Taylored Expressions May Studio Challenge

Hello! It's time for the May Taylored Expressions Baker's Dozen Studio Challenge. This is a monthly opportunity for us to share what makes our stamping studios hum. Each month we have a fun, crafty question so we can share our favorites, some tips and tricks, stamping advice and more.

The question for May is:

What is your favorite time of the year? Some of us love the sunshine and heat and summer, while some of us long for the crisp cool air of fall. Do spring flowers make your heart sing or is it snow and the smell of pine needles that makes you jolly? Tell us about your favorite month or season and also tell us about your favorite time of year to stamp.

Living in Arizona, I don't really give a lot of thought to our seasons since it is sunny and warm/hot for most of the year. I think my answer might be different if I lived in a place that had a change of seasons... ;) I'd have to say, though, that despite having terrible allergies, Spring is one of my favorite seasons. I love to see plants and trees that have been dormant suddenly come to life and bloom. Whenever I think of Spring, I think of soft pastels, so to begin with, I made a 6x6 layout and hung it off of the Frame Your Imagination Vertical Stand. This wooden stand was designed to be used with TE calendar inserts, but it can also be used to display scrapbook layouts, recipes, etc. The possibilities are endless!

To start, I made my background paper using a Gelli Arts gel printing plate. I'll be the first to admit that mixed media has never really interested me (likely because it involves paints and I've never been very adept at painting). I've seen Mona create gorgeous backgrounds using the gel printing plate and decided to give it a try. I can honestly say that I am hooked! I started by brayering on a few different colors of paint onto my gel plate, then I randomly stamped parts of the Hexagon Big Background stamp (this removes some of the paint from my plate). Next I placed a sheet of watercolor paper over the plate to get my print. Once it dried, I cut out a 6 x 6 square which became the background for my layout. I adhered this to a 6 x 6 piece of acid free chipboard to make my layout more sturdy.

I didn't want to take the focus away from my background, so I added some simple stitching around, a few flourishes (using the new Curly Swirlies and a sentiment from Moka Morgana around the photo of my ballerina. To embellish, I added a few Swarovski crystals to my swirls.

A few {several?} years ago, my niece, Evie, asked me if I would make her a perpetual calendar. Of course, I said yes, but then I got busy and never got around to making one for her. I decided to start on hers and try to add to it little by little. I used the Perpetual Occasions Calendar. Since Spring is my favorite season, I completed April and May in her calendar.

I created my background paper with my gel printing plate. I added very subtle stamping using one of the background images (looks like cheesecloth) from It's in the Bag. There's no stamping on this 4 x 4 square. I used the Windy Tree die and added the silhouette of the tree and the stitched on the word "dream".

For May, I used some leftover paper from my layout (you can see the detail from the Hexagon Big Background stamp). I used Silhouette Stems 1 for my flowers and the sentiment is from Friendship Blooms.

Calendars, especially homemade calendars, make great gifts! And, as I've shown you in my first project, some of the products can be used for non-calendar projects. Be sure to check out the TE store to see more calendar products, here.

Please visit the rest of the Baker's Dozen for more Studio Challenge inspiration:

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Kerri Michaud

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft (you are here)

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

Thanks so much for stopping by!

6 x 6 Layout | Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Hexagon Big Background, Moka Morgana (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: Choice Snow White (Taylored Expressions), Pink, Watercolor, Chipboard
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Taylored Dies: Banner Stacklets 1, Curly Swirlies (Taylored Expressions); Swarovski crystals, Brads (WRMK), Acrylic paint, Frame Your Imagination Stand, Thread, Sewing machine.

April 4 x 4 Calendar Layout | Supplies from the TE store:

Paper: Choice Snow White (Taylored Expressions), Smokey Shadow (PTI), Watercolor
Accessories: Taylored Dies: Windy Tree (Taylored Expressions), Perpetual Occasions Calendar, Acrylic paint, Thread, Sewing machine.

May 4 x 4 Calendar Layout | Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Friendship Blooms, Hexagon Big Background (Taylored Expressions)
Paper Choice Snow White (Taylored Expressions), Watercolor
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Taylored Dies: Silhouette Stems 1 (Taylored Expressions), Perpetual Occasions Calendar, Acrylic paint, Thread, Sewing machine.

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Mojo 294: Teachers

Hello! It's time for another Mojo Monday (#294). Julee has another great sketch for us this week!

The school year is winding down, and I'm trying to squeeze time to make a few cards for Sabrina's teachers. This one is for her music/band teacher, who worked tirelessly on the 4th grade musical production. I used the newly released Teachers Count today.

