learning apertures

I'm learning about aperture in my little photography class this week and I just couldn't resist posting this little practice shot that didn't make the cut for my assignment -

Now, if only I could look so sweet with muffin all over my face....  And those big brown eyes - they melt my heart!

Technical jargon -

Aperture: f/1.4

Shutter speed: 1/1000

ISO: 200

Focal length: 50mm

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge, 52

Looking for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch?  Hop on over to this post.  

Hello again!  It's time for another Cupcake Inspiration from Hope Stamps Eternal and this week's inspiration comes from The Little Cupcakery - isn't it so sweet?  I was inspired by the colors and flowers in the cake, rather than the baby, so I used some of this really cute Bella Blvd paper and created a layered background with it.  I topped my little flower stems with some really fun Cosmo Cricket Material Girl buttons. 

Join in on the fun this week and link up your cupcake inspiration project at the Hope Stamps Eternal blog.  The other Sweeties have more amazing inspiration for you as well - stop over and see:

• Colleen
• Kelli
• Kristen
• Michelle
• Piali
• Teresa
• and of course Rachel

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: blooming button bits (papertrey ink)

paper: old olive, certainly celery, summer sun, whisper white cardstock (stampin' up!)

ink: old olive

accessories: old olive wide grosgrain ribbon, material girl buttons (cosmo cricket), square nestabilities (spellbinders), dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 62

Good morning - It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the end of my post to enter your card. On Thursday at 10 PM (Mountain Time), I'll randomly select one card to feature on my blog. So, as long as your card is linked by 10 PM Thursday, your card will be in the drawing. Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC62 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

Our fabulously talented, Vicki, has designed this week's sketch and I loved working with it!  I started off with the little Easter basket from Favorite Peeps and colored it in with Copics - the papers, ribbons and flowers are all from the Easter Key Ingredients, so this card came together very quickly.  I took the easy route and used my Nestabilities Labels 3 for the image panel and sponged around the edges while the Nestie was still on the paper. 

The Sweet Sunday Stampers also have amazing samples to show you today, so don't forget to stop on by to see:

• Jennifer Tapler - she has a sick computer, so stop by and give her some love
• Joanne Basile - our special guest for March
• Karen Motz
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Nancy Riley {she's off this week, but she'd love for you to visit}
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick 

Thanks for taking on the challenge this week!
Karen

recipe -

Stamps: Favorite Peeps

Paper: Couture textured cardstock, choice snow white cardstock

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Labels 3 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), paper pretties flowers, scallop border punch (Stampin' Up!), yellow twill ribbon, dimensionals

happy birthday cupcake

Hello!  I've been a very bad stamper this week - this is the first card I've made since Sunday!  I have a sneaky suspicion next week will be the same since my daughter is on spring break - oh dear.

I used Clean & Simple's fall to layout 79 for this card, although I flipped the sketch so the image is on the left instead of the right.  It seemed to balance better that way.  I stamped the cupcake from Sprinkled with Love in Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored it with Copics.  The sentiment is from For the Love of Cupcakes - seemed to fit perfectly and added a little piece of patterned paper from Cosmo Cricket - Material Girl.

Thanks for stopping by -
Karen

recipe -

Stamps: Sprinkled with Love, For the Love of Cupcakes

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Read Red, Very Vanilla cardstock (Stampin' Up!), Material Girl (Cosmo Cricket

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa

Accessories: Nestabilities, Copic markers

Sweet Sunday Sketch Winner

Hello!  Sorry to keep you all waiting a whole day for the winner :D  Were you all wondering where I was?  Probably not, LOL!

Random.org has chosen #59 - Sherry!!

I love the way Sherry placed the button between the panels on the tag - it's perfect!  And the little turtle is so cute - what a sweet baby boy card.  Love it!  You can find more from Sherry at her blog, Button Junkie - swing on over and say hello!

