Instructions

I love the depth of color you can find in the changing fall leaves around my neighborhood, and I tried to capture that in my large focal leaf here with a blend of Ranger Distress Crayons sprinkled with gold detail embossing powder. This is such a fun technique, and so easy to do. I’ve got the step by steps for you, so let’s take a closer look.

Step 1: To begin, die cut the Sizzix Layered Leaf Bigz die from Mixed Media Heavystock paper. Coat the entire surface of the leaf with Ranger Gesso using a flat paintbrush, and then set the leaf aside to dry completely.

Step 2: Apply a mix of color to the leaf using Wild Honey, Aged Mahogany, Forest Moss, and Iced Spruce Distress Crayons. Cover most of the area, but it’s not necessary to fill the entire leaf in with the crayons.

Step 3: Using a paintbrush dipped into clear clean water, blend out the Distress Crayons. The water will smooth the crayon pigments into each other, and will lighten the colors. Dry the leaf with a Heat-It Tool, and if desired, add more crayon pigment to the leaf to intensify the colors. Blend the colors together with the tip of your finger.

Step 4: Place the leaf inside the matching Layered Leaf Texture Fade embossing folder, and run the folder through your die cutting machine to emboss the venations into the die cut. Sand the raised embossed areas with a sanding block.

Step 5: Lightly mist the embossed leaf with a Distress Sprayer, and while the water is still wet, sprinkle it with gold embossing powder. Heat set the powder with the Heat Tool. Using a Detail Blending Tool, apply Wild Honey Distress Ink to the edges of the leaf.

Step 6: Cut a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of kraft cardstock to fit the base of a standard A2 card base. Adhere the panel to the card base, and then ink the edges using Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink. Cut a 4.25” x 5.5” panel of kraft stock cardstock, and sand the paper with the sanding block. Emboss the cardstock with the Rosettes embossing folder. Sand the raised embossed areas to bring out the detail. Adhere the cardstock at an angle to the top right corner of the card, trimming off the overlap from the sides, as needed.

Step 7: Place a small amount of Perfect Pearls powder onto a Non-Stick Craft Sheet, and mix it with a bit of water. Pick up the mixture with a paintbrush, and flick it onto the card. Working with the paintbrush, paint a thin line of the Perfect Pearls mixture onto the edges of the card. Allow the Perfect Pearls to dry completely.

Step 8: Add a strip of Textured Surfaces burlap to the card base, followed by a strip of Textured Surfaces corrugate. Tear the right edges of both strips, and then fray the burlap a bit. Paint a small amount of Perfect Pearls mixture onto the edges of the burlap. Apply Aged Mahogany Distress Oxide ink to the corrugate using an Ink Blending Tool. Ink the corners of the card with the Oxide ink, as well. Wrap twine around the Textured Surfaces strips, and tie the ends into a simple knot. Trim the ends of the twine close to the knot.

Step 9: Die cut the smallest circle shape from the Stitched Circles die set from Mixed Media Heavystock. Dab a bit of Bundled Sage Distress Ink onto the craft sheet, and spray it lightly with water from the Distress Sprayer. Use the ink mixture to watercolor the circle die cut. Set it aside to dry. Die cut a larger pinked circle from cork Textured Surfaces using the Gift Tags die set. Draw around the edges with a Gathered Twigs Distress Crayon, and smudge the pigment with the tip of your finger. Edge the Stitched Circle die cut with Aged Mahogany Distress Oxide.

Step 10: Adhere the two circles together using Multi Medium Matte. Adhere the leaf to the center of the corrugate strip using more of the Multi Medium. Die cut the letters for the word fall from sanded kraft stock cardstock. Adhere the letters to the circle dies with Multi Medium. Ink the edges of a season chit chat sticker with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink, and adhere the sticker below the die cut letters.

Step 11: Adhere the sentiment circle to the center of the leaf using Multi Medium.