Here's my little cowgirl in the band room before the performance:

and afterwards with her music/band teacher, Mrs. Hutson (the first thing Sabrina did after the performance was to ask me to take out her braids):

I hope you will play along with us this week. Please visit the Mojo Monday blog for all the details and to see the wonderful creations by the Mojo Makers. You can also visit their individual blogs for more details:

Carole Burrage

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman
Marisa Ritzen

Mary Fish

Sarah Bigelow

Teresa Kline
Wanda Cullen

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Teachers Count (Verve)
Paper: Divine (Prima), Kraft (PTI), Classic Crest Classic Natural White (Neenah)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: A Cut Above Dies: Rounded Rectangle, Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set (Verve); Pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), Hemp cord, Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

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Hello There

Hello! Happy Wednesday! I hope you're having a great week so far! Today I have a card using some Taylored Expressions goodies.

My card uses the Star Gazer Lily Bouquet. I wanted to keep my background simple (yet elegant) to show off the flower bouquet. I skipped using patterned paper and instead used the Quatrefoil Cutting Plate to die cut my background out of vellum. I layered it onto a piece of Choice Snow White cardstock and stitched them together. My sentiment is from the May Stamp of the Month, Cutie Pie, and is stamped onto the banner from Branches, Banner & Bloom. I stamped the bouquet, colored with Copic markers, cut out and popped it up with foam tape. My banner is also popped up for some added dimension.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Star Gazer Lily Bouquet, Sentiment from Cutie Pie - May 2013 Stamp of the Month (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: Choice Snow White (Taylored Expressions), Vellum
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Taylored Dies: Quatrefoil Cutting Plate, Branches, Banner & Bloom (Taylored Expressions); Markers (Copic), Snow Pearls (Kaisercraft), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine. Pin It Now!

Taylored Expressions May Stamp of the Month Blog Hop!

Hello! Welcome to the Taylored Expressions May Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! You might already be familiar with the TE Key Ingredients, well now Taylor has added a TE SOTM (which will coordinate with the Key Ingredients. You will have the option to subscribe to either one or a combined Deluxe Key Ingredients which includes both! Here is a link to the new US SOTM option.

I combined the May Stamp of the Month (Cutie Pie) with the May Key Ingredients (featuring patterned paper from the Echo Park Sweet Girl collection) to make a scrapbook page of Sabrina and her ballet teacher, Mrs. Caroline.

Before I show you my layout, I just want to interrupt this post to wish my sweet Sabrina a HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY! I cannot believe she is officially a "tween" now... :) I took these photos a couple of weekends ago during Sabrina's final ballet class with Mrs. Caroline. She is relocating to the San Diego area, where she is hoping to grow her classes and productions. We met Caroline a year and a half ago during the Cinderella 2011 production and began having Sabrina take classes from her shortly after. Caroline owns a very unique non-profit dance organization where she strives to unite both special needs and typical children. We will truly miss her dearly. Now here's my layout...

All patterned paper, cardstock and ric rac are from the May Key Ingredients. The "thanks so much" sentiment is from Cutie Pie and was stamped onto a banner die cut from Branches, Banner & Bloom, which is a new TE die set that coordinates with Cutie Pie (sold separately and available in the TE store now).

Here are a couple of detail shots:

Once again I used the Whimsy Alpha dies to create my title. I added tiny sequins and a small pearl as my period and to dot my "i".

I stamped the 3 flowers from Cutie Pie and die cut them with Branches, Banner & Bloom. The leaves are die cut (from same die set) from patterned paper. Each flower was popped up and again, I added a tiny sequin and pearl to the center of each flower.

Here's a complete look at the May SOTM, Cutie Pie (isn't the name fitting?!):

Please be sure to hop along and see what these Key Ingredients and Baker's Dozen designers have created with the May SOTM:

• Amy Crockett
• Carole Burrage
• Cassie Trask
• Charmaine Ikach
• Debbie Carriere
• Jami Sibley
• Kerri Michaud
• Monika Davis
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Shelly Mercado
• Stephanie Kraft (you are here)
• Tammie Edgerton
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Tracy Clemente

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Cutie Pie - May SOTM (Taylored Expressions)
Paper: May Key Ingredients (Taylored Expressions)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), Peacock Feathers, Peeled Paint and Spun Sugar Distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Taylored Dies: Branches, Banner & Bloom, Whimsy Alpha (Taylored Expressions); Ric rac (from May Key Ingredients), Sequins, Pearls (Kaisercraft), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

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Mojo 293: Look Who's Turning 10!

Hello! It's time for another Mojo Monday sketch (#293)! Today's sketch is brought to us by Julee. Tomorrow is Sabrina's 10th birthday, and this is the card that I made for her.

I was in the mood to color, and this image just screams Sabrina right now. It's Pure Innocence - Feeling Sassy. I colored her with Copic markers, cut her out and popped her up with foam tape. I flipped the sketch and allowed myself some "creative play" with the sketch.

