MDS Monday Sketch + Sneak Peek Day #3

Good morning!

It's time for another card sketch challenge over at MDS Monday - this week I'm your hostess and I've added an extra little challenge for you. I'd like to see some 'faux embossing' in that big, blank background :)

The "sneak peek" this week isn't so much a sneak peek as it is a reminder - Don't forget to get your new In Colors in MDS! I've used two of them here today in my card; Crisp Cataloupe (with Calypso Coral) and Pistachio Pudding (with Always Artichoke).

One of the things I love about creating in MDS is that you can do things that aren't entirely realistic. For example, I've centred a button over a Delicate Doily. All I had to do was shrink it down! This isn't something you can do with traditional cardmaking/scrapbooking. You're "limitted" by the size of the embellishment.

I used the faux embossing technique on the background and on the strip of Crisp Cataloupe. I love the effect it gives!

Here's the sketch:

We'd love to see you playing along with us this week!

Thanks for stopping by.

-Tara
xox

Sneak Peek Week - Day #2

It was supposed to be a very dreary weekend - and yesterday lived up to that pretty well.. But it looks like today is going to get nice! I've made myself a coffee and am catching up on a little blogland items I have on my to-do list.

For today's 'sneak peek', I wanted to share another one of my new favourite stamps - Perfect Blend. Not going to lie, I love my coffee. And so do most of my friends and family.

When I first saw this, I immediately thought of my brother and my hubby. It would make great birthday cards for them. But, the first time using it I went with a more feminine theme :)

I use a lot of stamp sets in this one; Perfect Blend, Clockworks, You're My Hero (another one coming up in a sneak peek post), and the stamp from My Paper Pumpkin.

Some other new goodies: Washi Tape & Candy Dots. Umm, yum.

I made this card for the current Sunday Stamps challenge. I just wanted to say a huge thank you to Holly and the rest of the Design Team for such a great time with them. It was a difficult decision, but I needed to take a step back and simplify life a little. That being said, I'm going to go back and play with them as often as possible - because they rock and I'd mis them if I didn't! Go stop by!

I also used the sketch over at Fab Friday - It has been WAY too long since I played with them (wow... since challenge #2?! Well, that's embarrassing...)

Enough with the gab - see you all tomorrow with some new goodies :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Tara

xox

Dynamic Duos and Sneak Peek Week!

Hi :)

It's time for a new Dynamic Duos colour challenge, and this week we have two of my favourites - Soft Suede and Blushing Bride.

Today also marks the start of my Sneak Peek Week - I know... Sneak Peek's are supposed to happen before you get your hands on the catalogue, but I was a little slow with my ordering this time around. We can call it "Tara uses all her new goodies Week" instead!

I've used a bunch of new product in this one - Probably the most obvious would be the new stamp set, Timeless Talk. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. Next is the new colour family paper stacks - check out the fun patterns on them! 

And last but not leave, the Candy Dots. I wondered how I would use those but it turns out it's not much of a challenge trying to find someplace to stick these. They are so fab!

I went very vintage with this challenge. Sometimes it feels good to distress and sponge and rip (oh my!). To do the faux-stitching, I used the paper-piercer and the regular rectangular template and went to town - Then I connected the 'dots' with an Early Espresso marker.

Here is the challenge:

We do hope you'll come visit and play along with us this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

-Tara

xox

Hey there, girly!

Erica's hosting the Friday Mashup this week and she has a girly challenge for us - which is perfect for this dreary Friday.

I kept mine really simple, and played with some new toys :)

The hexagons were cut out by hand after running some Whisper White through the honeycomb embossing folder. I popped them up on dimensionals and then went around the edge and drew a dashed border in with marker.

The stamp set is Chalk Talk, which has a fabulous matching set of framelits! I used Tangering Tango, Crisp Cantaloupe and Pink Pirouette.

Check out the challenge this week:

Here's your Mashup Challenge:

1. Create a project using "Hexagons".
2. Create a "Girly project".
3. Or Mash it Up and create a "Girly project using Hexagons".

Thanks for stopping by!

-Tara

xox

Show & Tell!

Part of the fun of new colours is trying out different combinations - I just love this card created by my friend, Audrey, and had to share it with you!

Card created by Audrey

She has used the new bright Bermuda Bay and paired it with Midnight Muse. Striking, isn't it?!

The stamp set she used is a retired one, but I love the technique she did. And what a fun embossing folder too (non-SU).

Thanks for sharing with us Audrey!

-Tara
xox

A new sketch at MDS Monday - and new In Colors!

Good morning!

Before I get to the latest MDS Monday challenge, I just want to mention that you can get the new In Colors for MDS! My application updates automatically, so they were just there when I sat down to create the other day :)

Another fun thing, they've reorganized the colours into full spectrum, so you can find your colour more easily. What do you think?

OK, now on to the challenge this week. Joan has a fun sketch and a little technique thrown in there as well. She wants to us to attached some text to a shape - I attached my journaling to the little banner.

Check out the sketch:

Now, we'd love to see what YOU create.

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Tara
xox

Feeling pretty at Dynamic Duos

Happy weekend, friends!

I'm still riding the high of a very fun and intimate BOGO event last night with some superb ladies. I'm just so excited about the new catty - can't wait to get my hands on new goodies.

Over at the Dynamic Duos, we've got a very pretty colour combination for you!

Happy Birthday Wishes - Tara (Murphy) Bourgoin

I went with Crumb Cake as my neutral for this card, which I generally don't do. I typically stick to white or vanilla, but sometimes you just have to get a little wild and crazy.

The stamp is from one of the new hostess sets, and I'm absolutely addicted to it already. After I stamped the image in Raspberry Ripple, I shaded underneath the foliage with Crumb Cake and a Blender Pen. I then added some highlighting with White craft ink. I have a Blender Pen reserved for this purpose alone. I like to use the white gel pen, but I find that I have more control over how strong the colour is going to be when I use the blender pen - It works great!

To make the 'chubby' scalloped border, I punched out one of the Fancy Flowers from Wisteria Wonder and cut it up into three pieces (two heart-shaped pieces with 2 petals each, and a single petal). It fits perfectly on a 4" panel. 

The Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon was pulled and ruffled. 

Check out the challenge for this week:

I am really looking forward to seeing all the lovely cards with this colour combination!

Thanks for stopping by today!

-Tara

xox