Howdy Y'all!...

Well, it's MONDAY and we are well underway here in sunny (gosh, I hope so, as I'm scheduling this a wee bit in advance, LOL!)  Los Angeles at the CHA 2011 Winter Trade Show!

Today we have some MORE exciting news from The Greeting Farm...another PREVIEW!   Everything you've seen over the weekend and today is all leading up to our AMAZING "CHA RELAY" event tomorrow brought to you by our TWO amazing DT forces, the Farmers AND Team Anya!  Are y'all excited?  I AM!

Well, it's without further adieu that someone is here to say HOWDY...that's CHEEKY HOWDY:

Well isn't she just a bushel full of Georgia peaches?!  Or maybe I should say cherries, haha.  That's right!  Cheeky Cherry "Howdy" will be released tomorrow, February 1st at The Greeting Farm!

There are a LOT of previews floating around in blog land today, so be sure to check out the TGF Blog, the Club Anya & Friends blog, and the blogs of my UBER-talented DT mates:

• 
  
• Buttercup's Blog

Shaela Odd-February Guest

• Emma Eads
• Sari Hanninen
• Tammy Maxvill
• Tanya Tahir
• Peggy McCurry-Team Anya Feb Guest

• Anna Maria Nilsson
• Amber Hight
• Jen Shults
• Kristy Young
• 
  

That's it for me today!  Be sure to head over to the TGF Blog tomorrow (beginning at 12:01 AM CST!) for the CHA RELAY Blog Hop and RELEASE DAY!  More to come from me as soon as I can post pics and hopefully have lots of fun stories for you!

Smooches, y'all!

A SWEET Set on a Sunday...

Hey, everyone!

I know normally I don't post on Sundays but as it's CHA week and I'm INSPIRED, I thought I'd show you some SWEET creations I made using the Taylored Expressions January Key Ingredients Kit!  I love this kit SO much I couldn't stop at ONE card...I made FOUR one day last week 'just cuz".  LOVE when that happens :)

This month's DP in the kit was Little Yellow Bicycle and I just adored all the foiled and glitter paper!  So perfect for Valentine's day, huh?   I started out coloring up some images of Cuppie with my Copic markers.  The set I used for this card set is called "Downtown Diva" and was one of the first sets I ever bought from Taylored Expressions.  To this day it definitely remains one of my faves :)

After coloring, I put some fun cardstock and papers together and stitched a border around each card.  The Key Ingredients Kits are packed with SO many fun embellies you'll never be short on cuteness to create with!  As you can see, I added a lot of fun ribbon and buttons from this months' kit:

Last but not least, it's ALMOST the end of the month, and there's just ONE DAY LEFT to take advantage of HUGE savings and some really great promotions Taylor is offering through the 31st..like I said, ack! That's TOMORROW!

Here's what YOU need to know:

NEW SUBSCRIBER SPECIAL

When you purchase a 6 month subscription between now and January 31st, we'll send you a FREE GIFT every month along with your kit! And we're even telling you what it is so if you want to be surprised then try to forget before these arrive on your doorstep! *grin*

JANUARY: Free Animals in Love A la Carte Stamp (of our choice)

FEBRUARY: Free Multi-colored Tiny Twinkles

MARCH: Free package of Choice Cardstock (10 sheets)

APRIL: Free jar of glitter (color of our choice)

MAY: Free package of cardstock that coordinates with the March kit (10 sheets)

JUNE: Free Perfect Package Card Box

This comes to over $20.00 in free products during the length of your subscription! What do you need to do to get these goodies? Just purchase a 6-month subscription from the TE Store before January 31st and we'll automatically send your gifts each month of your subscription!

RENEW OR EXTEND YOUR SUBSCRIPTION

Are you a previous or current subscriber to the Key Ingredients kits? We appreciate your business and we want to pass along some freebies to you as well! If you renew or extend your subscription for 6 months by January 31st, you'll receive the following free goodies for the next three months:

FEBRUARY: Free Multi-colored Tiny Twinkles

MARCH: Free package of Choice Cardstock (10 sheets)

APRIL: Free jar of glitter (color of our choice)

What do you need to do to get these goodies? If you're renewing your subscription (i.e. you've been a subscriber before, but not currently), just purchase a 6-month subscription at the TE Store and your free goodies will be automatically shipped to you! If you're a current subscriber and would like to extend your subscription for an additional 6 months, send an email to kits@tayloredexpressions.com and we'll update your profile and make sure the freebies are automatically shipped to you!

