Taylored Expressions Blog Team!!

Yes! That is me you see in that little circle! I cannot tell you how excited I was to get an email from Taylor herself inviting me to be on the Taylored Expressions Blog team! I had to read it twice to make sure she hadn't sent it to the wrong person! haha! I have been following Taylor's blog for years! I think it may be the first card blog I ever found, way back before she even had the store. Anyway, I am just thrilled to be working with such an amazingly group of talented designers there. 

My first blog post will be on August 14th and I'll have a little sneak peek here on my blog incase you forget ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me share my exciting news with you! I'll be back tomorrow with my Festive Friday post and Saturday with some more exciting news! Oh gosh! I'm just full of exciting things! haha!

Happy Thursday!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Cutting Edge Stencils

Hello friends!

I hope your week has been good!

I've been little quite on the blog for the past few days. We have a big weekend coming up with company and a wedding! My brother and his lovely fiancé are getting married this Saturday. It's a second one for them both, but I am so happy for them :) And I am taking the pictures... eeek! No pressure! I am not a professional photographer by any means, but I have loved photography and taking pictures since I was super young. I just hope the weather and the sun/light cooperate for us :) I'm a bit nervous, I'll admit, but I'm excited too :)

So I have had the wonderful opportunity recently to work with some fabulous new stencils from Cutting Edge Stencils. They have just recently started making small sized stencils which are perfect for card making. The stencils I used were 8 x 10 and worked perfect for my cards, but would be excellent for scrapbooking or larger projects too.

For my first project I used the Nagoya Stencil template. I love this pattern and I may be wrong, but I think this is the same pattern as the quilt design, Double Wedding ring. Any quilters out there can correct me if I'm wrong :)

I simply sponged a white background panel with blue ink from my ink pad. It worked wonderfully and cleaned up with a wet sponge and some water easily. The little bird on the post and the sun I cut out with my Cameo with files from Miss Kate's Cuttables. I added the detail on the post with my Copic markers. The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn.

Okay, anyone who was following my blog last fall and winter may remember that I ADORE birch trees! I have bought every birch tree stamp and stencil I've ever come across. I don't know what it is about them, but I just love them! When we go on vacation out west, I take pictures of just birch trees and aspen trees and their bark! When I get home and show off my vacation photos, everyone wants to know why there are so many photos of tree trunks! haha!

Anyway, on to the card! I used the lovely Birch Forest stencil for this one. I just sponged some crumb cake ink over the stencil onto a white panel, then layered the pinecones and flowers with foam tape. I then mounted the whole thing on a natural card base. Oh I just love those trees!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I have an exciting announcement coming up tomorrow! Can't wait to share! I've been holding it in all month and I'm about to explode! haha!

Have a great day!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Verve July Release Retrospective Blog Hop!

Welcome to Verve's July Release Retrospective Blog Hop! The Verve Divas and guests are hopping today and serving up some more inspiration using the July release stamps & dies! Besides a peek at some really cool cards, there are also a couple of prizes up for grabs! 

If you are following the hop, you will have just come from Teresa's blog.

Here are a couple more cards I created with the beautiful new releases this month.

This first one was made with the set Happy Place. 

Stamps:  Happy Place (Verve Stamps)

Paper:  Pure Luxury ( Gina K Designs)

Ink:  Early Expresso ( Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories: Copic Markers

My second one using stamps from Peaceful Medallions and Happy Place.

Stamps:  Peaceful Medallions, Moments Remembered, Happy Place (Verve Stamps)

Paper:  Pure Luxury ( Gina K Designs)

Ink:  Real Red, Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery ( Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories:  Doily ( My Favorite Things)

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have enjoyed seeing all of the new release! Your next stop on the blog hop will be Janelle!

1. Julee	10. Jen
2. Stacey	11. Sheri {Guest}
3. Maureen	12. Laurie
4. Chaitali	13. Andrea
5. Marisa	14. Amber
6. Teresa	15. Christyne
7. Kay {Guest}	16. Sarah
8. Janelle	17. Anya
9. Charmaine	18. Betty

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We're giving away a $40 gift voucher to one lucky commenter along the hop, so be sure to leave a shout out in the comments as you hop about.

Want another chance to win? Now it's your turn! We'd LOVE to see what you've done with the July release. Link up your cards using at least one product from our July release and you'll be entered in a drawing to win our entire next release! All the details and the linkup widget are on the Verve Blog today. The deadline is August 23, so there's still plenty of time to get the July release if you haven't already. 

Don't miss this weekend only discount offer in honor of Julee's birthday:

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Hello Friends!

