Good Thursday morning and welcome to the Impression Obsession Design Team “Shades of Fall” challenge. Before I start writing about my post let me invite you to be sure and scroll down further in my post to read about my “blog candy” offer.
My project today was made using the Squirrel set, Reading Tree, Picket Fence, Rectangle 6-in-1 Frames and Grass Border.
I cut two trees using white cardstock, one to color for the scene and another to color just the leaves to cut to use on the ground. I colored the trunk and branches of the tree with a brown Copic marker. I colored the leaves with distress inks using Sofft mini applicators. I decided to apply versa to the tree and emboss with clear embossing powder to make the colors more brilliant. I cut a section of grass border in white and applied green ink with a mini applicator and finished by apply versa and clear embossing powder so it would enhance the color and match the tree.
I colored the squirrels using pumice stone, vintage photo and antique linen ink and embossed them. Here’s a closer view. Aren’t they cute. Can you see the little acorns they are holding? If you would like to see how I colored the squirrels you can check out my Coloring Die Cut Animals tutorial.
I attached the fence directly on the back of the frame, applied thin strips of mounting tape and attached the frame to the card base. I attached the grass border and grass strip to the front of the fence. The squirrels were lightly formed with my stylus and molding pad and attached to the grass and fence with rolled up glue dots. I cut several of the colored leaves from the second tree and attached them along the grass border and a few falling from the tree branches. I think the squirrels are so precious. There is also a third squirrel in the set but it was just a little too much for the size of the scene.
Card size: 5.50” x 4.25”
Are you interested in coloring with the Sofft mini applicators but are not sure they are worth the price? Have you heard from others that makeup applicators works just as well? LOL! What a myth!! I am absolutely enthralled with the Sofft products. Today could be your lucky day! I am giving away a set of six mini applicators as a blog candy gift . All you need to do is leave a comment on this post. You will have until 6:00 pm this Friday and the winner will be announced on my Saturday post.
Why don’t you come along and play with us. To enter the challenge go to the Impression Obsession Blog (all the details are there!). A random challenge card will be selected to showcase on the IO blog and you can to enter to win a $25 gift certificate to IO just by playing! I hope you will go check out what the other IO teams members created for the challenge. Thanks for coming by today.
Kittie Caracciolo (that’s me)
What a gorgeous card, the cute little squirrels are so lifelike. Your work is very inspirational – you are responsible for quite a lot of my punch and die purchases, lol!!! Love IO dies too, the cut out greetings you used on the tags have just arrived in the UK so those are next on my list. I haven’t had much time lately due to personal stuff going on but I always check your blog daily and look forward to seeing what you create. Thanks for being such an inspiration, you are sooo talented.
Oh, me too!!! So much inspiration…leading to many purchases!!!! I check in every day from the UK too!
Love the colors– it is so lifelike. Looks like I need to place an order
Only you, Kittie, could make those squirrels look so real. They are adorable and yes, the acorns so cute also. Hopping over to see you tutorial on coloring the squirrels.
I love your work! Its the highlight of my day looking on your blog for your latest card. What beauutiful inspiration.
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Those squirrels are adorable, and as alwaya, your card is fabulous!
Great card do you have a special way to get the tree to stand out. So many branches. I too love the squirrels. I have the IO rabbits and they are so much fun. I need the squirrels. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sandi, I usually use my stylus and molding pad to form the leaves and braches before attaching the tree to the card base. This adds a bit of dimension. I attach the tree to the card base by apply mounting tape to the larger trunk area and thin strips of tape to the top portion of the tree. The branches are left free. I hope this helps.
your work is amazing!!!! your a tremendous inspiration to me!
Fell in Love with your creativity, beautiful card. All of your designs are just wonderful. Many purchases for myself, now I just need to time to use them.
The squirrels absolutely make the scene. I have spent *ahem* “some” money buying dies as your cards are very inspirational. Thank you for sharing, especially your techniques!
What a wonderful fall scene Kittie! Love those little squirrels!
You did it again Kattie! Your work is always an inspiration for me and another order to IO! Love those little squirrels! Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous work!
I just got those Squirrels Dies but have had a moment to play with them yet…can’t wait. Love your scene here!
You always do such fabulous work!!
Oh my word, absolutely precious!
Another precious card Kittie ! I have also those little squirrels dies since they are my husband ‘s favorite animal. I used them to make Xmas tag in a winter scene. Always waiting for your new project, you’ve got so much imagination. Thanks for sharing.
Kitty your cards are just so special. I am now becoming a purchaser of dies due to your fabulous cards. The little critters are so well colored. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful fall card and wonderful color. Love how you used the clear embossing powder on the tree and leaves, it looks fabulous. Love the little squirrels too. Thanks for a chance to win also.
Good Morning, Kittie. What a super card. Those quarrels are precious. and the tree well.. it just sparkles with beauty. I love trees, and the beauty of fall colors. Just a perfect picture. Your added frame is gorgeous too….thanks for inspiration….a new things to my wish list.
What a great card and so life-like! I enjoy the different techniques you use on your cards. My list of dies that I want is getting longer not shorter.
