Happy Birthday Taylor!!!

Hi Everyone!

The last couple of days have made me reflective about how precious life is and how grateful I am for all the special friendships in my life! I am especially grateful for all the friends I have met through blogging - its amazing how some of my closest friends are those whom I have met through blogging about paper crafting! One such special lady is the awesome and amazing Taylor VanBruggen who is celebrating a very special birthday today!

I have to say, that  I was totally nervous to make this card for Taylor - I mean, there are so many possibilities for making a birthday card with all the super cute stamps that she has created in Taylored Expressions - and not only that I wanted to make a special birthday card for her - and was daunted by HOW to even get started!!! So I decided to go with what was on my craft table (LOL!!! what an exact science!!) and used the new fabulously gorgeous June Key Ingredients with the Delightful Day stamp set - which I cannot put down!! (This is an exclusive set - check out the post here about how to get your hands on this super cute stamp set). - I stamped the little birdies and popped them up with the speech bubbles coming out of their sides (how cute are these speech bubbles!) and then added a little cupcake from the Build a Treat stamp set in the middle (cause you know, no card is complete without a little cupcake ;) and then finished it with some cut grass, a pennant that I sewed and a pinwheel on the side. I added a little glaze on the cupcake and some liquid pearls on the side of the card and then rounded all the corners:

No card is quite complete without a little decoration on the inside - so I added the sentiment: "You're Amazing" from the Make it Amazing stamp set and some yellow flowers from the Delightful Day stamp set.  Taylor is truly amazing - she is so generous, so organized and is such a wonderful friend, mother and it is inspiring to see how she makes her dreams come true!!

Here is a closer peek at the front of the card:

 Card Ingredients:
Paper: June Key Ingredients Kit from Taylored Expressions (Echo Park papers)
Stamps: Delightful Day, Make It Amazing , Build a Treat from Taylroed Expressions
Inks: Bahama Blue, sky blue, Ladybug Red, Aquamarine (chalk inks)
Accessories: Platinum liquid pearls, tropical thread, sew easy, dimensionals, MS grass punch, Pinwheel Parade die from Taylored Expressions, corner chompers and liquid glaze

I feel very thankful to be part of Taylor's design team but more than that, I am thankful to have met her and her family and for her friendship and support through the ups and downs in life. She is truly amazing - always so positive,  fun, energetic, sweet, giving, compassionate and beyond cool!!! This is a picture from a couple of years ago - isn't Taylor just the most beautiful model ever!!!

I wish I could be there to give you a big hug and a huge cupcake dear Taylor! I wish you and your family every happiness and every dream fulfilled - and that happiness peeks out at you from every corner, everyday! I simply adore you and your beautiful family!!! Happy happy birthday dear Taylor!! Love you!

I know Taylor would love it if you surprised her with some happy birthday wishes over at her blog!
Thank you so much for stopping by today!
Big hugs,
Sankari :)

Key Ingredients Blog Hop - A Delightful Deal

• Key Ingredients Info and Inspiration - June 10-15 - learn all about this fantastic kit club and see samples from the Key Ingredients Design Team and the Baker's Dozen!  Click here for all the info and start at Taylor's blog each day for all the inspiration.
• June  Key Ingredients featuring Echo Park Hello Summer 6x6 papers begins shipping June 15th.  Enroll now!
• Exclusive Delightful Day Stamp Set - find out how you can get your crafty little hands on this adorable new set at 50% off for a limited time!

Hi Everyone,

Today the gals from the Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Design Team and the Baker's Dozen Design Team are coming together to show projects from the newest Key Ingredients Kit for June where there is an amazing deal this month of getting your hands on a stamp set that is available for an exclusive offer called the Delightful Day Stamp set!!! This months' Key Ingredients Kit is super awesome! 

These kits that Taylor puts together each month are such a fantastic way of creating cards with cardstock and embellishments (ribbon, bling and coordinating DP) that all match and take the guess work out of trying to get everything to coordinate perfectly! This kit comes with so many ingredients! You can make at least 16 cards - if not more and I love that the kits come with a durable plastic storage system that allows you to put any leftover scraps of paper or ribbon all in one place for future use. Take a peek at the June Key Ingredients Kit here and a peek at the Delightful Day Stamp set  which is available only to kit members (learn more about this offer on Taylor's Blog).

