Birthday Cupcake

Hello again.  Happy Hump Day!  The week is almost over. 

Today I am sharing a card I made for my "adopted son's" 19th birthday yesterday.  The card is made using Mark's Finest Papers new Birthday Mini stamp set I received with my Speedy the Cat birthday swap cards.  The Birthday Mini set was released on July 12th and is so stinkin fun to play with.

I started out by stamping a background using the "celebrate" saying from the set in Stampin Up! turquoise ink before stamping the cupcake twice in memento tuxedo black onto white card stock.  Once I had the two cupcakes colored, I stamped my saying above the main image in memento black before spritzing Stampin Up! real red marker over the image panel.  Once everything was layered, I added some retired bold bright brads and then the cut out cupcake image with pop dots.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.


Stamps: MFP Birthday Mini
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise, Real Red Scrap
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Brads, Pop Dots, Real Red Marker, Color Spritzer Tool, Stipple Brush, Glue Dots

Speedy The Cat Friend's Challenge #63

Hello again.  Today I'm sharing a card I made for Speedy The Cat Friends Challenge using die cuts as a mat background.  Thank goodness I already had a doily die cut since I'm dealing with another migraine.

Once I had my images stamped onto white card stock in memento tuxedo black, I pulled out my prismacolor markers and got to coloring.  After everything was layered, I decided last minute (gotta love those last minute things) to add some "grass" and pulled out my long retired Stampin Up! watercolor mini's set and created the grass using the watercolor landscape technique Kittie had taught me over on SCS, just minus the watercolor part this time.  With that done, I added the brads and popped up the image over some Martha Stewart ribbon I had picked up on clearance last year.  For the final touches, I added some dew drops to the designer paper, some primas, gold clip, and highlighted the water/flowers with ice stickles.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.


Stamps: MFP Believe In You, Stampin Up! Watercolor Mini's
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, Melon Mambo, Certainly Celery, Kiwi Kiss, Wild Wasabi
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Wild Wasabi, Pretty In Pink, Soft Sky, Basic Gray Kioshi DP
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Dew Drops, Pop Dots, Gold Clip, Primas, Gold Brad, Blue Mini Brads, Glue Dots, Ice Stickles, MFT Doily Die-Namic, Stipple Brushes

A Weekend Of Stamping - A Combination Of Challenges

Second post for me today.  If you're looking for my My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge, please scroll down one post.

I've been trying to  stamp whenever my migraines allow me lately and on Sunday afternoon and late Monday evening, I finally felt well enough to do some.  Fortunately, I had some pre-colored images just waiting to be made into cards I could use. 

First up, is the Stamp Something monthly digital challenge.  I pulled out a digital image I had colored with prismacolor markers from Sassy Cheryl's.  Once I had finished stippling Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the edges of the image, and layered everything, I added it to a pixie pink card rolled with Stampin Up's hot to dot wheel in pixie pink with some pink ribbon I had sitting on my stamp desk.  The whole card took about 15 minutes to assemble.  For the final touch, I added some ice stickles to highlight the water in the inflatable pool.

I also finally got a chance to ink up my Taylored Expressions Sew Happy set and do a TE sketch challenge for  the first time in a few weeks.  Since I was using a petite stamp set, I decided to use up some of my scraps and pulled out a long piece of black card stock for the base before layering on a stamped white, then pink, pieces of scrap card stock using Stampin Up's retired aida cloth background.  I stamped my TE images onto white card stock scraps using memento tuxedo black ink and then colored with prismacolor markers before popping up the entire main image panel over some recycled ribbon and then one of the dress forms.  After cutting out the spools of thread, I added those just before the ribbon knot, then the saying, and some metal dot stickers for the final touches.

My final card made, is for Mark's Finest Papers Speedy The Cat's Friends patriotic challenge.  I pulled out a couple of Rubber Monger backgrounds that haven't seen ink in a year and combined them with some Costco designer paper I've had in my stash for a while.  Once everything was layered, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! caramel ink over the card to age it a bit, added some ribbon, brads, and prima flowers to the bottom.

