Fall - Right as Rain

The Cutting Edge Challenge #10

It’s time for the another Cutting Edge Challenge! Our inspiration this week is one of my cards.

I created the card last year celebrating the end of summer/beginning of fall. That’s Ginger taking center stage in a hay field on Whidbey Island.

I decided to focus on the crows/blackbirds/ravens that seem to be prevalent at this time of year – on fences, on telephone wires, wherever they can rest (or survey their territory!).

I used a combination of Distress Inks to create the background panel to which I attached the bird die cuts from Spellbinders Birds On A Wire. I used a sentiment stamped with a Neat and Tangled set to finish it off.

We’d love to have you play along! Head on over to The Cutting Edge Challenge blog where you’ll find inspiration from other members of the team, the rules and regulations, and the InLinkz tool for you to link up your project!

Housewarming Party

I’m joining the Housewarming Party in celebration of Catherine Pooler’s new site! Suitably, the party theme is HOME.

To join along, simply make a card based on the theme HOME and link it up on Catherine’s blog. Yes, there are prizes! You can’t have a party without prizes! Check it out! A one-year subscription to StampNation, plus prizes totaling over $300 from the sponsors: Some Odd Girl: $20 gift card; Ellen Hutson: $50 gallery; CAS-ual Fridays: $25 gift card; Winnie & Walter: home-themed stamp set; Penny Black: Shades Creative Die; Pretty Pink Posh: $50 gift card; Clearly Besotted: £30 gift certificate; Hero Arts – $30 gift card!

For my HOME-themed card – a neighborhood scene set in the fall – I combined die cuts from several Taylored Expressions sets (Neighborhood Border and Build A House) with a sentiment from the TE Welcome Home stamp set.

Before you go – I’ve got a one-month subscription to StampNation to give away. Just leave a comment on this post!

Be sure to head on over to Catherine Pooler’s new site to hear about the party and to find out how to enter the link up for a fabulous set of prizes!

Welcome Autumn – Retrosketches #32

I just can’t get enough of the Paper Smooches “Autumn Groves” set and decided to use it for this week’s fabulous Retro Sketches challenge. I can see myself using this sketch over and over.

I began by choosing the patterned paper strips using papers from Simple Stories and My Mind’s Eye. The MME paper is some I’ve had for awhile from a collection that I really like. I’ll be sad when it gets all used up! I colored my scarecrow and pumpkin based on the colors in the papers with Copic markers. The sentiment, crow, and fence are stamped onto the background. Lining that crow up, and knowing I had just one “take” was no small feat (read previous post on battling perfectionism!). Although the sketch calls for a square card, once I’d built my scene, a rectangular format made more sense. I kept the background quiet with a neutral cardstock.

Paper Smooches Autumn

Supplies: Stampin’ Up cardstock; Simple Stories and My Mind’s Eye patterned papers; May Arts twine

InLinkz.com

Paper Smooches Woodland Creatures

I haven’t entered the Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge for awhile but this Trend Watch really caught my eye. Paper Smooches has so many cute sets from which to create a woodland scene.

My card imagines the bigger squirrel helping the smaller squirrel reach the acorn in a team effort.

Paper Smooches Squirrels

Supplies: Simple Stories patterned paper, MME Halloween papers (2011)

InLinkz.com

CAS-ual Fridays #71

This week’s CAS-ual Fridays challenge was to create a Clean And Simple project inspired by autumn. I was able to make two entries; I had many more ideas swimming in my head that I just didn’t have time to implement!

My first card, and the one best-fitting the theme, came together quickly.

CAS-ual Fridays #71

Supplies: Technique Tuesday Give Thanks by Ali Edwards; May Arts twine; October Afternoon button; Echo Park Chillingsworth Manor + Amy Tangerine paper; Savvy Leaf Tree die; Stampin’ Up cardstock; Versamark; Stampin’ Up embossing powder; Spellbinder die; We R Memory Keepers corner chomper

For my second card, I made a Halloween card combining several Paper Smooches sets.

CAS-ual Fridays #71

Supplies: Paper Smooches Halloweenies; Paper Smooches Spookalicious; Echo Park Chillingsworth Manor patterned paper; Bo Bunny patterned paper; Stampin’ Up + Neenah cardstock; Versafine ink; Ranger clear embossing powder

I’m beginning to realize how much I’ve used the Echo Park Chillingsworth Manor paper this fall – some Halloween, some not. It’s a great collection!