Today is the first day of sneak peeks for Taylored Expressions latest release of FOUR stamp sets and TWO Key Ingredient kits this Saturday, September 5th. Today, all the TE Baker's Dozen designers are featuring projects using The Places You’ll Go stamp set and the coordinating Key Ingredients kit. This set is the next release in the Taylored Expressions Giving Tree charitable program and you can see all the images in the stamp set over at the Taylored Expressions blog today.
Having elementary aged children, I adore this set! It's filled with nostalgic storybook images and beautiful quotes from some of your favorite childhood books ... brings back wonderful memories!
For the months of September, October and November when you purchase this set you'll be helping to support the Books for Kids Foundation. Their mission is to promote literacy among all children with a special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool-aged children. Books for Kids creates libraries, donates books, and partners with literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life.
(Yes these are my little monkeys, doing their required school reading this week!). For each The Places You'll Go stamp set sold during the quarter, Taylored Expressions will donate $7.00 to the Books for Kids Foundation! Since I have budding 2nd and 4th grade readers, this program interests me greatly! I decided to make a combo mini scrapbook / favorite book log for my girls. It contains their school photo each year, along with a place to record their favorite book from the year. It's made with a Maya Road chipboard book you'll receive in The Places You'll Go Key Ingredients kit!
The pages in this book measure 5.50" x 2-7/8", so each piece of 6-inch My Mind's Eye patterned paper in the KI kit will cover two of the chipboard pages. I only used patterned papers from the KI kit for this entire book and still have plenty left over, for some cute cards! I chose to break up this wonderful sentiment from the stamp set, by stamping it onto some of the patterned paper and then cutting it apart so it would fit on my cover better. The buttons are also from the KI kit.
All the images I colored for this book used the Copic markers pictured above (the lightest brown on the top right is E31) -- I found them to be the closest matches to the colors in the patterned papers in The Places You'll Go Key Ingredients kit. The adorable hot air balloon image on the cover was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa ink onto TE's Choice Buttercream cardstock and then cut out. Star Dust Stickles are on the clouds. Isn't that ABC twill ribbon wonderful? It's also included in the KI kit.
On the inside front cover, I used this "I love you right up to the moon and back" quote (from one of our favorite books, Guess How Much I Love You!) and then added the custom wording below with my label maker. The image was stamped onto some of the KI patterned paper and then colored with Copics. I love the texture of these papers -- they take the Copics very well.
For each of the pages, I created a little label to write information on -- it's printed onto thin vanilla cardstock. It's available for you to download and use, if you'd like: Download School Year Reading Faves by Sharon Harnist and for future reference, will be permanently available on the Other Tutorials & Downloads Page of my blog. The cute little scholar balloon above was again stamped onto patterned papers and pieced together. Embroidery thread was used for the hat tassel and balloon string (click on the photo for a larger view).
All of the photos were rounded with a corner rounder and so were the labels. This darn-cute circular sentiment (Let your heart guide you. It whispers, so listen closely.) was again stamped onto patterned paper, the heart pieced from red paper and glittered with Stickles.
The circles were die cut with Classic Circle & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities dies.
On the next pages, I used two Dr. Seuss quotes that were designed to work together. On the page above, I added another custom word with my label maker -- "cute!"
And I added the other quote on the adjacent page, die cut with a tag die.
On the final pages, I used this great sailboat image -- stamped onto light blue patterned paper from the KI kit, colored and cut out.
I know I'm going to enjoy using these fabulous images and quotes for cute notecards to my girls and teachers and I hope to share those with you over the coming month!
You can see more samples with this sweet The Places You'll Go stamp set, by visiting the blogs of the Baker's Dozen Design Team today: Charmaine Ikach, Dawn Easton, Denise Marzec, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Laura Fredrickson, Laurie Schmidlin, Sankari Wegman and of course, Taylor.
We'll be back tomorrow with another sneak peek of a new Taylored Expressions stamp set!
