WLS Sept#2 - Trees & Leaves

Good Morning everyone

Its mid way through our September challenge over at We Love Stamping where the theme this month is very topical 

TREES & LEAVES

Don't forget the stamping

Ive gone with a stamped leafy background here as the backdrop for my stamped owl.

Card size approx 5x7" die cut from Kraft card.  Being recycled Kraft card is a good one for a tree theme as saves us cutting down another tree😁 

I stamped the leafy background stamp onto ivory cardstock using my red & orange ombre inkpad, i then added a little green colour with my inktense pencils and then added highlights with white inktense pencil.  This is an A7 stamp so i stamped it twice to get a panel big enough for my background.  I then die cut with the arched panel die which I also cut from more kraft card.  

I adhered the kraft card frame onto a deep rich rust coloured cardstock and then adhered the leafy panels into place and added to the card front.

I then stamped my owl onto more kraft card, coloured with inktense pencils and cut out.  I die cut some leaves from white vellum and added to the cardfront with pinflair glue gel, adding the owl on top of the leaves.  Stamped sentiment with green glitter gems added to finish.

The sentiment is by Clearly Besotted and the set is called 'seasonal sentiments' some of my most used sentiment stamps ever as something for all seasons so very useful

Items Used:

aall&create stamps #557 'Open Leaves' & #306 'owl'

Clearly Besotted stamps 'seasonal sentiments'

Crealies XL arch die set

Arch frame die set 

MFT leaf dies

Kaleidacolor ink pad 'desert heat'

Versafine Clair ink

Derwent Inktense pencils

CraftUK ltd kraft card

Papermania Vellum

We have this fabulous prize for the lucky winners this month so hop over to We Love Stamping to join in 

Id love to enter the following:

https://unicornchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-124-not-square.html

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https://carabbiemomentsofcraft.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-286-autumn-colours.html

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https://girlzcreativecrafts.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-72-shaped-card.html

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https://dreamvalleychallenge2.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-368-autumn-colours.html

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https://craftingacutabove.blogspot.com/2026/09/september-challenge-20.html

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https://inspirationstationchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/09/inspiration-station-challenge-september.html - Inspired by the colours and leaves

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https://craftyanimals.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-109.html

 

WLS #1 Sept - Trees & Leaves

Good Morning everyone

Its the first Sunday of September so time for a new challenge at We Love Stamping where the theme picked by me is 

TREES &/OR LEAVES

So apt for the season but don't just think Autumn, we can have lovely bright spring or summer trees/leaves or a wintery wreath full of different foliage's so lots of choices.

For my card I decided to go for both and used a leaf background stamp inked with all the colours of autumn leaves as they change, my ombre ink pads were perfect for this and finished with a brown mirri card die cut tree trunk.

5x6.5" Card cut from cream linen card.

Onto cream linen card i stamped the leaf stamp inking up with 3 different ombre ink pads and die cut into long rectangles.  

As the stamped die cut rectangles were slightly too short for the die i wanted to use for my topper panel i cut them apart where i decided i wanted my tree to go as this would hide the join - originally i planed to adhere back in a continued line but as they slipped on my topper before i glued them in place and i thought ooooh i wonder if i off set them....happy accident but i liked it so adhered them offset slightly - i think it adds interest to want is quite a simple design and adds to the movement of the leaves in the seasons - they go from greens into orange/reds into browns and then drop to the floor. Photo below shows this better.

I die cut the tree trunk from dark chocolate brown mirror card and adhered into place, covering the join in the leaf panels.  I adhered the topper panel onto the card front.  Stamped the quote with dark brown ink onto more cream linen card and added across the bottom of the card front with glue gel so its slightly raised.  Enamel dots added to finish to give the feel of falling leaves.

You can see the shine on the mirror card better at this angle, it just adds another texture and finish.  It was only after adding the enamel dots to my sentiment strip when i realised they were UK traffic lights😂

Quote reads

'Nothing is more peaceful than the whispers of the wind through the trees'

My topper showing how i added the stamped panels.  I could of course just have cut all the panels with a trimmer to fit the stamped panel size but as i was making a fairly CAS design I wanted to use my stitched edged dies to add interest so I made the stamped image fit the dies with some hidden cuts.

