In nature, trees are a bonanza of texture.  Leaves vary from silky smooth to prickly and rough.  Tree trunks might be deeply grooved bark or soft to the touch.  Some include needles, cones, nuts, or blossoms each with its own feel.

Scrapbookers can mimic the textures of nature with embossing plates, sandpaper, and even glitter or they may choose to create their own personal tree style.  Deana layered flower punches of patterned paper for her tree texture while Alicia dotted hers with glitter.  Helena transformed her chipboard tree with glossy accents and microbeads for a stunning--and spooky--effect.

Whether you wish to play with season, shape, or texture, try adding a tree to your next creation.  They open up a world of possibilities and fun!

1 Week of Soccer Camp by Deana Boston

Supplies: Paper: Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker, S.R.M. Press, Cardstock: Recollections, Alphabet Stickers: Nikki Sivils Scrapbooker, Stickers: S.R.M. Press, Pens: Sakura, Fonts: LD Remington Streamline, wooden skewer, staple. Tools: Punches: EK Success.

Design Notes: My tree leaves were created with a flower punch. I used a wooden skewer to create a banner. I made the banner look like it had some movement by making small curves in the paper and sticky dots underneath the waved areas. To create my grass, I simply tore the edges of my paper and added pop dots underneath to add some dimension.

Journaling: For the past few years, we've enrolled you in the Apostles Church soccer camp. It's a week-long camp (well, 4 days actually), for 2 hours in the morning. It's usually really hot, but they make sure to keep you all hydrated with coolers filled with Gatorade, big containers full of water & popsicles at the end. While you always have a lot of fun and want to do it again the following year, you still haven't expressed interest in joining a team. It's a fun summer activity for now!

Growing Up by Helena Johansson

Supplies: Paper: Heidi Swapp, Creative Imaginations, Chipboard: Dusty Attic, Alphabet Stickers: BasicGrey, Flowers: Petaloo International, Prima Marketing, Lace: Inkido, Felt, Pearls: Prima Marketing, Bling: Zva Creative, Specialty Ink: Tattered Angels, Ink: Ranger Industries, Keyhole: Melissa Frances, microbeads, charms. Tools: Decorative Scissors: Fiskars, Distresser: Making Memories, Blending Tool: Ranger Industries.

Design Notes: I have used a plate as a template to make this circular layout. I cut the edges of one of the papers with a decorative scissors and roughed the edges on the other paper with an edge-scraper. I then chalked the edges with Distress Ink with a blending tool and finally folded the edges a bit. I have misted the Dusty Attic chipboard tree with a dark blue glimmer mist. I have then put on some glossy accents on the tip of the branches and also put on pewter microbeads to add some texture to the tree. I’ve also misted the Prima Innoscence flowers with the same color of glimmer mist.

Hospitality Thank You Card by Alicia Ekermans

Supplies: Paper: Die Cuts With A View, Cardstock: Wausau, Georgia Pacific, Glitter Glue, Ink: Ranger Industries. Tools: Die Cut Machine: Provo Craft, Dies: Spellbinders, Embossing Folders: Provo Craft, Stamps: Woodware USA, corner rounder punch.

Design Notes: Used a scalloped oval Spellbinders die to create the scalloped circle card. I folded the card base in half before die-cutting and allowed a little of the die to hang off the top. All of the stamped images were paper-pieced.

Journaling: Thank you for your hospitality.