TAYLORED EXPRESSION SEPTEMBER SNEAK PEEK: CANDY MONSTER & BIG BOLD BIRTHDAY

Hey there, it's Day 1 of sneak peeks for the Taylored Expressions September Release!  This month is all about birthdays and Halloween, baby!  All of the new products will be available for purchase on Thursday, September 5th, at 8am PST.  Did you know that Taylored Expressions turns 5 this month?  Yeppers, so get ready for a month-long celebration!  What kind of birthday party would it be without party games, right???  Well get ready to play along...we'll have daily games, during the release week, and lots of prizes to be won!  Woot!

I really don't know why, but I love, love, love Halloween!  I'm definitely more into the fun, cutesier side of it and not the blood, guts and gore!  Want to know who else loves Halloween?  My great-nephew!  I couldn't wait to make him a treat bag filled with candy using the new Candy Monster with coordinating dies!  My sister is traveling to see him in October, so I'll send it with her to give to him.  I thought it might be fun to break it down and show you how I made it.  Sit back and get ready for a TON of pictures!

Cut a piece of card stock to 5 3/4" x 10 1/2".  **edited:  I'll explain later, but the card stock was trimmed to actually be 5 3/4" x 10 1/4"...score lines will remain the same.**

Place your card stock on a score board horizontally then score at 3", 5", 8" and 10" (these will be the sides of the box).

Rotate your card stock vertically then score at 4 1/4" (this will be the bottom of the box).

Using paper snips, clip the bottom and side panels as shown (cut straight lines along each of the score lines then make five diagonal cuts so the it doesn't bunch up when assembled).

Using a die (I used Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Seventeen), cut a window into the front and side panel.

Cut a piece of card stock to 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" then place an Adhesive Sheet over the front (don't you love how straight I put it on *grin*).

Cut the adhesive/card stock using the TE Spider Web Cutting Plate.

Depending on the size of your window, you may need to cut a piece of the web off (you'll see why in the next picture).

Peel the adhesive backing off then place it onto the backside (what will be the inside) of the box (see why I needed to cut a piece off...it would have been too long otherwise).

Flip it over then sprinkle black glitter (I used Our Craft Lounge Eyeliner Black Crafty Sparkles) onto the adhesive covered spider web, shaking off the excess.

Fold on all of the score lines then using a corner punch, punch both corners of the front (bottom) panel.  Apply Scor-Tape (or a strong, double-sided adhesive) to the side (bottom) panels closest to the score lines.

Flip it over and apply more Scor-Tape to the edge of the spider web and the front and back (bottom) panels closest to the edge.  **edited:  it was at this stage that I realized when I put my box together, the 1/2" flap that holds it together would show from behind the spider web so I trimmed roughly 1/4" off of it.**

Remove the backing from the Scor-Tape then adhere to form the box.

Here's the bottom...doesn't the rounded corners give it a nice finished look?

Voila...here's the finished box ready to be decorated.

And here's my completed treat box.  I stamped the adorable Candy Monster image with Tuxedo Black, colored him with Copic markers then cut him out using the coordinating Candy Monster Die that comes with the stamp set.  The sentiment was stamped with Potter's Clay, die cut with Say What Conversation Bubbles then both were adhered to the box.

Here's a side view so you can see how the Spider Web Cutting Plate wraps around.  Pretty cool, huh?  OK...I just can't resist showing you why I colored the monster's hair reddish-orange.  This is my great-nephew, Robert, when he was a little guy (he's 4 now).  Cutie-patootie, right?

COPIC COLORING: 
MONSTER:  YG25, YG23, YG21, YG00  HAIR:  YR18, YR15, YR12, YR02  TONGUE, MOUTH:  R30, R02, R0000  TEETH:  C3, C1, C00  CANDY:  YR18, YR15, YR12, YR02, V25, V22, V20, Y15, Y11, Y00

SUPPLIES: 
STAMPS:  TE Candy Monster
PAPER:  Neenah Solar White (aka Bazzill Coconut Swirls Smoothies); Bazzill Raven Monochromatic 
INK:  Copic markers; Memento (Tuxedo Black, Potter's Clay)
ACCESSORIES:  Spellbinders (Grand Calibur, Nestabilities Labels Seventeen); TE Taylored Dies (Candy Monster Coordinating Die , Say What Conversation Bubbles); TE Spider Web Cutting Plate; Scor-Pal; paper snips; Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L Adhesive Sheets; paper trimmer; OCL Eyeliner Black Crafty Sparkles; 1/4" Scor-Tape; We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper; Stamp-a-ma-jig; Sakura Clear Glaze pen; Crafter's Pick The Ultimate glue; adhesive
SIZE OF FINISHED PROJECT:  3" wide x 4 1/8" tall (not including tissue paper) x 2" deep

And now onto my 2nd project for today.  I saw this ribbon treatment during Splitcoaststampers Dare to Get Dirty and couldn't wait to try it out.  Lucky for me, I didn't have to wait too long!  The ribbon was woven onto a Kraft card stock panel then the sentiment was stamped with Tuxedo Black.  "Happy" was stamped a second time, cut out with the Banner Stacklets 1 die then tucked under the ribbon, shaped with my fingers (so it waves) and popped up on foam in the middle to help keep the shape.  Rhinestones were randomly placed around the card to complete it.

As promised, today's Birthday Bash game is Tic Tac Toe...and you're invited to play along!  Don't forget, prizes are up for grabs!  Details can be found on Taylor's blog.  As you can see from the board, I went diagonally and opted to "use rhinestones", "make a birthday card" and "use ribbon".  Check, check and check again!  I can't wait to see what you come up with if you decide to play along!

SUPPLIES: 
STAMPS:  TE Big Bold Birthday
PAPER:  Neenah Solar White (aka Bazzill Coconut Swirl Smoothies); Bazzill (Raven Monochromatic, Kraft)
INK:  Memento Tuxedo Black 
ACCESSORIES:  Spellbinders Grand Calibur; TE Taylored Dies (Banner Stacklets 1); Stamp-a-ma-jig; KaiserCraft Black Rhinestones; ribbon from my stash
SIZE OF FINISHED PROJECT:  A2 (4 1/4" x 5 1/2")

Alrighty, that does it for me today.  I'll see you back here again tomorrow with more sneaks, but until then, make sure you hop around and check out the Baker's Dozen blogs...their projects are amazing!

Carole Burrage
Charmaine Ikach
Heather Jensen - Guest Designer
Jami Sibley
Jen Shults
Joan Ervin
Kerri Michaud
Regina Mangum
Sankari Wegman
Shannon White
Shelly Mercado
Stephanie Kraft
Tammie Edgerton - that's me!
Taylor VanBruggen
Wanda Guess

Thanks for stopping by!