Taylored Expressions-For Him Release!

Today is the For Him release over at Taylored Expressions!! It’s a complimentary release to the previous For Her release in that it has masculine products to balance out the previous! That being said, I think that we can all agree both of these releases can be used for both genders to spread the joy of a handmade card!

Perfect example of this is this first card! I LOVE pens, markers, pencils–whatever. Always have–who knows why, but office supplies are enjoyable 😂! I digress– This is a fun card to use for Father’s Day nonetheless. And since I have a plethora of Sharpies in my collections, I figured it best to send what I love 😊! These are from the New First Draft Dies. The pocket is the new Pocketful die and the background is the New Wonky Grid Background Stamp using a bunch of TE Blues!

I love that pencil–The fact it is separate dies to be able to add the fun details! Love it! 🙂

Next up, I used the New Tools of the Trade along with the Pocketful to create another Dad’s Day card. This one also used the previously released Simple Strips – Man Myth Legend set.

I’m also loving the new Plaid Background. I stamped this with Brussels Sprout on Green Tea. I die cut the tools from TE Silver Cardstock which worked out perfectly!

I though it would be fun to score the backdrop and splatter the dickens out of it since this is how home improvement projects look–that and 15 trips to Home Depot 😂.

And last but not least, this fun one for anyone! This uses the new 5 O’Clock Somewhere Stamp & Stencil Combo and New Worth a Shot sentiment set. Super fun and the The Deco Gel 1.0 MilkyWay set works perfectly on the Black Licorice to create this fun night time celebration!

I white heat embossed these and then colored them in. Love the way the colors POP!

Ok–Here’s the scoop from Taylored Expressions for today’s new release:

The Pocketful Bundle is $73 and includes:

Pocketful die
Plaid Background stamp
Tools of the Trade die set
First Draft die set

While supplies last, when you purchase the Pocketful Bundle, you’ll receive Pocketful of Posies dies set FREE!

Here are my supplies before for ease to TE Shopping! 🙂

First Draft Card:

Tools of the Trade card:

Worth a Shot card:

Find the TE Blog Post HERE with lots of classic inspiration from the TE Creative Team! 😉

Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂

Take care-

Jill

Follow me on Instagram: jilldhawkins 🙂

Hello Color!

Here’s my take on MFT Sketch Challenge #286. My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog!I made a horizontal card which, feels a little foreign to me nowadays. 🙂

I used this MFT diagonal coverup, so the sketch took an angle by default. 😉

I die cut everything and then did some stitching. Finally, I added glossy accents to all the letters. I was on the fence about doing that, but it always adds a little pop of fun, I think. If only I didn’t get hand cramps from squeezing my Glossy Accents bottle. Haaaa! 🙂

Bonus! I used the colors from the Color Throwdown Challenge this week–#398! When I saw that awesome combo this week, I was hoping to get in on it 🙂 Success! So summery and spunky! Check out their Color Challenge this (and every) week HERE.

My card is made with supplies at My Favorite Things. Die-namics: Stitched Cover Up Companion Diagonal, and the Highrise Lower Case Alphabet. Card stock: Smooth White, Black Licorice, Limelight, Lemon Drop, Razzle berry, and Cherry Crisp.

Instagram? jilldhawkins

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Jill

MFT Gratitude and ♥. So. Much.

Wow. I just keep thinking, Wow. 🙂

A little over a year ago, one of my favorite people, Susan R. Opel sent me an email. I, like many of you, have had the good fortune of receiving happy emails from SRO several times before (for publication acceptances!). This particular email pretty much blew my mind. Susan asked me to join her and five other superbly talented people on an amazing new My Favorite Things journey. And boy, was it EVER just that and SO much more. My gratitude to Susan cannot be summed into words. Truthfully. The idea that she believed in me to be a part of this amazing team is something I pinch myself about. This adventure was part of Susan’s new job at MFT and we were going to join her. I did not, nor ever will, take that responsibility and (complete) enjoyability lightly! 🙂 I thank you again Susan, for your confidence, your encouragement, your delightful words on every week’s posts (!!), your emoji (💩), your humor, and for your friendship. Gah. The love.

