Wednesday, September 20, 2017

For The Love Of Leaves - A New Design

Hello friends.  I have a 5 year blog-aversary coming up on September 30th, and one of my dear friends Loll Thompson asked me if I'd be interested in a blog re-design in celebration of 5 years of blogging.  Those of you  who have followed me for any length of time know that while I love making cards, computers and anything technology related are just not my thing!  Because there are only so many choices that blogger offers for blog design, I have been limited to what they had, so the offer of a new design that is totally what I want was FABULOUS news!!  I have always loved LEAVES and have many, many leaf designs in my home, so I mentioned that to Loll and the fact that I love earth tones, and she did all the rest and I couldn't be more pleased!  Thank you, thank you Loll...you really are the best!!

To celebrate my new design, I made three new cards featuring...yep, you guessed it...leaves!!


For this card I dry embossed a couple Gina Marie Designs leaf dies with a rubber mat, so that I would get the impression of the leaf, but not have it cut.  I also lightly tapped my Versamark pad over the top of the leaf dies before dry embossing them, and then used copper embossing powder that only picked up on the outline details.  Next I masked off the edges of my cardstock and then did some acetate smooshing with Fired Brick, Orange Marmalade, & Peeled Paint Distress Inks.  My sentiment is from PTI's Keep It Simple: Thank You.


I had hoped to capture the shine of the copper embossing in this close up, but no such luck!  I do however love the way the colors of my smooshing came out!!


This next card shows off much better in person!  I double embossed the leaf die cut (Gina Marie Designs) in copper and the double embossing really gives it a solid and lovely look!  Behind the open side of the leaf I blended the same colors as the first card, but in DOX inks...a much deeper and solid color!  I also did some water splattering and then sprayed the colored piece quite liberally with Sheer Shimmer Sparkle Spritz...in real life this whole card just shines and sparkles!!


For my last card I wanted to do something that reflected my new design, so I gathered a couple leaf sets (PTI's Leaf Prints and Leave It Be) and had fun playing around with colors and the different leaves.  After fussy cutting them all out, I die cut a dotted frame from PTI's Mix & Mat: Flourish and then arranged my leaves along the bottom and up the left side.  My sentiment is from the same PTI set (Keep It Simple: Thank You) that I used on my 1st and 2nd cards.  My card base is a piece of Soft Suede cs.

I hope you've enjoyed my little tribute to LEAVES and again, a BIG THANK YOU to Loll for all the work you did (even though you said it was fun and NOT work!!).  I am totally in LOVE with my new blog and just can't believe I am lucky enough to have a blog this cool looking!

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!


9 comments:

Birgit said...

Wow!!!! I love your new blog look and those cards are a stunning tribute to your new design! Loll did a fabulous job and your signature is darling. You have so much patience to fussy cut all those leaves by hand. I could go on and on about the colors, your cards, your blog..... everything! Love it all my friend!

Ros Crawford said...

Oh I love your new design!! What a wonderful lady Loll is and she makes such amazing cards too! Which leads me on to your creations... I LOVE them! I saw a video about using dies the way you did in your first card and it's on my list to do... Your second card is beyond elegant! ... Got to try that too and as for your 3 beauty, what can I say? Another masterpiece!

Nancy Penir said...

Oh my gosh, I LOVE the new look! I adore the warmth of the leaves and their bright colors, and how sweet of Loll to help. Marcia, your cards are typically beautifully crafted and look fabulous with the new theme. So happy for you! And I love the leaves on your signature too! Enjoy!

Loll said...

Three beautiful leafy cards, my friend! Love the techniques used on your first card. Have not tried the embossing of dies with heat embossed outlines. Very cool. And your acetate smooshed background is gorgeous and artsy.

LOVE that second card with that beautiful leaf die. The double embossing in copper really adds so much depth of colour. Again, beautiful smooshed colours behind the open area of the leaf. Beautiful!

And your third card is gorgeous with all the fussy cut and layered leaves. So much amazing inspiration, Marcia. xx

Susan said...

Love your new blog design! Isn't Loll just the best? She designed my blog too (and taught me all about how to blog) - she's such a generous person and a great friend.

Love your three autumn cards too - such great variety in design and technique.

Bonnie said...

What a beautiful new blog design, Marcia! Loll definitely has a talent for designing the blogs to suit our personalities! Love these bright fall colors and I love leaves too!

Love your cards! I've been wanting to try that double embossing. I love how your leaves turned out and the smooshing is gorgeous! I have that die you used on the second card and I'm going to have to CASE your card! Love the copper! And your bright assortment of fall leaves is so pretty! A gorgeous fall card!

nancy littrell said...

OMG Marcia..Your new blog design by Loll is absolutely beautiful and so shows your Love for Leaves!!! TFS and Congratulations on 5 years of Blogging.

All 3 of your Autumn cards are Stunning and a wonderful way to celebrate you new blog. I love Fall and Leaves too so am going to be spending more time admiring your inspiring designs. Thank you again for sharing. Hugs..

P.S. Loll designed my blog too, which I have enjoyed for 18 months. She used an Alcohol Ink background I had designed. Loll is so clever and works so hard getting every single detail of our blogs Perfect!

nancy littrell said...

I finally had a chance to read your descriptions for your 3 beautiful cards, Marcia. You used several wonderful techniques to make your beauties. Your cards reflect your sincere Thank You to Loll for her redesign of your blog. TFS your wonderful cards and descriptions. Hugs..

Christine Alexander said...

Marcia, Loll has done such an awesome job with your blog. We are all so lucky to have such a talented knowledgeable blogger among us :)
I love your fall themed cards, gorgeous colours and textures
Hugs Christine