See you back soon!
Karen

Homework

Now this is the kind of homework I love!  This is my assignment from lesson 2 from Up & Running With Photoshop.  I think what I have enjoyed most about finishing this little course is going through all these photos I have - just seeing how much the kids have changed, even in one year, leaves me full of emotion.  These photos are from the same park trip of my previous digital post, but this one is for Andrew.   He is my active boy - constantly running around the park, going nowhere in particular.  I finally gave up trying to get pictures of him and sat down on this little retaining wall.  Then along came Andrew, jumped over my lap and kept on going.  This is the shot I got of him as he was running away.  It's one of my favorites.

The layout is from a book I picked up called scrapbook page|maps by Becky Fleck, and it is filled with amazing layouts and ideas.  I bought it to inspire me to scrapbook on a regular basis, but it's impossible for me to find the time anymore - but these little digi pages are perfect!  No mess to clean up at the end and if I don't like the way a paper looks, I just delete it and find another one.  I always get caught up with the little details and then get frustrated and give up.  LOL!

I'll have more from my class again soon...
Karen

Moving on to Lesson 2 {finally}

Good morning!!  Do you remember this post from last year??  Well, this weekend I finally got some time to sit down and work through the second lesson from Up & Running With Photoshop and since I wasn't able to make a page for my sweet little Avery {who is not so little anymore}, this page was dedicated to her.  In fact, she sat down with me through the lesson and we made this one together.  It was her idea to use the Fleur-De-Lis {she said she loves the Saints} and we added that instead of the little check mark Jessica suggested.  She also gave some running commentary on what we should write about her.  I loved working with her - what a bonding moment.  She is getting so mature and it makes me sad and thrilled all in the same breath.  Click on the photo to see a larger version of it if you'd like.

The photos are from a little trip to the park last June after we all went out for a Father's Day dinner.  I had my little camera with me and got some cute shots of the kids that day.  So much fun - I'm sure I'll be using the other photos for more digi pages soon!

Karen

Cupcake Inspiration Challenge: 51

Looking for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch?  Hop on over to this post.

Spring is officially here and what better way to celebrate than to enjoy some sweet spring cupcakes!  There is much to be inspired by in these little cupcakes, and once again, I'm taking this challenge literally, lol!

I was digging through all my paper trying to find something lacey and delicate, but to no avail.  However, I did find some of this delightful 6x6 Kioshi paper by Basic Grey, which matched the colors in the cupcakes perfectly!  The butterfly stamp is also Basic Grey, Butterfly/b2 - I stamped it once on the blue background paper and again on white cardstock, which was cut out and popped up on dimensional tape.  The background swirls are stamped in Old Olive ink with the little flourishes from the same butterfly set.  I added the Little Leaves die cut and flowers as an afterthought to fill in some empty space and I absolutely love how well those flowers from the Flowers Trio match the paper!! The sketch is from There She Goes TSG46.

Join in on the fun this week and link up your cupcake inspiration project at the Hope Stamps Eternal blog.  The other Sweeties have more amazing inspiration for you as well - stop over and see:

• Colleen - She's off this week, but she'd love for you to say hi
• Kelli
• Kristen
• Michelle
• Piali
• Teresa
• and of course Rachel

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: butterfly/b2 (basic grey), thankful hearts (verve stamps)

paper: old olive, certainly celery, not quite navy, whisper white cardstock (stampin' up!), kioshi 6x6 paper pack (basic grey)

accessories: flowers trio punch (stampin' up!), sizzlits little leaves die cut (stampin' up!), vintage brads, certainly celery satin ribbon (stampin' up!), circle/scallop nestabilities (spellbinders), dimensional tape

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 61

Good morning - It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the end of my post to enter your card. On Thursday at 10 PM (Mountain Time), I'll randomly select one card to feature on my blog. So, as long as your card is linked by 10 PM Thursday, your card will be in the drawing. Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC61 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

We have a very exciting announcement for you today - the very amazingly talented Joanne Basile is joining our Sweet Sketch team for the rest of March!  I can't even tell you how thrilled I am to have her here!!

