Black Ice

Good morning, crafty friends! This week, my Imaginisce teammates and I are celebrating the release of the new collection, Black Ice, and it is so gorgeous and pretty! I have three projects to share with you today, so let's get started with this elegant wedding or engagement card I created.

I really love the Invitation Pack cards for Black Ice. They are thick and sturdy, and the designs are simply divine. I was particularly taken by the tree image in the Tree Line invitation and wanted to create a card around it. Using patterned paper from the collection, I matted the trimmed card and created a simple layout, adding some ribbon and an embossed sentiment. For some added elegance, I added some Glam Rocks to the tree with my trusty i-Rock tool.

I wanted to create a wedding card that could also be kept as a keepsake and double as a framed photo. I saw these Z-Fold cards on Pinterest and thought the design would work very well because it will fold flat for mailing. Using the elegant papers, I created the different elements of the card and added a photo from my own wedding (almost 15 years ago!) 

The pretty flower in the paper made for a perfect "catch" for the photo, and I cut out the frame from the Striped Invitation Pack card as its base. My husband and I don't actually have any of our wedding photos up around the house, so this card will be a perfect way to display a memento of our perfect day.

The Black Ice collection is so starkly beautiful and I wanted to create a striking thank you card. I used the contrasting patterned papers and stamped a big, bold sentiment. I wanted to create my own floral embellishment, so I used the i-Top and made a brad using the patterned paper and added it to a die-cut flower.

BEAN NOTES

May Your Love Bloom Card

(patterned paper, invitation card from Black Ice collection) Imaginisce; (card stock) Stampin' Up; (dies and stamped sentiment) Taylored Expressions; (ribbon) May Arts; (embossing powder) Stampin' Up; (Glam Rocks and i-Rock tool) Imaginisce

Wedding Z-Fold Card

(patterned paper, invitation card from Black Ice collection) Imaginisce; (card stock) American Crafts; (dies) Taylored Expressions; (ribbon) Kate's Paperie

Thank You Card

(patterned paper from Black Ice collection) Imaginisce; (card stock) Stampin' Up; (stamped sentiment and flourish); (Brad Daddy and i-Top tool) Imaginisce; (dies) Sizzix

I hope you enjoyed my projects today! Please be sure to visit the Imaginisce blog for more Black Ice inspiration!

Welcome in My Nest...

My husband and I recently celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary -- yikes! We've known one another for over 18 years and he is my very best friend. Here is a clean and simple card to let him know just how much he means to me. I used one of my favorite Seasonal Wreaths from Taylored Expressions and colored in the sweet birds before adding some glittery Stickles to glam things up just a touch.

Do you have a special someone that is welcome in your nest anytime?

Stamps:( birds/birdnest, wreath from Wreath of Love set) Taylored Expressions; Ink: (Memento Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko; Cardstock: (Solar White) Neenah; Coloring Medium: (Sketch Markers) Copic; Accents: (Diamond Stickles) Ranger; Tools: (Vagabond) Tim Holtz by Sizzix; Dies: (Seasonal Wreath) Taylored Expressions

Bikes & Trikes...Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek Day 2!

June Release At a Glance

• We have sneak peeks to share Monday through Wednesday.  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Thursday, June 7th at 8 am PST. You'll find it all in the Fresh out of the Oven Department at the Taylored Expressions Store. 
• Join us as a fan on Facebook for an early peek at the stamp sets, as well as a SPECIAL Facebook GIVEAWAY, on Wednesday night beginning at approximately 6 pm PST.

Happy, happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a rousing start. Today I get to share a fun, clean and simple card I made featuring what is sure to become one of my favorite stamp sets -- Bikes & Trikes from Taylored Expressions (and a bright idea from Jami Sibley, our DT Coordinator)! 

I really wanted the bike and sentiment to shine here, so I did without patterned paper or embellishments. I know that sometimes it is really difficult to not want to add more and more, but if you aren't usually a clean and simple kind of card-maker, give it a try and you'll be surprised at how fun and easy it can be.

