Autumn ..... my favourite season of the year

Happy Friday folks .......

It's the first Friday in the month so that can only mean one thing ....... there's a brand new edition of the Craft Stamper magazine out on the shelves and ..... it's the start of October's Craft Stamper Take It Make It Challenge.
There's been a slight change to the challenge titles ..... we're still keeping one month as Take a Stamp which was last month, but the alternate month is now going to be called Take a Theme and not Take a Technique.
So ....  the theme for this month is  ....... Autumn (or Fall)

We'd like to see designs using an Autumnal theme .... tress, leaves perhaps, or Autumn colours like reds, oranges, greens, earth tones .... you get the idea.
It's still an anything goes challenge so cards, journal pages, altered art .... whatever takes your fancy. Just remember ... there has to be some stamping on there somewhere.

As always we have a challenge sponsor, and this month it's the fabulous ....... That's Crafty!

There's an amazing prize up for grabs ....... 8 brand new stamp sets!!  Yes I did say 8 .... take a look at these .....

Fancy getting your hands on that little lot .... well why not Take the Theme and get stamping!

You could even see your project in the Craft Stamper magazine as our Design Winner, chosen by the DT.  You would also get to be a Guest Designer on a future challenge and have a Winner's Profile published on the Blog .... how cool is that!!

Need a bit of inspiration? ........ here you go ...... a nice simple design with a perfect Autumn feel

The background has been stamped using the Stampin Up!  Hardwood, stamped with the Java Bean ink pad from Ranger's Dye based inks .... love this stamp, and it's perfect for this time of year (great for men's cards too!).

I then added some Distress ink over the top in various shades of brown ......  before splattering a little water over the top.

The leaves were then cut from a piece of card inked again with Distress inks, only this time using all the Autumnal shades ..... Wild Honey, Fossilised Amber, Spiced Pumpkin, a touch of Forest Moss, Aged Mahogany and Gathered Twigs ...... gorgeous!

The large leaf was the Tim Holtz Layered Leaf die that comes with a matching embossing folder and the smaller ones were cut using his Thinlits dies ..... Fall Foliage
I added a bit more detail to the leaves using one of the stamps from the Stampers Anonymous Leaf Prints, and also a few dots of Glossy Accents here and there

The banner across the top, I found in my re-cycle box.  I bet you all have one of those .... a box where you keep all those bits and pieces that you take off old projects or embellishments that come on cards etc.  I think this was off a tag that I decided to re-cycle .... I just knew it would come in handy again!

The whole thing was finished off with a beautiful embossed saying along the bottom .....

How true!

We're starting to feel that Autumn chill in the air over here, just in the evenings. Maybe it'll be time to switch the heating on this weekend ........ or maybe I just get a sweater out, it's not exactly cold yet!
 
We've got a busy weekend ahead.  We're off to an Autumn Wine Tasting this evening (cheers!) ..... time to stock up the wine rack I think.
Then on Saturday it's time to stock up the old craft room ...... I'm hosting a Stampin Up! party again. My SU rep, Lyn will be here, showcasing all the new goodies and running make and takes.  It'll be a fun afternoon trying out the new Christmas range and of course it'll be a nice get together will all my crafty ladies.
Then in the evening hubby and I are off out to a double birthday bash ...... more good food and wine! Thanks goodness I'm not on a diet!

Thanks for popping by ...... enjoy your Friday and have a fabulous weekend.

Cheerio until next time