Taylored Challenged

I have to get this posted really, really quickly!

Taylored Expressions has a challenge that ends at 11:59 PST. It's now 11:53! I like last minute. 

I just went to link it, and it is closed. I guess my laptop doesn't know the time. 

This is the inspiration:

And here is my card:

As I can't link, I'll add the details.

I used my Deluxe September kit from Taylored Expressions: the stamp is TE's Sending Smiles; paper, We R Memory Keepers Chalkboard and Bazzill (?) Arizona and Aqua; and the ribbon.

The flowers and butterflies were stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and colored with my Copics; two layers of flowers were fussy cut. The butterflies also have Spica glitter pen on the outside edge. The butterflies are from TE's Summer Wreath set. I used TE's Curly Border die and My Favorite Things Fishtail Flags Layers Stax. 

As I am totally crazy, the curly border is inlaid. Yes, I painstakingly put the tiny pieces inside the loops. 

Thinking of You

I received my Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit yesterday (actually, Monday). Today (really Tuesday) I took it out to play. I can't believe I waited a whole day! (I got a card made and wrote the post, but the camera didn't want to work for me. So, now the real today, Wednesday, I got some taken.)

Again, I used tips from the Online Card Class, Kick Start. And I used a stamp from Taylored Expressions so I could enter their challenge.



The Sketch and Inspiration Paper

The not even close to the sketch card!
 

I guess organizing my thoughts means nothing to me! What can I say? At least I used the paper?

The paper and ribbon are from the Key Ingredients kit. I love having everything put together for me. And I enjoy looking through Taylor's Coordinating Products section.

Cardstock: Choice Cardstock Snow White, Red Rock
Design Paper: My Mind's Eye The Sweetest Thing 'Tangerine'
Ribbon: Satin ribbon from the kit
Stamps: Taylored Expressions 'Summer Wreath', Hero Arts CL140 Thinking of You
Copics: G21, G24, G82, R20, R22, R24, R27, Y21, Y26, YR24
Spica: Buttermilk (it's in the flower centers)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark
Embossing Powder: Ranger's Super Fine Detail Black
Dies: Taylored Expressions 'Seasonal Wreath', Lifestyle Crafts 'Nesting Lace Squares'
Other: Sewing Machine, 3D-Dots

Yes, I am slightly crazy. I stamped the wreath twice so I could cut some of the flowers out and pop them up. I've yet to see a flat wreath and I couldn't have one on the front of my card. The wreath is also popped off the Lace Square. What fun is flat?

Now to work on Day 3 of the Kick Start class. Thank you for stopping by.

Last Card Standing

Do you like Project Runway or Chopped? Without leaving home, you can show your stuff in a similar type of competition at Taylored Expressions.

As I was trying to figure out what to do, I watched the first day of the Online Card Class, Kick Start. Yes, Organizing Ideas, what a great way to start a card. And yes, I do need organizing!

So I came up with a sketch. Did I follow it? No, but it's close. That's okay, isn't it? After I finished the card, I read this post from A Blog Named Hero. I tell you, it couldn't have worked out any better for me.  


The Sketch



The Card

 

I made a baby card because I fell in love with the background paper. I don't know why, but it just called to me. I guess phrases like 'New Baby Smell', 'Tiny Fingers', 'Tiny Toes', 'Pride and Joy' to name a few.

Stamps: Taylored Expressions "Welcome Little One"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics: B21, B23, G21, G82, R30, R32, Blender
Spica: Clear, yes it is there but the photo doesn't show it
Cardstock: Choice Cardstock Snow White, Bazzil Basics Hillary, Flamingo and Lagoon
Design Paper: Fancy Pants Designs "Baby Mine"
Dies: Taylored Dies "Curly Border", Sizzix "Tags, Scallop Combo #2", Spellbinders S4-247
Twine: My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart "Be Happy"

I don't know how many photos I took of this card but I can't get a good one. I guess I need to find a Photography for Dummies class. Or maybe I need to learn how to edit. Either way, I need help.

Thank you for stopping by. If you have any photography tips, please leave them! Obviously I need all the help I can get.

Where am I?

Between harvest, fair (DH is a 4-H leader), having granddaughter #1 for a week and taking DD#3 to doctor appointments, I haven't had time to play during normal business hours. Then when I stay up until 3 watching the Olympics the brain doesn't function as well as it should. But then, does it ever? Add to all of that, I decided I needed to clean out cupboards.

Tell me, why do I still have the wooden salad bowl set we received for a wedding gift 31 years ago? Wet wood is my 'fingernails on the chalkboard' item so we have never used it. Nor the wooden salt and pepper shakers. Have I honored the gift giver by keeping these items this long? Can I finally get rid of them? I voted 'Yes!'

While trying to stay awake watching the Olympics, I finally pulled out my July Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions. I had a plan for ONE card, but as I worked on it, it kept changing because I kept finding different sketches to try. So, through all the changes it took more than one (translation, many) night to finish. Well, as I still have more pieces due to the changes, I don't think I've officially finished! What else is new?

I love the papers in the kit. I think (know) I need more of the Cosmo Cricket Tea for Two paper!




