A Nature-Inspired Handmade Card with Stampin’ Up! Canada’s Nature’s Symphony
Today I’m sharing this nature-inspired handmade card that I created for a recent Stampin’ Up! Canada Demonstrator only card swap. I love the Nature Walk Suite and how calming the colour palette is! I’m double dipping and using this card for a blog post as well as for the Sunday Swap Share, so I’ll let you know now that the fully linked supply list will be on the YamStamps.com Sunday Swaps Page on Sunday!
Nature-Inspired Handmade Card – Nature’s Symphony and Nature Walk
I was happy to be able to present this Suite at a Demonstrator-only event late last year – these products are definitely my style! For this botanical card, I die cut multiples of the leaves from the Natural Hues Textured Specialty Paper, and then laid them out on the card front. Layered card designs are always eye catching and I think added depth makes it more professional looking. The background layer is from the Nature Walk Designer Series Paper and coordinated with the calming tones in the die cuts. This is another one of those cards that could be used for many different occasions – just change out the sentiment!
I was really happy with how this one turned out – I think it’s a good example of elegant cardmaking – nothing too over the top and not too “in your face”…I hope it can act as some cardmaking inspiration for you! Full supply list with links will be on the Sunday Swaps Page…on Sunday. If you’re looking for more handmade card project ideas and inspiration, be sure to be signed up for the weekly YamStamps newsletters, and check out theYamStamps Facebook and Instagram Pages as well!
Bonus Days are back! From now until February 2, with each increment of $60CAD in product order (before shipping/taxes, after any discounts), you’ll earn a $6CAD coupon code to use Feb 3-28! There is no limit to how many coupons you can accumulate! Click here or on the image to start shopping – or message me if you’d like assistance placing your order.
New Product of the Month!
When you order $100CAD worth of product (really, make it $120 to get an extra Bonus Days coupon….), you’ll have the opportunity to purchase the Product of the Month for just $5CAD! January’s product is the Fabulous Sayings Stamp Set – a great collection of sentiments for all your paper crafting!
Please note that if you make a qualifying purchase in January but did not purchase the December Product of the Month (the True Blue Designer Series Paper) – you will have the opportunity to choose which Product you’d like to purchase (while supplies last). If you did not purchase the December Product of the Month and supplies are still available, if you make TWO separate qualifying orders (so two orders with $100CAD product) during January, you will have the opportunity to purchase one of each Product of the Month (December and January), if supplies are still available. You can only ever purchase ONE of a particular Product of the Month (so only one of December’s, and only one of January’s). Questions? Contact me.
Last but not least….
New Kits available!
Three new paper crafting kits are available! Two for creating cards, and a cute 3D kit featuring easy to care for pets! Click here or on the image above to check out all the currently available kits.
Wishing you and yours the very best of the season from me and mine!
I always appreciate a moment of calm amongst the chaos that can be the holiday season to take a moment to reflect back on the year and look forward to the next.
Thank you for supporting my small business – by buying paper crafting products through me, by purchasing an online class, by subscribing to my newsletter or visiting my social media and website in this busy world! Wishing you all the best of the season and looking forward to continuing to bring you crafting ideas and inspiration into 2026 and beyond!
As everyone in Canada recovers from Game 7, I’ll take you back to Game 1!
I am very thankful that the clocks turned back over the weekend – because I needed that illusion of extra sleep after that rollercoaster known as World Series Game 7. I am typically one of those sports fans that gets more interested as we get into the playoffs and championships, and when the “home team” is involved, it’s even more exciting! Not the outcome that we had hoped for though….
I had the opportunity to take part in the opening ceremony for Game One of the World Series in Toronto, and I am so grateful that I was able to say yes! (Thanks to having some job flexibility and supportive management – in my day job, as well as my side hustle here!). As a youth, I was a member of the Burlington Teen Tour Band, and the casting organization for the opening ceremonies reached out to the band to get participants. The catch was that participants had to be at least 18 years old, and since it’s the “Teen” Tour Band, many of the members were too young, so the invitation was sent to alumni of the band. My son and I both said yes, but in the end, he wasn’t able to participate due to a scheduling conflict. I was still able to participate, and met up with fellow alumni plus a whole bunch of other people with marching and performing experience for the event.