Supplies:
- Stamps: Taylored Expressions The Places You'll Go (available Sept 5, 2009)
- Paper: TE The Places You'll Go Key Ingredients Kit & TE Choice Buttercream cardstock
- Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Copic markers (colors shown above)
- Dies: Spellbinders Blossom, Classic & Scalloped Circle Nestabilities, Tags Trio
- Accessories: TE The Places You'll Go Key Ingredients Kit buttons, ribbon & chipboard book. Star Dust Stickles, Zip Dry Paper Glue, Fiskars Threading Water punch, corner rounder, embroidery thread, label maker
What a stunning mini book Sharon! I love all the elements on each page. It'll be so much fun looking back through this work of art from time to time!!! So glad you're back with the Dozen this month!
Posted by: Karen Motz | September 03, 2009 at 10:49 AM
My word...you are a ROCK star!! Holy CANNOLI! I just about fell off my chair at the magnificence of this! I think I may be speechless (that never happens!!). This is SO creative and gorgeous...I must make one for my little one!!!
Posted by: Jodi | September 03, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Great idea and they are so cute, love the quote on the front, great colors/papers!
Posted by: Conniecrafter | September 03, 2009 at 10:54 AM
this is SO special, Sharon! I love the pics of your girls reading! Welcome back this month; I was SO looking forward to seeing what wonderful projects you would WOW us with and I'm NOT disappointed!
Posted by: Donna Baker | September 03, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Oh my goodness Sharon - I am speechless - just "WOW"!!!
Posted by: Jami Sibley | September 03, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Wow, Sharon! This little book is full of sweetness! GREAT pictures of your kids!!
Posted by: Dawn Easton | September 03, 2009 at 11:40 AM
OH Sharon, this is SO cute! I love the pictures of your kiddos reading - they are adorable. Ok, I'm off to completely copy your book, haha! This is fabulous!!!
Posted by: Karen Giron | September 03, 2009 at 11:53 AM
WOWWW! This is SOOOOO COOL....you put so many awesome details into it. AWESOME, girl!
Posted by: Denise (peanutbee) | September 03, 2009 at 12:57 PM
This book is ADORABLE, Sharon and so are your girls!! What a great idea!
Posted by: Jackie Pedro | September 03, 2009 at 02:29 PM
Wow! What a wonderful project! I am sure you will treasure it for many years to come. My, they grow up so quickly!
~Lacey
Posted by: Lacey | September 03, 2009 at 05:39 PM
What a cute idea! Lovely book with so many special memories.
Posted by: Deanna M. | September 03, 2009 at 07:36 PM
What a great project and what beautiful girls!
Posted by: Cindy Holshouser | September 03, 2009 at 08:17 PM
Amazing Sharon! Fabulously done with beautiful colours and details! Your girls are darling!
Posted by: Laura (scrapnextras) | September 03, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Ah, that is sweet. What a great keepsake. Perfect for the set. :)
Posted by: Lori Craig | September 03, 2009 at 10:34 PM
just one word:
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Carolyn King | September 03, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Oh Sharon this is such a special project and wonderful keepsake. Those pictures of your girls are just precious. And I love the reading on the stairs and reading on the stairs upside down poses!! Too cute!
Posted by: Susan (rainy) | September 04, 2009 at 02:56 AM
This book is over the top fantastic, Sharon! I love the download you created... so clever and useful! And I love seeing pictures of your girls... I miss them! Tell them I say hello! :)
Posted by: Taylor | September 04, 2009 at 10:07 AM
This is just about the cutest project EVER! What a great way to use this set! I cannot wait to order mine! Hugs from Morocco!
Posted by: Travelingmama | September 04, 2009 at 10:55 AM
This is fabulous, Sharon! You make the best keepsake books I think I've ever seen!
Posted by: Michele Boyer | September 04, 2009 at 05:25 PM
OH MY GOODNESS, how fabulous, Sharon! What an awesome keepsake and wonderful project! I adore this!
Posted by: Charmaine Ikach | September 05, 2009 at 11:08 AM