CAS(E) this Sketch: Stained Glass

I have been waiting for inspiration to use a gorgeous set from Altenew that's been sitting in my not-yet-used stash.  It's a big circular image - so the current sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch! is just perfect.  Here's the card...


And the sketch that inspired it...

The results from this stamp set are incredible - I love that all of that colored detail came with stamps, although there are some gorgeous samples on the Altenew product page that don't use the stamps but markers.  I used a cheerful yellow combo, but on that same product page, there's a beautiful sample using grays and pinks.  I love all of the different moods that you can get from this single set.


I didn't use a positioner to do the layers and the only one that I found slightly difficult to line up was the second layer of the leaves.  You can see it on my card with the greens going slightly off the leaves.  However, for this simple looking tulip, you have to stamp 17 times - so I wasn't starting over when the rest of the image turned out so well.  (Each color is two stamps and I counted the single circles separately as they are stamped separately.)

I work with someone who loves to garden and this is just the perfect style card for her.  Her birthday is in a few months so I'll tuck this away.  Hmmm...I can't remember the last time I wasn't pushing out a birthday card the night before I needed it!!!

Thank you to CAS(E) this Sketch!

Simon Says Challenge: Animal Antics

This week's challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog is Animal Antics and they are showcasing Hello Bluebird.  I only recently discovered Hello Bluebird just in time to pick up a number of Winter/Christmas sets so that's what I'm using.  There may not be "antics" on this card but there are definitely absolutely charming "animals".


This uses the Quiet Christmas stamp set and dies. Besides these three there's a sweet bear and a huge variety of pine boughs and holly and leaves and presents.  There's also a die for every single piece.  (A quick search on Pinterest will show you some amazing wreaths that have been made with this same set.)

There have been a number of designers lately sticking with black and white images and the color in the background.  I love the clean look so I played with the concept and added color only in the scarves and the tree decorations.  I also used a mix of regular and chunky glitter to give it a frosty look.


I'm clearly going to have to add to my collection because these are truly a joy to work with.

Thanks to the Simon Says Stamp challenge for inspiring me to pull out this beautiful set!

Taylored Expressions Release Day: Wild, Free and Brimming with Love

It's the big day!  All of the Taylored Expressions products that you've seen through sneak peek week are now available - and I have a few more to show you. Be sure to head over to the Taylored Expressions blog for a few more peeks - and to see if you've won a prize!

I have two more samples to show you of this fabulous release.  First is an addition to the Simply Stamped line of layered images - Simply Stamped - Feathers.  Plus a sentiment from Wild and Free.  They are wonderful sentiments in a great font.


Yet another fun thing with this release is the Grid Background.  It can be a basic grid or it coordinates with the previously released Buffalo Plaid Background like I did.


I kept my feather colors subtle to match my Toffee Background and I did them a little differently.  They don't actually use the solid background stamp.  I cut the feathers out of solid cardstock, then I used coordinating ink to add the accents.  The blue is Salt Water Taffy cardstock with Sprinkles ink.  The yellow is Pineapple cardstock with Pineapple ink. The green is Mint Julep cardstock with Spearmint ink. Finally I sponged the edges with Sugar Cube ink including my Frayed Edge layer.
This is the supply list for this card but keep reading for a final peek.
SUPPLY LIST


Brimming with Love and Brimming with Love Sentiments are a wonderful set that allows you to to easily make a variety of cards.  All the colors on this card are their own stamp - so you stamp the jar and flowers (one stamp) and then start stamping in the colors!


The Brimming with Love die cuts out the whole bouquet.  It's a little difficult to see but I cut my front panel a bit smaller, edged it with the polka dot paper, then layered the jar off the edge. (The plaid is on the inside panel.)


For my sentiment, I stamped it in Sprinkles then stamped right over it with Versamark so that I could emboss with Clear Fine Detail Embossing Powder.  I didn't worry about any of the embossing powder sticking to the stamped color on the mason jar because I thought it would give it a hint of glassy look. The mason jar had dried for a bit so just bits of embossing stayed on it.
No more chatter from me - the TE store is open!

