Life is Beautiful

Life IS beautiful!  Sometimes it is new and fresh!  Sometimes it's full of fun and excitement.  Sometimes it is messy and challeging! And sometimes it is sad and downright depressing!  Through the circle of life or what I think of a seasons of life, it is an amazing journey full of beauty - we sometimes just have to look hard to find it.  There is always a constant through the ever change landscape of our lives.  For me it's my wonderful husband, my two handsome sons, my mom, my sister, my friends - especially my crafting friends who I share a special bond of making beautiful objects to share with others to let them know that I love them and am always thinking about them! 

One of my new stamp sets that I received in my recent preorder from the new 2020 Holiday catalog is called Life is Beautiful.  After another week of my hubby not feeling well this seemed to be the one to lift my spirits!  This stamp set will be available for you to order on August 4 when the new catalog goes live for ordering.  Is this on your list?  

It is built around a large tree to decorate for the 4 seasons that I love so dearly here in Colorado.  The sentiments have that beautiful swirly effect that draws my eye right in.  And the little birdhouse is my constant in this seasonal change of landscape.  I made two versions of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter - one with a Whisper White background and the other with coordinating color background.  I would love to hear from you in the comments below on which you like better - the Whisper White or the coordinating color.   What is your favorite season?  Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter are the order of seasons I like - and that's exactly the order I started in to make these cards.  

Instructions for the Whisper White Fall card is as follows.  I'll list the supplies I used for the Spring, Summer, Winter cards:    

FALL

• Crumb Cake Cardstock
• Cut 1 - 5 1/2 x 8 1/2" and score at 4 1/4" for card base (If you like the coordinating color combo - cut from Cajun Craze)
• Whisper White Cardstock
• Cut 1 - 5 1/4' x 4" for inside sentiment
• Cut 1 - 5" x 3 3/4" for card front (If you like the coordinating color combo - cut from Crumb Cake)
• Bumblebee Cardstock
• Cut 1 - 3/4" x 2" strip
• On the Whisper White card front (5" x 3 3/4") stamp the tree with Soft Suede Stampin' Pad in the center of the card front.  Stamp 2 sets of leaves on either side of the treetop leaving a little room to stamp 2 more sets of leaves and one set towards the ground on the left side of the card front with Cajun Craze Stampin' Pad.  Stamp 2 sets of leaves on either side of the treetop filling in where you would like to fill in and stamp 2 sets of leaves on the lower left side of the card stamping off the paper with Bumblebee Stampin' Pad.  Make sure you have a scrap paper under the card front to keep your crafting area clean from ink - lol - I've learned this the hard way a number of times.  
• On the Bumblebee 3/4" x 2" strip, stamp "Hello" placing your stamp towards the right so you can make a flag end on the left.  Flag the left side.  I make a cut in the center about 1/2" and then cut diagonally on each side to even out the flag.  
• Stamp the birdhouse and birds with Misty Moonlight Stampin' Pad.
• On the Whisper White inside sentiment sheet (5 1/4" x 4"), stamp one set of leaves with Cajun Craze Stampin' Pad - stamp off first to get a lighter version.  Stamp one set of leaves with Bumblebee Stampin' Pad - stamp off first to get a lighter version.  Stamp "Thi;nking of You" with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad in the center of the leaves.  
• Added three yellow gold sequins from the Artistry Bloom Sequins making a "triangle" on either side of the tree trunk. 
• Add a small gold rhinestone from the Holiday Rhinestone Basic Jewels to the hole in the birdhouse. 
• Cut the Ivory ribbon at 2 3/4" - fray each end.  Run Stampin' Seal on the back of the Hello Flag and center the Ivory ribbon from the Forever Greeney Trim Combo Pack to the back.  Place two Stampin' Dimensionals on either end of the Flag on top of the Ivory ribbon and place at the lower right hand corner of the card front. 
• Adhere card front to front of card base and Inside Sentiment to the inside of the card base with your favorite adhesive - Stampin' Seal or Multipurpose Liquid Glue. 

