Splendid Autumn Gratitude Card

 Is it starting to feel like fall for you?  It definitely is starting to feel like it here.  The weather has cooled off a bit, and I'm noticing some leaves are starting to change color already!  

I wanted to make a thank you note for a friend who ordered recently, and I really enjoyed using the Splendid Autumn Suite Collection to create this card.  I'm looking forward to making more cards with this Collection soon!  

Supposed to Be Simple . . .

 Did you ever set out to make a simple card and . . . well, have it turn out not so simple?  That happened to me today!  (And, yes, happens to me often!)  I started making a simple card with the More Than Autumn set, but then decided it would be fun to use the Changing Leaves embossing folder, and that the Wildflower Designs Die I really like would work well with the image I wanted to stamp, and then I had a lot of fun coloring the image I stamped, and added some ribbon, some die cut leaves that were hanging out on my desk, and finally some  Speckled Dots!  That process was fun, and the result makes my happy, but I don't think the card is so simple anymore!   May have to try again on that one!  LOL 

- Michelle

Painted Petals Creativity with Scraps!

 Happy Monday!  Here are the final 3 cards I created with the Painted Petals Paper Pumpkin kit!  What these cards have in common is trying to creatively use up paper scraps!  I did also use the Countryside Corners dies on these cards -- as a die in the first two cards and as a stencil to trace around and create lines for doodling on the third card.  I also did some doodling on the flowers on the "let's celebrate you!" card.  

Clean and Simple Painted Petals Cards

 Happy Friday! 

Here's another set of cards made with the Painted Petals Paper Pumpkin kit!  For this duo, I used the artwork from the inside of the cards that came in the kit, framed with a piece of coordinating card stock and layered onto a Thick Basic White card base.  

Hope you aren't getting too tired of these!  I still have one more set of cards from this kit to show you!  

-Michelle

Painted Petals Layered Cards

 Here's another set of alternate card designs made with the July 2024 Painted Petals Paper Pumpkin kit.  These cards were made by layering the backs I cut off some of the cards in the background, along with some pieces from envelope I cut up, one daisy die cut I still had left from the kit, and some Basic White layers and card bases.

Painted Petal Z Fold Cards

I have some more of the alternates I created with the July 2024 Painted Petals Paper Pumpkin kit to share with you!  These three alternates are z-fold cards.  These were inspired by cards created by Southridge Studio's Laura Seki.   

For this first one, I tucked a greeting into the inner part of the folded front of the card:

For the next alternate, I decided to try adding some Basic Black card stock behind the printed die cut piece on the front:

For the final card in this series, I decided to add some Mercury Vellum, die cut with one of the Countryside Corners Dies, behind the printed die cut piece:

Please stay tuned for more of my alternate cards for this kit, too!

Mystery Monday: Getting a Little Messy with Autumn Expressions

 Finished my homework from Mystery Monday Stamping already!  

Tonight's challenge was to create what I thought would be a one sheet wonder style card with some faux tile lines, so went crazy with stamping images on my first card, using the Autumn Expressions stamps.  (That's my portrait card.)  After seeing Sharon's mystery card revealed and her inspiration from the holiday catalog, I did my homework of making a second card more like those cards, with some more purposefully arranged stamping!  

I still wasn't totally happy with either of my cards after that.  I decided that the colors I'd used (Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler, and Wild Wheat) just weren't making me happy by themselves.  So, I decided to blend in first some Boho Blue on the background, and then some Peach Parfait on the leaves.  (I wish I'd taken a before and after so you could see which you'd like better!)  

I used strips of the Splendid Autumn Designer Series Paper behind my greetngs and embellished with the Faux Glass Dots. 

Thanks for visiting my blog!

- Michelle

Two-Fer Friday! Playing Along with GDP461 Color Challenge

 The Global Design Project has a fun color challenge this week (GDP 461).  The colors are Gorgeous Grape, Lemon-Lime Twist and Basic Black.  I decided to play along with the challenge and create some backgrounds using the Packaging Technique along with Gorgeous Grape and Lemon Lime Twist.  Instead of rubbing alcohol though, I accidentally ended up using spritzers of water on the two backgrounds I created.  I liked the look and was able to create two cards with them.  

My first take on this color combo is a Halloween card with the Potions and Spells Bundle.  I watercolored the raven, cauldron and cat using Memento Ink refill.  I used Lemon-Lime Twist Stampin' Blends to color the cat's eyes and the cauldron handle.  For a finishing touch, I added some fine tipped glue on the cauldron and bubbles. 

Then, I decided to create a non-Halloween card with the Winterly Treetops Bundle and Changing Leaves embossing folder.  I thought it would be fun to use Lemon-Lime Twist Blends to color the birds.  Then, I used Gorgeous Grape Watercolor Pencils on the berries and to add some shading to the birds and the branch.  I inked up the Changing Leaves embossing folder with Gorgeous Grape before embossing my background.  

Which of these cards do you like best?