Double D Challenge: Fall Wreath

Hi friends!  Do you love a fall wreath?  I sure do, and that's our challenge beginning today at Double D!

Have a look at the beautiful inspiration board and a prize for a random winner:

The team has the difficult job of choosing creative winners.  You'll find more information on the Double D Challenge blog.

For today's card I cut a Tim Holtz Sizzix Funky Wreaths and decorated it with parts from the Cottage Cutz Fall Centerpiece.  I pulled a made-ahead embossed card base from my drawer o' card bases, added a strip of designer paper from The Vast Hoard, and an ancient Whipper Snapper sentiment.  Good to go!

All the coloring is ink blending with brushes, and I added Cinnamon Stickles to the flower centers.

I'm keeping it brief today as I'm running along to the next project.  Busy, busy!

I hope you'll find time to play along with us at Double D.  The team has some beauties to share with you, and I would love to see a gallery filled with fall wreaths!

Take care, and have a happy day!

Pumpkins and Sunflowers

Hi and welcome to a new week!  It's been a busy time at my house with new furniture followed by new carpet in the living room and, let me tell you, it's a lot for Rich and me to deal with.  We had a little help moving furniture (why is it all so heavy these days?), but we did a lot of it on our own, too.  Finally, we're a little more settled and I can get back to regular crafting!

I have fall supplies on my table and I've been playing with them as time allows.  Today I brought out a previously enjoyed Cottage Cutz Fall Centerpiece set and a not-yet-used Spellbinders Pumpkin Patch 3D embossing folder from an earlier warehouse sale.

I colored all with inks and brushes and put them together on a sanded card base with textured white backing up the centerpiece.  Older sentiments from my stash.  Cinnamon Stickles on the sunflower centers.

I'll be sharing here:

Darnell's NBUS (never before used schtuff) Challenge #79 with my NBUS Pumpkin Patch embossing folder.
Darlene and Diane's Four Seasons Challenge -- October, with a beautiful inspiration board.

 

I hope to be back here soon and I'll look forward to seeing you.  Take care!

Bringing in the Harvest

For my final autumn card this year I used the second dog in my Inky Antics Autumn Dogs stamp set.  Six dies, one embossing folder, two stamp sets, and two patterned papers later I ended up with this scene.

I know, it's a lot.

Honestly, I intended to make a simple card with the dog and Sunrays (Spellbinders) embossing folder.  Then along came the Whittle Field and Trees (Poppystamps), an additional rolling hill, a fence, a butterfly because the dog seemed to be looking up at something.  I puzzled over where to put the sentiment, and finally made a tag and slipped it under his carefully trimmed and lifted paw.  Sheesh.  Autumn papers, Tombow coloring on the stamps, brushed and sponged ink on the die cuts and embossing.  Oh, and I cut a scalloped circle for the sun just for an extra touch of whimsy.

It will be sent as a Thanksgiving card.

Playing along here:

Four Seasons -- Fall season November 2024.  Anything fall themed.
Love those Pretty Papers -- Anything goes, optional yellow and brown.
NBUS Challenge #68 -- Poppystamps Whittle Field and Trees is my never before used schtuff.

The Sisterhood of Crafters -- Landscape

  

Thank you for visiting!  Enjoy your weekend!

Pumpkin Feast

Hi there!  One more Thanksgiving card just for fun.  I've had this Stampendous wood block stamp for ages and still use it every few years.  Today it's combined with a fall vine and an everyday wood frame.  I believe dies were not even a "thing" when I first bought the stamp.  Time marches on.

I did my usual coloring with Tombow markers on watercolor paper.  No blender this time, just the markers.  These days I'm comfortable with a looser coloring style -- not a lot of detail and shading.  I'm sorry about that in some ways, but better to ease up than to stop altogether.

• I'm playing along today in the Four Seasons Challenge.  They've got a super cute mood board and it's the last of the fall challenges.  After this they'll start up with winter.  Sad face.
• Additionally, the Sisterhood of Crafters has a Fall Harvest challenge.  I would say my chipmunks are definitely enjoying a fall harvest.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  Take care till we meet again.

Stamps:  Stampendous Pumpkin Feast, Hero Arts sentiment  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Cougar vanilla  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Rich Cocoa for sentiment  Coloring:  Tombow markers  Dies:  Memory Box Autumn Border, Impression Obsession Small Leaf Set, Hero Arts Wood Frame, Spellbinders rectangle from retired set  Other:  Clear embossing powder, foam tape to pop up sentiment and single leaf

Harvesting Critters

Oh, happy day, I made a Thanksgiving card!  I set these Penny Black critters aside for Thanksgiving last year, but never got around to it as I'm always rushing on to the next thing this time of year.  It may only be one card, but it sure was fun to make!

I stamped in Versafine Onyx Black, embossed with clear powder, then colored with my Tombows.  The "happy" is layered for dimension and topped off with a petite print designer paper.  I've been using these same two patterns year after year -- one 12 x 12 sheet of each print -- and this really needs to be the year I finish them off.  That would be cause for celebration!