SUPPLY LIST

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 3: Marriage, Babies, Anniversaries

It's day 3 of sneak peeks for the April release from Taylored Expressions and today I have the life events starting with marriage, babies and an important anniversary!  Everything you see this week will be available on Thursday, April  4th. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.  

Let's start with the wedding card.  There's a fabulous new Framed Script die - Mr. & Mrs.  These are wonderful because there's a gorgeous cutting plate that they fit inside for a full card front - but they are lovely enough to work on their own.


I loved the detail in the font - so I kept the background simple with the previously released Cherry Blossoms Cutting Plate in pure white and a few pink butterflies in Little Bits - Butterflies.


It's quick and easy and wonderfully elegant!

Here's the supply list for this card.  Keep reading because I have another sneak peek and a chance to win prizes!

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Sometimes next on the life list are babies.  I used the new Color My World in soft Peaches 'n Cream.  I used letters from the previously released Initially series to create the word "baby" right out of the background.  The sentiment "Hello My World" from Color my World was the perfect finishing touch.


You can go so many ways with Color My World - it certainly doesn't have to be a soft baby card.  There's also a separate soft outline - World Map Background that coordinates with it.

To keep my card sweet and gentle - I cut the Floral Eyelet Border - then used half of it at the top and bottom of the panel for lace.


Here's the supply list for this card. I have one more card for you - my favorite of the bunch - so keep reading!!

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Finally we have an anniversary.  There's a fabulous new die in this release - Love Story. Isn't this just the most charming couple you have ever seen?


I used the previously released Gardon Arbor & Gate and the Arbor Accessories along with some softly brushed ground in Spearmint and sky in Salt Water Taffy to create this sweet background for our couple

The sentiment is also new from The Inside Scoop - Anniversary.  I've always loved that saying.  And give the sentiment is from the "inside scoop" series of stamps, I also created a coordinating inside with two other stamps from the set.


After 30 years of marriage (this October), I'm sure I could give this card to my husband!!  I'll keep it in my stash.



Today was all about life events.  Tomorrow, I have two very different cards - we are "wild and free" and brimming with love!   Head over to the TE blog for more sneak peeks, then I hope you come back tomorrow.

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Freshly Made Sketches: Sing Alleluia!

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Timko and be sure to check out her stunning card!!

My entire card was driven by the little banner on the sketch.   I just purchased Tiny Words Faith by Simon Says Stamp.  Those little sentiments are perfect for the banner!  Plus, when I went through my Easter stash - I realized I was one card short.  Perfect!!


Also new to me on this card are the flowers.  I recently placed an order at Ink Blot Shop. These flowers were not part of the reason I was in their shop but you know how it is.  I'm already dropping things in my shopping cart; I'm already paying postage.  Of course 1 or 2 (or 3 or 4) other stamp sets just jumped in the cart!!  I do love this set.  It's Botanical Borders - four borders that work throughout the seasons.  They are clean and easy to color - which made this card a breeze to put together.


I pulled out my favorite Easter cross - Old Rugged Cross by Taylored Expressions.  There are three sizes, plus the perfect cloth to drape over them. While I was adhering the vellum, I got a messy blob - which then drove me to pull out these bitty Dancing Butterflies by Memory Box.  It covered my blob and then I let them flutter around the sentiment.  Then just a bit of sparkle from Pretty Pink Posh - Sea Glass jewels.

I hope to see you playing along with us at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Ink Blot Shop Botanical Borders, Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words Faith
Dies: Taylored Expressions Old Rugged Cross, Memory Box Dancing Butterflies

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 2: Inky Notepaper

It's day 2 of sneak peeks for the April release from Taylored Expressions and today I have inky fingers and some all purpose notepaper!  Everything you see this week will be available on Thursday, April  4th. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.  

