July 2024

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Today we are introducing a new collection that’s coming to the shop tomorrow – Tuesday, July 30, 2024! This new collection is called These are the Days, with a focus on calendar themed products that are perfect for creating handmade calendars, journaling, and also tons of applications for card making as well! There are lots of pretty floral stamps in our Birth Month Blooms that are perfect for adding to the calendars, but fun for so many other things as well.

All of the new products showcased today will be available in the shop tomorrow, Tuesday, July 30, beginning at 10am EDT .

Below is a quick look at the new products being showcased today. Click on the links below each product heading for more details and information (sentiments, measurements, etc.), or click HERE to see all of the new products in the shop. (**Please Note: although you can preview the new products in the shop, they will not be available to add to cart or purchase until 10am EDT on Tuesday, July 30).

Birth Month Blooms Q1 stamp set and die

One of the most exciting things about our These are the Days collection is a whole series of Birth Month Blooms! This series consists of four different stamp sets and matching dies. Each set covers one quarter of the year. This Quarter 1 set covers January, February, and March and includes Carnations, Violets, and Daffodils in multi-step stamped images. Each set includes stamps for the names of the flowers (common and scientific), as well as the months, and meanings of each flower.

Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q1 stamp set info ($25)
Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q1 die info ($22)

Birth Month Blooms Q2 stamp set and die

Our Birth Month Blooms Q2 set covers the months of April, May, and June, and includes Daisy, Hawthorn, and Rose in multi-step stamp images. Each set includes stamps for the names of the flowers (common and scientific), as well as the months, and meanings of each flower.

Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q2 stamp set info ($25)
Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q2 die info ($17)

Birth Month Blooms Q3 stamp set and die

Our Birth Month Blooms Q3 set covers the months of July, August, and September, and includes Larkspur, Poppy, and Aster in multi-step stamp images. Each set includes stamps for the names of the flowers (common and scientific), as well as the months, and meanings of each flower.

Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q3 stamp set info ($25)
Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q3 die info ($18)

Birth Month Blooms Q4 stamp set and die

Our Birth Month Blooms Q4 set covers the months of October, November, and December, and includes Marigold, Chrysanthemum, and Holly in multi-step stamp images. Each set includes stamps for the names of the flowers (common and scientific), as well as the months, and meanings of each flower.

Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q4 stamp set info ($25)
Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Q4 die info ($25)

Calendar Basics stamp set and die

The Calendar Basics stamp set is filled with all sorts of little elements needed for stamping your own calendars, or adding accents to our pre-printed calendar pages (introduced below). There are lots of great elements for journaling and card making as well! There are months of the year, a month/date strip, two different size calendar grids, circles, and X’s for noting special dates, numbers 1-31, a handful of sentiments, and more. The coordinating die cuts out the sentiments from the set as well as some of the other elements.

Click HERE for Calendar Basics stamp set info ($25)
Click HERE for Calendar Basics die info ($17)

Calendar Grid die and stencil

Up next we have a couple of products that are perfect for adding more color and dimension to your calendar designs (or fun backgrounds for card designs, too!). Our Calendar Grid die diecut two different size grids, one for more of a full-page calendar (sized to fit an A2-sized panel) and a smaller grid that allows room at the top for stamped or diecut images, etc. The Calendar Grid stencil will allow you to add color to the calendar spaces of either the stamped grids (from the Calendar Basics stamp set) or the diecut grids.

Click HERE for Calendar Grid stencil info ($9)
Click HERE for Calendar Grid die info ($23)

Spiral Bound die and Binding Coils

Our Spiral Bound die can create a fun faux spiral-bound accent for cards and flat projects, or you can use this die along with our binding coils to create functional spiral bindings. Perfect for binding calendar pages – no special binding or cinching tools needed, just twist the coils into the holes cut with the Spiral Bound die. We are offering these gold coils in two sizes – 8mm and 12mm. The smaller size is perfect for a simple 12-page calendar (+ front and back covers), while the larger size is good for thicker or more heavily embellished pages.

Click HERE for Spiral Bound die info ($16)
Click HERE for Binding Coils info ($3)

One Fine Day stamp set and die, Save the Date die

We can’t have a collection without a few new sentiments, right? Our One Fine Day stamp set as perfect for creating cards with a calendar theme, or for just general occasions. This set covers a variety of occasions, including birthday, anniversary, wedding, baby, general hello, and more. The coordinating die cuts the five larger sentiments from the set. We also have a new stand alone Save the Date word die, perfect for invitations of all sorts!

