An award, tag & long overdue raks to share...

I received this great award from Sankari - Sankari's Sunshine Corner She is so sweet, a great stamper & one of the design team members of Papercraft Planet!

and I was tagged by my stamping buddy Barb-Explore, Dream, Discover to share 7 weird or random facts about myself.

1. I love to read-currently Jodi Picoult novels.  

2. I smashed my big toe in March under my chair wheel when I was stamping.  It hurt real bad, turned black & grew out pretty fast.  It'w now completely grown out & I'm back to normal!

3. I used to love to go to the opera, theater & travelled to The Annual Shakespeare Festival in Ashland Oregon 2 times (once in high school with my drama class and once with 5 other girlfriends when I was in my early 20's)

4. I hate having a dirty stove, refrigerator, toilet & tub.  

5. I am peeved by slamming cabinet & refrigerator doors.  

6. I am looking forward to having my dream home 

7. I would love to spend Christmas with my family in CA 

This beauty is from Jessie Rone she is just the sweetest, I believe she sends out raks on a daily basis and I am honored to have several in my happy mail arsenal! Recently one of Jessie's dreams came true - she became one of the SCS Dirty Dozen Designers!  Thank you, Jessie you are so sweet!!

Jane - Whoopsie Daisy! sent me this sweet RAK to my sister's house for Halloween when I was on vacation, she just lives 45 mins away from her.  It was so fun to get Happy Mail when I was on vacation! I totally LOVE the spider lollipop, it is so cute & original!  

Look at this beautiful bracelet Carolina surprised me with when she & her nephew Gaven came to visit me on vacation - I sure wish we had had more time together!  We chatted, made mini pizzas & watched all the kids play & of course, Gabby & Gaven love on each other! The bracelet is just gorgeous and had a little piece of paper with the Serenity Prayer on it in English & Hawaiian, which is where Carolina said the bracelet was made.  It's just perfect since I wear a lot of brown clothing.  Thank you agan, my sweet friend!!

This picture of us is so cute - Gabby didn't know Carolina very long, but look how she took to her, leaning in to her for the picture (Gaven didn't want to be in it).  For weeks Gabby talked about Gaven & his 'mom' (ha ha) - I wonder if I can convince Carolina to go back for a play date even if I'm not there??  *wink*  

Rockstar Besties

I was so excited when I first saw Alicia Krupsky's new set for Gina K Designs called Best Friends

it's such a fun set for teens/tweens!  This is the first card I made using the set, and decided not to color the besties in, I stamped them on PTI Vintage Cream cardstock and sponged with chocolate chip ink.  The DCWV Rock Star glitter stack is great with this set!  I used sateen flowers but colored them with Copics to match the dp.  

Then I decided since there are so many fun images in the set, why not make a waterfall card so I can show them off together and since I've never made one before and always wanted to, it was a fun challenge for me!   Below I have pictures of each of the panels I stamped simply to match the dp and also chose not to color any of the images.  

LSC169 Birthdays and Bubbles!!

Here is my card for the Limited Supplies Challenge {LSC196} Pinky Animal.  I used Lil' P-Nut from Our Craft Lounge to wish a Happy Birthday with just her party hat & sentiment.  The dp & brad are by Basic Grey, Eva.  She was colored with prismacolor pencils blended with baby oil & stumps then highlighted with my Copic Atyou Spica pens.  
And now one of the main reasons I was drawn to Our Craft Lounge stamps - because in the setLola Love she is blowing bubbles!  These pictures were taken of my niece Gabby during our trip in May when her baby brother was born.  Gabby LOVES to blow bubbles - she has a special drawer in the kitchen full of them, extras left over from her 2nd birthday party favor buckets. The journaling talks about how cute it was that my sister (her Nini) taught her how to put the wand straight in, then out, then 'tap, tap, tap' on the side to get the extra bubbles off - we managed to get still photos & video of these precious few minutes! A funny moment was when she said, "Auntie Donna's making a mess" and we said what? and she pointed to my arm and said "all over your arm" - I was holding the bottle of bubbles and when she was tap tap tapping, it was getting all over my arm but it was o.k.!  
The funniest moment was at the very end when we were telling her to put the wand closer to her mouth and she accidentally put it in her mouth!  We all gasped and laughed at the surprised look on her face when she got a taste of the bubbles - it was hilarious!  Unfortunately the camera was off at that point but one we will never forget!  There is one point in the video she stops and sees that her Tio Frankie has the camera and stopped to smile.  This photo is priceless; it captures her sheer innocense & beauty.