Oh, thank you so much for making a card using those darling squirrel dies! I will need to try to color my squirrels; so far, I’ve only done two cards with them, and my squirrels have been in black. After seeing all the great cards you’ve made using a large tree die, I’m thinking I need to make an addition to my dies.
Thanks for all your inspiration. I really enjoy making cards from all the amazing dies out there, and I always learn a new technique when I visit each day.
I am so happy I found your blog, I love all your cards. You make the most interesting cards, so much detail. I also love the IO blog hop. Everyone is so talented.
I am always trying to find the right tool to ink small objects with, these Sofft applicators would be great, especially since you recommend them. I love your work Kittie.
You are so right about those fab Sofft applicators! Comparing them to makeup applicators is like comparing a Cadillac to a jalopy. The Sofft applicators have a really dense foam, the sizes of any of their various shapes are perfect for the task, and they are extremely well mounted to the handle. These are true tools and worthy of being included in anyone’s chalking stash.
I have become a real fan of you blog and love your cards. You always have so much texture and dimension.
Oh my Kitty. A scene after my own heart. I am kinda partial to squirrels. I rescued two at two different times. They did not even have their eyes open for several days after I found them. I bottle fed them and raised and released them. This last one, I named snickelfritz and released him in my back yard Oak. Every time I walked out the back door, he would jump on me looking for some nuts. I kept them in my pocket and he would climb in to get them. Then he would stretch out on the rail for me to give him a good back scratch. He finally disappeared. What fond memories.
Beautiful card and I love the cute little squirrels and all the fall colors.
Just love the squirrels!!!
Your wonderful card let me do smiling, Kittie!!
The little squirrels are sooooo sweet…and so professional colored!!
I love to watch this wonderful Autumn scene, it looks like a fairy tale.
Thank you for sharing your inspiration and giving me so much viewing pleasure.
Greetings and Hugs, Eva.
This is so adorable! I look forward to your projects, especially the little scenes like this one! One of the things I enjoy most is that you share how you make your cards so that we can all try it for ourselves! You are such an inspiration! Thank you!
Kittie, your artistic ability always amazes me. I LOVE your squirrels. I have their cousins in my back yard eating all the hazel nuts or tearing up the yard to bury them…lol. This is such a pretty fall card…. I can’t imagine the amount of patience you must have to get all the leaves on… thank you for sharing your creativity & for the possible blog candy
tous les jours est un plaisir de découvrir les cartes mises en scènes et je m’inspire pour commander les dies ( dommage que le port soit si onéreux)je n’est pas encore les petits écureuils et merci pour l’aide de la coloration amicalement Marithé
Wonderful card! I love your fall leaves and the cute squirrels with there acorns!! I was wondering if that was the new IO tree, that one is on my wish list! Thanks for sharing.
Katie B.
Just got the apples and basket to go with my tree. Looks like squirrels are next. Would love to try the applicators. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Nikki S.
Beautiful card, I love ur work , u r very inspiring
I totally love this card! The way you used VersaMark ink and embossing powder to highlight the colors looks amazing! I have followed your blog for a couple of years now and have been totally wowed by your creativity. Thank you for sharing this!
You are a true talent !!! I always enjoy your work, this card is another winner. Thank you so sincerely for sharing your hard work and talent.
I’m so glad I’ve found your blog.
You repeatedly inspire me. I just bought a bunch of I.O. dies at the Expo last week. Now I need to start a new list so I can get the squirrels. I love making garden scenes with die cuts!
I LOVE your card (of course)! You are such an inspiration!! I recently bought the squirrels … so at least I can practice using your inking techniques. I’m slowly but surely building up my die collection based on your projects!! You are SO CLEVER!! Thank you!!
I really love the new backround for your blog. Your cards are always so inspirational, and this one is precious. I especially love squirrels because we have so many of them in Wyoming, and they are such characters. I’d love to win those applicators, but if not, I will definitely buy them.
Yet another wonderful card Kittie. I haven’t seen those applicators before but you make them sound like a must-have. Thanks for sharing.
LOVE this card! Like the framing, tree with vibrant colored leaves and the squirrels are absolutely the cutest! Thanks for the opportunity to win the Softt applicators. The make-up sponges I have used don’t spread the ink evenly so I have to do more blending than I want to. I have ruined some cuts/cards that I’ve used them on. If YOU say these brushes are tops, I’m sure they are and I would be delighted to try them. 😀
As always, your card is superb. The squirrels are so cute. I love how you have colored them. Every single aspect of your card is perfection, but then it always is. You are definitely an artist. Thank you for sharing your talent.
tonilea
Kudos, Kittie! You never cease to amaze me. I’d love to try the SOFFT sponges, if I win.
Kittie, I have tried several items that you use on your cards, the SOFFT sponges are awesome, love how the color goes on!! They are small enough you can get into smaller spaces as well when coloring!! I would love to win these!! Can hardly wait to see what you create !! Your cards are my absolute favorites, you have inspired me to get back to making cards! Thankyou!!!
Katie, you are the winner of my Sofft Mini Applicator blog candy. Would you send me your full name and address and I will get your gift out to you. Thanks!