The Card Concept #100 Challenge - Elegant Fall

Hello, sweet friends! It's me two days in a row ... wow!

Today I am happy to guest design for The Card Concept #100 Challenge, "Elegant Fall." Special thanks to my precious friend Julie Gearinger for asking me to be one of her guest designers. I am honored and loved making a card for the challenge.

Here is the Inspiration Photo, and it is gorgeous!

I was inspired by the lovely array of pumpkins dipped in gold, one with flowers, and one with a delightful flower and flourish array. I would say that my card is clean, simple, and layered. 

I chose a new clear stamp by Power Poppy that reminded me of the pumpkins on display with the lovely flowers and golden pears. After coloring with Copic markers, I used an oval die and then carefully used my Krylon gold pen for a gilded edge. I added a scalloped oval die underneath using designer paper that I sanded for some texture. I matted the two pieces of designer paper and used my Mini MISTI for the sentiment, but it still needed something more. That's when I remembered a long-ignored Ornare piercing template that was inspired by the large pumpkin with the flower. See that flourish? Lovely, right? So I decided to stop there (although I was tempted to add some sequins or pearls, haha!). Hope you like it.

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One of the wonderful things about the stamping/blogging community is the number of precious friends I have met online (like Julie Gearinger who invited me to join The Card Concept Challenge). We help each other by sharing techniques and commenting on each others' cards. More frequently than one might think, we develop close friendships, and we are privileged to share prayer requests and to encourage each other. It's a joy to be able to share on a personal level with friends. Friendships are important ... especially to us gals.

Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
and the sweetness of a friend comes from his [her] earnest counsel.
Proverbs 27:9

Let each of you look not only to his [her] own interests,
but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4

Sweet friends, you are truly loved ... and remembered. Thank you so much for your visits and comments. I am behind in replying to your comments and to visiting many blogs, but I look forward to catching up. May God encourage and bless you all. You are a joy to me.

Blessings, sweet friends,

Stamps: Fortunes of Fall and Simply Camellias (Power Poppy) 

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, French Flea Market/Julie Nutting (Photo Play Paper)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Onyx Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Ovals and Scalloped Ovals dies (Spellbinders), Mini MISTI tool, Mini Perfect Layers tool, Krylon gold pen, Ornare piercing template, Thin 3D Foam Squares (Scrapbook Adhesives), Tombow Multi Mono Glue, red tape
Techniques: Copic coloring, paper piercing, sanding

Card Size: 5" square

Painting Pumpkins

Hello, dear friends! 

Today I am happy to join my Power Poppy Instant Gardeners, and we have a fun new digital release that I think you will love! It's called Painting Pumpkins! Are you ready for some fun?

Here's what Marcella shared:

"Painted pumpkins -- whether given a coat of chalky milk paint in pastel hues, a bold dip with metallic accents, or delicate dots with a fine-tipped brush -- are all the rage. Now you can paint the pumpkins in real life AND in your paper-crafting process. In this arrangement I have several pumpkins primed for your special creative touches. Paint pots and brushes await your artwork on the 'blank canvas' version, or use one of my pre-drawn patterns or jack-o-lantern faces. A series of four sentiments ranging from a general Thank You through Halloween and Thanksgiving allows multiple uses for this fresh fall imagery."

There are so many wonderful ideas for painting pumpkins...oh my! I have a new paper pad that was my color palette for "painting" my pumpkins, and I sure had fun.

I printed the "blank canvas" version and then decided to add a sentiment (like I've seen on the internet), and then I did some "doodling" of my own with a gold gel pen, a white gel pen, and dots with a Copic marker. I used my Mini MISTI and curved the sentiment from Olive and Oak Expanded to match the shape of the large pumpkin. Cute, eh? I used an oval die to cut out my focal image, and then I embossed that die on the card stock and fussy cut it to make a thin mat for the oval (using Copic BG72 to match the designer paper). Works like a charm. Then I put the papers together, matted it, and I added a couple of fishtail flags. And then I was done...what fun!

As I was making this card, I thought about how much I have to be thankful. God has given me the time, ability, and resources to enjoy making cards and sharing His love with others through my blog. What a blessing to have you all as friends. I want to share the blessing of having Christ as my Savior, for that is where I find true joy each day.

I will give thanks to You, LORD, with all my heart;
I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 9:1

For my stamping friends, you will find this new digital image at Power Poppy. Hop on over to the Power Poppy blog and see what Marcy shares about this wonderful new digital release and see what my teammates have to share. 

Nancy Sheads

Leslie Miller
Rhea Weigand
Cheryl Scrivens <me>
Broni Holcombe
Marcella Hawley on Power Poppy Blog

Oh, precious friends, you are dearly loved and remembered in my prayers. Thank you so much for your visits and comments. There are many special prayer requests that I continue to remember,  and there are always new ones. Thanks for sharing those with me. I know that God will encourage and strengthen you. May God give peace and comfort to those suffering loss and encouragement to us all. You are a blessing to me.

Blessings, dear friends,

Stamps: Painted Pumpkins and Olive and Oak Expanded (Power Poppy) 

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, Cool Caribbean colored with BG72 to match designer paper (SU!), FarmLife (Mintay by Karola)

Ink: Smokey Gray (Versafine), printer
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Infinity Oval dies (Hero Arts), Fishtail Flag Layer STAX dies (My Favorite Things), Mini MISTI tool, Mini Perfect Layers tool, gold gel pen, white gel pen, 3M dimensional tape, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, red tape, white tape

Techniques: Digital images with Microsoft Word, Copic coloring, fussy cutting
Card Size: 5 1/4" x 6"