Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #32

Good Morning Everyone,

Do I smell cupcakes baking??? 

Is it Friday?!!!

YES and YESSS!!!! 

Because its the most wonderful day of the week: It's time for Taylor's Friday Cupcake Challenge and this week is awesome becauseTaylor just announced that she is releasing a new line of stamps called: Stamp a Sweet Impression and let me tell you, from the tempting sneak peeks that I have seen - they are SO awesome and beyond cute!!!  You will have to go check out both her stamps and her awesome storage system that will available starting at midnight (EST) on the 5th.

Well, I was already looking forward to this week because it was my birthday (and while I am excited about everyone else's birthdays, this was the first time in a long while that I have been excited about my own). To even make it more exciting, Taylor picked me to be the Featured Cupcake Sampler this week! 

Woo-hoo! I was so honored and excited and surprised! THANK YOU TAYLOR!!The best part is that I got to participate in the new release of her sweet stamps. As soon as I saw this stamp, I was in love!! and couldn't wait to make a card for this week's sketch - which is awesome! 

I love the half-circles in the sketch and  the sentiment that immediately popped into mind was: Wish Big! So this is what I came up with:

 I love this little guy blowing out his cake!!! I colored this set with my Prism pencils and then covered it with liquid glaze. The little cherry on the cupcake is a red brad, there are yellow brads on the cake and teal star brads on the corners. The sentiment was made in Photoshop and then cut out with My Creative Memories Circle cutters. I outlined around the circles in both little droplets of teal paint and red candy cane 

stickles. I wanted a big bow for the Wish Big sentiment and I love that you can see the fun cardstock through the ribbon. This card was beyond fun to make! 

Well, you know what they say ... time flies when you are having fun... I couldn't stop after making this card - so I made another one with Taylor's sketch (I couldn't get this sketch out of my mind because the half circles reminded me of cupcake tops - seriously - all I see these days are cupcakes! :)

So I thought I would make another simple card with two cupcakes next to each other:  

I used my new Stampin UP! scallop punch (courtesy of my awesome buddy Brooke!) and punched out some aqua cardstock and folded it in half and adhered them together to create the tops. For the cupcake bottoms, I went to the pantry and got 2 baking cups that I folded and wrapped and adhered them side by side. 

The little "cherry" is a button with red thread and little burgandy paint droplets on the edges. The edges of the cupcake tops are lined with waterfall stickles and the edges of the pink cardstock are edged with Martha's metallic ink. I wrote the sentiment (happy b-day dear you) around cupcakes in a brown archival pen from CM. This card was so much fun to make too - and very simple :) But then again, how can things not be fun when you are working with cupcakes :)

I love Cupcake Land :)

Thanks everyone for coming over for a visit!

Have a fabulous weekend and hope you give Taylor's fun sketch a try!

Best wishes,

Sankari :)

EDIT: just realized that the OCC theme for this week is birthday - so I am so excited that I can offer these cards for the challenge :)

Kristina Werner Color Inspiration Challenge #21

Hello All,

Thank you to all of you who wished me a happy birthday!!! It was one of the best birthday's ever! From the moment it began till late at night when it merged into today - my birthday was fabulously sweet and happy :) I LOVE LOVE b-days - but usually not mine :) so it was nice to really enjoy having a birthday and getting into the celebratory spirit. My favoritest tradition is having a birthday breakfast party in Pajamas - and that is what we did yesterday - maybe I will post some pics of that later - .... Thanks again for your great wishes guys!!! That totally made my day even more special!!!

When I saw Kristina's challenge posted yesterday I was thrown for a loop - I didn't have time to do it because I am teaching every afternoon this week and needed to prepare lessons but at the same time couldn't think about anything else the whole time I was working on my lecture :) So after I came home today - I planted myself down in my little corner and tried to get some mojo to flow ....... Wow, I am not used to doing Kristina's challenges during the daytime... its usually into the night :) okay - waaaay into the nigh - LOL!) I think the creativity flows a little better at night.....  :) 

Look at these fun colors that she swatched our way - I totally LOVE all these colors - but I found this one definitely a challenge -  to put these colors together .... that Pacific Point blue kept throwing me off - so after 4 attempts and a craft corner strewn with little remnants of my shattered efforts - I finally decided to go simple and somehow actually liked the card :)

This card is for my friend's son's birthday - (whose birthday was last week - he just turned 4). I figure, you can't go wrong with putting a dinosaur on a card for a little boy's b-day card. I kept resisting putting a ribbon around this card (man, was that hard!). 

