It Must Be Autumn

Autumn is in the air.  A cool spell has come and it is welcomed.  Of course here in California Summer tries to hang on and not give in easily to the crisp mornings, and warm days that are again followed by cool and what we hope will be rainy nights.  Autumn, or what I most often refer to this season as Fall, is my favorite season of all.  I'm not a fan of heat and this past summer has been warmer for a longer period of time than any summer I can remember.

The inspiration for this card is leaves.... and there are plenty of them.  I wanted to make a spinner card because leaves spinning toward the ground pretty much describes what is happening now.  The Dragon Fly symbolizes summer trying to hang on.

What papers did I use?  All the patterned papers are from one collection.  And it's an older one, Graphic45 - Botanicabella Collection.  It's from 2009...see I told you it's an older one.

These are the papers I used.  If you look at the leaves, all of them were made from the paper 3rd from the left.  I could have used distress inks to make the blended colors, but why when they are all on this paper.  You just have to move your dies around until you find them.  I used Poppystamp dies for the leaves, Elizabeth Craft for the spinner action, and Spellbinder for the die cut frames around the sentiment, which is from Hampton Arts.  I found this in a dollar bin years ago.

And here is what I've done on the inside.....

I repeated the papers from the same line.  There is room for a nice note.  I only glued the leaf across the bottom and on the right side.  That was the note can be removed easily.  

Originally, I was making this card for a birthday card for a friend.  But....It bothered me that I didn't use a Birthday Sentiment on the front of the card.  Soooo I made another card with a birthday sentiment.  I wanted to use a different spinner, and I chose one that was too big for the piece, so back to the drawing board and I repeated with one I knew would work.  I messed up the front of the card, but was able to save it (thank goodness as  the front piece was the last of the paper and I would have been sad had it not turned out.  I also chose a darker Distress Ink to outline the pieces.  I think this was a good choice.   

  

The inside will have a stamped sentiment and a personal note.  I've not yet decided on the sentiment, so it will be added later.  So it's almost the same as the original inside, with one more leaf added.  

 

So two cards done....two occasions, one kind of paper and I am happy with both.  

This was a fun project.  I was surprised how easy it is to make the spinner card, so I know I'll be making many more of these.  I have 12 Birthday cards to make between now and December 1....I guess I'd best get moving.  

Sending wishes for a wonderful Autumn.  It's so hard to say that now, when so many people are suffering the long time effects of hurricanes and earthquakes.  They are in my thoughts and prayers and also I/we need to remember their physical needs and continue to give what we can to help make their lives just a bit better.  

Not wanting to close on a down note....Enjoy your day wherever you are.  Take a moment to enjoy this day and do something that makes you happy.  Thank You for stopping by.  

Hugs from my world to yours......

Mary Mac

AKA:  Glitter Grammy

Christmas Is For Kids....and the Kids in all of us!

Another month has come and gone and we are edging ever closer to Christmas.  When my kids were little, they started their Christmas Lists around this time.  Of course the list changed daily, but it was always an important part of the Christmas ritual.  As a child I remember how slowly the days ticked by, and with each passing day how excited I'd be thinking about Santa and maybe being able to catch a glimpse of him as he put gifts under the tree.

This month the Sparkles Christmas Challenge theme was chosen by Sybrina.  And she would like to see Kiddie Cards.  I chose this stamp from All Night Media - Hug for Santa.  This stamp was fun to color and gave me much playtime with my pencils.

For the inside I chose stamps from StampinUp the Versatile Christmas Collection.  I'm not sure of the paper collection, as it was part of a traded collection from a friend.  

I hope everyone is settling into the new season and I hope everyone is found healthy.  Before I go, a little wish from my honey and I.....

Until next time, be safe, be healthy, be happy....

Hugs from my world to yours,

Mary Mac

AKA: Glitter Grammy