Celebrating Autumn

I was introduced to Shadowbox cards by the Stampin' Dymonz Scrap Shack Cardmaking Group, and this is my second attempt (here's my first). I thought it would be a great way to combine this wonderful Fall Fence image by Shelly's Images with the whimsical Fall by Karen's Doodles.

Also also used a couple of leaf freebies from Shelly's Images, which I imported into SCAL (my cutting software). I "printed" them on my Cricut Expression using a brown Cricut marker, then used it with the blade to cut them out (I created a "shadow" layer in SCAL).

Here it is folded closed, and here it is pulled open:

You can see that the fence moves to the right. There's also a braided hemp rope going over the right fold. I also ran my embossing tool over the "veins" on the leaves. Dr Sonia and others have really been inspiring me to try that, and it does look good!

Here's the back, with this sweet First Day of Fall image from TLC Creations:

Inspiration:

Shelly's Images Terrifically Thrilling Thursday Challenge: Show Us Your Layers

Delightful Challenges: Colors of Fall

Shadowbox Card tutorial: Splitcoast Stampers

Digi stamps: Maple Leaf, Oak Leaf & Fall Fence by Shelly's Images (thank you!), Fall by Karen's Doodles, sentiment & image on back by TLC Creations (thank you!)

Paper: Recollections, stash, Hammermill

Tools: Cricut, SCAL, Cricut markers, Fiskars papercutter, finger knife & deckle scissors, HP printer & ink, InDesign

Other: Copic markers, Sakura gel pens, hemp twine

Stampendously corny

Wow, I'm all about challenges this week, even more than usual. I simply can't stop creating! Mom just sent me some stamps, one of which is this cute Owl set by Stampendous! that I just had to use for their Sketch Challenge sponsored by Taylor Usry. In fact, it's so cute I used it for a Back to School card for the Come and Get It Challenge and for a Halloween card for Delightful Challenges.

I paper-pieced both projects, adding just a bit of color with Copics or Sakura gel pens. For the Back to School card, I used magazine pages. I generated the sentiment; it's a classy Krusty line from The Simpsons.

Inspiration:
Stampendous! Sketch Challenge #41
Come and Get It Challenge: Back to School

Stamps: Stampendous!
Paper: Hammermill, DCWV, Core'dinations, Urbanite magazine
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, stamp block, MS detailing scissors, Sizzix Texture Boutique & embossing folder
Other: ZipDry glue, Memento ink, Offray ribbon, Copics

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Inspiration:
Stampendous! Sketch Challenge #41
Delightful Challenges: Halloween

Stamps: Stampendous!, stash (sentiment)
Paper: Hammermill, Recollections, Coredinations
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, stamp block, MS detailing scissors, Sizzix Texture Boutique & embossing folder
Other: ZipDry glue, Memento ink, stash baker's twine, Sakura gel pens

Back to School, primarily

So have you heard yet about the upcoming blog hop and party at Feline Playful? Let me tell you, it's gonna be amazing. I save so much time being able to consult their challenge lists, and am always finding new blogs. Someone pointed out that expecting sponsors & followers is nothing but vanity, which may well be true but I'm not quite sure what part of participating in challenges isn't a soft form of vanity, so put your makeup on & fix your hair up pretty [ref.] and meet me & the fantastic group there on September 21.

Anyhoo, I have a huge list of cards I should be working on, but I wanted to make a back-to-school card for our teenaged nieces. 

For the images, I pulled out some of my favorite digis from Tiddly Inks and Just Some Lines. I was especially pleased to see that the current challenge at Just Some Lines is Embossing: I love me some embossing, any kind! The chair was printed on yellow cardstock and dry-embossed with my Sizzix. The sentiment frame is heat-embossed in ruby.

I paper-pieced the book image with matching papers. Love Graphics 45!

Inspiration:
Just Some Lines Challenge: Embossing
Fairy Tale Challenge #22: Back to School
Delightful Challenges: Back to School/Primary Colors

Stamps: Schoolgirl set by Tiddly Inks, Amber Reads by Just Some Lines, Let It Shine set by Verve Stamps, the Paper Studio
Paper: Graphics 45, Hammermill, Recollections
Tools: Fiskars papercutter, Martha Stewart scissors & border punch, HP printer & ink, Adobe InDesign, Marvy heat tool, Sizzix Texture Boutique, Tim Holtz embossing folder
Other: ZipDry glue, Scotch foam tape, Versamark & Memento inks, Recollections embossing powder, Copic markers, Sakura gel pen