Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek Day 1

I can't believe it is time for the next Taylored Expressions sneak peek week!  Today we're showcasing Garden Party Blooms and Garden Party Critters - each of these were designed by the marvelous, Taylor!!  All of these sets and kits will be available for purchase on Friday, May 7th.  We are all excited to show off Taylor's new sets, so I'll get to it.

My first card features Garden Party Blooms (well, the little caterpillar is from Garden Party Critters).  I used Mercy's sketch MTSC72.  This set is full of whimsical images that you can mix and match with Garden Party Critters - there are a million possibilities!  I love all the flowers and stems - they layer perfectly and add so much depth.  Did you happen to notice that cloudy background?  It's a 5.75" square background stamp - also designed by Taylor - and is SO much fun to use.  Taylor is also introducing the Project Pantry, which is a coordinating kit of cardstock, papers, embellishments and little extras to keep you inspired.  This month's Garden Party Project Pantry kit includes all of the following for only $22.95:

• 12 sheets of 8.5” x 11” cardstock
• 20 sheets of 6x6 patterned paper (from We R Memory Keepers 72 & Sunny collection)
• 5 yards of ribbon (1 yard each of 5 different styles)
• Jar of Glitter
• Sheet of Cardstock Stickers
• Charm Assortment (ladybug, butterfly, bee, flowers)

OR - if you would like to grab both the Garden Party stamp sets AND the kit - it's only $59.95.  I grab these coordinating kits whenever I need some inspiration - everything matches and the paper is amazing - not to mention all of the wonderful ribbon that is always included.  Cards and projects are a snap to make when everything is already packaged so nicely for you.

My second card uses SC278 and I went straight for the Garden Party Project Pantry kit again - I just can't help myself; this paper is YUMMY!!!  The images are from Garden Party Critters - isn't this little bee hive just the cutest?!  The bee and the sentiment are separate stamps, so you can place them wherever you'd like on your project.

Hop on over to Taylor's blog for all the information on this month's Project Pantry kit and give her a little shout out for her big jump to our lastes illustrator!

The Baker's Dozen have amazing projects for you to see today as well, so stop on by and see:

• Alex Maldonado
• Carolina Buchting
• Charmaine Ikach
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jami Sibley
• Jeanie Witmer
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen 

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy!
Karen

recipe -

Thanks a bunch card:

Stamps: Garden Party Blooms, Garden Party Critters, Clouds Background

Paper: Prism Intense Teal, Classic Yellow, Choice Buttercream cardstock,72 & Sunny collection (We R Memory Keepers)

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, glorious green, soft sky

Accessories: Copic markers, gold twill ribbon, 72 & Sunny embossed stickers, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles

Bee happy card:

Stamps: Garden Party Blooms, Garden Party Critters, Clouds Background

Paper: Prism Intense Teal, Intense Kiwi, Desert Coral Medium, Choice Buttercream cardstock,72 & Sunny collection (We R Memory Keepers)

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Copic markers, cocoa polka dot ribbon, 72 & Sunny embossed stickers

The Shabby Tea Room - "Get Your Bling On"

I'm SO thrilled to be this week's guest designer for The Shabby Tea Room and I've been looking forward to this for a LONG time! Not only am I the guest this week, but I'm also giving away this week's prize - a FREE watermark!  Woohoo!  You can catch all the entry details HERE.

I used a TON of glitter on my card today - the tea pot is stamped in Pretty In Pink craft ink and then sprinkled with Heat & Stick powder and sprinkled again with Cyclamen glitter - oooh, gorgeous!  I wish there was a magical way to photograph all this glorious glitter, because my photo doesn't do the sparkle justice.  I also stamped the background paper and added more Starfire glitter to it (and yet again, the sparkle has been lost in translation).  I also added a little more bling with some Tiny Twinkles along the scallop border.

Thanks for stopping by today!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: cup of life (verve stamps), turning a new leaf (papertrey ink)

paper: chocolate chip, very vanilla cardstock (SU), afternoon tea dsp (SU), some patterned paper I can't remember the name of - help!

ink: pretty in pink craft, versamark, memento rich cocoa

accessories: starfire & cyclamen glitter, heat & stick powder, scallop edge border punch (SU), tiny twinkles (taylored expressions), circle/scallop nestabilities, beautiful blooms 2 dies #1 (papertrey ink), linen thread, satin chocolate chip ribbon

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge 57

Looking for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch?  Hop on over to this post.

Hello!  I'm back for another fantastic Cupcake Inspiration Challenge from Hope Stamps Eternal and this one was SO much fun to make.  I started off with Taylor's TESC110 and wanted to use that amazing embossed fondant on the cupcake tops, so I ran some whisper white cardstock through the Cuttlebug in the Victoria embossing folder - beautiful!  The flower is made with the Little Leaves die from Stampin' Up! and the Beautiful Blooms 2 #3 die from Papertrey Ink.  I wanted to use some paper with a little punch to it, so I picked up my stack of Basic Grey Green At Heart for the flowers and the pink underlay.  Love the distressed look!

Don't forget about the clearance sale at Hope Stamps Eternal - unfortunately, the store will be closing - everything is on sale for 35% off while supplies last.

Among other things, you can find GREAT DEALS on:

Paper from Cosmo Cricket, KaiserCraft, Pink Paislee, and Bella Blvd.
Embellishments from Zva Creative, Memory Box and Basic Grey
Stamps from Tina Wenkle, The Greeting Farm and Inkadinkado

Stop on over to see the other Sweeties for more inspiration ~ Kelli ~ Kristen ~ Piali ~ Teresa ~ 

Thanks for stopping by again today :D
Karen

recipe - 

stamps: cupcake collection (papertrey ink)

paper: pretty in pink, whisper white cardstock (SU), basic grey green at heart

ink: memento tuxedo black

accessories: little leaves die (SU), beautiful blooms 2 #3 die (papertrey ink), silver brads, victioria embossing folder (provo craft) 

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 67

Good morning - It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the very end of this post to enter your card. The links will close on Friday at 10 PM (Mountain Time), and I'll randomly select one card to feature on my blog on Saturday. So, as long as your card is linked by 10 PM Friday, your card will be in the drawing. Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC67 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

I know what you are thinking - What the heck am I doing with a boy card on my blog?  Well, sometimes I need to stretch my creative brain and make myself make something masculine.  That and the fact that this is for my brother-in-law; his birthday was Wednesday and he's way into golf (and all things sports), so this little number was made especially for him. Apparently I can't follow my own sketch - I made this square for some reason, LOL!  The stamp is from the set Boys Will Be Boys from Taylored Expressions and I just {heart} that sentiment - it reminds me of my dad and all his little puns he says - or tries to say anyway... 

Don't forget about The Sweet Sunday Stampers - they also have amazing sketch samples to show you today, so stop on by to see:

• Jennifer Tapler
• Joanne Basile
• Karen Motz
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Nancy Riley 
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick 

Thanks for taking on the challenge this week!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: boys will be boys

ink: memento rich cocoa

paper: prism desert coral dark, choice buttercream cardstock, abbey road from my mind's eye

accessories: button, linen thread, dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Sketch Winner

Happy Saturday!  It's been a busy day - soccer... stamping... roaming blogland...  haha!  It's time to announce this week's SSSC winner......

#19 - Billie A!

I'm so drawn to this card - I think it's the flowers (naturally) and those fun bright blues, oranges, and yellows - hello summer!!!  I love the patterned paper strips in the background too - very fun!  You can see more of Billie's amazing cards at her blog, Ink On My Fingers - hop on by and say hey.

See you back soon for the next sketch!
Karen