My Favorite Things sketch called out saying I had to use it. Here's the sketch


and what I came up with.

Yes, I changed a few things. The banner became a butterfly, cut from the same paper as the bottom band. I used Glossy Accents and Enamel Accents on it for some shine. Three circles morphed into nine Hero Arts pearls and a rectangle became an oval with mat. At least the base remained the same, sort of! It has four sections. Okay, so I started with the sketch but headed off in my own direction.

The other supplies:

     Image: My Favorite Things Bunch of Blooms

     Copics: E00, E21, E35, E37, E50, E59, G82, G99, R11, R20,

          R22, R24, R27, W3, W5, W7, Y26, Y28, Spica Buttermilk

     Paper: Bazzill Basics Lagoon, Choice Buttercream

     Dies: Butterfly: Hero Arts & Sizzix Antique Flowers &

          Butterflies, Spellbinders S4-110 & S4-111

     Other: Sewing Machine, Dimensional Adhesive

Addicted

I've been going through the Split Coast Stampers resources and finding more Delightful Packaging projects. Of course I'm going alphabetically so this one is Drawer Box. I can't go randomly through the projects, my brain won't allow it!

I started with a purple base as that is the favorite color of the recipient. It (purple paper) did not come with the June Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions but it works. The patterned paper is from the kit.

I used the Delightful Day stamp set from Taylored Expressions and VersaMark ink for the flowers on the purple. Plain paper just wasn't going to work for me!

Natalie at Delightful Details also entered a project in the challenge. On her post she linked to a tutorial for the folded chevron by Julia Stainton. My only suggestion, don't make your first one 3/4" wide! Other then that, I plan on using this technique again.

The flower is the Taylored Die Petal Pop-Ups 2. Queen & Co. makes the fun Twinkle Goosebumps gem in the middle of the flower. The gems in the corners are also goosebumps.

The tag was cut using the Spellbinders Labels Four and Labels Four Small. The button and ribbon were from the kit and the sentiment I did in a Word document.

Finally, the brads on the drawer are from Making Memories. Unfortunately there is only one card in there right now. I need to get to work on more.

Backpack anyone?

I wanted to make another entry for the June Taylored Expressions subscriber challenge. Split Coast Stampers has fun projects so I headed there for inspiration. As the challenge is 'Delightful Packaging' this backpack looked like one to try. I think I'm going to keep it on a shelf to remind myself of how crazy I am. As if I need reminding! :)  Actually, it was fun to make, I just didn't realize my own strength when setting the eyelets. The paper is a little creased.

The paper is from the June Key Ingredients Subscription. It's really hard to see, but I used the Delightful Day stamp set on the orange paper. The smaller flowers were stamped with Hero Hues Soft Apricot, the larger ones with Hero Hues Butter Bar and the leaves with Hero Hues Soft Green. I wanted them to be subtle and they are that! The eyelets are Making Memories and the ribbon is some I picked up at Michaels. Yes, ribbon came in the kit but I didn't want to waste it on this. To keep the flaps down, I used Basic Grey's magnetic discs.

This challenge has been fun. As I look at the backpack I'm thinking I need to make some for Christmas to hold stocking stuffers. See, I told you I'm crazy!

Recouping from Vacation

After being gone for nine days, I need a vacation! While I take this second vacation, I would really like for someone to come in and do the laundry from the last vacation. And put everything away - suitcases, groceries, just make it so when I come home this time, I don't have to do anything.

Oh, right, I haven't done anything since returning from the first vacation. We had a hold on the mail while we were gone and yesterday the mail carrier brought my June Taylored Expression Subscription. Yes, nine days without crafting is ten too many! (I couldn't do a whole lot on the day before we left as I had to pack.)

The June Subscriber challenge is Delightful Packaging. Of course I had taken my laptop with me and Split Coast Stampers' Wednesday tutorial was a slider box. Let me tell you, reading that on Wednesday and not getting my kit until Monday was stressful! The only good thing about that is I don't have to wait as long for my July kit!

Last night I did a test box. I have to do that to make sure I understand the instructions before cutting into the 'good' paper! I don't like surprises. Unfortunately, I failed to measure the length to see how it fit the Spellbinders Label 17. I should have made the box an 1/8" shorter.

Today I used the kit. Once again, Taylor did a fantastic job of putting it together. It is so nice making things without having to search for coordinating items.

Everything is from the kit except for a couple of the gems and the buttons I used for the knob. (Every rule has an exception. That's the one thing I remember from my English classes!)

I fell in love with the new dies, Petal Pop-Ups 1 and Petal Pop-Ups 2, and had to order them. Also, this month there was an exclusive stamp promotion for subscribers, 'Delightful Day.' I used it on the box as well. Oops, that is something else not in the kit. Okay, so all the paper, the two buttons on the flowers and the orange Twinkle Goosebump is from the kit, everything else, my stash and new purchases. I cut the label using Sizzix Tags, Scallop Combo #2 and left it blank so I can write the recipient's name.

Now to see what other packaging items I can make.

Uhm, I wonder where the camera is. I haven't put things away...