 As soon as I opened up the kit, I was so in love witht he Echo Park Summer papers (6x6) perfect for not only your summer scrapbooking and cardmaking - but these happy papers are perfect for happy birthday cards, thank you and friendship cards all year long! And holy guacamole are these stamps cute!!! or Kaaa-UTE!!!! The only problem is deciding which stamp to use cause you kinda want to use them all!!! (And I can't wait to!!)

I paired the two birdies talking to each other (love the speech bubbles in this set! ACK!) and I love the sentiment "good morning sunshine"... any sentiment with the word sunshine in it is one that I automatically gravitate too - there is just something so happy about the word sunshine! That is how I wake up my kids - I sing to them: good morning little sunshine sparkles :)

I cut out the banner and the clouds from the DP and paired it across the sky. I cut out some grass and popped up the birdies and speech bubble and then added a little pinwheel from the PinWheel Parade Die that was just released this month and added a little pinwheel from the stamp set ontop of it:

Card Ingredients:

Stamps: Delightful Day from Taylored Expressions

Papers; June Key Ingredients Kit (Echo Park)

Inks: Memento LadyBug Red and Tuxedo Black and copics

Accessories: Pinwheel Parade dies, MS grass punch, toothpick, brad, Circle spellbinders, corner chomper, dimensionals and sponger.

I have to say that this stamp set is a true delight to play with - the images are soooo adorable and these fun little birdies - are SOOOO cute! Check out the rest of the design team today and then later on in the week to see their beautiful creations with the KI kit and stamp sets!

• Debbie Carriere
• Jessica Diedrich
• Jessie Rone
• Lea Lawson
• Monika Davis
• Charmaine Ikach
• Jen Shults
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• Melody Rupple
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Stephanie Kraft
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

Thanks so much for stopping in today!

Big hugs,
Sankari :)

Release Day at Taylored Expressions!!!

TE Release Day!

• 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 to find out  how you can get FREE 4th of July Stamps with your purchase.

HI Everyone!!!

Are you just loving these sneak peeks from the Taylored Expressions release this month! I love all the gorgeous stamps and dies and am especially excited about this set called: Forever Blooms (which coordinates with the Hydrangea Blooms die!!) I love that these stamps can be inked solid with ink or colored in with whatever medium you like. I chose to ink my blooms in different inks and then cut them out with the dies (both blooms and leaves) and then arragnge it very simply together. 

The die set above comes with dies to cut the leaves so that you can arrange them on either side of the stem and I love how crisply and perfectly it cuts the hydrangea blooms! This is my attempt at a CAS card - something that can be quickly made or reproduced - I love the feeling of the card and all the different possibilities in the stamp set from wedding, to everyday, to graduation to birthday - this set is so versatilte!!!

I added some liquid pearls to the edges and to the center of each flower and finished it off with some vellum butterflies and a bow :) I love how quick and fun and easy this was to make!! I can't wait to see what the rest of the design team has created with all the lovely stamps and dies from this month's release! Please check them out here with me:

• Charmaine Ikach
• Jen Shults
• JodiCollins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• Melody Rupple
• Michele Boyer - Guest Designer
• Nancy McKinney - Illustrator
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Stephanie Kraft
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

And don't forget to stop by the  Fresh Out of the Oven Department  in the Taylored Expressions store to see all the lovely items that Taylor has freshly loaded into the store!!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Big hugs,
Sankari :)

Taylored Expressions: Sneak Peeks Day 3

June 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, June 7th 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.

Hi Everyone,
Hope you have been enjoying the sneak peeks this week from Taylored Expressions an today the DT and I are back to showcase two new stamp sets that feature the gorgeous Hydrangea flower! I created this card using the Hydrangea Bouquet stamp set designed by the amazing Nancy McKinney (which is a Petite set and comes with five sentiments and coordinates with the Mini Tags (Set of 9) dies from Taylored Expressions and is perfect for coloring and creating your very own Hydragea blooms in your house :) I wasn't too sure how to color a Hydrangea and I am no copic pro - so I just took a bunch of blues and violets and greens and colored it in without any rhyme or reason :) LOL! I had so much fun creating this card:

I paired it up with some stash papers from the MME collection (Howdy Doody Ms. Caroline) and added a ribbon and trimmed the corners. I also added a little glaze to the flowers and a little silver ink to the bucket over the gray/blue copics that I colored the bucket with. The sentiment was created by using part of one sentiment and the other part of another and together: "you are simply amazing" :) I love how it turned out and can't wait to color in more of these blooms!