Here is a picture of Gabby and her Nini - my middle sister Deana who is 4 years older than me and watches her & Joseph our nephew.  I'm really proud of the sacrifice she makes to watch them, since she never wanted to have kids of her own and she is doing a great job caring for them!  Isn't she pretty??  They were playing dress up before we started blowing bubbles.  

TECC44: Tangled in Trimmings & Inchie

I think the idea I had in my head for Taylor's Cupcake Friday sketch {TECC44} didn't quite turn out like I had imagined.  I'm just not completely happy with it, but I am sharing it anyway *smile*.  I wanted to make a unique focal image so I made a frame from my circle nestability.  I think what throws me off is the blue mat behind the focal image, I think if I had made it brown it would look better.  I stamped tangled in trimmings cuppiefrom Season's Sweetings (I can hardly believe it's the first time I've used him) on blush blossom cardstock & decided not to color him in. I did color all the lights with my Copic Atyou Spica pens which sparkle a lot!  All supplies except blush blossom c/s & spica pens can be found in the Taylored Expressions store - if you happen to spend at least $40 you qualify for free shipping with promotional code THANKFUL4U (all caps, no spaces) at checkout - offer good through Sunday evening, November 30.

after I made my card I thought it would be fun to make another one using the cut out circle nestability.  I think I like this card better,  because I made a little inchie with the small cuppie in the Home Sweet Home set and covered it with liquid pearls for frosting. 

Here is Taylor’s sketch so you can play along too!!  You can be eligible to win Cupcake Sampler Honors & be featured on Taylor’s blog using the next Cupcake Friday Sketch!  You’re not required to use cupcakes on your sketch, but if you got ‘em why not use ‘em??  You can create something other than a card but try to keep as close to the sketch as possible. If you’re uploading to Splitcoast, please use keyword TECC44.  Leave a comment on Taylor’s post with a link to your blogpost or gallery link so she can check it out!  You must have your creation uploaded by Monday, December 1 at 8:00 a.m. PST to be eligible for the featured cupcake sampler honors.  Lastly, be sure to have FUN creating!

Be sure to check out the other Cupcake Crew’s Creations:

Taylor VanBruggen 

Ana Wohlfahrt

Jackie Pedro

Jami Sibley

Monika Davis

Sherrie Siemens

Stephanie Hargis

Vicki Chrisman

Our Featured Cupcake Sampler this week is Karin Giron - The Sweetest Thing

Top Chef Challenge

You still have time to enter the Top Chef Challenge to WIN your choice of stamp set from the next SASI stamp release!  Just make your cutest card and/or project using any of the new SASI holiday stamp sets - Season's Sweetings, Home Sweet Home and Tag Treats.  E-mail a photo of your project (with the subject line Top Chef) to tayloredexpressions@gmail.com by Friday, December 12th. In your e-mail be sure to include your first and last name and link to your blog and SCS gallery (if you have them - they're not a requirement to play.)  Taylor will choose the cutest, most creative entry to be named TOP CHEF and win your choice of stamp set from the next SASI stamp release!  Most of all, you can't win if you don't play so get stampin' and have some fun!!!

Give Thanks...

Not only today, but every day I like to give thanks because there are just so many reasons to be grateful for being alive!

Here are a few Thanksgiving cards I made to send out this past week. I used Beate's weekend sketch challenge (WSC67) from last weekend, embossing the leaves from Botanical Dreams in gold on kraft cardstock (surprise!) and I am pleased with the look! On the first card I colored the leaves with prismacolor & koh-i-noor pencils, blending with baby oil & stumps. The greeting is by SU! Thanks for Everything. The designer paper is by Archiver's (a paper pack I got free last year of all Fall colors).