I have to admit, this is my favorite sketch so far.  I think it's all the different shaped elements that make it so fun!!  Today, I had a moment of genius - hey, it happens sometimes...  I wanted to add a little something to the top of the cupcake and since I was already using Sweet Pea paper, adding a little Sweet Pea flower seemed like a natural step - but the leaves were SO big, so I used a little branch from the Sizzlits Little Leaves die cut.  NICE!  I love how it looks.  Now only if my real cupcakes would turn out so cute, LOL!  The card base size is 4.25" square and so with the flag element, I can still use a regular A2 sized envelope.  Love that.

The Sweet Sunday Stampers also have amazing samples to show you today, so don't forget to stop on by to see:

• Jennifer Tapler
• Joanne Basile - our special guest for March
• Karen Motz
• Laura Frederickson
• Lynn Put
• Nancy Riley {she's off this week, but she'd love for you to visit}
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick 

Thanks for taking on the challenge this week!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: cupcake collection (papertrey ink)

paper: pretty in pink, rose red, old olive, whisper white cardstock, sweet pea dsp (all stampin' up!)

ink: chocolate chip, rose red (stampin' up!)

accessories: sweet pea felt flowers (su), sizzlits little leave die (su), nestabilities (spellbinders), dimensional tape

Dirty Girl Challenge: March

The Dirty Dozen alumni have a monthly challenge and this month Joanne Basile has us all thinking spring.  How funny that as I'm typing this it's snowing outside... sigh.  One day Spring will stay for good!!  The required element is to use a bee or bird and the restricted element is we cannot use border punches (GASP!!!).  I did use a punch, but it's not of the border variety, haha!

It has been forever since I made a card using Jen del Muro's SFYTT - SO I jumped back in and also tried something new.  I've had Dawn's little flowers bookmarked for a loooonnnnnng time and I just now made my very first flower.  Note to self - use double sided paper... LOL!  I just bought this new stamp set, Peachy Keen as well as its coordinating paper pack from Hope Stamps Eternal and I was itching to get it all inky.  I really love all the patterns in the stamp set - it's so much fun to work with!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: peachy keen (kaisercraft)

paper: really rust, chocolate chip, very vanilla cardstock (stampin' up!), peachy keen paper pack (kaisercraft)

ink: more mustard, really rust (stampin' up!)

accessories: circle scallop punch (stampin' up!), latte designer buttons (stampin' up!), embroidery thread, dimensionals.

thinking of you...

I think I have finally, FINALLY figured out how to use my new camera {Nikon D5000} to take crisp and clear pictures of my cards.  You'd think it would be easy, but there are SO many new components that I have no idea how to use, or what they mean.  It's always a good rule of thumb to be at least 10% smarter than the object you are dealing with, so with that said - watch out New Camera!  I'm catching up to you!!

So here she is - a beautiful photo of today's little card.  Finally you can see that is indeed a felt flower and not just some sort of triangular glob.  Haha!!!  I'm amazed - you can actually see the fibers!  Ok, yes - I will calm down...

I really love the new set, Favorite Peeps, from Taylored Expressions - especially this little birdie, just hanging out, people watchin'.  I didn't want to make an Easter card today, so I paired it with a little sentiment from Celebrate Life.  The paper is Sweet Pea from Stampin' Up! and I thought I could try and get away with mixing 3 different patterns on one small surface.  Did it work?  It's difficult to tell from the picture, but I used a Gelly Roll glitter pen over the branch.  The image is colored with Copics and the sketch is Taylor's TESC104, I just flipped it on its side.  I really like the way this card turned out - it's pretty clean and simple with that pop of Teal. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Come back tomorrow - I actually have another post ready and cued up for you :D

Karen

recipe -

Stamps: Favorite Peeps, Celebrate Life

Paper: Taken With Teal, Whisper White cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP (all Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Taken With Teal (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: Copic Markers, Sweet Pea felt flowers (Stampin' Up!), silver brads, Scallop Trim punch (Stampin' Up!), dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Sketch Winner

Hello!!!  You guessed it - it is time to announce this week's SSSC winner!  The fabulous random.org has chosen #22, which is:

Fiona Harrison!!