I can't wait to see what the lovely ladies have created with this gorgeous stamp! Please check them out here: 

• Charmaine Ikach
• Jami Sibley (DT Coordinator)
• Jen Shults
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• Melody Rupple
• Michele Boyer - Guest Designer
• Nancy McKinney - Illustrator
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Stephanie Kraft
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

Thank you for stopping by today! Please stop by tomorrow for more release day peeks!!

Big hugs,

Sankari :)

Taylored Expressions: Sneak Peek Day 2

June 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, June 7th 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.

Hi Everyone,

Today we are peeking creations from the new stamp set: Bikes & Trikes from Taylored expressions (concerted by Jami Sibley) and illustrated by Emily. I absolutely cannot even tell you HOW much I love this set... the hardest part is figuring out which bike image to use!!! Well - I couldn't decide -so I used two of them - I ADORE the bottom tricycle with the larger wheel - sooo whimsy cute! 


And I love this tall and skinny font (it coordinates with the Tall & Skinny Aplha dies that Taylor is also releasing this Thursday!!). I stamped the bikes and then kept the colors pretty simple - just accents of red and blue copies and then added a little ribbon and a button with some baker's twine in the middle. 

Card Ingredients:
Paper: from stash
Stamps: Bikes & Trikes from Taylored Expressions
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: liquid pearls, corner chomped, copics, red stickler, dimensionals, button from stash, baker's twine and glue dots. 


I have always loved biking - its just magical that very first time you get on a two wheeler and manage to figure out how in the world to stay on it without falling off! Biking makes me feel like I am flying and I am in awe of the professional cyclists whose endurance and stamina make it look so effortless! I love this sentiment that "life is a journey"... paired with the sentiment: "Wheee!" .... LOL... it made me laugh to make this card --- cause now every time things are a bit stressful at work... i just go: "wheeeee" in my head and it all feels better ;) 


It was so simple and fun to make this card - and I canNOT wait to ink up the rest of these images!!! Seriously - don't you want to eat every cute yummy bike and trike image.... i mean not literally because its a red rubber stamp and that's not good for the belly ... but still - these bike images and fonts and sentiments make me sooo happy! Can't wait to see what the rest of the design team has come up with - please check them out here:

• • Charmaine Ikach
  • Jami Sibley (DT Coordinator)
  • Jen Shults
  • Jodi Collins
  • Karen Giron
  • Melissa Sauls
  • Melody Rupple
  • Michele Boyer - Guest Designer
  • Regina Mangum
  • Sankari Wegman
  • Stephanie Kraft
  • Taylor VanBruggen
  • Wanda Guess

Thanks so much for stopping by today - and please come by tomorrow for more sneak peeks!

Big hugs,

Sankari :)

Verve Plain Jane Release

Hi Everyone,

I have been so very lucky to be on the Verve Design Team for the last couple of years - I adore Julee and I adore the Design Team (not to mention the amazing stamps and dies!). This year I have been facing numerous challenges from health related issue in the beginning of the year to an increasing workload in my professional life in the last few months. I don't want to leave Verve stamps but am stepping  from the Verve Design Team to the Verve  Inspiration Team which will still allow me to stay with my Verve family :) Thank you Julee - I am so happy to be part of Verve :)))))

Today over at the Verve Stamps blog - the Divas are doing a little hop to showcase some pretty awesome Plain Jane stamps from Verve Stamps.

If you are hopping over here from Julee's amazing blog - then you are on the right track - or you can start at the beginning of the hop over at the  Verve Stamps blog . Julee will be giving a $30.00 gift certificate to a random commentator so leave a little love when you hop around!!

 I love these sentiments - they couldn't have come at a better time in my life - especially when you feel like you are being tested in so many areas of your life and have to find the balance to stay sane! I especially like this sentiment:

"Grace meets us where we are, but does not leave us where it found us."

