Lovely as a Card

Recently I decided to start checking items off my house "to do" list.  Not things like pulling weeds or decluttering, but big items.  Like getting the house painted and getting a landscape crew to come out and give our trees a haircut.  Plus we had a hard winter and lost a few trees due to the arctic temps.

We were recommended to Chavco Tree and Landscaping Services by a friend of ours.  I cannot recommend them enough.  If you are in Boise and need work done, give these guys a call.  Not only did they come out in the 100+ degree heat to do our work, they did it all in two hours with two of them and cleaned up so well, you wouldn't know they were ever here.  The work they did was top notch and I plan to use them to replant trees in the Spring.

Here's the other thing that I noticed during this experience.  I tipped both Joshua and Mike because they were here doing something I couldn't do and didn't want to do.  When I tipped them, it wasn't very much but enough to buy themselves some more water and lunch or a little something.  I was grateful.  It was interesting to hear them say that no one tips for services like this anymore.  Really?  Have we forgotten how to be grateful?

So, as I work on paying it forward and being mindful of the moment, I decided to make the guys at Chavco a homemade card to send back my payment.  I have a rule that I can't use my Stampin' Up! envelopes for anything if there isn't a card in them and since this invoice was online, it was the perfect way to say thank you one more time.

Thank goodness we will NEVER retire Lovely as a Tree because I finally needed it for a TREE card instead of a holiday or fall card! 

I stamped the trees in Archival Black on watercolor paper.  Then I colored the trees with Crumb Cake using an aquapainter and used Night of Navy for the sky.  Once the trees dried, I went back over the branches with Always Artichoke and a Blender Pen.  Then I did the grass with the aquapainter and added a little linen thread.  The result is a very masculine card that looked much more difficult than it was.

Hope you enjoy and don't forget to say thank you to those that are helping you out, using skills you don't have, doing things you don't want to spend time doing, or just being good people which we need in the world.

ONLINE HOSTESS CODE

To purchase these products, please visit my Online Store and use hostess code 4R3DF9YC when checking out.

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Paper Pumpkin is creativity in a box.  It costs $19.95 plus tax and ships to your mailbox once a month.  It contains everything you need for your own creative escape.  Besides the instructions and pieces for the cards or project, it also contains ink and photopolymer stamps and usually the adhesive you need as well.  My subscribers will also get a project sheet with tips and additional ideas and instructions that they can make with the supplies in the kits and sometimes some supplemental supplies.  Sign up by the 10th of the month to get that month's kit! 

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Joining Stampin' Up! was one of the best decisions I've made in life.  I have met some wonderful people who offer incredible inspiration and I believe in the quality of the product. Plus there is always something special about making and receiving homemade cards or décor from people.

If you are interested in joining my team, contact me today or go here to sign up!  You can get $125 in free merchandise that you choose yourself for only $99 plus tax.  With the new 2017-2018 Annual Catalog, it's not hard at all to find stamps and accessories that you will want to play with. 

But for the month of July, the deal gets even better.  You also get an Essentials Gift Pack for FREE.  This kit includes 2 clear D blocks, Grid Paper, Paper Snips, SNAIL Adhesive, and a Bone Folder for FREE.  That’s a $52 value.  And, though I’m already jealous of this deal, you will also get the clear mount Carols of Christmas set ($20 value) for free.  That deal is too sweet to pass up especially when it’s so easy to find $99 worth of stuff you would buy anyhow from the new catalog! 

Being a demonstrator doesn’t mean you have to have parties – it means you can buy from yourself at a discount!  And if you don’t hit your minimums, there is no penalty!  Contact me today if you are interested in trying this out or sign up directly at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stacymccain/jointhefun!

Have a craftastic day,

Stacy