Is it really almost fall? Is it time to pull out our sweaters and go apple picking on a cool, crisp day? We loved to take our kids to the orchards to pick apples when we lived in New Hampshire. I do love fall…but I am not ready to let go of summer. I love floating in the pool, grilling steaks and burgers on the grill, and listening to the crickets sing in the evening. While my northern family and friends are getting closer to those cooler days, here in Texas it is still swealtering, and we would die of heat stroke if we donned our sweaters!! LOL! Those pumpkin lattes will just have to wait.
____________________

(Products highlighted in teal are active links to the shop.)

I started today’s card by stamping the fox from the Warm Wishes Stamp Set. I used Ranger Black Archival Ink and Tim Holtz Watercolor Paper. This set comes with a variety of seasonal images to stamp onto the sweater. I used the argyle image.

For some added interest I drew a few extra lines to the turtleneck and sleeves with a Pigma Micron 03 pen. While I was at it I decided to give the fox some Wellington boots…or wellies. I watercolored everything with Distress Inks. The nose and eyes were enhanced with a Black Gelly Pen. White highlights were added to the eyes with a White Gelly Pen. The image was cut out with the coordinating Warm Wishes Die Set.

To create the front panel, I drew a pencil line 1/4” in around a #80 Neenah Solar Crest card panel, and masked it off with Purple Tape. I laid the leaf stencil, from the Fall Showers Stencil Set, on top and taped down the left side only.

Using a Finger Sponge Dauber, I added Hero Arts White Unicorn Ink around the top and left side of the stencil. With tape on the left side only of the stencil I could lift it to see my coverage. Make sure that the ink is dry before moving on to the next step. I used a heat gun to speed it up.

Swinging the stencil back down, I added a light layer of Antique Linen Distress Ink over the same area, using a Tim Holtz Distress Brush. I also added it lightly over all the edges to give it a defined line. I continued to add another layer, closer to the edge, with Vintage Photo. I ended with just highlighting a few leaves with Rusty Hinge. You will see in the picture that I made sure to leave a light spot where the fox will be.

Now for the reveal. My favorite part is peeling back the tape! I went back over the pencil lines with the Pigma Micron pen and a ruler.

After watching Tim Holtz demo his new brushes, I asked him the system that he had used to label and store them. He has one dedicated to each color family and stores them in an ink cube case (remove the insert). He used Sharpies to color the ridge around the top. He has two sets, one for regular inks and one for oxides. And now…so do I!

I stamped and painted multiple apples from the Warm Wishes Stamp Set. They were cut using the coordinating Warm Wishes Die Set.

A tree branch was stamped and painted using the Birds and Bees Stamp Set. It was cut using the coordinating Birds and Bees Die Set. 

A banner was cut, using the Sentiment Banners Die Set. The sentiment is from the Acorn Sisters Stamp Set. The banner was edged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I used the Hugs Die Set to cut the sentiment from a scrap of black cardstock. 

A piece of Kraft cardstock was added to the panel, and then taped to a #110 Neenah cardbase, using a Kokuyo Tape Runner. The tree branch and apples were adhered with Lawn Fawn Glue. Scotch Foam tape was added to the banner and fox for added dimension.

The Hugs die cut was added to the inside of the card. A piece of the branch, that had been trimmed off, was also added.

Look through your stencils. Just adding sections of it will add some subtle interest to your backgrounds.

As always, thank you for sharing a bit of your time with me today on another creative journey.

Joyfully, Jo Ann

Supplies used:
The products that I used are listed below in compensated affiliate links. You can click the icon of your choice, below the product picture, to go directly to your favorite shop. There is NO additional cost to you when using these links. Thank you for your support!