 Isn't that beautiful! I don't usually do muted earth tone-ish colors - but there was something about these papers that inspired me to mute my colors a little :)

Card Ingredients:

Paper: Simple Stories(Fabulous series (Girl))

Stamps: Grace Plain Jane Stamp from Verve Stamps
Inks: Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Nestie #20, Scallop border punch (EK success), twine, butterflies ( MS punch), silver mettalic paint, bling, liquid pearls, glue dots and dimensionals. 

I kept the layout simple - hand cut some die shapes and then stamped the sentiment and cut it out with Labels 20 from Spellbinders. I used some scallops as a pennant and tied some twine at the ends and added some vellum punched out butterflies that painted with some silver mettalic paint and added a bit of bling to the center of each butterfly.

This is such an inspiring sentiment - and I can't wait to use it and make more projects with it! Next up on the blog hop is the amazingly talented and holymolywow-y artist: Sony  

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

Last TESC sketch challenge: Congratulations!

Hi Everyone,

Today is the sketch challenge over at Taylored Expressions and I am both sad and excited to play along! I am sad because this is the LAST sketch challenge at Taylored Expressions using the TESC :( I remember when I started blogging, playing along with Taylor's weekly sketch challenges was always such a fun way to get my creative juices flowing.... So sad that it is ending - but so thankful to Taylor and all the sketch gals who have been making this challenge an amazing spot for inspiration on a weekly basis!!!

I am excited to play along for two reasons : 

1. To celebrate the last challenge at TESC, Taylor will be giving out some awesome prizes and there are 4 sketch challenges to choose from (or do all 4 for more fun and prizes!!!) Please check out all the details on Taylor's blog

and

2. One of my besties is having a baby sometime this week and I can't wait to welcome this little one!! I used the super super awesomely cute Onesie Twosie stamp set from Taylored Expressions to make my card - which needed up more CAS ... I was so surprised how quickly this card came together and how fun it was to make in the anticipation of this little baby who is on his way sometime in the next couple days!!! yay!!

For the sketch today I used one of my sketches for today's card (TESC #158)

Card Ingredients:

Paper: Father's Day Project Pantry

Stamps: Onesie Twosie stamp set from Taylored Expressions

Inks: Bamboo Leaves and Bahama Blue

Accessories: heart punch, corner punch, silk ribbon, TE medium scallops, circle punch and spellbinders, dimensionals and glue dots.

I am SO excited to welcome this little angel and Loved making this little boy card! This stamp set is so versatile - both open and closed onuses (for coloring or solid stamping) and with little images to put on the onesie (like a cupcake or dump truck etc.) LOVE that!!!

Please check out all the sketches that you can play along with over at Taylor's Blog!!

Thank you so much dear Taylor and Sketch Crew for providing such a fun and sweet place for some creative inspiration! Congratulations on all that you have accomplished! I have loved playing along with the sketches, have loved making some sketches and have drooled over all of your gorgeous creations over the years!!!  I love TE, TESC and YOU!!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Big hugs,

Sankari :)

Eye for YOU! :)

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are doing great! Well, let me tell you! I am swimming in way too much! I started some big projects and always am trying to write my dissertation and in the middle of everything the kids spring/summer activities have me running around at full speed :) BUT, I think I am finally figuring out the balance of it all :) AND I am so excited to finally sit at my craft room - I wanted to make a special card for my DH - we are celebrating our 11th anniversary and couldn't wait to make him a special card!

When I sat down to make a card - initially I was going to make a flowery card - but then when I thought about our marriage - all I could think about is how much fun we have together - so I wanted to make a fun card and couldn't think of a better stamp set to use than the Love Monsters set from Taylored Expressions! I was cracking up so much making this card - I LOVE this little monster - and the sentiment: "I only have EYE for you" is still making me chuckle:

Card Ingredients:

Paper: Cosmo Cricket scraps and Bazzil card stock

Stamps:  Love Monsters stamp set from Taylored Expressions

Ink: Copics and Memento Black

Accessories: Stickles red, Pennant Border Edge die from Taylored Expressions, bling, corner punch, heart punch from MS, Spellbinders and EK success die punch and dimensionals.