Click HERE for One Fine Day stamp set info ($19)
Click HERE for One Fine Day die info ($23)
Click HERE for Save the Date die info ($16)

Printed 2025 Calendar Pages and Birth Month Blooms Cuttables

Last but not least, we’re offering some printed products. We have 2025 calendar pages available in two different styles – full and half page. Both sets are A2 size (4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″); the calendar on the full-page nearly fills the panel, while the half page features a small calendar with space at the top for customization (our Birth Month Blooms fit wonderfully in this space!). We’re also releasing printed versions of the Birth Month Blooms, which can be cut with the coordinating dies (there are printed outlines, ensuring perfect cuts!), turning the calendars into a quick and easy project. All of these products are printed onto 100 lb soft/off white cardstock (not bright white).

Click HERE for Birth Month Blooms Cuttables info ($6)
Click HERE for 2025 Calendar Pages (Full) info ($6)
Click HERE for 2025 Calendar Pages (Half) info ($6)

I’m so excited to share my projects with you today…I spent a whole week just stamping and creating with this new collection!

First up is a calendar project using lots of new goodies. I have a video for you showing you how to put these cute calendars together…

To make this project come together pretty quickly, I used the pre-printed Birth Month Bloom Cuttables and added them to the open space above the calendar on our printed Half Page Calendars.

• Use the second-to-largest Arch die from the A2 Arches set to cut arched frames for each of the pages. These frames were also cut using the Spiral Bound die along the top edge so the pages could be bound using our Binding Coils (I used the larger size here since my pages are double-thick).
• I backed these diecut arch panels with the printed calendar pages, trimming off the top edges so they sit just below the diecut holes where the binding goes. For the cover page, I trimmed the bottom edge (rather than the top) so that the 2025 design fit better within the arch.
• Create a quick and easy easel stand by simply scoring some cardstock strips and binding them together with the rest of the pages. I show this assembly in my video linked above!
• After adhering the Birth Month Bloom Cuttables to the calendar pages, I stamped the flower names and meanings using the Birth Month Blooms stamp sets.
• Choosing a soft, neutral cardstock for my arch frames gave the project a nice, cohesive look and looks pretty with each of the different flowers (the soft blush cardstock used here is called Insulation Pink from French Paper). The flower names and meanings were stamped in a tan ink, which keeps it subtle and also adds to the overall cohesive look of the calendar.

Up next, I could not wait to just sit and stamp all of the Birth Month Blooms flowers. One of my very favorite things is vintage botanical prints and illustrations. They very much inspired the Birth Month Blooms sets. With that in mind, I set out to create a boxed set of cards that mimic the look of these vintage botanical prints I love so much.

I actually ended up creating two different sets of cards – one is more elaborate with multiple blooms, and the other is simpler, featuring just a single stamped image. I’ll share this all-out version first, and then we’ll take a look at the simpler version. I used all four of the Birth Month Blooms sets, selecting one floral image from each quarter of the year. I used the Violets from Q1, Rose from Q2, Poppy from Q3, and Chrysanthemum from Q4.

To box up the card set, I pulled out my Stationery Box die and embellished the front with the same blooms I used on the cards. I also scattered in some of the flower names from the sets among the images. On the flap I stamped a sentiment from the Handmade Labels stamp set. I love how this project turned out, it might be one of my favorite creations!

• Stamping the floral images in different colors and positioning them slightly differently (rotating slightly, etc) gives the illusion that the images are more varied than they actually are. Note the arrangement of the florals on the card fronts.
• Fill in empty areas with some smaller elements…ideas would be small diecut blooms and leaves that coordinate with the stamped images. For example, I used some BotaniCuts Rose leaves on my roses card, and some small blooms from the BotaniCuts Geranium die on my violets card. When inked in shades of purple, they resemble violet blooms.
• Another idea to fill in small spaces is to trim some of the leaves away from the rest of the image. I used this idea on the Poppy and Chysanthemum cards.
• The small butterfly and greenery sprig from the Curio: Summer set also work great to fill in open areas.
• To create the vintage-looking backgrounds, I started with a soft/off-white cardstock, then brushed a bit of Tea Dye Oxide ink using vertical strokes with a blending brush.
• The flower names, etc were stamped in a kraft/tan ink to go along with the vintage look and not distract from the pretty florals.

Next up is a more simplified botanical card set, this time using just one stamped/diecut image on each card, making it the focal point.

• So that the single image doesn’t feel “lost” on the card front, trim a slightly smaller panel for a matted look.
• Our Spiral Bound die adds a fun finishing touch along the top edge of the matted image and resembles a vintage sketchbook! Diecut the “spiral” portion from metallic gold cardstock for an elegant, realistic touch.
• The backgrounds here were created in the same way as the ones above, just brushed with some Tea Dye ink. Add some splatters of brown watercolor for added interest and texture
• I left these notecards without a sentiment, but you could easily add a happy birthday, thinking of you, or other sentiment of your choice. Our All Occasion Script Sentiments stamp set would coordinate nicely with the look of this set.

Up next I have one more botanical-print inspired card. On the card set above, I used the same image repeated multiple times on each (all poppies, all violets, etc). On this one I used a variety of different flowers from the Birth Month Blooms sets.