I love the feminine grace in this card - the flowers, the paper, and the sentiment all come together into one elegant card.  There is more to inspire at Fiona's blog, Inkurable Krafter, so stop on by and say hello!

There will be a new Sweet Sunday Sketch soon, and you do not want to miss out - it's one of my absolute favorites!!!

See you back soon!
Karen

Key Ingredients Challenge - March

Happy Monday to you!  The 15th brings you the monthly Key Ingredients Challenge from Taylored Expressions and I am thrilled to show you this month's exclusive KI!  That's right, these monthly kits are now exclusive to subscription members!  The KI subscription program is a monthly kit club dedicated to bringing you the latest coordinating products for papercrafting! Taylor's creative eye for color and her never-ending search for fabulous embellishments make the TE kits fresh and unique!  Each month you'll receive enough coordinating patterned paper, cardstock, ribbon, and embellishments to create at least 16 cards. The TE kits coordinate well with Taylored Expressions stamps, but you can also use them with the many other stamp sets already in your collection. All of the elements are hand-selected to make your crafting easy, fun, and stress free!  Not only do you receive all of these amazing kits at a fabulous price, you also receive a 10% discount at Taylored Expressions during the 10th-14th of the month.  Sweet!! 

Are you ready for the March Challenge?  This month, create a card or project that includes texture inspired by the outdoors. Grab your chipboard flowers, embossing tools, twine, or anything in nature that inspires you!  For my card I grabbed the new set, Favorite Peeps and immediately stamped some green grass along with those adorable little chicks.  I punched out a scalloped circle and used it as a template to create some fun little puffy springtime clouds and then added one of the beautiful little butterfly embellishments - so cool!  The layout comes from The Sweet Stop - SSS47.

Half of the Baker's Dozen have also participated in this month's challenge and have amazing inspiration waiting for you:

• Jodi Collins
• Melissa Sauls
• Charmaine Ikach
• and of course Taylor VanBruggen

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Karen


recipe -
Stamps: Favorite Peeps
Paper: Couture textured cardstock, Choice Snow White cardstock, Brook patterned paper by Crate Paper
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Taken With Teal (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Copic markers, olive satin ribbon, Nestabilities, apron lace punch (Fiskars), wire butterflies, dimensionals

lucky in love

Hello.  Remember me?  The slacker?  hahaha!  I have my SSSC card for you as well as some fantastic and exciting news! 

Today is my very first day as a Sweetie for Hope Stamps Eternal!  Each week, Rachel has a Cupcake Inspiration Challenge and she's asked me to join her team!  I'm so excited to be working with some extremely talented ladies!!

Today's challenge is inspired by this adorable little shamrock cupcake and as you can see, I took the challenge quite literally (it's how I do, you know).  I started off by cutting out hearts with my little hearts punch and popped them up on dimensionals.  I added one of the larger Garden Variety buttons from Cosmo Cricket to the center of the shamrock and then handmade a little stem.  The sentiment was made in Photoshop and printed out to match.