Today, the My Favorite Things Challenge and Inspiration Team bids adieu. What an awesome, awesome ride it has been. I keep trying to put my gratitude to MFT, awe, love, and experience into a few concise sentences. Well, that’s unrealistic! 🙂 Let’s face it: I’m wordy and mushy. My Favorite Things makes the most fantasticly designed products EVERY month and they were beyond generous in sharing them with me this past year!! ❤ The entire MFT Design Team, as a whole, is a seriously talented (& fun!) group! My MFTC&I teammates: They are some of the best crafty friends a girl could have. They are all amazingly talented, kind, and oh so very funny. We’ve had many laughs and they will forever be some of my favorite cardmakers. More importantly, friends. 🙂

Our journey, as this new MFT Challenge Team began at the beginning of the year, doing weekly Sketch Challenges and two Color Challenges a month. That’s approximately 76 cards we’d each make this past year. I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to do that! Besides previously self-imposed publication submission deadlines, I wasn’t sure I could make 76 worthy cards and on a deadline each week?!! ! I think in the end, I made over 230 MFT cards! 🙂 And I was worried?! I look back and laugh. I just enjoyed it, and kept right on making them! Haaaa!

As promised yesterday, here is my second take on the final My Favorite Things Challenge and Inspiration Team’s Sketch for 2015, MFT Sketch Challenge #261. This sentiment was really fitting, as this is how I feel about our Team. Getting to know each of them better over the course of the year, craft related and non-craft related, has truly been an awesome treat and privilege. Here’s my last “official” MFT Sketch take:

On my card yesterday, I used mostly die cuts. Die cutting is certainly my jam. However, I am always a stamper at heart, and sometimes cannot get enough of just stamping! 🙂I love these little puppies, with their scarves. Too funny! 🙂

I looked back at all the MFT Challenge and Inspiration cards I made this past year. Here’s some of my favorite MFT cards: Starts with Hello and ends with Goodbye. Fitting. ❤

Geesh. What an awesome year of fantastic products. 🙂

I also thought it would be fun to share SOME of my favorite, My Favorite Things products. I am awful with favorites. I have dozens, but I am going to try and pick just a couple handfuls of MUST MFT HAVES, In my mind, of course. 🙂 I think in terms of basics, that are wickedly versatile, to make my crafty funds go farther. Then I like to try and stretch those basics farther and farther. Just a few of my all time favorites:

Ok, I couldn’t pick just a few, and I had to stop because I wanted to pick everything! 🙂 All the card stocks, all the grays, Laina’s designs, Birdie Brown, STAX, Colors etc. See, that was a bad idea to even try! LOL! 🙂

My final puppy dog sketch card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

Unending thanks of my utmost gratitude to everyone at MFT. I thank you for this freaking amazing opportunity, the super awesome products, your support, your humor and your assistance along the way. Thank you Kim, Jody, Julie, Laina, Erica, and SRO <3. You are all kind, generous, and crazy talented yourselves. Goodness. xo Print

I also have enormous amounts of gratitude to my skilled and TALENTED teammates, my friends: Veronica Zalis, Vera Yates, Alice Wertz, Erin Lee Schreiner, Miriam Prantner, and Susan R. Opel! Thanks girls! ♥♥

My craftiness will continue right here on my blog, on Instagram and Facebook. Follow me on any! 🙂 (Sidebar here to follow my blog, Fastest Turtle, via email)

Susan’s 2015 MFT Challenge and Inspiration Team wrap can be found HERE. Sure to be a good read. Always. 🙂

I’d love to hear from you about any or all of your favorites too!

Thank you for coming by today, reading through this LONGEST post ever and for your support all along. 🙂 I hope I’ve inspired you in some teeny, tiny fashion, as so many have inspired me. Here’s to an amazing 2016!! Be safe and have FUN!!

