Taylored Expressions June Studio Challenge

 

It's time for the Baker's Dozen Studio Challenge.  This is a monthly opportunity for the Taylored Expressions team 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 June is:
What's on your summer reading list?  Are you a big reader or not?  If you are, what books have you read lately that you would recommend?  Do you have a favorite author or genre? How about something for sitting out by the pool, or the beach, or even just the backyard...some nice light summer reading? Do you use fancy bookmarks or do you dog-ear your pages?  Or, do you use an e-reader? Everyone can use bookmarks and they make great favors and gifts.  Let's see a little inspiration!

I DO love to read, but unfortunately, having four busy, young kids makes it very hard to actually sit and read for any amount of time!  LOL  When I do get a chance to read, I usually go for some light reading.  I LOVE anything Nicholas Sparks!  There are so many of his books that I haven't read and have on my reading list, but I just haven't gotten to them.  As much as I LOVE the e-reader idea of having all of these books in a little electronic package, I think I'm a good old fashioned "feel the pages" kind of girl.  :)  I like physically turning the pages and using bookmarks.  There's something satisfying about closing the book with the bookmark inside and actually seeing my progress!  I know, it's the little things, right?  HA!!

I love all kinds of bookmarks, but my favorites are magnetic ones.  I just LOVE that they "hug" the page and don't easily slip out when the book is picked up or "looked through" by one of my kids.  Since I haven't done much reading myself this summer, I decided to create bookmarks for my kids.  Savannah and Arwen love to read and read a lot.  Isaac will be in Kindergarten this coming Fall, so I'll save that third one for then.  ;)  And Isabelle, I'll make her one when she starts reading in about a year!  :)   

I used a sentiment from the Garden Party Blooms set and the images are from the Garden Party Critters. I just LOVE that caterpillar image!  :)  The bee is pretty cute too!  The papers are from the I Heart Summer Collection from Simple Stories.  To create the actual bookmark, I used the Banner Stacklets 2.  I used the largest die from Banner Stacklets 2 and folded it in half, so the four corners met. . .and that little tab became a spot where you can "pull" the bookmark open.  I used the Grass Border Die to create the grass in the scene.  I attached magnetic strip inside the bookmark.  When you're ready to mark your spot, just close it over the page!

These magnetic bookmarks are so super easy to create. . .especially with the Banner Stacklets 2!!  I hope you'll find some time to create yourself a bookmark or two!  Be sure to see what kind of bookmarks the rest of the Baker's Dozen have come up with!!

Carole Burrage
Jen Shults
Joan Ervin
Kerri Michaud
Sankari Wegman
Shannon White
Shelly Mercado
Stephanie Kraft
Tammie Edgerton
Taylor VanBruggen
Wanda Guess

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Happy Birthday, Dude!

Birthdays are happening all over the place between our family and friends.  June and July seem to be heavy birthday months for our family.  I LOVE using this new set from Taylored Expressions, Ride the Wave, to create boy birthday cards!  When you need a quick birthday card and don't have time to color, silhouette sets are my fave!!

I started the card by using the Ray of Sunshine Cutting Plate.  I die cut it once out of orange and once out of yellow cardstock and then alternated the "rays".  The "sun" was made using the Pinking Circle Stacklets and just a plain circle punch.  I stamped the sentiment right on the sunrays as well as the palm trees.  The surfboards were stamped onto Kraft cardstock and die cut using the Surfboard Die.  To finish the card, I tied some hemp around the bottom.  Quick and easy!!

Thanks for stopping by today and Happy Friday!!

   
   

   

Verve's June Diva Dare

The June Diva Dare has begun over at the Verve Blog!  This month's theme is Puddles of Colour and pays tribute to Diva Jen (Deconstructing Jen) and Diva Janelle (Rain Puddles Design) both have an amazing eye for color.  We're daring you to create a card using coloring and/or painting.  If you want to kick the dare up a notch, you can add kraft card stock to the mix (Jen's specialty) and/or make a mixed media card (Janelle's specialty).  Head on over to the Verve Blog to see each Diva's take on the challenge!!

I have used the Teachers Count set for my creation along with the coordinating Apples Die Set.   Head on over to the the Diva Dare Day 3 to see how I answered the dare!!  We hope you'll come play along too!!  Thanks for stopping by today and have a great day!!

Make It Monday: Overlapping Ombre

It's been a long, long while since I've been able to participate in a Make It Monday Challenge, but I had some time this week and needed a birthday card, so I thought I'd put the two together!  This week's challenge is Overlapping Ombre.  I used the Sweet As Can Be set from Papertrey Ink for my card. 

I started by stamping the cone in Classic Kraft ink and then stamped the icecream in Berry Sorbet, Raspberry Fizz and Royal Velvet.  I added the cherry on top in Pure Poppy.  I stamped the sentiment in black and added the "sweet" in Pure Poppy as well.  To add a little accent on the top right, I die cut a flag using the Double-Ended Banners Die out of True Black cardstock.  Before adding the button with some Rustic Cream Button Twine, I die cut Flower Fusion #4 out of Ripe Avocado cardstock and added it behind the button. 

