Category Archives: Taylored Expressions

Clear Cards Made Easy

Posted on June 10, 2017 | 4 comments

Hi everyone! Today I’m sharing some tips on how I create clear cards. I find working with acetate to be a little tricky at times, specifically in reference to adhesive. What is the best adhesive to use, and how can I avoid that adhesive being seen on the inside of the card?

X-Press It Double-sided Adhesive Sheets (available from Imagination International, Inc.) are my “go-to” adhesive for clear cards. They are perfect for mounting, laminating and basically making any surface sticky. They are acid-free, provide an excellent hold and are ideal for die-cutting. Win/win for papercrafters!

For my card today, I used the double-sided adhesive sheets, acetate, Taylored Expressions‘ Leafy Vine Cutting Plate and Label Stacklets 2, Stamping Bella‘s Tiny Townie Garden Girl Daffodil and Simon Says Stamp‘s Thanks stamp set.

Here’s how I created my card:

1 – Cut two adhesive sheets to 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2.” One piece will be adhered to the green card stock for die-cutting. The other will be adhered to white card stock which will serve as the “inside” portion of the card for writing a personal message.

2 – Remove one side of the release paper from the double-sided adhesive sheet and adhere each to green and white card stock. Using the side of a bone folder, apply firm pressure over both surfaces. Trim the white card stock piece to slightly smaller than 4″ x 5 1/4″.

3 – Place the die face down onto the green card stock and die-cut. I used a shim (added in after the photo was taken) and ran the stack through my Big Shot several times to ensure a good cut.

4 – The die will likely not cut through the remaining release paper but that’s ok.

5 – Use a sharp pin to carefully peel away the negative pieces from the die-cut.

6 – Remove release paper from the back and carefully adhere the die-cut panel to the front of the acetate card. Again, burnish over the die-cut using a bone folder to ensure all edges are firmly adhered.

Remove release paper from the white card stock. Open card and carefully align the edges of the white card stock with the green front. Close card to adhere white card stock to inside of card. You can see in the photo that the back side does not show messy adhesive at all. 🙂

Copic markers – E00, E01, E11, E31, E35, R00, R01, Y06, Y08, Y15, Y17, YG03, YG06, YG17, YR14, YR15

If desired, die-cut a second label and adhere to the back side of the front. As well, a second image shape can be die-cut and adhered to the back of the colored image before adhering to the card. In doing so, no Copic marker coloring will show through to the inside of the card.

Once my card was complete, I adhered a handful of super sparkly Queen & Company yellow Petite Posies. (They’re so very pretty!)

Thanks so much for vistiting today!

1amichele siggy

4 Comments

Posted in Clean and Simple (CAS), Copic, My Designs, Stamping Bella, Taylored Expressions

Taylored Expressions July Release Now Available

Posted on June 8, 2017 | Leave a comment

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve enjoyed the Taylored Expressions‘ June release previews over the last several days. All new stamps and dies are now available in the TE store. Before you head over, I have two more samples to share.

First, I used new Tropical Trio stamp & die combo with new Sunshine Cutting Plate.

My Lemon Meringue sun was adhered atop a block of Potato Chip card stock with banners die-cut and stamped in Cookie Monster and Lemon Meringue ink.

Copic markers – B02, B04, R83, R85, Y08, Y19, YG03, YG07, YG17

The cute bird and flowers were all colored with Copic markers with the bird die-cut using its corresponding die and the flowers cut by hand.

InLinkz.com

Next I used new Striped Background with Little Bits Sailboat and stars, again, cut using Starry Night Cutting Plate. (It’s one of my faves!)

I stamped the stripes using Blue Corn ink, added a couple of tiny clouds from Build a Scene Calendar and framed with a Stitched Circle and Stitched Frame.

The sentiments are from new Seas the Day stamp set, each stamped onto a Banner Stacklet die-cut.

InLinkz.com

To see more projects, please head over to the TE Blog for a complete list of our designers. Also on the TE Blog today, you’ll find a list of winners from the preview posts. Maybe you are one of them!

Thanks so much for visiting! 🙂

Taylored Expressions June Previews – Day 3

Posted on June 7, 2017 | Leave a comment

Hi everyone! It’s Day 3 of Taylored Expressions‘ June 6 release previews! Today I am sharing (what I think are) my two favorite samples from this release. First up is On the Water Fishing Boat with new On the Right Track Basics, a new die set for creating interactive cards.

I love this fishing boat because it reminds me of Deadliest Catch (which is actually about crab fishing but that’s ok). The boat was a lot of fun to assemble. I especially like the intricate parts, like the crane. (It’s so detailed and very cool.) 🙂

I used the long, straight element from On the Right Track Basics to create a horizontal slider within the Rolling Waves. On the back of the front panel, I adhered small squares of foam tape at each end of the track to keep the boat from sliding past the card edges.

InLinkz.com

My second card uses new Busy Beaver stamp & die combo, created in honor of Canada’s 150th birthday July 1st. The set is super cute with several play-on-words sentiments (including an “eh?”). 🙂

I stamped and die-cut a handful of logs, colored the beaver with Copics then added white dots to his cheeks using Copic’s Opaque White and a toothpick.

