Nature’s Symphony meets Early Espresso: Crafty Collaborations Instahop

This week I’m hopping along with the Crafty Collaborations crew for a Monochromatic Challenge, and we’re going dark and moody with Early Espresso from Stampin’ Up!®.

Nature’s Symphony Bundle…

Early Espresso is a very imposing shade. I have explored all the different tones of this rich dark brown colour with a stamp set and die bundle that has plenty of depth and texture … the beautiful Nature’s Symphony bundle from Stampin’ Up!®.

The leaf detail from Nature’s Symphony dies adds such beautiful interest, especially when watercoloured. I also added some detail in the darker Designer Series Paper panel with those textural dies. The Lasting Linen background stamp makes a great background.

And if you are wondering about that odd little hinge, it is from my stash of bits and pieces … it was silver, but I coloured it with one of the darker Natural Stampin’ Blends. The effect was a blotchy look, much like a rusty old hinge. And the little hinge does work, the front flap lifts up to reveal a sentiment through an aperature in the front of the card.

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Here is my step by step process:

• The card base is Basic Beige card … a standard C6 (or A2 Card in Imperial), folded and portrait mode.
• The background layer in Basic Beige is 10 cm x 14.3 cm with the Lasting Linen background stamped with Early Espresso. The panel is ink blended with Early Espresso ink all over.
• I then cut the aperture in the front of the card using one of the smaller rectangles from the Textured Notes dies.
• The Early Espresso flap is cut using Gathering Together Designer Series Paper and Textured Notes dies. I die cut the dots and hash texture using dies from the Nature’s Symphony Dies before bacling the piece with the same shape die cut from Basic Beige. This gives it some strength so the hinge can be attached with little pewter brads (the hinge and brads are non-Stampin’ Up!® products, just things I have in my stash of goodies).
• The “log” is a die from Nature’s Symphony dies. I cut it three times from white card, coloured up Early Espresso ink and added texture with one of the dark Natural Tones Stampin’ Blends. The shapes are attached together and “rounded”. Stampin’ Dimensionals help it keep the rounded shape.
• That stunning leaf die from Nature’s Symphony has been die cut with Watercolour paper and Early Espresso. I watercoloured the Watercolour Paper die cut with Early Espresso ink and attached both over the log on the flippy panel.
• For the sentiment I do love this tinsy tiny THANK YOU from Nature’s Symphony stamp set. It has been white embossed on Early Espresso card and hand trimmed.
• And a large loopy Linen Thread bow completes the front panel.

I added some stamping and a sentiment under the lift up flap. Check it out in the little video below.

If you would like to see loads of Early Espresso inspiration, hop on over to my Instagram page, look for the post at the top of my grid and then follow the Instahop tags all the way through.

xx Cheryll

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Note: The Textured Notes dies are on the Last Chance List as at 22nd February 2026 at a discounted price of AU$32.40.

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Nature Walk Video Tutorial Bundle

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