Autumn Pumpkin Pallet - DIY Farmhouse Decor

My house is severely lacking in Autumn decor - be it Halloween or Thanksgiving or just general fall themed - it's almost non-existent!  Enter the fabulous Tall Pumpkin DIY Pallet to the rescue!  Christine joining you with a fun and EASY home decor piece for this gorgeous season!

Tall Pumpkin DIY Pallet

Tall Pumpkin DIY Pallet Close-ups

When I originally started working, I thought I'd use this as porch decor.  But when I set it down on my fireplace hearth I really liked how it looked - so it's staying right there!  Flanked by a couple of pumpkins and a cute little scarecrow, it really brightens up the room!

Seeing as I can't seem to get fall decor up,  this needed to be a pumpkin that could hang around longer than October. Additionally, I knew I wanted to take a slightly less traditional approach to decorating this.  Rather than painting it orange, I opted for all white!  In doing so I was able to give it that farmhouse feel that I just can't get enough of!  I then hustled off to a dollar store and got some leaves.  I adhered those to the bottom using Adhesive Dots as well as weaving their stems between the pallets for extra hold. Just adding leaves and avoiding any Halloween specific decor made it so it can last all fall, until I am ready to get out those Christmas decorations!

Painting it white only required two layers of paint.  Once the paint dried I sanded it a bunch to rough it up. Then I added some brown paint streaks.  I didn't allow those to dry completely before I smudged them up.  I wanted to create a distressed look with those so I simply wiped over them with a rag and then once completely dry ran my sand paper over them again.  All in all it was a fun creation and I'm really happy with how it turned out!  Be sure to check out all the Wood Pallet Shapes over at the Clear Scraps shop!

Fall Wreath Tutorial

Sometimes you have just enough supplies left over from a kit to make something extra.  I decided to use my patterned paper scraps from this month's Main Kit from My Creative Scrapbook to create a fall wreath!  This kit was full of Simple Stories papers which blend together beautifully!  I started out thinking I'd use the more neutral papers but it just wasn't working.  So I went bold and combined patterns.  Thankfully the colors blend together perfectly so it didn't get to be overwhelming!

I've created a wreath like this before so I knew it wouldn't be too time consuming or eat up a ton of supplies!  Here's how to do it:

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Cut 1 inch X 12 inch strips of your patterned paper.  For a wreath with an interior circumference of 8 inches I needed 34 strips.  

Wrap your strips around a wreath base.  You can use a ring (that looks better for dimension) or if you don't have one you can just cut a ring out of chipboard or cardboard. The strips will overlap a bit on the wreath base. Connect the strips at the end with adhesive.

Cut a notch out of the end of each strip - don't worry about being perfectly exact.

Use burlap and ribbon to create a pretty fall bow.  Attach this with hot glue or a strong liquid adhesive.

Add other leftover pieces like flowers and chipboard pieces to surround your bow and add some pretty accents.  You can leave it like this or cut out a banner or some other sentiment to add to the center as well.

Simple Stories "Sweater Weather" for The Scrapbooking Studio

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!  I hope you are enjoying some downtime with family and friends today!  I am joining you today to share some projects from the Sweater Weather line from Simple Stories.  I got to work with this line this month for samples at The Scrapbooking Studio. It has a fall theme - but has broad enough embellishments and papers that you can make it work for family and general themes also! First up I have a layout to share:

I stuck with the autumn theme in this one and showed my little guy in the leaves.  Isn't that sweater patterned paper neat?

This card made use of a lot of die cuts from the die cut pack.  Adding brads, chipboard, and enamel dots (all from Simple Stories) was an easy way to add texture and dimension.

This layout is just a general one - although you could make it more fall like by adding leaves and such - you can see it has just a nice general family feel.

My altered project also is a general project that could hang in your home year around.  I love all the houses and hearts included in this line.   Happy Thanksgiving All!

