Simple Thank You triple challenge

Here is the last card I made for the TE Birthday Bash that runs through 11:59 p.m. PST Wednesday, September 9.  You still have time to play to win some great prizes! 

This card was made using several other challenges, including Charmaine’s Color Challenge, I also used Jen’s SFYTT from a few Saturdays ago and Sharon’s No Time to Stamp challenge  102 to leave your comfort zone-make a card in a style that is out of your comfort zone.  I bet I know you’re saying: “but that’s a clean & simple style and Donna likes doing that”.  You’re right---but I also tried to incorporate a somewhat vintage style which I love (am always inspired by fellow Baker’s Dozen dt member, Laurie Schmidlin) but am very challenged at pulling off.  I am so not even completely happy with this card because it didn’t quite turn out vintage (I think because of the colors & lack of distressing) but I figured I would share it anyway!  I still need to work at the vintage style!

I used Fresh Flowers for my image and the prism cardstock colors used are: Intense Kiwi, Sunflowers Med and Baby Blue Medium.  My vintage attempt is the lace trim I got in the TE Store.  HA 

Hope you have time to play in the challenges, especially MINE!  I LOVE looking at all the paper-pieced creations everyone is making & having so much fun with! 

TE Birthday Bash in Full Swing!

Have you checked out all the sweet details about the Taylored Expressions Birthday Bash yet??! If not, you need to because the challenges posted on Saturday’s release day are in full swing! I’m sure enjoying the entries so far but hope there are WAY more by the deadline! There are GREAT prizes up for grabs, so what are you waiting for?! You don’t have to use Taylored Expressions stamps to play so you have no excuse~you have until Wednesday, Sept 9 at 11:59 p.m. PST (that’s 1:59 a.m. for CST) and today is a holiday so maybe you can take some time for YOU & play. The above card is one I made for the TE Newsletter to celebrate Cuppie’s 1st Birthday! I used Sweet Celebration, one of 3 stamp sets on sale for 40% through today!

The Dracula Cuppie card (using Trick or Sweet & Frightful Night which are the other 2 sets on sale for 40% off through TODAY) I made is for my paper-piecing challenge and guess what? The winner will receive my card as well as a $10 gift certificate for the TE Store! You will be blown away by the GRAND PRIZE!

Here is a card I made combining 2 challenges, Taylor’s inspiration challenge and Karen G’s sketch challenge. I used the clown cuppie from Trick or Sweet II for a cute non-Halloween card, it can be for a birthday card or a sweet hello! I love the sentiment whoa, sugar rush! so on the inside of the card, I slipped in a small package of red, orange and yellow twizzlers as a special treat for the recipient! I took a picture of it to show you but my photo editing software is not working at the moment, sorry! I used the small open & solid circle images from Frightful Night (the moon) so I could re-create all the polka dots & circles in Taylor’s inspiration photo. Fun, huh? I also figured I would play on the open circles by NOT coloring in the cuppie, but used markers to outline the image in matching colors. I think it creates a fun, fresh look, but couldn’t help myself and added some red rhinestone bling & stardust stickles on his ‘hair’.

Hope you will play along in the challenges! You don’t have to make 13 different cards for the challenges, it’s o.k. to combine a few of the challenges too! Just be sure & have some F-U-N!!!

TE Birthday Bash Challenge hosted by me!!

Here is a snippet of a card I made for my challenge at the Stamp a Sweet Impression blog to celebrate the Birthday Bash!!  I hope you will stop by to play – you have 5 days to complete any or ALL 13 of the challenges (and you are able to combine a few challenges if you don’t have time to make 13 cards) and you don’t even have to use TE stamps!  The prizes are FABULOUS!  You have to check it out! 

I’ll be back later this weekend with my full card to show you as well as a few others I’ve made for the challenges.  Since I’ve been busy stamping for 2 releases the past 3 weeks, I need to take a little break & I have lots of homework to do!  If you click on the snippet of my card or the TEBBDB challenge icon, it will take you directly to my challenge there!   Have fun stamping & enjoy your long weekend!!! 

