Category: Taylored-expressions

Strong Women Make Waves

7/12/2019

Yes! Yes! Yes! Amen to Taylored Expressions for creating this beautiful Be A Mermaid stamp set with a killer empowering, "strong women make waves" sentiment! Yes! Yes! Yes! Also because it's Friday! Who's ready for the weekend!? My parents are coming down from Maine for a visit and I look forward to seeing them. I also have a full class on Saturday in my home studio with 14 people attending and I can't wait for my mom to participate and meet many new crafty friends. Live in Western Mass and want to come to a class? See my class calendar here.

Because I am not currently creating technique video content on my website, I highly recommend checking out this Easy Alcohol Ink Background Tutorial by Jennifer McGuire. She has created a very simple introduction to working with alcohol inks to create some basic backgrounds. This was the first video I watched after purchasing my alcohol inks and then I just spent time playing around with them! The great thing is there is no right or wrong when it comes to art. You just have fun (and usually make a mess) with it! *My only tip would be that you don't need to spend your money purchasing polysynthetic Yupo Paper at nearly $1.00 per sheet. You can use the reverse side of any high quality photo paper (like this one by Kirkland) and achieve the same results! I used this same Kirkland photo paper to create today's alcohol ink backgrounds.

I am, however, s-l-o-w-l-y beginning to dabble in some video content. Essentially still photos with animated displays and music. I haven't attempted audio voiceover or video while creating cards yet, but it's a slow work in progress. I hope you enjoy this short 1-minute clips of the mermaid cards I have created this week:

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Tempting Turquoise cardstock (sorry, it's retired Stampin' UP!) Using the Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles, I die cut the scalloped background on Kirkland photo paper. To create the background I used Ranger Alcohol inks in Sailboat Blue, Turquoise and Pool. I stamped the sentiment in the upper left corner in Versamark ink and heat embossed it in silver embossing powder. I stamped one mermaid tail in Tempting Turquoise ink (retired) on Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock and one in Granny Apple Green ink on the same paper. I stamped the third mermaid tail in Versamark ink on Tempting Turquoise paper and heat embossed it in white embossing powder. I die cut the tails and adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive.

Here is the Be A Mermaid stamp set and coordinating die from Taylored Expressions:

Card details:

The base of this second A2 sized card is also made from Tempting Turquoise cardstock (retired, Stampin' UP!). I used a scrap sheet of 5 1/4 x 4" paper with tiny light clouds on it for the background. Sorry, I do not recall who made this paper! I cut two pieces of a previously colored alcohol ink background with the Lawn Fawn Stitched Waves Border Die and adhered those to the center of the card. On a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock, I stamped "Let's Shellebrate" in Versamark ink and heat embossed it in white embossing powder. Then I used a Heffy Doodle Stitched Slopey Joes die to create a stitched border on the "sand." I tapped a small eraser into Crumb Cake ink and stamped the background of this Crumb Cake border. I stamped one Mermaid Tail on Temping Turquoise cardstock and heat embossed it in white embossing powder. I die cut another mermaid tail from Granny Apple Green cardstock and backed it with a piece of Turquoise Glitter paper. Lastly I stamped the seashells on Neenah Solar white cardstock, Granny Apple Green cardstock and Tempting Turqoise cardstock and adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive.

I hope you have enjoyed these vibrant cards and, even more, their powerful message.
Strong women make waves!

Thanks for visiting and have a great weekend!

XO, Crystal

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A School? A Pod? A Tribe?

7/11/2019

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Hello friends and thanks for taking the time to visit my website! If this is your first time, welcome! I hope to inspire you with a little creativity. Want to learn a little bit more about me? Please click here. Or, you can visit my craft room too, simply by clicking here.

So, yesterday I really did ask Google, "what do you call a group of mermaid's" when I was attempting to title today's post. Fun fact, a group of jellyfish is called a "smack" and a group of squid is called a "squad." But, it turns out, there is no collective noun for a group of mermaids. According to The Fish Vet, if mermaids were fish, a group of them would be called a school. If they were classified as humans, they’d be called a tribe.
And, if they’re sea mammals, similar to dolphins, a group of them are called pods. So, whatever they are called, enjoy today's rainbow of mermaid tails!

