Blast From the Past Blog Hop #6 from Taylored Expressions

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the 6th Blast from the Past Challenge from Taylored Expressions, where every month customers and fans of TE can sign up for a blog hop where we create something from previously released stamp sets!  This month the theme for the Blast From the Past challenge was to create a card with a theme that is either Autumnal or Thankful. I decided to use the gorgeous stamp set from Taylored Expressions called Celebrate Life . I used the sketch provided for the challenge. 
I wanted to create a card to a special friend with whom we won't be able to spend Thanksgiving with this year, so I used the lovely sentiment: "Thinking of You" in the center and stamped the gorgeous leaves in this set around the image panel. After stamping and coloring the pumpkin, I stamped it again and popped it up on dimensionals. I used the October Key Ingredients (you can read more about the Taylored Expressions  Key Ingredients here, where you can get a monthly kit full of coordinating cardstock, DP and ribbon & embellies  - its simply awesome!)) for all of the papers and ribbon for this card. 

Here is a close up of the sentiment and leaves. I alternated glazing the leaves  and popped up the sentiment with some dimensionals. I cut a green mat for the circle and curled it around the pumpkin image panel.

Card Ingredients:Paper: October Key Ingredients from Taylored ExpressionsStamps: Celebrate Life from Taylored ExpressionsInk: Memento LadyBug Red, Tangelo, Cantaloupe, Rich CocoaAccessories: Spellbinders, twine, liquid pearls (lettuce), corner chomper, glaze
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I loved making this card - especially because its for my dear friend (and somehow making it got me very excited for some pumpkin pie!)
Check out all the amazing creations on this November Blast from the Past - and Taylor will be drawing one random hopper to receive a FREE Taylored Expressions stamp set of their choice and will also be choosing another creation to be featured in an upcoming TE newsletter - if you didn't have a chance to play along in this hop - no worries - just stay tuned to Taylored Expressions to here more about how to sign up for the next one!!
Happy Thursday!Big hugs,Sankari :)

TE August Key Ingredients: Fancy Flight :)

Hi Everyone,

I love love love being a subscriber of Taylor's Key Ingredients Kit - where every month you get a beautifully package of DP, coordinating cardstock, embellishments and coordinating ribbon in a sturdy plastic storage container - it makes card making so easy, organized and fun! This month for the August Key Ingredients, Taylor challenged us to use the Key Ingredients to create something that incorporates the outdoors in a "Fancy Flight challenge" - so anything having to do with the sky, butterflies, being outside etc.

Well, I love summer - and as I am typing this - we just finished a mini vacation back east and had a chance to swim in the Atlantic Ocean and lay out in the beach. Sigh... love every single moment of being outside (except the 100 degree days - but those are great because then its time to hit the malls and shop till you drop! but I digress..!) So in thinking about "Fancy Flight" I immediately wanted to use the newly released Tweethearts stamp set with the beautiful bold colors in this month's KI. I used Taylor's Friday Sketch #123 for this card and had so much fun doing some quick stamping (no coloring) with these cutie stamps. I LOVE this blue polka dotted ribbon and the little red sticker flag tag - (the KI kit this month comes with tons of letter stickers and flag tags):

I seriously couldn't stop using the KI kit - So I reached for my Summer Afternoon stamp set and quickly stamped another card and used the sentiment "Praying for You" is from the Care & Comfort stamp set. This card is for my aunty who is battling cancer - I wanted to send her something bright and cheery. This kit comes with these super cute and adorable butterfly dies that match the cardstock and so everything coordinates so easily! I added some stickles to the butterfly and popped them up a bit. There are a ton more butterflies in the kit and I love how the coordinate with the papers in this kit!

For those of you who are not familiar with Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit - these kits are a great way to receive an amazing collection of designer paper, card stock, coordinating ribbon and accessories on a monthly basis all at a great value! All the work is already done for you - so no stress in finding that perfect ribbon to coordinate! You can read more about the benefits of the Key Ingredients kit on the blog here! I love the fact that you don't even have to worry about the KI kit once you subscribe - it automatically shows up at your door every month - like Christmas every month :) (and Taylor always sends out a reminder email before the kit ships and reminds subscribers of the 10% discount that they receive at the store with FREE shipping with the KI included! You can subscribe HERE !!

