TAYLORED EXPRESSIONS AUGUST STUDIO CHALLENGE

Hey there, it's time for the Taylored Expressions 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 August is:

The Sky's the Limit!  There are so many ways to create sky backgrounds for our cards and projects.  Often times, our blog readers are left staring at a beautiful sky and asking "How'd she do that?"

Show us one of your favorite ways to create a pretty sky background and make sure we know how to re-create it!

I've been trying my hand at airbrushing clouds lately, but airbrushing doesn't give you the softness of sponging.  A reusable, Cloud Border template (cut out of acetate) is my go to just about every time I sponge or airbrush clouds.  A little piece of blue painter's tape is used to keep it in place.  Love that stuff!

A circle Nestie was cut, embossed and sponged with Summer Sky while it was still in the die.  When I sponge, I start off my paper (in this case, on the cloud template) and work in circular motions.  I get a little heavier handed towards the cloud template and soften it more towards the layer above it.  My goal is a soft, gradient color.  Quick and easy!  

The image is called Zinnia Bouquet and isn't it amazing?  Seriously, so much fun to color!  To make a metal pail, I used my Toner Grays.  When I colored the handle orange, it was way too bright, so I used a couple of the Toner Grays on it too.  Did you know you could use Copic Ts over the top of other colors to tone down color and create a deeper shadow?  It's pretty awesome!  After the image was colored, it was fussy cut then popped up on foam.  The fun layout is this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch #191.

COPIC COLORING: 
FLOWERS:  RV17, RV14, RV13, Y17, Y15, Y11, Y00, RV69, RV66, RV63, YR68, YR15, YR12  STEMS:  YG23, YG21, YG00  PAIL:  T6, T4, T2, T0  HANDLE:  YR68, YR15, YR12, TR, T2

SUPPLIES: 
STAMPS:  TE Zinnia Bouquet
PAPER:  Neenah Solar White (aka Bazzill Coconut Swirl Smoothies); My Mind's Eye Memorable collection 
INK:  Copic markers; Memento (Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky)
ACCESSORIES:  Spellbinders (Grand Calibur, Nestabilities Standard Circles Small); TE Taylored Dies (Banner Stacklets 1, Cloud Border); X-Acto knife; paper snips; sponge; KaiserCraft Silver rhinestones (colored with B23); Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L (3D Foam Squares, Thin 3D Foam Squares)
TECHNIQUE(S):   Fussy Cutting; sponging
SIZE OF FINISHED PROJECT:  A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2")

Time to see how the rest of the Baker's Dozen creates the fluffy stuff!

Charmaine Ikach
Jen Shults
Joan Ervin
Kerri Michaud
Sankari Wegman
Shannon White
Shelly Mercado
Stephanie Kraft
Tammie Edgerton - that's me!
Taylor VanBruggen
Wanda Guess

Thanks for stopping by!