Taylored Expressions Release Day & Birthday Bash!!

I’m so excited for today!! It’s release day for all 4 new stamp sets at Taylored Expressions as well as the BIRTHDAY BASH on the Stamp a Sweet Impression blog!!

Today I have a project to show you using the 3rd Halloween set being released called Punchy Potions, illustrated by Nancy McKinney! The 4 large ‘punchy’ images are specially designed to coordinate with the Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Large Oval dies. There are also 4 small circle punchy images to coordinate you can punch with a 3/4" circle punch. I made a card using the Halloween Key Ingredients and this week’s Mojo Monday sketch 102, which was a stretch for me with all the elements but I like how it turned out. See the jelly bean filled potion bottle? Those are soda pop Jelly Bellies, which coordinated so nicely with the colors in the designer paper by Basic Grey! It’s Orange Crush, Grape Crush, 7up, Cream Soda, Root Beer and Dr Pepper! YUM! The potion bottles are so fun, and are part of the bundle Taylor is offering this month! I love that she comes up with these fun bundles full of savings for you!! Included in the bundle is some sticker paper you can stamp directly & color on, die cut & peel the backing off to fit perfectly on the potion bottle! EASY!

Here is a close up of the sparkle I achieved using my Copic atyou spica glitter pens I got in the TE store! She has set A and B and they are a great sale price and now I have a ton of colors!! I can’t help but use these pens on nearly every card I make! If you’d like to try them but can’t commit to the whole set of pens, I would suggest you get a clear pen to start with so you can see how much sparkle it adds to your project. You may or may not notice, but my ‘witch’ has a cute outfit on, in which she has a ‘belt’ and bling belt buckle! I drew on the belt with my pitch black glitter pen and added a square rhinestone for her belt buckle. I think it adds an element of complete fashion sense! I also put the same rhinestones on the acrylic button that comes in the Halloween key ingredients.

Here are the details for the Punchy Potions Bundle, look at the savings and what fun stuff you get!!
Don’t forget once you do your SHOPPING in the TE Store, you MUST go to the Stamp a Sweet Impression blog for ALL DAY CHALLENGES so you can win some great prizes from Taylor! I will have a challenge up at 10:00 a.m. CST, I hope you will come out & play with me!

Hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend with your family & make some time to stamp! I’ll be back later with my Taylored Expressions Birthday Bash Challenge!!!

Be sure to check out all the fabulous designs by the Baker's Dozen!

Taylor (where you can see full color photos of all the offerings, Charmaine Ikach, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Jackie Pedro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laura Frederickson, Lori Schmidlin, Sankari Wegman and Sharon Harnist (guest designer this month)

In addition to all this, The Baker's Dozen alumni are back to share projects using our three original release stamp sets:

Stephanie Hargis, Monika Davis, Jen del Muro, Jami Sibley

And the following talented women have been asked by Taylor to join us as special party guests! They're posting projects using The Places You'll Go:

Bonnie Sharp, Cambria Turnbow, Carolina Buchting, Debbie Olson, Jenn Balcer, Joy Kennedy,Lori Craig, Sherrie Siemens

Have fun enjoying all the eye candy, get your shopping list together & put on your party hat!!

TESC81: Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek: Halloween Goodness!!

Happy Friday, y’all! I’ve got yet another long post for you today, I just can’t help myself!! I’m so excited to share with you the most FUN & unique Halloween stamps that will be released by Taylored Expressions on Saturday! We’re doubling your Halloween Cuppie fun with Trick or Sweet II, a follow-up to last year’s Trick or Sweet! I just had to make a scene using Taylor’s Sketch Challenge 81 this week but took creative liberties with it! I wanted to make a Halloween card with a few cuppies from both sets, in addition to Spooky Expressions (you’ll see more about that in my other project). I made my card 5.25 inches square to accommodate the cuppies & tree. I first stamped the tree and used a few shades of blue & purple to make my spooky night sky. Since I stamped the tree black, there was no masking involved.

