EMBOSSED OAK LEAF

Here I go again! I used French Foliage in this card one more time. I just cannot get enough of that stamp set.

At my October Stamp-In workshop, my girls made another fallish card. Fallish? VERY fallish.

Initially, when I had the background of leaves finished, I thought it looked kind of drab and flat. What could I do to perk it up some, to make it look more REAL? Hmmm. I know! Grab French Foliage! That always saves the day. 

After adding some of the French Foliage leaves and dots, even though it was subtle, it was enlivened enough to please me. Here's a close-up.

If you would like to add a little more fall to your life -- maybe a Thanksgiving card?? -- here is how you do it:

SUPPLIES:

French Foliage Stamp Set (surprise!)

Crumb Cake Card Stock

Bravo Burgundy Card Stock

More Mustard Card Stock

Crumb Cake Ink

Cherry Cobbler Ink

Pumpkin Pie Ink

More Mustard Ink

Big Shot

Autumn Accents Bigz Die

Houndstooth Embossing Folder

Linen Thread

Paper Piercing Tool

Gold Brads

Stampin' Dimensionals

Sponge Daubers

Apothecary Accents Framelits

Stamping Sponge

INSTRUCTIONS:

Fold a piece of 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Crumb Cake card stock in half, creasing well with a bone folder.

Distress the edges of a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of Bravo Burgundy card stock in the manner you wish. Attach this piece to the card front.

Create a stencil for the background leaves by placing a piece of card stock or quilting template plastic over the Autumn Accents Bigz Die and running it through the Big Shot. Use the negative spaces for your stencil. Save the leaves for another project.

On a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of Crumb Cake card stock, place the stencil here and there, holding the stencil in place each time with blue painters tape or another removable tape. With Sponge Daubers in the appropriate colors, stencil (sponge) in the leaves.

Use the leaves and distressed dots from the French Foliage set to stamp randomly across the leaves in Crumb Cake ink. This is a subtle effect, but enough to give the sponged leaves a bit more dimension. 

Run a 4 1/4" x 2" piece of Bravo Burgundy card stock through the Big Shot inside the rounded end label from the Apothecary Accents Framelits. Make sure the Framelit is centered because this will be your actual frame. Repeat with a 2" x 4" piece of Crumb Cake card stock. This one doesn't need to be centered because you are just using the label itself. Sponge the edges of the Crumb Cake label with Bravo Burgundy card stock with a stamping sponge.

Use the Piercing Tool over the foam mat to create holes in both of the rounded ends of the label. Insert gold brads into the holes.

Nestle the Crumb Cake label inside the Bravo Burgundy label frame and adhere to the card front.

Run a 2 1//4" x 3 1/2" piece of More Mustard card stock through the Big Shot to create an oak leaf with the Autumn Accents Bigz Die. Run the leaf through the Big Shot once again inside the Houndstooth Embossing Folder. Sponge all the edges of the leaf with Bravo Burgundy ink. I also sponged lightly inside the leaf.

Tie a piece of Linen Thread around the stem of the leaf in a bow. I added small knots to the ends of the thread. Attach the leaf to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Enjoy the creating!

Smiles.