Sites of the week

Happy Sunday Everyone!
We are having a good weekend so far! Yesterday we ventured to other side of town and picked up a changing table that matches the crib, since we are probably getting a tall dresser and won’t be able to double it up as a changing space. It was just so awful that IKEA was on the way, too. LOL! I found some EXCELLENT stamp room organization that was on super duper sale…and sold out. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. We did find a few dressers for lil’ boy del Muro’s room, but didn’t pick out anything yet. One of my sweet friends is moving {**sniffles**} and we went to pick up a bookcase and desk from her place, too. A very productive day, for sure! I even managed to squeeze in a little stamp time, too!

This card is made from the new set, Berries & Cherries, from Taylored Expressions…

Detail of the main panel…

I have also realized that I have been TERRIBLE at providing details about my cards and projects. If you ever have any questions about my projects, please EMAIL them to me {there is a link under my picture}, as sometimes I miss the ones that are in the comments. If you have commented with a question and I have not answered, I am not ignoring you, I just have missed your questions {Sorry!}.

Anyways, as for the details for this card…
All of the paper and ribbon is part of this month’s Berries and Cherries Key Ingredients Kit from Taylored Expressions. The DP that is part of this kit is from Doodlebug {this is one of my favorite lines of theirs}. I colored the main image with Copic markers and then stitched around the edges with white thread. I really like the subtle frame effect that this “technique” {using that term loosely here} gives. This is a very simple layout that allows you to incorporate just about any size main image, sentiment and thick/chunky ribbon. If you wanted to, you could also add simple brads on the top right or bottom left vertical sides.

I get asked a lot how I do the bows on my cards, so I thought I would give a little commentary on that subject. I used to just use one piece of ribbon and wrap it all around the panel and then tie it in a bow. Often times, my bow would not be facing the right direction, so I decided to try something a little different. I use just enough ribbon to cover the front part of the panel and then adhere it to the back side with double sided red-line tape {like THIS awesome stuff that you can get on Jody’s Sticky Stuff site}. Then I tie my bow. Most of the time I don’t need it, but the “Bow Easy” {can be found on eBay for $6 with free shipping} will give you great bows. I then adhere the bow where I want it with hot glue {Susan is squirming now, as she thinks that I am nuts to use hot glue to do this}. I know that a lot people tie their bows to the ribbon piece that is around the panel, but I don’t always get a “perfect” bow that way it just drives me crazy! Well, I hope that helps out anyone that has questions. I don’t have a “how to” on how I tie my bows…I just tie ‘em.

Happy Tuesday! It’s day 2 of the sneak peeks for the upcoming {tomorrow!} Taylored Expressions release. Today the DT is showing you cards and projects featuring the set CHILLAX…yep, it’s a word! This is a fun set that has cute images and great sentiments. Here is what I made with the set…

It’s supposed to be a slice of lime for the embellishment. Hopefully that came through on the photo…LOL! Ok, I am making this super short and sweet, as I am pre-posting this on Monday night and I am BEAT from re-organizing my stamp room. I am not quite done yet, but I am certainly making progress. Unfortunately, the dishes, laundry and vacuuming aren’t doing themselves in the meantime!…I wish! Be sure to check out what the rest of the DT has in store for ya…

Ana
Charmaine
Denise
Jodi
Laura
Karen
Dawn
Donna
Laurie
Karen
Sankari
and, of course, Taylor

Update on Ellie: I took Ellie to the doctor first thing yesterday, since she was still not getting better after 4 days. It turns out that she has the flu! Poor baby!! We had to go for a chest x-ray, too. It’s another movie and happy nappy day around the del Muro house. I want to thank everyone for their well wishes. It’s been a very trying few days, but as the title of this post says, you gotta have faith.

I actually had this card made over a week ago, but it seems very fitting to post it today. The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions’ new set, Faith & Hope. Both the bird and the decorative shape panel are from the Wedding cartridge from the Slice. I would have never thought to buy this cartridge because it was wedding, but there are great panels like this one, as well as a ton a great flowers.

We are going back to the doc this morning for another check on Ellie’s condition. I expect that it will be more of the same…get rest, more fluids. I just wish doc could prescribe something for the whining!!! I don’t mean to sound insensitive, but after 5 days of it I just want it to stop {by means of my lil’ one getting better!!}. Have a great day. I think I will be posting here tomorrow, but if not, check in on my Sketch For You To Try this Saturday.

Happy sunshiney Monday! Looks like it is going to be another torturous hot day here in North Texas. I just have to remember that we CHOSE to move here…LOL! Ellie starts swim lessons today and she is pretty excited!…me too!
Today I have a sweet and simple project to show you. It’s very easy to make and any recipient surely would love it. I started by making a book with a base and then layered it with the blue stamped panel and topped it with the punched yellow panel. I stitched around the edges leaving the backstitching at the top. This is where I put a {more than} half circle over the backstitching and punched a hole to thread the ribbon through.

This stamped sentiment is from the new Taylored Expressions set, Faith and Hope…

To dress this up a little, I used my Cuttlebug dies and created sunflowers to dangle from the ribbon ends…

To create these flowers, I die cut 2 flowers {for each of the flowers}, hot glued the ribbon in the middle. I used hot glue because I know that it won’t come undone and it gave a little dimension that I was looking for. I then glued the second flower on top and hot glued the button on top of that. I really wanted to put a flower on the bookmark, but those flowers cry out for dimension; however, bookmarks do not!

Have a great Monday! See ya manana!

Sorry folks, no ABC project today. I had this design for a card in my head and had to go with it and then just plain ran out of time to make another project. Today is release day for all the new sets {and kits} at Taylored Expressions. The set that I am featuring today is called Faith & Hope and contains many uplifting sentiments along with some flourish images.

I used the Cuttlebug Butterfly die in both light blue and vellum cardstock and topped it off with acrylic accents from Stamping Bella. I really like the peacefulness of this card. I thought about adding more details like brads and stitching, but I am glad that I left it as so.

There are a few different bundles that are available, including the Stamp Lover’s Bundle as shown here…

Don’t miss the FANTABULOUS creations from the rest of the Baker’s Dozen…

Ana
Charmaine
Denise
Jodi
Laura
Karen
Dawn
Donna
Laurie
Karen
Sankari
and, of course, Taylor