Fall Vibes

 

Fall cards don't have to include pumpkins and leaves. This color fall color palette and cup of tea is perfect for the cooler days. Play along with me at Cupcake Inspirations Challenge this month with any fall themed card. 

Make this card:

1. Use fall colors of your choice to stencil the background, then cut in an arch shape. This Tea Potpourri layered stencil set is great for fall with the orange slices and daisies. I chose brownish tones for the foliage instead of green. I also used cream cardstock instead of white. 

2. The teacup is stamped on vellum, then colored on the back with brown toned alcohol markers.

3. Stamp the star anise (that's what the star thing is) and cinnamon sticks, then color with markers. The anise is very dark so I left the cinnamon sticks a little lighter. 

4. Assemble with adhesive behind the tea cup where the sentiment will cover. Add some sequins and a little shimmer to the oranges. 

Supplies:

Altenew Tea Potpourri layered stencil set, Cozy Mornings stamp & die set, Rock Garden artist markers, Inks (toasted mauve, dusty rose, redwood, ruby red, grapevine, warm sunshine, amber blaze). 

Concord & 9th sequins in neutrals

Spellbinders Essential Arches die set

                                      

Challenges:

Stencil Fun Tea Potpourri stenciled background

AUD Sentiments Challenge Fall cards

Make My Monday Fall/Autumn

Stencils Make it Simple

 

Card making doesn't have to be complicated and require tons of supplies. A stencil and some inks go a long way. Make a stenciled background, add a sentiment and your'e done! I have used this Styled Backgrounds stencil many times in whatever colors strike me. 

Add yellow, oranges and browns for a fall look. A diecut sentiment is all you need. 

For a softer look, stick to shades of yellow and lighter greens. Add some enamel dots and a few leafy die cuts if you want to step it up a notch. 

Supplies:

Altenew Styled Backgrounds layered stencils, Pond Flowers diecuts, Pocket Full of Sunshine enamel dots, Warm & Cozy Sentiments die set, Fresh Dye inks

Challenges:

Classic Design Challenge

Stencil Fun use a stencil with optional theme: orange

Craft Rocket Autumn or Halloween theme

Color My Heart Color Dare Shades of yellow 

One owl, three ways

 

                                     

 Don't get stuck in a rut using the same traditional colors for your critters. This owl may look realistic, but you don't need to stick to natural colors. She looks cute in turquoise, gold, glitter and green. The pops of unexpected color add to the Halloween vibes too! 

                                          

Altenew Mini-Delight Woodland Wisdom

                                           

Challenges:

Critter Crazy feature a critter 

Paper Rocks Scissors use scissors & paper

A Cut Above use diecuts (owl, leaves)

Craft Rocket Autumn or Halloween

We Love Stamping Shades of Autumn with at least one stamped image (branches, leaves)

Spotlight Technique

 

The October challenge at A Place to Start Challenge Blog is to use the Spotlight Technique. There's lots of variations of this technique. Basically, only part of the image is colored to put a spotlight on it or draw your eye. I had a really hard time deciding what part to spotlight, so I used most of my colored image. It still counts! You can play along with this technique or enter "Anything Goes". 

To achieve this look:

1. Stamp the floral image on white cardstock and brown cardstock in the exact same place. This is easy using a Misti stamping tool. 

2. Color the image using the stencil set and Brown Moonstone paste through one layer. 

3. After drying thoroughly, use an arch die to cut the floral image to desired size. 

4. Adhere the colored floral image with foam tape to match up with the same stamped image on the brown cardstock. 

5. Add sentiment and enamel dots. 

6. Cut brown cardstock panel down on all sides to allow for a frame of green to show. Adhere to green cardstock. 

7. Finish it off by running a bronze Sharpie marker along the edge of the green panel. 

Supplies:

Altenew Softly Sketched Blooms Build a Garden set (Aug release), Brown Moonstone Shimmer Relief Paste, Tea Party enamel dots, Inks (Terracotta, Dusty Rose, Peachy Glow, Caramel Toffee, Amber Blaze, Paper Bag, Eucalyptus, Jade)

Spellbinders arch die set

Foam Tape

Sharpie marker (bronze) 

Wise Friend

 

How about a wise friend in a nontraditional color? For the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge this month, I made a turquoise owl. The unexpected color really pops! 

