Happy Fall, Y'all!

Hello, friends, both new and old!  This is my first attempt at doing a blog, so bear with me.  My purpose is to share with you my favorite things, which currently is cards, especially those for the Fall season and the holidays coming up.  Today I'm going to share with you two that I've made recently and one I made a couple of years ago that I was quite fond of.  Now before you go thinking I'm full of myself, please keep in mind there are many, MANY more I will NOT be showing you as they did not turn out quite as I had envisioned.  So, yes, I will be keeping secrets!

This is the card I made for a swap called Falling Leaves.  Stamp is from a set, "Wavy Autumn Wishes," by Hero Arts;  patterned paper "Autumn Leaf" from the "Autumn Splendor" line by We R Memory Keepers;  corrugated shapes "leaves" by Little Yellow Bicycles;  jewel stickers by Little Yellow Bicycles;  kraft cardstock "Recollections" from Michael's.

I saw the pattern for this card in Paper Craft magazine and had to make it for this year's Halloween card.  The tree and spider stamps are from a Hero Arts clear stamp set called "Frightful" that may be discontinued but, as of this post, still available to be ordered off the Hero Arts website (www.heroarts.com).  The inks are Jet Black StazOn by Tsukineko, and Tim Holtz Antique Linen, Dried Marigold and Faded Denim Distress Ink by Ranger Industries.  I stamped the black images first, let them dry completely which doesn't take long with StazOn, then blended the distress inks over the black images using Tim Holtz blending tools.  When those inks dried, I sprayed the piece with Irridescent Gold Glimmer Mist by Tattered Angels.  The shiny dark blue cardstock is Reflections from Michael's and the orange cardstock is Yam by Bazzill.  The orange 3mm crystal stickers are Elements by Mark Richards.

I made this swap a couple of years ago for my card swap group.  The cardstock, ribbon and metal swirl came from Michael's, the patterned paper is Luster Dandelions in the Wind from the Max's Backyard Collection by Cloud 9 Design, and the stamp is Dandie Trio from Stampendous.