Ok, guys that's a LOT of good deals going on...but you only have ONE DAY LEFT!  Hopefully now that you've seen all that can be created in one afternoon, you'll want to scoop up a subscription before it's too late :)     Last but not least, don't forget to check out the KEY INGREDIENTS new BLOG for LOTS more inspiration from the other KI girls, a gallery, and MORE!

Thanks for hangin' w/ me on a Sunday and as I get back to CHA, I hope you're all doing something SUPER fun and creative this weekend!

HUGS!

Up for a CHAT?

Well, today commences the CHA 2011 Winter Trade Show so you can BEST BE SURE I am CHATTY :)

As things kick off, we have a new little cutie to introduce you to today at The Greeting Farm and she's just as CHEEKY as she is CHATTY :)

She's hung up on you for SURE!   Cheeky Cherry CHAT will be released at The Greeting Farm and available on February 1st...just a few days away!

I used this week's Club Anya & Friends Saturday Sketch challenge to create my card from:

Be sure to head over to the Club Anya and Friend's blog because the ENTIRE Design Team, both Farmers and Team Anya alike will have some CHATTY goodness to show off to you today!  Don't forget to visit and I'll be back with CHA updates and MORE TGF PREVIEWS later in the week!

xoxo from SUNNY Los Angeles...

My HAT's OFF to you on Farm Fresh Friday...

Hello everyone!   As you are reading this, I have most likely (and tearfully, cuz it still hurts a bit each time...) kissed my children goodbye in their sleep, kissed my new little puppy on it's nose, gotten the 'you'll be ok and you are awesome' pep talk (which is always MUCH needed!) from my wonderful and supportive DH, and gotten on a plane...probably all before most of you are awake :)   It's ABOUT that time...CHA baby...CHA.  I'll be arriving in SUNNY LA after 2 (or 3...but please let's hope 2, LOL!) legs of flying and CANNOT WAIT to see friends, work the floor, and have a BLAST even though it's hard work, as anyone will tell ya :)

For now... It's time for another Farm Fresh Friday AND a bunch of UBER-fabulous NEW RELEASES are around the corner at The Greeting Farm....all coming to you on February 1st!

Today is also our FIRST day of Feb. previews and we have some announcements to make here on the Farm.  Sadly we say goodbye to Tammy Maxvill as her term as Farmer has come to a close.  We will miss you Tammy and THANK YOU for all of your wonderful contributions, tutorials, and awesome 3D proejcts!  We also have a new addition!  or TWO!? Please welcome (back!) BUTTERCUP as a FULL-TIME FARMER!  We are THRILLED that she will be joining us through the month of June along with our other 3 new Farmers and are VERY excited about what she has in store for us!   As if that weren't exciting enough, please SHAELA ODD as our February Guest Designer for TGF!  Some of you may recognize the sweet Shaela from her term with our Critter Crew and we are very happy to have her back as our February Guest :)

Today we have Team Anya joining us for FFF as well, so it's without further adieu that we also welcome PEGGY McCURRY as our FEBRUARY GUEST DESIGNER for Team Anya!   Peggy has been a long-time fan of the Farm and has wow'd us with her amazing layouts (which we've CASED a few times, I think!) and we are glad to have her!

Always exciting here on the Farm!  And now onto the Challenge!  This week, we invite our friends and customers to join us in our "Hat's Off to You!" challenge!...use a HAT theme on your card or project!  You can cut one out/alter a stamp, use Hat paper, hat racks, hat pins, baseball caps, anything to do with HATS on your challenge card.  You can also create a 3d/altered item in the shape of a hat?  Whatever you fancy, it's hat's off to you this week!

As for my card?  SURPRISE is right!

INTRODUCING....MISS ANYA "HAT'S OFF!"

Well, that's it for me today, but make sure you check out the TGF BLOG to see what the others have been up to and find out how you can WIN a Miss Anya Hat's OFF! by leaving comments TODAY!   In addition, one lucky winner of this week's "Hat's Off" challenge will ALSO take home a Miss Anya "Hat's Off" set!  TWO chances to win!  Good luck ,everyone!

She's got a TICKET to ride...

...yes, I do as a matter of fact!  Although, at CHA, it will be more than "ONE NIGHT ONLY" like my card suggests ;)  Party Party Party?  let's HOPE so ;)

So...do you guys LOVE this AWESOME new ticket stamp designed by Tanis for Unity's February Kit of the Month?!

