It's Fall

We expected to see lots of Fall color in the east, but actually there's a lot more color where we live.  It's always fun to see another part of the country, though, & we loved the October weather with no humidity! 

Flying back into Portland was absolutely breathtaking with all the reds & yellows.  Here's a shot in our neighborhood, but it really doesn't do justice to the gorgeous colors this year. 

Amazing the difference a week made.  I started this card for SSS Flickr #82 right before we left. 

I used DIs abandoned coral, scattered straw & shabby shutters to match our neighbor's tree.  Now it's practically all yellow.  SSS Scattered Leaves remains one of the best prizes I've ever won--just love it! 

I splattered the leaves with gold watercolor & used what was left to paint a scrap of cardstock for the SSS die cut sentiment.  I'm also entering DRU & The Snippets Playground.

I really had fun making my PTI MIM Matting with Glitter card.  Yes, loose glitter is messy, but I still love it & pulled out a very old jar from a company no longer in business.  I painted the edges of my PTI Don't Forget to Write die cut card with FlitterGlu.  Then I poured on the Foxfire glitter--so pretty & sparkly with a combo of black, green & bronze.  Just couldn't capture it in a photo.

I used my Mini MISTI to line up all the stamps from PTI Take Three: Fall.  The pumpkins were stamped in Canyon Clay multiple times & the sentiment in Brilliance Graphite Black.  I added little black nail heads from my stash. 

The panel is mounted to a slightly larger textured black square & then to the card with fun foam.  I stamped several more panels while everything was lined up.  I'll show you that design soon.  I'm also entering SSS Monday, SSS Wednesday, Stamping Sensations & Words 2 Craft By.  I'm still catching up with everyone--thanks for your patience.

Thank You Wreath

Just home from vacation across the country, so it was a long day.  Poor Fritz ate dinner & crashed!  He really isn't happy when he's not with us.  Couldn't wait to make a card & we need to send some thank yous.  Just in the nick of time to enter PTI MIM Build a Wreath. 

I cut PTI Twig Wreath from brown felt & stamped images from that set & Autumn Adornments in Honey Nut, Summer Sunrise & Autumn Rose.  Fun to add a bit of sparkle with my neglected Gelly Roll Clear Star pen.  The sentiment from Friendship Jar Flowers was stamped in Memento rich Cocoa.  The die cut mat is Spellbinders Labels 17.  I used PTI Vintage Cream & a purple leaf printed paper for the card front.  A twine bow, wooden star & purple sequins finish it off.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by & I'll be catching up with you very soon.

A Couple of Older Cards

Sometimes when I'm short on time I just post in Flickr.  Thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of them.  First is a splash of pink card made with SSS Bright Blossoms & Painted Hugs dies.  

Next is another CAS Christmas card.  This one was done with smooshing for emboss resist instead of ink blending. 

The stamps are both by Impression Obsession.  Fun to use gold sequins for berries & to distress the edges--something I don't do very often anymore.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by. 

Spring and Christmas

My table is where I can see the TV & talk with hubby while I craft.  Works great while we watch football, so today I got 2 more cards made.  
First is another card for Winnie & Walter's WCMD Smooshing with Lydia challenge & I'm also adding it to Stenciled with Kate.  The panel smooshed with springy colors has been on my table forever.  It's Fall here, but my friends in Australia & New Zealand have Spring, so why not a Spring card?! 

I used packaging from a "to go" container to make a stencil with W&W The Leaf Effect.  Faber Castell Glass Bead Glitter Gel is just gorgeous--should use it more often. 

The sentiment from W&W Big, Bold, Seasons is stamped in gray on a vellum scrap & the panel is mounted with dark gray.  I have tons of flowers from before I started buying dies.  This one is really pretty--even included the pearl.  I'm also entering SSS WCMD & HLS Anything Goes with Dies.

Next is another Christmas card--my absolute favorites to make!  Most of mine are one of a kind, but hubby's newly found cousins all get the same design.  My requirements are that they be flat, fairly quick to make & still beautiful. 

Thinking this will work.  I can even vary the ink color & the sentiment--depending on what hubby wants.  The 2012 Penny Black beautiful season sentiment is embossed in Liquid Platinum & Penny Black's 2013 christmas reds & greens is clear embossed.  I used a Nuvo stencil brush to add DI evergreen bough.  Nuvo White Blizzard Glitter drops add a bit of sparkle to the berries.  I'm entering Penny Black's Holiday Head Start Challenge, Christmas Card Challenges, CropStop, Inkspirational & SSS WCMD.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

PTI & Ellen Hutson

I always try to play along in the PTI MIM challenges.  This week Dawn's challenge is sentiment windows.  I had a wreath card in mind, but then I saw the left over orangish die cut on my table & decided to use it by cutting out the center to make a frame. 

I stamped the sentiment from PTI Meadow Greens on the front of a kraft card in Versafine Vintage Sepia.  Then I realized the sentiment needs to be on the inside of the card, duh!  Fortunately, I just flipped it & then cut out the window.  The ferns were stamped in white pigment ink & I splattered white paint.  My friend, Lisa, gave me some darling wooden flowers.  I inked one with a bit of DI vintage photo & added a pearl to the center.  I'm also entering SSS WCMD & Word Art Wednesday.

Next is my entry for Ellen Hutson Mix It Up with Altenew.  I die cut the EH Leaping Deer from kraft cardstock & stacked it 3 high. 

The top layer was stamped with Hero Arts Tiny Snowflake Grid (thank you, Arlene) in DI vintage photo--allowing it to be uneven.  The green frame is made with Spellbinders Labels 18.  The sentiment from Altenew Painted Greetings was stamped in DI vintage photo & trimmed into a flag.  No bling as this will be hubby's BD card in a couple months.  I'm also entering SSS WCMD, Word Art Wednesday & ABNH.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.

Winnie & Walter

Usually I'm pretty positive, but lately it's hard not to feel sad with all the disasters & strife in the world.  Cardmaking is a great escape & I do love sending cards to my family & friends.
So nice that Winnie & Walter are giving people plenty of time to enter their WCMD challenges.  I have 3 more entries today.
1.  CAS with Heather H

I love Fall leaves, but decided to make Fall roses using W&W Bed of Roses.  I began by embossing with Moonstone powder & then sponged on DIs wild honey, fossilized amber & twisted citron.  I sprinkled with water, blotted with a towel & spritzed with gold Perfect Pearls.  The panel is mounted with fun foam to a kraft card with embossed dots of the same powder using a Quickie Glue pen.  I'm also entering CAS on Friday, CropStop, Stamplorations CAS Challenge, SSS WCMD & Word Art Wednesday.

2. Rainbow Challenge

Once again a stamp positioning tool to the rescue!  So fun making my rainbow panel using an image from W&W Scenery: Stripes 2.  The inks are Memento & the panel is mounted with a thin strip of black at the top & bottom.  My first plan was to stamp a little sentiment on the white card front, but ended up using my favorite W&W Hello die--much better idea!  The top layer is embossed with sparkle powder & I mounted it over a silver thread nest.  Finished off with PPP sparkling clear sequins.  I'm also entering SSS WCMD & Word Art Wednesday.

3. Smooshing Challenge with Lydia

I've had this DI smooshed panel on my table for quite awhile, so decided to use it for the challenge.  Should have done a practice run with the stamping, but too late--haha!  The white embossed images are from W&W In Bloom: Addie's Garden.  Decided to eliminate part of the area I wasn't happy with by die cutting the hello from the panel.  The little pieces were put back in place on the dark gray & I added 3 little paper roses from my huge stash.  I'm also entering SSS WCMD & Word Art Wednesday.