I plan to be back with more card creations very soon.  Wishing you a happy day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Critter Fun and Happy Builder (sentiment)  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Stampin Up More Mustard, scraps designer paper  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Versamark  Coloring:  Tombow markers & blender  Other:  Penny Black Happy Edger die, Stampin' Up Subtle embossing folder, SU Word Window punch, rain dots stickers, detail clear and detail white embossing powder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Double D Challenge: Thankful - Blessings - Grateful

Hi there!  It's time for another Double D Challenge.  It's Diane's turn to put forth the challenge and she has given us a beautiful autumn board for inspiration.  The theme is Thankful - Blessings - Grateful, so do keep that in mind when you create.  It doesn't have to be a Thanksgiving card as there are many occasions for thanks, blessings, and gratefulness.

I saw the jar of autumn leaves in the lower left corner of the board and was immediately reminded of an older Power Poppy stamp set called Feeling Fall.  The clear stamp set is retired, but there's a digi featuring the boot and more here.

I stamped the gourds and coffee mug on watercolor paper, then masked and stamped the boot behind them.  Coloring was done with Tombow markers and homemade blender pen.  I've used some of my oldest autumn designer papers for the background.  I never did have a lot of this paper, but it seems to go on and on.  I stitched up the image panel, punched circles for the sentiment, and added some hand cut leaves for accent.

My "grateful" and "blessed" are on the inside of the card:

You know how it works:  The team votes on creative favorites and a pretty great prize goes to a randomly drawn winner.

I hope you'll come play with us at Double D!  Check out the team's cards then use your imagination to create with the theme.  We'd love to see you in the gallery.  Have a great day!

Stamps:  Power Poppy Feeling Fall, SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds, Crafter's Companion Thankful Words, Impression Obsession Grateful for You  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot pressed watercolor, CTMH Vineyard Berry, SU Almost Amethyst, scraps designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir, SU Lavender Lace  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender  Other:  1" & 1 1/4" circle punches, SU Subtle Embossing folder, stitching

Double D Challenge - Octoberfest

Hello!  It's time for another Double D challenge.  Welcome to Octoberfest!  We're celebrating the lovely month of October with some of the many things we love about it.  Let yourself be inspired by the mood board below:

I saw the pumpkins and flowers in the lower right corner of the mood board and decided to give some love to my Penny Black Hello Pumpkin set that didn't come out often enough last year.  I combined it with an Impression Obsession sentiment thinking to send it to a friend at Thanksgiving.

I colored with Tombow markers and blender pen, then hand cut all pieces.  The cardstock is sanded and the designer paper is a super oldie.  This simple layout is a go-to favorite.  I could do every other card this way I think.  So easy when you don't have to think about it too much.

As always, the team votes on creative favorites (not an easy task), and there's a prize for a random winner.

Come on over to Double D and see the team's samples, then show us yours!  Have a great day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Hello Pumpkin, Impression Obsession Giving Thanks  Paper:  Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor, SU Core'dinations type cardstock, scrap designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir  Coloring:  Tombow markers and homemade blender pen  Other:  Rhinestones, Hero Arts Wood Frame die set

Thankful and Grateful

Hello friends!  I'm afraid I fell short on Thanksgiving cards this year.  Just like always they were overshadowed by the need to finish the Christmas cards.  If I make any more Thanksgiving cards they'll be set aside for next year.

The two cards I'm sharing today are simply patterned paper and dies with only the green-embossed sentiments for stamping.  On the first card I used the SU Subtle embossing folder on the card base.  I put the whole card in the folder and ran it through vertically, then turned the card horizontally in the folder and ran it through again.  Instant textured cardstock!  I've been loving that and always on the lookout for more folders suitable for this whole-card embossing.  The Subtle folder is aptly named so it may not show well in the picture, but is effective in real.

The paper totally covers the card front on this next card.  So much quicker and easier than coloring and I do have a lot of paper to use, but it gives me a twinge of cheater's guilt.  You know what I'm saying... I shouldn't feel that way.  It's just that card making has become so sophisticated and these little ol' cards are so simple.  However, I will say they were fun to make and satisfying in the end.  So there (😊).

Even though the stamping is sparse on these cards, I'm going to play along at Sisterhood of Crafters:  Give Thanks.

Christmas cards are in the works, but fall isn't over yet so I'll see what I can do.  Life is busy!  Wishing you a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Crafter's Companion Thankful Words (#1), Impression Obsession Grateful (#2)  Paper:  Vanilla card base on each, green and rust cardstock scraps, Bo Bunny Autumn Song DP (#1), Studio Light Autumn DP (#2)  Ink:  Versamark, miscellaneous for sponging birds and leaves  Other:  Memory Box Finnegan Fronds die set (2015), green embossing powder, SU Subtle embossing folder (#1)

Squirrel!