This card was colored in with copic markers - I kind of like the look but copic coloring is not my favorite medium, I really was curious how it looked on kraft cardstock though. The designer paper used here is mellow by Basic Grey.

Now Stuff You Need to Know!

Gina K posted a wonderful video as a follow-up to all the cards we sent for Cards for the Troops (celebrating World Card-Making Day) it was over 2,000 and I have to admit I cried the duration of the video, just moved by the feelings of gratitude captured as well as the gratitude in my heart for all their sacrifice & their family's sacrifice to live without them. I am so proud to have been part of something bigger than me and happy my cards brought smiles to more than one person's face! Please leave me a note to let me know you saw it & what you thought!
24-hour Specials - Friday November 28th in the Gina K store {midnight to midnight} - be sure to check them out!

Taylored Expressions is having a Thanksgiving Sale starting today and runs through Sunday night 11/30! All orders $40 or more qualify for FREE shipping & remember the JustRite Buy one, get one free promo - Taylor has a lot of great JustRite products in her store. At checkout, enter promotional code THANKFUL4U (all caps, no spaces).

Sharon Harnist & Lori Craig have special projects & sweet giveaways to share using Stamp a Sweet Impression stamps & Copic Markers!

Bonnie has some awesome blog candy!

I hope y'all celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow enjoy your day, have safe travels & eat all the good stuff you want without the guilt!

I'll be back on Friday with Taylor's Cupcake Challenge sketch!

Like Milk & Cookies...

Since I've been on a kraft cardstock kick - thought I'd show you a monochromatic card I made recently using one of Gina K Designs new sets Have a Cookie. I love that Melanie was inspired by her mom when she designed this set; remembering the smell, taste & feelings freshly baked cookies conjures up.  She always thinks of more than just one occasion when designing a set, in particular making sure there is versatility with it!  With the combination of these 2 images (glass of milk & cookies) and sentiment, you can make it an anniversary, love or friendship card! 

Here is the inside of the card, notice the way the ribbon is tied through the nestability in front?  I am always inspired by other's creative uses of ribbon but I haven't found that to be my strength. Although I am quite happy with the finished look of it on this card with the window.  The dp on the front is SU! hostess prints pack with earth elements colors.  The ribbon is kraft taffeta.  

Our Craft Lounge Christmas Cuties!!

So yesterday I shared with you about the new stamp company in town; Our Craft Lounge, did you check 'em out?  Here are a few more cards I made when I had the idea to deck them out for Christmas (compliments of Starving Artistamps' Doodlefactory Santa's Sweet Shoppe - tree above and Pink Cat Studio-dress up Lily's santa hat & candy cane in bottom card).  Can you even believe how PERFECTLY the santa hat fits on Anna Mae, Pat the Dog and P-Nut as if it was MADE for them!?!?  

I created Anna Mae's Christmas scene by hand drawing & coloring the floor with copic markers, adding a wide white baseboard of cardstock above & placing 'wallpaper' on the walls.  That, along Anna Mae's paper-pieced dress are by Basic Grey Eva.  The 'painting' or sentiment on the wall is a small oval nestability with SU!'s retired Fancy Flexible Phrases in the center.  Do you like her dress adorned with pink rhinestones around the collar?  I do - wish I had a dress that cute & don't you just adore her matching striped socks and sparkly shoes?  The sparkle accents on Anna Mae's shoes, bows on the presents & star on the tree are courtesy of my new Copic Atyou Spica pens!! Lastly, her santa hat is trimmed with liquid pearls (because I paper-pieced it with pink paper, it took on the pink hue to match!) 
 
Here is Pat the Dog - sending her love to you at Christmas 2008 - courtesy of JustRite DIY monogram stamper & small alphabet set!  For this card, I used Jen's sketch from Sat. (SFYTT 112208) and 3 patterns from my Basic Grey Figgy paper pad.  I thought these colors went well with Pat's coloring and the pop of red on her heart & santa hat she borrowed from Anna Mae.  I love the sweet look on this doggie's face and how she is loving on that heart!!  

