Nature's Roots

Happy Monday! Here in Canada it is a holiday Monday, which makes it much more bearable than a regular Monday ;) I'm looking forward to an extra day to check things of my never-ending To-Do List as I prepare for the launch of the new 2019/20 Annual Catalogue. One of the things I am most excited about is my Facebook Live virtual launch party! It is happening on Tuesday, June 4th at 7:30 pm and I have TONS of fun surprises planned. Save the date and plan to stop by my Facebook page to join me!

Now for today's project...last week I held a retirement party for my beloved Lovely as a Tree stamp set. This week I am celebrating the set that will take it's place on my stamp shelf...Rooted in Nature. One of the things I love about this set is that it has coordinating dies, one thing the Lovely as a Tree did not.

Now, the good news is that you can get the stamps and coordinating dies as a discounted bundle...the bad news is that the bundle will be discontinued when the 2018/19 Annual Catalogue retires on June 3rd.  You'll still be able to get the stamps and dies in the new catalogue, but not as a discounted bundle. So, if you haven't yet purchased this awesome set, you'll want to do that SOON!

Still need convincing? Check out this cute project...

Now, can you spot the new catalogue sneak peeks on this project? I've used some of the new Garden Lane DSP as well as some of the gorgeous Magnolia Lane linen ribbon. I love the fresh, garden vibe of this card. Did you notice that beautiful stitched label on which I stamped my sentiment? That was cut using the new Stitched Nested Labels dies...oh, my stars, they are fabulous!

I love all of the different greens in the Garden Lane DSP...It is perfect for outdoorsy, nature-themed projects.

On the inside I stamped a few more branches and another sentiment from the Nature's Roots set.

I'll be demonstrating this card and two others in tomorrow's Tuesday Live @ Five video...you won't want to miss it. Be sure to join me as I'll have more new catalogue sneak peeks! If you miss the live broadcast, you can always catch it later on my YouTube channel or on the Video Tutorials tab at the top of this page.

Till then, have a great day and a fabulous week.

Product List

Rooted In Nature Clear-Mount Bundle [148353] $99.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $13.25	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $10.50	Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131201] $11.50
Garden Lane Designer Series Paper [149488] $15.75	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad [147104] $10.25	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [147116] $10.25	Big Shot [143263] $150.00
Stitched Nested Labels Dies [149638] $48.00	Magnolia Lane Ribbon Combo Pack [149485] $12.25

It's a Retirement Party Blog Hop!

As hard as it is to believe, it is already the May 15th, which means it's time for another Stamping Symphony Blog Hop! This month our theme is favourite retiring items, so I chose my very favourite, oldest stamp set: Lovely as a Tree. This set was the very first stamp set I ever bought, so it will live in my collection forever. My set is the last remaining wood mount stamp set I own and it has seen its share of use and abuse over the years.

Today's card is one I demonstrated on my Tuesday Live @ Five video this week...

One of the things that I love most about this stamp set is its versatility. Here, I've used it to make a sympathy card using the spotlighting technique. This simple technique requires very few tools, but creates a real wow on this simple design. I stamped the tree image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then used sticky notes with circles punched in them as masks to create the coloured circles. I used the 1-1/2" and 1" circle punches. My colour scheme was Mango Melody, Pumpkin Pie and Rich Razzleberry...so pretty!

To add extra texture and interest, I scored some lines along the bottom edge of the stamped panel using the scoring blade of my paper trimmer. This quick and easy trick adds so much to a simple design.

Because I wanted to keep this clean and simple, the only embellishment I added was a bit of black baker's twine with a bow underneath the sentiment to highlight it.

On the inside I stamped a simple sympathy sentiment from the Itty Bitty Greetings stamp set  and the little leaf from Lovely as A Tree.

Thanks for stopping by...check out my video tutorial for this card, and two others below.

Time to hop on over to Sandy's blog to see what awesomeness she has for us.

1. Leena (You are here)

2. Sandy

3. Barb

4. Jennifer

5. Steph

Product List

Lovely As A Tree Clear-Mount Stamp Set [127793] $27.00	Rooted In Nature Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146482] $57.00	Itty Bitty Greetings Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146667] $49.00	Mango Melody Classic Stampin' Pad [147093] $10.25
Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad [147086] $10.25	Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad [147091] $10.25	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $8.25	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $13.25
Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $11.50	Stampin' Trimmer [126889] $41.00	Sponge Daubers [133773] $7.00	1-1/2" Circle Punch [138299] $22.00
1" Circle Punch [119868] $18.00	Basic Black Solid Baker's Twine [141682] $4.00

Farewell Lovely As A Tree

Happy Monday...I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Mine was jam-packed with stamping...but I checked TONS of things off my To-Do List, which means a relatively relaxed week ahead. As we head closer to the launch of the new 2019/20 Annual Catalogue and the end of the school year, time is in short supply!