I stamped the cuppies separately on choice snow white cardstock, paper-pieced them with some of the Halloween Key ingredients Basic Grey Eerie paper, colored & then cut them out. Here is a close up where you can see more details such as stardust stickles on the ghost, glitter pen accents on the crown, cherries and wand, square rhinestones for the frog’s bowtie and googlie eyes for his costume! fun details.

My next project uses the new set Spooky Expressions – I made a batch of Seasoned Pretzels and call them Boo Bites (courtesy of one of the stamps in the set). I packaged the delicious pretzels in a kraft bakery bags once I decorated the bags with stamps from the set, including green glimmer ribbon from the key ingredients. I made a simple matching recipe card so I can gift this to one of our neighbors. Recipe: 1 box of hard pretzels (broken), 1 C. oil, 1 pkg dry ranch dressing, 1 tsp lemon pepper, 1 tsp dill weed, 1 tsp garlic powder. Mix ingredients in big bowl. Add pretzels and mix to coat. Bake in pan 20 mins at 300 degrees. Stir after 10 mins. ENJOY this delicious pumped up pretzels!!!

Here are details on the bundle savings (click for larger view) Taylor has offered up for this release! If you like ‘em, you better get ‘em while they’re available. You won’t regret it because everything is guaranteed to help you have a TON of FUN on your upcoming Halloween projects!! Taylor has a full color photo of the Halloween Key Ingredients & Bundles you can buy!

Here is Taylor’s sketch for you to try; be sure to leave a comment on Taylor’s blog with the direct link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so she can check it out! You're always welcome to play with any of these sketches at any time, but you have one week to make a card and link your creation on her blog in order to be considered for the Featured Sampler (by Friday, September 11 at 10am CST)!

Be sure to check out the fabulous eye candy the sketch crew has to share with us today:

Taylor Van Bruggen
Jackie Pedro
Lynn Mercurio
Monika Davis
Sherrie Siemens
Stephanie Hargis

Last but certainly not least, check out all the wonderful creations the Baker’s Dozen has to share with you using one or both of these sets!

Charmaine Ikach, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Jackie Pedro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laura Frederickson, Lori Schmidlin, Sankari Wegman and Sharon Harnist (guest designer this month)

Don’t forget, tomorrow is release day in the store and it is also our Birthday Bash at the Stamp a Sweet Impression Blog! It all starts at 10:00 a.m. CST and we will have hourly challenges hosted by Taylor and the Baker’s Dozen Design Team and will be giving away awesome prizes! Here are all the details you need to participate!! My challenge will be at 12:00 noon CST! Hope you will stop by to check it out!!

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek: The Places You’ll Go

View Full Album

This is a long post, please bear with me as I share with you today! I can hardly believe a whole year has passed since I was blessed to be a part of Taylor Van Bruggen pursuing her dream of selling stamp sets in her on-line store Taylored Expressions. It was the same month, working with those fun stamp sets & key ingredients I thought to myself that I would LOVE to stay on her design team longer than originally asked. Well, a year later I find myself a part of her team indefinitely and that is a BIGGER blessing than I imagined a year ago. I absolutely adore her; she is a smart business woman, provides great customer service, is extremely organized, debuts fabulous stamps month after month and provides wonderful products in her store! I also love the fact that she has a quarterly charity set in the form of the Giving Tree Charitable Program. This month, we introduce you to The Places You’ll Go and coordinating Key Ingredients, which will be available for purchase on Sat, Sept. 5th at 10:00 a.m. CST!

