TESC is BACK!!!

March 25th, 2011

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GOOD NEWS!  The Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge is BACK!!!  New sketches will be offered on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month and there will be a PRIZE DRAWING each time!  You will be able to get all the sketch info both in the SCS TE Forum and on Taylor’s blog.  You are NOT required to use TE stamps to play, but there’s a bonus prize available if you do! We’re kicking it off today with TESC135!!

And here’s my sample featuring Hello Spring.

 

I was totally inspired by Beate’s little mint basket project.  I thought it was so cool the way she punched out portions of these larger images, that I couldn’t wait to try it myself!  Patterned paper is We R Memory Keepers from the TE Spring Project Pantry kit.  I kept this card fairly simple because it will be one of the cards we’ll be making in my Hello Spring Class on April 15th.

You have 2 weeks to enter this challenge and I hope you’ll play along with us!  Are you ready to hop around and see all the samples created by the TE Sketch Crew?  Let’s go!

Would you like to join the TE Sketch Crew?  Taylor is looking for a new sampler for the team.  If you’d like to be considered please play in this week’s sketch and upload your sketch card featuring TE images to your SCS gallery using keywords:  tayloredexpressions, TESC135, TESampler2011 

(be sure to use a comma and then a space between each of the keywords as shown)   

Note:

  • To be entered into the prize drawing you MUST upload to SCS with keyword TESC135.  
  • To be considered for the open spot on the Sketch Crew you MUST upload to SCS with keyword TESampler2011
  • To have any creation featuring TE stamps show up in the Taylored Expressions Gallery, you must upload using keyword tayloredexpressions (no space)

 Taylor will contact the chosen sampler via Private Message on SCS, so be sure you have the PM option turned on. 

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENT

If you’re in SoCal, I’d love to have you attend my next class!

Hello Spring Stamp Class

Friday April 15th

7pm

Registration is $35 for 4 projects plus a Hello Spring Stamp Set

-or-

$18 just for the class

Regsitration must be pre-paid by April 7th.  Here’s a photo of 3 of the 4 projects we’ll be making that night.

I currently have 5 spots open and I’d love for you to join us!  Send me an e-mail if you’d like to register and I’ll get the details to you right away.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!  I’m looking forward to a Women’s Day Conference at church tomorrow as well as getting the 5th wheel ready for our upcoming trip!

Spring Thanks

March 21st, 2011

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Happy Almost Tuesday!  I made some time to stamp over the weekend and I had fun working on samples for my next class which will feature the new Taylored Expressions set Hello Spring.  I thought I’d pop in and share one of those cards with y’all tonight. This is such a CUTE and HAPPY set!

Designer papers are We R Memory Keepers from the TE Spring Project Pantry kit.  Cardstock is Rose Red, Basic Black, Gable Green and Daffodil Delight.  Ribbon is Rose Red Seam Binding.  Image was colored with copics.  Scallops were created with the Big Scallops Taylored Die. Not sure if you can see in the photo, but I stamped the sentiment “thanks a bunch” right onto the designer paper in the upper left corner.

Although yesterday was the first day of Spring, we had record rainfall here in SoCal and that continued again today.  I had to be out for an appointment this morning and I came home soaked!  Hopefully we’ll be all done with this weather by the time class rolls around and we can truly celebrate Spring!

Would you like to join me for class?  I have 5 spots open at this writing and here are the details:

Friday April 15th

7 pm

Regsitration is $35 for 4 projects and a Hello Spring stamp set of your very own!

E-mail me if you’d like to come or if you’d like to be put on my class e-mail list.  Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a great day!

**Please press Ctrl-F5 to “hard” refresh if you’d like to make sure you are seeing my latest post. Thanks!**
****Huge News at Taylored Expressions****

Taylored Expressions is now a Member Company at Splitcoaststampers, the largest stamping community on the web! Please come by the TE Forum and say hi!

Taylor is hosting a challenge to celebrate the Grand Opening of her Member Company Forum! All you have to do is upload a new card or other creation featuring Taylored Expression images to the SCS gallery using Keyword tayloredexpressions (NO spaces) to be entered into a random drawing. Get all the info and find out what the prizes are by clicking here.  You have a week to play.  Even though TE is all about RUBBER, to make sure everyone has a chance to play, Taylor is giving away several FREE digital images this week! You don’t want to miss this!

 

On top of the big news, I have a TE card to share with you today.  This is the 3rd card we made in my class last week and it features Friendship Blooms and the coordinating Taylored Dies.  The layout is similar to a couple of cards my friend Jodi has in the Baker’s Dozen Gallery.  Designer paper and ribbon is SU.  To create the background pattern on the top portion of the card, I grouped 3 of the small accent images on block and stamped them repeatedly tone on tone onto the pink cardstock. The flowers are popped up on foam squares.

Thanks for stopping by.  Now please run over to the new TE Forum and take a look around and say HI!

Stamp Class is Tonight!

