Is it me – or does the Split Card Textures Dies look like the profile of New Hampshire?

Here is another easily overlooked item in the catalog:  the Stampin’ Up! Split Card Textures Dies.  I saw them and almost overlooked them– except that they looked like the profile of New Hampshire…

Or was it really Vermont?

Well – in either case, they spoke to me as a very appropriate design for the changing of the leaves as fall approaches.  I, of course, HATE the onset of fall – though not because I do not appreciate the beauty of the leaves. I think that the “swan song” of our beautiful green foliage is incredibly moving.

BUT, I despise winter…and gray days…and sort-of-snow (that’s the stuff on the roads the day after the storm…yeccch…)  So, it takes me quite a while to be OK with the fall colors.  (My daughter says that I am noticeably angry in the early fall…)  It is a major transition for me that I can only portray in the various iterations of today’s card design…

But I was amused by the profile of New Hampshire…or Vermont.  We are two fairly quiet little states that have some majestic beauty to brag about…but that bragging does not happen often.  My amusement helped me with my summer-to-fall transition this year.  So, thank you to Stampin’ Up! for this seasonal transition grief support.

The card cuts are easy and few:

Using on the 4” x 5-1/4” panels, I created the background that will show through the New Hampshire profile embossing.  I did this by arraying several colors that allowed me to transition into fall more easily!

The first card – with the green leaves that would be wonderful for any season of the year – features Soft Succulent, Old Olive, and Evening Evergreen.  The second, yellow version used So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie – with the later versions including Cajun Craze and finally Merry Merlot to bring in the later fall coloring.

I started with the lightest color and stamped a random pattern using the tree images from the Stampin’ Up! Beauty of Friendship stamp set. This set has a beautiful tree impression with a second layer that allows a highlighting effect.  I used the fuller stamp to create the trees by stamping once for a darker image and then “stamping off” for a lighter second impression to fill in the space.

The second layer from the Beauty of Friendship set was used to introduce the darker color to each of the trees.  These impressions create a beautiful full panorama of fall colors – just like the ones that I see outside my window at this time of year.  (Oh yes…I have an amazing vista, as well as a view of our local mountain, Mount Monadnock!  I am always amazed at the blessing of this place – especially the area that I work in!)

I created the leaf images from the Soft Seedling stamp set by using daubers to add more colors to each impression.  This is one of the Stampin’ Up! Distinktive images that has a 3-dimensional quality every time you stamp it – even in a single ink color. 

Although you can easily add embellishments, I decided that the backdrop was interesting enough as well as the Timeworn Type 3D embossing on the top mat.  However, gems are always a wonderful thing to add – as I believe in Blingology!

The inside of the card uses the sentiment from the Soft Seedlings set, which is a lovely script.  But again, this addition works for a card – as a blank inside panel would be a wonderful note to a friend or relative.

I was just thinking that it might be a wonderful invitation to Thanksgiving dinner as well.  Perhaps a handwritten invitation – or one that you could develop on Word and print…  How impressive would that be?

Thank you so much for sharing my transition to fall with me.  At this date, our leaves are on the downswing, with that autumn storm needed to knock the rest of them down.  But when I went to Rhode Island earlier in the week, their leaves have barely started to change color.  If you are somewhere that fall has not touched yet, please feel free to CAS my cards and the succession of colors.  It will help you transition without as much sadness – or anger…

I have also submitted this card to a couple of challenges.  Challenges offer so much inspiration to think outside the box and I just love answering them.

The Tic Tac Toe Challenge #184 is one that really does keep me on my toes as I tend to overthink them.  But the samples and the other players are so inspiring!

The October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge is a fun one as well.  And I do believe that my New Hampshire profile die answers this one in style!

The Four Season Challenge for October is Anything goes – FALL.  This one is a special entry as it documents my journey to Seasonal Acceptance…or something!

Thank you for letting me rattle on about this fall situation. I think that I’m good to go now – so please expect some more autumn themed cards in the upcoming weeks. I seem to have a bunch of ideas now!

Here are the items that I used for these cards.  I hope that you have fun with this design!  These two stamp sets and the Split Card Textures Dies should become “Classics” in your collection.