Retro Rectangles

You know how you keep (well, I do, at least) printouts of older projects, especially of cards that show ways to use the myriads of stamps you have bought?  I was looking through my old files and a card showing this technique (and layout, if I may be truthful) caught my eye.  The stamp (and idea) is from Hero Arts, and it has been just sitting in a drawer and was calling out to me--"I'm here--don't forget about me!"  it said in a loud annoying way (you know how they can whine!).  So I pulled it out and made a couple of cards.  The tree images are stamped on glossy white cardstock with Versamark and then inked over with shades of Colorbox chalk ink.  They look like the weather lately--a hint of fall in the air with the cooler air from the hurricane (although the sun is out bright today).  My ribbon got a wrinkle in it on the right side as I applied it, due to running out of xyron before running out of ribbon.  So I hopefully camouflaged it with some adhesive felt--don't tell me it doesn't go with the card--don't want to hear it.  I think this will do for an all-purpose male birthday card, even though it screams "Happy Autumn!"   I like the texture on this card--the ribbon, the thin mulberry mat, the embossed section, and the glossiness of the trees.  Very tactile!

Is it time for Fall yet?????

Is it time for fall yet?? I keep waiting for that hint of cool in the air--sometimes I can almost feel it on my morning walks, but this morning was just too warm.  I am always eager for a change in season, especially fall, which is my favorite time.  It can't get here fast enough, since we are all tired of the hot summer heat.  The card above depicts my all time favorite go-to stamp for fall--Hero Arts F5270--Traditional Pumpkin.  I have had it for some time and I think used it for fall cards for the last three years.  Yet again, I drag it out, and do the same old technique I love--paper piecing beautiful fall printed papers.  This time the papers are from Cosmo Cricket's Nutmeg collection--another 6" x 6" pad waiting in my vast stash to be used and made into something beautiful, cute, memorable, or useful.  I paired this stamp with some new findings in my craft room--my not so recently acquired but still waiting to be used ZigZag stamp from Hero Arts (CG422) and my newest acquisition--my button studio from Epiphany Crafts.  (An item which I have mixed feelings about--certainly overpriced for the simple job it does not quite as well as I would have liked, but oh, well, it's a new toy and I can use it.)  The sentiment on the card is from Hero Arts' Season of Giving clear stamp collection, and the felt leaves I believe are also from Hero Arts.  I stamped the zig zag background with three colors of Clearsnap Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink-Pumpkin Spice, Yellow Ochre, and Olive Pastel.  A few ties of May Arts twine pulls the card together.  I love Bazzill paper for cardstock for cards!  I didn't even have to use a score tool on this--it just folded nicely!  I think I read that Bazzill papers have polyester fibers in them--maybe this is why it folds so nicely.  Not a perfect card--I see mis-alignment rampant and I had to use an orange pigment pen to get the sentiment to look decent, but I like it.  It reminds me of fun autumn times ahead and the promise of a little cooler weather.   Let's taste the last of the summer heat, maybe let it linger in our mouths just for a while, but let's wash it down with a draught of cool autumn.