Taylored Expressions: Sneak Peeks Day 1

August Release At a Glance

• We have sneak peeks to share Monday through Wednesday.  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Thursday, August 4th at 8 am PST. You'll find it all in the Fresh out of the OvenDepartment at the Taylored Expressions Store.
• Join us as a fan on Facebook for an early peek at the stamp sets, as well as a SPECIAL Facebook GIVEAWAY, on Wednesday night beginning at approximately 6 pm PST.
• Angel Bundle Prize Drawing: We're very excited to be supporting the Angel Tree with Joy to the World, the newest set in the TE Giving Tree Program.  If you'd like to be entered to win our Angel Bundle Prize Pack (Joy to the World Full Sized Stamp Set, Angel Kisses Taylored Card Kit, and the Musical Swirls Taylored Impression Plate) simply click over to the Angel Tree website and find the answer to this question: "Name the founder of Angel Tree." (You'll want to read the touching story of how Angel Tree got started while you're there!)  E-mail Taylored Expressions with the answer in the subject line of your e-mail by Wednesday at 6pm PST.  The winner will be announced on Taylor's blog at approximately 10 pm PST Wednesday night.
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 Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the first day of the sneak peeks from Taylored Expressions - yay! Today we are all featuring the beautiful new stamp set: Joy to the World (illustrated by the amazing and sweet Nancy McKinney!) which is the newest stamp set that is part of the Taylored Expressions Giving Tree program. Each quarter, Taylor chooses a charity that she donates a portion of the proceeds from the sales of a particular stamp set - and this quarter she has chosen the Angel Tree as the charity to support because it's something she has been involved with for many years through churches she has attended.  Angel Tree is a program administered by Prison Fellowship whose Mission is to seek the transformation of prisoners and their reconciliation to God, family and community through the power of Jesus Christ.  Angel Tree invites churches to provide Christmas gifts to the children of inmates across the country.  Their website says :

"It starts with a gift.  But it's so much more.

Every child has a story. For 1.7 million American children, that story is filled with the abandonment, loneliness, and shame that comes from having a mom or dad in prison. At Angel Tree, we find ways to reach out to these children, by sharing Christ's love with them at Christmas and by developing year-round relationships. In the end, it's so much more than giving Christmas gifts-it's about restoring families."

We'd love to have you learn more about this wonderful charity and even possibly how you might get involved.  So we have a special prize drawing planned! .  If you'd like to be entered to win our Angel Bundle Prize Pack (Joy to the World Full Sized Stamp Set, Angel Kisses Taylored Card Kit, and the Musical Swirls Taylored Impression Plate) simply click over to the Angel Tree website and find the answer to this question: "Name the founder of Angel Tree." (You'll want to read the touching story of how Angel Tree got started while you're there!)  E-mail Taylored Expressions with the answer in the subject line of your e-mail by Wednesday at 6pm PST.  The winner will be announced on Taylor's blog at approximately 10 pm PST Wednesday night.

For the projects today, we used all the Angel Kisses Taylored Card Kit that will be available for purchase along with all the stamp sets and impressions plates and dies this Thursday at 8am PST. This card kit is full of awesome card ingredients (cardstock, designer paper, ribbon, peals) to make a bunch of mass produceable Christmas cards! Also there will be a downloadable inspiration sheet that will include 10 easy to recreate samples by the Baker's Dozen! Gotta love inspiration sheets!

I had so much fun with these beautiful colors and designer paper - and love that everything is already coordinated ready for craftin'! 

