TE Calendar Challenge-July

Hello and welcome! I'm dropping by today with my July calendar for the Taylored Expressions Monthly Calendar Challenge. I used TE's Fourth of July Wreath Petite Stamp Set which is full of patriotic images. To participate Taylor asks that you use a TE calendar product and any stamps of your choice. I'm using the 2012 6x6 TE Calendar download which I printed on choice snow white paper. This is an ongoing challenge so you can link up anytime during the year. There's a prize for those participating in 10 out of 12 months and you can click here to learn more.


 I am also linking this up to the weekly Make It Monday #97 linky party and Tuesday Alchemy Challenge #22 where they want you to share the lighter side of life. For most Americans July 4th is a day off from work and cause to relax and celebrate. Whether it's swimming, going to a BBQ, or eating watermelon and watching fireworks it is definitely a day to kick back and enjoy the lighter side of life. The last challenge I'm entering is Crafty Creations Challenges #178-Free-for-All where anything goes this week.


A big hello to my newest followers and a great big thank you to those who have left me a sweet comment. You guys are the best!
Hugs,
Lisa xx

Ink: Memento Ladybug, Paris Dusk & Tuxedo Black
Paper: Stars dp (PS), Choice Snow White (TE), red cs (Bazzill Basics)
Accessories: Seasonal Wreath Die (TE); Copic Markers; red metallic ribbon (American Crafts); Xmas Stickles (Ranger)

Happy 4th of July USA

Hello and welcome! In the U. S. Independence Day is just around the corner and several challenges are honoring it through our country's colors, our flag {stars & stripes} or the holiday itself. So naturally I played along with Tip Top Tuesday's #79 and Just Us Girls #141 challenges to express my patriotism. My sketch inspiration comes from the one and only, Jen Shults, and her sketches are always a challenge {that's why I love them!}. You can see the current Deconstructed Sketch #56 plus visit the archives for past sketch inspiration. I believe most of them are open to link throughout the year so it's not too late. The Crafty Catz #137 Embossing was great to play with because it gave me another opportunity to use my Stars Impression Plate by Taylored Expressions to emboss my vertical navy panel.

The colors of red, white and blue were established by the JUGS challenge and Independence Day or Stars & Stripes were challenge requirements of Tip Top Tuesday. I incorporated both on the TTT challenge and my stripes are represented by the red/white twine. The patriotic banner in the 4th of July Wreath set make my Picket Fence Border Die look festive. I punched three .5" circles using an EK Success punch and stamped the letters USA from You're My Type-Upper. Blue stars were strung onto red burlap string and red liquid pearls add another pop of color and visual interest. White brads anchor the four chomped corners and finish it off nicely.

Here's a Top Tip for you, to center your sentiments it is helpful to use a grid acrylic block and place all of the stamps & embellishments on it so you know everything will be centered properly. Also, It is much easier to stamp after punching but before when using a die. It just makes life easier! Another thing I did was to stamp my banners in blue ink so it would blend better. Seasoned stampers know this already but maybe it will help a newbie out there. :)

I'd like to welcome my newest blog followers and thank everyone for their encouraging comments. BTW, most of my recent posts have been CAS due to Father's Day and recent masculine birthdays but I'm happy to report that some "girl stuff" is on the way. :) Have a swell hump day {a.k.a. Wednesday}!

Note: I "Caught Their Eye" at Top Tip Tuesday with this Stars & Stripes card. WooHoo!
~Lisa

Supplies:
Ink: Memento Paris Dusk, ColorBox Chalk Ink Lipstick Red
Paper: Choice Snow White (TE), red, blue & white cs (Bazzill Basics)
Accessories: Take Note Frame 3 (TE); We R Memory Keepers 1.5" corner chomper, brads (PS); buttons (Hobby Lobby); red/white twine (Doodlebug); red burlap string (Maya Road); Copics B28 & R29; Ruby Red Liquid Pearls (Ranger)

May Calendar Challenge

Do you enjoy making calendars like I do? If so, then the Taylored Expression's Monthly Calendar Challenge might be of interest to you. Every month we are challenged to create a calendar project using one of TE's calendar products. Many are available for a nominal fee and here's a link to the challenge details, in case you're interested. For this entry I cropped the 2012 May 6x6 calendar download and used dp's & cardstock from the May Key Ingredients kit which Taylor offers as a monthly subscription. After I finished my project I kinda wished that I'd used a different dp for the die cut frame but at that point it was too late. I'll just have to do better next time. ;)

This challenge offers the incentive to create make ahead calendar gifts for 2013 and I like to use the Frame Your Imagination Vertical Stand & 6x6 Page Protectors to display my calendar pages. The stand arrives in a natural finish and is easy to paint/stain to suit any decor. Just some food for thought! Oh, you can play along anytime-all year long so no time constraints. :-)

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be back on Friday to share a birthday card I made recently for my special BIL. Have fun crafting and I'll see ya soon.
Lisa

Supplies:
Stamps: Love Everywhere  & You're My Type-Lower & #'s (TE)
Ink: Memento Paris Dusk, Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black, ColorBox Lipstick Red
Paper: Pebbles (May KI Kit-TE), Bazzill cs
Accessories: Take Note Frame 3 Die & Banner Day 1 Die (TE); Grass 015 Die (TCP); red precision pen (American Crafts); Ruby Red Liquid Pearls (Ranger); paper flower (Recollections); pearl (Kaisercraft)

TE Monthly Calendar Challenge

Hello and welcome! I'm back today with my April entry for the Taylored Expressions Calendar Challenge. Each month we are challenged to make a calendar using one of TE's calendars and any stamps we choose. They offer downloadable and pre-printed calendars and usually I choose the current month from the 2012 6x6 Dated Calendar Download but this month I opted for the 2012 Desktop Calendar Inserts.