For my project, I created a little book of truths and promises for my 3-yr old niece Gabriella who loves to read – here she is reading a book in preparation of becoming a big sister last year at Easter, a month before her baby brother was born. I truly believe reading can take you on many adventures, enrich a child’s imagination and also take you away from the many cares of this world, which is one reason I still enjoy reading. I think when you buy a child a book, you are investing in their future which is why I believe this giving tree project is going to be so worthwhile! I know this set will be used on a lot of occasions for children’s cards and also to make a coordinating card when you give a book as a gift to someone who loves to read. It is packed with a lot of encouraging sentiments so I know I will use it for those occasions as well.

Here is the card I made to accompany her little book (inspired by my friend Melanie) I made the card to look like a book with the spine hand drawn & opening at the crease (sticky tape was used on the inside at the crease). I used Baby Blue Flower Soft to make the fluffy clouds – I’m sure Gabby will love that! The title of the book was created using the Uppercase & Lowercase Times New Roman JustRite font. I added several other TE stamp sets to complement the theme of Gabby’s book. Feel free to email me if you have any questions on what I used. If you click on the link View Full Album, you will be taken to an album where you can view every page and would love it if you did. There are 17 pages in the little book I made Gabby that took me a total of 6 hours to make – all the while I was thinking of her and not once did I think my efforts would be in vain. Knowing my sister, she will keep and cherish this book for her for many years to come. I was inspired to make this book into something she will cherish, knowing her Auntie Donna poured her heart into it. I know Gabby will ask her Mommy to read it to her many times while thinking of me. I look forward to the day she picks it up and tells me in her words what the book says and I will listen to her sweet words and tears of joy will fill my eyes and run down my cheek just like they are now as I imagine her in my mind & heart. That’s what I hold onto each day since we live so far away. It’s things like this that tie our hearts together.

For each stamp set sold from September through November, Taylored Expressions will donate $7.00 to the Books for Kids Foundation. The mission of the Books for Kids Foundation is to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books for Kids creates libraries, donates books, and partners with literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life. The stamp set does not come die cut like all the others in order to donate more money to the charity, but if you use Tonic Scissors to cut your set, you will cut them out like a dream-they are the best non-stick scissors around!

Be sure to check out the wonderful inspiration by Taylor & the Baker’s Dozen Design Team: Jackie Pedro (new to the team), Charmaine Ikach, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Jodi Collins
Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laura Frederickson, Lori Schmidlin
Sankari Wegman and Sharon Harnist (guest designer this month)

See ya tomorrow with Day 2 Projects and then only 1 more day until the Birthday Bash!! Hope you will join us!!

Altered Notebook 3D Challenge at StampTV!

I can hardly believe only 4 more months of 2009! Yikes – time flies when you’re having fun, eh? Here is my project for this month’s 3D Challenge at StampTV! If you play along, you have a chance at winning a FREE Gina K. Designs set valued at $24.95 or less!

I made this notebook for me to take math notes – tonight I find out how well (or not) I did on my pre-test I took last Thursday! I already have my homework done and I’m ready to learn more math, yea! HA – anyway, I figured I should have something pretty to write in with a subject so not pretty. I used A Year of Leaves, stamping on Soft Sand cardstock & using Copics to color in. I also used the color spritzer tool for splatter in the open areas. I used the StampTV kit Signs of Autumn digital paper to cover my notebook (bottom section) the one on top is a FREEBIE digital paper pack by Emily Giovanni called Timeless Solids.

I also made a simple ribbon bookmark so I know where to keep my place. It is just wrapped around the pages and tied with some cotton thread looped through a metal charm from my stash. Easy!

Hope you’re enjoying your day!

Pick of the Patch – Exciting Taylored Expressions news!!!

Here is a cuppie Fall card I made using the Weekend Sketch Challenge {WSC95} hosted by the lovely & talented Charmaine! What a fun sketch!  I used A Year of Sweet 3 with a coordinating sentiment from a Year of Sweet Sentiments, ‘you’re the pick of the patch’ I used Birchtone med and Papaya Puree med cardstock by Prism as well as a small swatch of My Mind’s Eye Round & Round papers because they coordinated nicely with my Basic Grey Mellow. 