Be sure to stop by the rest of the Sweeties and be inspired:

• Colleen
• Kelli
• Kristen
• Michelle
• Piali
• Teresa

Thanks for stopping by and being so patient with me this weekend!
Karen

recipe -

paper: certainly celery, garden green, whisper white cardstock, spring fling dsp (all stampin' up!)

accessories: hearts punch, garden variety buttons (cosmo cricket), linen thread, certainly celery grosgrain ribbon,  computer generated sentiment

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 60

Good morning - It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the end of my post to enter your card. On Thursday at 10 PM (Mountain Time), I'll randomly select one card to feature on my blog. So, as long as your card is linked by 10 PM Thursday, your card will be in the drawing. Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC60 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

So what does it mean when the sketch team has their act together and the hostess doesn't???  It means I had better watch it or they might stage a coup and take over my blog!!  OK, maybe not, but I'm still a complete and total slacker over here.  Sorry everyone.  One thing you should know about me - I wait until Saturday evening to make my SSSC card and then what happens when we go to a friends house for dinner?  We get home too late for me to make anything productive, let alone take a picture of it and post it.  Well, you get it - I'm lame.  I will be back later today to post my sample - so I hope you'll come back and love me.

About this week's sketch - the flowers are there for inspiration, but not necessary.  Please use whatever embellishment or image or die cut you'd like there.

The Sweet Sunday Stampers {who are totally on the ball and NOT slackers} have samples to show you today, so don't forget to stop on by to see:

• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz {she's off this week, but she'd love for you to stop by and say hey}
• Laura Frederickson
• Lynn Put
• Nancy Riley {she's also off this week, but her blog is full of inspiration}
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Have fun!

Karen

Sweet Sunday Sketch Winner

Hello, hello!!  Well, I am probably the absolute worst challenge host ever!!  The submissions closed 2 days ago and I'm just now posting the winner.  What a slacker!  I'll chalk it up to this severe case of Spring Fever I've got goin' on.  LOL!

This week, Random.org has chosen #21 - Lynn!!

I love the little list Lynn created along with all of those gorgeous butterflies!!  Congrats Lynn!  Please stop on by Lynn's blog, The Mango Boys and Me for more incredible inspiration.

See you back in only a matter of hours, LOL!
Karen

Girls just wanna have fun

Hello friends!  Well, I've been in a stamping slump this week - I just can't find the motivation to work on cards when there is crappy daytime TV to watch, or kids to take to the park for the first time all winter, or that dreaded pile of laundry.  When the kids go down for the night, all I want to do is fall on the sofa and crash!  Come on motivation!!

So, since I don't have anything new for you today, I'll post something a little old - it's one of my Dirty Dozen cards from January and the challenge was to be totally feminine in the classic style of Audrey Hepburn.  This was one of my favorite cards from that month. 

I'll be back with new items soon!  I promise!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: Express Yourself (Verve)

paper: Soft Sky, Whisper White, Basic Black card stock, Fall Flowers dsp 

ink: memento tuxedo black

accessories: 1" white satin ribbon, Beetle Black Blossom brads (Doodlebug Design Inc), Victoria embossing folder (Provo Craft), Nestabilities, stampin' dimensionals  

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 59

 

Good morning - It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the end of my post to enter your card. On Thursday at 10 PM (Mountain Time), I'll randomly select one card to feature on my blog. So, as long as your card is linked by 10 PM Thursday, your card will be in the drawing. Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC59 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

What is up with Blogger? My photos look SO blurry!  Grrr.  Sorry - had to vent a little, LOL!  If you'd like to see the pictures all nice and clear, just click on them and then I'll feel better about spending time editing them.  When I made this sketch, I thought the little white panel would be perfect for a big sentiment, so I grabbed one of the stamps from Easter Blessings and went from there.  I love the cross in this set with all the vines, so a combo was born.  The papers and ribbon are all from the Easter Key Ingredients kit, which makes it super easy and quick to make a card.  I added some wine rhinestones to the corners for a little extra pop.

The Sweet Sunday Stampers have samples to show you today, so don't forget to stop on by to see:

• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Have fun!

Karen

recipe -

stamps: easter blessings

paper: textured cardstock (couture), choice snow white, kioshi by basic grey

ink: certainly celery, rich razzleberry

accessories: nestabilities, wine satin ribbon, wine rhinestones, dimensionals

Taylored Expressions Release Party!