Every KI kit also has an inspiration gallery - so once you are a subscriber - you can see all the different ways that you can use the kit! Speaking of Inspiration, check out what the amazing girls from the Baker's Dozen have created with the kit this month:

Taylor Van Bruggen

Alex Maldonado
Carolina Buchting
Jackie Pedro

Jeanie Witmer
Karen Motz

There is so much yummy crafting goodness all in one kit - and I love the fact that I still have so much leftover!Don't forget to subscribe to the TE newsletter and you can also become a fan of Taylored Expressions over on Facebook!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Hope you have lots of outdoor summery fun before fall starts to creep in!

Hugs,

Sankari :)

2 Sketches 4 You - Top 10 - Sending you Sunshine

Happy Saturday Everyone,

I can't even express to you how utterly -utterly honored and grateful I am that my card from last week was chosen as one of the Top 10 in the Ultimate Card Showdown that Kazan and Laura are hosting over at 2 Sketches 4 You in celebration of the one year anniversary of their blog. A huge thank you to Laura and Kazan, to the wonderful panel of judges, to all my fellow sketch challenge players in all the rounds and to all of you for your encouraging words and sweet comments - it is truly appreciated from the depths of my heart.

I was psyched when I saw this sketch that Kazan gave us for the Top 10 round. This card is dedicated to all of YOU because you bring sunshine into my life with all of your sweet comments and for coming over to visit - that I wanted to send some sunshine right back to you as a thank you! It is especially dedicated to a good friend of mine "C" ;) - thanks for being my sunshine :).

I had so much fun creating this card - really it was such a joy to sit down and craft this card - its amazing sometimes how much joy you get from creating something from your hands :) (and for this card - I didnot make it in my closet as I have been doing :) - but actually worked on a table!). Here is the front view of the card:

The vertical element in the card I thought could be the sunshine on the ocean - and so I did that with yellow paper with orange waves on the background of the popped out waves with sheer yellow ribbon weaving in and out of the wave like the sun's reflection: Here is a picture of the ribbon being weaved in and out of the waves:

I wanted to decorate the inside of the card also - but still keep it simple enough that you could still write on the top portion of the inside - here is a peek at the inside of the card:

Here is shot of the card lying flat - opened and closed: 

The inside "ocean" is layered and the fishes are jumping in and out of the water too... you can write your message on the space in the top half of the "sky/sun" .

It was fun to decorate both the inside and outside of the card - and still have it kinda lay flat :) 

Here is a close up picture of the sun and the metal clip that is attached to it from which the sentiment hangs. The sun was made with different size circle punches on different colors of orange and yellow papers. 

The sun rays were made from the Fiskars punch: Fleur de Liis - which also has an embossing function. The rays are alternating dark and light yellow, with little Kaiser blings adorning them. The center of the sun has a star punch from Martha Stewart along with a yellow eyelet and is topped off by a soft bling. The metal loop is also attached to one of the layers of the sun so that the sentiment can hang off it (which is tied to a ribbon). 

I love sunshine - and making this sun was pure therapy from this week's busy-ness :)

This is a close up shot of the sentiment: "Sending You Sunshine"

All the fishes in this card were stamped onto different colors of ink and then cut out and glitterized and then stuck in between the

 waves at different angles. The waves are also blinged out a little. This card was so much fun to take pictures off - and I didn't want to overwhelm with too many pictures - so here is a little collage of them: You can click on the photo to see it bigger: or click HERE

Card Details:

Paper: K & Company ( and from stash

Ink: For the fishes: from Stampin Up!: Cameo Coral, Garden Green, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard and So Saffron - also for the sentiment: StazOn Black and Adirondack expresso

Stamps: Sentiment: Year of Sweet Sentiments from Taylored Expressions and fish from K & Company

Punches: Martha Stewart Star Punch, Creative Memories circle punches (4 sizes), Stampin Up 1 3/4" punch and Scallop punch, Fiskars: Fleur de Liis embossing punch

Accessories: Sheer yellow ribbon, stickles, Bright Smooth Bling, eyelet, clip from the May Key Ingredients, hole punches, dimensionals

I had so much fun making this card  - I think that is part of the reason that I love doing these lovely sketch challenges - within the elements of the sketch are infinite possibilities waiting. 

Just again wanted to thank you all for your sweetest encouragement and a big thanks to our judges for all the hard work that you have been doing! And of course to Laura and Kazan for creating these lovely sketches for us to dive into our creativity and for bringing us together into a global family :)

Thank you for visiting my little corner :)

Sending you all Sunshine :)

Big hugs!

