With Sympathy

He all!  I wanted to slip in to share a card that we all dislike making. . .a sympathy card.  These are cards I always overthink.  I'm always worried about color scheme and the right wording and images.  I pulled out some great products from Taylored Expressions to make this card.  They just seem to be perfect, so that the only thing I actually stressed about was the designer paper I used.  The image is from the set called Sketched Blooms.  The sentiments (I stamped one on the inside as well) are from Care & Comfort II, and the die is called Various Vases die.

I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black in and carefully colored them using Inktense pencils.  I finished the card off using some Tiny Twinkles.

Unfortunately this card had to go out right away, but I was happy with the end product.  I hope y'all are having a wonderful start to your weekend :)

Here are the links to the products in the TE store:

*sketched blooms	*care & comfort 2	*various vases	Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	Premium Cardstock - Oreo
*memento tuxedo black full pad	Tim Holtz Waterbrush	*taylor's tiny twinkles - multi-color

InLinkz.com

Documented Life Project 2015 -- Week 6

Hey everyone!  In the effort to be more transparent with my art, I'm showing you a layout in the art journal for the Documented Life Project 2015 week 6.

February Theme:  Layers You Will Love!

February 7 Art Challenge:  When Not to Stop

Journal Prompt:  "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough!" (Ooh)

I love that there really aren't any rules to our pages, although that is usually a foreign concept to me.  Because this is still a super new journey for me, I'm not sure that I really accomplished the 'When Not to Stop' challenge.  These Dyan Reavely journals are HUGE when you're staring at a blank page, so you really just have to start.

I started by using Gesso (as I usually do), then by writing a quote on layers all over my page in a messy cursive.  The layers go as follows:  ledger paper, Distress Paints, Gelli Prints, stamping, paints, doodles, Gesso through a stencil, more doodles, stabilo pencil.

This definitely could have used more layers, especially since layers are the theme, but I'm happy.  I could be happier ;)

As always, I'm looking forward to next weeks prompt!  Thanks for stopping in!

Deconstructed Sketch: Love You

Hey everyone!  I hope you're having a fantastic start to your Tuesday morning!  I just wanted to stop in quickly to show you a card I made using the Deconstructed Sketch #187.  I used just a couple of goodies from Taylored Expressions:  Tag-a-long Valentine, Tag-a-long Valentine dies, and Build a Tag 2 die.  

I love the sketch that Jen has for us this week.  They are always good and definitely work jotting down to save for another day as well.  I used some Tombow markers to watercolor my cute little kitty, and finished the whole look off with some heart stickers.

Here are the links to the products I used in the TE store:

Tag-a-long Valentine

Tag-a-long Valentine Dies

Build a Tag 2

Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock

*foam tape - 1/16" thick

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Taylored Expressions: Dotted Lattice Embossing Folder

Hey crafty friends!  I had some great crafty time over this last weekend, and I'm anxious to show you some of the stuff I made.  To start, I want to show you this one using some great new stuff from Taylored Expressions!  The stamp set is called Somebunny Loves You and there is a matching die set; Somebunny Loves You dies.  What do you think of that embossing on the background?  I did that using one of the new folders from TE called Dotted Lattice Embossing Folder.  The papers are all from the For Peep's Sake Matched Kit. . .so pretty and vibrant!  Another new item I used on this card are the darling carrots from the Little Bits die line!  I LOVE all of the Little Bits dies that Taylor has. . .so cheap that I feel like I need them all! ;)

I also used some other goodies from TE that were previous releases.  The background die is the Label Stacklets 7 die, and I also used the Label It die.

Thanks for stopping in today!  I've got some photo editing to do, then I'll have more stuff to show you :)

Here are the links to all of the goodies in the Taylored Expressions Store:

Somebunny Loves You	Somebunny Loves You Dies	Little Bits - Carrot	*label stacklets 7	*label it
Embossing Folder - Dotted Lattice	Matched Kit - For Peep's Sake	*memento tuxedo black full pad	*memento rose bud full pad	*memento tangelo full pad
*memento cantaloupe full pad	*copic markers	*foam tape - 1/16" thick

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions Release Day: Stained Glass Cross Cutting Plate

It's Release Day for Taylored Expressions!  I'm sure you're filling up your cart with all of the latest and greatest goodies!  Every month TE amazes me with the array of amazingness it releases.  I wanted to show you this gorgeous new cutting plate called Stained Glass Cross Cutting Plate.  I'm completely in love with it!  Think of the cards, scrapbook pages, wall art, and so on that could be made with this plate! 