Welcome to the Taylored Expressions release party!!  Be sure to read this entire post because you have a chance to win something scrumptious!!  Today marks a very special anniversary - one year ago today, the Whimsical Wishes line of stamps was first released in the TE store.  To celebrate, Nancy McKinney has designed four fabulous digi-stamps called Whimsical Wishes Through the Year - one digi-stamp for each season.  I'm thrilled to show you the summer butterfly - isn't she marvelous?!  I printed her out on a piece of Spring Fling paper and again on Choice Snow White cardstock and layered the pink butterfly on top.  The flowers on the butterfly are colored in with a white gel pen and I added more of those lovely hot pink rhinestones from the Spring Sampler.  The layered panels are cut out with my Curved Rectangles Nestabilities - you should see all the Nesties currently available in the store, even those cute little eggs!!

To celebrate, Taylored Expressions is giving away these wonderful digi-stamps!!!  With any purchase in the TE Store through Monday March 8th you'll receive a FREE Whimsical Wishes Image Sheet - Whimsical Wishes Throughout the Year that includes 4 never-before-seen seasonal images and 4 coordinating sentiments. These are open line images ready for you to color with your favorite medium.

Anniversary Sale - the first two sets released in the Whimsical Wishes family last year were Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates. Each of these 2 sets are on sale for 25% off only through Monday March 8th. Note: since these two sets were originally part if our Giving Tree charitable program they come in sheet form attached to EZ Mount. You will need to trim them out when you receive them.

New in the store today are:  You're My Hero, Favorite Peeps, Easter Blessings, Easter Key Ingredients, Rock Star Key Ingredients, and the Spring Sampler.

Also, Taylor has hand-picked 2 Copic sets that match each Key Ingredients -  

Rock Star Copic Kit 

& Easter Copic Kit.  

Collecting Copic markers this way help keep the guess work out of choosing which markers to start with. 

Nancy is holding a contest on her blog, so if you'd like to win some yummy stamps, hop on over to see what it's all about!  

You definitely don't want to miss out on any of the other digi-stamps today, so hop on over and see the rest of the Baker's Dozen:

• Alex Maldonado
• Carolina Buchting
• Charmaine Ikach
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jeanie Witmer
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Motz
• Melissa Sauls
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen
• special guest designer, Amy Sheffer
• and creator, Nancy McKinney - wish her a happy anniversary!

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: whimsical wishes through the year digi-stamp

paper: certainly celery, so saffron, choice snow white cardstock, spring fling dsp

accessories: hot pink rhinestones (kaisercraft), certainly celery satin ribbon, white gel pen, dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Sketch Winner

Hello!  I'm so happy to be back and announcing this week's SSSC winner!  Tonight, Random.org has chosen..... #92!  I don't think we've ever randomly picked the second to last entry before, so this was great!

This week's winner is Beverly Gotthardt who has been a regular on the SSSC scene - congrats Beverly!! 

I love the elegance in Beverly's card - the rich blue colors against the white background - gorgeous!!  You can see more of Beverly's amazing cards at her blog, Gott Heart Art - stop on by and say hello!

See you back on Sunday for another challenge -
Karen

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek Day 2

Hello "Peeps"!  I have 2 more fabulous stamp sets to show you today - first up is Favorite Peeps, available for purchase tomorrow.  I am completely in love with this set!  It's like springtime therapy - let's leave winter behind, shall we?  I think you'll fall in love with this set too - it has so many adorable little Easter images that can easily be used for other occasions as well.  Everything you see on my card today (except the rhinestones -more on that in a bit) comes from the Easter Key Ingredients kit, which includes: textured cardstock, patterned paper by Basic Grey (Kioshi), 5 yards of to-die-for ribbon, buttons, and paper pretties mini flowers.  LOVE IT!  The rhinestones are from Kaisercraft and they are included in this month's Spring Sampler along with Cotton Candy Sparkly Fluff, 5 die cut bags, 6 Fancy Flowers, Candy Dots, Glitter, 5 yards of ribbon, Stardust Gelly Roll Pen, Tulip Rhinestone.  How fab is that?!  You can find more details about the Key Ingredients and Spring Sampler at Taylor's blog.