Sankari :)

Stampin Out Alzheimer's - Scrapbook Challenge

Good Morning Everyone,

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! You might have already heard about the huge even that my good buddy and fellow PaperCraft Planet Design Team member, Jen Tapler is hosting called Stampin' Out Alzheimers! Jen's father has Alzheimer's and this event that Jen is hosting is to raise awareness and money all of the proceeds which is donated to the Alzheimer's Associateion. For just a small fee of $5.00 you can join this forum where you will find a TON of challenges, free downloads and TON of prizes. The bar to the left shows you how you can enter and join this site.

Jen has asked the stamping community to help out and huge number of stamp companies and organizations has come forward to support!

One of the companies is Taylored Expressions and I am psyched to be the host of a scrapbook challenge that if you play along can win you a $25 Gift Certificate from Taylored Expressions.

Above is the sketch and below is a sample of the sketch that I made using Taylor's stamp set called Branching Out (paper pieced together). You can find this challenge of mine HERE and All you have to do is to play along is create a sample using this sketch and upload it to the Stampin' Out Alzheimers forum - but make sure to use the tag: scrappysketchte (all one word, all lowercase) so that I can manually put it into the album. From this - one lucky person will win this gift certificate to Taylored Expressions using Random.org!

***** If you use Taylored Expression stamps - you will be entered TWICE - so come on and play along!!!


I made this sketch for one of my dearest friends whose parents are at the early stages of Alzheimers. Her parents have been childhood sweethearts and it is hard to see them starting to lose their memory. I made this page and framed it to give it to her for her birthday on Friday - and the main sentiment is "Always" - that regardless of anything - that bond is always there - no matter what.... you can't see my journaling - it is written in light gray - I chose to write down the verse from the poet ee cummings that says: "here is the deepest secret nobody knows, (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud, and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows, higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide),and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart: i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)."

Watching my friend go through this with her parents has just shown to me how precious and fleeting this thing called life is - and to treasure each other - to treasure our connections because in just a flash - things can change. The above pictures are her parents, a family shot of her family and one with her and her parents. Here is a close up of the stitching and the detailing:
Page Recipe:
Paper: Basic Grey, Martha Stewart paper pack and scrap stash
Stamps: Branching Out from Taylored Expressions
Ink: Martha Stewart brown, Adirondack Expresso
Accessories: EK success border punch, tombow adhesive, silver marker, thickers, American Crafts thickers chipboard letters, red embroidery floss and needles for stitching,
Show watched while making this: Jane Austen's Persuasion (a new fave!)

I REALLLLLLLLY hope that you will play along with me in this challenge. This is my first scrapbook page that I created the layout for and I would be soooo happy if you were to play along!!! So here is what you have to do:

1. Register at Stampin Out Alzheimer's forum: http://stampinoutalzheimers.ning.com/
2. You can find my challenge there: Taylored Expressions Scrapbook Sketch Challenge
3. Create a scrapbook page with my scrappy sketch above and upload the picture
4. USE THE TAG: scrappysketchte (all lowercase all one word) the "te" at the end is for taylored expressions
5. You have until MAY 31 to enter your entry till midnight!!!!

Can't wait to see your creations - if you have any questions - please let me know!!!
Thanks for visiting my little corner!
Sending you hugs and smiles!!!
Sankari :)

Feel Better Soon Card!

Hi Everyone,

Kristina has her 52nd Color Inspiration Challenge up - and wow! what a cool pic to draw the inspiration from (the picture comes from her blog reader Traci). I have to say - that I was psyched to see these colors - what a great color combo - it felt so retro urban chique (is that even a term?).

I couldn't wait to play along - and created a feel better soon card using Taylor's Friday Cupcake sketch #68 (which I turned counter-clockwise) and using Taylor's newest cutest release of stamps: Doctor's Orders. I love this set and these two are among my fave images (but they are all my fave :) - who can't resist cupcakes? And for some reason - I just can't get enough of this tissue box - it is just the cutest tissue box :)! - so I created a little row with some actual tissues in them :)

This whole card is an ode to paper piecing.. holy cupcakes - that was a lot of tiny cutting and paper piecing - does this ever happen to you... you are paper piecing something tiny and all of the sudden it drops to the floor - where there are hundreds of tiny scraps! Ack! Okay - that's what happened with these paper pieced pillows... I couldn't find them after I cut them - because they dropped on the floor and were in a sea of tiny scraps (yes, I need to clean my scrap corner floor more often :) but i finally found it - yay! I love the image of this cute little cupcake sitting in bed with a thermometer in his mouth!