The felt button, polka dot ribbon & rhinestones by ZVA Creative were the finishing touches on my sweet fall card.

SAVE the DATE! 

Thursday, Sept, 3rd the Baker’s Dozen will start previewing the new sets which will be available for purchase Sat. Sept. 5th!   They are going to blow your stinky socks off (that is if you wear socks!) HA!

The Exciting News about Taylored Expressions is that we are celebrating the One Year Birthday Bash since Taylor started selling her own stamps!  We are having an all day celebration at the Stamp a Sweet Impression blog on Saturday, September 5th.  

I will be hosting a challenge at 12:00 Noon CST and one lucky winner will receive a TE gift certificate along with my specially created challenge sample! We will also be hosting a random giveaway for all those who put our birthday bash badge in their blog sidebar!!  All the FUN details YOU need to know can be found here!!  Hope to see you at the Taylored Expressions Birthday Bash on Saturday, Sept. 5th!!!

Feel Better: Watercolor Misting

Here is a card I shared at the Gina K. release party the other night (I arrived the last 45 mins. of the party and that will be the case for the next 4 months due to me taking an evening class in college**).   So, as soon as I arrived with a very warm welcome from everyone, I was furiously sharing some cards with everyone I made.  I used the new One Free with 3 sets, Tropical Blooms ($19.95 value), which is a companion set to Tropical Windows (last month’s one free with 3, now available for purchase!)   I used the watercolor misting technique for my card, on cold pressed Canson Aquarelle watercolor paper (90 lb).  My card base is Pumpkin Spice pure luxury cardstock. 

 

For this technique, you need a solid stamp, SU! watercolor crayons and a spray bottle filled with water for misting. 

 

It’s such a simple process; just color directly on your stamp using the crayon, mist with water, apply to your watercolor paper and repeat.  For the flowers I used mustard, pumpkin and rust and for the stems & leaves I used 2 shades of green: olive & artichoke.  Finish your card with a sentiment and embellishments.  I chose Feel Better from Tropical Windows since I made this card for Cat Tidwell, fellow design team member for Gina K. who has been ill for the past few weeks – just wanted her to know I’m praying for her recovery and miss her!  Simple embellishment is the self-adhesive nail heads 3mm. 

 

Click on the above picture to the right to read all about Carolyn (Cammie) King on the Gina K. design team in this week’s Stamping Lifestyle magazine! 

**Regarding college, I need to let y’all know a few changes have occurred due to this change. 

First, I stepped down from designing for Starving Artistamps, in which I served for the past year.   I enjoyed my time with the Doodlefactory line and don’t intend to stop using the stamps because they’re so fun and unique.  I just have to limit my commitments. 

Second, I had to unsubscribe from reading blogs via Google Reader that I loved to follow!!  I don’t want anyone to think I don’t care for their creations or them any longer, just want to let you know that my time is limited due to my increased time for studying.  In fact, after spending 8+ hours stamping today for the upcoming TE release, I spent an additional 3 hours doing my homework.  I may not post every single day like usual, but as a committed design team member for Gina K. Designs and Taylored Expressions, I intend to continue promoting their stamps and products because I LOVE & believe in them  (Gina K and Taylor as wonderful women business owners) and their business (exceptional customer service & fabulous products)!!

Thanks for your understanding!!!

TESC80: Feel Better Soon Pup

Happy Friday!!! I have a sweet Beary Special feel better soon pup card to share with you using Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge 80 today! I recently did some fun shopping at the TE Store and used several items on my card: Sweet Branch designer papers and Going Places buttons which are a great match! The oval shape behind the pup is from Whimsical Wishes Branching Out set.

Here is Taylor’s sketch for you to try - be sure to leave a comment on Taylor’s blog with the direct link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so she can check it out! You're always welcome to play with any of these sketches at any time, but you have one week to make a card and link your creation on her blog in order to be considered for the Featured Sampler (by Friday, September 4 at 10am CST)!