Items Used:

aall&create stamp #556 'leaves'

Inkylicious quote stamp 'forest quote'

Kaleidacolor ink pads 'carribean sky, cappuccino delight & desert heat'

Enamel and glitter dots

Memory box birch tree die

MFT stitched panel dies 

CraftUk ltd cream linen card

We have 2 prizes this month, a $30 store voucher from Taylored Expressions and Penny Black stamp set and stencil from Buddly Crafts so hop over to We Love Stamping to join in 

Id love to join in the following:

https://cinspirations.blogspot.com/2026/09/september-challenge-hello-autumn.html - #2

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/09/fall-season-september-2026.html - 2nd entry

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https://www.simplyellibelle.com/2026/08/ellibelles-garden-party-no-18-anything.html

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https://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2026/08/use-die-cut.html

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Autumn Wheat - Creative Artiste Sept

 Good Morning everyone

Its the first Friday of September so time for a new challenge over at Creative Artiste where the theme is anything mixed media goes

MIXED MEDIA

Use at least 3 different mediums

Ive gone for a full on autumnal wall hanging with sheaves of wheat

Approx size 5.5x7.5" (14x20cm)

Photos below with a step by step.

Once i had made my wheat i added some of the same gilding flakes to my background in places to tie it together.  I then got arranging my wheat using pinflair glue gel, as i had curved the wheat with a ball tool i could add dabs of pinflair behind them, building up a nice full arrangement....just counting ive used about 20 stems.

I then tied a bow using several loops of garden twine for a nice rustic natural feel....it stayed like that for a long time but i kept thinking it needed something and on looking for something else i came across some printed chipboard shapes and in the set was a turquoise heart which was the perfect colour...i added a nice thick layer of glossy accents to it which adds another finish to the project............

I love adding different finishes to alot of my projects so that the light plays on them at different times of the day, always adding a different look and feel depending on which angle you are looking at it and whether its in sunlight or artificial light at night.  

You can see the light hitting the guilding flakes more here

I love how the wheat turned out from the messy painted background to lovely ombre of autumnal colours giving them more depth than a flat single colour and so simple to achieve - see below 

I used garden twine for my hanging for a rustic feel and added a few beads to match the colours of the wheat

I stamped 'Autumn' onto a scrap of kraft card with dark brown ink and tore it into shape and added into place.  I found a turquoise chipboard heart in my stash which i covered in glossy accents and added to the twine bow.

I cut a piece of corrugate cardboard box to size and peeled off some of the top layer to reveal the corrugations.  I then dry brushed with soft blue white acrylic paint which i also used to stencil on some foliage.  I then used grit texture paste through a brick stencil, it is a duck egg blue colour so a nice contrast to the oranges of the wheat.  I then dry brushed on some soft teal over the whole panel and edges.

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How i made the wheat

I covered 2 sheets of scrap A4 with autumnal coloured acrylic paints - just sponged them on randomly- the messier the better here.  Once dry i added the dreaded gilding flakes - i hate these things so they hide in the back of the cupboard, but i decided to try them this way and found it much better for me as i could just take one flake out at a time so they didn't quite get everywhere.  I just added dabs of mod podge randomly and dotted on the gilding flakes - this is a mixed colour of copper, silver & gold.  Once dry i rubbed off the access.

 

Yes this sheet looks a mess however once its die cut into shape its takes on a completely different look and feel.........see below

I die cut them with my very old IO wheat trio and you get a more natural look with the variegated colours on each head and flashes of the gilding.  Its an easier way to colour die cuts and use up old scrap paper/card as well.  I mostly used folkart matt and pentart chalky paints.  