Starting with the stenciled background, I used Gina K Wild Lilac ink for the magenta, Altenew Firefly ink for the pistachio, and Gina K Blue Lagoon ink for the turquoise. The Lawn Fawn stencil makes a whoosh of fall leaves blowing in the wind! 

The owl has some small pieces, so a pick up stick and tweezers come in handy for assembly. The glitter card stock makes the wing stand out. Since the owl is pretty small, it works well as an accent with the large word "hello" from Emily Moore Designs. The leaf die cuts come with the owl die set. This set will come in handy for fall and Halloween cards. 

Supplies:

Altenew Woodland Wisdom mini-delight set, Firefly ink

Gina K Designs Tiny Tags die, Wild Lilac & Blue Lagoon ink 

Emily Moore Designs hi hey, hello word dies set

Lawn Fawn Autumn Breeze stencil

Paper Studio glitter cardstock

Other challenges entered: 

Crafters Cafe- anything goes

 A Cut Above- use diecuts

Paper Rocks Scissors use paper or scissors

Triple B Butterflies, Birds or Blooms

Critter Crazy Challenges use a critter (owl)

September Inspiration Challenge

Playing along in Altenew's September Inspiration Challenge with the colors of fall! These greens and reds were inspired by fall apples ripening on the tree. 

The reds are a combination of Ruby Red from Altenew and Coral Reef & Lipstick from Gina K to give it an orange/red tone. Along with the leaves, I gave some of the small blooms a fall green brown. They remind me of some of my hydrangeas turning fall colors. 

Brown Moonstone Shimmer Relief Paste applied through one stencil layer of the Softly Sketched Blooms set gives shine to the flower centers and parts of the leaves. This brown tone is great for fall cards. 

Supplies:

Altenew Softly Sketched Blooms Build A Garden set, Inks (ruby red, almond butter, milk chocolate, moss, olive), Brown Moonstone Shimmer Relief Paste, Tea Party enamel dots. 

Gina K Designs inks: coral reef, lipstick

 Other Challenges Entered:

Classic Design Challenge autumn colors

Stencil Fun Layering stencils used to color floral image

How Sweet it is...

James Taylor's song "How Sweet It Is  (to be loved by you)" was the inspiration for this card. Play along this month at A Place to Start challenge blog with a card inspired by a song or anything goes (as always).

The popsicle diecuts are the August mini-delight from Altenew. It comes with a variety of toppings for the popsicles. I chose to go with chocolate dip with nuts and a brown glitter swirl. I filled the Emily Moore Designs shaker frame with clay sprinkles.

                               

 The inside of the card is finished with the leftover cut out and more lyrics from the song. Yes, I used my own handwriting, which can be tricky because it usually isn't perfect. I think the recipient will enjoy the personal touch though. I did practice on a piece of paper for spacing before writing on the actual card. 

This would make a great card to remind someone how well they love you or switch it up with some red and pink hearts or sequins for Valentine's Day. 

Supplies:

Altenew Sweet Popsicles mini-delight set Aug 2026, Adore You stamp set (Thank you), Coffee Break cardstock set, Red Cosmos enamel dots (heart)

Emily Moore Designs Shaker Frame The Doily

Trinity Stamps sprinkles clay embellishments

Gina K Designs dark chocolate ink

Paper Studio glitter cardstock

Scrapbook.com acetate

Hobby Lobby foam tape

Challenges:

A Place to Start Inspired by a song

A Cut Above Use diecuts

Paper Rocks Scissors use paper or scissors

The Neglected Stuff Use anything old and neglected from your stash.  I used some clay sprinkles I've had forever!