Bonjour, mon petit chous! I'm going to skip the chit-chat today and get down to bidness. Mama's on a tight deadline and doesn't have time for her typical foolishness. Besides, I've got a couple of cute projects to show you using Taylored Expressions' newest goodies for December, and perhaps they'll inspire you to change your naughty ways in time for Santa to bring them to you for Christmas. Then again, if you're like me, you might just say "{Expletive deleted} Santa -- I'll buy 'em for myself, and be naughty, anyways. Who does he think he is, sitting up there in the North Pole, lazing around all year long but for one day? He has hundreds of slaves (that he euphemistically refers to as "elves") do all the dirty work, and he gets all the credit. Poor Mrs. Claus does nothing of note but feed his fat can, and he has the nerve to think he can judge me?"
(Okay, obviously I have enough time for a little foolishness...)
This month is Taylored Expressions' Third Annual PETITE-A-PALOOZA! We're celebrating the end of another great year by releasing 14 petite sets, all of which come with coordinating dies. Woot!
When I saw the new JOE TO-GO set, I knew I wanted to pull out a couple of items from my stash that I'd been hoarding for just such an auspicious occasion. First off, take a look at this paper from We R Memory Keepers. It was released a couple of years ago. See if you can tell why it might be special to moi:
Give up? The map on the paper is actually an old map of the state of Oklahoma, minus the panhandle (sorry all you folks out there in Beaver and Hooker, OK. Yes, those are actually towns in Oklahoma and you should not be surprised that I have good friends from both those places. They are wonderful people, but I can't deny the fact that they come from Beaver and Hooker makes me like 'em even better).
Random, but awesome, right?! And lookie here, up in the northeastern part of the state. There's little old Rogers County, and Claremore, my hometown!
Anywho, just had to share that bit o' trivia with y'all. I decided to actually cut into this paper (don't worry, I have a couple more sheets of it, at least one of which will remain pristine) to create a travel coffee mug using one of the many photo tumblers I purchased at Hobby Lobby on a hoarding kick years ago.
Several stamped and die-cut coffee-with-cozy cups later, and here's my tumbler insert:
The final product...
My so-sweet-and-creamer-y coffee will taste even more like dessert when I drink it out of this mug!
Next up is the new MAX & MUFFIN set, concept by our very own uber-talented Jen Shults (she of the Deconstructed Sketch fame, among other myriad accomplishments). These two cute kitties reminded me of a very dear friend of mine who has FIVE cats, four of whom are black. You might think she's just a crazy cat lady, but she also happens to be happily married, the mother of two smart and beautiful daughters, and the founder/owner/operator of a very successful small business that has around a dozen full-time employees. And at least her animal hoarding is done with a conscience: her cats were all adopted from shelters, and the reason so many are black? Because black cats have the hardest time finding homes to adopt them.
This card was made especially for my wonderful friend, Kim (whom many of you might know better as "The MFT Lady." I'd link you to her blog, but this is a TE post, after all, and that would be a weird sort of cross-promotion/worlds-colliding kind-of-thing I'd prefer to avoid. If you know who she is, you know how to find her. If you don't, Google her after you finish visiting the gals on the link list below. There. I've covered it all as graciously as I know how and will now just show you the damn card...).
All the black kitties are colored in the various shades of Copic Grays (Neutral, Toner, Warm, Cool - not necessarily in that order). Kim's gray cat in the middle is colored in a lighter shade of one of those grays, but I can't remember which. Here's a close-up so you can see some of the detail, including the meticulous and time consuming tri-colored hand stitching around the sides. (Kim, you're worth it.)
Tired of me yet? Me, too! Then go visit these other FAB-U-LOUS gals and see what Petite-a-Palooza perfections they have to color your world:
- Carole Burrage
- Charmaine Ikach
- Courtney Kelley
- Jen Shults
- Joan Ervin
- Kerri Michaud
- Sankari Wegman
- Shannon White
- Shelly Mercado
- Stephanie Kraft
- Taylor VanBruggen
- Wanda Guess
Joe To-Go supplies used:
Fabulous projects, Carole! LOVE your altered coffee cup -- SO fun! And your card is darling -- the tri-colored hand stitching looks incredible!
Posted by: Stephanie Kraft | December 03, 2013 at 10:12 AM
LOVE all of your projects, but am certainly partial to MINE! I can't wait to receive it, and you know I"ll find a special place to display it! XOXO!
Posted by: Kim | December 03, 2013 at 10:37 AM
Fabulous projects, Carole...your altered coffee cup is over the top, girl....I like it a latte(sorry...my evil twin made me say that...giggle!!)I love your little kitty card, too....they all look sooo sweet and I know Kim will love it too!!!!!
Posted by: Joan Ervin | December 03, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Oh My Word!! 8-) I LOVE your Fab Altered Coffee Cup Carole!! You must have the patience of a saint all those colored up die cuts!! ;-) Looks Amazing Lady!! And Kim's card is over the tops CA-UTE!! Love the tri-colored stitching! I know Kim is going to love it! 8-)
Hugs
Shannon
Posted by: Shannon White | December 05, 2013 at 08:03 PM