Take care-

Jill 🙂

My Favorite Things: Sketch #260

MFT Sketch Challenge #260 starts on the My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog today! Bop on over to the MFT Card Challenges page to see what the DT made. I can guarantee they all rock. 🙂

This week’s sketch:Here is my first take this week:

I love the pieces out of the newest Diagonal Quilt Square Cover Up. So I die cut a bunch of quilts, then used the pieces. 🙂 I think I stuck a lot tighter to the sketch this week!! Ha! 🙂

I made another card the other night. I had to use this cutie reindeer!!

Between the happy jumping Santa, and this reindeer, this BB Jingle All the Way set earned its way into my heart. 🙂 I think I’m going to add a little sparkle to that bright nose.

I used watercolors for these little cuties. The wood paper warms it up so sweetly. 🙂

(This stamp set is a hot commodity. So if you’re interested in it, and it is not in stock, be sure to sign up for the back in stock notification. It’s just a simple click if you have an MFT account! 🙂 )

Hope you can join us for this Sketch Challenge. Maybe using some new stamps you receive for Christmas!? *wink* 🙂

My first card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

My second card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

Don’t forget to check out Tuesdays on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration blog!

If you’re on Instagram: jilldhawkins 🙂

My festive MFTC&I DT teammates: Veronica Zalis, Vera Yates, Alice Wertz, Erin Lee Schreiner, Miriam Prantner, and Susan R. Opel!

Thanks for popping by–see you back here tomorrow or the final MFT Color Challenge of 2015!!

Jill 🙂

My Favorite Things: Sketch #259

MFT Sketch Challenge #259 starts on the My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog today! Take a break from the holiday craze and join us! Only a couple left after this one for 2015!

This week’s sketch:Here is my take this week:

Poof! I find this a refreshing take on the Christmas cards. Do you? When I finished this card, I thought, Dang, I think Erin has rubbed off on me! Something about its overall feel reminds me of Erin’s fabulously bold style. 🙂

I originally had the three leafy greens exactly like the sketch has them. It looked awkward, so I took those three sketch elements and bundled them. I love to see when people follow Sketches tightly. (Check out Miriam‘s because she’s really good like that). I sometimes (ok, often) end up tweeking a few things on my cards. 😉

I didn’t get to making another Sketch card, but I did make this fun guy:

I tried soooooooooo long to resist ordering this set, because I felt pretty good about my collection of Christmas stamps. But, I’m weak. This one particular Santa made me order it. Plus, I did not have any Santa stamps. So obviously, it’s justifiable. 😉 😉I clear embossed his outline and then used watercolors to give him color! Too fun! 🙂

My Happy Holidays card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

My Santa card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

Tuesdays on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration blog are filled with great inspiration too!

Speaking of inspirational, my MFTC&I DT teammates: Veronica Zalis, Vera Yates, Alice Wertz, Erin Lee Schreiner, Miriam Prantner, and Susan R. Opel!

Thanks for popping in! See you soon!

Jill 🙂

My Favorite Things: Sketch #258

MFT Sketch Challenge #258 starts on the My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog today! Happy Wednesday! 🙂

This week’s sketch:

Here is my take this week:

This new Stitched Hexagon STAX is crazy versatile and crazy cool! I could tinker around for a long while with these! I off centered the sketch, but I like the way the whole thing still reads. At first, I had it in the center. But in the end, I guess I just like things a little off kilter. Ha!

And that sentiment. Freaking love! 😉

In messing around with the new MFT Hexagons, I made this card too:

Let’s see…on this one I cut the Hexagons, then die cut those hexagons. Then I glued them all together and decided it was TOO much hexagon, so I trimmed them all down to get this. Ah, geometric fun! 🙂This shape laid around my desk for a couple weeks, and then hopped on this card last night.

My Freaking Amazing (LOL!) card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

My second card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

Tuesdays on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration blog are always a must see. I’m telling you, people are crazy talented!! 🙂

Speaking of talented, my MFTC&I DT teammates: Veronica Zalis, Vera Yates, Alice Wertz, Erin Lee Schreiner, Miriam Prantner, and Susan R. Opel!

Thanks for popping in! Hope you’ll join us!

Jill 🙂

My Favorite Things: Sketch #257

MFT Sketch Challenge #257 begins today on the My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog! Hope you can sneak in some crafty time and join us this week!! 🙂

This week’s sketch:Here is my take this week:

I was scanning my supplies of what to use this week, and there were these little mice, in their winter warmth. 😉 I’m also in a blending phase, so I wanted to do that. Haaa! 😉 MFT Die inks are stellar for blending. Especially on the blending card. Photos do not do the Sparkle card stock justice. It’s soooo sparkly in person! Ahhh sparkle. 🙂

I hope to be back later this week with another MFT card, time willing! The holidays are beginning to have their rippling effects on time… 🙂 Thoroughly enjoyable, but ripples nonetheless.

My card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

Tuesdays on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration blog are not to be missed! You could be Spotted!! 🙂

My highly creative MFTC&I DT teamies: Veronica Zalis, Vera Yates, Alice Wertz, Erin Lee Schreiner, Miriam Prantner, and Susan R. Opel!

Thanks for stopping by! Join us!

Jill 🙂

My Favorite Things: Sketch #256

MFT Sketch Challenge #256 begins today on the My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog! Be sure to check out Susan’s post at cardchallenges.com to see what the rest of the DT made. I can’t wait to see myself! Always such fun to see everyone’s takes and read about them.

This week’s sketch:Here is my card for the week: Sometimes, you just need a laughable card. 🙂

Hopefully the design gets the laugh across 🙂 . The sketch shows feathers— I saw marshmallows. 😉I thought I would share this photo. I made another card series for friends and family because they helped me with some fundraising. This card design was for MFT Color Challenge #29. Check out that post HERE.

It is fun to see them all together after. 🙂

My Marshmallow card is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

My card set is made with the following supplies at My Favorite Things:

InLinkz.com

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Tuesdays on the MFT Challenge and Inspiration blog are good stuff!! 🙂

My fantastically talented MFTC&I DT teamies: Veronica Zalis, Vera Yates, Alice Wertz, Erin Lee Schreiner, Miriam Prantner, and Susan R. Opel!

Thanks for popping in…Join us on the Sketch Challenge!

Jill 🙂

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge: #296

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #296! Join us over on the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge Blog! 🙂 Sure to be some great cards by the SSS Team!! 🙂

Here’s this week’s sketch:Here is my card for the week: Awwwww 🙂

This Penguin. Ack. He/She is the cutest! When I saw this little guy/gal, holding marshmallows, I had to order this set. LOL. 🙂

True to form, I flipped and rotated the sketch, but it’s definitely there! 🙂 So fun! Hope you can find some crafty time to join us!

My card was made with supplies from My Favorite Things:

Any of the past challenges can be joined in here: sweetsundaysketch.blogspot.com

All the past sketches can be found HERE.

The Sweet Sunday Sketch team: Barbara Anders, Dana White, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Lisa Henke, Lori Tecler, Lynn Put, Sankari Wegman, Sarah-Jane Kale, Tracy Clemente and Vicki Burdick. 🙂

Take care 🙂

Jill 🙂

My Favorite Things: Sketch #255

MFT Sketch Challenge #255 begins today on the My Favorite Things Challenge & Inspiration Blog! Hope you can find some crafty time and join us! There is a MFT Gift Card waiting to be had! 🙂

This week’s sketch:

Here is my take this week:

I thought this was a fun and WAY different color combo for me. I flipped the sketch, swapped the rectangle for a circle, and put it all together! 🙂I didn’t get around to making a second Sketch card this week. I’ve been trying to get a little ahead and also making MANY cards for friends and family that have been kind enough to help me on my fundraising efforts. I’m so grateful. 🙂

I originally made a card almost identical to these for Sketch #245. 🙂 I’ve made and completed just these cards, so far. They look awesome together! This is typically not my thing, to make many of the same card. But for the right cause(s), I did it! I think the best part is designing the cards and picking the products, so I rarely make doubles+ etc. 😉