The image was paper pieced and the spots cut out in random and then glazed. The present box was punched out and then Stickled and I tied a ribbon around that (there has to be some ribbon.... right?). The scalloped circles were punched out from Martha's mini punch and then a small amount of glaze was applied to the edges.

 I wanted to mimic the ridges of the dinosaur's back with the mini scallop punch running the edge of the half circle (can you believe that this is a 2 layer card - I don't think that has happened in a while! 

Anyhow, I had a lot of fun making this card - and can't wait to surf through and see all the other great entries. Hope all of you are doing great! It's almost Friday!! Woo-hoo! I can have some R & R from teaching!

Have a Dino-mite Thursday night!!!

Sankari :)

Card Recipe:

Stamp: from G studio

Ink: No ink - just a pen (don't know from where...) I printed the sentiment and then went over it

Cardstock: DCVW

Accessories: ribbon, Circle Cutting system from Creative Memories, Liquid Glaze, Stickles

Show Watched: The rest of Season 1 of the OC --- (watched it on Hulu.... ) and then started watching Monk :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY........... to me! :) LOL!

Hi Everyone, 

Here is a little card that I made for my DMIL a little while ago but never posted - but since today is my birthday  -  I thought that the sentiment was perfectly fitting :) The sentiment reads: Age is only a number.... Mine is unlisted :) 

 LOL!!! not that it matters what age I am turning today... because I am turning 29..... again --- and it is great turning this age the second time around... okay - 3rd time around.... okay - okay - the 4th time around.... well... maybe more - but that's all you are getting out of me...  :) LOL!

Isn't this little guy so cute....! I have to look up where he is from and the details of the card and post it later (i think its one of Julee's sketches). My most fave color is green - and I LOVE this paper !

I can't wait to celebrate today! The only plans I have are a breakfast bday with my kids and DH and then to make a cake with my son later today (that should be an interesting cake - as he is 3 1/2 and my baking skill-Z are non-existent! 

I will have to post a pic later)

Hope you are all having a great day!!

Best wishes,

Sankari

PS - don't forget to leave a comment on the previous post if you want to win some yummy blog candy!

BIRTHDAY BLOG CANDY!!!!

HI Everyone,

I love love love birthday celebrations - and for some reason - this year, I am really excited about my birthday! Which happens to be today - September 3rd :) YAY!

Why am I excited? I don't know - but I am really looking forward to it -  So I thought I would give away something special ------one of my most FAVORITE craft item ---> to some lucky person, which is.............. (drum roll please!!!)..........

an EVERYDAY DISPLAY BOARD from Creative Memories! (in white)

Here is a picture -   (note: the decoration on the board is just an idea - it doesn't come with the board)

This board measures 18 inches by 18 inches and is pretty solid.... it has a magnetic frame so you can always change things around and display your scrapbook pages, your pics, things to do list.... the possibilities are endless.... 

 if you click HERE - you can read more awesome features of this great product! (You can also click here and here to see some projects that I have made with it)

So all you have to do for the chance to get one of these awesome boards is leave a comment about one of your favorite birthday traditions -  here at the end of this post. (my most favorite tradition is our breakfast birthday party in pajamas with my family - a little pancake here, a few cupcakes there, throw in some waffles, a fruit salad and hugs from my kids and DH --- the day couldn't get better!)

You can comment from today through Sunday (Sept 7th) at midnight - then on the morning of Monday, (September 8th) - I will print out your comments - put your names in a hat and let my son pick out the lucky person!!! So be sure to check back here on Mon!  

Please only leave one comment per person! and also because of the heaviness of this item - only US/Canadian residents - sorry guys - i will do a lighter one for everyone soon! :)

Hope all of you are doing well!!! 

Best wishes!!!

Sankari :)

A Box of Goodies from BROOKE!!!

Hi Everyone,

Look at this beautiful bounty of goodies that my dearest blogging buddy BROOKE sent me! 