A close-up of Pat's coloring & sparkle from Sakura glitter pen.  I had to dig around for that paw print brad I got from a stamping friend a few years ago, isn't it perfect for this card??

My last card shows P-Nut borrowing Pat's santa hat that was borrowed from Anna Mae.  What I did to make the hat fit perfectly on P-Nut's head but allow her ears to show in front still, was cut slits on the ears & tucked the sides of the hat underneath.  I used Our Creative Corner's sketch from Saturday by Denise for this card which I thought was PERFECT but I ended up not having any room for a greeting, but that's o.k. I think P-Nut's festive garb speaks for itself!  I got the idea for painting her toes red from Cambria's card and decided to give her some blue eye shadow too!  I just got my fancy corner punch from Gina K Designs, I thought it would be a great touch since my card was greeting-less along with a riding hood red button in the corner.  Basic Grey Figgy was used on this card too, along with my Copic Atyou Spica pens. 

Here is a close-up of P-Nut!  I hope you enjoyed my Christmas Cuties!  

Snowflakes in Texas?

Ha - I wish!  I know a lot of y'all are experiencing snow but that's a rare occasion in Central Texas.  Although usually at least once a year we get ice on the roads & bridges and it's usually not a good thing in many ways!  Lately the weather has been so mild we were shopping at the grocery store yesterday morning & I saw several people with shorts on.  

I experienced snow in the truest sense of the word one time in my life - it was Christmas 1981; my dad died April that year and our mom thought it would be a good idea to take us away from the house so we had a distraction from missing him so much.  We went to Lake Tahoe & stayed in a cabin with our cousins for about a week.  We did have a lot of fun; it was cold - we rode down the hill on inner tubes, made snowmen & played games.  My mom was so smart to do that for us and I was always grateful because we don't have any sad memories of our first Christmas without our dad.  

It feels somewhat strange to stamp with snowflakes since I don't live in an area where we get snow, but I suppose there are people I can either send them to or others can (in the process of getting cards together to sell) so I have to make sure I cover everything.  I love to heat emboss and I thought Rupa's delicate snowflakes in her set The Magic of Christmas would look just lovely.  I used silver embossing powder on both cards on Night of Navy cardstock and used silver elastic cord as a simple embellishment.  
 
Next up is some holiday home decor.  I picked up a glass votive at the dollar store along with a glass base and the blue poinsettia pick is from Hobby Lobby that rests next to the votive unattached.  I took a long piece of vellum cardstock, stamped the snowflakes using white embossing powder and brayered my blue frost spectrum pad over the snowflakes.    

Here is a picture of the votive lit & with the lights off so you can see the flame better through the vellum.  I know Thanksgiving is just a few days away but I so look forward to Christmas decorations so much!!

Our Craft Lounge Cuties!

If you spend much time blurfing you will know that Joy & Cambria teamed up with Marianne and another friend to bring the stamping world stamps that are just too fun!! I had to get in on them because I have grand ideas to scrap my niece & of course make her fun gifts! The company is called Our Craft Lounge and they have set up a forum where we can chat with announcements, challenges, contests, etc. I made this card using their first sketch challenge, I just fell in love with Lil' Pea-Nut & Dr. Pea-Nut because I don't have any elephant stamps - they're just so original!

I finally got the whole set of copic spica pens from Gina K Designs (had about 4 prior to that I used a lot and knew I wanted the rest). Well they came in the prettiest silver organdy bag and on this card I used pink on the hearts and red & green on the flowers & grass.