All the monsters in this set are soooo adorable - I mean really - just stamping them makes the card super cute! Check out all the little monsters and sentiments here: Love Monsters set from Taylored Expressions!

I love this little one-eyed girl and I was cracking up when I gave this to my DH - he loved it - he laughed and then gave me a big hug.... now it has become this funny thing that we say to each other in the mornings before work "I only have eye for you" and then we both laugh! :)

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

"eye" hope you have a beautiful day! :)

Big hugs,

Sankari

Taylored Expressions Monthly Calendar Challenge: May

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 decorate my Perpetual Occasions Calendar which is a great way to keep track of birthdays and anniversaries in every year, with the beautiful stamp set: Oops-a-Daisy that was just released this month and I paired it with the coordinating Oops a Daisy dies (set of 4) from Taylored Expressions. 

I cut out a little square piece of paper from my Choice Snow White card stock to which I sponged some sky and some grass with different inks of green and blue. I then stamped and cut out with the dies the open daisy which I colored (the stamp set comes with an open daisy that you can color or a solid stamp set of the daisy where you can stamp it in a solid color and it will appear as a silhouette.

 I cut out the daisies with the coordinating die (makes it so super was to cut it out perfectly!) and then arranged them on the sponged card stock and added some grass and some leaves from the coordinating leaf die (which was die cut from some green scrap DP). 

Card Ingredients:

Paper: Choice Snow White and Perpetual Occasions Calendar

Stamps: Oops-a-Daisy stamp set from Taylored Expressions

Inks: Memento Bahama Blue, Rich Coco, Tuxedo Black, Tangelo, Sky Blue and Bamboo Leaves

Accessories: Oops a Daisy Dies (set of 4) from Taylored Expressions, sponger, MS grass edge punch and butterfly punch, copies, ribbon, circle punch, corner chomper and dimensionals

I added a the sentiment over some silk green ribbon on the side. I also stamped some of the closed daisies in a Desert Sand ink color on the bottom and added some punched out butterflies:

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
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• 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 :)

Release Day At Taylored Expressions!!!

TE Release Day!

• 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 May Release Bundle options.  The new Father's Day Digi Image and inspiration sheet is available FREE with purchase of any Bundle!
• Did you win one of the Mystery Baker's Dozen Blog Giveaways? Find the list of winners on Taylor's Blog.

Hi Everyone,


Today is release day over at Taylored Expressions and we are celebrating by showing you a creation form one of the newly released stamp sets! For my card today, I am sneaking a sample from the Father's Day Digi stamp set which is FREE with the purchase of one of the bundle deals that Taylor will be telling you about on her blog today! This digi will come with an inspiration sheet that shows all the creations that the DT has made with this stamp set along with, a link to download this image (and it will come with both an open line and pre colored image). 


I printed out my image onto Choice Snow White Cardstock and then colored it in with copics and then cut it out using the Frame It Up 1 die from Taylored Expressions to cut it out and then matted it with some dark brown card stock:

Card Ingredients:
Paper: Choice Snow White Cardstock and Loyal Project Pantry
Stamps: Father's Day Digital Image from Taylored Expressions
Inks: printer ink and copics
Accessories:Frame It Up 1 die from Taylored Expressions, cork, eyelet, corner chomped, EK success scallop punch, liquid pearls and dimensionals.

I love all of the Project Pantries because it seriously makes card making so easy to make a coordinating card with the perfect colored ribbon! These papers just make the funnest boy cards - but its also a perfect mix of elegance witht he paisleys and the soft elegance of the softer colors. I love the different ribbons as well - so nice to have different textures of ribbons that perfectly coordinate! Please check out Taylor's blog for all the information on how you can get this free Digi and also all of the special deals and steals and special bundle offerings that she has got going on!


But first - please hop along with me and check out all of the gorgeous creations from the Design Team as we celebrate the release of all of the gorgeous dies, stamp sets, Loyal Project Pantry and all of the fun in creating with these gorgeous sets!

• Charmaine Ikach
• Jami Sibley
• Jen Shults
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Giron
• Melissa Sauls
• Michele  Boyer - Guest Designer
• Nancy McKinney -  Illustrator
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Stephanie  Kraft -
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tori Wild
• Wanda Guess

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

I hope that you have a wonderful day!

Big hugs,

Sankari :)