After stamping and coloring the bike, I also stamped the sentiment, but masked out the word "you" on the stamp. I wanted to use the new (and coordinating!) Skinny Alphabet Taylored Die, TE's first alphabet set, to die-cut out the word instead. With a bit of removable adhesive, it's so easy to add this fun bit of design to any card!

BEAN NOTES

Stamps: Bikes & Trikes (Emily Burger for Taylored Expressions)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)

Cardstock: Solar White (Neenah); Baja Breeze, Real Red (Stampin' Up!)

Coloring Medium: Sketch Markers (Copic)
Dies: Tall & Skinny Alpha (Taylored Expressions)

I hope you liked my card today...don't forget to check out the rest of the Baker's Dozen for more peeks at this cute new set!

Charmaine Ikach

Jami Sibley (DT Coordinator)

Jen Shults

Jodi Collins

Karen Giron

Melissa Sauls

Melody Rupple

Michele Boyer - Guest Designer

Regina Mangum

Sankari Wegman

Stephanie Kraft

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

Monkey Mojo...

to view the image up-close, please click on the photo

I was in need of some creative mojo and thought what better place to find it than in this week's Mojo Monday sketch? My in-laws are celebrating their wedding anniversary this month and it was the perfect opportunity to make them a card to help them celebrate. I've been wanting to use this adorable little "love monkey" for a while now and I thought I'd pair him with some fun patterned paper to go along with the mojolicious sketch! Happy anniversary to a very HAPPY couple!

BEAN NOTES

Stamps: Love Monkey and sentiment from Wishing You (Verve)

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up!)

Patterned Paper: Lime Twist Life of the Party (MME); Odds & Ends (Cosmo Cricket)

Ink: Early Espresso (SU!)

Tools: Heart Punch and Photo Corner Punch (SU!)

Accents: Flower Brad (Making Memories)

Fibers: Alpine Ribbon Originals (SU!)

Forever and Always...

to view an image up-close, please click on the photo

Earlier this week, I made a card for a pair of newlyweds. Today, I thought I'd celebrate an anniversary, and one in particular. My son's great-grandparents will have been married for more than 60 years this month, which is a wonderful love story in it of itself. I can only hope that my own marriage will last as long and with as much love and respect as theirs. 

To get me started, I used this week's terrific sketch from the Pals Paper Arts Challenge. I also thought this would be the perfect chance to play with my new Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients. The papers are so pretty and I thought I'd let them do the work for me today in wishing Rachel and John a very happy anniversary, forever and always!

SPILLING THE BEANS

1. Make card from card stock.
2. Trim patterned paper; round edges.
3. Trim horizontal element and mat. Add rub-on sentiment and adhere.
4. Die-cut and assemble ribbon from felt. Attach with glue.
5. Stamp and fussy cut butterfly. Adhere.
6. Apply liquid dimensionals.

BEAN NOTES

• Stamps: Garden Party Critters (Taylored Expressions)
• Rub-On: Chat Room (Stampin' Up!)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
• Card Stock: Pickle, Aztec Textured from September Key Ingredients (TE)
• Patterned Paper: Restoration (Crate Paper) 
• Accents: Lettuce Liquid Dimensionals (Adirondack)

HAPPY BEANS

• Fibers: Yellow Felt (generic)
• Dies: Bigs 3-D Flowers (Sizzix)

Pursue Happiness...

to view an image up-close, please click on the photo

I was so tickled to have been named a Play Date Cafe Challenge Fab 4 that I just had to check out this week's challenge, which is a Color Splash. It's a fun idea to use mostly black and white, with just a hint of either pink, gold, or copper. For this card, I chose copper, and took the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge as my jumping off point.

To begin, I trimmed five different patterned papers into panels and matted them against black card stock. Next, I cornice punched the top end and tied on an elegant copper ribbon. I knew that I wanted to use one of the gorgeous label frames from Take Note, one of my new Taylored Expressions sets. I love it because there is a matching die and, well, I'm all about the dies! I stamped the frame with copper metallic ink, die-cut it, and stamped the lovely sentiment from another of my favorites, Discover Your Wings. The finishing touch was some black gemstones along the border, and I had a "splashy" card to give.

