Fall Watercolor Leaves

I began teaching some ladies to make some simple cards about three months ago. I try to teach them different techniques each time and review an older technique. This month we did water color smooshing for our fall leaves. We had not made any masculine cards so I challenged them to use the same card design to make a masculine card.  I also gave them a choice of different sentiments that went with the design. One of the cards I  made for an example works for the Cheery Lynn Challenge this time so I will enter it there.  The leaves are Cheery Lynn, the sentiments are PTI and the pumpkin is from Memory Box.

                                           

I have both a large and small set of Cheery Lynn leaves so I had them make a large water color panel so they could cut enough leaves for both a feminine and masculine card.We reviewed how to use an embossing folder and sponging, but I let them choose the embossing folder and sentiment they wanted  and decide if they wanted to sponge color onto the embossed piece. I made several samples for them. 

 

Fall Wreath

The new challenge at Dies R Us is called Thankful for Nature. This sentiment from IO is perfect for a nature theme. I cut two layers of the Tutti wreath. One from black and another from a water colored panel and layered them on the Cherry Lynn doily. I cut the Diversions  oriental screen in black and backed it with kraft card that has been  embossed and sponged with distress ink. I added a bow some wheat stocks and a couple of acorns.  For those of you who have not signed up for the newsletter from Dies R Us ..... YOU NEED NEED TO. They offer tremendous sales anywhere from 10% to 70% on selected dies or company's dies. They usually have a time limit and you need to get your order in within the limit, but you can really save the $$$$$. SO SIGN UP FOR THE NEWSLETTER.

 

Diversions Oriental Screen                       Tutti Designs Leafy Wreath                                            IO Wheat
                       

                                                  
                                                                                                                                                  

                                   
Cheery Lynn Acorn                                                            Cheery Lynn French Pastry    

    

I know you want to see what the  Design Team created this time so visit  Dies R Us and then create a Give Thanks for Nature project and link it up for a chance to win credit at the store. Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter while you are there
                                    

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Double D Fall Plaids

What a warm and cozy Mood Board Darlene created for us this month. I love the warm look of the blankets and socks.

 T

The Prize

 This was a real challenge for me because I don't have a huge stash of designer paper and I don't have any stamps to create a plaid pattern. Then I remembered a Christmas paper pad I bought several years ago. Yea!!! It had a plaid design, Since I have so many Christmas cards to make, this was perfect. Here is my plaid designed Christmas card. 

I made green background using some gold glimmer mist and framed it with a Gina Marie frame cut from the plaid background. Then I used a Spellbinder's ornament die to cut the plaid ornament. I decorated it with a Spellbinder;s poinsettias, Gina Marie pine cones and Cheery Lynn holly leaves. A Peace sentiment from Cheery Lynn finished the project.  So now head on over to see the inspiration from the design team at DD Challenges  and then pull out your plaids and create. 

Water Color Leaves

The PTI challenge HERE this week is to take inspiration from one of the designers. Melissa Phillips created this beautiful card featuring products from the newest release.


                                           
Here is my attempt at her card. I created a fall card and tried to do a layout similar to Melissa's card. I used the PTI Wet Pain stamp and die set and the leaves are Cheery Lynn that I cut from some water colored paper I created.

Alun's Birthday

I am loving the IO tree die that I bought last month. This is the third card I have made using it and I am sure I will use it a lot more. I sent this to my son-in- law for his BD.

I used several IO dies for this project that are available at Dies R US.  I will enter this in IO Fall Birthday Challenge and Kats Scrappiness World Cardmaking Day

  Tree Frame                                               Pumpkin Patch

   Fence Trio                   Deer Trio



Bird House set 

Clean and Simple Candles

Another Christmas card is done. I tried my hand at a Clean and Simple design. The Memory Box Glowing Candles die is perfect for standing alone. I die cut it in red, gold and green in lay the negative pieces onto the design and embossed the background and the candles with embossing folders and added a few sequins and a single flower.

I will enter this at Memory Box Sequins Challenge
Kats ScrapinessWorld-Card Making Challenge

Pumpkin Time

It's pumpkin time at Double D. Look at the variety of pumpkin images Diane found for us...everything between elegant to rustic, and even a pumpkin in a cup.  

                                                  

When I saw this challenge, I remembered a Heartfelt stamp that I have had for years and hardly ever used. I dug it and my markers out of the drawer and colored it. I am not a good colorist and envy those who are, but I enjoy coloring and it is good for me to practice.  I chose to go the more rustic route with this image. 

I framed it with a Gina Marie scalloped frame and added some IO wheat, Cheery Lynn leaves, Joy craft flower and some twine. I am on team Darlene, but the mood boards at Double D always inspire me to create so I just have to participate. If you have not noticed the moos board for the next challenge is always posted on the blog so you can think ahead. There is always a fun prize to be won so head on over to the BLOG and see what the team has done. You will truly be inspired and we are looking forward to seeing what YOU do.

Black and White

I got two new dies that I have not used and  the Poppy Stamp Back to Black Challenge was perfect for using both of them.  This is prettier in real life because the black background is black glitter paper. The Cover plate is from IO and the top snowflake is Poppy Stamps  Marias Snowflake. I will also enter it in Kats Scrappiness World-Card Making Day

Frames as a Background.

I decided to take a break from Christmas cards to enter a challenge at Paper Trey Ink. Look at Amy's beautiful card made with frames as a backdrop. What a fun way to dress up the front of a card and still keep a clean design.

