Autumn is Coming

The temperatures here are beginning to yo-yo. We still get the 90+degree days but a couple of days each week are much cooler and I actually saw a young maple with gold and red leaves yesterday. So I made a fun card in honor of beautiful autumn "when every leaf is a flower." Charlie is such an adorable horse character from Clear Dollar Stamps. I love this image ("Charlie Autumn") of frolicking in the leaves. It expresses what I'd do if I didn't have allergies and arthritis! Instead my hubby and I drive to scenic spots and take photos.

I used this sketch from Fetch a Sketch which worked great for adding decorative leaves.

I chose the colors for my card from Hiding in My Craft Room: More Mustard, Cajun Craze, and Garden Green. The Cricut cartridge I used was Art Philosophy to cut the leaves and their decorative accent overlay in contrasting colors.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Fetch a Sketch Challenge #32 - sketch
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #61 - More Mustard, Cajun Craze, and Garden Green
Lexi's Creations Challenge #73 - Autumn Colours
Mema's Crafts September Challenge - Choose a Theme (#1 Fall Colors)
The Paper Players Challenge #111 - Leaves/Trees

5.5" x 4.25" Card Recipe:
Paper - The Paper Studio "The Linen Door;" CTMH White Daisy, Honey, Goldrush cardstock
Image - Clear Dollar Stamps "Charlie Autumn" digi
Markers - Close To My Heart alcohol markers: Autumn Terracotta, Autumn Terracotta Light, Honey, Topiary Light; Copics N00, N02, N04 neutral grays
Accents - CTMH Autumn Terracotta grosgrain ribbon (retired);
Tools - Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge - leaves, pop dots, edge distresser

 

Mojo Monday #252 with Cricut Artiste and Clementine

I love to make cards to say the important things to friends in a memorable way. Maybe because I was a teacher or the fact that I'm a Christian, I've always believed we should see the best in a person and encourage them to be the best they can be. The sentiment I chose to say this comes with the new Cricut Artiste cartridge. It has three D-sized stamp sets and 3 sets of matching chipboard shapes. You can cut an image - the stamp set tells which page and what size to cut it. Then you can stamp it and even mount it on the chipboard for added dimension if desired. Of course, with 700 images, there's not chipboard for every shape. But I used three shapes - the star and two different kinds of circles for this week's Mojo Monday challenge sketch.

I thought the Clementine paper reminded me of the County Fair my daughter would enter each summer, so I chose the burlap ribbon and the circle elements she used to get on her blue ribbons. I distressed some of the papers with my new Saddle ink and left the star and larger circle with their light edge for contrast. The large flower was cut from the patterned paper. I used

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday #252 Round or Square challenge - 5" Square
Paper Playtime Challenge #80 - Anything Goes
The Paper Players Challenge #105 - Tic Tac Toe - I did circles, blue, floral (but also did dry embossing, scalloped punch, and ribbon)

5" Square Card Recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart - "Clementine" paper pack, Twilight, Colonial White cardstock
Stamps - Cricut Artiste set
Inks - CTMH Saddle, Creme Brulee, Sorbet
Accents - CTMH retired button, Sorbet waxy flax, Burlap Ribbon
Tools - CTMH Cricut Artiste,  scalloped punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder, pop dots

 

The Final Flutter By Wednesdays Card

I was sad to see that this would be the last challenge at Flutter By Wednesdays. I have a passion for butterflies. So I decided to make this last card special with my favorite butterfly stamp. They provided a great sketch for us to use this last time. I also used the challenge at The Paper Players for additional creative ideas.

I used the first row going down for the Tic Tac Toe - flowers, blue colors, and spring. The chick hatching is definitely for spring along with flowers that look like primroses. Little Red Wagon's challenge to use at least 3 flowers helped me with the finishing touches. I used 8 flowers.

I stamped the butterfly twice with Twilight ink- once on Twilight cardstock (bottom layer) and again on Crystal Blue patterned paper so that the pattern would show more. I inked the edges with Chocolate ink like I did all of the other papers.  In real life, my stamped butterfly matches the color of the one in the patterned paper, but lighting in my house changes things! I used an unusual piece of ribbon I'd been saving for something special. After wrapping it around the card there was a small piece left for a knotted-type bow. In the upper right corner I stamped "best wishes" for the Flutter By Team whose challenges and samples I've enjoyed.

May God bless you as you Fly on to New Pursuits!

Challenges:
Flutter By Wednesdays Challenge #200 Sketch
Little Red Wagon - Use at least 3 flowers
The Paper Players - Challenge #93 Tic Tac Toe

5" x 6.5" Card Recipe:
Paper - Graphic 45 - Once Upon a Springtime; Close To My Heart New England Ivy, Twilight, Colonial White Cardstock, Twitterpated patterned paper
Stamps - CTMH "Find Your Style" (butterfly), "A Little Buzz" (best wishes)
Inks - CTMH Chocolate, New England Ivy, Twilight
Other - Cuttlebug embossing folder, Recollections floral embellishments, Prima (small flowers), CTMH Mocha pearls, ribbon unknown