Be sure to check out the fabulous eye candy the sketch crew has to share with us today:

Taylor Van Bruggen
Jackie Pedro
Jami Sibley
Lynn Mercurio
Monika Davis
Stephanie Hargis
Vicki Chrisman

Today’s Featured Sampler is Lori Craig, if you missed her adorable card she shared last week, here it is – it’s a MUST-SEE! Also, Lisa Hjulberg is joining us as Our Friday Friend on the Stamp a Sweet Impression Blog

Lastly, I want to mention that Taylor & the Baker's Dozen Design Team are working on samples for the release scheduled for Saturday, September 5! Sneak Peeks start on the 3rd, so save the date! This release also marks the 1-Year Anniversary of Taylored Expressions stamp debut and we are planning a HUGE party on the Stamp a Sweet Impression Blog!

Gina K. Designs Preview Day 3: Tropical Blooms, Autumn Beauty and Elegant Verses

The first card I made for the previews today is our One Free with Three set this month, Tropical Blooms, a companion set to last month’s Tropical Windows! Gina K. made a collection of flowers & leaves to complement the set so you can have flowers, stems and leaves apart from the frame without having to omit the frame. On my card, I just used the flower to stamp my own designer paper on the lower portion of my ivory layer. I used the Fall to Layout {FTL55} for my card, adding the natural mesh ribbon by Gina K. from the Signs of Autumn stamptv kit! The button I added looks somewhat vintage, found when we were cleaning the garage last weekend. I wish I had tons more! My card base is Pumpkin Spice, also available with this release.

My next card uses Autumn Beauty illustrated by Theresa Momber, a beautiful collection of autumn autumn images and sentiments which will inspire you to enjoy the coming season & share with others your love of the season with handmade cards. I stamped and masked the scarecrow so I could stamp the corn stalks behind it and added some mustard and rust sponging. I colored everything with prismacolor pencils, blended with odorless mineral spirits.

Tip: if you don’t want to mask an image but would like the effect of it on your card, stamp your image on a scrap piece of cardstock and color it. Then cut it out & glue on top of your main image, as shown above. I used the Mojo sketch from last Saturday for my card {mojojanette}. Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Kiss and Ivory pure luxury cardstock and mesh ribbon from Stamp TV kit by Gina K. Designs used. The button is from my stash.

My last card uses the new companion set to last month’s Elegant Post, a collection of wonderful sentiments called Elegant Verses you will be able to combine with those images as well as other sets by Gina K. Designs! For my card, I was inspired by Home Tweet Home with the cute picket fence I thought would just go well with the elegant post/hanging flower pot! To make it, I just inked up the fence and used my stamp positioner to extend the length of it across my pure luxury white layer. Then I colored it in with copics. For a closer view, click on the picture. I just love the sentiment I chose for my card. I then sponged on some clouds for a nice outdoors background using a cloud stencil by Stampin’ Up! I used Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Kiss (will use those colors a LOT this Fall season) and white pure luxury cardstock all by Gina K. Designs.

To see more inspiration with the stamps previewed today, visit Gina's blog, the illustrator of Tropical Blooms as well as Theresa, the illustrator of Autumn Beauty, and Nina , the illustrator of Elegant Verses.

For even more projects with tonight's stamp sets, these Senior Design Team Members are participating in previews today: Asela, Carolyn, Cindy, Emily, Erika, Jessica, Kurtis, Lee, Lynn, and Melanie.

The following CenterStage Spotlight Design Team members have previews to share with you: Shelly Wilson and Charlene Merrick

Our Release Party is Thursday night, Aug 27 at 7 pm CST. Join us for contests questions, challenges, lots of chatter as well as so many more great samples to share with you! Hope to see you there!

Gina K. Designs Preview Day 2: Back to School and Sports, School, Spirit!!

