Springy Card Box Set by Jackie Pedro

Hi there! It's Jackie here with a fun project to show you today! I know it's a few days before Christmas, but it's been so dreary around here the last few days that I was really yearning to make something springy!! I LOVE the new December Key Ingredients Kit from Taylored Expressions and thought they would make a great springboard for my project! Get it? SPRINGboard..................... I'll be here all week......LOL!

Anywho...let's get on to my project...

I used this tutorial by our own Laurie Schmidlin to make this adorable 3x3 card box with the coordinating 3x3 cards! It was so easy! All of the cardstock, designer papers, ribbon and candy dots are from the December Key Ingredients Kit. I used the newest Taylored Expressions Giving Tree Charitable Sets, Discover Your Wings. I ADORE this set and for every set sold, Taylored Expressions is donating 7.00 to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, a beautiful charity to help grieving parents.

Here's the box top in all it's glory! The "thank you" sentiment is from another TE set, Branching Out. The circles were cut with Classic Circle Nestabilities. I used a paper piercer to make the butterfly trail.

One last look at the box. I made four cards to go in the box, but it could have EASILY fit at least six. I hope I inspired you to get crafty!

Don't forget to sign up for the Taylored Expressions newsletter! Just head on over to the Taylored Expressions Website and enter your name under the "join our mailing list" icon! You will be informed of any new releases and all the new "Fresh from the Oven" items in the store!

Altered Date Stand by Sankari

Good Morning Everyone,

I am so excited to share a little project with you that I created for a special friend of mine who will be celebrating her birthday soon :) I have been eyeing this awesome alterable date stand that is in the Taylored Expressions store and couldn't wait to decorate it up!! I thought that it would make the perfect birthday gift for my friend - she is a busy girl these days trying to get some special projects done and I wanted to give her something inspiring that she could look at on her desk.

This little date stand comes packaged with two cubes of numbers so that you can always know what the date is and also with three longer rectangles with the names of the months.I gave the blocks of numbers and names a light wash of gold paint and then went ahead with painting the date stand red (with some acrylic paint from the craft section).

After painting the blocks - I went over it with a glaze black gel pen and attached faux stitching (I know that stitching on wooden blocks is impossible but I had to add some because I am totally addicted to dots!! LOL!) . I wanted the front panel to have an inspiring quote to start the day - and since she is working on something very special - I wanted her to have faith in her project and to know that it will happen - and so I used the very beautiful sentiment that says : "Faith is the bird that sings when the dawn is still dark -Tagore" which is from the Lasting Impressions stamp line: Faith & Hope.

I cut this out with Fancy Tags Label from Spellbinders and then sponged the edges with Memento Ink: (Rich Cocoa) before adhering it to the date stand. On either side, I stamped the tree branch image from the Branching Out stamp set on Choice Buttercream cardstock and then used the Chipboard birds from Maya Road (that comes with the October 20th Key Ingredients Kit). And you know me and liquid pearls- those are my FAVORITE embellishments!!! - I used these Adirondack dimensional pearls (these two colors are Lettuce and Bottle) for some fun accents on the altered date stand:

I wanted her to have notepaper handy that had an inspirational sentiment at the top - and so, I cut out some different colors with the Long Scalloped Rectangles (Large) Spellbinders and then stamped these three sentiments onto the different colors: Along with the Tagore sentiment - I also added the sentiments: "And will you succeed, Yes, Indeed, Yes, Indeed" and the sentiment: "Congratulations, today is your today, You're Off to Great Places - You're off and away"...( both of which are from the Places You will Go stamp set).

I tied some Double Edged Polka Dot Ribbon onto the pens and as the last touch - I added some Dimensional Pearls from Adirondack onto the sides of the date stand and also to the leaves... (they make it soooooo easy to create leaves - just a few dots is all you need and voila: leaves!

I hope that she enjoys using this date stand and that she feels inspired every day as she works on her projects :) I had so much fun altering this date stand - and can't wait to get some more to make some Christmas presents. This whole project took about an hour and a half (drying time included) and I was thinking, that if I got a few more, I could just crank it out in an assembly style fashion :)

Hope you enjoyed this little birthday present!

And hope you are having a wonderful day!!!

Big hugs!

Sankari :)

TEBB Challenge #2 Hosted by Karen M.

Welcome to Challenge #2 for the Taylored Expressions Birthday Bash! There are lots of fun challenges and fabulous prizes to celebrate Cuppie's 1st Birthday! We hope you'll play along in as many challenges as you can. Did you already start working on Taylor's challenge? Isn't her inspiration piece just yummy!

A new challenge will be posted each hour by our fabulous Baker's Dozen design team. We'll have a variety of challenges including sketch, technique, colour and inspiration. You'll have 5 days to complete these challenges and be eligible for the prizes.