Items Used

Impression Obsession (IO) wheat tri die set

aall&create stamp set 'seasons'

Cosmic shimmer 'Andy Skinner' matt chalk paint 'Ice Blue' 

FolkArt matte paint - 6459 ocean blue, 434 berry wine, 2560 bark brown, 

954 fresh foliage

Pentart dekor chalky paint - sun yellow, orange, red

Cosmic shimmer guilding flakes

Foliage stencil

Brick stencil

garden twine

cardboard box

beads

I hope you all have a wonderful September and enjoy the splendour of the Autumnal season. Emmax

Id love to enter the following:

https://craftingfromtheartchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/08/august-challenge-2026.html

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https://die-cut-divas.blogspot.com/2026/09/an-ai-event-art-impressions-for.html - Ive recycled the backing panel from a cardboard box and used recycled Kraft card 

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https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2026/09/fall-season-september-2026.html

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https://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-525-diecuts-andor-stencils.html

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https://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/2026/09/challenge-874-hayloft.html

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https://cinspirations.blogspot.com/2026/09/september-challenge-hello-autumn.html

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https://tolanythingbutacard.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-outlawz-anything-but-card-september.html

 

Flower fairies tri-fold card

Good Morning Everyone

Today im sharing a card i made for a craft friends birthday.  She loves the Tim Holtz paper dolls so I know they won't be wasted on her! I use them sparingly as they are pricey but also most don't appreciate the moody vibe most of the dolls have which of course most photos of this era are the same as they had to hold their poses for so long for the wet plates of the cameras to capture the photo.

Anyway I wanted to use some holographic acetate butterflies I had for wings and turned them into little fairies.  The wings are green so I found a paper that was a floral vibe but not full on flowers so found this purple and green one which dictated the colour choice.

Its a nightmare to get a good photo as the camera never likes shimmery things and ive used glitter card, pearl card, pearl texture paste and of course the holographic of the wings

I die cut the base card from purple pearlescent card using an old tattered lace A4 tri-fold card die set, when folded up the finished card is 8x8" and then die cut the papers using the layering dies in the set. 

I then die cut the foliage from ombre glitter card backing with a very soft sage green card.  

Sentiment die cut from the sage green card, matted onto soft pearl lilac card and a larger grey and added to the middle pop out section with glue gel.  

I added the wings to the back of 3 tim holtz paper dolls and adhered among the foliage with pinflair glue gell.  Adding a few die cut flowers using more lilac pearl used for the sentiment and adding gel dot centres which pick up on the colours in the ombre glitter card. 

The ombre glitter card i chose is mainly yellowy, peachy, pinky which is a nice contrast to the background but sadly the photos don't do it justice 

You can see their wings a bit better here, they have a beautiful green holographic shimmer

Before using the paper i used 'Stamperia Halo paste' which is a clear texture paste with a coloured mica shimmer which you can make out better here. I used 2 pastes, one with a purple hue and one with a green hue to pick up on the colours in the paper.

Items Used:

Tattered Lace Tri fold die set

Tim Holtz paper dolls

Holographic butterflies ebay find

Stamperia Halo Paste 'green #K3P70B' & ' Violet #K3P70D'

Studio Light Stencil Jenine's Mindful art 'Wallpaper pattern' #JMA-ES-MASK76

Ombre Glitter card 6x6 from The range

12x12 patterned paper from The works

Birthday sentiment die

Simon Says Stamp die 'leaf cluster' #112057

Purple & Lilac Pearl card

Sage Card

Gem dots

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you all have a great last week in August - where has the month gone too, its scary. 

Id love to enter the following:

https://secretstamper.com/creative-creases-118-august-7th-through-september-3rd/

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https://paperfundaychallenges.blogspot.com/2026/08/august-2026-challenge-90-anything-goes.html

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https://unicornchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/08/challenge-123-layer-it-up.html

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https://inkspirationalchallenges.blogspot.com/2026/08/inkspirational-challenge-374-word.html

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https://lovethoseprettypapers.blogspot.com/2026/08/love-those-pretty-papers-august-2026.html

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https://craftingacutabove.blogspot.com/2026/08/august-challenge-with-twist.html - dies used for everything apart from the fairies 

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