Life In Pictures April 2016 SOTM Blog Hop

Welcome to the April 2016 SOTM Blog Hop featuring the stamp set Life In Pictures. This month there are almost 30 bloggers sharing projects they created with Life In Pictures. If blog hopping is new to you, we try to keep it simple, just keep clicking on the link to the next blog (typically near the bottom of the post) to visit the next stop. Blog hops are circular so visiting the next blog will take you back to where you started.

The SOTM for April 2016, Life In Pictures, is a D-size set of 13 stamps that is $5 with a qualifying purchase. Alternatively you may purchase it for $17.95. Recommended CTMH My Acrylix® Blocks for this stamp set are: 1" x 3.5" (Y1002), 2" x 2" (Y1003) and 3" x 3" (Y1006). The stamps in the Life In Pictures set are:

You should have arrived here from ***Michelle's Handmade World by Michelle Battitori***. If you get lost along the way, Melinda Everitt keeps a list of participants on her blog at If You Bling It.

For this hop I created a mini album using cuts from Artiste. The first photo is the album cover. In addition to the SOTM, I used the Family Love stamp set to embellish the flap and Etched Alphabet to "write" the area we were visiting.

This album has layered pages so you can peek ahead at what is coming up and look back to the inside cover.

The album above was cut at the sizes recommended in the Artiste Handbook which is a height of 3". While I was printing photos to fit the pages I thought most people would want to use a standard size photo, especially now that Studio J is retiring at the end of the month. I played with the sizes in Design Space and was able to cut the larger album from 3 sheets of 12" x 12" cardstock using a 12" x 12" mat. I did not have to adjust where I put the cardstock on the mat to "fudge" and make my Explore think the cut would fit.

This photo is to show you how a 4" x 6" photo looks on the larger album.

I think this is a great way to create something memorable for each member of a Scout troop, sports team or other group without spending too much on supplies. In fact, creating the album could be an activity the group members do together.

I have to say I am sorry that I did not get the album completed. This has been a particularly busy time. I had to start physical therapy for my foot. I aggravated a bone spur while traveling for work and I came down with one of the worst colds I have ever had. Most nights this week I saw every hour overnight because nothing I tried would control my cough. I hope I am on the downside of this cold and I will be sleeping better again tonight. I fear the foot will take a bit longer.

Before you head to ***Jean McNulty's Stamping Maui***, the supplies I used to create my project are listed below.

All supplies are from Close To My Heart except where noted:

• My Acrylix™ April 2016 SOTM: Life In Pictures Stamp Set (S1604)
• My Acrylix™ Family Love Stamp Set (D1506) - retiring July 31, 2016
• My Acrylix™ Etched Alphabet Stamp Set (A1182)
• 12" X 12" Kraft Cardstock (Z1375)
• Black Memento™ Ink Pad (Z899)
• Liquid Glass (Z679)
• Bronze Shimmer Trim (Z1849)
• Cricut® Art Philosophy Collection (Z3171)
• Corner - #M443AF - page 50; I used the slice and weld options in Design Space to create photo corners that would hold the photo in place without adhesive
• My Design Space file to create the photo corners is here
• Cricut® Artiste Collection (Z3170)
• Card & Envelope - #M40725 - page 59 (front and back covers)
• Notebook Paper - #M39A1B - page 59
• Notebook Page - #M39D00 - page 59
• Notebook Page - #M3C9BA - page 59
• Notebook Page - #M3F2F0 - page 59
• Notebook Page - #M39BCB - page 59
• Notebook Page - #M3914E - page 59
• If you would like a head start to create a similar mini album, where the suggested height of 3" (as published in the Handbook) was used, my Design Space file is here
• My Design Space file where the largest page is 4¼" tall by 8½" wide is here
• Supplies not from Close To My Heart: Cricut® Design Space, Cricut® Explore, notebook rings available at office supply stores

If you are not working with a CTMH Independent Consultant yet, you may purchase all of the supplies I used at my Online Business Address.

Before you leave I would be delighted if you left me a comment letting me know what you think of my project. So you do not have to scroll back up, the next stop on the hop is ***Jean McNulty's Stamping Maui***.

Thank you for hopping with us. I hope you are finding much inspiration.