You can see other answers to the challenge HERE.  Thanks for stopping by!!

Taylored Expressions June Stamp of the Month

Hi there!  I hope you're having a great week!  Today I have a new Stamp of the Month to share with you from Taylored Expressions!  TE has re-designed the Key Ingredients Kit Club and added two new options, the Stamp of the Month club and the Deluxe Subscription! Today the Baker's Dozen design team and the Key Ingredients design team are joining together to feature the June Stamp of the Month paired with coordinating supplies from the June Key Ingredients kit.

This month's Stamp of the Month is called You Make Me Happy. . .and it certainly lives up to its name for me!!  :)   There is a coordinating die set called Rainy Days that makes using this stamp set even cuter!!  Rainy Days is available for purchase separately.  For my card I stamped the umbrella onto the white cardstock and again onto yellow.  I colored the handle on the one stamped on the white cardstock.  On the yellow umbrella, I cut out just the top portion and then attached the die cut "sections" of the umbrella onto the yellow.  One of the dies in the Rainy Days set die cuts the sections of the umbrella for you, so you can add different patterns or some dimension if you'd like!  Next I stamped and die cut the cloud and added some bling as "rain drops".  For the sentiment, I die cut a banner using the Banner Stacklets 1.  Don't you just LOVE the colors and patterns in the June Key Ingredients?  I do!

Here's more information about all of the subscriptions available at TE:

The Key Ingredients Kit Club

 Includes a 6x6 paper pad, 12 sheets of coordinating 8.5" x 11" cardstock, and 5 yards of ribbon all packaged together in a clear storage case. The Key Ingredients is exclusive to subscribers and can be purchased for a monthly charge of $24 (U.S.), $28 (Canada), $35 (other countries), which includes shipping. 

Stamp of the Month Club

 A new stamp set shipped directly to you each month. The stamps are made from pre-trimmed, deeply etched, red rubber and come on a sturdy 4" x 6" storage panel. The Stamp of the Month is exclusive to subscribers and can be purchased for a monthly charge of $20 (U.S.), $22 (Canada), $24 (other countries), which includes shipping.

Deluxe Key Ingredients

Perhaps you've noticed that our Stamp of the Month and Key Ingredients coordinating perfectly making the two a match made in heaven! As a Deluxe subscriber you'll receive both the Stamp of the Month and the Key Ingredients kit for a reduced price! This option can be purchased for a monthly charge of $39 (U.S.), $45 (Canada), $53 (other countries), which includes shipping. In addition our Deluxe subscribers will also receive an exclusive coupon code for a 10% discount in the TE Store all month long!

Just click on the coordinating pink link above or view all of the kit club options HERE.

The Baker's Dozen and Key Ingredients Team have more to show you using the Stamp of the Month and Key Ingredients Kit!  Be sure to visit each of them!  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Amy Crockett

Cassie Trask
Carole Burrage
Charmaine Ikach
Debbie Carriere
Monika Davis
Regina Mangum
Sankari Wegman
Shannon White
Shelly Mercado
Stephanie Kraft
Tracy Clemente
Taylor VanBruggen

Mojo Best is Yet To Come

I got to play in another Mojo Monday today.  With the kids out of school now, I need to change my "stamping" time.  I didn't think I was going to be able to play today, but some down time happened and I snuck into my studio!  :)  I decided to use the Let It Be set from Verve along with the frame image from On Occasion and a smaller sentiment from Take Note. 

The papers are from the Sweet Collection from Echo Park.   I die cut some acetate with the Occasion Frame Die and then stamped and embossed it with the coordinating stamp.  I stamped "the best is yet to come" in Jet Black Staz On and then added some vellum behind the acetate to help the sentiment to stand out more.  I stamped the flower from Let It Be onto red cardstock and embossed it in black.  I die cut a piece of black cardstock with the Flag It Die Set and stamped the sentiment from Take Note on it and embossed it in white.  The scalloped edges of the panel were created with the Scalloped Trim Trio and a Scalloped Border punch from Stampin' Up. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you're having a Happy Monday!!

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Happy Graduation

Well, school is out for my kids and the summer is just getting started!  I'm really looking forward to a more relaxed pace.  :)  One thing that has picked up in our family is the graduations!  I thought I'd play along in this week's Mojo Monday Challenge and create a graduation card for an upcoming graduation! 

I used the Happy Graduation Plain Jane for my card along with papers from the Vintage Bliss Collection from Simple Stories. I just LOVE the papers in this collection and they are perfect for a girl graduate!!  I added some pearls and a Prima flower to embellish a little and finished the card off with some stitching. 

Come play along in the Mojo Monday Sketch!  It's a contest week so you could win a prize!!  Thanks for stopping by today and have a wonderful weekend!!

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