SPRING

• Cardstock:  Whisper White for card front and inside sentiment.   (If you like the coordinating color combo - Blushing Bride).  Blushing Bride for card base and Flag sentiment.   (If you like the coordinating color combo - Magenta Madness for card base)
• Stampin' Pad:  Soft Suede for tree, Magenta Madness for Flowering tree and the inside sentiment background (remember to stamp off once before you stamp onto the inside sentiment sheet), Granny Apple Green for the mounds of grass, Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
• Stampin' Blend:  Dark Magenta Madness Stampin' Blend to color a small Rhinestone Basic Jewel for hole in bird house
• Artistry Bloom Sequins:  Pinkish sequins 
• Gold Thread:  Used gold thread from the Forever Greenery Trim Combo pack instead of the Ivory ribbon to back the "Hello" sentiment flag.  Looped around 4 fingers.  Lay down onto the Stampin' Seal on the back of the sentiment flag.  Trim the ends and ensure they are adhered inside the boundaries of the flag to not show from the front.  Place Stampin' Dimensionals on top of the adhered thread.  

SUMMER

• Cardstock:  Whisper White for card front and inside sentiment.   (If you like the coordinating color combo - Soft Sea Foam).  Soft Sea Foam for card base and Flag sentiment.   (If you like the coordinating color combo - Garden Green for card base)
• Stampin' Pad:  Soft Suede for tree, Granny Apple Green for leaves and the inside sentiment background (remember to stamp off once before you stamp onto the inside sentiment sheet), Garden Green for the mounds of grass, Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
• Flowers for Every Season Gems:  use a green gem for hole in bird house
• Woven Threads Sequin Assortment:  pick out an assortment 7 blue sequins 
• Gold Thread:  see instructions for Spring Hello sentiment flag

WINTER

• Cardstock:  Whisper White for card front and inside sentiment.   (If you like the coordinating color combo - Seaside Spray).  Seaside Spray for card base and Flag sentiment.   (If you like the coordinating color combo - Night of Navy for card base), Shimmery White for the snow mound cut with the Pine Woods Die set (2020 Holiday Catalog) - adhere with Stampin' Seal to the bottom of the card front aligning the bottom edges.  
• Stampin' Pad:  Soft Suede for tree, Seaside Spray for the snowflakes and the inside sentiment background (remember to stamp off once before you stamp onto the inside sentiment sheet), Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
• Holiday Rhinestone Basic Jewels:  one dark blue hole in bird house, 3 light blue for snowflakes or use Snowflake Sequins (2020 Holiday Catalog):  I used snowflakes, sequins and stars on the coordinating color alternative card.  Adhere with Fine-tip Glue Pen.
• Boho Indigo Blue Grosgrain Ribbon:  see instructions for Fall Hello sentiment flag.  This ribbon only comes with the Boho Indigo Product Medley.  You can also use the Seaside Spray Metallic ribbon. 

There are so many beautiful projects to make with this stamp set floating around in my head.  What do you think about using Gold  Stampin' Emboss Powder for the leaves?  Or maybe don't even use the tree base but just use the leaves or snowflakes or bubbles - bubbles in rainbow colors?  I might have to get back into the crafting room one night this week and try some out!        

 

If you loved the Paper Pumpkin Summer Nights projects from last week, there are refill kits available in the online store.  You won't get the stamp set or the Blackberry Bliss Ink Spot, but all the other products are available in the refill kit - and it's only $10.  Hurry as these won't last long:  

Paper Pumpkin Summer Nights Refill Kit

Reminder that Bonus Days ends on Monday, 8/3.  If you want to get in on the $5 reward for every $50 ordered, please put your order in by 11:59pm mdt tomorrow.  The reward coupons are good for your orders from August 4 - August 31 just in time for....

The NEW 2020 Holiday Catalog!  The new online store opens for orders on Tuesday, 8/4 from the new catalog.  There are so many wonderful products for fall and Christmas.  I overlooked the Red and Green Foil paper - not sure how that happened!  I've been making my list.  

Lastly, I thought I would share a birthday card I made for my 9 year old Grandniece, Lucy.  Her favorite color is purple.  I just had to use the darling zebras from the Zany Zebra Stamp set along with the fun Happy Birthday Balloon stamp set.   The birthday hat for the zebra is in the Zany Zebra Stamp set.  The sentiments are so fun!  I may have to try using a set of the three zebras in rainbow colors!  These are available in the 2020 Annual Catalog. 

I hope you have a fantastic week!  I'm watching Isaias as it makes it's way up the eastern coastline, my youngest son lives in NYC.  Told him to prepare for rain!  I'm thinking of Beth in MA.  Sending prayers to you, your family and friends braving the storm!