Taylored Expressions : Sneak Peeks Day 1 !

April 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, April 5th 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 Facebook GIVEAWAY, on Wednesday 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 for the drawings close Wednesday 4/4 at 7pm PST.

• Hi Everyone!

Welcome to release week from Taylored Expressions! Today, I am so excited to sneak peeks from some super cute stamp sets that Taylor is going to be releasing on this Thursday! This first card is from the Fruity Friends stamp set that was concepted by our very own Wanda Guess- I love all the sentiments in this set - especially the one: "Thanks from the whole bunch" and so I made a little fruit bowl then stamped the different fruits, colored them with copics and arranged them into the bowl. I love all these sweet fruit faces :

Card Ingredients:
Stamps: Fruity Friends from Taylored Expressions
Inks: Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black
Paper: scrap pieces from MME and sheet of cork from Taylored Expressions
Accessories: Circle Nesties, ribbon from May Arts, EK success scallop punch, liquid pearls, copics, glaze, sponger and dimensionals


The second card I made uses the stamp set: Make It Amazing illustrated by Nancy McKinny- it is such an elegant stamp set - and there are so many different kinds of stamp sets that you can make with this set - from Mother's Day cards to inspiring card - and so many images and combinations! I used the London Market Project Pantry for all the papers and cardstock in this card and used these three new Taylored Expressions dies to create the card:

 I love the new Frame it Up 3 die - so elegant - I stamped them twice and created two window panels with this frame - one for the butterfly and one for the sentiment. After stamping the butterfly, I die cut it out using the Elegant Butterflies dies that coordinate with this stamp set and then used one of the Fancy Buckles dies to layer the sentiment over (I LOVE these new Fancy buckles - how cute are they!!). I distressed the edges and then on the smaller panels, I tied some ribbon through the eyelets from the Project Pantry kit:

Card Ingredients:
Stamps: Make it Amazing from Taylored Expressions
Inks: Memento Ink: London Fog, Rich Cocao, Angel Pink
Paper:London Market Project Pantry Kit from Taylored Expressions
Accessories: Frame it Up 3 die, Elegant Butterflies dies, Fancy Buckles dies from Taylored Expressions, dimensionals, liquid pearls, Photo corner punch and bling.


I can't wait to see what all the lovely ladies on the DT have created using these super cute stamp sets and dies!! Please hop on over with me and check them out!!!

• Charmaine Ikach
• Jami Sibley (DT Coordinator)
• Jen Shults
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• Melody Rupple
• Nancy McKinney
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tori Wild
• Wanda Guess

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

Tissue Flower decorations

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to make some birthday table decorations for the birthday party of my dear friend and instead of having a some vases with flowers, I thought it would be fun to create some tissue flowers that I could set down the the table with some tags with special sentiments to let the birthday girl know how much she is loved :) I used the Small Phrases stamp set from Verve Stamps which has so many lovely sentiments - these four esp. describe my lovely friend - who is fabulous, amazing and so loved by so many! Here is a picture of all 4 favor boxes:


And another picture of the sentiments. I used the Tag Time stamp set from Verve stamps to stamp each of the tags and then stamped a sentiment that I sponged and lined with liquid pearls before adhering onto the tag:

I created a little flower from one sheet of tissue paper (pleating, cutting and then unfolding) and then tied the center with a ribbon that I inserted into the take out favor box from Taylored Expressions.

I tied a little red satin ribbon to either side of the box and then in the middle tied some ribbons that I attached with glue dots to the center of the favor box. Each tag was attached with a  dimensional onto the favor box

 

It was fun to line these tags up on the birthday table - I love these tissue flowers - they last long after real flowers have wilted and it was fun to make these tags to let the sweet birthday girl know that she is simply fabulous and is simply LoVeD!!!

Project Ingredients:
Stamps: Small Phrases and Tag Time from Verve Stamps
Ink: LadyBug Red and Rich Cocoa from Memento inks
Accessories: glue dots, dimensionals, sponger, tissue paper, satin red ribbon, liquid pearls, red tacky tape, take out boxes from Taylored Expression

My most favorite thing about crafting is creating little things for the people I love - it makes me so happy to create things that makes my dear ones know how loved and treasured they are :) Love all these sentiments - they express my heart sentiments perfectly!