Brooke and I met doing the KW Challenges and I totally was amazed by her amazing cards and her sweetness and all her inspiring and encouraging comments. The more I chatted with her - the more I was in awe of her! She TOTALLY rocks!! I was so psyched to actually talk with her on the phone - and can't believe that we chatted for sooo long into the night! I was so excited to see this package  from her when I got home from teaching at the University today and was even more excited after I opened it!!! Thank you soooo much Brooke for your generosity and your sweetness and thoughtfulness!!! 

My kids loved all the things that you gave them - one of the little sweets that you sent is not in the picture because it was immediately eaten by my son before I could even take a pic 

LOL! and you wrote the sweetest little messages inside the book for the kids, inside your card and on the little note of the lip balm - you are too sweet!!! (Thank you for saving that from SU! Convention for me - too sweet!!!!)

I love my SU! Scallop punch! I have been punching paper like crazy! it is just the coolest thing! thank you for all the SU! goodies and the sweetest card - I can't believe how beautiful your card is and how beautiful your handwriting is! 

The personalized monogram notepad with the "S" is beyond gorgeous - it is so beautiful and blinged out - I LOVE it!!!

This is the best start to a fun birthday week :) Yup - its true, tomorrow is my birthday (September 3rd) - and I am actually really excited about it - I don't know why ...- we aren't really doing anything and I have to work tomorrow - but I am still excited :) 

The only plan I have is to make a birthday cake with my son :) (he is 3 1/2) so that will be fun! It's going to be great to be 29 ... again ... LOL!

So I was thinking to do a little blog candy give away tomorrow - (I am not sure what yet...) so stay tuned and come on over tomorrow for a chance at some fun treats :)  and make sure you go and visit Brooke's beautiful blog (you can click here) and check out her beautiful creations. She totally rockZ!

Thanks for coming over for a visit,

Sending all of you a truckload of happy wishes and sunshine!

Sankari :)

Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #31 (Miss you Cupcakes!)

Hello Everyone, 

Happy Labor Day - hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend. Things here have been more than busy - I can't believe that its been so long since I have made a card - I feel like I am in card withdrawal .... so it was so nice to do Taylor's Cupcake Challenge.  On the left is Taylor's fun sketch for this week! I love all of her fun sketches and especially the fact that we are encouraged to use cupcakes - who doesn't love that!!!

I started making a completely different card - but then after about an hour - it just wasn't working - have you ever had that experience....  aarrgH!...  so after a while - I just gave up and started from scratch. 

I created the tree background in Photoshop and then after printing it out, I drew little cupcakes that I cut, colored and adhered to the tree - as if the tree had  little cupcake flowers. 

(sidenote: Wouldn't that be great if there was a cupcake tree that grew in your back yard! Then, if your child told you at the last minute that the bake sale was tomorrow - you could just run out to the back yard and pick a few from your backyard cupcake tree! mmmm... cupcake tree!)

That was a yummy digression..  :) the rest of the card was pretty straightforward to put together... I cut the ribbon slit a little bigger so that I could run two ribbons through and then run another one on the side to tie a little bow... The ovals were cut with my CM cutters and centered onto the cupcake tree panel. I painted the cupcakes with a little pink paint and added some pink dots to the ovals and wrote the sentiment: Miss You Cupcakes!"  in the honor of my friend who I totally miss and who is as sweet as cupcakes :)

Well, hope all of you get to enjoy some cupcakes soon! (Even the word cupcake is fun to say!)

This is my birthday week! There I said it!! So I am turning 29 again :) LOL! I am so excited !!! Will have to post some pics! Wishing all of you a happy Sept!!!!

Thanks for visiting!

