Mother's Little Helper

YNS Fun Friday - Congratulations

It's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged, and it feels like LOTS has happened. First and foremost, I'm so excited to say that we have a contract on a new (to us) home!

Yes, yes, it's true that we just moved this past summer. We've been living in a house on campus, and therein lies the problem: it's on campus, and it belongs to the University, not us! You ladies out there can agree that our nests are important, and if at all possible, we prefer to have one that's our very own.  8 months of living in "the peoples'" house has made me very desirous of one that was more "me" and more private. I found exactly that in a home that was custom built in 1975 and being sold by it's original owners. It's funky (Mike Brady himself could have been the architect), and spacious, and absolutely immaculate.  Plus, it has a gorgeous backyard with park-like views from every window.  Yippee!

We won't be moving in for a couple of months, but that's okay. I like just knowing it's going to be happening soon, and making plans in my head for all the ways we will make it our own. It makes having sold our longtime, beloved home in Claremore much easier to bear.  With all of this in mind, I created my card for this week's Your Next Stamp Fun Friday:

I used Sketch and Color Challenge # 8 (both), which look like this...

As you can see from the sketch, I took it very literally.

I really like the fonts used in YNS's new WHATNOT SENTIMENTS FOUR set, and there are 10 different lines you can add to "Congratulations," which makes it super versatile.  Dies used include YNS's Circles and Piercing Holes die sets. 

One other thing I used: my new MISTI, which arrived in the mail last week. I bought it because it came highly recommended by many people I like and respect, though I wasn't necessarily convinced how handy I'd personally find it. OMG -- I eat those words! See how perfectly centered and evenly inked my sentiments came out?  I'd like to take credit, but I can't. It's all due to my new BFF, MISTI! I've always loved my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, but MISTI blows that tired old thing out of the water.  And just so you know, this is pure enthusiasm on my part -- I have no sort of affiliation or remuneration from MISTI, and I paid the same price for it (her) that everyone else does.

Okily-dokily, folks. You have a wonderful Friday, and be sure to visit the YNS Blog to see how the other participating YNS Designers interpreted Challenge # 8.  While you're there, learn about participating in Challenge #8 and how you could win a gift certificate to the YNS Store.

Thanks for visiting me today! HUGS!

Use Your Stamps with Mojo Monday

Happy Monday, friends!  How are you on this last Monday of September?  Are you in one of those areas that have a long, lovely autumn? (LUCKY! <-- say this like Napoleon Dynamite would) Or are you in a different part of the world, where it still feels like summer or has already rushed into winter?  I'm always amazed to read Laurie Schmidlin's blog when she talks about snow. Laurie lives in Montana, where it was snowing this past May 31st.  Recently, on her Facebook page, she mentioned the first snow this year was on Sept. 11.  Crazy!

 

Here in southeastern Oklahoma, we're still well into the 80s and on a couple of days this week, it's supposed to get into the 90s. Laurie's snow sounds pretty good to me, right about now. I could totally live in an area with lots of rain and snow as I am very indoorsy. I like being stuck at home due to the weather, so long as I'm warm & dry, with a good internet connection and plenty of groceries (read: wine).

Moving right along... For my birthday a couple of weeks ago, I treated myself to new die storage from Stamp-n-Storage.  It arrived last week, and I've been organizing my dies ever since. I had been using various binders and storage systems.  That worked well enough, but I like the idea of having them all in one place with room to grow, so I purchased two of the large, covered wooden die totes with two extra magnetic card bundles.  Now, I have all of my dies together, organized by manufacturer and motif. During the course of this project, I realized how many dies I have that I have yet to use. 

It reminded me of something I'd read on Susan Raihala's blog that she calls the "Use Your Stamps Challenge." (UYSC) To summarize, she suggests the INSANE idea that we use every image of every set we own (use of all sentiments is optional), and that when we finish using a set, we record such usage to acknowledge that set has been used (she writes a little note inside the stamp set storage that says "You did it!"). 

I have to say, this challenge both inspires and frightens me. When I consider all of the stamps I own that have yet to be used, I wonder if starting this challenge would inhibit me from ever purchasing anything new. Anticipating and getting that box of new crafty product in the mail is one of life's greatest pleasures, for a certain type of weirdo (if you're reading this, you're probably the same kind of weirdo. Don't take that as an insult -- own it! :) ).  On the other hand, trying to live by this challenge would necessitate mindfulness regarding the acquisition of new products and determining which products deserve the valuable real estate they take up in our craft spaces. That can't be a bad thing.

Food for thought!

