You can color me happy -- I was ecstatic when I learned Taylored Expressions would be carrying some unique calendar products this year! Any of you who are regular readers here at my blog know how much I love my monthly calendars!
My project today showcases the Frame Your Imagination vertical wood stand and coordinating 6x6 calendar inserts. The calendar inserts and Frame Your Imagination stands were designed to be used with the Calendar Cuppie stamps but the possibilities are only limited by your imagination! There is also a perpetual birthday calendar option (links to those projects are shown at the bottom of this post).
The wood frame is beautifully crafted, very sturdy, sanded smooth, and left to be finished with a coat of paint or paper in the color of your choice. This stand will be for my young girls, so I started with a coat of pink paint and then used papers from the new Valentine Key Ingredients kit to cover it, using ModPodge.
There are many different patterns on the double-sided papers in the Valentine kit to choose from -- I chose some of the more generic ones with many colors that I thought would work well throughout the year . . . large dots, stripes on the front of the two vertical pieces, and a word pattern on the sides.
The pink paint I had on hand was a little too bright for me, so I whitewashed it a little with white acrylic paint. I like the distressed look it gave:
The 2009 dated 6x6 calendar inserts are blank, ready to be decorated however you wish. Taylored Expressions is also offering a set of 6x6 page protectors to frame your creation (the binder rings they hang from are included with the wood stand).
The inserts can be stamped directly on and are compatible with your Copic markers but in this case, I decided to cut out this sweet December Cuppie into the shape of a stocking! When I was stamping him, I noticed the shape of the already-die-cut cling mount stamp looked similar to a stocking:
I hand drew the stocking toe, colored this sweet Christmas scene from A Year of Sweets 3 with Copic markers, and gave the top of the stocking a knitted/ribbed look with my Copics. The stocking is "hanging" from a red brad. I used the Starfire glitter that is included with the Valentine Key Ingredients kit on Cuppie's cherry, the fire in the fireplace, and as a pink sugar topping on one of the cookies -- you may be able to see it better if you click on the photo for a larger view:
The Copic markers I found in my collection to match best with the papers in the Valentine Key Ingredients kit are shown below.
I hope you'll check out the other Taylored Expressions Baker's Dozen Design Team to see their sneak peeks today and of course Taylor's Blog . . .
The following Design Team members are showcasing the perpetual birthday calendar:
Jami Sibley
Jen del Muro
Denise Marzec
Laurie Schmidlin
Carol Halvorson
Monika Davis
These Design Team members are showcasing the Frame Your Imagination vertical stand and coordinating calendar inserts:
Charmaine Ikach
Sharon Harnist
Ana Wohlfahrt
Donna Baker
Terri Dodd
Stephanie Hargis
I'll be back tomorrow with another new release Taylored Expressions stamp set to feature and then remember, the release date for these stamps is Friday, January 2 at 12am EST, when I'll have yet another project to show you!
Happy New Year's Eve!
oh my I LOVE your stand!! you must have had the dp in 12x12 sheets (smart) Love the cuppie on the shaped stocking! too cute
Posted by: Donna Baker | December 31, 2008 at 10:22 AM
That is just too cute, Sharon!
Posted by: Charmaine Ikach | December 31, 2008 at 10:34 AM
SO adorable, Sharon!
Posted by: Steph K | December 31, 2008 at 10:41 AM
ah - so sweet! can't wait to see all the sneaks on these sets.. :)
Posted by: Lori Craig | December 31, 2008 at 10:57 AM
So cute the way you decorated the stand! And the little Cuppie in the sticking shape - so cute and clever.
Hope you enjoyed sleeping in! *wink*
Posted by: Jami Sibley | December 31, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Oh my gosh, how cuuuuuute!! I love how you decorated it!!
Posted by: denise (peanutbee) | December 31, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Soooo adorable, Sharon! I love your decorated stand! And you put cuppie in a stocking... such a cute idea!
Posted by: Taylor | December 31, 2008 at 11:13 AM
ADORABLE!! I love how your stand is decorated!
Posted by: Ana | December 31, 2008 at 11:36 AM
How cute! I will be watching as I have wanted to try a calendar. tfs
Posted by: Bev J. | December 31, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Sharon, this is adorable!
Posted by: Debbie Fisher | December 31, 2008 at 12:11 PM
this is adorable! love the colors!
~Kendra
Posted by: Kendra - SCS:apigonfire | December 31, 2008 at 12:11 PM
WOW! What a great stand & Christmas image. You deco'd them so perfectly!
Posted by: Stephanie Atterbury | December 31, 2008 at 01:20 PM
Ok, these items will be mine!! Gorgeous job. Happy New Year!
Posted by: Joan B | December 31, 2008 at 02:07 PM
I love this! A definite must have! Great (enabling) job Sharon!
Posted by: Carolyn King | December 31, 2008 at 02:39 PM
Oh Sharon! This one is just perfect for the girls! I love your way with these calendar stamps!
~Bev
Posted by: Savor the Journey | December 31, 2008 at 02:57 PM
This has to be my favorite!
Posted by: tami | December 31, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Sharon...your coloring is amazing, as always and I love how you added the papers to the stand. Awesome job!
Posted by: Terri | December 31, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Oh, Sharon--this is just the sweetest--fabulous job!
Posted by: Debbie Olson | December 31, 2008 at 03:45 PM
Sharon, you are seriously the icing on the cupcake! FABULOUS WORK, there!
Happy New Year, Nicole
Posted by: Nicole | December 31, 2008 at 04:29 PM
Sharon, you always blow me out of the water with your creations. This is FANTASTIC! So many details and special little touches! Did I say FANTASTIC?
Posted by: Carol (HB) | December 31, 2008 at 05:31 PM
Sharon, this is super duper sweet!!!
Posted by: Dawn Easton | December 31, 2008 at 06:30 PM
I totally LOVE your calendar, Sharon! How cool that you made your image shape into a stocking!! So creative and wonderful!! I love how you designed your frame as well!!
Posted by: Rose Ann | December 31, 2008 at 06:38 PM
Very cute Sharon!
Posted by: jen del muro | December 31, 2008 at 07:11 PM
This is super cute! Love the stocking shape... great idea covering the stand with DP. TFS!
Posted by: Monika/buzsy | December 31, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Sharon, your calendar pages are always fantastic...and this is no exception!! I LOVE how you put the image in a stocking shape!!!
Posted by: Laurie Schmidlin | January 01, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Oh my! I LOVE how you decorated the stand! It looks amazing! You certainly know how to blow me away! :D
Posted by: Stephanie Hargis | January 01, 2009 at 04:28 PM
ACK! Sharon, this is adorable, I need to go find that kit!!
Posted by: pam hooten | January 04, 2009 at 11:58 PM