Peony Garden Suite

Do you have a favorite flower? Maybe it is hard to pick just one or maybe you have never thought about it. I actually have a hard time choosing just one, but one of my favorites is the peony. I love their beautiful rounded blooms and fragrance. I was so excited when I saw the new Peony Garden Suite in the 2020-21 Stampin' Up!Ⓡ Annual Catalog. The suite consists of a stamp and die bundle along with gorgeous Designer Series Paper, shimmery ribbon, faceted gems, vellum doilies, and even an embossing folder. 

The two cards I am sharing today focus on the amazing large peony image in the stamp set as well as two of the greetings found in the set. I think the soft pinks and grays, which are featured in the suite, are perfect for sending a thoughtful greeting to a dear friend. I stamped this peony in Gray Granite and then colored the image with Petal Pink, Old Olive, and Mossy Meadow Stampin' Blends. The peony was die cut with the Peony Dies and the scallop edging on the white piece in the background is also cut with one of the dies in the set. The greeting uses the Lovely Labels Pick a Punch. Check out the Square Vellum Doily also peeking out from behind the peony!

Here is a closer image of the peony. The shading of the stamped image is a perfect guide to add color with the Stampin' Blends. I started with the light Petal Pink and added dark Petal Pink where the stamped image had shading. On the leaves I used Light Old Olive and Light Mossy Meadow. I did go back with a Mossy Meadow Stampin' Write Marker to add some definition to the veins in the leaves. 

My second card features the same stamped image without adding any color. It is stamped in Basic Gray and die cut. I used the beautiful Square Vellum Dollies in the background again and you can see the Elegant Faceted Gems better on this card as well the Dainty Diamonds embossing folder on the lighter gray strip. I think this makes a perfect sympathy card.

The Designer Series Paper in this suite is so soft and subtle and makes a great companion for the lovely peony image!

Peony Garden Designer Series Paper

Both of the cards I have shared today were inspired by card sketches I found on Pinterest. Card sketches give you a suggested layout without showing actual stamped images and allows you to be creative with a guideline rather than starting with a complete blank canvas. Card #1 with the Petal Pink peony was inspired by a sketch from Patsy Waggoner at Stamps To Die For. Card #2 with the Basic Gray peony was inspired by a sketch (card sketch #9) from Dawn Griffith at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts. Both of these ladies are also Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrators.

Any of these supplies can be purchased in my online store. Click the link to the right to shop!