TAYLORED EXPRESSIONS FEBRUARY STUDIO CHALLENGE

Hey there, it's time for the Baker's Dozen Studio Challenge (a monthly opportunity for the DT to share what makes our stamping studios hum...each month we're asked a fun, crafty question so we can share our favorite products, tips/tricks, stamping advice and more).

The question for February is:

Recipe for success!  When you sit down to create a card just for fun, for the pure joy of stamping, without any type of assignment or deadline, what steps do you usually take?  Tell us how you get started and take us along on your creative journey.

You know, this is a great question...not so easy to answer...but still a great question!  I guess typically, I like to start with an idea.  Sometimes, if I'm lucky, the image of a finished card pops into my head and I get it on paper before I forget.  Those cards are always the easiest for me!  If I'm just in the mood for coloring, I'll choose a stamp set and the paper that I plan on using (so I have something to match my Copic colors to) then complete the card later.  If I'm working on a project start to finish, I usually choose my stamps, layout, paper then Copic colors.  See what I mean?  Not so easy to answer because there are so many different scenarios!

Take this card, for instance.  I just bought the super cute Hello Spring stamp set from Taylored Expressions.  I'm a sucker for super cute images that lets me do what I love...color!  So I've got my stamps and I have a layout in mind already...now for the paper.  I'm currently IN LOVE with the My Mind's Eye Collectable collection!  Right now, the question isn't what paper am I going to choose...it's how in the heck am I going to narrow it down!?!  Well that's not so tough once I start thinking about the colors in the stamp.  I know I want to find a paper that has orange (carrot), green (also the carrot) and yellow (chick).  Once I have the perfect paper, I can start my Copic selection.  To do that, I grab my handy dandy Copic Marker chart and put it next to the paper.  I usually try to find three or more colors that would blend well together, then on a piece of scrap Neenah, I'll try them out.  I'll hold my blended colors up to the pattern paper to see if it's a match.  If it is, I start coloring, but if it isn't, it's back to the drawing board until I can find something I like.

Here's the inside...isn't he a cute little bunny?  *grin*

COPIC COLORING: 
TRAIN CARS:  BG75, BG72, BG70, Y26, Y23, Y21, YR68, YR15, YR12  EASTER EGGS:  BG75, BG72, BG70, Y26, Y23, Y21, YR68, YR15, YR12  CHICK:  Y26, Y23, Y21, YR68, YR12  FLOWERS:  YR68, YR15, YR12, BG75, BG72, BG70, Y26, Y23, Y21, YG25, YG21  SHEEP:  W2, W0, C6, C4, C2, C0  GROUND:  E44, E43, E42, E40  SKY:  YR30, Y00, Y0000  INSIDE IMAGE:  YR68, YR15, YR12, YG25, YG21, YG0000, C6, C4, C2, C0, W2, W0, R30, R00, R0000, E44, E43, E42, E40

SUPPLIES: 
STAMPS:  TE Hello Spring
PAPER:  Neenah Solar White; Bazzill Raven Monochromatic; My Mind's Eye Collectable collection (Notable "Cute" Petite, Notable "Wonder" Dream, Memorable "Journey" Adventure, Notable "Wonder" Lovely)
INK:  Copic markers; Memento Tuxedo Black
ACCESSORIES:  Spellbinders Grand Calibur; TE Taylored Dies Banner Stacklets 1; Bazzill Blackbird rhinestones; SU Dimensionals; adhesive
SIZE OF FINISHED PROJECT:  A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2")

That's it for me today...stop by the other Baker's Dozen blogs for a glimpse into their creative processes.

Carole Burrage 
Charmaine Ikach 
Jami Sibley (DT Coordinator)
Jen Shults 
Kerri Michaud 
Lynnette Kauffman 
Sankari Wegman 
Shannon White  
Shelly Mercado 
Stephanie Kraft 
Tammie Edgerton (that's me)
Taylor VanBruggen 
Wanda Guess 

Thanks for stopping by!