Card Details:

Paper: All of it is from my scrap stash (I have been forcing myself to use something from my scrap stash in every card - but yet my scrap stash is still heaped high - how is that possible???
Stamps: Doctor's Orders from Taylored Expressions
Ink: More Mustard
Accessories: Spellbinders Nesties (Blossom), Rhinestones blue, dimensionals, Circle cutters from Creative Memories
Technique: Paper Piecing

I had a lot of fun with these colors - they were challenging and fun! Well, I am off to get some spring cleaning done! Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Thanks so much for visiting my little corner :)
Ciao for now :)
Sankari :)

Taylored Expressions May Release DAY!!!

Good Morning Again Everyone!!

YAY! Today is release day over at Taylored Expressions - if you are reading this - then the store is officially open and there are a bunch of goodies in the store including everything flowery on sale for Mother's Day!!! But before you run over there - here are two more peeks from the two sets that are being released today: Doctor's Orders and Boys will Be Boys.

I made this card using Taylor's Friday Cupcake Sketch challenge #56 and this card is from the Doctor's Orders stamp set - and I just LOVE that the little Cuppie is holding some get well ballons! SOO cute! This is such a versatile stamp set and its so great to be able to make some fun and cheery get well cards. I love that this set works well for making a get well set for kids - I made this one for one my son's friends who is under the weather - I tried to make it bright and cheery and fun - but anytime any one of these cuppies gets inked it always is fun :)

Here is a card that I made using Taylor's Friday Cupcake Sketch Challenge #66 (I turned the sketch upside down) and the Boys Will Be Boys set - I LOVE this image of a little patch of golfdom... my DH is a total golf dude and I thought I would make him a just because card - that he is par-fect the way he is :) I love making cards for him!

I pulled out my watercolors for this card - had fun doing a little painting on the green... the flag is paper pieced and I couldn't help putting a little glitter on it --- I know its not very "masculine' perhaps to have glitter on a boy card... but a glitter makes the world sparkle - so why not?! :) The buttons are from the Father's Day Kit - the plaid button is a clear button with DP from the Father's Day Kit.

You have to check out all the images in the this stamp set - because if you are masculine card challenged like me - it is the perfect stamp set to have for all the men/boyz in your life - that and the Father's Day Key Ingredients kit has paper, coordinating ribbon, etc. that makes it super easy to whip out a boy card :)

Don''t forget to check out my amazing fellow DT members from Taylor's Baker's Dozen:

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


and of course! Taylor VanBruggen

Don't forget to check out all the deals and steals that Taylor has in store for you over at her store: Taylored Expressions!!!

Thank you so much for checking out my little corner :)

Ciao for now,

Sankari :)

Mojo Monday#82 - Sweet Friends (Taylored Expressions)

Good Morning Everyone,

Its hard to believe how quickly this week is flying by - I don't know how it happens because when I turned around it was just sunday and here we are at Wednesday! I love Julee's sketch #82 this week over at Mojo Monday and wanted to play along. I love the Downtown Diva set from Taylored Expressions and was excited to use the papers from the Sweet Branch Collection - and so I made this card for a dear friend of mine.

I just wanted to thank all of you, who wrote such sweet comments about the little family accident etc. from the last post.... I am truly grateful for each of you who wrote such sweet words - it really gave me so much comfort...It's amazing to me how a sweet word from a friend can suddenly uplift you - how kindness and and understanding - can make such a difference in how you face things - from thinking that you are alone - to feeling that you are supported. So, this card is dedicated to all of you! You are all priceless and are the sweetest! Thank you so much - you don't know how much it has touched my heart!

I love the heart between the two cupcakes - it says sweet friends! and the sentiment reads: Friends like you are priceless! Here are the deets for the card:

Card Details

Paper: Sweet Branch Collection and Birchtone Medium

Stamps: Downtown Diva set by Taylored Expressions (April release)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Martha Brown

Accessories: Chocolate grosgrain ribbon (1/4"), corner rounder, liquid pearls, silver marker

Technique - Paper Piecing

Show watched: Simple Explanation episode of House on Hulu (I still canNOT believe about Kutner! what was that about!?!)

You all are just priceless and I am so grateful to have met you in blogland! Hope that all of you are having a wonderful Wednesday - and that you have a chance to stop and smell the roses...! 