With the UYSC in mind, I created my card for this week's Mojo Monday sketch (#365) using a lovely stamp set from Taylored Expressions called Discover Your Wings:

I love the art-deco-esque butterfly graphic, which I stamped out in MFT Blu Rasperry ink, then stamped over in VersaMark, and then heat embossed with Powder Keg Crystal Embossing Glitter.  After the image was dry, I die cut it with TE's coordinating Discover Your Wings - In Flight die.

This quote by Helen Keller grounds the image and offsets the top embellishment of the sketch (rule of 3s!):

Okay, okay, you're saying. I used a stamp and die set -- what does this have to do with getting all worked up and wordy about the UYSC?  You'll have to come see me tomorrow for the answer to that question, my pretties! Trust me, all will be revealed.

In the meantime, though, ponder what I've given you, and head over to the Mojo Monday blog for information about how to play along in today's Mojo Monday challenge.  Then, to inspire you further, visit these lovely ladies' blogs for their interpretations of today's Tall & Skinny sketch:

• Debbie Carriere
• Julee Tilman (Owner)
• Marisa Ritzen
• Mary Fish
• Sarah Bigelow
• Teresa Kline
• Wanda Cullen

Mojo Sketch 365	Taylored Expressions - Discover Your Wings Stamp Set	Taylored Expressions Dies - Discover Your Wings - In Flight	Taylored Expressions - Banner Stacklets 1
MFT Hybrid Ink - Blu Raspberry	MFT Hybrid Ink - Steel Grey	PaperTrey Ink Cardstock	VersaMark
Powder Keg Embossing Powder	Jody's Foam Boosters

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Kitchen Love

Howdy, friends!  It seems as if it's been a month of Sundays since I last blogged.  Lots & lots has been going on -- a new job, a new member of the family, etc.  I want to tell you more about those two biggies, in particular, but not just yet. I have a couple of projects I'm working on with them in mind, and I think I'll save my big reveals until I can give you a two-fer.  Oooh... the anticipation!  Is it making you giddy with excitement or frowny with frustration?  Either way, I have something else to share with you to take your mind off my withholding.

In October, the Baker's Dozen (aka Taylored Expressions' Design Team) held our last Studio Challenge. For the next year, in place of the Studio Challenge, we're each going to have a monthly date where we feature a particular die or set of dies. This month, I'm going to show you some fun ways you can use the KITCHEN ACCESSORIES dies.  They look a little something like this:

... and they coordinate with the WHAT'S COOKIN' stamp set.

I don't know about you, but this is the time of year I seem to give a lot of food-related gifts.  Sometimes I wrap them in wrapping paper or a gift bag, but when possible, I like to just tie a ribbon around them and present them as-is.  These are the perfect kind of gifts to personalize with a handmade gift tag or little 3"x3" card.  Thus, I came up with this little trio to adorn some soon-to-be-gifted edibles:

With the red and green background papers, these tags could be seen as seasonal, but I also threw in a lot of aqua and gold so they could skew outside of the holidays, if need be.  Here's a close-up look at each:

On the inside of each, I added a little bracket of Choice Buttercream upon which to write a note.  I could just write on the red cardstock, but that would be tougher for the recipient to read.

For giving, I could either put these in a little 3" x 3" envelope, or I could punch a hole in the upper-left hand corner and tie it to the gift with some of the yellow baker's twine that I used as an embellishment.

I keep all of the 3" x 3" cards and gift tags that I make in a drawer adjacent to where I store my wrapping paper and gift bags.  That way, they're handy when I need them and don't get lost amongst my card stash. 

Well, that's all I have for you today. I know you'll be awaiting my update with bated breath; I'll try not to make you wait too much longer. I don't want you aging prematurely due to stress on my account...

*what's cookin'?	*kitchen accessories	*bracket notecard	*bracket frame
*banner stacklets 1	*choice buttercream cardstock	*memento tuxedo black full pad	*bumblebee doodle twine
*copic markers	*metal adapter shim	*foam tape - 1/8" thick	*best glue ever
*precision applicator metal tip

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Related articles

Taylored Expressions October Studio Challenge

Baby Love

Taylored Expressions November Sneak Peeks: Witty Wine Quotes & Rock My World

Taylored Expressions October 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 or theme so we can share our favorites, some tips and tricks, stamping advice and more.

The theme for October is: 

Never Felt Better!!

Felt is all the rage in crafting.  It's so thick and soft and gives that special warm and cozy feeling to fall and winter projects.  TE has 21 yummy colors to choose from, but do you ever just stare at all that felt and think, "Hmmmm...what should I do with it?"

Designers, show us a fun  project featuring felt.