BEAN NOTES

• Stamps: Take Note and Discover Your Wings (Taylored Expressions)
• Specialty Ink: Encore! Copper Metallic (Tsukineko)
• Card Stock: Basic Black (Stampin' Up!), Solar White (Neenah)
• Patterned Paper: Black Tie (Making Memories)
• Fiber: Copper Satin Ribbon (Ellen Hutson)
• Tools: Cornice Border Punch (Martha Stewart Crafts)
• Accents: Black Gemstones (generic)

HAPPY BEANS

• Die: Take Note Frame 2 (Taylored Expressions)

The Happiest of Days...

to view the image up-close, please click on the photo

It has been too long since I created a card for Mojo Monday. Of course, it's Wednesday, so I'm still a little behind! This week's sketch was simply too good to pass up, and I was inspired by the amazing samples to give it a go.

To choose my stamps, I took my cue from Julee's Something Old, Something New Challenge. I'm embarrassed to say that I have a LOT of stamps that are still sitting in their unopened packages (yikes!) so I was actually grateful for this challenge! The colors are from this week's Play Date Cafe Color Challenge, which I just had to try as their guest designer is my pal Sankari Wegman.

To start, I broke out one of my (gulp) as yet unused stamp sets to create some background paper. I stamped in a grid with Purely Pomegranate ink and blinged it up with a few gemstones. Next, I trimmed the three panels and sponged along the edges. After die-cutting the circle element, I matted it against some inverted scallop circles.


Next, I took out my "something old" and stamped this pretty sentiment. The tag element was perfect for the second half of the sentiment and, in honor of Sankari, I added some liquid dimensionals. With just a fat bow and a bright orange button, I was ready to wish someone a very happy day!

BEAN NOTES

• Stamps: Accent Notes and Wishing You (Verve)
• Ink: Purely Pomegranate and Peach Parfait Classic Dye (Stampin' Up!); Fresh Snow Hybrid (Papertrey Ink)
• Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Peach Parfait, and Crumb Cake Card Stock (SU!)
• Patterned Paper: 2010 In-Color Patterned Paper Pack (SU!)
• Dies: Inverted Scallop Circles and Classic Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders)
• Fibers: Purely Pomegranate Grosgrain Ribbon (SU!)
• Accessories: Orange Button (Basic Grey); Hemp Twine (generic); Foam Tape; Gemstones (Hero Arts)

HAPPY BEANS

• Terra Cotta Liquid Dimensionals (Adirondack)

Simply Love One Another...

to view an image up-close, please click on the watermark

Paper Crafts Magazine is hosting a fun challenge this week, which is to use one of their free downloadable simple sentiments on a card. I chose one based on the Pals Paper Arts Challenge inspiration photo -- that red heel really spoke to me! Today is also the re-launch day for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge. The lovely ladies who run it have made some  significant changes to their already delightful challenge to make it even more fun. It's a "day to evening" twist, and players are welcome to play twice, with a "daytime" look and/or a "nighttime look" for challenge projects. I'm a little under the weather today, so I chose to just play with one look, and I chose an elegant evening out.

For this card, I first printed the simple sentiment and image onto white card stock and set it aside. I then trimmed some black card stock and embossed with an embossing folder. Next, I ran the panel through my Big Shot with a die cut for a window, which I then placed over the sentiment image. I threaded some very red twill ribbon through the card stock and then added a nice, simple bow. I love the sentiment and the image is perfect for an anniversary or maybe, just to simply say, "I love you." (Edit: In case you are looking for this Simple Sentiment, click HERE.)
BEAN NOTES: Paper Crafts Magazine Love One Another Simple Sentiment Digi-Stamp; Stampin' Up Real Red and Black Card Stock; Neenah Solar White Card Stock; Cuttlebug Diamonds Embossing Folder; Spellbinders Nestabilties; Big Shot; Foam Tape
HAPPY BEANS: Papertrey Ink Pure Poppy Twill Ribbon

An Inspirational Anniversary...

to view the image up-close, please click on the watermark

My in-laws, who have been like a second set of parents to me, have been married for over three decades. They are still very much in love and are a constant source of inspiration to us and I wanted to create a card to help them celebrate their anniversary this month.