Hello, friends!  I'm sharing a fun card today with pretty papers and a Bugaboo squirrel digi-stamp.  Still having a good time playing with my supplies since the most recent declutter and reorganization of my stamp room.  I purchased the stamps and paper pad late last year knowing it would be a while before I used them, but fall has come and time to make some Thanksgiving cards.

Squirrel with his precious acorns was colored with Tombow markers and a blender pen plus a little help from a few Copic markers.  Whatever works, right?  I hand cut and popped him up on the decorated  5 1/2" card.  The pale peach cardstock is probably from Stampin' Up, but the last time I checked they had discontinued this Core'dinations-type cardstock.  I love how it can be lightly sanded to show the white core for a different sort of texture.  I tend to hoard what I have of it, for shame.  It looks much better on a card than it does sitting in a dark cabinet.

This particular page from the DCWV Fall Forest mat stack has gold foil accents throughout, and so I decided to gold emboss the sentiment and add the gold cord.  It really dresses up Squirrel's card.  For accents I added the leaves and mushroom.  That mushroom turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole card.  I sponged with SU inks to coordinate with the paper and then stamped and gold embossed the tiny pattern on the cap.  Did that with a very old SU set called Petite Patterns, which is a set too useful to purge.

Inside is another sentiment purchased last year.  It's a whole beautiful set on its own and I hope to use it again this year.  The plaid-pattern paper on the front and inside is the reverse side of the foiled piece.

I'm happy to share in Darnell's NBUS Challenge #31 today with my sentiment stamps and Squirrel digi.

Okay, that's enough fun for one day, but I'll be back at it as soon as possible.  Till then... have a happy day!

Stamps:  Bugaboo Squirrel digi stamp, Impression Obsession Always Something, SU Petite Patterns, Crafter's Companion Thankful Words (inside)  Paper:  SU for card base, Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor for squirrel, X-Press It (white), scraps colored cardstock, DCWV Fall Forest mat stack  Ink:  Printer for Squirrel, Versamark, SU So Saffron & Groovy Guava for mushroom  Coloring:  Tombow markers & blender pen combined with Copic markers  Dies:  Spellbinders squares, Sue Wilson Pierced Flags, Cheery Lynn Faerie Mushrooms, Paper Smooches Foliage 1  Other:  Gold elastic cord, Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, dimensional dots

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Reminder

Hello!  I'm back with a reminder of the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  It's open till December 4 at 8:00 pm GMT, so there's still time.  It's always anything goes with Penny Black products, but there's also an optional theme -- this time it's a Bingo or Tic-Tac-Toe board.  See the challenge blog for full instructions.

I followed diagonal top left to bottom right.  My patterned papers are DCWV Fall Forest, the Penny Black stamp set is Hello Pumpkin, and I did my best to keep this clean and simple.  I surgically split the sentiment, which originally said "hello pumpkin".  It's cute for a child, but not something I'd say to a girlfriend.  Someday the "pumpkin" word will come in handy, but not this time.  By the way, I'm using this as a Thanksgiving card.  One of very few I'll be making this year, sniff sniff.

I don't know how many of you remember SU's slot punch, but that's how I made the deep scallop border.  Stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and loosely colored with Copic markers.  I hand drew the pumpkin segment lines because my coloring looked too flat without them.

I added a lot of sparkle to this with Wink of Stella and Stickles.  Even with the large photo below you can't get the full effect.  You can definitely get a good look at my goofy coloring.  Just having fun.

Busy stamping times for me.  How about you?  I want to play with fall stamps, but Christmas cards are calling my name.  Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy it.  Come play with us in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  Pretty sure you'd enjoy it.  Take care!

From Our Patch to Yours

Hello!  I'm glad you could stop by today because I have the honor of posting as a guest designer with the Penny Black Saturday Challenge.  Thank you Penny Black girls!

 

Penny Black Saturday Challenges are always anything goes... or an option.  The November option is this bingo/tic tac toe board.  I love a tic tac toe board!  Today I've used the center vertical option of ribbon or twine, Penny Black stamped image, and a sentiment.

My ribbon is ric rac, which I think qualifies, my Penny Black stamped image is Owlsome, and the sentiment comes with the set.

Here's a giggle for you:  I didn't notice that these owls were actually pumpkins when I ordered them.  I loved them at first sight and I don't know what I was thinking... whimsical owls with leaves for wings and flower bedecked feathers?  And what about the stems coming out the tops of their heads?  I was totally blinded by their cuteness.  Nevertheless, they're adorable for any kind of fall card.  

I'm pretending these are a Mr. and Mrs. with the Mrs. being the smaller one in the front.  I masked the Mrs., stamped the Mr. behind her, and gave them a grassy field from which to send their greeting.  The leaves are cut out and arranged as shown.  All coloring was done with Tombow markers, no water, on Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.  A little strip of designer paper decorates the upper edge.  So much fun, and they do make a very happy greeting!

In addition to my guest spot at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge, I'm heading over to Darnell's NBUS Challenge #20 because this my first card with the Owlsome set.

As always, count your blessings and hang in there till things are back to normal because, seriously, this cannot be our new normal.  See you again soon!