Thank you so much for visiting my little corner :)

Sunny hugs to all,

Sankari :)

Kristina Werner Color Inspiration Challenge #48 - You're so sweet

Good Evening Everyone,

I am loving this latest color challenge that Kristina has posted for Color Inspiration Challenge #48 which are the color combinations of Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze and Whisper White. I already made one card and after I was done, I wanted to make another one - its such a great color combo....

So this is what I came up with: a little scene of a Sweet Shoppe with ribbons for leaves and the sentiment "You're so sweet": the stamps are from Taylored Expressions ( the tree is from the Branching Out set and the shop and sentiment is from the Downtown Diva set).

I am running out the door right now - and so I will come back and write all the details of the card - just wanted to get it in before the deadline tonight! Ack!

Hope all are doing well!!!
More soon!

Thank you for visiting!
Sankari :)

Taylored Expressions: Sneak Peeks - Day Two

Good Saturday Morning,

Welcome to the second day of sneak peeks from Taylored Expressions!!! YAY!!Yesterday we got to show you some of the images from the stamp set Fresh Flowers, today we are showing sneak peeks from this awesome set called Downtown Diva - and you are going to LOVE it!!!

These images are sooo cute!!! I have so many ideas spinning in my head from this set that I am dizzy! LOL! Both of these stamp sets are just full of images and sentiments that are perfect for Mother's Day, Thank you Cards, Let's Shop (Girlfriends cards), Happy Birthday Cards, and Just Because cards! Can't wait to ink them all up - and the images that I HAD to ink up as soon as I saw it was the one with these sweet buildings! I inked these up on Stazon Black and then pulled out my watercolors and had so much fun painting. I also added a little dimension to the awning by popping it out on dimnsionals.


I used Taylor's Sketch # 59 for this card and the sentiment reads: People who say money can't buy happiness, don't know where to shop!!! I was sooo psyched when I saw that because my GF and I just had a shopping spree a few weeks ago and had so much fun hitting the shoe stores, craft stores and don't forget the dessert stores!! This card is made for her and I can't wait to give it to her!

For both the outside and inside, I used the Mother's Day Key Ingredient's kit that comes with heavy cardstock in beautiful colors with coordinating DP, flowers, ribbon and rhinestones. I decorated the inside of the card to read: "Shop till you drop!" LOVE IT!!! I have so many GF and SIL's who love to shop (I like to browse) and I can't wait to make a few of these cards for them! Aren't those cupcakes so cute holding purses!!

I also made a little coordinating Favor Box for my buddy that I am going to fill with her favorite chocolate!! I used another stamp in this awesome stamp set that reads: Sweet Shoppe. I used the the matching coordinating papers and ribbon from the Key ingredients kit. You have to check out all the amazing Favor Boxes that Taylor has in her store - they are just amazingly wonderful to have on hand because you can fix up a coordinating gift set in just a few minutes!

Card Details for the Card and the Gift set:

Paper: Mother's Day Key Ingredients Kit and Choice Buutercream cardstock, Favor Boxes

Stamps: Downtown Diva stamp set from Taylored Expressions! Woo-hoo!!!

Ink: Chocolate Chip SU!, Stazon On Black, Water Colors

Accessories: All accessories from the ribbon to the rhinestones are in the Mother's Day KeyIngredients Kit - other supplies include: corner rounder, SU! Circle punch, dimensionals silver marker and liquid pearls

I totally have LOVED using the images from both of these stamp sets (you can see the sneak peek from yesterday here) and can't wait for the big release day!!!

Speaking of which - guess what - Taylor will be releasing all of the new Spellbinders dies tomorrow also. Also two new Twinkles will be released tomorrow - (clear rhintestones in various sizes and Multi-colored twinkles in various shapes (stars, hearts, flowers, teardrops, squares, etc.) Taylor is offering an awesome deal that if you purchase both of these new Twinkles, she will throw in a multi-colored round twinkles FREE. Also JustRite is discontinuing all of their self-inking stampers! They are also discontinuing their Oval Stamper I Ensemble, Birthday Stamp Ensemble, and Oval Stamper I Blister Pack. Taylor is offering a 30% discount on these items as long as quantities last.

Seriously What awesome deals!!! Taylored Expressions is the place to be and to keep up with all of these great deals and steals - you can sign up for the newsletter if you are not already subscribed (you can find the signup widget in the sidebar of the homepage). It's chock full of inspiration and of course you'll be the first to know about all the new products and sales at the TE Store!!!

Speaking of inspiration - you don't want to miss all the amazing samples from my fellow DT members

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

and of course! Taylor VanBruggen

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend and have fun shopping at tonight at Taylored Expressions!!! See you there!!!