I cropped it to fit on my 6x6 dp from Simple Stories Fabulous collection and since the background was stark white I used distress ink to soften it a bit. My calendar came together quickly with supplies from the April Key Ingredient Kit which Taylor offers as a subscription. The paper pad, ribbon and paper flowers were all part of the kit so no need to worry about everything coordinating. The corrugated cardboard butterfly was cut with a TE's Butterflies die  and I applied pearl acrylic paint then dusted it with pink glitter and added three bliss pearls for embellishment. To finish I stamped the sentiment from Garden Party Blooms in Memento's Rich Cocoa ink and added some liquid pearls around the border. Simple & Sweet!

If you'd like to play along you can view the rules here on Taylor's blog and good luck.
Have an awesome weekend , 
Lisa

Additional Supplies:
Ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink (T!m Holtz/Ranger)
Accessories: Adirondack Metallics Pearl Acrylic Paint Dabber & Flamingo Liquid Pearls (Ranger), Valentine twine (Doodlebug); corrugated cardboard (Jillibean Soup); Crystalescent glitter-Pink (Mark Ent.); bliss pearls (Kaisercraft)

Tilman Baby Boys, Part Two

Hello and welcome back for my second baby boy card. I made each of the Tilman twin boys a card and I shared the first card in my previous post. These were so much fun to make and I truly wish Julee & Mark the very best as they begin their new journey as parents.

Here are some close up shots so you can see the differences in both. I know the boys are twins and will share a lot in the future but I wanted each of them to have their very own baby card as a keepsake. You might notice that I straightened the banner, guess I'm a Type A after all. :-) 

For both cards I used MME's Fine & Dandy True Blue dp's and the coordinating trims. Spellbinder dies create the various shapes and add to the layers while the stamps bring in visual interest. I colored the giraffe with Copic's and stamped the elephant (Emery) onto a coordinating dp. The pennant banner was created using stamps and dies from Taylored Expressions and they are listed in my previous post. These were so much fun to make and I love all of the dimension on these two cards.

Thanks for stopping by and welcome to my two new blog followers, Debbie and Elaine. Have a wonderful day!
Lisa

 

Welcome, Tilman Baby Boys

Hello and welcome! I'm so happy to be here today to share one of two baby boy cards I made yesterday. As some of you might know I love Verve stamps and Julee Tilman (Verve owner & designer) and her husband, Mark, were expecting identical twin boys around the middle of March. They came a bit early but I'll let Julee give you all the details here in her blog post where she introduces her boys to all of us and the sweet invitation she extended to her blog readers.

Both of my cards are from the same paper collection, Fine & Dandy true blue by MME, yet they have their own individuality. I started with a 5.5" square base for both and built up with paper and dies to create the layers which Verve diva's are famous for. I stamped & die cut a pennant border for my "WELCOME" sentiment and anchored it with buttons and twine bows. The adorable elephant, Emery, was stamped onto a coordinating dp and fussy cut. A die cut flag features the Baby Boy sentiment and I used two more images from the To the Moon set by Verve on the inside of my cards. I'll be back tomorrow with the second card and a side by side view of both. Here's the inside of my card.

Thanks for stopping by today and congratulations to Julee and Mark on the birth of their twin boys. 
Happy Crafting Everyone,
Lisa

Stamps: To the Moon (Verve), You're My Type-Upper & Pennant A la Carte (Taylored Expressions)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Pumpkin (StazOn), Antique Linen Distress Ink (T!m Holtz)
Paper: Fine & Dandy true blue (MME), cardstock
Accessories: Labels One, Classic Squares Lg., Lacey Circles & Classic Circles Lg. (Spellbinders); Pennant Border Die & Fly Your Flag 3 Die (TE); 1.5" circle punch (EK Success); Seeing Spots Folder (C'bug); BonBon twine (Doodlebug); Fine & Dandy true blue trims (MME); Copic Markers; Cantaloupe Liquid Pearls (Ranger); buttons (Buttons Bonanza); brads (PS); 3D foam dots (Therm O Web)

TE March Calendar Challenge

TGIF! So happy the weekend is here, how about you? This has been a crazy week but I took time yesterday to create this calendar for the monthly Taylored Expressions Calendar Challenge. The great thing is you do not have to link up, in case you get behind like me, in the current month. The linky stays open which gives you a lot of flexibility and there's a wonderful prize for those who participate in a minimum of ten months, a $150.00 gift certificate to the Taylored Expressions store. The one requirement you do have to meet is to use one of TE's calendar products per entry and they are available for download. Just click on the previous link then choose Supplies>Calendar Products and select which calendar you prefer to use, that's it.

For the month of March I wanted to focus on SPRING and Taylor's Spring A la Carte stamp is so cute I couldn't resist using it. I colored the image with Copic markers and added Orange Peel Stickles to the flower petals. For a touch of whimsy I die cut two clouds in an Echo Park polka dot dp and blue gingham ribbon adds a finishing touch.

That's all for me today and I hope you have the best weekend ever!
Lisa

Stamps: Spring A la Carte (TE)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: Sweet Summertime dp (Echo Park), Choice Snow White (TE), green cs
Accessories: 2012 TE Calendar Download; Cloud Duo Die (TE); Copic's; Orange Peel Stickles (Ranger); blue gingham ribbon (Hobby Lobby); black atyou Spica pen (Too Marker Products)