Friday, November 30, 2012

December Blog Hop!

Hello hoppers!  Welcome to the December Stamp of the Month Blog hop!   We’ve had some problems with our group this month!  Nothing like getting locked out of our database on the eve of the blog hop.  So if you ever get lost along the way tonight, go to Kathleen’s blog for a complete list of all of the stops.  That being said, come back in a couple days too!  Just don’t forget.  Smile   If you’re here from Jen’s blog, you’re on the right track. 
This month’s set “Year Around Cheer” is 12 stamps (which I’m  thinking of making 24 with a few little snips).  Each stamp contains a sentiment and an image for each month of the year.  What a perfect segue from last month’s “capture the date.”  As always you can get the set for $5 with a $50 purchase.  For a bonus offer, CTMH is adding a “Bonding Memories Glue Pen” to every order that’s placed directly on our websites this month!  That’s a $4.50 freebie!  Don’t forget about checkout our “While supplies last” area too.  CTMH is starting a midnight (MST) CLEARANCE BASH on 12/1 with tons of great deals from past Idea BooksClick here to shop now.   
 
Now back to the stamp set: 
image 
I created a “CD Calendar.”  Some CD cases have a hinge that supports the lid to make an easel.  I couldn’t find any CDs around my house that actually folded back to an easel so I purchased one.  I opted for the 4x6 case because it fits our papers so well. 
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Items used:
Almost all of our paper packs:  Shown are Avonlea, Moonlight and Pear & Partridge and Sky Blue Cardstock.
Cricut Artiste:  All borders were cut from it
Black Archival Ink:  Works great with our markers
Alcohol Markers:  Olive, Twilight, and Ruby are shown
CTMH Watercolor pencils:  These ROCK!  They don’t bleed through.
Glitz:  Stardust and green:  It’s a wonderful non-bulky sparkle!  Nothing could be bulky when building a calendar that fits in a case. 

The rest of this post is going to dispel any and every myth that I’m an organized, well planned consultant.  I’m going to level with you.  My project did not turn out as I had expected.  But when you fail…. you learn…you learn a LOT!  So on to my learning opportunity post!   You can keep reading my lessons learned or jump over Gina’s blog!

Other lessons learned and project outtakes (AKA mistakes)
If you travel with your “liquid products”  be aware of altitude and temperature changes.  My glitz blobbed (more like exploded) all over my snowflakes when I opened them today.  I’m sure the air pressure in the bottle due to altitude and temperatures from the last place I went had a bit to do with the explosion.
Our new Alcohol Markers are wonderful for coloring.  But they bleed through our paper.  I’ll have to rethink this project because there’s not enough room for 12 sheets of paper in the holder.  I had planned to put February on the back of January.  That won’t quite work as you can see.   The coloring didn’t impact all of my artwork because I ended up hiding other bits of bleed by alternating where I put the calendar left-right-left right.  But the blue dots from the center of the snowflake border isn’t anything I could hide. 
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Don’t color on a stack of artwork with our alcohol markers.  My tulips have a little snow on them because it bled through all the way!  I also stick with dots of Glitz for a reason!  I think I should have done that here too.
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I’ve discovered a new love for our watercolor colored pencils.  They don’t bleed and they come in tons of colors at a very affordable price.
Don’t get me wrong, I love our markers too!  I’ll be posting some creations with them soon! 
I love the borders on our Artiste cartridge.  All of the calendar pages will ultimately end up with borders.
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Cricut Artiste borders from CTMH Moonlight paper
Cricut Artiste borders from CTMH paper  Year around cheer
Come back soon!  And don’t forget about the amazing clearance sale!  If you shop with me, please Join the “Order here & get a free gift!” gathering to reap some more rewards!
shopping cart
Now hop over to Gina’s blog!





5 comments:

  1. I love your bloopers reel - such good info to have. And your calendar idea is so clever. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. I feel your pain with those "outtakes". Cute projects!

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  3. What a cute idea for a calendar! Love the size, too! (and I am a great lover of the water color pencils too!!)

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  4. Thanks for keeping it real! This is an adorable project. Where did you get the calendars?

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  5. This is too adorable...love it! Thanks for the idea.

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