Lots of Layers: Happy Birthday

Today is Maureen's birthday (Buttons & Bling).  She is a St. Patrick's day baby!  Happy birthday Maureen.

Maureen and I serve together on the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge design team. I always marvel at her creations.  She is very good at layering papers which is something I can only dream about.  For Maureen's card, I decided to practice layering.  I was inspired by this card but I changed the papers.  I can't tell you how many times I rearranged the papers, but finally got to a card that I was happy with.


SUPPLY LIST I don't know how long my link to the paper will last.  I recently got this paper pad on sale at Hobby Lobby, but when I went to link it, it's mainly at places like Createforless or Overstock.  I linked it at the one scrapbook store that I could find.
I have linked the basic Fishtail dies but I actually never know whether I am using a die from the basic set or the Layers set which fits in between the basic set.

Mama Elephant Happy Everything	Mama Elephant Happy Script die	Lil' Inkers Stitched Mats: Rectangles	MFT Fishtail Flags Die
Impression Obsession Buttons die	We R Memory Keepers Free Spirit	SU Tempting Turquoise CS	Hemp Cord - white

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Curtain Call Inspiration: Somebunny Loves...Jelly Beans!!

It's time for a new challenge at the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Jelly Bean!!

I am such a literal challenge player - I had to use jelly beans.  And as luck would have it, I have a brand new die that cuts jelly bean confetti!!  (Please understand that it's just me that obsesses over things like that.  A truly creative cardmaker would be inspired by colors, or shapes, or speckles,or the woodgrain, or the mug!)


I hope to see you playing along!!
SUPPLY LIST

TE Somebunny Loves You	TE Somebunny Loves You Dies	TE Little Bits-Easter Confetti	TE Banner Stacklets 1
TE Matched Kit-For Peep's Sake	Sizzix Pocket with Scallop Edge Bigz

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Stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge:  (name) for the challenge details and to play along with us!

Love, Laughter and Butterflies

Today is Monika's birthday (M.A.D. Stamper).  Monika and I serve on the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge team together.  Happy Birthday Monika!!

Monika has a beautiful style.  Lots of watercolor washes and soft bokeh patterns - vellum, butterflies and that wonderful loopy thread look that I can never quite manage!!  This card really shows off her style.  I love the way she has made the pattern get misty at the edges.  I am inspired by all of her cards but much of what she does so beautifully is way outside of my comfort zone.  I have never made a watercolor background that I like.  I've never tried the bokeh technique and just didn't want this birthday card to be my first try.  I tried the loopy thread behind my butterfly, but I think I need lessons, or maybe smaller fingers, to make it look good!!  In the end, I simply used stamps to do some color swipes in blues, I added a splash of sequins and put a little vellum behind my butterfly.


You can see the polka-dotted vellum a little bit better in this picture.  I love how a hint of vellum can soften the whole card.

I used Taylored Expressions products on this card.  The flutter-bys die is my favorite butterfly (it comes in this size and a smaller size).  I also love the font in the sentiment from In & Out Birthday- I used a "happy birthday" on the inside with the same font.  The sequins are from the Build a Scene sequins collections which is full of whites, clear, and various blues and aquas.   Monika is a fabulous TE user.  She recently did a card with the newly released Forever & Always die with a stunning plum bokeh background that is absolutely lovely.  She also did a card using last month's cross dies and a bit of cheesecloth.  Thank you for all of your inspiration Monika!!
SUPPLY LIST
With apologies, I have absolutely no idea what ink ended up on this card.  I experimented with about a dozen blues and aquas, and just don't remember what actually ended up on this card

TE In & Out Birthday

TE Stroke of Genius

TE Flutter-bys die

TE Sequins - Build a Scene

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Freshly Made Sketch: Thinking of You

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches!

This is one of those cards that changed on me midstream.  I started out with blues and corals and confetti.  Doesn't look much like that now, does it?

The cardmaking process can be roundabout.  I truly had all of the papers out for the other card, but after I rearranged them a dozen times (confetti paper as base, balloons on top - nope - what about confetti down the side and polka dots instead of balloons - you know how it goes), then I couldn't find a sentiment, I swept it all to the side and started fresh!  I really need to start listening to that little voice, because I struggled with the first card for quite some time - but this one came together in minutes!!
I hope to see you playing along this week!
SUPPLY LIST I'm not sure if the link to the paper will work for long.  It's We R Memory Keepers Free Spirit.  I recently picked mine up on sale at Hobby Lobby.  Now that I'm trying to link it - it's mainly at places like Createforless or Overstock.  I linked the one scrapbook store that I could find.
Also, I linked the basic Fishtail Layers die but I never know whether I am using the basic set or the Layers set which is in between those in the basic set.

MFT Pretty Poppies	MFT Blueprints 14 dies	MFT Fishtail Flags Die	We R Memory Keepers Free Spirit
SSS Fog Gray CS	SU Baked Brown Sugar CS	TE Sprinkles CS

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Taylored Expressions Release Day: Forever & Always

It's here!  All of the new products from Taylored Expressions are available!  Also be sure to head over to the TE Blog for a few more sneak peeks and, if you've been leaving comments, the winners of the giveaways.

I have one more sneak peek for you.  I love this new Forever and Always die!  The font is fabulous - it's scripty but also fun!  I immediately pictured a big shaker card with all kinds of glittery sequins and beads behind the words.  But when I sat down to work on it, I had a strong mental image of a simple card - so I went with it.  I think it shows off the die very well and it lets the die do the work for a quick and easy card.  There are definitely times when we all need quick and easy!!  It's great to have dies like this that work both ways.


The shop is open at Taylored Expressions!
Have fun!

SUPPLY LIST

Forever & Always	Embossing Folder - Lots of Dots	Premium Cardstock - Strawberry Milkshake	Premium Cardstock - Lollipop
Premium Cardstock - Granny Smith

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Birthday in Brights and Black

Today is Gayatri's birthday (Handmade by G3).  Happy birthday Gayatri!

Gayatri and I are both on the the Curtain Call design team - and I LOVE her work.  Very clean cards with lots of white space - but also BOLD colors mixed with black accents.  She loves patterns so she often uses chevrons and sunbursts and big stripes.  She's also very good at watercolor washes  For the card that I sent to her (which by the way was the first things that I have ever sent to Australia) - I tried to go with fun colors and black accents.  I am terrible at watercoloring so I didn't go there!


I sponged a scrap of white paper with Distress Inks in Peacock Feathers and Dried Marigold with the green in the middle being the mix of the two, then cut the "happy".  The "birthday" label and the border are a nod to her splashes of black.
SUPPLY LIST
The peach colored balloon and ink on the balloon is the retired Stampin' Up color Peach Parfait.

Altenew Label Love	Whimsy Happy Large Word Die	Whimsy Party Time Dies	Clearly Whimsy Happy Everything
MFT Mod Borders	Distress Ink Peacock Feathers	Distress Ink Dried Marigold	SSS Audrey Blue CS
SSS Audrey Blue Ink	SU Pear Pizzaz CS	SU Pear Pizzaz Ink	Hemp Cord - white

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