All of the cards made this weekend were easy ones due to my migraine, but relaxing and fun just the same.  Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

Stamps: Sassy Cheryl's Digital, Taylored Expressions Sew Happy, Rubber Monger Declaration, Drummers

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Creamy Caramel, Bashful Blue, Pixie Pink, PTI Enchanted Evening, Scarlett Jewell

Card Stock: White, Costco Designer Paper, Stampin Up! Black, Pixie Pink, Green Galore, Bashful Blue, PTI Enchanted Evening, Scarlet Jewell

Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Computer, Printer, Stipple Brushes, Brads, Ribbons, Pop Dots, Word Window Punch, Prima Flowers, Metal Dot Stickers, Ice Stickles

Your Friendship Is Priceless - MTMEPPS17

Hello again.  I can't believe it's been a week since my last post, however, it's been major migraine week again.  Our temperatures here have been in the triple digits and we've had some monsoon moisture coming up from the desert southwest.  Thunderstorms and my head totally hate each other even though I personally love a good thunderstorm.  Ok, enough of migraine speak.

Can you believe My Time Made Easy's Pretty Pattern Sketch challenges have been going on for 17 weeks?  My how time flies!  For this week's challenge, I wanted to combine MTME's recent digital release, Underwater Wonderment, with Buzz-y Blooms spring looking digital paper.  I thought the blue colored "bee hive" paper made a great looking bubble background.

After downloading Underwater Wonderment, I added my own sentiment to the clam image and printed the image/sentiment combo off twice so I could pop one clam up later.  Once both were done printing, I colored the clams with prismacolor markers before cutting one of the clams out. 

After I was done with all of my layering, I added two strips of ribbon with PTI vintage buttons to the side before finally adding two white silk glitter flowers with a blue gem center.  For the final touches, I added a Making Memories page pebble (remember those) to the larger pearl in the clam shell, and pearl stickers for the bubbles.  However, something still seemed to be missing.  So I pulled out a long the retired Stampin Up! Itty Bitty Backgrounds set and lightly stamped baja breeze around the bottom of the card.  Now, my card was completed.

If you haven't participated in a My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern or the Pretty Palette challenge, you really should.  Both challenges are great ways to be inspired to use your stamps in a new and different way.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.

A Rabbit And Her Ballloon - Pretty Pattern Sketch Challenge 16!!

Hello again.  It's time for another My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern Sketch challenge!  First, let me welcome our newest Pretty Pattern DT member Tina Hale!  Be sure to stop by her blog today and give her a warm welcome to the Pretty Pattern team.  Her designs are just awesome!!  Also, today starts the My Time Made Easy sneak peeks for the July 1st release so please stop by all of the designers blogs to see what they have come up with.  Now onto my card for this week's challenge.

First, I decided I wanted to flip the sketch, and made a square card, so the image I had already colored and designer paper would work.  Once I printed out Harriet Hop-A-Long, and colored her with prismacolor markers, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around the edges for the sky and then Tim Holtz antique linen ink to age her a bit.

Once all of my layering was done, I added a strip of ribbon before popping up the main image, adding some primas with a pearl center, brads, and a small gold flower clip.  For the final touch, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! regal rose ink around the edges of the entire card after using a corner rounder on one side.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Don't forget to stop by all of the MTME design teams blogs to see what each has cooked up for the sneak peeks and the July 1st release.  Have a great day.


Stamps: MTME Digital Harriet Hop-A-Long
Ink: Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, Regal Rose, Tim Holtz Antique Linen
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Pretty In Pink, Making Memories Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brushes, Gold Clip, Primas, Glue Dots, Pearl Sticker, Pop Dots, Ribbon

Teapot Tuesday Meets MFT!

Hello all.  Question?  Is it June or December?  Right now in my small corner of California, we are having rain, possible thunderstorms, snow (yes snow) in the mountains near me and a 20degree drop in the temperatures.  Now I normally wouldn't complain about the temperature, however, it's creating havoc with my migraines.  Oh my aching head!!

Ok, this week's teapot Tuesday challenge is to make a card with numbers that will be sent to another participating tea potter, just like last month.  So for my card, I decided to "get two challenges with one card" done; even with a migraine.  Ugh!  I started out by stamping MFT's Pure Innocence Book In Hand twice onto MFT Cream Perfect Panels and coloring with prismacolor markers.  I then took some Stephanie Fizer digital School Collection designer paper pack.

Now, for the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club sketch challenge part, I took some scrap Stampin Up! riding hood red and die cut one of MFT's small Dainty Doily Duo Die-namics before adding a layer of stamped Stampin Up! pacific point and riding hood red scrap card stocks.  For that layer I used Stephanie Fizer's I Heart Books to give the layer an embossed look before adding a Tim Holtz ruler ribbon strip and some primas.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great day.