Thank you for visiting my little corner!
Hugs,
Sankari :)

PS - head back here tomorrow - for the Sneak Peek Celebration Day - there are a few more samples from all of us for you!!!

Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #59 - Basketful of Blessings and a chance for some Twinkles!

Happy Friday Everyone!!

I for one am sooo TGIF! And what a great way to celebrate Friday then with some cupcakes and a chance to win some Taylor's Tiny Twinkles!!! Here is this week's sketch from Taylor's weekly Friday Cupcake Sketch Challenge - you don't have to use cupcakes, but if you have them, why not use 'em! 

This week Taylor is offering everyone a chance to score some of her awesome Tiny Twinkles!!! Have you guys seen this cute little twinkles? In one container you will receive over 400 rhinestones!! They come in a round storage container that separates each of them perfectly by size and color. They can easily be applied to your projects with some liquid glue --- and they are the PERFECT embellishments to all your projects. 

All you have to do is to create a card with Taylor's above sketch - link it to her blog and upload it to Paper Craft Planet with the tag TECC59!!! That's it!!! The deadline to link to Taylor's blog and Paper Craft Planet for the chance to win some Twinkles is Monday at 8am PST. One winner will be drawn through Random. Org!  

Card Details:

Paper: Easter Key Ingredients set, Choice Buttercream cardstock

Ink: Martha brown, Stazon- Black, Water colors for the basket

Stamps: Sweet Spring

Accessories: Stickles, corner rounder, Fiskar's tag punch, Creative Memories Circle cutters, mini circle punch, liquid pearls

I had a lot of fun creating a card with this sketch! I used this cutie pie cupcake in a basket from Taylor's newest stamp release: Sweet Spring and also all the paper and embellies are from the Easter Key Ingredient Kit (which I love and adore - you can check out a scrapbook page done only with the papers in this kit here). The handle of the easter basket is adorned with Taylor's Tiny Twinkles -- aren't they so cute! 

You can check out this tutorial that Ana Wohlfahrt did on these tiny twinkles here. I hope you all try this sketch challenge and upload to Paper Craft Planet with this tag TECC59 for a chance to win these Tiny Twinkles!!!

Hope your Friday is off to a great start!!!!

Thank you so much for visiting my little corner :)

Sankari :)

Thinking of You Card

Happy Wednesday Everyone,

How are you all doing? I am as always excited about Wednesdays - because the weekend is within sight :) lol! Its been so long since I did a TCP challenge (The Cat's Pajamas) - this week the uber talented Jen del Muro is the hostess with the mostess and this week she has a color challenge for us (light pink, light yellow and light blue - with any shade of brown as an optional color).  

Jen also has a wonderful sketch challenge (Sketch for You To 

Try). So, I thought I would combine her sketch with the TCP color challenge that she is hosting - its such a fun combination of spring colors - so I had to pull out Taylor's newest stamp release: Branching Out.

 I love this stamp set -it is so super cute - and thought I would try a little something different. I wanted to go for a spring blossom tree - so I stamped the tree onto Basic Grey Paper and then paper pieced all the leaves from pink cardstock. I then stamped the tree branch in Adirondack Expresso and then dotted the tree in pink liquid pearls for a kind of flowery effect and then covered the whole thing in stickles and coarse crystals from Martha Stewart. Its pretty glittery in the sunlight - but its hard to tell in the picture. This is such a whimsy set - and so its so much fun to let the imagination take flight and go all whimsy (sure, trees can have pink leaves, lol!!) 

Card Details:

Paper: Basic Grey (I don't remember which one), blue is handmade/tissue paper, rest is from stash

Ink: Adirondack Expresso, Staz-on Black

Stamps: Taylored Expressions Branching Out

Accessories: Brads (Making Memories), blue rhinestones, buttons from stash, stickles, liquid pearls, Martha Stewart Coarse crystals, dimensionals

The light blue paper is a really soft pretty handmade paper that is kind of like tissue paper - its so pretty that I have been hoarding it - but I am trying to be better these days about actually using all the paper in my stash (so that I can buy more! lol!). 

Well, I am off to finish cleaning up the house - we have had two sick little ones - and its amazing how quickly the house can go from "somewhat clean and presentable" to "national disaster zone". Hope you are all in good health and are enjoying your wednesdays!!

Thanks for coming over for a visit to this little corner :)

Ciao for now,

Sankari