Hello Friends,

I hope everyone’s had a good first half of the week.  Here it is the middle of September already and it’s still hot as blazes in Florida.  If you are in one of the areas where all the fires are located, I hope you are safe and that your home and property have not been destroyed.  I sure hope it rains soon so it will help all the firemen and first responders fighting to keep the fires from spreading!  I’m praying for everyone.

This is one of the cards I made today.  (The photo is a little dark.) I’m using the Gather Together Stamp Set and the Gathered Leaves Dies again. I just love this set! I’ve added images from the Rooted in Nature Stamp Set, and some Plaid Tidings Designer Series Paper.  I have to tell you, I’m having a very difficult time using this paper.  I love the colors and plaids on both sides of the paper and don’t want to cut up any of it!  It is perfect for Fall and Christmas.  I will definitely being purchasing another paper pack before the Holiday Catalog ends.        The card base is made out of a 5-1/2″ by 8-1/2″ piece of Thick Whisper White Cardstock, folded and scored in the middle. I placed a 4″ by 5-1/4″ piece of the Plaid Tidings Designer Series Paper to the left side of the card base so that the sides are even. Next, I embossed a piece of Whisper White Cardstock with a retired brick-looking embossing folder.  (Stampin’ Up! now has a new 3-D folder called the Brick and Mortar Embossing Folder.)  I sponged around the edges of it with Rich Razzleberry Ink and adhered it to the left side of the card base, as well.

I inked up the middle of the tree stump image from the Rooted in Nature Stamp Set with Cinnamon Cider, stamped it on Whisper White Cardstock, and cut it out with my Paper Snips.  It was then glued onto the right side of the embossed panel.  The largest leaf in the Gather Together Stamp Set was stamped on a scrap of Whisper White in Black StazOn Ink.  I used Sponge Daubers to apply Rich Razzleberry, Bumblebee, Pumpkin Pie, and Shaded Spruce Inks onto it and then cut it out with the matching die.  Two of the smaller leaf images were also cut out of Shaded Spruce Cardstock with the matching dies from the Gathered Leaves Die Set and the tips were sponged with Mossy Meadow Ink.  Unfortunately, the wheat image from the stamp set does not have a die to match, so I stamped two of them in Bumblebee Ink and cut them out with my Paper Snips. It was a lot easlier than it looked so I was happy with that! Lastly, I stamped the greeting in Rich Razzleberry Ink and punched it out with the new Banners Pick a Punch. 

After layering everything on the card front, I took my Water Painter, squeezed a little water and ink in the lid of my Rich Razzleberry Ink Pad. You don’t need too much water-just enough to water it down a little bit. Dip the Water Painter in the ink and water and sprinkle it on the card by flicking the end of the painter.  Tie a bow with Linen Thread, add some bling and you’re ready to work on the inside of your card.

Get your Fall stamp sets and have some fun!  I use my cards for Fall birthdays, thinking about you, hello, Thanksgiving cards, etc.  Make sure to use the Hostess Code when placing your order! The Hostess Code for the month of September is BQEUWTME. Use this Hostess Code when completing your on-line order of $45.00 of more (before tax and shipping) to receive this month’s Hostess gift.  Do not use the Hostess Code if your on-line order is $150.00 or more (before tax and shipping).  Just email me that you’ve placed your order on-line and I will send you this month’s gift, PLUS you’ll receive Hostess Dollars to purchase product out of any of the current Stampin’ Up! catalogs.  This month’s Hostess gift is the Pearl Basic Jewels or clear Rhinestones.  I love them because they can be colored with the Stampin’ Blends or permanent markers to make lots of colors! (If you check the “No Contact” button when placing your order, I will not have your address and won’t be able to send your gift!)

Here are the products I used to make this card. You can click on each image to learn more about it and/or purchase it.