Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 3: Calendar Critters

It's day 3 of sneak peeks for the October release from Taylored Expressions!!  Today I get to show you a fun new set of charming little critters that you can use to create calendars.

Be sure to check all of the other designers starting on the Taylored Expressions blog because there is too much for one designer to show off in just a few days.

All the products that I have used are linked at the bottom, but remember that new products aren't live until Thursday, November 5, 7 a.m. PST.



Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE Blog each Sneak Peek Day this week for details on how you can enter to win.







Calendar Critters is a great set of cute little critters that can decorate each month of a calendar.  And in a moment of total brilliance, Taylored Expressions has come out with coordinating set of stamps called Critter Correspondence which gives you card sentiments to use with these critters.  Calendars and cards!!  

If you are making calendars, there is also a new set of dies called Build a Scene - Calendar that allows you to frame and "ground" these critters (e.g. grass, fence, snow/sand, etc.). 

I created a 4x6 series of calendar pages.  I adhered the Mini Tear-Off Calendar to the front of a frame so that I have access to it and can circle important dates. I found a 4x6 frame at IKEA - the Tolsby frame (I've also seen it on sale at Amazon but for quite a bit more) that allows me to easily drop in each calendar page as the months go by.  I'm sure there are thousands of other options out there - an acrylic sign holder would also work well.  Here's my sample for November 2016.

KIMCalendarCrittersWED

Because I was doing 12 different months, I decided to keep the layout simple.  The patterned paper is cut to 2 1/2" x 3 1/4".  A coordinating cardstock is used to cut a second piece of that size to go behind the calendar and to cut the frame. I also decided to standardly use white behind each little scene and I wanted to accent each with a die cut.  (FYI - the Build a Scene - Calendar set comes with a sun, moon and cloud - so you could easily use those for accents, but my favorite thing is creating little scenes with dies, so I got a little carried away!)

Here they all are!

KIMCalendarCrittersWEDJ-M2

KIMCalendarCrittersWEDA-J

KIMCalendarCrittersWEDJ-S

KIMCalendarCrittersWEDO-N


The frame that I chose was very basic (and very white!) so I decided to make little bows for each month using the Mini Mix-and-Match Bow Set.  I adhered a piece of velcro to the frame and the opposite piece to each of the bows. 

KIMCalendarCrittersWEDbows

It's quite a bit of work, but it's absolutely charming when it's all done. I'm thinking these could be meaningful holiday gifts.

KIMCalendarCrittersWEDFullAngledKIMCalendarCrittersWEDFull

Be sure to check out the TE Blog for more peeks of the new release that will be available tomorrow!

SUPPLY LIST

All of the links to the products can be found below - but I also wanted to detail the products by month.

On all calendars:

