Seasons change... plan ahead!

Wanted to make some Autumn cards using a leaf die set I bought at a recent stamp show from the Tessler Stamps booth --the die set has different sizes of leaves so one pass through the machine gave me different leaf sizes. I wanted to have leaves in the fall colours and changing shades so to do this I used a full sheet of white/GP card stock. Covered it with distress inks in fall colours. This sheet looked all splotchy when I finished but not to worry - cut this full sheet in half and put some of the leaf dies on it to run through the machine:

Cut leaves out and kept moving the die pieces all over the two pieces of distressed card stock until the distressed ink pieces were all cut up and I had a pile of leaves. Spread them apart for the photo:

Some of the die cut leaves were attached to each other so I used scissors to snip them apart. Used my $1.00 cookie rack from the thrift store and spread the leaves out on that. Using Pearls Shimmer Mist I spritzed the leaves to give them some sparkle and shine:

While these were set aside to dry I also used the leaves dies and cut out solid rust card stock so I would have some solid leaves as well. Spritzed these leaves as well. Using these distressed ink and die cut leaves I made three Autumn cards. Here is the first card:

For the scalloped frame squares I used this die:

This card is on a card stock base of rust scored on the left side. Used Mikes kraft card stock for the card front. The stamped cream card stock is Close To My Heart and I used the Autumn Words background stamp from Stampendous to stamp my cream card stock using SU Crumb Cake ink. Trimmed that background piece to size and using the ATG I put this onto the kraft card stock and then put them onto the card stock base.

For the front squares piece I die cut the scalloped squares pieces from cream card stock. Laid those out on the table and used a ruler to measure them so I could cut a piece of rust card stock a bit larger to fit behind them. I used temporary adhesive to put the die cut squares onto the rust square. Once they were where I wanted them I used the ATG and added adhesive to each square to keep it in place. Using glue dots to put one leaf on each square piece. Cut a piece of white craft foam to put behind this rust square to put in the center of the card front. Used double sided tape to put this onto the card stock base.

For "Autumn Blessings" I used SU rust ink and stamped it onto scrap cream Close To My Heart card stock. This stamp is from a stamp set from Our Daily Bread Designs stamp set. Used a one inch circle punch and punched that out. Using a 1 1/8" circle punch I punched out a rust circle and put the two circles together using the ATG. Put this greeting circle on the leaf piece using glue dots. Added crystals from the stash. This photo shows the shimmer of the leaves:

This next card I used SU Crumb Cake card stock scored at the top with a print from the stash for the card front:

Once again I used the Autumn Words background stamp to stamp onto the Close To My Heart cream card stock front. Trimmed that to size and put this on the print and them onto the card stock base using the ATG. For the greeting piece I stamped an autumn stamp from Inkadinkado onto scrap cream card stock from Close To My Heart. Using SU Pumpkin Pie card stock I cut out a square frame die and put that over the greeting piece. Used the trimmer to trim these pieces to size.

Put the stamped greeting piece onto the card front using white craft foam and double sided tape. Added two of the distress inked leaves to opposite corners of the framed piece using glue dots. Made a bow using gold twine and put that on the upper left corner of the frame using clear TomBow glue. Added three sequins from the dollar store using micro mini glue dots.

This third card is totally different and for this one I used brown card stock as the card base and it is scored at the top:

Cream card stock front is Close To My Heart. Trimmed that piece to the size I would need for the card front.  Used the SU stamp set Gorgeous Grunge and inked the one background stamp with rust ink - stamped it off onto scrap card stock and then stamped the cream card stock three times. Using three fall themed or coloured washi tapes I put the tapes across the front of my card. Tore the ends rather than use scissors to cut the tapes. Using an autumn stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs stamp set I stamped that on the lower right corner using brown ink. Put the card front onto the card stock base using the ATG.

I used two of the solid rust leaves I had die cut and put them onto the card front using glue dots. Also added three of the dollar store sequins using micro mini glue dots. This photo shows the shimmer and shine on the leaves:

Glad I die cut and spritzed all my leaves first so I can just keep working on the autumn cards for Fall. TFL