Have an Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is my second favorite holiday - Christmas is my first!  It's a day my entire family gathers, we eat, we reminisce and it's a day of no expectations.  This Thanksgiving is extra special for our family. My Mom and step Dad moved here five months ago from Las Vegas so we get to spend the holiday together - the first together in many years. To boot, my Mom has decided to invite all my cousins to join us. They live in Texas, Illinois and Ohio.  My folks' home and ours (and a nearby hotel) will be filled with family.  Last count, we are at 22 for dinner! However you plan on spending your Thanksgiving this year be sure to have an attitude of gratefulness - not just on Thanksgiving, but all year long.

Here are some tips about today's card.  1) I saw a similar layout on Stampin' Connection,  website exclusive to Stampin' Up! demonstrators...another perk of being a demonstrator!  Every consider buying your paper crafting supplies at a discount?  Well, contact me and I'll be happy to explain! (I digressed, sorry.) As I've said before, don't be afraid to experiment with your designer papers. Mixing patterns is perfectly acceptable. Gone are the days of "matchy-matchy".  2) The NEW Autumn Accents Bigz die is a perfect match to this stamp set.  Simply die cut the leaves from vanilla cardstock, ink up the coordinating stamp, check the STEM of the leaf to see which direction it should go and lay the CARDSTOCK on TOP of the inked stamp.  It's backwards, I know, but it works!  I highly recommend clear mount stamps for use with this die and it's easy.  If you're slightly 'off' when you stamped, don't worry.  Before cleaning your stamp, use that excess ink and stamp it all over the leaf.  This will result in edges that look sponged.  3) You'll notice the acorn is two-toned. No marker needed. Ink up the acorn in the Chocolate Chip, stamp it on scratch paper (called 'stamping off' which reduces one layer of ink). Now place the TOP of the acorn ONLY into your ink pad (get your eyes close and you can see it, I promise) and ink the top half again.  Stamp onto vanilla cardstock.  VOILA!  Try it, it works! 4) Notice that I corner rounded only ONE corner of the designer paper.

Supplies:
Stamp Set: Wonderfall (128084 wood, 128087 clear), Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370 wood, 127082 clear)
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze
Ink Pads: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Old Olive
Designer Paper: Orchard Harvest (126895)
Big Shot: Autumn Accents Bigz die (127812)
Punches: Modern Label (119849), Word Window (119857), Corner Rounder (119871)
Accessories: Early Espresso 1/4" stitched grosgrain ribbon (126871), Dimensionals, Glue Dot SNAIL adhesive, Stampin' Sponge