AUTUMN GOLF OUTING!

So can you believe it's October already?  I know I can't, that means it's time to get started on my Christmas cards.  I have 150 plus to make and half of them go overseas, so I really should get started on it. That being said, let's get back to October!  LOL!

The fall is probably my favorite time of the year - I love all the autumnal colors as they fall through the air and create a patchwork quilt on the ground.  They already started falling up here in New Jersey. The mornings are quite chilly, then it warms up to mid to high 70's, under a bright clear blue sky - just perfect!  Still warm enough to eat outside in the evening. My Mum and Dad are arriving on the 23rd for a month, so I hope this spell continues.  

To celebrate the arrival of autumn, Sparkle N Sprinkle has released four new marbled embossing powders: Cranberry, Squash, Pumpkin Pie and Turnip. Needless to say, they had to become part of my collection. Let me just say one thing - they are amazing! 

So a couple of weeks ago, I was outside and we had just had some rain, which caused a few leaves to start falling, they were so pretty and I stopped and picked up a "little" variety.  I took them up to my stamping room and lay them out on papers and then I wondered ....... and you know how one thing leads to another? Pretty soon I had a pile of leaves covered in Versamark and fall marbled embossing powders!  I have to let you see a couple of before and after pics.:

 

       

One of my favorites was the green oakleaf (which for some reason I forgot to take a before shot) covered with the Squash EP:

I had a pretty little piece of my burning bush shrub, which was already such a pretty color, so I decided to just add a little "Sparkle" (embossing powder):

 

Isn't that so pretty? 

So then what to do with all of Mother Nature's transformed creations?  I found a couple of photos of my Dad on a golf outing in Pennsylvania, which had beautiful autumnal colors and then I was inspired!

I made the frames using Spellbinders Grand Large Labels, heat embossed with the Cranberry embossing powder.  

"Golf" was actually sparkly purple chipboard stickers which I heat embossed over the top with Squash. The orange woven piece was also heat embossed with the Squash. 

The grass was covered with some "Hit the Beach" embossing powder. I punched the diamond border and taped 3/4" Tear-ific Tape to the back and applied Peruvian Lily Glitter. I liked the subtle sparkle that added to the layout.

I distressed my little note with Gold Detail embossing powder. I colored and cut out the Golf Cart from Golf Set 509 and set it on a grass border of "Turnip". After a little consultation with my dear stamping buddy Donna - I used a piece of the woven paper as a stencil and sponged some distress inks onto the maroon background paper, so it wasn't as stark. "Thanks Donna!"

I hope the weather holds up so Dad will be able to enjoy another outing like he did last year. 

Hope you'll pop back soon!

Shona