Mother's Little Helper

Happy 10th Birthday to Taylored Expressions!

Hi, friends! It's been a minute or two since we've last been in touch, hasn't it? I'm kind of bad that way. It's not so much "out-of-sight-out-of-mind," it's more like there's always a fire to put out and my brain is scrambled. You know what I mean, right? Anyway, you may be asking yourself: Self, why is Carole posting after nearly 3 years of radio silence? That graphic above may have already tipped you off, but if you're a tiny bit slow, here's the gist: Taylored Expressions is celebrating it's 10TH BIRTHDAY and there's a Designer Reunion Blog Hop going on - how could I possibly miss it?!

I vividly recall bumping into Taylor at a CHA over a decade ago, and her letting me in on the big news that she was starting her own stamp company. I couldn't wait to see what her images would be like, and I've been a huge fan since her first release when we met that cute little anthropomorphized cupcake, Cuppie.  In 2013, I had the honor of serving on the TE Design Team, which was without a doubt one of the highlights of my stamping "career."

Today, 40 past and present TE designers have joined in the fun to celebrate Taylored Expressions ten fabulous years in business, bringing papercrafters around the globe cute, classy, and innovative products.  Be sure to stop by Taylor's Blog to see who and where all the participating designers are showing off their latest and greatest TE projects.

I'm a September birthday girl myself (shout out to fellow Virgos!), so I've always gotten a kick out of the fact that TE's September releases are all about Birthdays.  Last night was release night (you can see the new goodies here), but for today, I've got some cards to show you featuring the previously released PARTY PALS STAMP & DIE COMBO:

I love this little gang of Birthday Buddies! When I do stamp these days, I do the thing I used to never do when I was a concept designer: I mass produce!  These days, I'm a real estate agent, and handmade cards are one way that I can keep in touch with my clients and stand-out from others in my field.  Thus, I make A LOT of birthday, new home, and home anniversary/birthday cards.  And since we're celebrating TE's 10th Birthday, it only made sense to make a set of 10 cards:

In fact, I have one or two of these hitting the mail today.  I'm also going to submit a couple to TE's awesome SHARE JOY campaign.  Here's a little more about that very special effort:

"At the heart of Taylored Expressions is a mission to share joy through the gift of handmade cards. As part of their 10th birthday TE is continuing that mission with the launch of a special Share Joy campaign focused on providing birthday cards to those in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities across the U.S. To make as deep an impact as possible TE is inviting card makers everywhere to join the campaign. Will you join us? Find out how to participate by viewing their Share Joy page here: https://www.tayloredexpressions.com/share-joy-birthday-2018."

Thanks so much for stopping by my dusty little corner of the web today, and thanks to Taylored Expressions for 10 years of great products, designs, and customer service.  I'll try not to be such a stranger!

xoxo - Carole

Taylored Expressions Share Joy Campaign: Inspiration Challenge Week

Good morning, and happy Mojo Monday!  Before I get to all the stampy stuff, I've got to get something off my chest: was last night's Breaking Bad not the BEST EPISODE EVER?! Don't worry - no spoilers here - it's just, I can't stop thinking about it... that opening sequence, going back in time to the very beginning of the story... juxtaposing who Walt used to be via his interactions with both Jesse and Skyler... and then contrasting that to the final moments of the episode and who Walt's become... just devastating. I'll tell you one thing: it's certainly got me swearing off cooking meth and/or trying to become a drug queenpin any time soon. That being said, when it comes to stamping, I advise you all to tread lightly and know I AM THE DANGER!

Now that you've been properly warned, let's move on. The Taylored Expressions 5th Birthday Bash is continuing this week with a new Share Joy Campaign, benefitting the Union Rescue Mission of Los Angeles, Prodigal's Home of Phoenix, and Iowa Homeless Youth Shelter of Des Moines. These wonderful charities work tirelessly to bring comfort and care to many homeless individuals and families throughout the year. One way they are sharing joy each and every day is by celebrating the birthdays of their participants, and you can help by sending in your handmade birthday cards!

This week, Taylored Expressions will help you to create with a different Birthday Inspiration Challenge each day. These charities need birthday cards of all kinds: child, adult, baby, so send in your funny, sweet, pretty, elegant, works of art and know that you will be brightening someone's day in a way only a handmade card can do.  To get all the details on how to participate, please hop over to the Taylored Expressions Blog.

Today's challenge is a color challenge - take a look-see:

Those bright, happy colors are, as you know, right up my alley, and I used this week's Mojo Monday sketch challenge to create this...

Want to play along?  Of course you do!  But first you'll want a little more information and inspiration (I know these things), and for that, you'll need to go to Taylor's blog for the link list to all of the Baker's Dozen design team members and alumni who have samples to share.  To play along with Mojo Monday and to see more of this week's sketch interpretations by the Mojo Monday designers, you'll want to visit the Mojo Monday blog.

