Taylored Expressions October Release Spotlight Day

 

Hi Everyone,

Today is Release Day over at Taylored Expressions and its a HUGE one! SO many new stamps, new dies and Project Pantries for your crafting pleasure - you can check them out at the tab: Fresh Out of the Oven Department. While you are there - you can also check out the TE Current Specials page! 

Hi Everyone,

Have you seen all the new goodies at the TE store – this month’s release from Taylored Expressions is off da hook amazing! And today, the design team is ready to hop with creations from all the new products for today’s inspiration hop! I am so excited to share my project today!! I created a little Advent Calendar using the Library Pocket die from Taylored Expressions and the Christmas Countdown stamp set from Taylored Expressions. Originally I was going to string them on a frame -but the frame I had was a bit too small and when I hung them they kind of drooped to much when the pockets were full - so I went on an adventure to find a bigger frame. And it truly was a lucky day when I saw this frame - it was so lovely and with just a bit of chicken wire on the back (with a staple gun) it was perfect for hanging the pockets with some mini clothespins! I painted it a metallic rose red and had so much fun hanging the pockets, making a little peppermint garland and adding some ornaments as well - I can't wait to hang this out and see the kids reactions!! :)

I started off by die cutting 24 Library Pockets in 4 different colors from Taylored Expressions. When I was assembling them together - I added a thin strip of dimensionals so that the pocket so that I could add a little ornament as a present that we could include for that day. When thinking about little presents to put into the advent calendar – I thought to mix it up a little: somedays there would be a little ornament that we can add to the three, on somedays there would be some coins that they can add to their coin collection and on other days there would be a tag with  an activity that was a present (like having a little tea party, going out to the movies, making cookies and suprising our neighbors with them, etc.)

I decorated each of the library pockets differently using 2 paper pads: Aunthentique’s Collection: Festive and My Mind’s Eye’s WinterWonderland collection. The Festive Collection pad has so many lovely designs, on one of them there was a sheet with numbers through 25 – and so for some of the numbers I cut out the numbers from the sheet, for other numbers I die cut letters spelling them using the Poster Alpha Dies, and for other numbers I used alpha stickers or stamped them from the Christmas Countdown stamp set. Here are some pictures of the pockets:

Here are some tips that I found helpful in make this project:

-    - for quick Advent Calendars  - keep the layout the same and use simple die cuts that make mass production easy. If you have more time - its fun to mix and match papers and layouts - also it makes it easy to use paper pads that already have die cut shapes or christmas sentiments etc.

-     - If you want to insert a small ornament or gift to the Library Pocket Die Advent Calendar use a thin strip of dimensionals on the sides when assembling the pocket – this will give you a bit more space to add a little present to your pocket

-     - Add a magnet to the back of the die so that it can stick to a magnetic board, you can punch a hole at the top so that you can string it, or take a clothespin to pin it onto something like a wire or twine.

I I can't wait to see what everyone has created for today's hop! Please join me and check them out!!! 

Charmaine Ikach

Jami Sibley - DT Coordinator

Jen Shults

Jodi Collins

Karen Giron

Melody Rupple

Nancy McKinney - Illustrator

Regina Mangum

Sankari Wegman

Shannon White

Shelly Mercado

Stephanie Kraft

Taylor VanBruggen

Wanda Guess

And if you have a chance please stop by tomorrow for our celebration of World Card Making Day :)

Thanks so much for hopping over today!

Big hugs,

Sankari :) 

 PS - here are all the dies I used to create this project: