Autumn is a Second Spring

So you ever start making a card with a certain design in mind and end up with something completely different. Well that is what happened with this card. Gina K has a challenge on StampTV called "Technique Challenge A Blast from the Past - Sewing" . She selected one of her favorite past techniques and I decided I needed to try this challenge. I do not sew on any of my cards but I had fun doing it today. I have not done any sewing for many years.

First, I knew I wanted to use my new stamp set that Melanie Muenchinger designed. This set is called "A Year of Leaves". Melanie has done it again -- this is my very favorite leaf stamp set. All the leaves are so beautiful plus there are lots of verses and a few other extras. You need to check it out here. Since I wanted to have an autumn theme, I needed to blend colors to bring out all the shades of Fall leaves. I decided to embossed the leaves using VersaFine Brown ink and clear embossing. I did this on smooth watercolor paper. Then I used my favorite water colors, Peerless transparent water colors. I spritzed the paper first then started blending all the different shades of colors. I love how vibrant you can make these colors. After coloring, I cut out each of the leaves. The frame was cut with a Nestabilities Label Four die and sponged with several fall colors before taking it out of the frame. I stamped the acorn from this set and colored it with Copic markers then patted it on the VersaMark pad and clear embossed it.

I used a piece of Designer paper from the last StampTV kit and lightly attached it to a piece of Red Riding Hood card stock. I then used a burgundy thread and sewed it together. It was easier than I thought. Most of the leaves are attached on dimensional tape as well as the acorn. A piece of twine, also from the StampTV kit was threaded through the buttons and then attached with glue dots.

Since my sewing didn't turn out to bad, I think I will enter this card into Gina's Technique challenge. Anyone entering a card in this challenge will be entered into the Random Drawing to win a Janome Sew Mini Sewing Machine. You should be sure and check this out.