Leaves. . . . . and even more leaves!

My garden currently lies under a huge number of leaves from a large sycamore tree in someone else's garden. As I've said before, I love trees but every autumn, I remember that I don't like them all - I dislike sycamores very, very much. Why? Firstly, I have to pick up the leaves each year and secondly, I'm convinced the tree knows I hate it and is probably laughing as it directs each newly shed leaf my way! Thing is, I have the cutest little woodburning stove. . . . . . that tree had better watch out!!

Onto more interesting things. I made a tag incorporating leaves and a pumpkin which seems to be a favourite challenge theme at the moment on many blogs. Sadly, I missed one of the challenges I was going to enter it into so, one down and two to go! I used the word 'Fall' rather than the usual 'Autumn' (for a Brit!) but four letters are much easier to deal with don't you think?!!

I've been using my TAP paper again. Stamping with distress onto the paper and ironing it onto fabric is fun but why did I choose to do leaves?? It took me forever to stamp them, cut them out, add more colour, stitch them, add wire to the back and shape them! Are you still awake after that list? Never mind, it kept me busy and out of trouble!

Here's my tag and I'm going to enter it at the following challenges:

Try It On A Tuesday - Lots Of Layers
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Leaf-Spiration

The light was very dim today and this really was the best I could do. The shimmer in the background is barely visible I'm afraid (yes, I've been playing with the metallic distress stain again and perhaps, just perhaps, I'm starting to like them!).

This is what the leaves look like before they are cut out and 'modified'. The leaves here were only stamped with two colours of distress - I used more than one colour on most of the leaves for my tag.

The pumpkin (a tando piece) received an Andy Skinner makeover and I left him the eyes and mouth so the background shone through. The leaves have been made as described above and then arranged  in an 'artful heap' (er well, hopefully!). There is a paper leaf hiding in there somewhere and one without stitching but it wouldn't do for them all to be the same!

The background was made using metallic distress stain combined with two colours of other distress stain. A mask and baby wipe created some interest in the background and IRL it is rich and glows rather like autumnal colours. Some peeled paint was added to the edges followed by walnut stain.
The letters were die cut from kraft resist, inked and glossy accents added.
The dying flower stems were stamped with versamark and embossed with distress powder. I was trying to create that skeleton look that gardens start to take on now as foliage and flowers die back.

Rusty, metallic pumpkin with some green wire tendrills. I wanted some rusty wire but that was a step too far for my skills! Some grunge paper twigs can be seen rising up behind the leaves. These were die cut and inked.

A little metallic lace was added at the bottom - the colour matches the metallic distress stain and I think it links in quite nicely with the background pattern.

Further views of the leaves with stitching and variegated colour.



Hope you enjoyed following this post - I know there's always lots of words and pictures but I don't seem to be able to do a post any other way! Thanks for sticking with it.