I began with this week's Friday Challenge, which, coincidentally, is an inspiration challenge. I chose the lovely blue and floral blanket and the brown hues from the inspiration photo as my jumping off point, first stamping a pretty flower several times on blue card stock to create my own designer paper. I colored them in with Copics, then cut out an oval frame with a die and my Big Shot.

Next, I cut out an extra image, using a hobby blade for the tiny spaces between stems and trimmed several pieces of the blooms in order to pop them up for some dimension. I stamped my simple sentiment inside the frame before assembling the card, complete with an elegant white ribbon.

By the way, tomorrow is my debut as a Design Team Member for the 2 Sketches 4 You challenge. We have a fun sketch for you, so I hope you will stop by and play along!

BEAN NOTES: JustRite Stampers Plant a Little Love and Baroque Nested Frames and Occasions (sentiment) Stamps; Memento Rich Cocoa Ink; Stampin' Up Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue, and Whisper White Card Stock; White Organdy Ribbon (generic); Foam Tape

HAPPY BEANS: Spellbinders Classic Oval Nestabilities; Big Shot

Delight in the Day...

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It has been so nice getting back into the groove of creating after my little break. I actually started this card yesterday -- it was my first attempt at the wonderful sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You. I abandoned it because I got an itch to make roses, which I didn't think fit with what I had in mind for this card. I don't like not finishing things I begin, so here is card number two for this week's sketch!
I wanted to make a card that would be appropriate for several occasions, but something feminine, classy and elegant. I began with the scalloped element from the sketch. I first die-cut the large scallop border, saving the negative. Next, I strung some pretty silver beads on clear thread, punching holes along each scallop peak and threading the beads into the scallops.

To create the circle windows, I first adhered the scallop negative piece to my patterened paper and then ran the whole thing through my Big Shot with circle dies in various sizes. To the back of the panel, I adhered some vellum to allow some soft light to shine through. Next, I framed each window with pink card stock and then die cut the elegant butterflies out of vellum. I used a rub-on sentiment on vellum and adhered it with vellum tape before using foam tape to assemble the entire card to a vellum card base. I was delighted with the finished card and pleased that it could be used for anything from a birthday to an anniversary.

BEAN NOTES: Stampin' Up Chatroom Rub-On; Memory Box Gossamer Designer Paper; Papertrey Ink Library Ledger Designer Paper; SU Pink Pirouette Card Stock; Sizzix for SU Beautiful Wings Embosslit; PTI Large Scalloped Border Die; Big Shot; Vellum Tape; Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestablilities; Foam Tape

HAPPY BEANS: Silver Beads (generic); Clear Thread (generic); PTI Vellum Card Stock

A Perfect Pair from Down Under...

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Nichole Heady's fun World Card Making Day challenges have already taken me to the Far East, and now I'm headed Down Under. She asked us to make a card inspired by aboriginal hand stenciling and the unmistakable dotted outline art of the Australian outback. I found the perfect image with this cute salamander stamp, which I double-stamped on Dusty Durango - my new favorite color for the season. (Bean Tip: For very solid images, craft or pigment ink works particularly well.) Using a white gel pen, I outlined the pair and decided to make a masculine anniversary card, which I don't often see. I did just a little masking with the sponged frame for some contrast to the weathered background.
BEAN NOTES: The Paper Company Studio Jungle and Stampin' Up Weathered Background Stamps; SU Chit-Chat Rub-On; SU Dusty Durango and Chocolate Chip Classic Dye Ink; SU Chocolate Chip Craft Ink; SU Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, and Soft Suede Cardstock; Big Shot; Spellbinders Classic Circles Nestabilities; EK Success Dotted Wave Border Punch
HAPPY BEANS: Uni-Ball White Gel Pen