Isn't it awesome!? The stamp is HUGE and is perfect for scrapbooking OR stamping cards.  I used the party party party" sentiment from December's Kit of the Month and thought that this turned into a pretty cute, non-traditional invitation:

The layout is using this weeks Hip Hop sketch challenge in our SCS Forum.  Have you guys been playing the weekly sketch challenge?  YOu really should!  There are prizes each week awarded to a random winner and we try to use them too-they ROCK!  Here's this week's, HHSC42:

Well, I have TONS to catch up on but if you haven't checked out ALL the NEW RELEASES from UNITY, I can't even TELL YOU where to START!  In ADDITION to our co-brands, the UNITY artists have been up to some seriously AMAZING things and there are new kits GALORE going out-I am in LOVE!

Once I return from the craziness this weekend you'll be seeing some new stuff here and there and I can't wait to show you!  For now, head on over to Jimmi's blog as she has something FABULOUS for you as well!

Thanks to EVERYONE for your kind comments and support.  I was just talking to a friend the other day that my reader hasn't been my friend this week and I know there are a TON of you I need to come visit.  I'm hoping my iPhone and the airport layovers will allow me some time, LOL!   HUGS to ALL of you and HAPPY CHA week!  I have been seeing some pretty awesome new paper lines, stamps, crafty goodness GALORE and will definitely be taking pics and posting when I can!  Love y'all!

Sneakin' on by with a PEEK of NEW UNITY...

Hey EVERYONE!

I am in FULL-blown nutty mode, LOL!   Lots of conference calls a buzzin...prepping for CHA, workin' on what seems to be a zillion projects, potty training this ADORABLE pupster, and making sure my kids have something to eat (thankfully DH is on vaca this week for my trip and so he's been a HUGE help-I love you so much, honey if you're reading!)

Anyway, just a little fly-by post as I just HAD to create something for today's 1st sneak peek of the UNITY February Kit of the Month, "...the Best is YET TO BE..."

Isn't it fabulous?   I used some of my fave Girls Paperie paper and colored these adorable lanterns with my Copics in some very soft colors as I wanted to give it a little "glow" but nothing too bright or solid.  Isn't this image by Dana Carlson just adorable?  The sentiment is from the December Kit of the Month.

Speaking of coloring and Copics, I'm excited to show you some stuff I worked on this past weekend after taking Suzanne Dean's Color Me Creative on the Road class with my cousin/BFF Kim Ross!   Kim drove all the way from Chicago to Nashville to visit me for the weekend and on Saturday we hung out and took the class.

I must tell you (although I'll be posting more about this later)-there is a LOT to learn in these classes and she did a great job teaching!  Even if you consider yourself an intermediate or advanced colorista, I really recommend going to her website and checking out the classes.  Definitely NOT just for beginners and I picked up some really cool tips and techniques.  MOST of the stuff I've been coloring though you'll have to wait til next week to see because I have posts lined up until then to get me through the CHA Craziness!

On Sunday Suzanne and I went to Franklin, TN and had an awesome brunch (um, egg/crab benedict can you say decadent?!) and just sat and talked and it was so fun to have time to chat w/ a friend and fellow stamper.  Thanks for everything, girlie!  Luv ya!

Well, that's it for me but I'll be back tomorrow with Hip Hop Thursday, another sneak peek, and can't wait to show you guys more fun stuff!

xoxo~

Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge...Fairy Tales...and one more trip down the RABBIT HOLE...

I'm trying to think of a way that one will segue nicely into the other...for it just so happens that today's Kraftin' Kimmie challenge is all about Fairy Tales...and when I think of Fairy Tales...I of course think of Alice.

I'm having a blast as January Guest Designer for Kraftin' Kimmie and couldn't wait to get coloring ;)  That being said, I used Gabrielle on today's card as she is definitely Alice-esque and adorable, at that.  All ready for tea...all ready for another trip down the RABBIT hole...

You see, this is where it gets a bit hard for me....but I have some Oh Alice news.  Today will be our last challenge as Oh, Alice will be closing its doors.  However, one of our DT members, Lynne, has graciously offered to turn her blog,  'The Altered Alice", into the new home of Oh, Alice.  I am truly grateful for the one-year run we've had :)  I won't be doing much in the way of challenge blogs anymore as I really want to concentrate on TGF, Unity, and Taylored Expressions, not to mention getting to play with some pretty fun twine for the next 12 months ;)   And there are SCS challenge...neglected stamps...you guys know the drill ;)

It's simply time-and although I'm a bit sad because I love Alice so very much, Alice has a permanent place in my heart and in my dreams more so than on paper...and I'm ok with that :)  Still, it's hard to let something go-silly as it sounds, I know it's "just" a blog...but still...hard to let it go.

