Happy anniversary

Celebrating a fall anniversary...or 2...actually 4 this month among my circle of family and friends!

Yes, this is virtually the same card as the 10/12 birthday card post.  I was on a roll, fell in love with it and kept on creating!

Decorative cardstock (base); kraft paper colored with Walnut Stain distress stain for the layer; mixed media cardstock for the top

Stamp Camp "Love" and Hero Arts heart (found in the Sunny Lower Case Letters set) in Ground Espresso archival ink on Recollections cork tape.  The edges were smudged with the same ink.

Washi tape gave me a an area to merge 3 of my favorite fall colors using a blending tool (Wild Honey, Ripe Persimmon and Fired Brick).

Sizzix Fall Foliage thinlits die (leaf) was cut from mixed media cardstock.  Before the die cut was popped out of the die I smeared Tree Branch archival ink onto the veins of the leaf.  I puddled Antique Linen, Vintage Photo and Forest Moss distress stains on my nonstick craft sheet, spritzed with water and drug the leaf through the mix.  I let them air dry so the color would be more dramatic.  CMS266 Newsprint & Type was stamped over the dry leaf using Ground Espresso archival ink.

Hint for the color-blending:  if you lightly go over the entire strip with the lightest color (presuming you are using the a range of similar colors) then any 'lines' will be kept to a bare minimum.  They really do gradiate nicely if you go in with a gentle touch.