My challenge is the first sketch challenge of the day and I've kept it clean and simple.

So what do you need to do to participate?

CHALLENGE: Create a card, scrapbook page or 3D item using the sketch. You're not required to use Taylored Expressions images for our challenges.

KEYWORD: Upload your creation to your blog or online gallery (or both). If you're uploading to online galleries, use the keyword TEBBKM. Then come back to this challenge and leave a comment with a direct link to your creation! In order to be eligible for the prizes, you must leave a comment with a link to your card by midnight PST Wednesday, September 9th.

PRIZE: I will choose my favourite creation from among all the participants and mail you the card I created for this challenge along with a $10.00 gift certificate to the TE Store!

GRAND PRIZE: One random person who participates in ALL 13 of our Birthday Bash challenges will receive a $50.00 gift certificate to the TE Store in addition to an 8x10 custom watercolour Cuppie painting by our very own Jessie Oleson! Click here to check out all of Jessie's adorable artwork at her Etsy Shop. Once you complete and link all 12 challenges, send an email to tayloredexpressions@gmail.com to be eligible for our grand prize. Just include your name and "I completed all 13 challenges".

Here's the sample I created using Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates.

I stuck with the simple layout but added plenty of detail and texture. The image is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Buttercream. The tire is paper pieced, the branch is covered with Espresso Dimensional Pearls, the leaves are popped for dimension and I added a swipe of Green Apple Smooch to each one after colouring them with copics. I pleated some paper and stitched the pleats down so they'd lie flat then added some ribbon. Lastly I added some Multicolour Twinkles for a little sparkle.

Thanks so much for playing along! I can't wait to see what you bake up with the sketch! Don't forget to check back every hour for a day full of the fun challenges!

Happy stamping!

Karen

Stamps: Branching Out, Branching Out Coordinates

Paper: Choice Buttercream, Prism Blush Red Medium, Prism Frosted Yellow, Prism Suede Brown Dark, My Mind's Eye PP

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Accessories: copics, circle Nestabilities, Espresso Dimensional Pearls, Green Apple Smooch, Multicolour Twinkles, foam tape, ribbon, sewing, scallop border punch.

It's what sunflowers do.

It's finally Friday and I'm so happy it's my day to post something fun for you!

I've been hoarding this unfinished frame I bought from Michael's quite a while ago and I thought it would be perfect to fix-up and stamp on and embellish, and... well, you get the idea. I've wanted to make a framed sentiment for quite some time and the new set, Faith & Hope, is perfect!

I traced the frame onto a piece of Bloom & Grow paper from My Mind's Eye and then used ModPodge to glue it to the frame; I sanded the edges of the paper after gluing it so the edges would be smooth and even. The stamped images are from Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates - I paper pieced the flowers and used Copic Markers to color the other images, and no flower is complete without a Tiny Twinkle! The sentiment says "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do." - Hellen Keller. Isn't that fantastic?!

This has to be one of the easiest ways to spice up an otherwise ordinary frame. I love altering houshold items, and this one is relatively quick and easy.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and please be sure to sign up for the Taylored Expressions newsletter so you don't miss a beat! You can sign up on the Taylored Expressions homepage.

Karen


recipe -
stamps: branching out, branching out coordinates, faith & hope
ink: memento rich cocoa, copic markers
paper: choice buttercream cardstock, bloom & grow (my mind's eye)
accessories: unfinished wooden frame, blue satin ribbon, tiny twinkles, labels 1 nestabilities (spellbinders), modpodge glue, stampin' dimensionals

Faith Bookmark

As soon as I saw the new Faith & Hope set, I knew I wanted to make my daughter a bookmark for her Bible. I paired the sentiment from the Faith & Hope set with the branch and bird from Branching Out as well as some of Taylor's gorgeous Ivory Satin Ribbon.

The main panel was stamped in black craft ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. You can also get the Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles and the Prism Herbal Garden Medium CS in the TE Store.

Here's a close-up:



The bow was tied separately and then added to the front of the strip of ribbon with a glue dot. I made a loop with the extra strip of ribbon above the bow and tucked it underneath. Here's the back view so you can see the loop:



SUPPLY LIST ~
Stamps: Branching Out, Faith & Hope
Paper: Watercolor Paper, Prism Herbal Green Light, Prism Herbal Green Medium
Ink: Black Craft, Soft Sky, Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi, Basic Brown
Accessories: Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles, 1" Ivory Satin Ribbon, Glue Dots, Clear Embossing Powder
Technique: Watercoloring, Heat Embossing, Dry Embossing

Thanks for stopping by!
Denise

Mini Bookcase with Drawers

Hi Everyone, 

Have you had a chance to read through this blog - because it is just full of inspiration! You can sign up for the newsletter to this blog (on the right hand side) and that way - all the updates come right to you!