Aah... the touch, the feel... the fabric of my craft room: FELT!  I do love to use felt in projects for added texture and dimension, especially in cooler weather; it's like a tiny blanket for my creations. 

For this month's challenge, I decided to make a little home decor piece which uses felt to emphasize that comfy-cozy feeling we associate with "home."

I took a plain white 6" x 6" canvas and made a sweet scene using images from the Rose Garden Estate stamp set.  Soft, fluffy clouds and thick, velvety grass were cut from Antique White and Grass Green Taylored Felt, using the Build-a-Scene Swirly Clouds and Grass Border dies in my Vagabond Die Cut Machine.  To make sure I get a clean cut through the felt the first time, I also use a metal shim in addition to my regular Vagabond cutting plate 'sandwich'. I adhered the felt to the cardstock with my go-to adhesive, Best Glue Ever, which really lives up to its name. To ensure delicate application, I always use a Precision Applicator Metal Tip in my BGE; I swear I can't make a single thing without this stuff!

Here's a close up of this lovely little Tudor-style cottage...

I want to go to there! I just love TE's Adorable Abode collection of stamp sets - they remind me of my Snow Village houses, which always make me happy.

Ready to see how the rest of the Baker's Dozen got felt up? (Hee - couldn't resist...)  Then head on over to these lovely ladies' blogs:

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Joan Ervin

Kerri Michaud

Pattie Goldman - Guest Designer

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

*rose garden estate	*grass border	*build a scene - swirly clouds	*taylored felt - grass green
*taylored felt - antique white	*copic markers	*choice snow white cardstock	*memento tuxedo black full pad
*foam tape - 1/8" thick	*best glue ever

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions May Sneak Peek: Greeting For Him

Hola!  How are you, this Siete de Mayo?  Me?  Well, we're getting a new roof put on our house this week, which means there's a constant bang-bang-bang going on above me, and the dogs are both figuratively and literally barking mad.  Good times!

Speaking of good times, Taylored Expressions' May release is all about celebrating the special men and couples in our lives.  Father's Day, wedding season, and our August anniversary (DH and I will be celebrating 20 years of wedded bliss) = covered!  Thanks, TE! :)

For this first Sneak Peek, I'm showing off the new GREETINGS FOR HIM stamp set.  It comes with all sorts of words and phrases for the dudes.  See what I mean?

I decided to pair up a few sentiments to make a Father's Day card for my father-in-law, whom my boys call "GrandDad."  Here's what I came up with:

I LOVE the new BIRCH TREE BORDER die, as well as the BIRCH TREE ACCESSORIES die set (which is where the deer came from) -- they make coming up with masculine cards a snap.  And, considering the fact that my husband and his large extended family were all born and raised in Antlers, Oklahoma (self-proclaimed deer capital of the world, where they let out school for a week when deer hunting season begins; seriously!), I think I'll be getting a lot of use dies!

As you know, I am centuries old and very wise, so pay attention whilst I give thee a little stamping insight.  When you're making cards for the guys, think TEXTURE.  I used cork for the birch trees, felt for the deer, a rustic twine to embellish, as well as brown mini-brads to set off the sentiment.  All of those different textures give the card a much more masculine look and feel than layered paper.

Here's a close up of the sentiment, which was stamped onto a panel cut from the new BAND IT die:

This is the second panel I made; the first had to go in the circular file as setting those tiny brads tore up the lightweight patterned paper (from October Afternoon's Campfire 8x8 pad).  I really wanted to use the pattern, though, to tie the sentiment together with the ground.  What to do?  I glued a bit of card stock behind the area where the brads would be and it was much easier to line them up and getting thme looking right.  Success!

Ready for more?  Then go visit my Baker's Dozen buddies (and our fabulous guest designer, Joan Ervin) to see more stunning creations with the May TE release...

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Joan Ervin - Guest Designer

Kerri Michaud

Lynnette Kauffman

Nancy McKinney

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

 

Supplies used:

Stamps: Greetings for Him (Taylored Expressions)

Dies: Birch Tree Border, Birch Tree Accessories, Band It Die (Taylored Expressions)

Ink: Adirondack Earthtones Denim

Paper: Choice Buttercream (TE), Creamy Caramel (SU), Campfire 8x8 pad (October Afternoon)

Accessories: cork, felt, twine, mini-brads (Queen & Co.), foam boosters (JSSS)

 

Taylored Expressions April 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 theme for April is:

Mix & Match!  TE stamp sets are designed with plenty of images and sentiments so they are "self-contained" for lots of creativity, but sometimes it's fun to mix and match several different sets for even more possibilities.

