Taylored Expressions - Day One of Sneak Peeks!!!

Good Tuesday Morning!!!

ITS SNEAK PEEK TIME!!!! (and also - another long post!!!! I can't help it! I am so excited to be on Taylor's awesome Design Team and be able to show some projects that I made using one of her stamp sets that will be releasing this Thursday, March 5th!

As you probably read yesterday on Taylor's blog, Taylored Expressions is branching out in more ways than one (not to worry, she is still providing LOTS of cute cuppie stamps to satisfy that crafting sweet tooth!!!) but she is also welcoming her new stamp designer Nancy Mckinney of Card Worthy (Nancy is uber talented and totally rocks my socks off with her beautiful banner creations!) These projects are sneak peeks from Nancy's new line of stamps called Whimsical Wishes! This is a Brand New line of stamps that include two adorable new sets to kick off the new Whimsical Wishes line: they are called Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates.

Today also marks the creation of the Taylored Expressions Giving Tree, where Taylored Expressions will be donating the proceeds from sales of these two new sets to a wonderful charity - Eden Projects. There will be new stamp sets introduced quarterly for this on-going charitable program. Eden Projects is an amazing organization - their mission statement from their website states: "Eden Reforestation Projects recreates healthy forest systems that restore hope, alleviate suffering, empower people, and build local economies in impoverished communities." They show the direct link between reforestation and empowerment of the people. I love that we can be part of this vision through donating the proceeds of the sales of these two new sets!

I love living in our town, where the community is very focused on sustainable living and local grown organic foods. So many of my friends are creating programs to make sustainable living easily accessible to all. It is such a joy to plant this seed of the importance of taking care of our Earth into my children and doing all the little things that can ensure that the environment, world that they grow up in will be green and beautiful and peaceful. One of the projects on my list this spring is to plant some fruit trees in our backyard with the kids - I can't wait for the weather to spring-ify!!!!

Speaking of trees :) How about a few sneak peeks from these awesome stamp sets? In this first card, I used Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #57 - I truly loved loved loved making this card!!! It is truly such a whimsical stamp set and its so easy to create something fun with all the elements in this set!

The front of the card says "Knock Knock" with a little wood pecker knocking on the tree and when you open the card
the inside shows a little cute owl sitting on a branch saying: "Whoo's there?"


I LOVE that these stamp sets have these "Knock knock" and "Whoo's there ?" sentiment's! The possibilities are just endless!!!!

Details for this card:
Paper: They are all from my stash (I am trying to whittle down the scrap stash so that I can get more new papers!! yay!
Ink: Martha Brown, Stazon Olive Green and Black (sponged with Brocade Blue and So Saffron)
Stamps: Branching Out (Whimsical Wishes) by Taylored Expressions
Accessories: Stardust Stickles, Liquid Pearls, Dimensionals, corner rounder (also used it for scalloped border on the inside of the card

And I couldn't stop just making one card - I just love the versatility of these sets!!! This card - I have to admit is one of my favorites :) I LOVE that these sets have a tire swing and a wooden swing!!! Tooooo cute!!!!!! Here's a little scene that I created using various elements from the sets:

Details for this card:
Paper: All from stash yay! The green grass/tree DP is from K & Company
Ink: SU! Artichoke green
Stamps: Stamps: Branching Out (Whimsical Wishes) by Taylored Expressions
Accessories: Stardust Stickles, Liquid Pearls, Circle punches from Creative Memories, Dimensionals, corner rounder, Ribbon - Guava Grosgrain from Taylored Expressions (this ribbon is so yummy - I want to eat it!!), flower brad from Making Memories

And yes, there's more! Susanna Boyd of PaperCraftPlanet is heading the 3D Tuesday challenge and today's challenge is to create a ....birdhouse !!! Well, I had to make a birdhouse because it was simply just SO perfect with this stamp set!!!

Susanna provides a template that you can print on DP with scoring and cutting lines provided . It was simply easy, peasy - which is always a plus - you have to try it - they are sooo much fun and I betcha - you will want to make more than one - they are that fun! After you make them, you can upload them to PaperCraftPlanet with the tag 3d2 and we can see all the cute birdhouse projects in one place!! Here are two versions of this birdhouse which I totally CASED from Susanna! (love you Susanna!!!)

The first one I thought could coordinate with my second card - where you can give someone a little gift of a card and a little 3D project along with it.

The second birdhouse has the roof open on one side where you can insert little treats and the sentiment reads Thank you. I can totally see making a ton of these little birdhouses as favor boxes - I recessed the knot hole in the tree and then popped the cute little owl so that he was kind of peeking ut from his little home...

The roof on this birdhouse only is adhered on one side so that it can raise up on the other side where you can put a tasty treat - I put some Hershey's minitures inside my little favor birdhouse - it can fit upto four.... but I only had one left by the time I finished the project.... hmmm :) I wonder where it went! LOL! :)

Here are both the birdhouses together --- I wanted to keep on making more --- they are just so absolutely FUN to make! And absolutely perfect with these adorable new stamp sets!!!

I absolutely ADORE this new line of sets from Whimsical Wishes! You can do so many different projects from creating a fun friendship card to creating a thank you card to let people know how much they mean to you. And the whole time - you are supporting a wonderful organization (Eden Projects) which is helping to empower the people, one tree at a time. Please check out their inspiring website here.

Don't Forget to check out Taylor's awesome blog with her sneak peeks and also all the beautiful and awesome creations from The Baker's Dozen Design Team!!! You will just fall in love with these stamp sets just as we have!!!!

Ana Wohlfahrt
Charmaine Ikach
Denise Marzec
Donna Baker
Jen del Muro
Jodi Collins
Karen Giron
Karen Motz
Laura Fredrickson
Laurie Schmidlin

Thank you so much for visiting my little corner of cyberspace today!!! I totally appreciate you coming over to visit me and I can't wait to visit you too!!!!

Please come back tomorrow for some more sneak peeks from Taylor's new awesome release!!!!

Hoping your Tuesday and everyday is full of sunshine and smiles!!!

Big Cupcake Hugs to all!!!
Sankari :)