Here are the Copic Markers I used for the little egg and chick and the layout is from the fabulous Mercy - MTSC63.

 

Also debuting tomorrow morning is Easter Blessings, a wonderful set which is part of the Lasting Impressions collection of stamps.  I repeatedly stamped the vine image in Pale Plum over the front of the card and then used my small oval Nestabilities to cut out a hole in the front of the card.  The cross is on the inside of the card.  I added some Paper Pretties mini flowers around the sides of the die cut and along my sentiment flag - such an amazing addition to a super simple card.  Here's a view of the card standing up:

I love the images in this set - the crosses, the accent pieces, and the uplifting scripture and sayings. 

The rest of the Baker's Dozen have marvelous Easter creations to show you today as well, so "hop" on by to see:

• Alex Maldonado
• Charmaine Ikach
• Carolina Buchting
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Motz
• Jeanie Witmer
• Melissa Sauls
• Sankari Wegman
• Taylor VanBruggen
• and creator, Nancy McKinney 

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

egg card

stamps: favorite peeps

paper: blue and pink textured couture cardstock, choice snow white cardstock, kioshi patterned paper by basic grey

ink: memento rich cocoa

accessories: hot pink rhinestones (kaisercraft), green grosgrain ribbon, copic markers, dimensionals

he is risen card

stamps: easter blessings

paper: light purple textured couture cardstock, choice snow white cardstock

ink: pale plumb, rich razzleberry (stampin' up!)

accessories: paper pretties mini flowers, oval nestabilities (spellbinders)

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek Day 1

Hold onto your buttons because you are about to ROCK OUT!  On March 5th, Taylored Expressions is releasing the next amazing stamp set in the Giving Tree Program.  The TE Giving Tree donates part of the proceeds from each special stamp set to a different charity.  You're My Hero is the next set to join the Giving Tree and $7 from each set sold will be donated to CureSearch - in honor of Taylor's next door neighbor, who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 10.  CureSearch unites the world's largest childhood cancer research organization, the Children's Oncology Group, and the National Childhood Cancer Foundation through their mission to cure childhood cancer. Research is the key to the cure.  To keep costs down and maximize the dollar amount donated, this stamp set is not pre-cut, so you will need to trim the images from the rubber sheet.

You're My Hero is an amazing set for the rock star in all of us - from tweens, to Guitar Hero phenoms!  I had a blast making this card - what better excuse to grunge up all that amazing paper!  Everything on this card is from this month's Rock Star Key Ingredients kit (except the linen thread) - I stamped the rocker in Memento Tuxedo Black to keep that silhouetted feel and then stamped the sentiment in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder.  I love how these little tags look like guitar picks!  The star is stamped on a green sheet of paper from Teen Angst (We R Memory Keepers) with Garden Green ink.  After I assembled the card, I rubbed the edges of the cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink - I love the look it gives against the textured cardstock!  The cute layout is Taylor's TESC102

As luck would have it, today is Rock Star day at my daughter's school and she stole my card and wrote a little note in it for her teacher.  How cute is she?  So here's to the rock star in all of us.

Want to see more?  Hop on over to see the rest of the Baker's Dozen and see how they are rockin' out their morning:

• Alex Maldonado
• Charmaine Ikach
• Carolina Buchting
• Donna Baker
• Jackie Pedro
• Jodi Collins
• Karen Motz
• Jeanie Witmer
• Melissa Sauls
• Sankari Wegman
• and creator, Nancy McKinney

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: you're my hero

paper: couture textured blue, black cardstock, teen angst (we r memory keepers)

ink: memento tuxedo black, garden green, versamark

accessories: glitter brads, spiral punch, linen thread, tags, dimensionals