Your challenge is to create a project using three or more TE stamp sets.

Well, I may have mentioned this to you one or a hundred times lately, but at this time of year, I'm always in desperate need for graduation cards.  Thus, I endeavored to make a graduation card for this month's Studio Challenge.  Here's what I came up with:

I started off with the adorable new MOKA SKYLAR image as my foreground image.  Here she is, in her graduation finery:

I needed a sentiment/background image that would lend itself to a graduation-themed card, and the Dr. Seuss quote with the road & mountain scene from THE PLACES YOU'LL GO stamp set did both for me:

After adhering Skylar to the left hand side of the background layer, there sure seemed to be a lot of empty airbrushed sky in the upper right section of the background.  I decided to punch out the trendy chevron circle and 'congrats' sentiment from the current/April Stamp of the Month kit to add a festive embellishment and cover up some of that empty skyline.

Want to try mixing and matching stamp sets to challenge yourself, and/or get more use out of your favorite sets?  Then, in summation, my advice is:

• pick out a foreground image to build your card around,
• find an image from a different set to create a background, of some sort, that is in keeping with your foreground set,
• select an appropriate sentiment from another set, and
  
• find another set you can use to make an embellishment.

Ready to see what the rest of the oh-so-talented Baker's Dozen (and our fabulous Mar-April Guest Designer) have made to fulfill this month's Studio Challenge?  Then head on over to visit these lovely ladies' blogs:

Broni Holcombe

Carole Burrage

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Kerri Mchaud

Lynnette Kauffman

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

Taylored Expressions March Studio Challenge

{If you're looking for my March i {heart} papers Design Team Challenge post, please scroll down}

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 March is:

You oughta be in pictures!! 

We all love to share our completed projects with others on our blogs and in on-line galleries.  So, when the stamping ends, the photography begins.  This is a fun step for some and a frustrating one for others.  How is it for you?

Tell us how you get those beautiful project photos.

Well, it's a VERY sophisticated photography set up I have here at the ol' Burragio, let me tell you... 

Actually, I've just developed my own idiosyncratic system over the years that works well enough for me.  I'll give you a peek into my photography process.

First of all, I always take my card/papercrafting photos with a white background.  The reason for this is that I want the cards (or whatever) to be the star of the show, and to minimize distractions for the viewer.  I also like the consistency of this, since I move the location of where I take my photos depending on what time of day it is.

Ideally, I prefer to take my pictures in natural light.  If I'm photographing in the afternoon, when the sun is in the west, I take my photos in the window of my craft room, like so:

Pretty fancy, no?  So much depends on a piece of poster board and a binder clip...  This is a little adjustable medical table that I can roll around to where I need it.  I've got a piece of white poster board that's propped up against an ink turnstile and held in place with a binder clip. 

If I'm taking a photo at night, I use a light box.  This is my least favorite way to take a photo, but often it's necessary when working on deadline.  I keep my photo box up at all times, and it sits on top of a map chest located behind my desk and against a wall in my craft room:

My preferred time of day to take photos is in the morning, when the sun is in the east and not as harsh as the western sun.  When that occurs, here's my set-up:

Please note the dirty-pawed windows and the peanut gallery made up of my constant companions.  This photo is taken in my family room/great room.  The barstool is one of eight that surround the countertop bar that sections off the kitchen from the family room.  I like to the barstools because they have a high back that I can binder clip the posterboard to and upholstered seats that I can stick quilting pins in to help keep the posterboard in place.

I don't take my photos in direct sunlight as the glare is too harsh and causes shadowing on the photos. 

I believe the  camera and lens I use make a big difference in the clarity of my photos.  I use a Nikon D90 DSLR, and I take my card photos with a AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4 G lens that really bumps up the resolution.  It's a great camera and lens, and was a Christmas gift from my husband in 2011.

I also think photo editing is so, so important in showing off your paper crafting.  I use a really unsophisticated photo editing software program: iPhoto, which comes standard on any Mac computer.  I've bought various packages of PhotoShop, but have never taken the time to sit down and get familiar with it.  It intimidates me!  I've been using iPhoto for so many years (since at least 2002), that I know it well and it does most of what I need. 

For most photos, my photo editing process is pretty standard:

• select the clearest photo (I usually take 5-7 shots of a given project)
• straighten and crop
• use the auto-enhance button and see if that's an improvement
• I often end up adding exposure to my pictures because I hate dark pictures - I like 'em light & bright
• I occasionally will add a bit of saturation to the photo to beef up the colors
• I always sharpen the photo by at least 80%
• Then, last step, if there are any flaws (an ink smudge or a piece of lint on the backdrop), I retouch them
• I grab the photo and put it on my desktop.  I rename it, then I go into iWatermark (a software you can purchase and download over the web for Macs) and add my watermark.  iWatermark also resizes photos, and I generally resize my pictures to about 680 pixels and 72 dpi.