Today's project is a little birthday present that I created  for one of my dear friends who is a writer. I wanted to give her something that she could keep on her desk that could hold some office supplies like paper clips, thumb tacks, etc. I love the papers from the Key Ingredients and I adore Taylor's newest stamp set Branching Out and used both of these to create this little mini chest with drawers.

In each of the drawers I put a little special something in it and one of my favorite things in creating this project was to create a little special drawer for a secret stash of chocolate :) YUM! 

It was really simple to make this project - it goes very quickly because the boxes are super simple and easy to make. 

TO CREATE THE BOXES: 

To make them you need a 5 x 5 piece of cardstock, scored at 1.5 inches from the edges, and then folded and adhered. To create theses 6 boxes took about 15 minutes! Very quick! Here is a little tutorial with pictures how to make the boxes:

1. I used my The Tiny Dancer Collection paper that comes with the Easter Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions to create my drawers

2. Cut cardstock to 5 x 5 inces

3. Score cardstock at 1.5 inches from the edges

4. If you don't have a Scor Pal - you can use a Paper cutter - just place where it needs to be scored and use your scorer along the path of the blade.

5. Cut the paper along the vertical fold only until the middle

6. Fold and adhere

7. Use a mini circle punch (1 "punch) to create a half circle to create room to pull the drawers out

8. Your 2 x 2 inch card is ready to be decorated and filled!!! 

TO CREATE THE HOLDER FOR THE BOX: 

After you make the boxes - you can create a little shelf to hold them in - I created a box that was to hold the drawers in. All you need for this is a piece of cardstock that is 8 3/16 by 5 1/2 inches to hold two of these drawers. The cardstock is then scored at 2 inches, folded and adhered. Here is a little tutorial on how to make these drawer holders:

1. I used the beautiful and heavy cardstock from Taylored Expressions (comes with the Easter Key Ingredients kit) and measures 8 1/2  x 11 inches

2. I cut the cardstock to 8 3/16th by 5 1/2 inches and then scored at 2 inches from the edges.

3. No Score Pal? No problem  - you can use your paper cutter as a scorer - just run the scorer through the tracks of where the blade would run

4. Cut vertically up the folds towards the middle (2 cuts going up on the bottom and 2 cuts coming down from the top)

5. Fold and adhere.

6. Your rectangular box (4  3/16  x  2 inches) is now ready to hold two little drawers!!

Then all you have to do is to adhere and create levels to your mini chest by stacking them up. I created three levels. And then decorate as you like. 

This project was really simple - because all the papers in the Key Ingredients kit coordinates and it comes with built in accessories such as the felt flowers, brads and matching ribbon. Everything is already ready at your fingertips! 

Since this is a gift for one of my dear friends - I used this beautiful sentiment: We are friends forever in sunshine and shade! Isn't that sentiment just the sweetest! It was fun to stamp the tree from the Branching Out set on either side and decorating them with the emerald liquid pearls for leaves and brads for flowers (an idea that was inspired by Donna Baker). I stamped and cut out the tree branch from this set and also two little cutie owls from the Branching Out coordinate set and then tired a little bow from this sheer ribbon. On the front of each of the drawers, I attached these super cute felt flowers with these cute glittery brads - all of which come together as part of the Key Ingredients kit. 

Supplies:

Paper: Easter Key Ingredients Kit

Stamps: Branching Out and Branching Out Coordinates

Ink: SU! Rose Red

Accessories: Scorer, Paper Cutter, ruler, (Ribbon, felt flowers, brads - all come with the Easter Key Ingredients kit), adhesives, 1"circle punch (Martha Stewart), Liquid Pearls

This was such a fun project and a quick one too - and once everything was folded and stacked - it was so much fun to decorate and fill it up! I still love that one drawer with a secret chocolate stash! Thanks so much for visiting!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Sankari 

Our Friday Friend Lynn

The SASI Blog has been bustling lately with lots of darling projects from the Baker's Dozen. We plan to have at least 3 posts a week and sometimes more to share with you. Be sure to subscribe (see the sidebar) so you don't miss a thing! It's time for Our Friday Friend and I couldn't be happier to introduce you to Lynn Mercurio. I bet most of you are familiar with Lynn since she is on the Cupcake Crew (Taylor's Friday Sketch Samplers) plus she's the Monday challenge hostess over on SCS with the Technique Lover's Challenge. Lynn has such a fun style and we just couldn't resist the cupcake tree she created for last week's TECC.

