Day 2 Peeks at Taylored Expressions!

Back in January, Taylor asked me if I had any ideas about what types of gifts/cards a teacher would want to receive. I wound back time a few years and thought about when I taught Grade 7 and 8. Sure, apples are certainly the traditional symbol for teacher appreciation, and so we’ve included a whimsical apple in these two sets. But as a teacher, I really appreciated thoughtful notes from students and gift cards for things like books and Starbucks. (Isn’t that what everyone wants?!) ...Anything that told me the kids realized I was a REAL person with a REAL life outside of school and perhaps in need of restorative down time. I really feel any image is appropriate for teacher cards—one of my favourites is Branching Out and the swing…it’s all about the sentiments!

So here are my peeks today—a mix of cards fresh from the new Whimsical Wishes release Make the Grade and some favourites from throughout the year paired with Extra Credit, just the perfect sentiment collection for teachers, instructors, parents, grandparents, coaches and role models of any kind…

First, this one could be for my son's fabulous Grade 6 teacher, but in my mind, it's really for my dad who taught geography through his entire teaching career and showed us a lot of the world. I finally got a chance to use one of Karen's sweet Sunday sketches (SSSC63)! I adhered the paper layers together before running the card front through my cuttlebug and nestie pinking circle die. The sentiment "for opening up the world for me" fits perfectly around the globe, which I stamped twice, coloured with copics and popped up. The inside is a happy accident—I ran out of black thread so cut another pinked circle to cover up the unstitched edge.

My next three cards use sentiments from both of today's new sets. I mentioned that one of my favourites for teachers is Branching Out. "You helped me" fits with several different sentiment options in the Extra Credit sentiment set and I've chosen "Grow and Learn" to work with the symbolic tree of learning and life.

"Thanks" and "for believing in me" are two different stamps from the Make the Grade set. Together I think they work well with my favourite backpack bear from Beary Special, which I've paper pieced and coloured with copics. I've used Mojo Monday sketch 133 (MOJO133) for this one and lots of layers! Again I've used paper from the We R Memory Keepers vintage blue collection (peachy keen) and also from the Basic Grey green at heart 6x6 paper pad.

And finally, here's a quick one using "You're Appreciated" from the Extra Credit set and the wild flower background stamp from Discover Your Wings, which I stamped in PTI melon berry and highlighted with vintage photo stickles. The scalloped upper edge and ribbon treatment is an idea from Lisa Johnson's Depth of Life card featured in Stamp It! Cards magazine. Easy, simple and ready for one of my daughter's dance teachers or the many people in our lives who always seem to be there to help.

Can’t wait to see what the Baker’s Dozen has for the teacher's in their lives today… Alex Maldonado, Carolina Butching, Charmaine Ikach, Donna Baker, Jackie Pedro, Jeanie Witmer, Jodi Collins, Karen Giron, Karen Motz, Melissa Sauls, Jami Sibley, Sankari Wegman and Taylor VanBruggen.

Have a good one!

~Nancy