Mornin’, y’all – hope you’re looking forward to a short week if you have to work!  If not – I hope you’re enjoying leftover Christmas dinner and the lights on your tree!  We “solved” our tree light issue by….just not turning them off!  We turn them to multi-colored when we go to bed – even from the living room the white lights are too bright in the bedroom for Wayne.  Me?  I’d probably string twinkle lights over my headboard and sleep with them on year round.  😉  Then I put them back on white when I get up!  Hopefully we can get a power adaptor before the next holiday tree-time!

Or…a new tree!

Speaking of trees – today’s card has no trees on it.  It has…succulents!  Simply Succulents, to be exact – cut out with the bundled Potted Succulents Dies.  I also used some Sand & Sea DSP to create a…desert feel for my thank you card.  Take a look-see:

The layout for this one comes from this week’s MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge.

I started with some pretty Sand & Sea DSP that looks like a desert sunset (to me.  Squint your eyes if you’re not seeing it, okay? 😉 ) and matted it on Soft Sea Foam cardstock for the card front.

Then I selected another piece that I cut to about half the size of the card front.  I used the Curvy Dies to cut it twice – ending with three pieces.

Starting with the piece that has the “eyelet” holes – I adhered that and the second layer with Liquid Glue.  I added the third – bottom – layer with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

On a piece of Very Vanilla, I stamped the Simply Succulents flower pot image in Early Espresso and colored it with my Cinnamon Cider Stampin’ Blends.  I used my Cinnamon Cider Stampin’ Write Marker for the lip and the “bands” around the pot.  Hint:  if you consider the Stampin’ Write Marker, then you can actually get THREE levels of color depth for SU colors!  The light and dark Blends – and the Marker! 😉

I cut the pot with its matching die in the Potted Succulents Die Set and adhered it to the card front with Liquid Glue.

I used my Stamparatus to stamp the large succulent image in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and cut it with its matching die.

I colored the succulents with my Light Purple Posy, Light Flirty Flamingo and Dark So Saffron Stampin’ Blends – then highlighted the tips with my light Granny Apple Green Blend.  The little hangy-down plants are colored with the Light and Dark Granny Apple Green Blends.

I cut two aloe vera plant die cuts from Soft Sea Foam – then used my Dark Soft Sea Foam Blend to add some shading to each “branch” before embossing them in the Subtle 3D Embossing Folder.  Then I adhered them to the card front with Liquid Glue.

I used Stampin’ Dimensionals and some Liquid Glue to adhere the large flower image on top.

I tied a double-loop bow from some new Blushing Bride twine from the Snail Mail Twine Combo Pack (coming on 5 Jan in the new catalog) and adhered it with a Glue Dot.  Then I stamped the Simply Succulents sentiment in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla, cut it with one of the handy dies in Potted Succulents and popped it over the bow with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

I added some pretty Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels and the card front was done!

On the inside, I added a second Simply Succulents sentiment in Early Espresso to a Very Vanilla panel and then added the large succulent image in the corner – coloring it the same way I’d done the image on the front.

I used Liquid Glue to adhere the panel to a Soft Sea Foam mat and into my Blushing Bride card base, popped the card front on with Stampin’ Dimensionals and the card was done!

My Very Vanilla Medium Envelope got the Simply Succulents image on the front…

…and more of the Sand & Sea DSP on the envelope flap.

Et Voila!  Amazing what a green thumb I have when I’m “growing” in paper, huh??  And this lovely Simply Succulent bundle – with the Potted Succulents dies that cut out EVERYTHING – is the perfect tool!  I had fun coloring these pretty plants – and I know you will, too.  I LOVE that there are multiple label dies – with stitching! – in the Potted Succulents set – to cut out the sentiments in Simply Succulents!  And – I didn’t even touch the huge, gorgeous background die!!  YET! 😉

I hope you like!

If you’d like to recreate this card, all the products and card cuts are listed below!

TTFN

HOST CODE FOR 16 DEC – 31 DEC: N2PFGZUG

Use this host code when you order $50 or greater and receive a free gift (AND the Monthly Card Tutorial) from me!  If your order is over $150, please do not use this code, but you’ll still get the free gift.  The free gift is your choice of any item valued up to $10.00 in any active Catalog!  That includes some of the Host Exclusive stamp sets!  See my Customer Rewards page for full details. You’ll also be getting a link to my ZOOM The Craftroom (an exclusive online event for my customers) and the monthly Online Tutorial.   The December Tutorial features the Arrange A Wreath Bundle!