Here is my project photo, unedited:

And here it is, post-tweaking...

(I have to say, this image from Cuppie Love Scenes makes me giggle.  Cupcakes making out always gets me guffawing, and then there's the cranky cupcake trying to shush the Chatty Cathys in the middle seats...)

It truly doesn't take a lot of fancy equipment to take good photos of cards!  The biggest mistakes (in my opinion) that I see crafters making across the blogosphere and in galleries is that their pictures are too dark and that the photos on their blogs are too small.  If your photos are dark, try to take them in natural light and/or start playing with the exposure levels in your photo editing software.  Never assume someone is going to click a photo on your blog to enlarge it and get a closer look -- people are lazy!  (At least, I know I am -- there are too many blogs out there with big, clear photos for me to spend my time on blogs with poorly sized and/or lit photos.) I use Typepad to blog with and my photos are set to post at a width of 475 pixels (unless I change it). That's about as big as I can get them with the margins of my blog.  If I could make them bigger, I would!  A width of 500 pixels is probably ideal. If you use Blogger, or a blog service that has pre-set widths, bump that sucker up to 'large' or 'extra-large'!  Don't make me squint or have to put my face closer to the screen to see what awesome stuff you've created!

I think I've said all I can think of on this topic.  Make sure you go visit my fellow Baker's Dozen team mates to learn how they make their photos look so good - I'm hoping I can pick up some hints and tips, too!

Charmaine Ikach

Jen Shults

Kerri Mchaud

Lynnette Kauffman

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

Supplies used from Taylored Expressions

• Stamps: Cuppie Love Scenes; sentiment from Moka Wanda
• Momento Tuxedo Black ink
• Copic Markers
• Foam Tape

Other supplies - Paper: patterned paper from Carta Bella True Friends 6x6 pad (IHP), Copic X-Press Blending cardstock (IHP), Haiwaiian Shores & Hibiscus Burst (PTI); Ink: Green Galore (SU!); Accessories: Rectangle Nestabilities, Doodlebug Cuppy Cakes Braddies

My Ink-credible Swatchbook

I know I mention my cardstock swatchbook all the time, to the point where you regular readers are probably thinking to yourself, "Enough about that dang swatchbook!  If you love it so much, why don't you marry it¹?"  It's just that it's so so handy, and has really changed and streamlined my cardmaking.  I can't tell you how much time I wasted, getting up from my desk, browsing through my cardstock filing cabinet for a shade to grab me, taking it back to my table, then comparing colors under the Ott light, only to have to get back up, return it to it's proper file, and start all over again.  Now, I just grab my cardstock swatchbook at my desk, flip through it for a moment, pick the shade under my Ott light I want, then get up and get it.  So much better!

It got me thinking: maybe I should do the same thing for all of my inks?  I don't know about you, but I have an OBSCENE number of inkpads, even though 95% of the time, I just use trusty old Momento Tuxedo Black.  Still, when you want to use a colored ink, you want the right color when you need it, and without having to test a bunch of different shades on scratch paper.  And maybe, if I could easily distinguish which color I needed, I'd be more apt to use those colored inks and feel better about all the money I spent on them and the space they take up in my craft room.

So I got to work, cutting out a whole bunch of 2.75" by 2.75" squares of white, Georgia Pacific cardstock², trimming a couple of corners with a Fiskars Ticket Corner punch³, and punching a hole in the top for a jump ring.  Now, if I need a particular shade of green (St. Patrick's Day is coming up, after all):

Or maybe something from the orange family?

I wanted to use a stamp that provided me with a good amount of area to cover for comparison purposes, so I selected this funky flower from Taylored Expressions' new Posh Posies set.  Here's the cover:

For the cover, I took a scrap of glossy white cardstock and used a brayer to lay down a coat of Celebration Kaleidacolor ink.  I mounted that on black cardstock covered chipboard, then made my title out of die cuts from TE's new Whimsey Alpha dies. 

Be on the lookout for things to get colorful around here! :)

Footnotes:

1.  Maybe I will, once the kids are grown.  Until then, I'm for sure keeping the old man.  Lucky guy, isn't he?

2.  I used the cheap stuff because there were an awful lot of cards to be trimmed down & punched.  How many?  I don't know & lost my place trying to count the other day.  To tell you the truth, I'm a little embarrassed to know.  I mean, why on earth do I have 39 varying shades of red/pink ink?!  (I do know that number, because I counted it just now.)  That's insane.  And yet, I still want to try out those new shades from Hero Arts, and every Distress Ink that Tim Holtz comes up with, etc.  It's sick, I tell you!