One of the sad things about a new catalogue is that we have to say goodbye to some of our most beloved products, as they retire to make room for the new. Lovely As a Tree is one of the sets that is going away, which has come as a shock to many of us. It is the longest running stamp set EVER...18 years! With longevity like that it MUST be an awesome set! It was actually the very first stamp set I ever bought when I discovered Stampin' Up! 10+ years ago. It has held a place of honour in my studio thanks to its versatility and the beauty of its images.

This week I am sending Lovely As a Tree off to retirement in style. I am featuring it as my product of the week! Check out this pretty, #simplestamping card I made...

I saw a similar card on Pinterest that used another stamp set and thought it would be perfect to showcase the beautiful images in this set. I masked off the Whisper White card front using sticky notes and then sponged on Blackberry Bliss, Rich Razzleberry, Highland Heather, Mango Melody and Pumpkin Pie. I love the way these colours work together!

After stamping the pine tree and the sentiment from Rooted in Nature in black ink, I added some texture by scoring lines to the left of the sponged area using my paper trimmer. I love the subtle interest it adds to the design.

On the inside I stamped a sentiment and the little pine branch image in black ink. So simple, but so, so pretty! The beautiful images in this set lend themselves so well to simple cards. It was fun to showcase them and allow them to be the star of my design!

Be sure to check out my Tuesday Live @ Five video this week for all of the details on this and two additional cards using this set. I stuck to the same colour scheme for all three to show that one doesn't need to have a whole craft room full of supplies to make pretty cards! Be sure to check it out over on my Facebook page or on the Video Tutorials tab at the top of this page later in the week.

Have a "lovely" week!


Product List

Lovely As A Tree Clear-Mount Stamp Set [127793] $27.00	Rooted In Nature Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146482] $57.00	Mango Melody Classic Stampin' Pad [147093] $10.25	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad [147086] $10.25
Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad [147103] $10.25	Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad [147091] $10.25	Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [147092] $10.25	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708] $8.25
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $13.25	Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [121045] $11.50	Stampin' Trimmer [126889] $41.00	Sponge Daubers [133773] $7.00

Follow Your Dreams

Happy...er...Tuesday? I know, I know, I missed posting yesterday, but I have a good reason. I was lost in tax prep purgatory all day on Monday...and this is after an extremely busy weekend hosting my Spring Fling Creative Escape. Feel sorry for me yet? ;)
Seriously, though, I don't know where the weekend went! It was a whirlwind with a few hours of family time thrown in on Easter Sunday. Whew! I did manage to squeeze in time on Monday evening to design the projects for this week's Live @ Five video and I have one to share with you. Check it out...

I am featuring the Follow Your Dreams bundle this week. It is one of those items that I ordered early on in the catalogue year, played with a little and then didn't give nearly enough love. And now it is retiring in June! Noooo! I truly love this bundle for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fabulous dream catcher die-cut! On this card I've layered an Early Espresso dream catcher over a Crushed Curry circle, reminiscent of the sun, peeking out from behind a Jack Pine tree. This card makes me long for lazy summer evenings at the lake! I can't wait for August!!

I used the Gallery Grunge stamp set in Soft Suede ink to add the textured background (thankfully that one is sticking around in the new catalogue!) and added the die-cut border with the Delicate Lace dies. I used the Tailored Tag punch to punched out the sentiment, which is stamped in Early Espresso ink.

On the inside I added a Very Vanilla card stock panel on which I stamped the Gallery Grunge background image again (stamped off in Soft Suede) and a pine tree in Early Espresso. I added another sentiment from the Follow Your Dreams stamp set.

I'll be demonstrating this card in today's Live @ Five video over on my Facebook page. I hope you'll stop by and check it out. I have two other lovelies in store as well! In the meantime, have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by.

Product List

Follow Your Dreams Clear-Mount Bundle [148370] $49.50	Rooted In Nature Clear-Mount Bundle [148353] $99.00	Gallery Grunge Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146538] $27.00	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [147115] $10.25
Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114] $10.25	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad [147086] $10.25	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $11.50	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101650] $13.25
Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131199] $11.50	Big Shot [143263] $150.00	Delicate Lace Edgelits Dies [147053] $39.00	Tailored Tag Punch [145667] $24.00
3/16" (1 Cm) Braided Linen Trim [147808] $9.50	Metallics Sequin Assortment [144214] $6.75