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

Our Craft Lounge - Let Your Dreams Take Flight

Hi Everyone,

The is my last week as Artist for the month of March '12 and I have had so much fun creating the cards for Our Craft Lounge stamps. My last card uses the Love is in the Air stamp set from OCL - love these balloons and the sweet sentiments. I masked the smaller ballon and stamped the larger one behind it and then stamped them separately on a different paper where I colored them with copies, cut them out and then adhered them over the initial stamped images.

Card Ingredients:
Stamps:  Love is in the Air from Our Craft Lounge
Paper: MME dp and white card stock from PTI
Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black, Bahama Blue
Accessories: Dimensionals, ribbon from May Arts, liquid pearls, spellbinders nesties, scallop circle punch from SU! and copics

The clouds were masked with a scalloped circle (from a punch) and then I cut the image out with Spellbinders and matted it onto white card stock. The sides were sponged and then I put some different strips of DP from MME around the image and then added a little ribbon from May Arts. I love this sentiment - "Let your dreams take flight" - so inspiring and so beautiful and I love this font! Underneath the sentiment I added a little scallop layer and finished it up with some liquid pearls around the edges.

I have loved hanging with the OCL girls this month and want to sincerely thank Kendra for letting me play along this month with OCL and to all the lovely ladies for your sweet comments and encouragement! Thank you!!

Happy wishes to all!
Thanks so much for stopping by today,
Sankari :)

Happy Easter!

Hi Everyone,

I made a couple of super quick Easter Cards using the super cute new die set from Taylored Expressions called A Tisket A Tasket  which is a set of 4 dies that layer up so sweet to create a fun easter basket! I die cut a few more eggs out of DP that I layered into the basket and then added a ribbon to the top of the basket:

I used the super cute 6x6 DP from MME: On the Bright Side for the grass and backgrounds and added some orange ribbon from my stash on the side and then one larger one on the sentiment from the sweet Moka April stamp set. I loved making this card so much that I had to make another one!

Card Ingredients: 

Paper: MME: On the Bright Side 

Stamps: sentiment from the Moka April stamp set

Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories: orange buttons from stash, twine, glue dots, dimensionals, grass punch from MS, ribbon from stash and A Tisket A Tasket (set of 4 dies from Taylored Expressions)

I still can't believe that Easter is just around the corner - wasn't it just New Year's last week? Lol! Hope that you all are enjoying the gorgeous weather - can't wait to see the little ones with their Easter baskets soon!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Big hugs,

Sankari

Welcome Precious Little Ones!

Hi Everyone,

Today, I wanted to share some special cards I made for dearest Julee, owner of Verve Stamps who just recently had the sweetest twin boys: Trevor and Kellan!! Double the blessing and double the joy! I wanted to send a little wish for each of the boys so I made them each a little card to write my wish for them using the To the Moon stamp set from Verve stamps:

I added a little K and a little T chipboard onto each card for each of the boys :) I started with a circle chipboard base and then added some circles cut from some card stock and then matted with scallop underlay and then added some strips of DP and the sentiment on top. I added a some coordinating MME embellies to the bottom - love the little owl-ie and the sweet sunsh

I added ribbon to the side and then some liquid pearls to either side of the card. I added the main circle onto a kraft card stock and then rounded the corners on the bottom and sponged some strips of DP over the card stock:

Card Ingredients:
Stamps: To the Moon from Verve Stamps
Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa
Papers; MME and kraft cardstock
Accessories: MME embellishment stickers, liquid pearls, corner chomper, sponger, scallop and circle nesties and circle chipboard, ribbon from stash,heart punch and chipboard letters.

I am so happy for dear Julee and Mark as they welcome their twin boys! And can't wait to see more pictures of these two beautiful boys! Welcome gorgeous little ones - I am already in love with you both!!!

Please check Julee's blog about the birth of her little ones!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Big hugs,
Sankari

March Artist of the Month -

Hi Everyone,

I am excited to be the artist this month for Our Craft Lounge this March and every monday I am peeking a little OCL creation - this week, I am excited to make a card with this gorgeous stamp set: Proud as a Peacock (OCL). Growing up in India, I have always had a fondness for peacocks - there is something so unique about the call of a peacock let alone their amazing plumage! 