17 Turtles Guest Designer!

I had the honor of guest designing over at 17 Turtles yesterday!  Here's the projects I created and you can find all the details on them over there at this post :)

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Doodlebug Design

Stickers: Doodlebug Design & SRM Stickers

Cardstock: Core'dinations

Thankful Layout - Core'dinations & May Arts Paired Up!

I can't believe that it is already mid-November and fall is rapidly disappearing!  Before it's gone I wanted to get in another fall layout and Core'dinations combined with May Arts is the perfect pair to do it with!  You can see full step by step instructions for this layout on the Core'dinations blog!

I love the way that Core'dinations cardstock cuts on my Silhouette!  Setting it at 3 speed, 33 Thickness, and my blade at 4, and double cut it cuts beautifully every time.  If it is super textured then I simply flip the paper over to the other side and cut it that way - you can still get the textured look if you mirror your image!

I used May Arts burlap ribbon and absolutely love it!  I have been wanting to try that stuff for a while!  I also used their scalloped border ribbon.

What amazes me most with Core'dinations cardstock is all the different looks you can achieve by tearing, embossing, and sanding!  

Supplies Used:

Cardstock: Core'dinations

Tags; Core'dinations

Ribbon: May Arts

Brads: Simple Stories

Stickers: Simple Stories

Fall Thank You Card

If you haven't already picked up on it, I really enjoy creating fall cards :)  This one was up yesterday on the Samantha Walker blog. I was pulling out the little pieces and realized they are gorgeous too!  Today I am going to show you how I incorporated those into a card too! Instead of using the whole card, I just used the overlay.

After cutting the overlay in a couple different colors I made use of the leaf for one element on my card. I then used the negative space swirls for embellishing the card.

You can peel out each and every piece of negative space from these leaves and put them together to make pretty flourish clusters or wheat clusters or simply use them individually to decorate. I bet they would be just stunning in vellum!  

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Core'dinations
Sticker: SRM Stickers
Wood: Studio Calico
Twine: May Arts

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful fall day where you are and have lots to be thankful for this month!

Friendly Forest Cards

I had so much fun playing with this line for The Scrapbooking Studio that I actually came up with five projects!  Doodlebug really hit this one out of the park.  Here's the two cards I created using the line.

This patterned paper...oh I love it and I really wanted to do something unique and clever with it.  I can't tell you how many different arrangements it went through.  I finally settled in on a card with a big heart that had a quilt feel to it.  I loved how it was coming together but then I thought it would be really neat to add some dimension so I used new squares in the same color and folded them in half.  

I added those on top of the original design and voila - sweet dimension!

This second card has a lot more in the layering department.  I added vellum to the top of the polka dot patterned paper to soften it a bit.  I then added layers of papers and stickers to create a vibrant base with a variety of shapes.  Adding a sentiment and a few clusters of stickers brings the whole thing together.  I love to throw a sideways bow on my cards every once in awhile for a different twist on the regular bow :)

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Doodlebug 

Stickers: Doodlebug

Vellum: Core'dinations

Enamel Dots: Simple Stories

Fall Wall Hanging

I love to use my paper crafting supplies to create home decor so I am always on the lookout for little things I can alter.  Today I have an altered frame that actually used to be a base for a puzzle.  We lost enough pieces that it was useless but I still kept the base ;).  This is another project using the Friendly Forest line from Doodlebug Design for The Scrapbooking Studio!

This was super simple to make!  I did a large square of brown and purple patterned paper.  I then made equal sized squares in white for the base of the word FALL.  I topped each of those with a different patterned paper.  Then more white and then the letters.  After all that I added an animal Doodle Pop to each Square and a tree or leaf.  Final step was to add some enamel dots to each square.  

Can't wait to add this to my other cute Fall Decor!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Doodlebug Design

Stickers: Doodlebug Design

Enamel Dots: Simple Stories

FOX & Friend - Doodlebug "Friendly Forest" Layout

Okay, okay, so it's a fall line. But when you have a little boy who loves his Fox as much as he does and Doodlebug puts out some stinkin' cute fox stuff, well, it had to be done.  So this layout has nothing to do with fall but still uses the "Friendly Forest" line!