Well, it was back to school for kids in Central Texas this week and tonight it’s back to school for me (college) after 12 years! They always say it’s never too late to return, right?! Well, I am excited and a little scared at the same time to do it, I have to admit! Since I got laid off from my full-time job in April, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions and decisions but I am confident I am moving ahead in the direction I should be going—with God’s help, my determination and the support of my family & friends I will succeed! I am moving in the direction of the Licensed Vocational Nurse certificate program at the local community college. So, it’s fitting I am working with the Back to School and Sports, School, Spirit! sets the day I return!

On my first card, the set Back to School, illustrated by Rupa Shevde, I used several images in the set to compliment Inspiration Mosaic. I also used some of Gina K. Designs new grey cardstock called Moonlit Fog (a beautiful deep grey which will be a wonderful go to neutral when you desire something less harsh than black). Here is a close up of the crystal lacquer I used on the apples to make them shiny.

Here is my fun Back 2 School scene I made using the new set Sports, School, Spirit! illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger along with a few images from Sporty Accessories (locker, tennis racket, tennis ball & pennant) and Best Friends (we had to have some kids in the scene after all) by Alicia K. Isn’t it fun? And doesn’t it remind you a little of Twilight with the pale girls and red, black & grey colors? I was inspired by Cammie and her daughter’s challenge which is closed by the way, but I thought better late than never to make something to show my spirit!

If you want a closer look of the card, just click on it! Then you can see I made the tennis racket truly see through with an acetate center (which made it more realistic, seeing straight through to the wall & lockers). I know this set is going to be a LOT of fun for those sporty & school enthusiasts!

For more inspiration with the stamps previewed today, visit Gina's blog as well as Melanie, illustrator of Sports, School, Spirit.

The following Senior Design Team Members have previews using these two preview sets today: Carolyn, Cindy, Emily, Erika Jessica, Lee, Lynn, and Theresa. Also, our Center Stage Spotlight Design Team members Tina Gilliland and Vicki Dutcher

Don't forget about our Release Party on SCS starting at 7pm CST on Thursday, August 27th. There will be contests, challenges, lots of chatter as well as a ton more samples shared by the Senior Design team members and our Center Stage Spotlight team too. We'd love to have you join us!

Gina K. Designs Preview Day 1: A Year of Leaves & Fruitful Harvest

One of my favorite Gina K. Designs stamp sets is illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger, A Year of Flowers. Well, this month she has brought a collection of beautiful leaves and wonderful sentiments to celebrate the changing season’s leaves in A Year of Leaves. The release of this stamp set makes me anticipate the beautiful Fall season, which is my favorite! Living in Central Texas has caused me to have a new appreciation for the cooling weather, changing of the color of leaves (although what little we have here pales in comparison to those on the East Coast, I know!). What I look forward to most is being able to shut off the a/c and open up the windows in the house and this year, to enjoy our new outdoor hobby Geocaching!

For my card today, I stamped an assortment of leaves on watercolor paper, wet it and dabbed my peerless watercolors on, creating various colors of fall leaves. Once I was done, I grabbed a color spritzer tool and an olive green marker, and filled in the white spaces with speckles of color. Lastly, I layered it onto chocolate kiss and green apple cardstock, embellishing it with an oval Thanks sentiment and some cotton thread in a pretty shade of green. Here is a close up of the speckles, watercoloring and shine from the twinkling h20’s I added after.

The next set we’re previewing today is Fruitful Harvest, illustrated by Asela Hopkins; a beautiful collection of large fruits, small sentiments and a very moving quote, which I used on my card. In addition to gorgeous cards, the larger fruits will make wonderful altered art pieces as well as beautifully adorned tile coasters.

On my card, I used Green Apple & Pumpkin Spice cardstock (which will be available to purchase with this release), digital papers released last month with the StampTV kit. Also from the kit I used ribbon & brads from it. Recently I’ve fallen in love all over again with watercoloring on watercolor paper because you can achieve such a natural look with it when you wet your paper first and dab your colors on like I did on both of these cards. I truly feel like an artist as I slowly brought these gorgeous leaves and delicious pears to life on paper!

