Welcome back for another round of inspiration from the Stamp Review Crew!  This week we are featuring Lovely As a Tree. I am #2 on the hop. You may have just left stop #1: Mike Funke.  If so, you are in the right spot. 

Lovely As a Tree is a classic.  It was in my Starter Kit when I joined Stampin’ Up! five years ago.  I opted to make a Christmas card, using a sentiment from a new Hostess Set, Good Greetings, from the upcoming Holiday Catalog. In addition, I also created a sympathy card.  If you were at Convention, you may have seen these cards on the Stamp Review Crew Display Board.

The Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding bow adds texture, while the Gold Foil adds a touch of elegance.  Gold and Mossy Meadow are a dynamic duo for sure.  And how about the Pearls, colored with the new dark Cherry Cobbler Blendability? It’s great to be able to color match!  This card is an updated version of this one from a couple of years ago:

I really love the look of the Mossy Meadow color on the updated version!

The second card also features Mossy Meadow, and a plethora of Pearls. Blender Pens and Mossy Meadow, Tangelo Twist, and Hello Honey inks were used to faux watercolor the leaves.  I wanted to keep this card simple and serene.

I hope you enjoyed today’s Lovely As a Tree cards.  Won’t you let me know in your comment? Your comments are important to me.  Now, hustle along to Stop #3 on the hop:  the talented Holly Krautkremer.  If you get lost along the way, visit The Stamp Review Crew blog for a list of all of the hoppers!

(This is the second post for today.  Please scroll down for this week’s The Paper Players challenge card.)

Stamp Sets:  Lovely As a Tree, Good Greetings,  Thoughts and Prayers; Inks: Baked Brown Sugar, Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Tangelo Twist; Tools:  Big Shot, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Ovals Collection Framelits, Blender Pens, Paper Snips, Simply Scored, Simply Scored Diagonal Plate;  Glitz and Glam:  Pearls Basic Jewels, Gold 5/8″ Satin Ribbon, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Mossy Meadow Stitched Satin Ribbon

It’s Sunday, and time to play with The Paper Players! This week, we are being challenged to create a Monochromatic Clean and Simple card.  I hope you enjoy my Work of Art card in shades of orange!

The Stampin’ Schach Design Tips
This finished card measures 4-1/4″ wide by 5-1/2″ long.

• A rainbow of  oranges!  Using the Arched Swatch image from a Work of Art, a rainbow of orange hues were stamped in Cajun Craze, Tangelo Twist, Tangerine Tango, and Pumpkin Pie.  Because I needed 5 swatches (in keeping with the Rule of Odd Numbers), I added a fifth swatch in Crushed Curry.  It’s not orange, but it coordinated nicely.

• Serenity! The Flowers from Serene Silhouettes was inked in Early Espresso. To add a little interest, a single Pearl was added to the center of each blossom.

• Fabulous! The sentiment from Work of Art does indeed look fabulous when perfectly placed using a Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Today is my travel day as I return home from Convention. It has been a fun-filled trip…and I can’t wait to share what I learned and saw with those of you who were unable to attend.  I hope my pictures turned out.  I used my cell phone to take them.  At my age, I didn’t want to lug around my good camera.

As for today’s card, I find it difficult to do the Clean and Simple style.  But,  I do like the way this one turned out.  I hope you do, too.  Won’t you let me know in today’s comment? And remember, if you ever have a question about the cards I create or the techniques I use, I am only an email away.  Until next time…

Stamp Sets: Serene Silhouettes, Work of Art; Inks: Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Tangelo Twist, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Crushed Curry; Card Stock: Whisper White, Tangerine Tango; Tools:  Stamp-a-ma-jig; Glitz and Glam: Pearls Basic Jewels

It’s that time of year when I leave the humid heat of Iowa for the dry heat of Utah…although I must say we are having a cold snap over the next few days, as a wash of cool, Canadian air invades the heartland.  

I will, as always, being taking pictures with friends…

 pictures of display boards…

pictures of Salt Lake City…

and of course, pictures with Shelli!

***Exciting News***
 
I have so many online friends…I hope to meet all of you who are attending Convention 2014 this year in person! And now for my EXCITING NEWS…we can meet up after my presentation in Ballroom ABD. I am thrilled and honored that Stampin’ Up! invited me to speak during the In a Nutshell session.  So please…stop by and say “Hi”! 

See you soon in Salt Lake City.  Safe travels to all who are traveling to Convention 2014. Inspire! Create! Share!  And for those of you who are not attending Convention, I promise to come back with lots of pictures and news!

Until next time…