I love these pictures so so much and you know how it goes, when the pictures are really sentimental then you struggle to commit them to a layout.  I fought with this layout for hours longer than anything else i have done recently.  I came up with the title "Fox & Friend" to mimic the morning news show "Fox & Friends." And then I added a subtitle in the middle of the pictures.  I knew I wanted to pull in some green and blue also so I added those into the mix of layers. I am finding that no matter what I do now, there is some element on there from Core'dinations and today it is the vellum circles.  They add a soft touch of texture to the whole layout.  I know this will be a layout that I am going to love to sit and look at down the road and aren't those the best kind?  Hope you've had a great weekend!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Doodlebug

Stickers: Doodlebug

Vellum: Core'dinations

Enamel Dots: Simple Stories

Fall is Here - Doodlebug Design "Friendly Forest" layout

I just love playing with the bright and whimsical designs that Doodlebug Designs creates.  The Scrapbooking Studio sent me Friendly Forest (their fall line) to work with.  One of the best things about this line is it's got a good mix of masculine and feminine elements and colors - today I am going to share a layout that focuses on the more masculine side.

This was actually the last project I created with the line and was working mostly with scraps.  As I started to lay things out I could see a vertical focus and went ahead and built from there.  The "Fall is Here" is a silhouette cut.  I fussy cut the bottom triangles from the same paper that is the picture matte.  After building the whole thing up the center and a lot of mixing and matching of patterns - I knew I needed to keep the embellishing simple.  A couple of leaf clusters and a couple stickers around the photo made that easy.  Don't you just love coordinating stickers?  I'll be back with more from this line over the next few days!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Core'dinations

Patterned Paper: Doodlebug

Stickers: Doodlebug

Enamel Dots: Doodlebug

Wood: Studio Calico

Twine: The Twinery

Fall Layout using Debossing

I always love the opportunity to get a favorite picture onto a layout and stored as a lifetime memory - today I have a fall layout to share with you featuring products from Core'dinations, Xyron, and Petaloo that does just that.  Core'dinations is teaming up with Xyron and Petaloo with a week full of inspiration and prizes!  You need to head there to get in on some great prizes!

Give Thanks Layout Supplies:

• Tim Holtz Kraft Core Seasonal Impressions
• Jillian Snowflake Spotted
• Core Basics Kraft
• Core Tags - Dark Assorted 
• Dust Buddy & Sand-it Gadget
• Tim Holtz Kraft Core Nostalgic Collection No. 3
• Coredinations Vellum Quotes & Titles
• Darice Leaf Embossing Folder
• Petaloo Crochet Lace Fancy Trim - Paprika
• Petaloo Darjeeling Petites Autumn
• Petaloo Darjeeling Mini Mix
• Petaloo Darjeeling Petites Teastained Red
• Petaloo Trim Assorted Whites
• Xyron 3 Inch Sticker Maker
• Xyron Mega Runner
• Xyron High Tack Adhesive Dots

Here's how I created this layout:

Step 1: Emboss your tags and then deboss them by using your Sand-It Gadget.

Step 2: Cut out the center of the Seasonal Impressions cardstock - leaving just a one inch border.  Sand the border and use the Xyron Mega Runne to add Spotted Cardstock underneath as the base.

Step 3: Add Tags and Red Cardstock to create the center of your layout use the Xyron 3 Inch Sticker Maker.  Add Petaloo trims to the Xyron 3 inch Sticker Maker and then attach them above and below.Step 4: Run the vellum quote thru the Xyron 3 Inch Sticker Maker.  This is the best way to attach vellum because it doesn't show up at all! Add the vellum to the tag.Step 5: Put the picture on top of the Kraft cardstock and center it.