Ciao for now,

Sankari  :)

Card Recipe:

Paper: DCVW Cardstock

Ink: Martha Stewart Brownstone and Metallic copper on the edges

Tools: Photoshop

Acccessories: Brads from Making Memories , Ribbon from Martha Stewart, Black Diamond Stickles, Pink Acrylic Paint, Brown Archival Pen from Creative Memories, Oval cutters (Creative Memories)

Shows Watched:  the first few episodes of The O.C (on Hulu) I never got into it when it came out - and then I thought I would watch a few to see what the hype was about on Hulu - and now I am an undercover OC fan :)

2 Sketches 4 You - Laura's Sketch Challenge

Hello Everyone,

I am so happy that I finally got to do a card using the sketch from  2 Sketches 4 You  (this week was Laura's Sketch #7) I have to say, that I get a little sad if I don't get to do this challenge because not only are Laura and Kazan's sketches pretty cool -  they make me think outside of my little box AND it is also amazing to see all the wonderful cards made by all the amazing artistes from around the world. This week has been so busy - so I was glad that I finally had a chance to sit down and do this challenge - it was so therapeutic. 

Seriously, Stamp Therapy should be something that your doctor should recommend so that you can get time off from work to stamp and have it be paid for through your insurance so that you can get all the stamping/crafting supplies that you need.... Can you imagine that!?!!! Wouldn't that be awesome!!

Anyhoo, I digress :)   I loved Laura's sketch and saw so many possibilities - so for one of the possibilities. I rotated her sketch 90 degrees counter clockwise for my card. Doing this created a little flap for a pocket in the card -  for another smaller card to go into. 

This card was made for one of my dearest friend's from highschool's son - who is turning one in a week!!! His name is Zach, but he is affectionately known as "Z" - so for the card, I highlighted the letter Z and the number 1. 

The smaller card with the Z chipboard, pulls out to reveal a smaller card and for this little card - I am going to write some special wishes for him for his first birthday! He is such a great little guy - actually, I shouldn't say little because he is somewhat of a tank :) (he's got Michelin Man thighs :) and he is just so yummy to hold (as is his big brother :)

The large card measures 3 1/2" by 5" and the smaller card measures 2" by 3 1/2". I loved making this card because it is for someone so very special and that always makes the process so much more fun and special :)

It's Friday - YAY! It's the last friday in August and you can feel the slight crispness in the air indicating that fall is on the way. There are a few trees whose leaves are changing and its starting  

to get a leeeetttle cool - LOVE IT!! My favorite month is September - because its my birthday month! Maybe I will have to give some Blog Candy away next week on my b-day!...... hmmm....! stay tuned! Yay! I love birthday's - I love celebrating the miracle of birth and the miracle of each and every day.  

Speaking of everyday miracles, Jen has a great a idea on her blog called +365, where you write down something positive about yourself/your day etc. I started to do that and have really enjoyed the difference I have noticed - I feel more aware of the beauty of it all and that every moment can be beautiful and perfect 

So my highlight or +365 from yesterday was swinging in the park with my kids - it was so great to watch their little itty bitty legs kick back and forth and to also sit in between them and swing so high - to feel the wind in your hair - to feel the sun on your face - to breathe in the beauty of life, to hear the sweet little laughter of my children being carried to the world by the wind.  I love swinging 

so high into the sky that the metal frame of the swing shakes a bit.... and also i loved that my children thought I was so cool because I could go so high :) Thank goodness it doesn't take much at this age, LOL!

I feel so grateful for this blessing of being alive. So thankful..... each and every moment is so precious. And in doing this blog and being able to meet so many of you wonderful artists, I feel like the world is a smaller place :)

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend everyone! Drive safe, enjoy your family and most of all.... hope you get to have lots of belly laughs! 

Thanks so much for coming over for a visit!

Wishing all of you happiness,

Sankari :)

Card Recipe:

Paper: DCVW for the blues, K & C company, paint sample (Tuscany Tan) for the beige

Ink: Blue marker

Stamps: Typewriter Lowercase Alphabets  by Inkadinkado

Accessories: Blue & Green ribbon (Offray), sticker embellishment (the giraffe) from Jolee's, Making Memories Chipboard, Blue Paint, Waterfall Stickles, hole puncher

Show watched: What Happens in Vegas 

Kristina Werner Color Inspiration Challenge #20

HI Everyone,

Its time for another Kristina Werner Color Inspiration Challenge. This week we were challenged with 5 yummy colors - inspired from a page from Pottery Barn Kids. I can't believe that this challenge makes #20! Wow! Time flies fast when you are having fun :)

The couch had a bold print on it which was softened by a light pink. I liked that idea and created my own background in Photoshop with all of the 5 colors that Kristina gave us. 