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Gina Marie Designs Scalloped Stitched Nesting Rectangles, I cut the first layer from Basic black cardstock. I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" sheet of white cardstock and stamped "Hello Beautiful" in Memento Tuxedo Black ink directly in the center before adhering this piece to the card base. On small scraps of Melon Mambo, Mango Medley, Pineapple Punch, Granny Apple Green, Tempting Turqouise (retired) and Gorgeous Grape cardstock, I stamped the mermaid tail in Versamark ink and heat embossed each in white embossing powder. I die cut each tail individually and adhered them to the card in a rainbow pattern using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I put a coat of Clear Wink of Stella over each mermaid tail for added sparkle.

Below is the Be A Mermaid stamp set and die from Taylored Expressions that I used to create this card:

Thanks for visiting and happy crafting!

XO, Crystal

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Tuesday Thoughts

7/9/2019

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I had a moment over the weekend where I was disappointed with myself for not sending out 4th of July cards this year. That moment rapidly spiraled downhill when I also realized I didn't send out Easter cards, St. Patrick's Day or Memorial Day cards. . . Granted, during the past few months we had been dealing with the failing health, and ultimately passing of my-mother-in-law, so the excuses were certainly legitimate, but, I kind of beat myself up about it. I also work full-time. This card making thing is only in my so-called "free time." Plus, I have a hard time deciding WHO gets cards - everybody on my Christmas card list means I would be sending out 96 4th of July cards, 96 Easter cards, 96 Happy World Pancake Day cards. . . You see where I'm going with this. That's A LOT of cards.
#aintnobodygottimeforthat

Then I realized (after calling my mother who naturally told me I was being ridiculous) that no one cares that I didn't send out these cards! Just me. I needed to let it go. And so I did. Kind of. . . But, first I placed a $94 order from Taylored Expressions of patriotic themed stuff, so next 4th of July - fireworks baby!

Here's a peek at what I purchased Sunday in the middle of my must-make-4th-of-July-cards-after-the-4th-of-July-is-now-over meltdown:

True story. I really did buy all this - just to make 4th of July cards. FOR NEXT YEAR!
I also promised myself that I would be a little more on the ball when it comes to making cards for holidays, etc. Yeah, I see you Shark Week (beginning July 28th on the Discovery Channel)! My Avery Elle "Hello Chum" stamp set and I are ready for ya!

XO, Crystal

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Advice From A Pineapple

6/24/2019

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Hello friends and happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. I spent nearly the whole day in my craft room on Saturday and I completed seventeen cards! I haven't done that in a really long time and it felt so rewarding. I completed eight more cards on Sunday and while I wanted to make more, my back was just not having it. I've been having to see a chiropractor and massage therapist regularly and I just can't seem to get things loosened up lately. Anyway. . . I'm so thankful that I was feeling very creative over the weekend and that I finally had the time to play with lots of brand new products, so you'll be seeing many new cards in the coming weeks.

Today we begin with these two pineapple cards using the Simply Stamped - Pineapple from Taylored Expressions. It is a multi-layering stamp set, so it gives a lot of depth to both the pineapple and the crown. Pineapples are among one of my favorite fruits, especially if you get a really sweet and juicy one!

Here is the Simply Stamped - Pineapple from Taylored Expressions that I used to create today's cards:

Card details:

The base of this first A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Stitched Scalloped Rectangle Nesting Dies from Gina Marie Designs, I cut the first layer from Pineapple Punch cardstock. I then cut a sheet of white cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot using the Gina Marie Stitched Rectangles dies. On this sheet of paper, I stamped the sentiment in the center of the card using Tuxedo Memento Black ink. I stamped the pineapples - one in Pineapple Punch ink and the other in Crumb Cake ink and the pineapple crowns were stamped in Lemon Lime Twist and Granny Apple Green ink. I cut the pineapples using the coordinating dies and adhered them to the card with 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly I added a few clear rhinestones for added sparkle.

Card details:

The base of this second A2 sized card is made from Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I used a sheet of Lawn Fawn Gotta Have Gingham paper to line the background. I can't recall the brand of the die that I used to cut the frame out of Pineapple Punch cardstock. Sorry, but I think it might be My Favorite Things. I stamped the two pineapples as I did in the card above (using the same ink colors) and lastly, I stamped the sentiment in Tuxedo Memento Black ink in the lower right corner.