March 10th, 2011

Happy Thursday!  My March Stamp Class will take place tonight while the Rocket Scientist is at choir practice.  I need to get the house cleaned up, but I wanted to pop in and share another one of the cards we’ll be making tonight.  This card features the Taylored Expressions stamp set Kid at Heart along with the coordinationg Take Note 3 Taylored Die.

This is a Joy Fold card and here’s a view of it open –

 

Isn’t it cute? Designer papers and ribbon are from the SU SAB packs I got last month.  Large silver brad is alos SU.  Serendipity that the patterned paper has the same scallop pattern as the cute little turtle’s shell!  I have one more class card to share, so I’ll try to stop back by tomorrow with that.  Thanks for visiting!

Shining Light

March 8th, 2011

Happy Tuesday!  I need to get out the door to the office, but before I go, I wanted to share a couple of things.  First I am so excited to show you the new mini chandelier in my stamp room.  I have needed lighting over my cutting station forever and even more so as my close-up eye sight has gotten worse throughout my 40’s.  UGH!  So the Rocket Scientist got me this beautiful chandelier for Christmas!

 

 

We had intended to get it up much sooner, but he has been pretty consumed with getting the new storage area ready for the 5th wheel…much bigger job than we originally anticpated.  It was worth the wait, don’t you think?

Pretty AND functional!  I love it!  The second thing I wanted to share is one of the cards we’ll be making in my class this Thursday evening.  I totally CASEd this card from Lea Lawson who was the Guest Designer at Taylored Expressions for the last 2 months.  The minute I saw it, I knew we had to make it in class at some point.  I used SU patterns papers (from SAB) and ribbon.  The stamps and dies are Taylored Expressions.

I have a couple of spots left in class.  Registration is $15 (open through Wednedsay afternoon only) and we’ll be creating three cards.  Let me know if you’d like to join us!  I need to dash.  Have a great day!

 

 

It’s time for the March Release at Taylored Expressions!  Everything the Baker’s Dozen has been showing you over the past few days is now available for purchase so it’s Time to Dig In!  Just in case you need a little more motivation to shop inspiration, the Baker’s Dozen has samples this morning encompassing all the new sets, dies and the Project Pantry kit.  I’m so happy to get to play along with them today.

I have to say that I had so so so much fun making this card and I can hardly wait to play with these sets some more.  My card features Easter Joy and Hello Spring along with elements (cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon, brad) from the Spring Project Pantry.

This is one of those “fiddly” cards that make me happy – just taking time to do lots of little steps.  A more basic version of his card could be done quite easily and still be really cute, but you know me – More is More – and I love all the little fiddly parts when I can take the time to just play.  So here’s what I did:

I started with the idea that I wanted the 3 sheep on a hill (which is one image)  to be on a white panel with a frame over it (rather than die cutting it and layering it like I usually would.)  So I stamped the image on TE Choice Snow White cardstock and masked it so I could stamp the sun behind.  *A little tip on the sun image – if you stamp it in a yellow or orange color (I used SU Peach Parfait) it will give a softer look than if you stamp it in black before coloring in.*  I also added the little chick image.  Then I colored the whole scene with Copics.  I stamped the sheep again and cut out just their heads and layered them with small foam squares for dimension. Then the sheep were covered in Sugar Sparkly Fluff.  I stamped the chick two more times and double layered him.

Next I took a 5″ square of white cardstock and adhered my 2 pieces of patterned paper with glue stick (so it would be adhered all over, not just on the edges).  Then I ran it through my Big Shot with a circle Nestie taped down with removable tape in the middle.  This gave me the window I wanted.  Next I created my scallop frame by die cutting my orange patterned paper with both a circle nestie and a scallop circle nestie in place at the same time.  That frame was then adhered around the window.  And the whole window piece was adhered over the scene.

The cross image was stamped on white cardstock and colored with Copics and cut out.  Then I covered it with Versamark and clear embossing powder and heat embossed it before adding a sparkly brad to the center.  I attached the cross with a foam square.  The sentiment was stamped on white and die cut and sponged and then slipped onto the ribbon before tying my bow.  Finishing touches are some KasierCraft rhinestones and yellow stickles.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to have a really cute Easter set that includes Bible verses and Christian sentiments.  Most Christian sets you see tend toward the elegant (which I love), but it’s fun at Easter to be able to make fun, cute cards and still have the real message of the holiday conveyed!

Let’s go check out what the rest of the Baker’s Dozen has cooked up for today:

When you’re ready to shop, you’ll want to go straight to the Fresh Out of the Oven Department at TE so you can see all the sets, dies, Project Pantry and a bunch of other new products too.  And if you’re not yet a fan of TE on Facebook, take a minute to click over and hit “like” at the top of the page.  We are very close to reaching 1500 fans, and when we do one name will be drawn to win THE ENTIRE MARCH RELEASE!  All you have to do to be entered is like TE on Facebook.  So easy!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I’d love to hear from you.  I need to buckle down today and get all of our tax info together…so you know I could use some happy messages throughout the day!

Happy Shopping!