The Joy to the World stamp set has beautiful angels - and sweet sentiments. I created 4 circle cards with these sweet Angels and used the sentiment: "May peace be your gift at Christmas" for all four cards. Here is a picture of all 4 from this card kit and using the Joy to the World stamp set:

 Here is a picture one of the Angels - she is so sweet with her hands folded. Each card was cut out with beaded circles nesties and then I added the Angels finishing it with some copics, liquid pearls and some green and maroon pearls from the Angels Kisses Taylored Card Kit:

 And here is a picture of the second Angel that I used and I added a little bag of overflowing hearts by stamping the bag, coloring it and adding a dimensional:

I love that everything is from the card kit (well, except for the liquid pearls and glitter) and it made everything so simple, fast and easy to assemble! I can't wait to see all the gorgeous creations that everyone has created using this wonderful stamp set Joy to the World with the Angel Kisses Taylored Card Kit:

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• Charmaine Ikach


• Danielle Lounds


• Jodi Collins


• Karen Giron


• Nancy McKinney


• Melody Rupple


• Melissa Sauls


• Regina Mangum


• Sankari Wegman


• Taylor VanBruggen


• Tori Wild


• Wanda Guess

July Diva Dare - Day 7

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Hi Everyone! 

Today I am the hostess of the Diva Dare challenge over at the Verve Blog where this month's challenge is to just focus on the awesome Verve Sentiment! This month's release was full of amazing sentiments - so we wanted to highlight that for the July Diva Dare:

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - Sentimental About Paper!  It's time to dig into all that gorgeous patterned paper you've been hoarding saving (we know you have some!!)!  Showcase all those amazing sentiment stamps (no images) to create a new and never before seen project!  Paired with pretty patterned paper, Verve's famous sentiments will take center stage!  While it is not necessary to use Verve stamps to enter, we would love to see them if you've got 'em!  To sweeten up the challenge even more, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

The sentiments that Julee has created are perfect for every single occasion - or even where there is no occasion - but you want to make a "just because card". I love all the phrases in the Small Phrases stamp set and combined two of the sentiments to create this one welcome home baby card for my friend's son: 

"Sweet Baby Boy, You Are Loved": 

I used the fun papers from the My Mind's Eye Alphabet Soup Collection (Boys) and used the star cut outs to decorate this horizontal long card. Each star was tied to the top with some Baker's Twine and then I stamped both sentiments onto the ticket cut out that popped up on the side with some hearts for accents. I love that these stamps are so flexible together and it was so easy to line up and stamp the second sentiment because it is acrylic and you can easily see where you are stamping! This was such a fun card to make and I can't wait to combine more of these Small Phrases together!

Please check out more details as to how you can win some brand new Verve stamps by stopping by the Verve Blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Hugs,
Sankari :)

Mojo Monday #200

Hi Everyone,


Julee has created an awesome sketch this week for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge and I couldn't wait to play along! I can't believe that its been 200 sketches already! WOW!!! How time flies! Julee rocks sketches hard - and this one is no different - love the way the elements are placed in this sketch!

I scooted to my craft room and tried to figure out which papers I wanted to use - and was excited to use the sweet papers from Basic Grey and paired it up with the awesome stamp set: Words Cannot Express which seriously has all the best sentiments EVER! It has all the sentiments that you want to say when it is hard to find the right words.... this card is inspired by a friend of mine who is truly talented in every way and who always takes time to send some sunshine my way! She is truly the best!

I am not very good at the shabby chic distressed ripped look so I thought I would try and see what would happen - not quite sure if I achieved the look I had in my head - but I loved every single minute of making this card. I used a chipboard heart that I covered with DP and glittery and finished it off with some butterflies and heart pins in the ribbon and of course - I had to add just a wee bit of liquid pearls :)

I really loved making this card - and most of all I love the sentiment - soooooo beautiful - so perfect to express who thankful I am for her friendship!!

I am sorry that this blog post is so short - we are off on another roadtrip - but I will be back soon with some more creations.

Please check out all the creations over at the Mojo Monday blog and play along if you have a chance because there are some PRIZES up for grabs because this is the 200th sketch!!! YAY!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Big hugs!
Sankari :)

Blast From the Past Blog Hop #13: Sending you Sunshine!

 Hi Everyone,

Sorry to be MIA - summer has been really a bit crazy with travel and being with family and friends and I haven't been to my craft room in awhile - but I was excited to go down there to create a card for the July Blast From the Past blog hop today - where the theme is Sending you Sunshine! This is such a fun way for all Taylored Expressions fans to hop along each month with previously released stamp sets!