Step 6: Add a die cut banner and Embellish the corners with Petaloo Darjeeling Flowers. Xyron's High Tack Adhesive Dots make attaching small flowers like this an easy job! Products like this make it both easy and fun to put together a layout that we can cherish forever!

Frayed Knot on a Layout

 I am up over at the Ribbons Unlimited Blog today.  I don't think I have ever shared a layout there...it's always cards and other projects...so I decided this month it needed to be a layout!  I used one of our beautiful Lyon French Wired Ribbons that is the perfect addition to fall projects.

I really love this ribbon (Sandstone) because of the golden hues that come out in it, making it a perfect match for some fall projects.  First, I used the ribbon as a border strip underneath my photos and then I tied a knot and topped one end of the border with it.  Then to bring out those golden hues, I frayed the ends of my knot.   It's a simple, quick, but striking way to add some different texture to your layout! 

Check out that hilarious picture of my two youngest boys...oy!  Crazy is the perfect way to describe things :)

Ribbons Unlimited Supplies Used:

Lyon French Wired Ribbon: Sandstone

Other supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Echo Park

Stickers: Echo Park & Bella Blvd

Cork: Fancy Pants

Create Your Own Napkin Rings

Busy, busy, busy!  This post was shared yesterday at CutCardStock with a quick and pretty way to dress up your dinner table!  

 I created some napkin rings to add to my table using some CutCardStock in beautiful fall colors and a few simple embellishments.

To begin cut a 2 X 5 1/2" strip of cardstock using the  Dark Orange Basis Cardstock and die cut a leaf (I used my Silhouette Cameo - but any shaped leaf, even a punch, would work great) using the Stardream Metallic Gold Cardstock.  I love all the sparkle that the Stardream Metallic Cardstocks add!  

 I love to upcycle items from around the house.  The base for my napkin ring is made up of a gift wrapping tube that was left over!  I cut it down to 2 inches.  The cutting on this does not have to be perfect...as you can see it is well covered up.

 I covered the tube with my cardstock and then inked the edges in a coordinating color.  I then added a lace border sticker right down the middle.  I topped that with an offset leaf, a cork heart, and a few sparkles.

Once I slid those onto the napkins, I decided I wanted an extra punch of color and texture.  I added a green wired ribbon simply tied with a knot and that took care of it!  

You've got a few more days to get in on this month's sale!

Imaginisce Fall Layout

I've been busy working on magazine submissions and CHA projects...so I do not have a ton to share right now. But I do have a layout I made using some Imaginisce goodies!  It feels weird to post a fall layout now, but I'm doing it anyway :)

I wanted to try slanting some border strips just to see if they would add a different feel to the layout.  It's not something I'd do all the time, but I like that it adds a unique and graphic look to things.  I also trimmed the ends of those all differently and curled some of them up.  I created my border using tiny little torn strips for a mosaic look.  I also tried to highlight everything with a bakers twine heart.  You know me, I love that bakers twine :)!  I did my journalling on the little tags talking about all the things that I am thankful for about Lucy. 

Hello fall!

Another week another challenge at Create.  I love these challenges...they've totally stretched me.  As I was wandering the dollar store aisles last week I stumbled onto these Leaf Doilies.  Of course I snatched some up and voila, card fun!  I love that you don't have to give one thought to acid free on cards...it's so freeing :)

Supplies Used:  Bella Blvd stickers, Echo Park stickers, The Twinery Bakers Twine

Leaf Piles

If you follow me at all you know this layout does not meet my normal bright and cheery color scheme....but I have to say every time I look at it I love it more :)  Put the whole thing together with a bunch of scraps from here and there.  I created my chevron stripe by cutting 2 inch squares in half to make triangles and then laying them out accordingly.  I like that this looks like fall without having all orange, red, and brown.  Love those colors but love some variety even more!

Supplies Used: Creative Charms Gem Leaves, Miss Elizabeth lace tape, Pebbles (woodgrain PP), Pebbles letter stickers, Cosmo Cricket letter stickers, The Twinery Bakers Twine