I stamped this gorgeous peacock  in Memento Tuxedo black and then cut out the main body and then stamped the peacock again in Danube blue and then colored it in with copies and adorned the peacock in bling and pearls after cutting it out with some oval nesties. After layering it with some beaded oval nesties, I added some May Arts ribbon and used the scallop from the DP and added the sweet sentiment: "You are Simply Fabulous" to the ribbon.

Card Ingredients:

Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle (Hello Fall) and Kraft

Stamps: Proud as a Peacock from OCL

Inks: Memento Bahama Blue, Danube Blue and Tuxedo Black and copies

Accessories: May Arts ribbon, liquid pearls, sponger, dimensionals, bling (blue and green), pearls, oval and beaded oval nesties.

The little leaves in the DP kind of reminded me of the little feathers in a peacock's plumage. I loved using this beautiful stamp set and love all the beautiful sentiments in this set - can't wait to make more peacock cards!

Hope you are having a lovely day :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Big hugs,

Sankari 

Happiness Always!

Hi Everyone,

I am still pinching myself at the change in the weather - everywhere I look it seems as if spring has sprung! And somehow, I am not ready! It's only March - we usually don't get Spring weather till April or even May. My coats, sweaters and boots look way to warm but somehow I am a bit nervous to pack them all away and bring out the sandals and shorts... I wanted to make a Springy card inspired by all the springy loveliness from Nature and so I created this card using the sentiment from the newly released stamp set: Spring Cottage from Taylored Expressions along with the lovely fairytale roses from Prima flowers - (love all the Prima embellies that Taylor has) and cut out some leaves from the Rosy Posey Stamp set. 

Card Ingredients:

Paper: MME on the Bright side and Kraft paper

Stamps: sentiment from: Spring Cottage  stamp set and the cut out leaves are from the Rosy Posey stamp set

Inks: Memento Tangelo and Chalk Ink

Accessories: Circle nesties, Scallop nesties, Grass punch from MS, EK success border punch, May Arts ribbon, glue dots and dimensionals

I cut out a circle with my nesties and then popped it up onto the kraft card stock after putting the flower DP under it. I cut out a scallop border that I then cut out with my circle nestie to create a border and then had the sentiment come out of that and then popped the ribbon with a glue dot on top of the sentiment. The same EK success border was repeated on the top and bottom of the card and then both the top and bottom were lined with liquid pearls. 

I think this is one of my favorite sentiments - love it! All the fonts from the Spring Cottage stamp sets are so lovely! And I can't get enough of the Rosy Posey stamp set!!! Can't wait to make more soon!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Big hugs!

Sankari :)

Happiness and Love Always

Hi Everyone,

I haven't sent anything to my mother recently and I thought to make her a little tag/card gift set. I had a picture of the kids that is one of my favorites from last year and I cut it out and layered it onto a chipboard tag. The sentiments are from the Rose Wreath stamp set which is part of the gorgeous seasonal wreath collection from Taylored Expressions and the flowers are from the beautiful stamp set: Rosy Posey.

I stamped the flowers from the Rosy Posey stamp set and then cut out the flowers and leaves. I cut the smaller flower and then popped it up on top of the big flower. A couple of months ago, I made a card with kraft layers and this embossing folder - I really liked how the card turned out and thought to use the same color combos on this card. I used a photo corner cutter for the first layer and a corner chomper for the second layer which I then embossed and then sponged. I love the font on this sentiment and layered it with a fancy spellbinders label and finished it with some ribbon from my stash and some hat pins in the flower (I thought it kind of looked like baby's breath flowers):

Here is a close up picture of the sentiment, flowers and hat pins:

I love this tag that I made using the kids picture, I thought that my mom could keep it in her office :) I stamped only the word Love from the sentiment from the Rose Wreath stamp set and then added the crystal hat pins and the rose and leaves. Love this so much :) Still so hard to believe how fast they are growing up!

Card Ingredients:
Paper: Kraft paper and Taylored Expressions Choice SnowWhite paper
Stamps: Rosy Posey stamp set for the flowers, Rose Wreath for the sentiments
Inks: Memento RoseBug ink and Pear Tart  and Rich Cocoa
Accessories: liquid pearls, EK success border punch, Spellbinders Fancy Labels, ribbon from stash, hat pins, sponger, corner chomer and photo corner punch, embossing folder from tim holtz and dimensionals

I love making little projects for my loved ones. I can't wait to make more of these photo tags - it was so much fun to make using their sweet smiling faces :) Be sure to stop by the  Fresh Out of the Oven Section to see what is new at TE as well as the What's the Deal section where you can see what's on sale!

