Life is Beautiful, Thinking of You Card, 2020 Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog

I had ordered the "Life is Beautiful" stamp set. I wasn't going to buy another tree stamp. It seems that every few years a new one comes out and then it's retired and repeat! This one won't be in the new catalog. It's a Million Dollars in Sales set. The demonstrator reached one million in sales and you then design a stamp set that will go in the catalog.  I bought this because I figured it would be versatile.  It's great for a masculine sympathy card. You can use greens like I found and you can use fall colors. Plus there's snowflakes and what looks like bubbles but I think it might be snow.  I like the bird house, that gives the tree the summer look. I think this tree may be fun for some Halloween images too.   I found this card here. I changed the layers but other than that it's pretty darn close. 

The base of the card is a folded half-sheet of Pacific Point card stock.  On top of that is a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Garden Green card stock.  The focal piece is a 3-7/8" x 5-1/8" piece of Whisper White.

First I stamped the tree using Soft Suede ink. I like the details in the trunk. If your stamp pad isn't too wet the details show nicely. If it is then all you need to do is take a sponge dauber and ink it up first, yes, add more ink. Then go over the tree and it will pick up any extra ink. You need to ink it first so you are not just taking ink in one area, you want to keep the ink even throughout.  After I stamped the tree I also stamped the Soft Suede ground.

Then the leaves were added. First I used Granny Apple Green. It was stamped twice on the tree. Then Garden Green ink was used and it was also stamped twice.  Oh, it was inked each time too, no stamping off here. Then I stamped the ground using Garden Green ink.

For the bird house, I used markers. I colored the house in first using the Real Red marker. Then I colored in the roof and hanger. I also ran the marker in the center of the opening to give the hole a dark edge. And the birds were colored in using the Pacific Point marker.  I stamped it on a scrap piece of paper. I didn't want to mess it us and when you stamp with a brand new set it doesn't always stamp so nicely. I recolored it, huffed on it and then stamped it on the front of the card.  

The words are also from the set. I chose "thinking of you" instead of the "hello" that was used in the original card.  I will be looking for some nice sympathy wording and omit the bird house. 

I added a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Whisper White card stock to the inside and the card was done.

This is a very quick and easy card to make.  I am looking forward to making a fall card with this set.

Thank you SO very much for taking the time to stop by today,
Wanda