                                        

You can see Amy Schaffer's video on this make it Monday Challenge HERE. What a fun way to dress up the front of a card and still keep a clean design.

I started with gold card stock and embossed it with an IO script background embossed in gold. I used three frames from Frantic Stamper. The stamp is PTI Feather finery that is stamped on black card embossed in gold for the first layer and white for the second layer. I will enter this in the following challenges. 

PTI Make It Monday

Katd Scrappiness World- Card Making

The Leaves in the Trees

October has arrived and fall is in the air. The new challenge at Dies R Us is called the "Leaves on the Trees" so I used some of each. I started with a water colored background and stamped the sentiment in the corner. I cut the tree frame from craft paper and sponged it for some shadows and layered it on the water colored background. I used some flower soft on the branches of the tree for the fall colors and then put a frame on top. I tucked some pumpkins around the bottom of the tree and added some wheat leaves and flowers in the corner. 

IO WheatIO TreeIO Pumpkin Patch

Cheery Lynn leaves  


                                           

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Laurie's Birthday Card.

This is a card for one one  my dearest friends, Laurie. Lots of time and die cuts on this one and some pretty designer paper.



                              

I love interactive cards so I decided to use the oval accordion die by Karen Burniston that I have had for awhile but not used often enough.

                                                                                  
I cut the frames in black and in some pattern paper and I layered them. I was going to take pictures of each panel before I linked the panels together but I did one and forgot to do the others. Here is the one I remembered.







I did a total of five panels. The front panel




and four inside panels.





Dies
Gina Marie scalloped rectangles
Gina Marie fir branches
Spellbinders Happy Birthday to You

Sue Wilson Just for You   

Sue Wilson dandelion clocks
Amy Design Musical Stave
Sue Wilson On your Special Day
 Frantic Stamper Ovals
Frantic Stamper fern
Poppy Stamps  Heartland Oval Frame
Cheery Lynn Pour the wine
 Cheery Lynn Small Exotic Butterflies.

I will enter the following challenges

Scrapy Land Happy Birthday
Simon Says WednesdayAnything Goes
Cheery Lynn Anything Goes

Tree Outside My Window

Horray!!! It is challenge time at Double D and Darlene has out together another amazing mood board for us. We are to use a tree on our project. I loved all the inspiration but my eye was drawn to the fall colors so I used that as my inspiration. I started with a A2 panel, embossed it with a Tim Holtz brick pattern embossing folder and sponged on some color. Then I backed a Spellbinder's window panel with some vellum and put that over the embossed panel. A Frantic Stamper bench and a Memory Box cat. Next I use an IO tree frame and surrounded it with IO mini pumpkins.


                              

 I started with a A2 panel, embossed it with a Tim Holtz brick pattern embossing folder and sponged on some color. Then I backed a Spellbinder's window panel with some vellum and put that over the embossed panel. I added a Frantic Stamper bench and a Memory Box cat below the window.  Next I used an IO tree frame with some pop dots  for dimension and surrounded the base of the tree with IO mini pumpkins. Then I added some punched and sponged leaves to the tree. I over did that a lot and covered up my window. Someday I will learn less is more.

     

These dies are available at Dies R Us

Frantic Stamper benchIO Tree FrameIO pumpkins



      IO pumpkins   Poppy Stamps cats

Basket of Wheat

IO Falling for You Challenge

 I had some extra wheat left over from the card I made last week and I love this IO Smile stamp and die set so I used them together to get way out of my comfort zone  again with a CAS card. The basket is from the IO strawberry basket set. I layered this on some gingham paper.  The sentiment is so awesome that you don't need a lot of extras.

I am entering this in the IO Falling for You Challenge

Yavonne's Birthday Box Lid

                                       



My BFF had her 60th Birthday this week and I wanted to make a special card for her so  I made  a version of a card that I made for another great friend, Barb Campbell. Yvonne's card is purple and I used a few different dies to get a garden feel because she loves to garden.                    

                                        
  Unfortunately, these cards do not fit in an envelope so I made a white box for her card.  I was going to put some ribbon around the box to dress it up a bit. Here's the card in the plain white box.                  

                                               

 I had some time this afternoon before she arrived for dinner so  I decided to dress up the box a bit. I pulled out some pretty designer paper for the top and layered that on black. I looked at the clock and I still had some time and then I remembered that the Cheery Lynn Challenge was to use lace so I decided to add a panel with some gathered lace and top that with a Cheery Lynn Burlap pattern die. Then I went to my scrap box to see what other goodies would look nice on the box top: a flower, some leaves, some ribbon, a musical stave, a butterfly ....   In other words, the box top was  an after thought that just sorta evolved. All the embellishments that made up this design were already cut and awaiting a project.

I think the box turned out as pretty as the card. Love having things around that help bring a project together.

Some of the dies I used are Cheery Lynn Birthday, Hugs, and burlap; Memory Box Choloe and Elsa butterfly, and Sizzix heart. Amy Musical Stave.
The flower is Heartfelt Arianna Blooms that is stamped,embossed with Wow white embossing powder and then sponged and  cut with the matching dies. I used some prills in the center.

I will enter this in the following challenges
Simon Monday Stamp it Challenge
Simon Wednesday Challenge Stamp It
Scrapy Land Anything goes
Cheery Lynn Lace Challenge
Wow Embossing Powder anything goes