Leaves Are Falling

We have had some wonderful weather in October and the Autumn colors have been spectacular but now the trees are looking a bit bare and soon all the glorious color will be gone.  I'm hanging on to the Autumn colors in my house and on my cards until Thanksgiving Day (even if there aren't any leaves left on the trees!)
This card is not necessarily a Thanksgiving Day card but it is a great reminder to always be thankful and to be giving.

I used a Stamploration stencil and Oxide inks for the background.  The sentiment is a Stamploration stamp.  With the help of my Misti I stamped it several times in Chocolate Brown and then stamped it again with Versamark so I could emboss over the brown with clear embossing powder.
The panel and the brown cardstock behind it are cut with  Stamploration wavy stitched dies.  I didn't plan on using all those products from that store but obviously I do like them! and use them a lot.  (Maybe I should get an advertising commission - haha)
My card is a CASE of Deepti's card.  I love her work.

Challenges:
Addicted to Stamps - Autumn colors
House that Stamps Built - inspiration photo/palette
Time Out - grateful for what makes us happy
Dies R Us - anything Fall
Words2Craft By - air is wild with leaves
Work It Wednesday - Give thanks
Power Poppy - backgrounds that make the image pop
Stamploration - Autumn theme

Cutplorations - photo inspiration

Stamploration Never ending challenge

Three Amigos - Autumn
Stamploration CAS 

CASual Friday - photo inspiration

First Thanksgiving Card

I don't send out very many Thanksgiving cards but I do send a few to old friends who now live across country from me.

Starting with Vanilla cardstock, I used a Stamploration stencil and Tim Holtz Distress Oxide inks to cover the panel with leaves.  Then I pulled out my leaf dies, Spellbinder, Impression Obesession, and Elizabeth Craft Design.   After running them through the Cuttlebug, I sponged the edges of some, added pencil on some of the veins, and embossed the large leaf with Copper embossing powder.  The sentiment (? company) is also embossed with Copper.
The main panel is backed with Copper Metallic paper and then both are adhered to Saffron cardstock.

The sketch I used is found at Tuesday Morning Sketches.

Challenges:
Tuesday Morning Sketches
Addicted to Stamps - Autumn colors
If You Give A Crafter a Cookie - photo inspiration
Creative With Stamps - leaves
Three Amigos - Autumn
Stamping Sensations - shades of Autumn
Die Cut Divas - Autumn
Words2CraftBy - "air is wild with leaves"
Stamploration - theme

Stamploration Never ending anything goes challenge

Cutploration -photo inspiration

Getting Ready for Winter

No, I am not looking forward to winter and I am not ready but I have been trying to work on things in the flower and veggi gardens to get ready.  I planted 80 tulip bulbs last week and added to the compost heap with old vegetables from the garden.  SO, should I be getting ready for winter in the card making department?  Well, I can't even get motivated to make Christmas cards but I did make a winter card.
Inspired by a sketch at MFT

This card took too many attempts and too many hours but it turned out pretty cute.  I couldn't get a good picture of it - the sky is a darker blue than shows here.  I sponged blue distress ink then stamped the snowflakes with Versamark, embossing them with a mix of white and iridescent embossing powder.  The images: bird house is GKD , snowman and trees are Stampin' Up.
The window frame is strips of cardstock.  The corners are mitered. 
Here is the sketch I used:

It is beautiful outside today so I'm heading out to do some more winterizing.

Challenges:
MFT - sketch
Work It Wednesday - fav stamping technique (masking)
Word Art Wednesday - anything 

Autumn Birthdays

Autumn is my favorite time of year.  I really enjoy making cards during these months.  And I am into cards with a little different twist, fold, or interest right now so I cut and made a center step card.

After cutting and folding the right places on the Pumpkin Spice cardstock, I cut pieces of designer paper for the sides and strip that would be below the main image, which is a stamp and coordinating die by Stamploration.  I colored it with Copics and Prisma pencils.
The four pumpkins are cut with a Spellbinder die, and then rolled a bit for dimension.  They are attached with foam tape.  I wish I had a wheat or corn die but because I don't, I used the next best thing -  Time Holtz Sizzix wildflowers.
The happy birthday sentiment (Stampin Up) is embossed with copper.
Here is a template I used for the card:

I made the cuts with my small trimmer and even though I have a score blade for it, I prefer making the score lines with my ScorPal.

