Changing seasons

 It has come time to say farewell to summer. A cold spell and hefty winds have made a seasonal wardrobe change a necessity, and with that, a seasonal change in colors I'm using. How do oranges, deep greens, pale grass browns and bright pinks suddenly feel so comforting and right?

I noticed a couple of inspiring challenges that were in this vein, and gathered my supplies. The dies are by several makers: Marianne Design, Gummiapan, Elisabeth Design and Spellbinders. The stamp is a new acquisition from Papertrey Ink.

I started by die cutting leaves and branches from my gelli printed papers. Then I stamped the vase with Lost Shadow, and the decoration with Forest Moss DO.

The background was created by using an aperture of a die cut. I used it as a stencil and dabbed Old Paper trough it, creating a dome. It needed grounding. I die cut just the top half of the same dome and flipped it for the bottom.

 

Then I assembled the branches. I left this without a sentiment, as I it is for no special occasion and I am going to fill the inside anyway.

 

Entering this in these wonderful challenges:

Time Out: Seasonal Colors where you live - see my explanation above

 

Tic-Tac-Toe: tttc#302 - My row is diagonal orange - free - pink. 'free' stands for 'other colors'

 

Allsorts: #859 Anything autumn

Inspiration Station: #89 Inspiration photo - Lovely colors! I wish our world was as colorful as the photo, but no, our colors are more subdued.

 

Nachteulen / Nightowls: #65 Herbstlich bunt

 

 

"Each passing year...

... makes you more wonderful". That's a sentiment stamp I have and I find the message beautiful. Today I wanted to use it on my card. I looked for challenges that would help me in my effort and found some terrific ones. (Listed at the end.)

First I gathered my supplies: a background stamp with wood grain pattern, a flower planter and some sort of metallic band found on the street.

 

I started by preparing the background. I ink blended a strip with soft colors that were repeated in the planter lady. Then I ink smudged a piece of paper with a couple of brown acrylics and stamped the woodgrain pattern onto it.

Now it was time to add markers and color the lady. 

 

Lastly I wove the metallic band through the foliage. I attached everything with foam strips. 

 

 Entering this in these inspiring challenges:

Tic-Tac-Toe: #TTTC301 - I selected the row on the left: Woodgrain - Ink blending - metal embellishment

Simon Says Monday Challenge: Make your own background

Stamps + Fun= Creativity: #502 Text

Shopping Our Stash: #582 Who's Who

A Perfect Time to Craft: September Open challenge 

 

Remember

 Today I took my inspiration from a sketch, a tic-tac-toe and challenges with prompts. I don't often make vintage-inspired cards, but today was the day.

It all clicked together when I found this stash of design paper with fades and color runs and delicate handwriting. That reminded me of my stash of floral rub-ons from Japan that I have wanted to use. Add to that some shape dies and gems (not in the photo), and the card was taking shape in my mind.

 

I cut two hexagons and mounted them onto the background paper. I then selected a branch with flowers and rubbed it on. A butterfly was added as were three stratetigally placed gems. The sentiment is a strip that has hung in my stash since a decade - finally I found a good place for it!

 

Entering this in these challenges that inspired me today:

Time Out: #319 Pick 2 - My choices were geometric, stitching and floral

 

TGIF: #590 Sketch challenge

 

Little Red Wagon: #871 "We didn't start the fire" - I chose to go with 'history'

Tic-Tac-Toe: #tttc299 My choice is the diagonal: insects -gems-free

 

Kreativ-Tanten: #116 Alles geht / Anything goes 

A Place To Start: #260608 AG / no rectangles optional - I am playing with AG (2nd entry) 

 

Trust your crazy ideas

 Today's inspiration was color. A call for pastels, popsicle colors and a wonderful mood board formed the starting point to which I wanted to the prompt 'up' and make it a card for a friend. Who doesn't need a friendly nudge or encouragement in the form of a card once in a while.

My supplies were very simple: a shiny new die set, a gelli print and a pastel colored paper pack.

 

I started by die cutting the shapes. This is my first die set which requires serious assembly. I think I am not made for it, I can spot several boo-boos, but I can only hope my friend doesn't see them.

The sentiment came from TH Chit-chat booklet. I combined two partial saying to a (for her) fitting whole.

 

Entering this in these great challenges that served me well today:

Just Us Girls: #832 Mood board week 

 

Shopping Our Stash: #578 Popsicle colors 

 

Tic-Tac-Toe: #279  I used the row "Friendship- Any color - Any shape die"

 

Addicted to CAS: #312 Code word Up 

 

Just Add Ink: #790 Dies, stencils (or both) - I used both if you count the mini strip of gelli print at the bottom.