My first project I decided to make, since you can make Lola (on the left) and Anna Mae (on the right) big & lil' sisters - was some gift packaging for the sweetest big sister & lil' sister matching necklaces I got for our cousins in East TX Chloe (6 yrs old) and Madison (almost 3) for Christmas! Chloe has long straight brown hair & Madison has medium length red curly hair they are both sweet girls & I know they will adore these tins and the fact they have matching necklaces because Madison adores her big sister. I was able to capture their personalities here too, Chloe is a little cheerleader at school & Madison can have a little 'tude so here they are! Both girls love the color purple and I used my JustRite DIY Monogram stamper with the small alpha for Madison & big - lil' sister and the Curlz Alpha (C in Chloe) and Brayton font (hloe).

What drew me to these sets was the ability to mix & match outfits & legs and the option to have crafty cling to be able to see where you stamp is what allowed me to stamp exactly where I needed to! Of course there is an option to have die cut red rubber which is nice too (which is what I prefer to stamp with, unless I know I will want to do a lot of layering & masking). Check out Cambria's post for some great pics of the packaging-I am very exciting about it! It is just like Taylored Expressions Stamp a Sweet Impression line. Pretty soon I will have my sets in binders, easy to find & use!

Here is a close-up of Madison. I outlined both girls with my stardust glitter pen.

Pic of the inside of the tin - used What's In Your Tin 1 by Gina K Designs to decorate the insides. these necklaces were $ (for both) what a deal! You know we don't have to buy really expensive gifts as long as we have cute packaging! Be sure to check out all the other sets released by Our Craft Lounge - I'm sure there is something that will appeal to YOU (there I go again with the enabling).

Glittery Coco

Well folks - remember I started posting last weekend my new Doodlefactory Santa's Sweet Shoppe cards?  I promised to show you my DH's favorite of the stack - here he is, Coco who is in the blistery weather trying to keep his coat dry & insides warm with a big cup 'o cocoa!  

I used my DCVW glitter stack for the background piece which I LOVE!!  I had fun coloring in the sentiment with colors I used on the card - browns & blues.  

What do you think of Coco?? I love his sweet smile and have to admit, polar bears really are cute - especially the cubs!!

If I've tempted you with buying this set - don't forget you can get 10% off (there is a code on the right of my blog)  I stamped all day today so I will have lots to share this week!  

TECC43 - Reindeer Gift

For a while now I've been wanting to make some reindeer food & thought I may as well to go along with Taylor's sketch for this week. I think it would be real fun for my sister & Gabby to follow the instructions on Christmas Eve as they await the arrival of Santa:

"Sprinkle on the lawn at night

The moon will make it sparkle bright

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam

This will guide them to your home"

I stamped REINDEER FOOD with white StazOn ink on the cello bag using my Brayton font by JustRite Stampers, lining it up on my Harmony Rectangular wood stamp and again on the bag topper, which I kept real simple. Inside the bag I used oatmeal & fire engine red glitter. The dp & other embellishments are all in the Christmas key ingredients package - all supplies available in the Taylored Expressions store. I sugared up my brads in the upper left by dipping them in the essentials glue pad (I got in a LSS in Seattle) & then the fire engine red glitter. FUN!

Here is Taylor’s sketch so you can play along too!! You can be eligible to win Cupcake Sampler Honors & be featured on Taylor’s blog using the next Cupcake Friday Sketch! You’re not required to use cupcakes on your sketch, but if you got ‘em why not use ‘em?? You can create something other than a card but try to keep as close to the sketch as possible. If you’re uploading to Splitcoast, please use keyword TECC43. Leave a comment on Taylor’s post with a link to your blogpost or gallery link so she can check it out! You must have your creation uploaded by Monday, November 24 at 8:00 a.m. PST to be eligible for the featured cupcake sampler honors. Lastly, be sure to have FUN creating!

Be sure to check out the other Cupcake Crew’s Creations:

Taylor VanBruggen
Ana Wohlfahrt
Jackie Pedro
Jami Sibley
Monika Davis
Sherrie Siemens
Stephanie Hargis
Vicki Chrisman

And this week's cupcake sampler Laura Frederickson at Scrapnextras!

P.S. Don't forget to check out the Stamp a Sweet Impression blog to see who our Friday Friend is!

Celebrate MFT Day!!

