Thankful for Fall!

 Yeah - my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving is coming up soon!  Every year I enjoy making small gifts for my family and friends for the holiday.  This week I was playing around with the stamp set, Thankful Forest Friends and made some cards and fridge magnets.  I just love the little fox & bear images in the set! They have such a cute, whimsical look to them.  I might even use them for some of my Christmas crafting, too.

I found the idea for this card on Pinterest by Darlene Froese. 

Once I started to make the magnets, I just couldn't stop!  They are the perfect size for just saying a little something.  They measure 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" and are the same size as Artist Trading Cards that were popular a few years ago.  I got the plastic frames from the Christmas Tree Shop.

Here is another card and magnet that I made.  My stamping friends all loved the fall wreath on the door card.  Nice thing is, you can make it to match any season.  I got the idea from Annette Bogue.

This is the view of a tree in my front yard.  Isn't it so beautiful?  I could just go on and on making fall projects.  If only fall lasted longer...

A New Fall Project from an Old Shirt

 I have to admit, I don't like to get rid of old clothes that I like- you know, the ones that "shrink" and they don't fit anymore. Instead of throwing them away, I put them into a box out in the garage waiting for the day that I get inspired to "make" something out of them.

A couple of years ago I had bought a nice frame that had burlap in it and have been looking for a photo of my family to put in it.  I don't know where the family photo went, so I decided to put something else into the frame.  Not really knowing what I wanted, I started with some designer paper and then I remembered the fall shirt that doesn't fit me anymore.  I ironed some fusible transfer paper onto the back and cut out the tree area.  Then I mounted it onto brown cardstock and stitched it down with my machine.

Then I added some stamped words and leaves to complete the project.  I love how it came out.

Here it is hanging in my hallway.  I love how it looks! 

Have you ever made a project out of your old clothes?  How did it turn out?

More Fall, More Fall!

 It is such a beautiful morning here in upstate New York.  The sun is shining and the weather is perfect.  I thought that it was time to post some of my fall cards.  And what better place to photograph them than outside?  So I took them out in the back yard to get some photos.  It was so nice, I almost didn't want to come back in!

Most of the time I see cards and ideas for projects on Pinterest.  I pin them and then modify the designs to make them my own.  But when I saw this card from Connie Babbert, I loved the colors so much that I made it almost exactly like she did.  Who would think to put Mint Macaron and Pool Party with Tip Top Taupe and Chocolate Chip colors for fall? 

It has a matching party favor pillow box using Mint Macaron.  I saw this idea from Sue Plote.  Don't they look just beautiful together?  Would you use this color for your fall crafting?

Of course the stamp set is Lighthearted Leaves! 

More Fall

I could make fall cards all year! Crazy as it may seem, I tend to like fall and Thanksgiving more than Christmas.  It's less commercialized and not quite so busy a time of year.

I got this cute acorn stamp set that comes with a punch (my favorite stamps all come with a punch!) and worked on this "acorn" card.  I loved using the acorn images and assembling them, but then I thought that the card needed a little something in the lower part.  I reverted back to the Lighthearted Leaves set that I just love!  Doesn't it look cute?  I got the idea for the card and the pleated ribbon embellishment from Wendy Weixler.

The Thinking of You card is using the Lighthearted Leaves!  Even though I have a lot of fall stamps, I just can't put that set down.  The idea for this card is from Kristen Kortonick that I found on Pinterest.  It has paper from Into the Woods paper collection.

I used chocolate chip for the browns in these cards.  I kind of like the monochromatic look of the greens and browns that they have.

What projects have you been making for fall?  

Beautiful Fall

If you know me at all, you know that I love fall.  It's the most wonderful time of year, when the air gets crisp and the trees glow with amazing color!

This fall I've been using the stamp set, Lighthearted Leaves, and I just love it!  It has a sort of whimsical, Bohemian look to it that I really like.  I got the ideas for the card on the left from Stampin' Up.  The leaves are die cut from Into the Woods designer paper.

The leaf image and the "sprinkles" in the background on this card are embossed with gold powders.  You can't really see it in the photo, but they shine and give the card "life."  I added the saying, "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."  None of us has a perfect life, but we can choose to enjoy the blessings that we do have and in that way, it becomes wonderful.  :)

This card is my fav.

Making Flowers

I've been wanting to make a "bouquet" of flowers for a while and this week I finally did it!  I love how they came out.  I used the Flower Shop stamp set that comes with a coordinating punch to make them, and they were quick and easy. 

To make the flower:  I stamped and punched three images for each flower.  I used a bone folder to soften and curl the edges of the petals.  For the top flower, I cut a slit to the middle and secured one of the petals behind the other to make it take shape.  Then I added a rhinestone to the center, and mounted it to the next flower layer with a glue dot.  The last layer is mounted with a dimensional to give it some lift. 

To attach the flower to the wire, I folded the floral wire about 1/2 inch and inserted it into a white circle that I punched and cut a slit in.  Then I taped the wire in the slit to secure it well and used glue dots to attach the circle to the back of the flower. 

For the tags, I used Merry Everything stamp set to make the base and decorated them with Tag Talk and Floral Wings.  You could use any tag or saying that you'd like. 

At the local craft shop, I picked up some floral wire and vases to make it all come together. 

I saw this example on Pinterest (my fav site) done by Margriet Tournier.  They make a lovely addition to your desk or can be given away as a thoughtful gesture to someone. 







The card that matches is made with the new Floral Wings hostess set. The idea is from Beth Beard.  It is meant to be given with the bouquet of flowers! 

The note card is made with the same stamp set, Floral Wings.  I cut out the vase and three of the flowers for some added dimension.  You can't see it from the photo, but I scored two lines on each side of the vase for texture.  I love the vase and can't wait to make something else with it.  The idea is from Susan Itell.  

Have you wanted to make flowers but haven't tried it yet?  Now is the time!  :)

Banner Triple Cats?

 Stampin' Up came out with a new punch that allows you to punch banners in three sizes; it's called the Banner Triple Punch.  It's one of those things that is a "must-have" if you like to make crafts.

I found the idea for this card on Pinterest (of course) from Holly Obier and thought that it was so cute!  The papers are punched with the banner punch and embossed to show texture that resembles fur.  The nose and eyes are made using the owl punch.  It's quick and easy to make, and oh, so much fun!

I'm giving this card to my daughter who loves cats.

Here is the same style card made with a gray background.  But after I made it I thought that the card needed a bit more color.  The pink background makes the "kitties" stand out better.

Here's another card with the pink background.  So cute, right?

PS- Did you happen to notice the kitty photo bomb on the first card?