...well we got it yesterday.  I was almost 90 degrees and muggy yuck, I'm hoping today is a little cooler since I have flowers to plant.

Today is Sunday and time for the Sweet Sunday Sketch #120.  For my card I created a CAS (clean & simple) birthday card using the SU stamp set Create a Cupcake and the fun colors from The Color Throwdown #144. 

I started out with a melon mambo card base, then a pumpkin pie layer that was embossed using my perfect polka dot embossing folder.  Then I added four punched out circles of retired SU designer paper.  The cupcake image was stamped on a white 2 3/4" square piece of card stock and I added a melon mambo mat.  Across the lower front of my card I used a scallop border piece, a strip of melon mambo and added my ribbon and bow.

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!

Karen Motz: Paper Playhouse

Sarah-Jane Kale': Janeybell

Vicki Burdick: It's a Stamp Thing

Jen Tapler: Jen Tapler Designs

Dana White: Dana's House of Cards

Karen Giron: The Sweetest Thing

CR84FN30/CPS#117 - Tea for Two Thinking of You

TGIF everyone!  For it being a short week because of Memorial Day last Monday it sure seem long.

Today I have another card that I created using the CR84FN30 Color Challenge and the Card Patterns Sketch Challenge.  I used the Papertrey Ink stamp set Tea for Two along with the coordinating teapot die and the set Mega Mixed Messages for the tag, the Taylored Expressions Medium Scallop border die and Leafy Branch die, the Mini Rolled Roses My Favorite Things die, some My Mind's Eye designer paper and the SU Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, cardstock and ribbon.  Quite a combo of different products all from my favorite companies.

I actually really like this card and I'm usually my worst critic.

Card Patterns #117 - Make a Life

Hello!  Today I have a card that I created using the Card Patterns Sketch #117 and the SU stamp set Occasional Quotes.  For my inspiration I used the first roses of the summer from my garden (see photos below) which are blooming right now.  The roses are huge pale pink English climbing roses and look like pink tissue paper flowers and I wanted to try and recreate that in a paper flower.

I started out with a crumb cake card base and corner rounded the bottom corners, then added a pretty in pink embossed layer on the bottom portion of my card, a row of eyelet border in the middle and SU retired designer paper on the top. Then I added a 3/4" vertical strip of crumb cake down the center of the card and some pink taffeta ribbon.  It may be difficult to see (click on the picture for a close up) but after I stamped my sentiment in the center of my die cut circle I stamped the rose image from the SU stamp set Elements of Style in pink pirouette, some fully inked and some stamped off.  Then I sponged along the outer edge of my circle with crumb cake, attached a mat and added it to my card front.  For my rose (see photo below) I punched three Extra Large Fancy Flowers, one in pretty in pink and two in pink pirouette, and three circles (1 1/4", 1", 3/4") all in pretty in pink along with three hand cut leaves in crumb cake. All of the pieces below were wadded up into tiny balls, unfolded and the edges were sponged with pink passion ink (the leaves with CC) and then layered together with glue dots with the bottom layer being a pretty in pink Fancy Flower and center being the smallest circle which I then added a large pearl to.  I added my antique brad and bows above and below my circle then added my hand cut leaves, tiny tag and rose.

I had to cut just a few to bring inside.

This is a picture of our garden along the side of our house. 

The flowers are just starting to bloom.

Thanks for stopping by!