Fall Cards

There is a set on page 92 of the Stampin' Up catalog called Autumn Days. I kept looking at and thinking about how versatile it would be but for some reason I never bought it. I really liked it but it didn't make it to the top of my ordering list. When I went to the Fall Retreat last month I won it! I was so glad because I wanted to see what I could do with all those great pieces. Here are three cards I have made with it so far. I haven't been able to stamp a lot lately or I'm sure I would have made lots more cards with it by now. These are all pretty close CASEs but it is fun to put your own twist to someone else's card.

Clean and simple is the best way to describe this first card. Just Very Vanilla cardstock, Old Olive ribbon and the pinecone stamp from the Autumn Days set and the Merry Christmas stamp from the Teeny Tiny Verses set. It kind of looks embossed but it is just layering of the cardstock.

I created a background paper on the Creamy Caramel cardstock with 2 of the stamps using Chocolate Chip and Whisper White ink. It didn't take as long to cut out the pheasant as I thought it would. I bought the Stampin' Up paper snips a while ago but I keep picking up my old scissors when I need to cut something. I think I have a mental block about the snips being so sharp. I decided to break them in cutting this and they really cut nicely. I think they were worth every cent!

The last card was very easy. I punched out a circle and adhered it to the center of my card. Then I stamped wheat in yellow, the branch in Old Olive and the berry branch in Real Rust ink around it, placing the end on the circle and stamping them in wreath form. I peeled off the circle, added a Pumpkin Pie bow and a sentiment and all there was left to do was mount it on a cardstock mat and the card base. This was such a quick card!

I love fall. I think there are only 2 reasons that I don't like it more than spring. First, spring colors last for a couple of months, from the first time I see the crocus peeking out until the buttercups and iris fade. Fall just lasts a week or two and then the glorious colors of the leaves turn brown and it seems everything is brown and dull for months on end. But the biggest reason is because after spring comes summer with all the fun activities and vacations and the rewarding work in the garden. Winter drags on with cold weather and days and days shivering and cold. I don't like to be cold! My hot flashes come way to far between during the winter!

But then. . . when I'm sitting by the fire all winter I can use the excuse that it is too cold to be outside as a reason to stamp!