Added: Found the camera and inserted the photos. It would have been rather horrid to link to Taylor's site without a photo.

Rats

No, not the animals. I just went to Taylored Expressions to post my last two cards and the submissions are closed. Was there a time listed? My tough luck. Here are the cards, though. I used the May Key Ingredients kit for both.

The 'Thinking of You' is Hero Arts 657776 Floral Stamps and Dies with Hero Hues Pool AF212. The rick rack is Martha Stewart's Felt Borders. I cut the flower out of Claudine Hellmuth's sticky-back canvas using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die. It was then colored using Distress Ink Tumbled Glass with Turquoise Perfect Pearls in a mini-mister. Finally, the gem is from Doodlebug.

The flowers were stamped using Hero Arts CL495 Blossom Art and colored with Copics B34, B37, Y35 and Y38. I put Stickles Christmas Red and Yellow on the anthers. The 'Happy Anniversary,' a font on my computer. I couldn't believe I don't own a single anniversary stamp.

Well, I have more paper in the kit so that means I must make more cards! I just wish I had gotten these submitted. I guess that's what happens when you help someone with a grad party instead of posting. Ah, I would still help with the party.

Good Decision

Just as I hit 'post' on the last entry, there was a major, MAJOR clap of thunder. If DH were home, he'd be on the front porch looking for lightening. And if it were dark, we'd probably be in the car chasing the storm.

You must keep in mind, here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, thunder and lightening is an EVENT! It ranks right up there with snow. The difference, a quarter inch of snow closes school, thunder and lightening closes school only if the power goes out. We don't have lightening rods here.

The good decision? I wasn't out weeding. Had I been out there, I'd probably need to change my pants.

As I continued to play, I used the second sketch from Taylor for this card. And, of course, my Key Ingredients kit.

This time I used Fired Brick and Mustard Seed Distress Stain on the flowers. I cut another flower apart for leaves and stained them with Peeled Paint. 

The tag is Sizzix's Tags, Scallop Combo #2. I had pulled a tag from last month's kit and stained it with Peeled Paint. However, the kraft base changed the color too much to work on this card. Live and learn. Finally, the sentiment is from Hero Arts, Thinking of You, CL140.

The forecast today is for 'dry.' Just what that means, who knows. So far I've seen a beautiful blue sky and a cloud filled sky.  It's Oregon.

Play or Weed?

I voted for play. After several weeks of nice weather, it's threatening to rain. So really, I should be outside weeding because it's not raining. But why weed when I can play?

A couple of weeks ago I received my Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions. Taylor posted the Subscriber Challenge May 21 and yesterday I finally got to work on it. As I was looking at the paper, trying to figure out what to do, I remembered this post. I love sketches and Taylor sending me supplies.

I did have to pull a couple of things from my stash. I used Spellbinders S4-117 to cut the green paper. To color the resist canvas flower I used Distress Ink Fired Brick and Perfect Pearls Forever Red mixed in a mini mister. The yellow jewel is from Doodlebug. Happy Birthday was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and Hero Arts CL139, Birthday Messages. And finally my Crop-A-Dile to round a few corners.

How easy Taylor makes it!

Another Tag

I looked at those tags from the Taylored Expressions April Key Ingredients Subscription kit, found a sentiment from Hero Arts CL148 Happiness Messages, an image from Bugaboo Stamps and put them together. These are not colors I would normally use but that kit made it so easy.

The design paper, Simple Stories Fabulous, is zig-zagged onto brown cardstock, both from the kit. I threaded the ribbon, which is also in the kit, on the tag and tied a square knot. To save ribbon, it is wrapped around the sides of the card front and taped about 1/2" on the back. No point in using ribbon you can't see!

I colored Stella with Copics B000, BG72, BG78, C3, C5, C7, E00, E41, E21, E42, E44, E47, E49, E50, R11, R81, R83, R85, Y26 YR14, YR68 and the Blender. As Stella is so excited about another birthday, I added Spica Clear, Gold, Orange and Pink for some shine. She was then mounted on lagoon cardstock. Finally, I used Distress Ink Wild Honey around the edges of the card before adding all the pieces.

Here's to counting the days until the next kit arrives!

Subscriptions

Several months ago I signed up for the monthly Key Ingredients kit from Taylored Expressions. I am always leery of purchasing something I didn't pick out but I have had so much fun with them I'm glad I joined. There have been a couple of items I would never have bought but I've used them and they work! These kits are getting me out the rut I didn't know I was in. :)

Taylor also has a subscriber challenge. As April's kit had tags in it, the theme is "Tag You're It." I must admit, I didn't use one of the kit's tags but used Sizzix's Tags, Scallop Combo #2 and cut it from one of the papers in the kit.

I colored the Pure Innocence Bunch of Blooms with Copics, BG72, BG78, C3, C5, C7, E00, E21, E23, E25, E27, E50, R11, R81, R83, R85, R89, Y38, YG63, YG67, YR14, YR68. The blue flowers and green leaves are from Making Memories. The sentiment is from Hero Arts CL231 Happy Hello. Everything else is from the kit.

I now need to challenge myself and use a tag from the kit!