I made leaves out of Chocolate chip, the butterflies out of the two pink colors and the green dots (that are a fabric option for the chair) from the Certainly Celery color. After printing the panel 3 times, I adhered it to the cardstock.

 I then added 1" punched out circles to give it a faux embossing, scalloped look on the side, along with ribbon and sentiment. 

I also tried another card that was mostly a regal rose color with the  same background and sentiment - just different layout... 

I enjoyed making both cards - they provided much needed card therapy. It has been a rough few days around here - and its so nice to be able to create something ....it is so therapeutic to cut and paste and stamp :)

Sorry for this crazy blog layout - I have been having trouble trying to get everything centered - and 45 minutes later I can't seem to get it right... arg! Anyhoo - on that note, it seems that my blogging time for today is officially over because my daughter is biting my knee (she is 16 months) so off I go to give her some snuggly cuddles :)

Hope you all have a great Wednesday!

Thanks for visiting,

Ciao for now,

Sankari

Card Recipe

Cardstock: Martha Stewart

Ink: Martha Stewart Brownstone

Stamps: SU! Sincere Salutations

Accessories: Photoshop, Ribbon Offray

Show watched: Sleepless in Seattle 

A Cupcake Throwdown? (A Thinking of You Card)

Hi All, 

Here is another card for Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #30 using the awesomely fun colors from the ladies at the Color Throwdown. I loved these colors together - they felt very soft and sweet and somehow nautical. 

So I started by creating one card ( a little card for someone special who lives across the ocean :) who I have been thinking about - but then ended up making two. 

This little message in a bottle card was made in Photoshop and then printed and cut about to create some layers on a 5x5 card and a 3x3 card. 

I did add a little bit of darker navy cardstock to the colors because it felt like it need a little bit of a stronger matte. Anyhoo - it was definitely some much needed card therapy that these two little cards provided for me. 

Hope all of you are having a great monday. 

Thank you for coming over to visit,

Ciao for now,

Sankari

Card Recipe:

Stamp: SU! Fresh Fillers

Paper: DCVW cardstock

Accessories: Making Memories Brads, Offray Ribbon, Crystal Stickles, Clear Embossing Powder

Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #30 (Super Birthday Card :)

Hi All,

I am almost done with my birthday card creating spree. This is one of the last ones - and the one that I have been putting off because it is for a friend of ours who is a guy. I cannot seem to make a manly card that doesn't end up swirly and girly - so I have been avoiding making this card. But then I saw Taylor's AWESOME sketch challenge - and had to make a card using her sketch. 

But then, I thought about doing something fun - and was inspired by Susanna Boyd's invitation that she made for her son Jake. I was thinking manly - and thought that you can't get more manly than Super-man :) I found this amazingly beautiful Superman image drawn by Frank Quietly (you can find out more about him here and here and here). He does amazing work - and I have totally become a huge fan. 

This image of Superman was drawn by him for the All-Star Superman book by Grant Morrison and belongs to DC Comics.  I found this image here. I am not selling this card or doing anything with this image other than giving it to my friend for his birthday - so I don't think this is a copyright violation - but if I have - I will totally take this down.  I love this image and wanted to make a fun card for my friend who is a great guy with a great sense of humor - so I photoshopped a thought bubble that says" "I sure could use a cupcake".  Even a superhero needs a break, right? Inside the card is going to read: Happy Birthday to a Super Guy!

The Superman logo was printed and cut and pasted to the four corners and I attached some brads and a little stickles to the "S" on his back and called it a day. If I did anything more -I know it would end up swirly and girly. 

Hope all of you are having a super day,

Thanks for visiting,

Sankari

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ACHA! 3 Challenges in One

Hi Everyone, 

Today is my father's birthday!!! Happy Birthday Acha!! (Acha means dad in my language - Malayalam). I wish I could be there to celebrate - but hopefully soon we can all be together  :) I had already made a card for my dad - but felt like that wasn't the card for him - so I started from again.

I loved Julee's awesome sketch design for Meet the Divas challenge, so I used the sketch for the color challenge for TCP Tuesday this week, which was to make a card using the colors Blue and Orange. I love using bright contrasting colors, so I couldn't wait to play. And I also loved the  challenge from the Dirty Dozen/Dirty Dozen Alumni Challenge to only use numbers in making a birthday card (the restricted element was to NOT have "happy birthday on the card"). So since my dad is turing 70 - which is awesome and amazing - and I can't believe it, I thought I would honor this leap into a new decade by featuring the number on my card for him. 