Here's a detail shot with all the popped up layers:

I hope you will play along with us this week. Please visit the Mojo Monday blog for all the details and to see the wonderful creations by the Mojo Makers. You can also visit their individual blogs for more details:

Carole Burrage

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman
Marisa Ritzen

Mary Fish

Sarah Bigelow

Teresa Kline
Wanda Cullen

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies ~
Stamps: Pure Innocence - Feeling Sassy, Sentiment from ALM Big Birthday Numbers (MFT)
Paper: Up & Away (My Mind's Eye), Kraft (MFT), Classic Crest Classic Natural White (Neenah)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Die-namics: By the Numbers, Circle STAX 1, Crown Border, Fishtail Flags STAX (MFT); Markers (Copic), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

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Taylored Expressions May Spotlights: Shades of Thanks + Graphic Greetings Dad

Hello! Welcome to Taylored Expressions May Spotlight Day! Today is the day that the Baker's Dozen spotlights some of the new products that were released yesterday. Everything is available in the store now!

I have a couple of projects to show you today. The first one is a card set that has no stamping. It uses the new Shades of Thanks die (includes the tree and "thanks"). Once again, I kept these cards simple and (relatively) flat, using foam tape only to adhere the main panel to my card base. I overlapped the tree over cream vellum which was die cut using the largest Banner Stacklets 2. I added a pearl to the center of each bird house and a little stitching around the banner and to adhere the word "thanks".

My second project uses the new Graphic Greetings Dad A la Carte stamp set. I cropped a portion of the stamp and made a couple of tags (using the Tag Stacklets 1). I stamped it once on Kraft cardstock and trimmed to my desired size before slightly rounding the corners, then I stamped it a second time on Choice Buttercream, cut out the banner in the middle and popped it on top with foam tape.

Please visit these Baker's Dozen designers for more May spotlights:

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Kerri Michaud

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft (you are hee)

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thanks Trio | Supplies from the TE store:

Paper: Choice Buttercream (Taylored Expressions), True Black (PTI), Cream vellum

Accessories: Taylored Dies: Shades of Thanks, Banner Stacklets 2 (Taylored Expressions); Pearls (Kaisercraft), Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

World's Best Dad Tags | Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Graphic Greetings Dad (Taylored Expressions)

Paper: Bowties (Basic Grey), Choice Buttercream (Taylored Expressions), Kraft (Bazzill), Chipboard

Ink: Kraft (MFT), Vintage Photo Distress (Ranger)

Accessories: Taylored Dies: Tag Stacklets 1, Open Scallop Border (Taylored Expressions); Cropadile (WRMK), Arrow wood chips (Freckled Fawn), Brads (WRMK), Burlap ribbon, Burlap twine (May Arts); Foam tape, Thread, Sewing machine.

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Taylored Expressions May Release Day: Damask Flourishes

Hello! Welcome to the Taylored Expressions May Release Day! We are releasing 5 new stamp sets, 6 new dies and a 2 new cutting plates. They are all available in the store now!

Today the focus in on dies. I've used the new Damask Flourishes (includes 2 flourishes) on 2 different cards. Here's the first one:

Both of my cards are clean and simple. On the one above, I used the negative die cut on the larger flourish. Behind it, I added strips of Silver Motif Trendy Tape to another piece of cards stock and layered the two together. The sentiment is from Happily Ever After. I finished it off by adding a grosgrain bow.

My next card uses the other flourish on the bottom. I used pieces from the Band It Die (bottom piece covered with same Trendy Tape before die cutting), then I added the flourish and another piece from the die for my sentiment. The image (cropped from its full size and framed in the larger Instant Photo Frame) and sentiment are from Lifetime of Love. I also added a portion of the larger flourish to the right of my image panel.

Please visit these Baker's Dozen designers for more inspiration:

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Joan Ervin

Kerri Michaud

Lynnette Kauffman

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft (you are here)

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Today and Always | Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Happily Ever After (Taylored Expressions)

Paper: Choice Snow White (Taylored Expressions), Smokey Shadow (PTI)

Ink: Memento Gray Flannel (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Taylored Dies: Damask Flourishes (Taylored Expressions), Trendy Tape – Silver Motif (Queen & Co), Ribbon, Foam tape.

Lifetime of Love | Supplies from the TE store:

Stamps: Lifetime of Love (Taylored Expressions)

Paper: Choice Snow White (Taylored Expressions), Smokey Shadow (PTI)

Ink: Memento Gray Flannel (Tsukineko)

Accessories: Taylored Dies: Damask Flourishes, Band It Die, Instant Photo Frames (Taylored Expressions), Markers (Copic), Trendy Tape – Silver Motif (Queen & Co), Foam tape.

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