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

Fishing with Dad - Our Craft Lounge

Hi Everyone,

I am so happy to be back and visiting Our Craft Lounge as the artist of the month (still pinching myself!). Today I am excited to show a sample using the beautiful stamp set: Fishing with Dad which is perfect for all the men in our lives! This one I made for my dear FIL who loves to fish - whether it be in the summer or in the winter (in a house on a frozen lake!). I love the sentiment: "To the best fisherman" - and the stamps remind me of the stories that my DH tells me of the summer he went up fishing to Canada with his dad.

 Card Ingredients:
Paper: MME and Bazzil
Stamps: Fishing with Dad by OCL stamps
Inks: Memento Bahama Blue, Danube Blue, Bamboo Leaves, Rich Cocoa, Ranger Distress Inks and copics
Accessories: May Art silk ribbon, liquid pearls, scallop punch EK success, fish charm (doodlebug), twine and dimensionals

I sponged the background and then stamped the trees and in the foreground, stamped the canoe with the fishermen. I added some copics to make parts of the stamps a bit darker or lighter and added a little glaze line to the horizon to differentiate water and sky.

I also am so excited to use this gorgeous May Art silk ribbon - it was so easy to tie and although I always wonder about putting ribbon on manly man cards - I didn't stop to think at all with this super light tawny ribbon :) I added a little fish charm to the ribbon center that I tied a piece of twine to and then finished the card with some scallops and liquid pearls. I am excited to give this to my FIL!

Thank you again to the OCL gals for inviting me this month! And thank you for stopping by today!
Big hugs,
Sankari :)

Taylored Expressions Calendar Challenge March

Hi Everybody,


Welcome to the monthly Taylored Expressions Calendar Challenge - where every month members of the design team feature different ways to use all the awesome calendar products in the TE store! This challenge is open to everyone and if you play along - you could win some amazing prizes from Taylored Expressions! 


This month I chose to use Moka April with my Perpetual Occasions Calendar which is perfect for keeping track of monthly anniversaries or birthdays! Decorating the whole calendar is also a great gift to give to someone - it is one calendar product that stays the same year to year and will make organizing birthday gifts, sending out cards much easier. I love Moka April's sweet little bunny ears - and paper pieced her dress and then cut her out.

 I stamped the clouds in the background using the Clouds Border Edge die. The clouds were stamped using Bahama Blue ink not only for Moka April's background but also for  sentiment is from the Spring Cottage stamp set and I die cut the easter eggs using the newly released A Trisket A Tasket die from Taylored Expressions.

Here is a picture of the whole calendar page - I continued sponging the clouds on the whole page and then at the bottom of the page, I added some flowers from the Faith in Bloom stamp set: 

Card Ingredients:
Paper: MME DP and Perpetual Occasions Calendar
Stamps: Moka April, sentiment: Spring Cottage stamp set, flowers at bottom:  Faith in Bloom stamp set
Inks: Memento Bahama Blue, Tuxedo Black, Rose Red, Tangelo and Bamboo Leaves
Accessories: Clouds Border Edge die and  A Trisket A Tasket dies from Taylored Expressions, sponger, MS edge punch and dimensionals


I love making my Perpetual Occasions calendar - such a fun way of staying organized! Please stop by the rest of the DT playing along today to see everyone's gorgeous calendar products!

• Charmaine Ikach
• Jami Sibley )
• Jen Shults
• Jodi Collins
• Melissa Sauls
• Melody Rupple
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

And please stop by Taylor's Blog to get all the information on how to play along with us each month (the only requirement to play along is to use the TE calendar products - but TE stamps are not required). Everyone who plays along in 10 or more of the monthly calendar challenges this year (2012) is eligible to win a TE prize pack valued over $150 !!! That is some awesome crafting yumminess!!!


Thank you for stopping by today! 
Big hugs,
Sankari :)

Love is In the Air - Our Craft Lounge

Good Morning Everyone!

Happy first Monday in March!! Today, I am so super excited today to be this month's guest designer for Our Craft Lounge every monday in the month of March!! Thank you so much to Kendra Weitstock for gifting me with this opportunity! 