3.  For a tiny bit of flair.  A plain rectangle would just seem so sad...

Taylored Expressions February Studio Challenge

(please scroll down if you're looking for my IHP February Design Team Challenge post)

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 February is:

Recipe for success!  When you sit down to create a card just for fun, for the pure joy of stamping, without any type of assignment or deadline, what steps do you usually take?

Tell us how you get started and take us along on your creative journey.

1.  Unless I'm creating something for a particular type of challenge, my creative process inevitably starts with selecting an image.  I have so many uninked stamps ready and waiting for a little attention, I inevitably drift towards those I've purchased but haven't had a chance to use.  For example, for today's Studio Challenge, I couldn't wait to use the train image from TE's Life Is a Circus set; I think it's so fun & whimisical, and I know my 8-year-old train afficianado will get a kick out of it.

2. After selecting the image, my thoughts turn to what patterned paper I have that will coordinate best with the image.  If possible, I try to pick a pattern collection that is current (in other words, in the paper company's most recent release), but if I think there is a pattern in my stash (in other words, older paper no longer carried in stores) that's too perfect for the image for me to resist, I'll opt for what I consider the better fit over what's trendy. 

I want the card I make today to be a child's birthday card that can go unisex, so I selected some fun, bright papers from My Mind's Eye's new My Girl 6x6 pad.  (Despite the name of the pad, I think the papers will be fine for a boy, too.)

3.  Next, I hunt for a sketch that will fit the image I want to use.  I'm kind of lazy when it comes to sketches - if there's one out and about (especially if it's a current one) that fits, I'm happy to use it and give credit; why reinvent the wheel, you know?  Some of my favorite weekly sketch challenges include Mojo Monday (naturally!), the Sweet Sunday Sketch, and my fellow Baker's Dozen gal Jen Shults' Deconstructed Sketch.  I also have a bunch of sketches I've printed out over the years that I consider my go-to sketches, and I'll refer to those if need be.  (By the way, Taylor's got 161 AWESOME sketches that I refer to again and again that you can download by clicking on the TE Sketch Book badge on her blog's sidebar. One of my all-time favorites that I've used several times is TECC57.)

Because the train image is so horizontal, I opted to go with the sketch on the left of my clipboard versus the one on the right (it looks like it will be harder to fit my image with the circle feature of the right sketch than it will be to elongate the one on the left).

4.  Once I've got my stamp set, patterned paper and sketch figured out, then I start figuring out the rest of the card ingredients I'm thinking about using: cardstock (I am CONSTANTLY referring to the cardstock swatchbook I made last summer; it was a huge investment of time to make, but I can't emphasize enough how handy it's been), dies, embellishments, etc.  These inevitably end up changing as I make the card and figure out what works and what doesn't.

5. Next, I set about coloring my image.

Like my cardstock swatchbook, I keep my Copic or Spectrum Noir color guides close by when I'm stamping to select the markers I'm going to use.

6.  At long last, it's construction time...

For this card, I ended up modifying this week's Deconstructed Sketch by turning it from vertical to horizontal because it fit the train image better.  The baker's twine is supposed to resemble train tracks, and by laying the Small Scalloped Border die cut on top of the image panel, I was able to avoid creating some sort of grounding on the airbrushed sky background layer (score!).  I used a strip of yellow chevron washi tape at the bottom, but backed it with white cardstock so you wouldn't see the patterned paper show through underneath it.  If you look at the photo before my finished card, you'll see that I had originally planned to use white brads, but then thought better of it when I found the polka dotted red brads in my stash.

As I create my cards, I always keep a list of the materials I use so I don't leave anything out when it's time to create my blog posts or various gallery posts.

7.  I usually don't stamp or embellish the interior of my cards, but because I figure this will be a perfect one for a child's birthday (and I had the stamp set out in front of me), I thought I'd go ahead and stamp an interior sentiment.

8.  Something I ALWAYS do - sign my cards!  I'm a big believer in this, as I've expressed many times over the years on this blog...

I have lots of different stamps I use to do this, often corresponding to the company whose image I'm using.  This particular stamp is from TE's Signature Style set, which gives you 17 different ways to let recipients know you cared enough to make the very best. :)

9. Lastly, I file the card away into my card stash, because heaven knows if I leave it out, I'll spill something on it or mess it up some how.