This release comes with a new addition to the "inky" line of stamps - Inky Fingers - Flowers.  They are so much fun to work with!  Smoosh your finger into the ink and plop it in the center of the flower.

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This card would be fabulous to do with kids - can you imagine a grandma or auntie getting a card with the kids' fingerprints?!  As an adult making and eventually sending this card, I still wanted the texture from my finger but I want it a little more clean.  So I made three little masks - one for the circular flowers, one for the tulip shape and one for the leaves.  Then I could ink up, roll my finger across the opening in the mask and I have cute little flower.  I did use coordinating Copics to just slightly darken their smiles.


I wanted to mirror the texture in the flowers on the borders.  So I cut a piece of paper at 5 1/2" and then I just swiped little ink pads across it.  I cut it down the center long-wise and I had two coordinating borders.


The sentiments in the set will take you through many different occasions.  I picked a friendship sentiment, but there is also birthday, mother's day, love and smiles.


Here's the supply list for this card.  Keep reading because I have another sneak peek and a chance to win prizes!

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Another very versatile addition is the Notepaper Background and the Notepaper Border.  It can go so many different directions.  I think the contrast between soft flowers and a scripty sentiment on the notepaper would be fabulous.  But I am already starting to sweat a little over graduation.  My husband coaches high school lacrosse and mentors church teens.  He loves to come to me just days before graduation and ask for 20 cards.  Ugh.  So I've learned to plan ahead.  A graduation card is a traditional use of the notepaper - but I loaded on a big "congrats" and lots of stars!


All the stars come from the previously released Stroke of Genius - Stars.  Then I used a sentiment from another new set in this release - Color My World.  I used  the regular Stroke of Genius set to add a swoosh of color over the sentiment.  The Congrats is from Simply Said - Grad.  The paper clips is from Office Depot!!


I was thrilled that the die for the edge made it through two pieces of paper because I folded the card and then cut the edge.  It looks so much like sheets from a notebook!

Today we had flowers and graduation.  Tomorrow starts after that - weddings, babies and anniversaries.   Head over to the TE blog for more sneak peeks, then I hope you come back tomorrow.

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 1: Folksy Flowers

It's day 1 of sneak peeks for the April release from Taylored Expressions and it is such a fun week with products for weddings, anniversaries, babies, graduation and more. You'll see an amazing variety over the next few days.  Everything you see this week will be available on Thursday, April  4th. Be sure to check out each of the creative team members' blogs for all of the sneak peeks - starting with the Taylored Expressions blog.  

I am pretty giddy over these first two products.  I love the Scandinavian/Nordic look - it's my heritage.  Grandma taught me lefse, krumkake, rosettes - although I refused to get near lutefisk.  For years, her hobby was rosemåling.  I even have decorated some rooms in IKEA-style!  Not because it's cheap, but because I just plain like the look!

The Folksy Flowers Cutting Plate gives me that look - although you don't have to be Nordic to love it!  I went with a deeply colored background which is very traditional - but can't you just see it cut in white with softer colors?!


There are lots of ways to add the colors.  I went quick and easy.  I "embossed" the cutting plate onto Sugar Cube (by using a rubber mat instead of the usual cutting plates)  The I used those lines to scribble on my color.  You don't have to stay in the lines - because the cutting plate will only show the main parts.  So very easy!!


There's also a new sentiment set that fits perfectly within the open space.   It's called Drop a Note.  There are ten different sentiments for a variety of occasions and all fit just perfect in the open space.

I had planned this card for my Grandma's birthday but she passed just a few weeks ago - at 100 years and 11 months old!  Thanks for all of the lessons Grandma - I'll carry on the traditions!!

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with a a giveaway during each day of sneak peeks! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win one of the latest products before you can buy it!

Today I had a fabulous cutting plate and sentiment set that gives you wonderful detail - but the cards are still quick and easy!!   Head over to the TE blog for more sneak peeks, then I hope you come back tomorrow. 

SUPPLY LIST
Remember that the new links won't work until Thursday.