  • Calendar Critters
  • Calendar Critters Dies
  • Build a Scene - Calendar
  • 2016 Mini Tear-Off Calendar
  • Mini Mix-and-Match Bows die
  • Toffee Premium Cardstock
  • Sugar Cube Premium Cardstock
Important note: For their own patterned papers, Taylored Expressions sells 6x6 Paper Packs of just the patterned paper, or Matched Kits that include the patterned paper and coordinating cardstock. 
  • The links at the bottom go to the paper pack, but if you don't have any cardstock you might want to get the matched kit. I did not link each color of cardstock, but they are listed below.
  • The written list that follows lists the color of the cardstock that I used which generally are included in the matched kit. Any exceptions are noted.
January:
  • Build a Scene - Christmas
  • Cardstock: Sprinkles (The Matched Kit includes a lighter blue. In this case, I think it's important to have the darker Sprinkles in order to stand out from the patterned paper.)
  • Dies: Make a Snowflake
  • Copics: T5, T7, V15, V17, W1, YR12
February:
  • Double the Joy Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Lavender Glaze, Potato Chip
  • Dies: Cupid's Arrows
  • Copics: E42, E43, E44, Y13, Y15, R83, RV52
March:
  • Double the Joy Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Salt Water Taffy, Candy Corn, Potato Chip, Toffee, Peapod (The Matched Kit includes a slighter darker green, Granny Smith, which would work just fine.)
  • Dies: Build a Scene - Trees, Little Bits - Flowers & Stems
  • Copics: N0, N1, N3, W0, W1, T7
April:
  • For Peep's Sake Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Sprinkles, Potato Chip, Peapod (The Matched Kit includes a slighter darker green, Granny Smith, which would work just fine.)
  • Dies: The sun comes from the basic Build a Scene - Calendar set. The set also comes with a cloud (which would work just fine), but I wanted a slightly larger cloud since it's for a rainy day. I used the smallest cloud from Cloud Stacklets.)
  • Copics: RV52, R85, E11, Y13, Y15, BG11, RV66, YG03
May:
  • Hello Happiness Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Mint Julep, Pink Champagne, Lollipop
  • Dies: Mini Bloomers
  • Copics: W1, W3, W5, RV52, RV17, BG13, G12
June:
  • Build a Scene Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Candy Corn, Lemon Meringue, Toffee
  • Dies: Build a Scene - Underwater (the shells), Little Bits - Sun & Clouds (The basic Build a Scene - Calendar comes with a sun. It's slightly smaller than the one that I used, but really would work just fine.)
  • Copics: Y13, Y15, YR12, BG11, BG13
July:
  • Rainbow Brights Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Jelly Donut, Granny Smith, Toffee
  • Dies:  If I had it in my collection, I would have used Little Bits - Popsicles so I have linked that below. Since I don't have that die, I used the smallest popsicle from the Popsicle Stacklets
  • Copics: R81, R83, V15, YR12, N1, W3
August:
  • Build a Scene Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Poppy Seed, Sweet Basil (The dark grey Poppy Seed is not in the Matched Kit.)
  • Dies: Build a Scene - Winter Trees
  • Copics: R05, R08, E42, E44, E47, T3, T5
September:
  • Carta Bella Fall Blessings 6x6 pad (Although not a Taylored Expressions product, this paper is currently available in the TE store.)
  • Cardstock: Pumpkin, Toffee, the leaf is a scrap that matched the patterned paper
  • Dies: If I had it in my collection, I would have used a leaf from the Mini Leaves die set because it has the embossed veins so I have linked that below. Since I don't have that set (soon to be remedied!), I used a leaf from the coordinating dies to Falling for You stamp set.
  • Copics: E31, E33, E34, T7, YR23, E08, G21
October:
  • Build a Scene - Halloween Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Plum Punch, Lemon Meringue, Earl Grey, Poppy Seed (the Matched Kit does not include the darker Poppy Seed which I used on the bats, but you could easily use Earl Grey or the Oreo (black) which is in the kit)
  • Dies: Little Bits - Halloween Confetti (the bats), the moon and clouds come from the basic Build a Scene - Calendar set.
  • Copics: T3, T5, YR12, YR14, Y08, YG03, RV66
November:
  • Carta Bella Fall Blessings 6x6 pad (Although not a Taylored Expressions product, this paper is currently available in the TE store.)
  • Cardstock: various scraps to match the paper
  • Dies: Bloomers Greenery
  • Copics: E55, E57, E31, Y23, Y26, T3, T5, BG49, YR12, YR14
December: 
  • Build a Scene - Christmas Paper Pack
  • Cardstock: Cherry Pop, Peapod (The Matched Kit includes a slighter darker green, Granny Smith, which would work just fine.)
  • Dies: Build a Scene - Winter Trees
  • Copics: E42, E43, E44, RV52, R89, W1


21 comments:

  1. That Calender critters are so versatile and I love the innovative ideas to use them all, amazing!

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  2. LOVE all your calendar scenes! And those bows - WOW! What an awesome extra detail!

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  3. Beautiful project. Great work!!

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  4. Oh my!! This is brilliant. Looks stunning and just love all the designs for each month!!

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  5. Wow, what a great way to show off all those awesome calendar creations. I just love your idea. And those bows are fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. I love this project! LOVE it!! These critters are just adorable!!!!

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  7. OMG. Those matching bows are the icing on the cake! What an adorable idea! Fab coloring and embellishing of the "critters". I just love them. Thanks for sharing your brilliant idea!

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  8. You did an awesome job on these calendars. They will fit any where

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  9. Ues, this would make perfect gifts for my 4 sisters and my brother. Love it!

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  10. Ues, this would make perfect gifts for my 4 sisters and my brother. Love it!

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  11. Your calendar critters are adorable!

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  12. Oh my gosh this is adorable Kim!! And I love that you made a bow for each month too!!

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  13. The colorful backgrounds you used for each one really makes a nice finished project.

    Noreen
    Noreen@craftyjournal.com

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  14. Wow, there is so much work in this and it is amazing!

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  15. These are so cute! I love your clean and simple designs.

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  16. Girl...This is utterly fantastic! As I'm looking and reading, I thought, "what a GREAT gift this would make!" I love everything about this sweet calendar! Pure brilliance, and tons of work I'm sure, but soooo well worth it. Adore this! Have a good one... Bev

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  17. Absolutely fabulous, Kim!!!!! Your calendar pages are sooo cute and I am blown away with your bow details...sooo clever!!!!

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  18. Parabens pela arte e sensibilidade. Moro no Rio de Janeiro capital. Deus abeençoes vc , sua familia e sus amigo doentes que vc mencionou. Fique na paz de Jesus.


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  19. My jaw just dropped to the floor in seeing what you've created here; the creativity, the investment of time, the creativity (had to mention that twice...at the very least), is phenomenal! Jaw will remain where it is...I'm going back for close-ups!
    ~c

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  20. I so appreciate that you've shared the Copic markers you used with these - what a resource!

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  21. I came here from FMS and totally got sidetracked by these cuties!!! OH what a fabulous idea! I cannot wait to use your inspiration to finish something I was supposed to start in July, lol! LOVE this! :)

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