Going to be some changes...

Hello everyone! Long long time no posting! I'm sorry to say I've had a lot of medical issues that have prevented me from making cards and scrapbooking like I love. However one new hobby I have taken on is knitting. I'd rather not post all the details of what happened right now but part of my long recovery process to my neurological problems involves knitting. So I will be posting some knitting things on here for a while until I am able to do cards and scrapbooking again! I'll post more on the recovery later!

Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #153!

I am so excited!! I thought the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge had already ended..... But it didn't!  So I am so excited to be able to still enter... I made this card just as our family began to get sick!  So I never posted it... everyone is getting better except my little man... but he is being monitored and showing progress!  I know you don't want to hear about that... so on to the sketch!

Of course I used the Moka stamps!  I even took the Halloween one and colored her hair black to cover the witch hat!  I love these little girls and thought it would be great to use them all together!  Hope you enjoy! I had fun making it and its outside what I would normally do... but hey that's what makes these a CHALLENGE!! LOL  Wish me luck!

Enjoy,

Nicole

Another Birthday party!

So my daughter had another birthday party over the weekend!  So I decided to make a card using my Taylored Expressions pennant and flag dies.  Since I didn't have stamps to stamp out the birthday girl's name I wrote it out with my gel pens!  My daughter was so excited to give the card... it makes her happy to give a handmade card! That's my girl!

Supplies: Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kit June 2011, Bazzil card-stock, Stamps are from CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge set.

Enjoy

Nicole

Kids making valentines

This year my 3 year old made valentines for the first time ever!  I reluctantly gave them to the teacher really wanting to keep them all for myself and save forever! LOL  Then my middle daughter Anna decorated her valentine box with little monsters too.  This year the Taylored Expressions stamps were a BIG hit with the kids.  We all had fun making various crafts and cards with them.  The little monsters set was voted favorite of all with the dashunds coming in a close second!

Here are some pics showing what the kids made!

Zachary coloring his favorite monster for his valentines!

Here are three of the final projects he made!  Attached bags of fruit snacks and he was happy!

This is the valentine box Anna made... work in progress here.

Here are some of the images she colored to add to her box!

My oldest daughter Taylor also made valentines using the monsters but we didn't get any pictures of them!! :(

Enjoy!

Nicole

Valentines Day!

I am under the weather right now but I would like to share with you the Valentines Day card I made for my oldest daughter Taylor.  She has beautiful red hair and I made Mokia to look similar!  She LOVED IT!!!

Supplies:
Stamps: Moka Cherie by Taylored Expressions, Hearts a Plenty Dies by Taylored Expressions, Bazzill Cardstock, choice buttercream card stock by Taylored Expressions, ribbon and designer paper from Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients Kits from January 2011.
Enjoy!!
Nicole

One more valentine....

Sorry for the delay in posting... our house was hit pretty hard with cold and flu due to this crazy weather! Here in Michigan we have a saying... if you don't like the weather wait 5 minutes!  This winter has been crazy like that!  We have had little snow and when it does finally snow... within two days it looks like spring again and its pouring down rain.  This is NOT my idea of winter.  Needless to say my children and hubby have severe allergies and this has not been a fun time for them.  My husband came down with the flu and that was awful!  Thus far I have been able to stay healthy (knock on wood). 

Enough about that... lets talk crafts! =) When I make cards I often cut out a lot of different pieces and try out various designs before I choose what will be my final product.  I will often make a "dummie card" which is stamped various times and has holes in random places etc from where I tried various ideas and didn't like it.  Often times I end up with various components I really like but just don't' fit my specific card at that time... so this card is made up of pieces from my CPS 252 card I made.  I didn't like how the Moka girl looked on it but when I put these love elephants (from Taylored Expressions) and added the red hearts to the TE heart border die I liked it!  So this is one of this semi scrap/dummie cards! I have bags of dummie pieces that my girls just love to make things with...  someone appreciates my creative mishaps! LOL

Supplies: Paper: Bazzill cardstock, Taylored Expressions Key ingredient card kit January. 

Stamps: Animals in love - Elephants  Dies: Taylored Expressions Jumbo heart border die, nest abilities scalloped circles. Copic markers. doodle bug twine, buttons (no idea where they came from).

Enjoy!!

Nicole

CPS Challenge 252 Sponsored by Taylored Expressions

Today I am sharing my creation for the CPS challenge #252 sponsored by Taylored Expressions!  You can enter your own creation by clicking on the words above!  I can't wait to see what everyone makes!
Since the challenged by TE I decided to use my new goodies I purchased from them....ok and also because I am addicted to them and can't quit using them!  I made several cards that all fit this challenge but this one is the one I decided to submit!  The rest will follow tomorrow.

For this challenge I used a variety of papers from my Taylored Expression January Key Ingredients Kit.  The card stock is Bazill, Patterned paper is Crate Paper - Paper Heart, I also used heart trinket pins, heart button candy dots.  For the stamps I used Moka Cherie (simply love them) and the Fly your flag 3 stamp set and coordinating die.  These dies are so much fun I got all 3 of them and this one looks great on the heart trinket pin!  I have also used toothpicks and bakers twine.  Since the papers were so busy I went light on the embellishments. If you have any questions please leave a comment or send me an email! 