You know me, I love sunshine (well, except when the heat index is 118 degrees... then I long for a cool fall day!) and I couldn't wait to play along! I used the sketch that I created for today's blog hop - and I have to apologize for those of you who might have used it - because it was a bit wild (sorry about that! ;) I had a hard time using my own sketch (lol!) but then as soon as I used the Splash 6x6 paper pack with the Hangin' Out at the Beach stamp set from Taylored Expressions - it all kinda of fell into place:

 Card Ingredients:
Stamps: Hangin' Out at the Beach  at the Beach by Taylored Expressions
Cardstock: Bazzil and Taylored Expressions Choice Snowwhite cardstock
DP: Echo Park Splash 6x6
Accessories: American craft ribbon, button from BG, vellum from Bazzil, liquid pearls from Ranger (white), corner chomper, spellbinders and bling from Kaiser

I love the little bikini in this card - gosh - those bikini days are like distant memories right now :) - but it was fun to stamp one! For the circle element in the card - I made it by punching a piece of vellum out and then putting some dimensionals onto the bikini to pop it out a bit. I finished it by tying some ribbon and adding a coordinating button in the middle and also threw in some liquid pearls :)

I can't wait to see what all the fun girls have created with this awesome summer themed blog hop! Please check them out and hop on over to Taylor's Blog for more details as to how you can be part of the next hop!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Big hugs,
Sankari :)

Verve Stamps: New Release Spotlights Day 3

TODAY'S Featured Set:

 

plus the Philippians 1:6, Light Tomorrow and Life is Good PJ's

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Hi Everyone, 

Welcome to the third day of the New Release Spotlights from Verve Stamps! Today Julee has created a plethora of gorgeous stamp sets from a mini sentiment set called Small Phrases which is anything but mini - it is TOTALLY all about those perfect heart sentiments that make the heart smile HUGE - along with three absolutely gorgeous Plain Janes: Light Tomorrow, Life is Good and Philippians 1:6. 

I loved making cards with all of these gorgeous stamps - ack! Julee always creates SUCH incredible perfection every single time and I loved making cards with each of these stamp sets. For today's releases I wanted to peek my card made using the Small Phrases stamp set - which features the very awesomest / all around/ all occasions stamp set and made this card with one of my favorite sentiments using this stamp set: "You're one of my nicest thoughts".

Making this card made me so happy - I just love this stamp set and this sentiment is so very happy - you can't help but be in a good mood when creating with it! I used the circle frame from the Thankful Accents stamp set to frame the centerpiece of the card: my happy heart that blooms with joy :) and used the Spellbinders die to frame the sentiment that I wrapped around the bottom of the circle frame. Here is a closer peek at the center and sentiment:

Card Ingredients:    

Stamps:  Small Phrases from Verve Stamps

Paper:   MME (Life of the Party), PTI and Bazzil Cardstock

Inks: Memento Blue Danube and Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Heart punch, flower from Prima, MS border punch, ribbon from stash, liquid pearls, WRMemory Keepers green bling circle, butterfly punch from MS and dimensionals.

******* Don't forget to mark your calendar's for the Verve release party this Friday night, July 8, with THREE days of Spotlight Hops! And since new Verve is something to celebrate, there's abig PRIZE hidden on one of today's hop spots! Just leave a little shout-out in the comments as you hop about for a chance to win the entire July release! You can check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.*******

Please stop by and check out all the lovely creations from the Divas using these beautiful stamp sets:

1. Amber 7. Laurie 2. Amy 8. Robin {Guest} 3. Andrea 9. Sankari 4. Charmaine 10. Teresa 5. Jackie 11. Tosh 6. Julee

Next up on the hop is the beautiful and awesome TERESA!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Please stop by the Verve Blog for all the release details!

Big hugs

Sankari :)

Verve Stamps: New Release Spotlights Day 2

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to Day 2 of the Verve New Release Spotlights - where we are sneaking peeks from the July Release of Verve Stamps that will be released tomorrow July 8th! Today, we are sneaking peeks from the gorgeous new stamp set: Words Cannot Express - and truly Julee has outdone herself with these gorgeous fonts and such perfect sentiments from the heart! 