So there's just an hour & a half left of celebrating MFT day {when MFTer's pull out their stamps & give 'em some love which is not hard to do}!  I was determined to make a card today and I did! It was my first time using Peppermint Cats (my sister bought me these - belated b'day gift along with the other 2 Stephanie Fizer sets released last month and the cases to store my stamps-they are awesome!!).  Lately I've been using my kraft c/s a lot so here they are stamped on it.  I used my Koh-I-Noor & Prismacolor pencils to color them in.  DP, ribbon & fire engine red glitter are from Taylored Expressions Christmas Key Ingredients.  I used the MFTSC57 for my layout but it had a circle so I placed a scallop punch under the cats (I love how they fit snugly in between the scallops and all of a sudden noticed this...

the perfect heart connecting them!  So I took a Riding Hood Red scallop, cut it out, glittered it up & put a dimensional on top. Finished it off with curving my sentiment.  How fun!!  

Happiness is Stamping

Yes - it is!!  I paired Melanie's Tee Talk sentiment by Gina K Designs with my stamper Stamping Bella - cute, huh??  I used dp Let it Bloom which is available at Gina K Designs (there are SO many sheets of double-sided papers in there & they are fun)!  Slightly thinner than other dp but there is so much texture in it & the patterns all match, like Basic Grey.  Fun!  Her dress is paper-pieced, I'd love to have one that cute!

Grumpy & Sad Holidays...

Here is Marmalade, she is not so keen on this whole holiday thing - so Bah Humbug! is what she says as she stands in front of the decorated Christmas tree with her hands on her hips! The expression on her face cracks me up! I used SCS sketch challenge 202 (SC202) from last week or my card.  

Here is Gio (sad) which is what I feel when I think that I won't be with my sisters, niece & nephew for Thanksgiving or Christmas!  I chose to color & bling up my gingerbread house with copics, liquid pearls & rhinestones, so fun!  

I used 80 lb Pure Luxury cardstock to stamp & color my main images on both cards, which just came out by Gina K Designs-it is just awesome!

Coffee Lover's Gift Basket

As a coffee lover I was so excited to see the new set My Cuppa' Joe by Gina K Designs, illustrated by Rupa Shevde. From a very early age, I was enamored with the dark liquid my mom & dad drank on a daily basis. My mom, with cream & sugar and my dad black & scorching hot! He must have had a raw tongue because as soon as the coffee was poured, he downed it. Whoa! My mom never wanted me to drink it, she said it would make me dark & stunt my growth. Huh?! What?! Well, I am a rebel so I always got a sip and when it was time for me to make decisions on my own I was all about the java! Always have been and always will be. But, I am a no-frills coffee drinker - no flavored creamer, no double shot, whipped, mocha, soy, etc. When I go to Starbucks, I have the house blend, that's my favorite. With half & half and organic sugar. I am blessed to work in an office where coffee is free! I made this basket keeping in mind some of things I would love to get. The basket is actually from a Starbuck's gift basket I got from my sisters & brother-in-laws last Christmas. The pink & brown ribbon is from Carolina, wide, double-sided & wired it is perfect for this gift!

Here are close-ups of all the contents: I stamped a tile coaster and placed cork on the bottom. The treat is dark chocolate & white chocolate covered coffee beans - so yummy! Then I made a coaster magnet with that great saying 'Behind every successful woman is a whole latte coffee'. I covered the round coaster with au chocolate designer paper and layered the nestability-cut image.

Next up is an ATC sized card and a coffee mug I got from Dollar Tree perfect for placing a holiday rub-on by SU! on (of course it will wash off). Then I made some chocolate dipped spoons, covering them with a plastic bag and added a tag & ribbon.

Here is a coffee bag I filled with some yummy coffee - Sumatra, my absolute favorite coffee (I scored a lb for $4.50 at World Market - doesn't get any better than that!)

Lastly, a coffee bag filled with cocoa because that is another great thing to put in a coffee mug! Yum. I also put a bag of Chocolate Chip Scones (left side back of the basket), the bag was so cute I left it alone. I hope you enjoyed this Coffee Lover's basket idea!