I was lucky to meet Kendra at CHA in California last year - she is such a sweetheart and is so supportive, encouraging and positive! I had a lot of fun creating a card with the Love Is In the Air stamp set from OCL - love those balloons and super cute sentiments. I paper pieced the stripes on the balloon with some MME DP and then added some Cotton Candy Sparkly Fluff to the little ruffle around the top of the balloon. I love the different texture that the sparkly fluff gives the card. I stamped the clouds in the stamp set and popped them up - adding some liquid pearls on some of the clouds:

Card Ingredients:

Paper: MME DP

Stamps: Love is in the Air from Our Craft Lounge stamps

Inks: Memento Bahama blue and Tuxedo Black and copics

Accessories: May Arts ribbon, Spellbinders, sponger, liquid pearls, corner chomper, Cotton Candy Sparkly Fluff, bling and dimensionals.

I made this card for a very special friend of mine who is a dance teacher and put a show on this weekend in our town. She always inspires us to dance from our hearts, to feel the music as we dance, to push beyond our fears that might be holding us back from dancing - she is an amazing teacher and a wonderful friend! I love this sentiment - it is so perfect! I imagine all of us leaping into the air and touching the sky together! 

Thank you again to all the gals at Our Craft Lounge for letting me hang with you this month!

And thank you for stopping by today!

Big hugs,

Sankari  

Taylored Expressions March Release DAY!

RELEASE DAY at Taylored Expressions:

• All of the new products are now available for purchase! Check out the Fresh Out of the Oven Department to see everything in one place!
• More projects from the Baker's Dozen to inspire you.  Just follow the link list below.
• Be sure to check the TE Current Specials page for Release Weekend Specials and Bundle Deals! 
• Did you win one of the Mystery Baker's Dozen Blog Giveaways? Find the list of winners on Taylor's Blog.

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to Release Day at Taylored Expressions March Release where today we are sneaking peeks from all of the beautiful stamp sets and dies that are being released today!! Woo-hooooo!!! I couldn't wait to make a card from the beautiful stamp set Spring Tulips - I love these gorgeous flowers and the sweet sentiments designed by the super talented Nancy McKinney. As always - all of the Taylored Expressions stamps are deeply etched red rubber that already comes mounted on foam and ready to stamp! All of the stamp sets come one a full color panel and they all can be stored in the Mini Binder Boxes (4 per box) and the Petite stamp sets can be stored in the Petite Storage cases - love storage options!!

I thought that I could create a little scene and pair the the Spring Tulips stamp set with the Apothecary Shelf A La Carte stamp set from Taylored Expressions and create a "wall hanging" with the sentiment. I love this sentiment - and it is so true! Friendships are so dear to me - they help me get through the little stumbles of life - so grateful for my dear friends. I used the Jumbo Flower Border die that is being released today to create a "crown molding" for the ceiling and lined it with some liquid pearls (if only I could line my own ceiling with liquid pearls!!! lol!)  

Card ingredients:
Paper: My Mind's Eye: Miss Caroline (Howdy Doody)
Stamps: Spring Tulips and Apothecary Shelf A La Carte from Taylored Expressions
Inks: Memento LadyBug Red, Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black and copics
Accessories: brads, twine, Jumbo Flower Border Die, liquid pearls, dimensionals, glaze, lace ribbon from stash, sponger and Best Glue ever adhesive.

I love the papers from the My Mind's Eye: Miss Caroline (Howdy Doody) collection - one of them looked like perfect wall paper for the room and I used another paper to paper piece and sponge the tulips in the vase and to paper piece the shelf that I then added a glaze over. I layered a piece of vintage lace over the shelf and added some dimensionals to pop everything up a little bit.

I can't wait to check out all the gorgeous creations from the DT - please hop over with me:

• • Charmaine Ikach
  • Jami Sibley
  • Jen Shults
  • Jodi Collins
  • Karen Giron
  • Melissa Sauls
  • Melody Rupple
  • Nancy McKinney 
  • Regina Mangum
  • Sankari Wegman
  • Stephanie Kraft (Guest Designer)
  • Taylor VanBruggen
  • Tori Wild
  • Wanda Guess
• 
  
• To celebrate the release and Spring - Taylor has a select Spring stamps on Sale!! (please check them out here) and also make sure to check out the Fresh Out of the Oven link for all the new items in the store!!
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Thanks sos much for stopping by today!

Big hugs,

Sankari :)