Hi there! It's Day 4 of the countdown to Papertrey's September release (on the 15th) and it's Group Post day which means that ALL of the Papertrey design team members have fun projects to share with you! We're showcasing a new line of products that Papertrey is releasing this month, all of which were designed to help you create your own calendars in various sizes and styles. I think you're gonna be so impressed with these products when you see what the design team has done with them. There are pre-printed calendar pages that you can stamp on to customize them, there is a coordinating die which I've used on my calendar pages today and there is also a coordinating stamp set called Calendar Basics which you can use when building your calendar pages as well as when creating cards.
I am in LOVE with how these little desk calendar pages turned out! I used the new Calendar Page Die to cut out my calendar pages from berry sorbet, raspberry fizz, hawaiian shores, and simply chartreuse card stock. As you can see in the photo above, the die not only cuts out the page for you but it adds two little slits that were designed to hold the 2.5" calendar pages. Cute, right?!
On each of my calendar pages, I stamped a different flower image from the various Year of Flowers stamp sets in versamark ink and then heat embossed the flowers with clear embossing powder. I also stamped the name of the type of flowers in the upper right corner of each page with dark chocolate ink.
As for the mini calendar pages, they come with the 2011 dates and days of the week already printed on them so you don't have to mess with that part. Love that! BUT.....the fun part is being able to customize each page however you'd like. In this case, I stamped the little curvy corner stamp in all four corners of the little page, so it creates a darling frame around the calendar. I also used the cursive month stamps, to stamp the months at the top of each calendar.
I LOVE the look of heat embossing with clear embossing powder!! This technique really takes the color of the card stock and brightens it....gives it a bit of pizzazz! And the shiny embossing really is so professional looking in real life. These calendar pages look just like something you could buy in a cute little paper boutique!
What a wonderful gift would a calendar like this make?! I think they'd make perfect Christmas gifts for neighbors, teachers, your hair stylist, etc. Just a sweet little gift that doesn't cost a lot of money. As you can see, I have my calendar pages displayed on a little easel that I purchased at Hobby Lobby for just $1.99. You could easily include an easel with your calendar pages, package them all up in one of the large glassine bags with a bit of ribbon tied around the bag and you've got a perfect little inexpensive gift!
The Calendar Basics stamp set can also be used when creating cards. Our sweet niece is getting married in a few weeks and I wanted to make her a special wedding card using the colors she's chosen for her wedding. I started out with a ripe avocado card base and used the new Background Basics: Diamonds impression plate to create a bit of texture for the background. Then, I added a strip of spring moss card stock and stamped two little flourishes from Calendar Basics on either side in versamark ink.
For the focal panel, I stamped the wreath image from Wreath For All Seasons in dark chocolate ink and then added the berry wreath over that in spring moss ink. I stamped the berries twice (only inking the image once), turning the image slightly the second time I stamped it for a bit more dimension. Then, I used plum pudding ink to add a few berry clusters.
The sentiment is one that I "built" with stamps in the Calendar Basics stamp set. I used the "Wishing you a wonderful" and "wedding day." stamps with the "September" stamp, to create a sentiment that is just perfect for my niece's card! Also, peeking out from the bottom of the focal panel is a bit of plum pudding card stock that I die cut with the mat stack 4 die.
Now, how about a bit of Color Couture fun?! Today, you're getting your first peek at the card template included in the September Color Couture Download -- the Simple Scallops card template. I just love the soft curves of the decorative edge along the bottom of this card and the templates are so easy to use....just print them out on whatever color of card stock you'd like, cut the card out, score and fold. Easy peasy!
There is a simple paper doily (from Hobby Lobby's cake decorating section) on the card front. To that, I layered a piece of raspberry fizz card stock that had been die cut using the mat stack 3 die. On that die cut, I stamped one of the patterns from the new Background Basics: Christmas stamp set in versamark ink as well as a sentiment from the new Holiday Spirit Sentiments set in true black ink. I wrapped a bit of pure poppy baker's twine around to the back side of the die cut, securing it in the back with a bit of tape. Onto the baker's twine, I threaded a sweet little felt stocking!
