Hostess Appreciation Project - 2013

I am grateful for many things in my life and feel like that is something to celebrate, especially in November.  Starting last year, I began acknowledging my hostesses with a free appreciation event where they made a fun project for free.  I also include my downline in this free event since I appreciate them as well!

Last year, we made a fold out stationary box with several cards and love notes inside using the Naturals Composition paper.  This year, we are making a fun Thankful book.  We saw a demonstration at Convention about converting this kit into a book and we all had an "aha" moment.  The 12 x 6 book was designed by me and my mom, Cris McCarthy.  It takes 1/2 a Thanksgiving Tablescape kit plus a few extra items to complete.  It truly represents what I'm thankful for from my group and makes a nice decoration to have out over the holiday.

The kits for my hostesses included a cut kit from 1/2 of the Thanksgiving Tablescape kit, a chalk marker, and a role of sticky strip!  My hostesses have been asked to bring their crafting kits (scissors, dimensionals, adhesive, bone folder, paper piercing tool & mat) and a corner rounder.

The Cover:

 

The Left Page:

 

The idea is that you put into the Chalkboard Banner what you are Thankful for.  The Thankful For insert pulls out and includes the text of what makes you grateful for that.  You could also put a photo underneath it that represents what you are thankful for.

 

 



The Insert:

 

 

 

The Right Page:

 

 This is a photo page.  You can put a photo on the birch paper, on the front or back of the tags, and on the chalkboard element. 

 

 

 

The Tags:

 

The tags are the flaps from the pockets cut of and then embellished so you can put a photo or two on the patterned side and then journal if needed on the back or include more photos.  

 

 

Supplies:

Stamp Set: Thankful For, Harvest of Thanks

Ink: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip

Accessories:  Thanksgiving Tablescape Simply Created Kit, Corner Rounder, 1 3/4 Circle Punch, Sticky Strip, Daubers, Big Shot & Cutting Pads, Magnetic Platform, Autumn Accents Die, Chalk Marker, Candy Dot Brad Bases, Basic Pearls, Paper Piercing Tool & Mat, Apothecary Accents Framelits

Customers Bring: Adhesive, Scissors, Dimensionals, and Bone Folder

Few lessons learned & tips:

• 6 x 12 albums are hard to ship so keep it 8 1/2 x 11 or you'll have to use a big box to ship it to out of state hostesses.
• The curled birch paper and chocolate chevron paper is really hard to cut because of the curl. You should move your blade up and down so you cut from the top down to you don't have to lift up the cutting bar each time and can just slide it over.
• The largest pearl in our Basic Pearls fits perfectly in the Candy Dot brad bases.
• Birch paper is light weight but it's also curled so you need to use sticky strip to adhere it to things.  Adhesive will not hold.
• I recommend not putting the chalkboard embellishments on this album until you have written on them - it's tough to write over dimensionals.... at least for me!

I do have word instructions for this project that can be shared for free if anyone wants them.  Email me at stacy @ acrophile.net if you'd like them.  I won't make a kit for you but you can buy the supplies from my online store!  :)  

The hostess code for online orders for next month is G3SGBMJK.  Anyone that purchases anything online by 11/24 can enter this code.  We have reached a qualifying workshop already this month so I will draw a mystery hostess from those that purchased and the lucky winner will get the free merchandise (currently at $30).

If you want to be included in next year's hostess appreciation event, contact me today to host a workshop, stamp camp, or online catalog party or join my team!

Take care,
Stacy