Thanks for visiting me today, my people! :)

Taylored Expressions: Share Joy Campaign

A little personal history: when I first started stamping obsessively (back in the summer/fall of 2006) and discovered Splitcoaststampers -- a year or so before I started this blog -- one of my favorite galleries to follow was by a gal who went by the screen name of tayloredexpressions.  I loved her fresh, clean style, use of bright colors, and spot-on little details.  Today, I'm an even bigger fan of Taylor's and I'm proud to call her my personal friend.  In addition to her mad crafting skills, I now know her as a fantastic business woman and an even better person.  She's a true class act, and I'm constantly impressed by her integrity and thoughtfulness. 

Take, for example, this new campaign that Taylored Expressions is embarking upon.  It's called SHARE JOY, and this is how Taylor describes it, in her own words:

The Share Joy campaign is an invitation to celebrate the joy of card making and to share that joy with others.  The gift of a handmade card can bring a smile to anyone’s face, and we want to bring as many smiles as we can to the faces of people around the world!  Please join us in creating and sending handmade cards that will make a difference in the lives of others.

There are even more details about the Share Joy Campaign on the TE website, but here's the gist of it: TE will be collecting donated, handcrafted cards and distribute those cards to charities/organizations that will then, well, spread that joy.

For me, one of the reasons that stamping/card-making has 'stuck' as a passion is that it's one of the few hobbies I've ever found that I get pleasure out of at multiple times:

1. During the creative process of making the card;
2. When I share it here and in various online galleries and get positive reinforcement via comments;
3. When I give it away, and the recipient oohs-and-aahs.  (Don't you love it when you go to a friend's house, and see a card you gave her months ago still hanging on the 'fridge or perched on a bookshelf?)

For my project to help kick off the SHARE JOY campaign, I broke out one of my Adorable Abodes images that I've been 'collecting' but hadn't had a chance to use yet.  I LOVE this series of stamps by TE -- they remind me of my beloved Snow Village houses (but they're a lot more affordable, I don't have to dust them, and I don't just put them during the holidays!)  I've been itching for an opportunity to create a card with Lakeside Lodge, as my in-laws are big lake people who've had a place on Lake Texoma ever since I've known them. 

The kraft card-base is larger than usual for me -- 5" x 7" -- so that I could incorporate so many elements into the sweet little scene.  I was still in a hand-stitching mood after my last card, so I broke out the embroidery floss and stitched around the red layer. 

This is how you can help SPREAD JOY:

• To participate, create one or more handmade cards and mail them to Taylored Expressions to be donated.

1. Card size:  A2 only (4.25" x 5.5" finished size) (note: I didn't read this requirement when I made my card today - d'oh!  Fortunately, most of the cards in my stash are this size, so I will be donating several of those and keep this one to give to my aforementioned in-laws...)
2. Cards only.  No envelopes needed, as TE will donate those.
3. Card Themes:  General Encouragement, Spiritual Encouragement, Sympathy, Birthday (kids & adults.)  NO Get Well cards, please.
4. Products:  TE stamps are NOT required to donate to Share Joy,  Use products from any company.  (Note: cards created with TE stamps/dies will be eligible for a special opportunity detailed below.)
5. Deadline:  All cards must be received by Friday, August 16th.

• All cards will be donated to Hospital Chaplains throughout the U.S.  The more cards you send, the more Chaplains and patients we can help.
• Special opportunity:  Would you like to have your name and your card featured on the TE Store homepage?  We will be selecting a few of our favorite cards created with TE stamps and/or dies to appear in our home page slide show. 
• Mail your cards to us at:

                  Taylored Expressions

                  Attn: Share Joy

                  121 SE Shurfine Drive Suite 3

                  Ankeny IA 50021

Ready for more?  Of course you are!  Then be sure to visit these awesome artists' blogs and check out what they've created to kick off the SHARE JOY campaign:

Cassie Trask

Charmaine Ikach

Courtney Kelley

Danielle Lounds

Jami Sibley

Jen Shults

Joan Ervin

Kerri Michaud

Lori Craig

Melody Rupple

Monika Davis

Rachel Sztonyk

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Tammie Edgerton

Taylor VanBruggen 

Tracy Clemente

Wanda Guess

Supplies used: Stamps - Lakeside Lodge by Taylored Expressions; Paper: Copic X-Press Blending Cardstock, Kraft & Ridinghood Red (SU); Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black; Accessories: Cloud Duo dies (TE), Copic markers & airbrush system, foam boosters, DMC embroidery floss # 799, ribbon, clip (SU)