TODAY'S Featured Set:

Its absolutely amazing to read all the sentiments in this stamp set - everyone is a gem - but I think my favorite is this sentiment that reads: "I'd thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you, my heart has no bottom." What an absolutely sweet sentiment... and that is exactly the way you feel with your closest friends, parents and siblings. I loved creating this card from heart with this sentiment of the heart:

I had fun pairing up these colors (could be that I was channeling the Baltimore Orioles color scheme when made this card while I was in Baltimore ;) After I finished I added a little heart to the top corner of my card and finished it off with some butterfly punched DP with some pearls in the middle. Here is a closer peek at the sentiment:

Card Ingredients:    

Stamps:  Words Cannot Express by Verve Stamps

Paper:  Webster's Pages and Basic Grey with Black cardstock from Bazzill

Inks:  Memento Inks Tuxedo Black and Tangelo

Accessories:  ribbon from American Crafts, butterfly punch from MS, pearls from Want2Scrap, liquid pearls (buttercup), heart punch border from MS, dimensionals, Spellbinders, heart punches and corner chomper

Its so fun and easy to create a card when you just love all the sentiments - and I think the hardest part of making this card was to decide which sentiment to use - because they are all so very amazing! Speaking of amazing - please check out these amazing Divas and their creations using this beautiful stamp set:

1. Julee 7. Amy 2. Robin {Guest} 8. Teresa 3. Sankari 9. Laurie 4. Amber 10. Jackie 5. Tosh 11. Andrea 6. Charmaine

Next up on the hop today is the AWEsome and AMAZING AMBER! Don't forget to mark your calendar's for the Verve release party this Friday night, July 8, with THREE days of Spotlight Hops! And since new Verve is something to celebrate, there's abig PRIZE hidden on one of today's hop spots! Just leave a little shout-out in the comments as you hop about for a chance to win the entire July release! You can check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines. Thank you so much for stopping by today! Please stop by tomorrow for some release day sneak peeks! Big hugs! Sankari :)

Verve Stamps: New Release Spotlights Day 1

Hi Everyone, 

Today kicks off the Verve July Release sneak peeks of some amazingly lovely and absolutely gorgeous stamps designed by the lovely Julee Tillman! The New Release Spotlight kicks off today with the truly beautiful stamp set: New Mercies - which features such sweet sentiments for helping a friend through a difficult time (whether for sympathy or to care for a friend in need) and perfect silhouette images that make it very easy to create a card. 

The day I got these beautiful stamps - was the day that we received news that a very close family friend had lost his mother - he is very close to his mother and this came as a shock - and has been a difficult time for him and his family. I immediately wanted to create a card for him - and wanted to keep it simple and CAS. The background was created by scoring and I stamped a single flower from the stamp set and popped it up with dimensionals. Creating sympathy cards is never an easy one - but it was made much easier with this beautiful stamp set - the hardest part is always writing inside... I added just a wee bit of diamond stickles around the edges and some pearl embellies on the edges:

Card Ingredients:    

Stamps:  New Mercies from Verve Stamps

Paper:  PTI cardstock, Teal from Bazzil cardstock

Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa 

Accessories:  Pearls from Kaiser, Diamond stickles, ScorePal, copics Spellbinders, sponger and dimensionals

I hope that his family finds comfort during this difficult time - and so I made some cards to send to some of his family members. This is a set of cards created using the New Mercies stamp set - I tried to keep the palette very monochromatic brown except for a pop of color here and there:

Here is a closer peek at one of the cards (all the buttons are from BG and have a bit of twine tied to the center). I cut the bottom of the scallop card a little bit so that it was easy to stand up the card (and not have it roll around):

And here is another angle of the card set:

Card Ingredients:    

Stamps:  New Mercies from Verve Stamps

Paper:  Kraft paper, Bazzil cardstock, MME

Inks:   Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories:  button from BG, twine, Spellbinders (scallops, circles, leaves and pennants), sponger, butterfly punch from MS, bling from Want2Scrap, dimensionals and glue dots.