Copic markers – E31, E33, E35, E41, E43, E44, E47, G17, G28, R20; Copic Opaque White

I colored a small patch of card stock with a red marker then die-cut a Little Bits Balloon and “tied” it to one of the logs.

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog to answer Taylor’s Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

I hope you’ll stop back tomorrow when I’ll have two final samples using TE’s new stamps and dies. Thanks for visiting!

1amichele siggy

Taylored Expressions June Preview – Day 2

Posted on June 6, 2017 | 2 comments

Hi everyone! I’m back today with two more samples using Taylored Expressions‘ June 6 release product.

First, I created a summer scene using new Build a Scene Tropical, Sitting Pretty Nautical Accessories and Little Bits Pail & Shovel.

I used clouds from Little Bits Sun & Clouds, a Stitched Circle for the sun and Build a Scene Rolling Hills for sand and water.

The Little Bits Adirondack Chair was placed beneath the palm tree, and I used a tiny star from Starry Night Cutting Plate to embellish the pail. The sentiment, from Paddle Out, was stamped using Sugar Cube ink then white embossed.

InLinkz.com

Next, I used new Tropical Cutting Plate along with Distress Oxide inks.

I first blended Worn Lipstick, Spiced Marmalade, Wilted Violet, Cracked Pistachio and Broken China Oxide ink onto a block of Sugar Cube card stock. I spritzed on some water then once dried, I adhered a Sugar Cube Tropical Blooms panel over top and added a sentiment from C’mon Get Happy.

The flowers, from Build a Scene Tropical, were die-cut from Distress Oxide blended card stock, assembled and adhered.

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog to answer Taylor’s Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

I’ll be back tomorrow with more previews! Thanks for visiting!

1amichele siggy

2 Comments

Posted in Clean and Simple (CAS), My Designs, Taylored Expressions

Taylored Expressions June Release Previews – Seas the Day!

Posted on June 5, 2017 | 1 comment

Just in time for summer, Taylored Expressions‘ June 6 release is packed full of tropical and nautical themed goodness (with a few other surprises as well).

Today I used new Little Bits Helm die along with my favorite TE character, Little Bits Fox.

The fox is decked out in his new designer Little Bits Sunglasses. They’re a perfect fit and he is looking quite swanky!

I used new Little Bits Life Preserver to create the port hole and Know the Ropes embossing folder for a bit of added texture.

InLinkz.com

Next, I used new On the Water Sailboat with a sentiment from Go Beep stamp set.

The Stitched Cloud Duo, along with a Stitched Circle and Stitched Frame are the perfect surrounding accessories!

I used Build a Scene Rolling Hills for the water, another sentiment from Go Beep and a tiny star from Starry Night Cutting Plate. I’ve used this cutting plate quite often throughout my release samples. I love that the die creates several sizes of stars at one time. I die-cut a block of card stock, use whatever I need of that color and slip the remaining card stock/stars in the envelope with the die for future use. So handy and perfect for so many occasions!

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog to answer Taylor’s Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

I’ll be back tomorrow with more previews! Hope to see you then!

Thanks for visiting!

1amichele siggy

1 Comment

Posted in Clean and Simple (CAS), My Designs, Taylored Expressions

Taylored Expressions May Release Now Available

Posted on May 4, 2017 | 1 comment

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve enjoyed the Taylored Expressions‘ May release previews over the last several days. All new stamps and dies are now available in the TE store. Before you head over, I have two more samples to share.

First, I used My Super Hero with Twinkle Twinkle Background and Downtown Border with new Downtown Border Underlay.

I like the look of the Twinkle Twinkle Background stamped on Earl Gray card stock with Sugar Cube ink. And the Downtown Border Underlay is awesome for quickly created lit (or colored) windows.

Taylored Expressions My Super Hero, Twinkle Twinkle Background

Copic markers – BG45, BG49, E00, E11, N9, R20, R29, R39, R89, Y38

After stamping and coloring the super hero, I used the included coordinating die and then popped him up on foam squares.

InLinkz.com

My next card is very simple. I didn’t want to add a lot of “stuff” since it’s for a fun-gi. 🙂

New Little Bits Mushrooms coordinate perfectly with a couple sentiments in new Punny Man 2 sentiment set.

Before assembling/adhering the mushrooms, I sponged a bit of Potato Chip ink in the background.

The mushrooms were adhered over a hill with the sentiment stamped in Sugar Cube ink and white embossed. Along the bottom, I added a Skinny Mini Border.

InLinkz.com

Thanks so much for visiting! 🙂

1 Comment

Posted in Clean and Simple (CAS), Copic, My Designs, Taylored Expressions

Taylored Expressions Previews, Father’s Day and Cheesy Love

Posted on May 3, 2017 | 3 comments

Hi everyone! Today I have two more cards to share using new releases from Taylored Expressions. All new sets (stamps and dies) will be available for purchase tomorrow, May 4.