This is my second post for the day. If you want to see my Festive Friday reminder just scroll down :)

July 2014 Blog Hop

I am super excited to join along in the Papertrey Ink blog hop this month. One of the main reasons I started my blog was so I could do just this, and I haven't in a long time. I planned ahead this time, so I was ready for it. :)

Here is the inspiration photo:

Isn't that darling! I just love red gingham and buttons!

So focused mainly on the red gingham, but thought this cute little bowl of apples would go fabulous with it. Makes me want to go on a picnic! haha!

From Papertrey Ink I used:

Bowl of Sunshine Stamps and dies

Journal Card Borders die

Journal Card1 die

Heart Prints die collection

Stitched mat die- Lil Inkers

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy weekend!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Festive Friday Reminder

Hello my friends!

I hope you have all had a wonderful week!

I just wanted to remind you that there is still time to join the challenge at Festive Friday!

Here is the gorgeous inspiration photo for this time around. I did a fairly simple card this time :)

I kept it fairly simple, but wanted to pick up the brown/gold tones in the photo along with the white.
I adhered a strip of patterned paper down the side of my white mat, glued the die cut pine border along that and added the snowflakes with foam tape. I then stamped the sentiment.

Supplies:
Stamps- snowflake Flurries- Papertrey Ink
Paper- stripe- Pink Paisley, white- Pure Luxury GinaK Designs
Dies- snowflake- WPlus9, pine border- Memory Box

I hope you will play along with us at Festive Friday!

You can also check out the amazing talent from the other design team members at Festive Friday!

Thank so much for stopping by!

I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend! 

Hugs,

Kay :)

The Card Concept #15 and Paper Smooches SPARKS

Hello my friends!

It's time for another fabulous challenge at The Card Concept!

This weeks challenge is to create a card in these lovely summer colors.

And that is exactly what I did here  Those colors spoke to me, they said "summer breeze Kay". :)

I can't tell you how much fun I had creating this one. I love this die from Paper Smooches and have been wanting to use it. When I saw the colors in the inspiration photo, I just knew I could make it work with my little boat! I die cut all the different pieces and made my ocean scene fresh with flying seagulls, then  I cut out all the pieces for the sailboat and adhered it all to my scene with foam tape. I just glued the fishies and the seagull straight down. Didn't want them popping off my page :)

Supplies:

Dies- rounded corner mat- Spellbinders, stitched cloud- Mama Elephant, water- My Favorite Things, Seagulls- Lawn Fawn, Boat and fish- Paper Smooches. 

Paper- Stampin Up and Recollections white

Thanks so much for stopping by! Stop by and see what the other designers have created and  I hope you'll join us for the challenge at The Card Concept!

I am also adding this card to the current Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge, anything goes!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Festive Friday #36

Hello my friends!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week! The weather here has been unbelievable, highs in only the 70's. That is unheard of here for this time of year. I just wish it would last :)

It's time again for another challenge at Festive Friday!

Here is the gorgeous inspiration photo for this time around. I was inspired by this photo to try a white on white card. I have seen this done and admired it so much. I've always wanted to try it, so I did!

I was also inspired by that bunny on the table ;)

I first cut out the grey blue mat , layered the trees and snow hills in the background. I cut out and added the fence with foam tape, then added more snow hills in front of that. Next I cut out all of the greenery ( or do I say whitery?) and just kind of stuck it here and there with a dab of glue. Last but certainly not least, I added the sentiment and that cute bunny.

Supplies:
Mat and snow drifts- My Favorite Things
 Fence- Papertrey Ink
Bunnies- Impression Obsession
Branches- Poppy Stamps
Holly- Impression Obsession
Fir Tree Border- Impression Obsession

I hope you will play along with us at Festive Friday!

You can also check out the amazing talent from the other design team members at Festive Friday!

Also, I have added 20 new ornaments to my Etsy store! 10 full size ornaments and 14 mini ornaments! You can see them all HERE

Thank so much for stopping by!

I hope you all have a safe and happy weekend! 

Hugs,

Kay :)

CAS(E) This Sketch #85 Guest Designer

Happy Thursday!

I am super tickled to be guesting for CAS(E) This Sketch this week! I love to play along with their fabulous sketches and was thrilled when Chrissy asked me to join them this week as guest designer! 

The sketch this week is a super fun one!

I created this nice little floral cluster with nothing but dies!

I first layered the green branches, then added the white doily with foam tape. Next I layered the flower with foam tape and then stuck the little blue green leaves underneath with just a drop of glue. I  finished it off by stamping the sentiment ( and hoping I got it straight! haha). 

supplies:

Paper: Pure Luxury GinaK Designs

Stamps: Sentiment WPlus9

Dies: Green branches Poppy Stamps

White Doily-My Favorite Things

Flowers- Papertrey Ink

Blue green leaves- Impression Obsession 

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you'll join us at

CAS(E) This Sketch 

this week!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Curtain Call - Anything Goes

Happy Wednesday my friends!