For more inspiration with the stamps previewed today, visit Gina's blog as well as Melanie, the illustrator of Year of Leaves and Asela, the illustrator of Fruitful Harvest.

GKD Senior Design Team Members have previews to share with you today: Carolyn, Cindy, Emily, Erika, Kurtis, Jessica, Lee, Lynn, and Theresa in addition to our CenterStage Spotlight Design Team members: Denise Kelemen and Geri Utterback.

SAVE THE DATE!! Our Release Party will be held at SCS starting at 7pm CST on Thursday, August 27th. There will be contests, challenges, lots of chatter as well as many more samples shared! You won't want to miss it!

TESC79: Red Velvet Cupcake

Here I am, as promised with my VERY late (but better than never) card using Taylor’s Sketch Challenge from Friday!  My DH got discharged finally about 7:30 p.m. on Friday—we were almost there 24 hours.  I’ve been tending to him, working on design team work, and trying to rest from all the excitement (good and bad) from the week!  Tomorrow we go to the Dr. to get the gauze taken out of his nose and it will be nice for him to breathe out of it!  It’s been very emotional with 2 deaths as well (today the last living sibling of my dad died, my Uncle Nick who lived in Chicago that I hadn’t seen since I was a little girl).  Fortunately, my sisters, brother-in-laws and niece visited him over a year ago when he was better.  I am just glad he will no longer be in pain and may be reunited with the rest of his family in Heaven. 

Now onto my card, I made a yummy red velvet cupcake using For the Love of Cupcakes by Taylored Expressions.  I used my creative license to alter the sketch a little to accommodate the scraps of cardstock I had laying around.  I used the recent Berries & Cherries key ingredients (except for the espresso dimensional pearls for the frosting).  I cut out a teeny tiny strawberry for topping on the cupcake from  the Berries & Cherries set.

Here is Taylor’s sketch for you to try - be sure to leave a comment on Taylor’s blog with the direct link to your blog post or gallery upload using the Mr. Linky service so she can check it out! You're always welcome to play with any of these sketches at any time, but you have one week to make a card and link your creation on her blog in order to be considered for the Featured Sampler (by Friday, August 28 at 10am CST)!

Now go check out the Sketch Crew’s cards they have to share-I’m sure you will be inspired:

Taylor Van Bruggen
Jami Sibley
Monika Davis
Stephanie Hargis
Lori Craig

The Featured Sampler of this week’s sketch is Lori McAree

CAS28: Masculine card

Normally I would have already posted my card for Taylored Expressions sketch challenge today, but I didn’t quite anticipate spending the night at the hospital so I wasn’t able to get one made (I will before the weekend is over, though!). 

As I type this, we are still at the hospital---DH is resting, we’re waiting on the Dr. to see if we can go home today.  Thank God I have a laptop!  He was admitted because of a low oxygen saturation level and it’s remaining quite well right now; we're bth looking forward to showers, some real rest and our own bed!  I’m also looking forward to seeing our animals, especially my sick kitty!  Thank y’all for your thoughts & prayers! 

Here is a card I made earlier this week for SCS Clean & Simple challenge (CAS28) to make a masculine card.  I made a rectangle frame with my Nestability die for visual interest and stamped the seagull image from Guiding Light on kraft cardstock and colored in with Koh-i-noor pencils.  I used the copper nail heads as embellishments.

Be sure to check out the StampTV on-line class, The Spirit of Christmas held by Jessica!  The class is a great value!  For $39.95, you get the stamp set, all the card stock, ribbon, rhinestones and instructions to make 12 cards, plus you get special access to free holiday digital paper and more inside the private classroom.
If you already have the stamp set or have other stamps you want to use instead, you can choose supplies only for $24.95. Or you can use your own supplies and stamps and just purchase the class for only $15.00!
Get a jump start on those Christmas cards now! Check is all out here at StampTV or in our store in the Class kit category.

Hope you have a great weekend!