First, I used new Simply Said-Dad with Little Bits Hole in One to create a Father’s Day card for a golfing dad.

The sky was created by inking Salt Water Taffy over a die-cut strip of Cloud Border multiple times. I used Build a Scene Rolling Hills to cut the grass then stamped and white emobossed the sentiment. The flag pieces were each colored with Copic markers.

InLinkz.com

Next I used a fun new sentiment set, Punny Man 2. The set comes with six punny sayings which coordinate with various Little Bits sets.

I used the cheese part of Little Bits Mac & Cheese, die-cutting the “slices” from Lemon Meringue and Potato Chip card stock.

Using my MISTI, I easily stamped the sentiment in two colors, keeping the words perfectly aligned.

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog to answer Taylor’s Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

I hope you’ll stop back tomorrow when I’ll have two final samples using TE’s new stamps and dies. Thanks for visiting!

1amichele siggy

3 Comments

Posted in Clean and Simple (CAS), My Designs, Taylored Expressions

Taylored Expressions May Previews, Day 2

Posted on May 2, 2017 | Leave a comment

Hi everyone! I’m back today with two more samples using stamps and dies from Taylored Expressions‘ May 4 release.

Wagon Bouquet is among my favorites from the new release. The wagon reminds me of when my kids were small, although then it was full of kids and not flowers. Maybe some dirt and weeds. 🙂

I colored with Copic markers and threaded a bit of yellow twine around the handle.

Copic markers – BG78, E33, E35, E47, E77, E79, G12, G14, G28, R29, R39, R89, V22, V25, V28, V99, W1, W2, W7, Y21, YR12, YR18, 110

The wagon was die-cut then placed upon a strip of green patterned paper from Build a Scene 6″x 6″. The dotted yellow background is from Build a Scene as well.

InLinkz.com

Next I used a really fun new Police Cruiser die set along with Wee-ooh Wee-ooh sentiment set.

The sentiment was placed within a strip cut using Let’s Talk Edger 1 with Celebration Confetti sprinkled around.

To complete my card, I added a Build a Scene Tree and Build a Scene Road.

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog to answer Taylor’s Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

I’ll be back tomorrow with more previews! Hope to see you then!

Thanks for visiting!

1amichele siggy

Taylored Expressions May Release Previews – Out of this World

Posted on May 1, 2017 | 2 comments

What a great release Taylored Expressions has coming on May 4th! Super DUPER fun!

My first card uses new Super Hero stamp and die combo along with my favorite new Twinkle background. I see myself using this versatile background not only for stars but snow, magic, holiday, etc. (It’s one of my favorties from this release!)

I stamped, colored then die-cut the girl from My Super Hero and layered her atop a Stitched Circle stamped with Twinkle Background using Sugar Cube pigment ink.

Copic markers – BG10, BG11, BG13, BG49, E00, E01, E11, E33, E35, N9, R20, R29, R39, R89, Y17, YR23

The planet is from new Space Cadet and the stars were cut using Starry Night Cutting Plate. Once assembled, I framed the panel using the largest die from Stitched Frame Stacklets 1.

InLinkz.com

Next I used Space Cadet to create an outerspace greeting.

I first stamped Twinkle Background onto Blue Corn card stock with Sugar Cube ink then die-cut and randomly adhered several Stitched Circles to create a planet.

Copic markers – B24, B28, BG11, C00, E31, E33, E35, G07, R20, R29, W1, Y21, Y38

I used Banner Stacklets 1 as a base for the greeting then tied Astro-dog to the post so he wouldn’t float away. 🙂

InLinkz.com

For a limited time, earn DOUBLE CRAFTY POINTS on our Space Cadet Stamp & Space Cadet Dies Bundle! If you’re not a Crafty Points member, it’s free and easy to join. Just create an account at the TE webstore and you’re automatically enrolled to begin earning crafty points with every purchase. You’ll earn 82 Crafty Points on the purchase of our Space Cadet Stamp & Space Cadet Dies Bundle! Offer valid on qualifying purchases made between 9am CST on Thursday, May 4, 2017 and 11:59 pm CST on Sunday, May 7, 2017 and only while supplies last. Crafty Points are only available on purchases made via our retail site: www.tayloredexpressions.com.

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog to answer Taylor’s Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

I’ll be back tomorrow with more previews! Hope to see you then!

Thanks for visiting!

1amichele siggy

2 Comments

Posted in Clean and Simple (CAS), Copic, My Designs, Taylored Expressions

Let’s Make a Scene (taylored expressions)

Posted on April 13, 2017 | 1 comment

Hi everyone! I’m back today to share a card using Little Bits from Taylored Expressions. It’s so much fun to build scenes with all the pieces!

I used the Little Bits Castle, Carriage and Frog to make an anniversary card for my husband, not that he was ever a frog. But I will say he is a prince and I will keep him as long as he’ll put up with me. Haha.

I used the frame from Build a Scene Calendar 5 x7 with a Cloud Border sky in the background. Build a Scene Rolling Hills provided grounding and I used a sentiment from All You Need is Love.