I know that the Verve Divas will have created so much beauty using this beautiful stamp set! Please hop on over with me and check out their beautiful creations:

	1. Andrea 7. Tosh 2. Jackie 8. Amber 3. Laurie 9. Sankari 4. Teresa 10. Robin {Guest} 5. Amy 11. Julee 6. Charmaine

And please stop by tomorrow for more Verve-licious sneak peeks!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

big Hugs,

Sankari :)

Release DAY -at Taylored Expressions!!!!!!!

July Release At a Glance

• We have sneak peeks to share Wednesday and Thursday.  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Friday, July 1st at 8 am PST. You'll find it all in the Fresh out of the Oven Department at the Taylored Expressions Store.
• Join us as a fan on Facebook for an early peek at the stamp sets, as well as a SPECIAL GIVEAWAY, on Thursday night beginning at approximately 6 pm PST.
• Mystery Baker's Dozen Blog Giveaway: Each day, one lucky blog commenter will be chosen by random draw to win a $10 TE Gift Certificate.  Winners will be chosen from a different Baker's Dozen blog each day and will be announced on Taylor's blog on Release Day!  Be sure to hop around to see all the sneak peeks and leave comments on each and every blog for more chances to win. Limit one comment per blog per day, please.  Comments close Thursday 7/30 at 7pm PST for the drawings.

Hi Everyone,

Haven't this week's sneak peeks been so super cute? I simply adore all the stamps and dies that were peeked! Here is all the Release Day information at your finger tips and ways for you to WIN some Taylored Expressions stamps of your own!

Release Day!

• All of the new products are now available for purchase! Check out the Fresh Out of the Oven category and Taylor's Blog for all the deets!
• More projects from the Baker's Dozen to inspire you.  Just follow the link list below.
• Did you win one of the Mystery Baker's Dozen Blog Giveaways? Find the list of winners on Taylor's Blog
• Another chance to win... head on over to our forum and tell us your favorite stamp set from this release. We'll be choosing one person to win their favorite set FREE!  You have until Saturday July 2nd at 6 pm PST to enter to win.

On today's blog hop, all the girls on the Baker's Dozen are peeking a sample from one of the newly released stamp sets! All of the stamp sets are made from top deeply etched pink rubber that is already trimmed and is on EZ Mount already trimmed and ready to use with your acrylic blocks. I decided to make a a little set of birthday cards using the In the Clouds stamp set with the Clouds Border Taylored die and Blimps & Banners Taylored Dies. Seriously - these dies are AWESOME - and it is soooo easy to make a really QUICK set of cards!

I made these three in assembly line fashion and kept it really simple (can you believe that there are no liquid pearls???!)



Card Ingredients:
Paper: Bazzill cardstock
Stamps: In the Clouds stamp set
Ink: Memento Inks Ladybug Red, Tuxedo Black, Tangelo and Bahama Blue
Accessories: corner chomper, Clouds Border Taylored die and Blimps & Banners Taylored Dies. heart punches (scalloped and smooth), button from BG, twine from stash, EK success scallop punch, stickles, copics and dimensionals. 

I can't wait to make a bunch more of these quick cards and its really a cinch with all of these dies! Check out all the stampin' fun today over at each person's blog today:

• Charmaine Ikach
  Danielle Lounds
  Jami Sibley
  Jodi Collins
  Karen Giron
  Karen Motz
  Melissa Sauls
  Melody Rupple
  Nancy McKinney
  Regina Mangum
  Sankari Wegman
  Taylor VanBruggen
  Tori Wild
  Wanda Guess
  
  
• I seriously adore all of these fun and cute stamp sets and dies and can't wait to see all the new items in the Fresh From the Oven section at the Taylored Expressions store - hope to run into you there ;)

A huge thank you to all who have stopped by this week
and for all of your super sweet comments!
Have a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!

Big big hugs!
Sankari :)