This little card will go to my daughter Anna for Valentines day! She is a blond just like the little Moka here! Since she doesn't view my blog I can post it now! LOL  Sorry Taylor.... I'm not posting your card until after Valentines day! =) I know you check my blog on your iPhone!
Enjoy
Nicole

First Blog header complete!!! YAY

I am so excited to display the new blog header I made using Little Miss Sweet Stuff digital scrapbooking kit designed by Amanda Rockwell.  There is a link on the side of my blog that will take you to a site where you can view her designs and purchase them!  I paid $4.80 for the kit and used Photoshop Elements 9 to create it.  I learned how to work with PSE from a blog called Digital Scrapper.com   

I have always admired other stamper's fancy blog headers and graphics... now I can make my own! So exciting!!!

Coming Soon this week...

   New creations using Taylored Expressions goodies!

   First time using digi images

Let is Snow!!!.... Make it Stop!!

Some people have lots of snow while others haven't got much... we are in an area of Michigan that hasn't got much.  Currently it is 5 degrees outside and I just want snow!  I want to be able to go outside sledding and enjoy the weather with my children!  So I am keeping the tag positioned to display Let It Snow!! I made this tag reversible so you could also say make it stop! ;) This was one of my holiday cards... since I had troubles no one got to see it on my old blog so I thought I would display it here!

 

I am working on perfecting my photos so hopefully they will improve soon!

Supplies:  Cardstock: Bazzil, patterned paper is by Echo Park-Winter Park purchased from Taylored Expressions. Ribbon: Stampin Up, silver twine Stampin Up. Inks: Momento Ink, copics, sprica glitter pen(red), craft white ink from Stampin Up. Stamp Set: Inkadinkadoo (not 100% sure since the card was thrown away). The stamp set was purchased at Michaels for $9.99 and has 14 stamps total.  Has reindeer, ice skating polar bear, Merry Christmas, Ho Ho Ho, tree, kitten in stocking, and sledding penguin to name a few.

Enjoy!

Nicole

Sending Sweet Birthday Wishes to a Friend

So today is a friend's birthday who is also a fellow crafter.... but she also loves chocolate!  So I made her some Oreo truffles, pretzel Rolo melts (my name for them) and this card!  I finally got to use my stamp set from Taylored Expressions from the Moka Collections called Betty.  I have to say I LOVE the new Moka collection because by changing the hair color and skin complexion I can really make this girl into either of my daughters or someone else!  I am forcing myself to use my Key Ingredients Kits (also by TE) I have collected over the last year.  I love the paper and "collect" it instead of using it! This kit is from April 2011 and the paper is titled The Girl's Paperie - Kitch.  I am looking forward to busting into my kit from this month that just arrived today!!! I will not collect this paper.... I will not collect this paper.... I will.... hopefully! LOL
Happy Birthday P.J.!!!!

Products used:
Taylored Expressions: Stamps: Moka collection Betty, Key Ingredients Kit April 2011
Other tools: Copic markers, glitter pen, paper piercing tool/mat from Stampin Up.

Enjoy,
Nicole

First Post and Photoshop Elements....

Hello again.... after several hours trying my first attempt at Photoshop Elements 9 I realized I may need a guide for dummies or something! This software can do some amazing things to photos... however it's going to take some time to figure out how to use it!  I have been working on upgrading my equipment so now I have an awesome DSLR camera(my dream for many years), Photoshop and a new laptop.... not I just have to figure it all out how they work together! I was finally able to get this picture edited and add my info to the bottom but still can't get it to accept my design!  Who would have thought a watermark would be so difficult!

Here is a card I created a for my daughter's friend.  The papers are part of a paper pack by My Minds Eye called Just Dreamy. I LOVE this paper pack because it has papers for both girls and boys and very versatile... best of all its glitter paper with a high gloss clear lacquer.  I put the monkey just above the cupcake because I though he just had that look on his little face!  Not much shading going on with the copics... I colored this image when I first got my copics and wasn't quite sure what I was doing!  When I got them I stamped a bunch of my favorite images and began to practice colors.  Then I saved them for when I need to make cards quickly! It also allows my kids to choose the character they want to use! Win Win!!  I have lots more cards to post... can't wait to share them with you!


Paper: Patterned My Minds Eye Just Dreamy, Solid Stampin Up! Stamps: Itzie Inkies Stamp Set "It's my birthday" C.C. Designs Rubber Stamps Other: Copics, SU! Crystal Effects, Robins Egg Dew Drops, Prima Flowers Got Prints?.


Enjoy!
Nicole mj

WELCOME!!! Glad you found me!

Welcome to the home of my new blog!  I have had problems with my previous blog not posting and not sure how to get it fixed.  So over the next month or so I will be making this into my new home for posting all my creations!  I will also be updating my favorite blogs and website and products!  I am looking forward to also reviewing various stamping products... since this is how I also research products!

Getting ready for a new year, new blog and lots of fun stamping!!!!