To create the stocking, I die cut a piece of vintage cream felt using the new Stocking Prints die. I then die cut a strip of raspberry fizz felt with the rick rack die. Next, I took that strip of rick rack and laid it on the stocking prints die and ran it thru my Big Shot again, so that the rick rack was cut to the perfect size to layer on the stocking. Then, I added a few red rhinestones and punched a hole in the upper right corner of the stocking so that it could be hung on the baker's twine. I also stamped one of the little pieces of candy from Background Basics: Christmas and after cutting it out, adhered it to the back side of the stocking so it looks like the candy is tucked inside. :)
There are 2 different versions of the Simple Scallops Card Template and 2 sizes of each card template included in the September Color Couture Download giving you lots of design options when creating with them. For instance, here is the smaller size (3 1/2 x 5") of the second card template. In the photo above, the scallops are running along the left edge of the card.
However, depending on the design of the card you're creating, you could flip the card around so that the scallops are on the right side.
OR, you could even flip the card vertically so that the scallops are running along the top of the card. That's what I chose to do for this next card I created......
Ahhhh.......such a sweet little wintry card, don't you think? The Simple Scallops card template was printed on rustic cream card stock and then cut out. I added a bit of dotted patterned paper from the new Sugar Plum collection. I die cut some vintage cream card stock with the mat stack 1 die and stamped the coordinating label image from For The Graduate in plum pudding ink. To that, I added a bit of plum pudding card stock, punched out with the super jumbo scalloped circle punch. Then, I used one of the new Peace Be Still snowflake dies to die cut a bit of vintage cream card stock. To the snowflake, I added a few purple rhinestones for a bit of sparkle. Along the bottom of the card are a few threaded plum pudding buttons and a sentiment from Fillable Frames #8.
All righty, Crew.....I hope you've enjoyed today's projects. Don't forget that there is a TON of Papertrey inspiration to be found today! Visit each of the design team girlies to see more Calendar Basics goodness!
Betsy Veldman
Mish Wooderson
Maile Belles
Heather Nichols
Lisa Johnson
Melissa Phillips
Erin Lincoln
Niki Estes
Debbie Olson
Kim Hughes
You'll also want to check in with Beth Silaika, Alli Miles and Becky Oehlers for more peeks at their new stamp sets!
Thanks so much for visiting me today! See you again tomorrow for more sneak peek fun!
{Calendar Pages supplies}
Paper: hawaiian shores, simply chartreuse, raspberry fizz, berry sorbet
Stamps: Calendar Basics
Ink: dark chocolate, spring moss, hawaiian shores, raspberry fizz, berry sorbet, versamark
Other: 2.5" 2011 Calendar, Calendar Page die, clear embossing powder
{September Wedding Day supplies}
Paper: ripe avocado, spring moss, plum pudding, rustic cream
Stamps: Calendar Basics, Wreath For All Seasons
Ink: dark chocolate, plum pudding, spring moss
Other: Background Basics: Diamonds impression plate, mat stack 4 die, corner chomper
{Have a Holly Jolly Christmas supplies}
Paper: pure poppy, raspberry fizz
Stamps: Background Basics: Christmas, Holiday Spirit Sentiments
Ink: versamark, raspberry fizz, true black
Other: Color Couture September Download - simple scallops card template, mat stack 3 die, rick rack die, vintage cream & raspberry fizz felt, raspberry fizz classic grosgrain ribbon, pure poppy baker's twine, red rhinestones, paper doily
{'tis the season supplies}
Paper: rustic cream, plum pudding
Stamps: For the Graduate, Fillable Frames #8
Ink: plum pudding, vintage touch tea dye
Other: Color Couture September Download - simple scallops card template, Peace Be Still die, mat stack 1 die, vintage cream felt, plum pudding buttons, rustic cream button twine, purple rhinestones, super jumbo scalloped circle punch