I used some TE Oreo and Sugar Cube cardstock and some clear plastic sheets to create my card.  After using the cutting plate on the Oreo cardstock, I adhered the plastic sheet to the back.  I colored on the back with Copic markers using the stained glass as a guide.  I love how realistic it looks!  The previously released set, He is Risen, is the perfect compliment to this cutting plate.  They go hand in hand for sure!

I really can't wait to hear what you think about the new products.  If you want to see more (and you know you do!), head over to the Taylored Expressions Blog for more!

Here are the links to the products in the TE Store:

Stained Glass Cross Cutting Plate	*he is risen	Clear Plastic Sheets	*memento tuxedo black full pad	Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube
Premium Cardstock - Oreo	*copic markers	*hemp cord - black (68 yards)	*foam tape - 1/16" thick

InLinkz.com

January's Documented Life Project 2015

Hey there crafty friends!  I told you earlier this year that I was going to attempt to share my art journaling a bit more.  Even though my pages are not the best by my own standards, I'm going to share my Documented Life Project 2015 pages today.  I'm sharing them in a lump sum here, because this book doesn't make it upstairs much. . .like at all, and my camera doesn't make it downstairs much either.  I've got weeks 2 through 5 and a bonus here today, hehe.

January's theme was the blank page and how to face it, and week 2 focussed on Gesso.  I always gesso my pages to start, because I've found I don't like the results if I don't.  Everyone has a preference.  I put down some old music paper, stamped some black rings using a toilet paper holder, used some texture paste, then proceeded to paint using water and drips.  In the end I gessoed a spot for my saying.  I'm not ultra impressed with this page.

Week 3 was a color wheel challenge.  I grabbed all of my paint, and just started painting without cleaning my brush.  I do really like the results here.

Week 4 was writing and 'words with friends'.  I crumpled up some thesaurus pages and pasted them down with Gel Medium.  After it dried, I gessoed the whole page, and then started coloring with Gelatos and a bit of paint.  I'm starting to like the results the more I journal.

Week 5 was under paper and 'what lies beneath'.  Most of my under paper is deli paper, and I have to say that while it's great for making elements of a page, I DON'T like it for a base under my work.  I've down faces before, mostly just as practice, but this is my first time putting it out there for all the world to see.  I'm not a fan of this face, and it may have something to do with the deli paper being the base underneath.  I did gesso over all of the deli paper and that helped, but not enough.  You can tell she has a very shiny face.  I do like the color combos that resulted in the end.

Here is one of my practice faces.  I drew her with a Stabilo pencil, colored over her with some subpar craypas and then used a black pen to give her some detail.  I'm actually liking how she turned out :)

There you have it.  Even though these are not what I call great, they are mine.  I'll be anxious to see how I progress through the year.  If you're not a part of Documented Life Project 2015, you should really consider it.  It's free, and it has really stretched my creative muscles. . .which is the goal anyway ;)

Be sure to come back tomorrow to for the Taylored Expressions Release and a fun project I have to share!

Colour Q #277: You Matter to Me

Happy Monday, everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I wanted to show you a card I made for this week's Colour Q challenge.  I didn't have the exact colors they asked for, but I did have some similar ones.  What made this card so fun, was trying out some Crackle Texture Paste.  I mixed it with some Cameo Coral (SU) reinker and spread it over a stencil.  As it dried, it cracked to give this really cool look.  I used some supplies from my Simon Says Stamp February Kit of the Month, like the stamp set Paper Hugs.  

Stamps:  SS Paper Hugs

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  various cardstock, Confetti White

Accessories:  Prima stencil, Crackle Texture Paste, distresser, gray ribbon

Thanks for stopping in today!  Be sure to come back on Thursday for a look at some new TE Release products!

You're Sweet -- Color Throwdown #327

Hey Everyone!  I'm popping in today to show you a card for this week's Color Throwdown and this week's Simon Says Stamp 'anything goes' challenge.  I had some time after a bit of organizing (which I'm convinced was really only moving piles around), so I thought I would reward myself with some card making.  I have a few art journal entries to show you as well from the Documented Life Project 2015, but I just haven't taken the pictures yet.  Trust me, I've been keeping up even if my stuff isn't very good from week to week.

My card today uses a set from the January Studio Calico Card Kit.  I'm not quite sure if I'm in love with these kits yet. . .the jury is still out.  I've only used the stamp from this kit and managed to use some goodies from a past Simon Says Stamp Kit (those I do love).  I sprayed over a stencil with Copic marker BG49, and colored my fruit with Inktense pencils.  I still need to play around with those some more.  I don't believe I've very good at them, but they are interesting to me.

Stamps:  January 2015 Studio Calico set

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black

Paper:  turquoise cardstock, TE Sugar Cube

Accessories:  Inktense pencils, black embossing powder, SS Moroccan Stencil, purple twine, foam tape

Thanks for stopping in!