Patchwork Pumpkins

Happy Sunday!  I hope you are having a fantastic weekend :)
It's time for a new challenge over at Sunday Stamps...this time it is a colour challenge:

I have to admit I found this challenge tough!  I am in full-on Christmas mode, so working with such summery colours was a big shift for me.  I decided to allow the images in the photo to inspire me and go with a Fall-themed design.

Thanksgiving card featuring the Fall Fest stamp set with sentiment from Good Greetings.

 Now, you're probably thinking I didn't use the colours in the challenge, right?  Wrong!  I stuck to the colours exactly!  The pumpkins were created using the Emerging Colours technique and I used Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler and Tempting Turquoise to achieve the look.  Here's how I did it:

• I sponged splotches of Daffodil Delight ink on a piece of Whisper White card stock, making sure to leave lots of white space for the other colours.
• I added splotches of Pumpking Pie ink in between the Daffodil Delight, overlapping and blending where the colours touched.  I still made sure there was white space left.
• I filled in the remaining white space with Cherry Cobbler ink, once again blending the colours where they touched.
• I sponged the entire surface once again with Daffodil Delight ink to allow the colours to blend.
• Once the ink had dried, I stamped the leaves from the Fall Fest set all over using Versamark ink and then heat embossed using clear embossing powder.
• Then I sponged the entire surface with Tempting Turquoise ink.  The ink blends differently with each of the other ink colours for a cool patchwork look.  The embossed leaves resist the ink and allow the original colour to show underneath.

Once I had created my patchwork of colour I die-cut the pumpkins using the Fun Fall Framelits.  I also cut some leaves from Champagne glimmer paper because, well...because I like bling!
Then it was just a matter of creating my arrangement.  I added a bit of linen thread and some Autumn Wood Elements for texture and dimension.  The sentiment is from the Good Greetings Host Promo set and is stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink on Very Vanilla card stock.  I layered it on a bit of Burlap ribbon.  The card base is Naturals Ivory card stock and is embossed using the Delciate Designs TIEF.

I hope you'll give this colour challenge a try and join us over at Sunday Stamps.  It is great fun to challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone...and it does wonders for your creativity!

Thinking about fall at the Twist

Well the weather here this week has been so chilly folks have taken to calling it "Aug-tober".  The cooler temperatures and the arrival of my Holiday Catalogue pre-order have put me in the mood for Fall and Holiday projects, so I decided to use one of my favourite new bundles for my project for this week's challenge at The Technique Twist.  We are all about partial die cutting this time...a cool trick to create interestingly shaped cards.  Check it out:

Thanksgiving card featuring the Partial Die Cutting Technique and using the new Wondrous Wreath stamp set and Wonderful Wreath and Fun Fall Framelits.

Here is a side-view shot so you can see how it is cut:

Cool, huh?  To learn how to do this check out Debby Hughes' great tutorial over on Splitcoast Stampers.
I used a few new products that will be available in just a couple of weeks in the Holiday Catalogue.  The wreath is from the Wondrous Wreath set and features different layered images that can be stamped overtop of eachother to create the different coloured leaves and berries.  SO easy and very cool.  The set also has a coordinating set of Framelits which have a marker on them to make lining up the framelit with the stamped wreath image a breeze.  No more fussing with the framelit to try and get it right!  Yippee!!

The sentiment is from an upcoming Hostess promotion set called Good Greetings and it is AWESOME!  There are 24 sentiments, all in the same fun handwritten font, that cover just about every fall/winter occasion you can think of.  You'll definitely want to plan to host an event so you can receive this one for FREE!  More details about this will be coming at the end of the month...stay tuned!
The little leaves behind the sentiment were die cut using another new set of framelits called Fun Fall.  They also have a coordinating stamp set with lots of leaf, pumpkin and even a little ghost image, all of which have a matching framelit to cut them out.  Love it!  To add depth to my wee leaves I sponged the edges lightly with Crumb Cake ink before adhering them to the back of my sentiment banner.  I also added a bit of linen thread to complete my arrangement.

On the inside I stamped the little leaf images from the Fall Fest stamp set several times along the bottom edge, leaving plenty of space for a note of gratitude.
So, now it's your turn!  Get out your favourite dies and Big Shot and give this technique a try.  You'll stretch your creativity and discover a new (slightly adictive) syle of card! 

Now for a little business...
All this week I have been celebrating my Blog-aversary and have offered a draw for some free Blog Candy.  Well today I get to announce the randomly selected winner....drumroll please....
 

The winner is Lindy!

Leena your website looks awesome!! I'm still trying to figure out how you did that header!? I love the little jewels and all the textures which is so what stampin up is all about! :D I am SUPER excited to be a part of the blendabilities club :) I love blending and adding depth and 3d to the pictures. That calypso coral flower with the grey looks amazing! eeeek so excited that you are doing this!! - See more at: http://alacards.blogspot.ca/2014/08/its-my-blog-aversary.html#sthash.MPu7MaMR.dpuf

Leena your website looks awesome!! I'm still trying to figure out how you did that header!? I love the little jewels and all the textures which is so what stampin up is all about! :D I am SUPER excited to be a part of the blendabilities club :) I love blending and adding depth and 3d to the pictures. That calypso coral flower with the grey looks amazing! eeeek so excited that you are doing this!! - See more at: http://alacards.blogspot.ca/2014/08/its-my-blog-aversary.html#sthash.MPu7MaMR.dpuf

Leena your website looks awesome!! I'm still trying to figure out how you did that header!? I love the little jewels and all the textures which is so what stampin up is all about! :D I am SUPER excited to be a part of the blendabilities club :) I love blending and adding depth and 3d to the pictures. That calypso coral flower with the grey looks amazing! eeeek so excited that you are doing this!! - See more at: http://alacards.blogspot.ca/2014/08/its-my-blog-aversary.html#sthash.MPu7MaMR.dpuf

Thanks for you kind comments Lindy and congratulations on winning.  I'll be in touch about delivering your new loot.
Have a great weekend eveyone!