Porch selfie at 530am…. after our first rehearsal Wednesday evening, we had to be at the film studio (our home base) for 7am the next two days in a row. Thankfully I was able to carpool with a friend (thanks Brent!) who had a large vehicle and fit 7 of us in! Rehearsals were a lot of standing around while logistics and positioning were figured out, plus more waiting to get our costumes.
We practised and refined our positioning on Thursday, and then during the Friday dress rehearsal they decided to have us stand behind the Voices of Fire choir during their songs (and the player introductions!!). It was cool being up close, on the dirt in the infield and so close to where the players were going to be! It did require some extra rehearsal so that we could somewhat be in sync with the choir movements. We got to sing along (as much as we could) with the choir, but thankfully the mics were pointed at the choir members, not the wannabes!! I didn’t know much about Voices of Fire before the game, but I’ve become a fan – they’ve got incredible voices and energy.
Photo from dress rehearsal…because there was a LOT of waiting around
The jumbotron screen is a perfect backdrop! You can see the in ear monitors (not in my ears at the time….). They played the tracks through it plus they could give us instructions, like to hold our pose in the Canadian flag, and then when we could leave.
waiting on the ramps before our big entrance
By the time we actually got to game time, we were all pretty tired, but there is nothing like hearing and seeing a capacity crowd to help the energy levels!!
photo of the field before our entrance (courtesy of one of my other on field castmates)
My brother got a screen grab – that’s me in the red gown behind the choir members! We got to sing and dance along – that was a lot of fun.
Photo from a friend in the stands (Thanks Mary Anne!) dorky arrows pointing out me and Pharrell Williams!
More photos from MaryAnn with me pointed out 🙂
Being on the field hearing the cheers and the crowd singing O Canada is something that I won’t soon forget! I’ve seen videos of the opening ceremony since then and am amazed at how great it looks (we couldn’t really get a good feel when we were on the field)!
Before you ask, NO, we didn’t get to stay and watch the game. Once we finished, we were bused back to the film studio where they had some food for us. We wrapped up, got into our regular clothes and headed home. On the plus side – we listened to the game on the way home and there was NO traffic!! Home in time to watch the end of the game (just barely, I dropped into bed and fell asleep!).
Admittedly – I am a fan of both of the teams that were in the World Series….but the home team will always have the edge when they’re in head to head competition, so game 7 was a tough one. I am truly grateful that I had the chance to be part of this unique presentation! Since I am a paper crafter, at some point in time, I WILL get around to doing some scrapbooking/photo journalling of this whole experience!!
(and now, back to our regular programming…..watch for paper crafting entries next!!)
So Exciting! It’s almost time for…. The Twelve Weeks of Christmas!!
Yes, you read that correctly! Starting October 1, YamStamps Subscribers will once again get exclusive access to twelve holiday themed craft project tutorials! If you’re already a subscriber – you’re all set! If you’re not yet subscribed to my weekly craft newsletters, you’ll want to sign up before Wednesday to be sure to receive all the tutorials! (this is in addition to the regular weekly tutorials!)
Each year, as a THANK YOU to YamStamps email newsletter subscribers, I do a 12 week lead up to Christmas. Each week, subscribers get an additional newsletter, featuring an exclusive holiday project tutorial. These tutorials do not appear anywhere else in the YamStamps world – only in the Twelve Weeks newsletters.
Be sure to be subscribed before Wednesday, October 1st to get all twelve projects, because they are each only sent out ONCE.
We start with holiday cards, then gift tutorials and finally wrapping and tag ideas. Each tutorial features a linked supply list and complete step by step instructions along with an image – just as you’ve come to expect, if you’re already subscribed to my weekly YamStamps newsletters! So exciting! I had a hard time picking out which tutorial to lead off with, but I think you’ll love it as much as I do!