My card today, in addition to the adorable Gabrielle, uses Nikki Sivils paper.  Nikki is once again our AWESOME sponsor this week and I cannot thank her enough for being SO, SO super generous, not only to the players but also to our  DT.  Be sure to check out the PRIZE this last week of Oh, Alice and how you can enter!

Thanks to EVERYONE who helped make Oh, Alice a success and to my AMAZING DT, the "Twisted Sisters"...you will always be just as twisty to me <3  hee hee.

Be sure you stop by the Kraftin' Kimmie stamps blog to see what else the Krafty Gurlz have come up with for you and also to see what this week's prize is!  TONS of fun!

In other news, today as you read this I have MUCH to be happy and excited about, too!  My cousin/BFF Kim is in town and today we are meeting up w/ my friend Suzanne Dean for her Copic class her in Nashville and then tomorrow we'll be showing her around.  She is HOPING to run into Tim McGraw..we'll keep our fingers crossed, LOL!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone...it's time for one last trip down the Rabbit Hole... :)

Pop Goes the Challenge...

...as in POPPED up!

Today at The Greeting Farm Blog we are poppin' on by with a NEW challenge.... to add some "pop" to your projects using dimensionals (pop dots), paper tole, any type of 3D technique to give your project that little extra lift :)

I used this adorable Oliver from the "Journey" set and used the Paper Tole technique on his hat.  Here's a close up of the paper tole, which just means a few layers popped up with dimensionals:

I love how the Crate Paper restoration papers really came together w/ little Oliver :)  The blue and yellow polka dots are probably my favorite piece from the pad.  So cute!  I used this week's SCS sketch challenge, too, for this card :)

Be sure to stop by the TGF Blog today for more details of today's challenge and also to see the creative musings of:

• Buttercup's Blog-Jan. Guest
• Emma Eads
• Sari Hanninen
• Tammy Maxvill
• Tanya Tahir
• 
  

That's it for me-my cousin/BFF is in town for the weekend and we are going to be doing some serious playing!   More stories and pics to come!  HUGE Copic class tomorrow- I am SO excited!

xoxo~

CREATE your own FATE...

Hey Hip Hoppers!  Thursday came SUPER fast this week, didn't it?

Well, that's a GOOD thing because I've been really excited to play with some of the new releases at UNITY ever since they all have been popping up LIVE on the website for preorder and for sale!  Did you see the HUGE offer going on?

Basically, we released a TON-and I mean A. TON.  of NEW RUBBER last week, most of them available as PRE-ORDERS to be shipped the week after CHA (around Feb. 7th, I believe).   BUT....BUT!!!!  IF you place the order as a pre-order?   Unity is honoring FREE SHIPPING through the month of January AND for these pre-ordered items as well!  That is a HUGE savings!  Can you believe it?

One of my fave new Co-Brands with UNITY is the lovely and talented (and I mean CRAZY talented!) Marah Johnson!   I couldn't wait to ink up this awesome circle/frame and sentiment from her MOXIE set:

fate

 [feyt] noun, verb, fat·ed, fat·ing.

–noun

1.

something that unavoidably befalls a person; fortune; lot: Itis always his fate to be left behind.

2.

the universal principle or ultimate agency by which the orderof things is presumably prescribed; the decreed cause ofevents; time: Fate decreed that they would never meetagain.

3.

that which is inevitably predetermined; destiny: Death is ourineluctable fate.

4.

a prophetic declaration of what must be: The oraclepronounced their fate.

5.

death, destruction, or ruin.

6.

the Fates, Classical Mythology . the three goddesses ofdestiny, known to the Greeks as the Moerae and to theRomans as the Parcae.

I just had to throw that in there because I really LOVE the idea of Fate and Destiny...and how we can create it just as much as it's already 'out there' for us.  That feeling gives me peace, gives me hope, and really makes me appreciate this little adventure called LIFE.

Check out this week's Hip Hop sketch challenge, too!  It's what I used on today's card:

Well, that's it for me today, but make sure to stop by the UNITY BLOG and start there to see what else Ang has up her sleeve ;)   Your next stop from here is my lovely friend Jimmi!

Until tomorrow, folks!
xoxo~