Stamps: MFT Book In Hand, I Heart Books
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Pacific Pointe, Riding Hood Red
Card Stock: MFT Cream Perfect Panels, Stampin Up! Pacific Point, Vanilla, Riding Hood Red, Stephanie Fizer Back To School Digital Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Primas, Glue Dots, Making Memories Baby Brads, Die-namics, Tim Holtz Ruler Ribbon, Staples

Speedy The Cat's Friends Challenge #61 - Make It Sparkle!

Hello everyone.  Sorry about the intermittent posting.  I am having issues with my migraines again.

I finally got a chance to participate in another Mark's Finest Papers Speedy the Cat's Friends challenge.  I had made these cards over the weekend and I'm just getting a chance to upload thanks to the migraines.  This week's Speedy the Cat challenge is to make a project sparkle - be it bling, glitter, ice stickles, etc.  You get the point.  I decided to use the card stock I still had on stamping table from another project just so I wouldn't have to clean it up; then pull out some more card stock. 

I pulled out two of my favorite Mark's Finest Papers sets to work with.  The first set is Speedy the Cat's Friends and is on sale right now since it's about to be retired at the end of this week.  When I first saw the set, I knew I had to buy it for the sayings alone. 

After stamping my cat and mouse twice in memento tuxedo black ink on white card stock, I colored them both with prismacolor markers before cutting one set of images out to pop up later.  Then I pulled the fern stamp out of Ferns & Chickadee and stamped it in PTI landscape and new leaf inks several times to add some dimension to the "floor" of the main image panel.  For my background, I rolled a retired Stampin Up! paw prints wheel across the card base in baja breeze, before adding my layered & popped up images along with some silk flowers with a bling center to finish the card off.

The second card I made features the Ferns and Chickadee set again with an embossed background.  I stamped the images in memento tuxedo black and memento bamboo leaves inks before coloring with prismacolor markers. Once my image was colored, I lightly stippled Stampin Up! bashful blue ink around it to fill in the sky area.  After adding some Making Memories white baby brads, I added a Michael's paper rose, retired Stampin Up! velour ribbon and then ice stickles on the ferns to make them look like they have dew on them from an early morning mist.

Thanks for stopping by today.   Have a great day.



Stamps: MFP Speedy the Cat's Friends, Ferns and Chickadee, Stampin Up! Paw Prints Wheel
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, PTI Landscape, New Leaf, Stampin Up! Bashful Blue, Baja Breeze
Card Stock: White, Stampin Up! Barely Banana, Baja Breeze, Sage Shadow
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Pop Dots, Silk Flowers, Bling, Lace Ice Stickles, Glue Dots, Stipple Brushes, Making Memories Baby Brads, Cuttlebug Floral Screen Embossing Folder, Big Shot

June 2011 Blast From The Past!!!!!!!

If you're looking for my My Time Made Easy Pretty Pattern sketch, please scroll down one post.

Hello and welcome to the June 2011 edition of Taylored Expressions Blast From The Past blog hop.  This month's hop theme is "Old Glory" and we were to use the colors red, white and blue.  So I dug through my stash of designer paper to find something appropriate and pulled out a 12x12 piece of vintage looking Costco paper I bought a couple of years ago.  Now what to do, what to do with it?? Hmmmm...

I finally decided on my Cozy Cottages set that has not seen a whole lot of love lately and stamped the cottages twice in memento tuxedo black onto white card stock before coloring with prismacolor markers.  Once the second set of images were colored, I cut them out for popping up late then stamped the dog from In The Park, colored him and cut out to add to my little scene before popping the cottages up with pop dots.  Once this was done, I decided to try getting a little creative. 

I always remembered growing up the July 4th firework celebrations put on by the city and school district I grew up in at the local football stadium.  So, I tried to make my own fireworks over the cottages by using some flowers from Garden Party Blooms by adding some bling to the centers and then drawing some "tails" showing where the fireworks had shot off from.  Not sure if I achieved what I wanted or not, my husband sure didn't get it. *shakes head*

Thanks for stopping by today.  Make sure to stop by all of the participants blogs today for some inspiration and eye candy.  Also, please make sure to leave some love for their hard work.





Stamps:  Taylored Expressions Cozy Cottages, In The Park, Garden Party Blooms
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin Up! Night of Navy
Card Stock: White, Papertrey Ink Enchanted Evening, Scarlet Jewel, Costco Designer Paper
Accessories: Prismacolor Markers, Stipple Brush, Gem Stickers, Brads, Pop Dots, Glue Dots, Black Marker, Stampin Up! Old Olive Marker