I had a lot of fun making this card. I was trying to make the #70 look like frosting by using a little paint on top of the Alpha Cut Out letters (the #70 is actually the Letter L (upside down) and the Letter O because I didn't have any chipboard numbers that size. My favorite part was creating the door that opens to reveal Sprinkles holding a present :) The sign on the door says: We love you Acha, and was created in Photoshop. 

Since it is my dad's birthday today - I thought I would share a few favorite memories. My dad is one of my bestest friends - I adore him. I feel so blessed to be his daughter and wish I could do everything to help take care of my parent's - they are truly amazing.

One of my favorite things I love about my dad is watching him tell a joke. He is the best joke teller I know - because as he is telling the joke you can see the twinkle of laughter in his eyes and in the corner of his smile and then part way through he is cracking up and his laughter is so infectious that it makes everyone laugh also - even though we still haven't heard the whole joke :)  

I love holding my father's hands - he has amazing earth hands - strong and sweet. I love talking to him about philosophy - I used to call him way late at night when I was in college and ask him questions about what I was learning and we would talk into the night. My dad has an amazing book collection. Any book that is related to religion and spirituality he has got it - He lives in a little library at homeand not only that, he can remember these amazing quotes from all these amazing writers and so in the middle of a conversation he will suddenly offer me a different perspective by quoting someone verbatim. My dad was the one who inspired my love of reading and my love of philosophy - I love sitting on the couch with him while he is reading something and I am reading something else. 

 

He makes a wonderful Chai - and I love sitting out in the patio at my parent's back yard, drinking a hot cup of chai with my father as we look out at the fields in silence. I love that I can talk to my dad about the deepest subjects and also that we can just sit in silence and enjoy each other's company. I adore him - he has always felt more like my brother than my father :) He is one of the best letter writers I know - he has got amazing literary style. I loved getting letters from him when I was in Kenya - they always started: "My dearest friend, ...." Each of those letters are a treasure. 

I am an only child - so my parents doubled as my best friends and my parents and I have learned so much from my mother and father - they teach me about life because of they live it with integrity, nobility and truth. I hope that I can be even a quarter of the person that they are.  I missing living closer to them - they are all the way in Baltimore... and can't wait till our next visit! 

Happy Birthday Acha!!! You are the bestest!!!  

Hope all of you are having a wonderful Saturday!

Thanks for coming over for a visit :)

Ciao for now,

Sankari

Card Recipe:

Paper - DCVW for the cardstock and I think the patterned paper also from DCVW

Ink - Staz-on

Stamps -  I used my new FAVE stamps - from The Cat's Pajamas! (you have to get some - they stamp like a dream!) and Almas is awesome! and the cake is from all Night Media

Accessories: Alpha Cut out letters, Orange stickles, metallic brad not sure from where, Red Paint, Edge Punch from Martha

Shows watched: Deserving Design on Hulu

Happy Holiday Card

Hi All,

So today I made a card that wasn't for a challenge!! Wow! It felt good just to make a card and I loved this sketch from Jen that she created a few weeks ago that I had to make another card using the same sketch. 

This was an almost no stamp card! The only thing that was stamped was the design in the pink DP, in VersaMark and then embossed in clear EP. The sentiment is a rub-on, and the stockings were from DP and then stickled. Oh and some liquid applique for the "fuzzy" part of the stockings. And then they were hung with care on a piece of rolled cardstock. 

I felt a little relief in making something x-mas-y after a slew of b-day cards. I am just so amazed at how quickly the month of August is flying by - and then its September - which is one of my favorite months (can you guess why?!). 

Alright - tomorrow is a big day - so I bid ye adieu and goodnight!

Sleep tight!

Thanks for coming over for a visit!

Sankari

Card Recipe:

Paper - DCVW

Stamps - Beyond the Basics from Stampin Up! (for the background)

Ink - VersMark

Accessories - Clear EP, Metallic brads from (?), Ribbon (Offray), Stickles (Gold)