My card is going to a sister whose husband owns the biggest fruit packing plant in the state especially for apples so I think she will like the image on the card.  (I do and I don't have a packing plant !!! LOL)

Challenges: 
Die Cut Divas - Autumn
Die Cuttin Divas - 3 d project
Scor Pal - Fall, Harvest
Stamploration Theme - Autumn

Cutploration - photo inspiration

Stamploration Never ending anything goes - Fall

Crop Stop - anything
Word Art Wednesday - anything 
Three Amigos - Autumn
Stamping Sensations - Shades of Autumn
If You Give a Crafter a Cookie - cookie photo inspiration

Honeycomb Project

I've always liked honeycomb paper items.  This week I watched some videos to learn how to make them.  It was fun to find out that I really could do this.  So here is my first attempt.  I made a small pumpkin because I knew I wanted to use it on a gift tag.

I didn't have any light weight orange paper so I took printer paper and rubbed it with Distress Oxide inks in order to turn it orange.  Using a pumpkin shaped Spellbinder die, I cut out at least 24 pumpkins, gluing them together per instructions.
Before adhering the pumpkin to the tag (with Scoretape) I rubbed Peeled Paint Distress Oxide onto the tag.  The leaves are Impression Obsession.  The sentiment is Whimsy.
 I love this pumpkin.  I think I will try an apple because I have apple shaped dies too.  If it turns out, you may see it on one of my posts.

Challenges:
Simon Monday - tag
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Dies R Us - anything
Double D - pumpkins
Die Cut Divas - Autumn
Stamploration - Tag with inspirational photo

Power Poppy - background to make an image pop

Another Mug Shot

Because I love this digital stamp by Stamploration, I made a few more cards with it.   For this card I used the sketch at Die Cuttin Divas.

It is colored with Copics and Prisma pencils and then cut out with a MFT Circle Stax die.  The leaves are Impression Obsession dies.
Here is the sketch I used:

Loving Autumn and all the leaves, pumpkin, and pumpkin spice lattes! Hope you are too.

Challenges:
Die Cuttin Divas - sketch
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Double D - pumpkins
Dies R Us - anything goes
Crop Stop - anything
Die Cut Divas - Autumn
Joy Clair - mood board
Stamplorations Anything Goes Never ending challenge

Stamploration Theme and Sketch - Autumn

Cutplorations - Stamploration die cut challenge

Dot the I and Cross the T

That is what I forgot to do - dot the "I".  But of course, I did not notice it until I took a photo of the card.  It is now fixed (it was still on my cutting plate !)  but you will have to settle for the un-dotted picture.

I love this new digital stamp by Stamploration and the die, Hug in a Mug, by the same company makes for a perfect combo.  The cup is fussy cut and then popped up with dimensionals.  I backed the Vanilla panel with Pumpkin Pie cardstock, making sure it was the same width as the triple scallop.  The scallop was cut with a die - not sure of the company.  I've had it for many years.  It is 9 inches long and cut out 8 scallops so I just used 3 on the strip.
The embossed paper is from a 12 x 12 Recollections paper pad.
Image was colored with Copics and Prisma pencils.  The cup and handle are light brown IRL but are washed out in this photo. And the square behind the cup and the strip behind the sentiment is Vanilla.  Sometimes you just can't capture the real colors. 
Here is the sketch I used:

Challenges:
Tuesday Morning Sketch 
Double D - pumpkin
Die Cut Divas - Autumn

Word Art Wednesday - anything
Stamploration - anything goes never ending challenge

Cutplorations - photo inspiration

Stamploration  theme and sketch - Autumn

Get Moving at Fifty

Oh my.  Did I ever find something fun.  Well, I should say it found me.  Recently I won a challenge or drawing or something like that (I can't remember) but anyway I won a prize.  It was a die set by Uchi.  It was my first introduction to these card in motion. And now I think I am hooked!

The dies cut out the window, the slit for the tab, the tab and a way to attach an image or in this case the "50" which I had stamped with Close to You Heart stamps and then cut out with a MFT stitched rectangle.  When you pull the tab, the black and white acetate piece (behind the 50) moves.
I wish I could show you a video.  You can see how it works on the Uchi Motion Crafts website.
The balloons are Paper Sweeties stamps colored with copics then cut out with coordinating die.  The banner is cut with a MFT die and the zigzag with another die -? company.
Such a fun card for a SIL who is turning 50.

Challenges:
Word Art Wednesday - anything
Dies R Us - anything
MFT Birthday - interactive card
Crop Stop - anything
Work It Wednesday - favorite stamping technique (Misti)
House that Stamps Built - up in the air (balloons)