I have been in love with flamingos since I was a young kid. When we lived in Florida, we owned a Marine Supply and Tackle store with a seafood market too. I was in charge of decorating the market and I did the whole thing in aqua and pink with flamingos everywhere. It was so cute! I even painted a huge mural on the wall opposite the seafood market of a beach scene with a flamingo. It was the only large scale painting I ever did. I took pictures, but somewhere along the way in our move north, they disappeared. 

Anyway, I still love flamingoes! As soon as I saw the new release from Reverse Confetti, with the flamingo set, I had to have it! 

This is just my first card of many that I will make with this cute little flamingo!

The flamingo, the scalloped mat and the striped mat are all from Reverse Confetti. The greenery is from Clearly Besotted. The flower is from Lawn Fawn and the sentiment is from WPlus9. I cut the flamingo body out with the matching dies and made a cut file for my Cameo to cut out the legs. 

I am adding this to The Curtain Call challenge. This challenge is anything goes and there are loads of wonderful sponsors! 

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Festive Friday Reminder

Hello my friends!

I hope everyone has had a nice weekend. I have been so super busy lately. My girl and I just got back from our annual girl's trip. Since we both have July birthdays, we go on a shopping trip sometime between the two and spend the night. We had so much fun! We shopped all day, then went back to our comfy motel room, ate junk food, watched movies and played with our new stuff :) She kept me up waaaaay too late, but we sure did have fun :)

Just wanted to remind everyone that there's still time to join in on the challenge at Festive Friday!

Such a fun inspiration photo!

The presents were die cut with a die from Cottage Cuts. I've had it forever and this is the first time I've used it. The stitched mat is from Lil Inkers and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

I hope you will play along with us at Festive Friday!

You can also check out the amazing talent from the other design team members at Festive Friday!

I want to thank everyone so much for all the lovely comments you left for me during the Verve Blog Hop. I appreciate them so very much! It was my first ever blog hop and was so fun! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

Kay :)

Verve New Releases are Now Available!

Hello Friends!

I am back again today with another card to showcase the lovely new releases from Verve!

Welcome to the July 2014 Spotlight Hops! 

 Everything previewed this week is now available in the Verve online store!

My card today uses the new Happy Doodles stamp set and matching die.

I just love this gorgeous butterfly! 

Stamps:  Happy Place (Verve Stamps)

Paper:  Pretty In Pink ( Stampin’ Up!)

Ink:  Early Expresso ( Stampin’ Up!)
Accessories:  Happy Doodles Die set (A Cut Above by VERVE), bow and stitched circle (Lil Inkers) Stitched mat ( My Favorite Things)

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured products! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for full set reveals, an introduction of our guest divas, and all the prize info and deadlines!

Today's Prize: The ENTIRE release!

1. Julee 9. Charmaine 2. Stacey 10. Jen 3. Maureen 11. Sheri {Guest} 4. Chaitali 12. Laurie 5. Marisa 13. Andrea 6. Teresa 14. Amber 7. Kay {Guest} 15. Christyne 8. Janelle

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs,

Kay :)

More Verve New Releases!

Hello Friends!

I am back again today with another card to showcase the lovely new releases from Verve!

Welcome to the July 2014 Spotlight Hops! 

We're so excited to share some new Verve with you! The Divas will be spotlighting 3 new sets, a plain jane and a coordinating die set over the next few days, so keep your eyes peeled for some fresh Verve inspiration

 Everything previewed this week will be available in the Verve online store on Friday, 7/11.

Today we are showcasing the cute set Happy Doodles and matching dies illustrated by Julee Tilman.

This is another set that I adore. So many cute designs and fun sentiments!

I colored the flowers with Copic markers and cut them out with the matching die. I stamped the sentiment on the stitched panel and layered all the other elements with foam tape.

Stamps:  Happy Place (Verve Stamps) Sunny Days ( Verve Stamps)

Paper:  Cardstock ( Stampin’ Up!)
Ink:  Early Expresso ( Stampin’ Up!)
Accessories:  Happy Doodles and Leafy Sprigs (A Cut Above by VERVE), notebook paper ( My Favorite Things) Stitched mat and border ( Lil Inkers)

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured products! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for full set reveals, an introduction of our guest divas, and all the prize info and deadlines!

Today's Prize: Happy Place (illustrated by Julee Tilman), Happy Doodles Die Set, 2 Corinthians 12:9

1. Julee 9. Charmaine 2. Stacey 10. Jen 3. Maureen 11. Sheri {Guest} 4. Chaitali 12. Laurie 5. Marisa 13. Andrea 6. Teresa 14. Amber 7. Kay {Guest} 15. Christyne 8. Janelle

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs,

Kay :)