I have four plastic stackable drawers for cards that I keep in a closet adjacent to my craft room.  They're divided by theme:

• humor/concern/love/baby/masculine
• birthday/thank you/congrats
• friendship
• seasonal

And there you have it!  That's how the sausage gets made here in Claremore, America. :)  Ready to see the mysterious inner workings of my fellow Baker's Dozen team mates creative processes?  I know I'm DYING to figure out their secrets...

• Carole Burrage
• Charmaine Ikach
• Jen Shults
• Kerri Michaud
• Lynnette Kauffman
• Sankari Wegman
• Shannon White
• Shelly Mercado
• Stephanie Kraft
• Tammie Edgerton
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

Supplies used:

From Taylored Expressions: stamps - Life Is a Circus & Signature Style; paper - My Mind's Eye 'My Girl' 6x6 pad, Choice Snow White cardstock; ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Dies: Small Scalloped Border; Cloud Duo(for masking off airbrushed background); Accessories: Copic Markers

Other: paper - Pure Poppy (PTI), Tempting Turquoise (SU); ink: Wild Cherry (MFT); Accessories: Aqua Divine Twine (TCP), My Mind's Eye Yellow Deco-Tape (IHP), Nestabilities Labels 17, Corner Chomper, Queen & Co. polka dot brads, Jody's foam boosters

Taylored Expressions January Studio Challenge REDUX!

 

Yes, it's true!  I'm back with my SECOND post of the day!  Why, you ask?  Because I'm just so dedicated to keeping you entertained, and also because I didn't read the instructions properly on this month's studio challenge and I wanted to rectify that.  But mostly for the former reason... ;)

I realized as I was gazing adoringly at my fellow team members' creations that everyone had made more than one card/project except me.  Hmmm... I thought to myself, I wonder if that's a coincidence?  I went back and re-read the challenge, and what to my wondering eyes should appear?

"Show us at least 2 simple, easy-to-recreate cards featuring some of the items on the shopping list."

 

Gah!  If you've already seen my first post (good little reader!  I <3 you!), feel free to skip over the next paragraph.  If you haven't read the earlier post and/or need a refresher, here's this month's Studio Challenge:

Helpin' out a newbie!  It's so exciting when a friend discovers the joys of stamping. But do you remember how overwhelming it was to decide what to get when you were new to the craft?

You have a {hypothetical} friend who started stamping less than a year ago and she is loving it!  She has some Christmas money burning a hole in her pocket, and she has seen your fabulous TE creations, so  she is asking for your advice on what stamping supplies to purchase. So let's hear your sage advice!

I determined that IFfy (my Imaginary Friend) had a few basic stamping supplies, like scissors, acrylic mounts, and adhesives, but that was pretty much it.  She also had $100 to spend at the Taylored Expressions store (probably a gift certificate from me, because I'm such a generous friend, and just an all-around-beautiful person, inside and out.  At least, that's what IFfy said when I gave her her present).  I came up with $99.34 worth of products I thought would make a good start as she falls into the rabbit hole known as 'paper crafting.'  Those items were:

• TE Choice Cardstock in Buttercream and Snow White
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
• TE Stamps Sets: Rose Bouquet, Stargazer Lily Bouquet, and Many Minis - Occasions
• A Taylored Expressions Project Pantry Kit, such as the new Love Letters - Basic Recipe kit
• 7 Copic Sketch markers: R20, R22, Y21, YG03, YG17, B00, and the Colorless Blender.

(Scroll to read my previous post for my reasoning behind these choices.)

In my last post, I showed you this card, using the Rose Bouquet set and papers from the Love Letters Project Pantry kit:

Now, here's a second card I threw together in just a few moments, using the Stargazer Lily Bouquet and Many Minis - Occasions sets:

SUPER clean-and-simple, but appropriately elegant for a concern or sympathy card.  So glad that - for once - I'm actually going to have one of these ready in my stash when I need it!  Hopefully that won't be for a long, long time, though.  All card ingredients came from the list above (the cardstock is yummy TE Choice Buttercream).  And in case you're wondering where IFfy got that seam binding?  She upcycled it from the gift wrap my gift to her came in.

I feel better now! And you got two posts in one day to read!  WIN-WIN!  I bet Stephen Covey is smiling down on us from heaven...

If you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out what the rest of the Baker's Dozen have suggested to their IFfys:

• Charmaine Ikach
• Jen Shults
• Kerri Michaud
• Lynnette Kauffman
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Shannon White
• Shelly Mercado
• Stephanie Kraft
• Tammie Edgerton
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

Manana, muchachas!