This week Lynn created another card using Branching Out and Branching Our Coordinates - this time featuring a cherry tree and a swinging owl! Too cute! :) We had a little get-to-know-you chat with Lynn and here's what we found out....

--What city/state do you live in?

I live in Maryland Heights, Missouri which is in St. Louis County

--How did you become addicted to paper crafts? How long have you been stamping?

A co-worker introduced me to creative stamping in 2004 and from that time I've been totally addicted. I haven't stopped learning, creating and BUYING!

--How would you describe your style? What are you favorite projects to create?

I would call my style "chameleon" because my style changes depending on the occasion and the stamp set I'm using. I go from elegant to whimsical. My very favorite project to create is one where I have a specific purpose and person in mind. Having focus really helps me in the creative process.

--Do you have a favorite SASI image?

Can I say that my favorite is the set that I've purchased last? :) I love all of Taylor's stamps so to pick just one out of the bunch would feel just wrong. lol

--What is your favorite sweet treat? (feel free to share the recipe if you have one!)

My favorite sweet treat is a combination of two snack foods; popcorn and peanut M & Ms. Mix them together and you have the best combination of sweet and salty. This is an especially excellent snack while at the movies, but I have been known to mix up a batch for home movie night!

You'll want to visit Lynn at her blog Stamperosity as well as take a peek at her SCS gallery. Lots to see!

Thanks Lynn for being Our Friday Friend!

And how about you - would you like to be Our Friday Friend?

No contest to enter for this. Each week we will scour the Taylored Expressions Company Gallery at SCS for recent uploads (within the past 10 days) in search of a SASI Stamper to be featured on this blog. To be considered all you have to do is:

**Create something (card, 3D item, scrapbook page, anything) using one or more images from any SASI or Whimsical Wishes stamp set. Your creation should showcase SASI or WW, but does not have to be exclusive to SASI.

**Upload your creation to SCS being sure to use the keyword SASI or tayloredexpressions (no space) so it will appear in the Taylored Expressions Company Gallery (which is driven by a keyword search) and complete the recipe section of the upload.

**In the description field of your upload please mention Stamp a Sweet Impression stamps are from http://www.tayloredexpressions.com/

Super simple - pretty much just have fun stamping and upload what you make so we can see it! If you are chosen, we will send you an e-mail or PM asking if you'd like to be featured and requesting permission to post one or more of your creations here as Our Friday Friend. You will have the choice of creating something new or just allowing us to post a pic already in your gallery. We will include a link to your SCS Member Gallery and to your blog if you have one (note: a blog is not required to qualify for this feature.)

Knock, Knock...

When I first saw the "Knock, knock..." sentiment in the new Branching Out Coordinates set, I just KNEW I had to make a card with it! You see, my five year old son has just "gotten" the concept of jokes...and "Knock, knock" jokes are his absolute favorite (and what I've been hearing constantly for the last month LOL!)



When I sat down to make this card, I kept looking at the cuuuuuute owl (I just love his sweet face!), and the idea for this card (beyond the knock, knock part) hit me! I embossed the tree trunk and paper pieced the swirly top (from the Branching Out set) with the My Mind's Eye paper that is included in the Easter Key Ingredients Kit. I then cut around part of the tree top so that it would open....yes, you guessed it...to reveal that sweet owl (from the Branching Out Coordinates)!



I used the little flower from the Branching Out Coordinates set to decorate the outside as well as the inside, complete with rhinestone centers (I used the mini rhinestones from Taylor's Tiny Twinkles).
I hope I was able to bring a smile to your face today!
Thanks for stopping by,
Laurie

Supplies -
Stamps: Branching Out , Branching Out Coordinates Paper: Suede Brown Medium c.s., My Mind's Eye Tiny Dancer (from Easter Key Ingredients Kit) Ink: Close to Cocoa craft ink Accessories: Clear detail e.p., Nestabilities, Sewing Machine, Ribbon, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles

Oh, Nuts!!

Happy Monday everyone! Today I have a cute little cookie box to share with you. I am in love with the new Whimsical Wishes set "Branching Out" and "Branching Out Coordinates". I knew I wanted to use them for this project. I recently went to La Madeline and bought these yummy almond/pecan nut cookies. They were so pretty and perfectly sprinkled with powder sugar that I wanted to make a cute container for them and give them away to a new neighbor that just moved next door. I started with the super adorable square favor boxes from Taylored Expressions. I embellished the box with some scalloped paper and ribbon. The buckle and the card stock from the tag are all from the Taylored Expressions new March Key Ingredients. To complete the project I added some Zva Creative crystals around the circle and scalloped paper. I really like how it turned out. I can't wait until tomorrow to give my new neighbor this little treat. Well, that's all for me today.
Until next time,
Ana Wohlfahrt