• The flowers used on this card are the daisies, rose, and hawthorn from Birth Month Blooms Q2, and the larkspur from Q3.
• Stamp the various flower names, the No. stamps, etc, in the open spaces between the flowers to fill in.
• The line/bracket image from the Birth Month Blooms sets is a great place for a sentiment. The “just a note of thanks” used here is from our Little Labels set.

Next up is a pair of birthday cards that use some of the Birth Month Blooms florals paired with the sentiments from the One Fine Day set, and the month/date border from the Calendar Basics set. These cards use the Rose from Birth Month Blooms Q2, and poppies from Q3.

• This basic design could be created with pretty much any of the florals from the Birth Month Blooms sets. Customize them for the birth month of your recipient, or just use flowers you know they’ll love.
• The month/date strips from the Calendar Basics set were stamped along the edge. Use the “circle” stamps from the set to circle your recipient’s birth month and date to customize the card – if you’re creating cards for your stash, wait to circle the date until you know who you’ll be giving the card to. Instant customization just for your recipient!
• The sentiments used here were stamped with the One Fine Day stamp set and cut with the coordinating die.
• Our A2 Stitched Scallops die can be trimmed down to create a pretty border. I diecut one of the largest panels from the set and trimmed it to create the borders for both of these cards.

Next up I have a few cards that use the calendar-themed items. While I love them for actual calendars, there are also so many options for cards too, making these products super versatile and fun for creating cards customized for the recipient.

First up I used our full-page printed calendar pages and the Calendar Grid die as a background for this card.

• Layer a Calendar Grid diecut over the printed calendar page for added color and dimension.
• The floral clusters were stamped using the larkspur and poppies from the Birth Month Blooms Q3 stamp set and matching die.
• My florals sort of covered up the month on the printed calendar, so I added it on a diecut strip, which was cut with the Calendar Basics die and stamped with the month using the Calendar Basics stamp set.
• I also used the Calendar Basics stamp set and matching die to circle the recipient’s birthday on the calendar.
• The sentiment here is from the One Fine Day stamp set and matching die.
• The Spiral Bound die gives a fun finishing touch at the top of the card and really makes the entire card look like a pretty calendar!

Next up is another calendar-themed birthday card, this time using one of our printed Half Page Calendars.

• Trim the calendar page down to create a mini calendar page, perfect to use as an accent on a card front.
• Add the calendar topper, cut with the Spiral Bound die. Gold mirror cardstock adds a fun touch for the hanger and spiral portions!
• Our Pen Pal die is a fun complement to the calendar theme. This pretty floral pen was stamped with some of the tiny blooms found in the AlphaBuds Slim stamp set.
• I used a few Hawthorn flower clusters cut from our printed Birth Month Blooms Cuttables for a quick and easy floral accent.
• The “happy birthday” sentiment was stamped with the Calendar Basics stamp set and cut with the coordinating die.
• The pretty scalloped background was cut using the A2 Stitched Scallops die.

Up next I again used the calendar items on a card, but this time didn’t get specific with a date, instead using them as a background design element.

• Create a calendar page to use as a background element – here the calendar grid and days of the week strip from the Calendar Basics set were stamped onto a panel of dark green cardstock and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.
• Top off the calendar page using the Spiral Bound die.
• The sentiment here is from the One Fine Day stamp set and cut with the matching die.
• The rose accents are from our printed Birth Month Blooms Cuttables, and cut with the coordinating Birth Month Blooms Q3 die.

Last but not least, a fun and easy Save the Date card. Our oldest daughter just got engaged over the weekend, so we may be needing something fun like this very soon! 🙂

• The Birth Month Blooms Cuttables make quick and easy floral elements…just diecut and go!
• The Calendar Grid die makes a fun background element, sort of resembling a wire grid when cut from metallic/mirror cardstock. Perfect for tucking in some diecut blooms.
• Our Save the Date die is a great focal-point size.
• To create the date along the bottom, I stamped one of the line/bracket images from the Birth Month Blooms set (it’s found in all four of the quarterly sets) twice, rotating 180 degrees to create the lines/brackets. In the spaces I stamped the month, day and year, using the Calendar Basics stamp set.

That wraps up my projects, but the team has so much more to share with you, plus we have a giveaway of course!

Inspiration Team Blog Hop & Giveaway

We’ll be giving away TWO $50 gift cards for today’s blog hop.

Read on for details…

• Comment here on the blog for one entry (one comment per person).
• Comment on our Inspiration Team Members’ blogs for more entries (linked below – one comment per person, per blog)
• Comments close TONIGHT – Monday, July 29 at 11:59pm EDT
• Winners will be posted at 7am EDT on Tuesday, July 30 here on the blog

Now for the team blog links to see more projects featuring today’s new product reveals…