Taylored Expressions January Studio Challenge

Hey there!  I'm so excited to be playing in my first Taylored Expressions' Baker's Dozen Studio Challenge!  In case you're wondering exactly what the Studio Challenge is, here's the skinny:

This is a monthly opportunity for us 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.

Here's the DIFFICULT challenge our DT Coordinator, Jami, put before us:

Helpin' out a newbie!  It's so exciting when a friend discovers the joys of stamping. But do you remember how overwhelming it was to decide what to get when you were new to the craft?

You have a {hypothetical} friend who started stamping less than a year ago and she is loving it!  She has some Christmas money burning a hole in her pocket, and she has seen your fabulous TE creations, so  she is asking for your advice on what stamping supplies to purchase. So let's hear your sage advice!

Hmm...  She's already stamping some and loving it, so obviously, I can't give her the advice her husband would most appreciate, which is: RUN LIKE THE WIND AND DON'T LOOK BACK!  Stamping will become an obsession that consumes you -- mind, body, soul, and bank account!  (But it is a lot of fun, you know.  And you meet the best people...) Anyway, assuming it's too late for that, that she has $100.00 and some bare-bones supplies (like scissors, acrylic mounts, and adhesives), here's what I'd tell her to invest in:

• Good quality neutral cardstock: My favorite these days is TE's Choice Buttercream, and TE Choice Snow White is also a must have.  A package of 20 sheets runs $4.50, so subtract $9 from the budget.
  
• Momento Tuxedo Black ink: My go-to ink of choice, especially when coloring with Copic Markers. (-$5.19)
• All purpose stamp sets: I know this is going to surprise many of my long-time readers who are aware that I am flower-challenged, but I would suggest some of TE's floral sets, like Rose Bouquet and Stargazer Lily Bouquet (my all-time favorite flowers :) ).  Why?  Well, you can use them for any occasion, from child-birth to sympathy and everything in between.  Secondly, if decide to invest in Copic Markers (which I'm going to have my imaginary friend do, in just a second), there is nothing better to learn on than a good floral.  If you can master flowers, you can color just about anything.  Another all-purpose stamp set she should consider is Many Minis - Occasions.  This sentiment set is FULL of just about any expression you could need.  (-$8.95+-$8.95+-$13.95= -$31.85)
• Taylored Expressions' Pantry Kits: These kits are an extraordinarily cost-effective way to get trendy patterned paper with coordinating sheets of colored cardstock and embellishments.  Seriously wish I'd had access to these when I started stamping!  TE's latest offering is the Love Letters Project Pantry Kit. (-$11.95)
• Copic Markers:  *sigh.*  Where do you even begin to start?  Well, I just decided to make a card using all of the supplies I've listed thus far and incorporating my most frequently used Copics, including my favorite greens (YG03, YG17), pink/reds (R20,R22), yellow (Y21), blue (B00), and the MUST HAVE Colorless Blender. 
  Right now, all Copic Sketch Markers are on sale at TE for just $5.95, so the grand total on this investment would be... $41.65.

Let's see if I stayed under budget:  9 + 5.19 + 31.85 + 11.95 + 41.65 = $99.34!!!!!!

(Can't believe I actually did that!  Yay!  I really didn't know if I would until I just added 'em up there.)

Now, are you ready to see what I made using most of said ingredients?  I didn't use a couple of the stamp sets I mentioned (she says, proudly); my friend can venture out on her own with those. 

I used this week's Splitcoaststamper's CAS (Clean and Simple) Challenge, which was a sketch challenge, as the basis of my card.  Like coloring florals, I'm a firm believer that if you can master CAS, you can do all the multi-layerd stuff, too.  CAS has to be spot-on precise; every little imperfection shows (like the fact that I pressed too hard on the left-side of the sentiment... oh, well.  Wabi-sabi!). 

You'll find much better-colored bouquets in the TE Gallery of the Rose Boquet set, but here's a close-up of mine so you can see the little flecks of yellow in this pinky-peachy variety.  Not sure what the official name for these are, but feel free to call them "Grand Empress Carole"... ;)

Be sure to visit the other members of the Baker's Dozen today to see how they tackled this challenge and had their friends spend their Holiday moo-lah:

• Carole Burrage (me - you're already here so you don't have to click me again, unless you just want to... ;) )
• Charmaine Ikach
• Jen Shults
• Kerri Michaud
• Lynnette Kauffman
• Regina Mangum
• Sankari Wegman
• Shannon White
• Shelly Mercado
• Stephanie Kraft
• Tammie Edgerton
• Taylor VanBruggen
• Wanda Guess

Farewell, comrades!  I'll see you in the 'morrow with another sweet lil' somethin'! :)