Can't Keep UP

Am I getting slower?  Am I losing my concentration?   Am I not paying attention to details?  Is my MoJo on vacation?  Maybe all of the above, but it seems as if I am playing catch up, especially with challenges.  I finish a card just to find out that I missed a challenge or more by a day, or worse yet by a few hours.  Oh, well.  Maybe this is good therapy for my challenge addiction!!  LOL
So, this card is a CASE of Lois Bak and I was going to enter it for a Speedy TV challenge.  But you guessed it - I was too late.   I love Lois' card and I love how mine turned out too.

Mine:

Here is Lois' card

For my card, I used a stamp set "Signs of Autumn" by Gina K Designs.
I was planning on putting three brads of three different colors in the lower left of the front panel but because I have not cleaned my desk for awhile, I ended up with a speck of ink right where the red brad is now.
(I am determined to clean off my desk of all clutter and wash the top of my work surface tonight.)
I used the pillow top technique for my BG paper but will use more ink next time  like Lois did. 

These are the challenges that I am still in time for (smile):
Stampin Sisters in Christ - harvest or fall
Stamptacular Sunday - clean but elegant
Kraft Journal - lavishly layer
Ribbon Carousel - fall
Really Reasonable Ribbon - autumn
Clearly i Stamp - fall
Stamp an Create - anything

Harvest Blessings

We had so much rain this spring which resulted in my pumpkins seeds rotting after I planted them.  I planted a second time but too late.  So I am disappointed not to have any pumpkins this Fall but I do have lots of corn stalks for decorating.  And still eating corn, yellow neck squash, and ......
This pre-colored digital image and sentiment are by Doodle Pantry.  Just a great image depicting harvest.  This is part of the mid- month release.

Sketch is at Sweet Stop

Originally I was going to make the card with the diagonal part folding but decided to make it a panel - so much better for the cards I send to OWH; easier to insert into an envelop and more space for writing on the inside.
Buff Ivory cardstock - Kraft Outlet
Tobacco seam binding ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon


Challenges:
Stampin Sisters in Christ - harvest
Pile it On - stitching
Kraft Journal - layers
Ribbon Carousel - fall into fall
Really Reasonable Ribbon - autumn
Party Time Tuesday - 3 specified colors
Chocolate, Coffee, Cards - down on the farm
Speedy TV - Autumn and sentiment
Word Art

Leaves Are Falling

I love Autumn.  Are you getting tired of me saying that?  Sorry.  But I just love all the colors, smells, and our nice warm temperatures.  Did you ever jump in piles of leaves when you were a kid.  So much fun !  We had a huge maple tree near our house when my kids were growing up.  Every fall they spent hours raking the leaves in a pile and jumping in. 
I also love this sentiment.  If we break our lives into seasons, I am in the Autumn.  And I can attest to this statement that God is good all the time.  Even when I go through tough times, He is still good and has my best interest in mind.  Psalm 34 verse 8 says " Oh, put God to the test and see how kind He is!  See for yourself the way His mercies shower down (my note: like Autumn leaves) on all who trust Him."

This is a sketch at Stamp TV.  The tree and sentiment are GKD stamps.  All the leaves, except for the metal one, are punched out and layered on to of each other.  DP is a scrap.  I backed the sentiment piece and the DP piece with yummy brown kraft card stock from Kraft Outlet.

Challenges:
Great Impressions - sentiment
Stampin Sisters in Christ - fall
Clearly i Stamp - leaves
Kraft Journal - layers
Word Art Wednesday
Stamp and Create - anything

As You Can Clearly See

Why not make a card with a bookmark?  But, at the same time,  how to make a simple card for a boy?

As you can clearly see (sorry for being corny),  I used a piece of clear acetate on the front of the card, slipping the bookmark under the clear acetate.  In order to keep the bookmark from sliding through, I used a piece of ScoreTape on the bottom  edge of the acetate and then covered it with a piece of rick rack (matching the rick rack on the bookmark) so the tape would not show through the acetate.   I secured the top edge of the acetate with eyelets.
The images and sentiment are Gina K Design,  "Just So Hoppy"

Sketch is the Craft's Meow

Challenges:
A Blog Named Hero - tag
Stamp and Create - anything
Incy Wincy - bookmark
Wags n Whiskers - circles
The Craft's Meow - sketch

Blushing Fish

I've heard of a Blow Fish but never a Blushing Fish but here it is in this cute digital set by Paper Shelter.

The patterned paper comes with the image.  You know me - I love these colors.  Right now, these are the colors of our Autumn.  Still lots of green but with beautiful shades of yellow and orange.
  Don't you love this ribbon?  It is from Ribbon Carousel.
What an easy card to make with the pre-colored image and paper. .  I love that kind, especially if I am short on time and don't feel like coloring.

The sketch is CPS

Challenges:
Stampin Sisters in Christ - bright colors
Wags n Whiskers - circles
Pile it On - patterned paper
Sentimental Sundays - humor
Cutie Pie - no flowers
Really Reasonable Ribbon - autumn colors

Mid-September Surprise

Don't you love surprises?  Well, Laurie Wilson at Doodle Pantry has a mid-month release for us.  And talk about cute digital images?  Love them.   Here is one:

Isn't he just one of the cutest scarecrows you have ever seen.  In fact, he is so cute, the birds even love him! LOL
I used the color version and two strips of the beautiful paper Laurie has with the set.  Here is a pic of the set:

 This set even includes a separate image of the fence with 1 bird, a separate image of the pumpkins with the birds, and a separate image of just the scarecrow!

You just must go visit Doodle Pantry Blog.  You are going to want these sets.  And, as usual, there is a free set with purchase.
For this card I used the sketch at MFT

Challenges:
Pile It On - patterned paper
Cutie Pie - no flowers
Choclate, Coffee, Cards - Down on the Farm
Mema's Crafts - Pumpkin Patach

Enjoying Autumn

Here in the Pacific NW, we usually have beautiful Indian Summers.  This year is absolutely wonderful.  Temps in the high 70's, tipping in at 80, dry, blue sky.  The leaves are slowly turning the most glorious shades that Autumn can bring.  Next year I am going to plant more plants to give me a variety of color.  Right now I have a few shades of purple and a ton of Rudbeckia which are so bright and sunny.   Because Autumn is my favorite time of year, I will be making a lot of Autumn cards.  Here is one of the first:

The BG paper is digital by GKD
Vine ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon
The sketch is at Speedy TV
This card is also going into the drawing at the following challenges:
StampTV
Pile it On - patterned paper
Your Next Stamp - friends
Mema's Crafts - fall colors