There’s something about fall that inspires the use of rich, layered colors, and this latest card captures that feeling beautifully with a trio of analogous colors: Highland Heather, Blackberry Bliss, and Night of Navy. These shades, harmonious yet distinct, bring a sophisticated look to the card, perfect for autumn.
To begin, I used the Autumn Leaves stamp set to create a background of stamped-off leaves in the chosen colors. Stamping off Night of Navy, Highland Heather, and Blackberry Bliss on Basic White created a softer, layered background with just the right amount of depth. Adding stems in Blackberry Bliss brought a subtle contrast to the leaves, anchoring them in the design.
To add a touch of texture, I dry-embossed a strip of Basic White cardstock using the Timber 3D Embossing Folder. This embossed strip was placed along the right side of the card front, offering a striking contrast to the stamped leaves on the left. A layer of Night of Navy cardstock serves as the foundation on the card front, highlighting both the stamped and embossed sections.
For the finishing focal elements, I die-cut a Highland Heather maple leaf with a Blackberry Bliss stem using the Autumn Leaves dies. The sentiment, “With a Grateful Heart,” was stamped onto Night of Navy cardstock in VersaMark ink, then heat embossed with white embossing powder for a crisp, eye-catching effect. The sentiment was then cut using the smallest shape from the Everyday Details Dies collection.
Adding a few white Adhesive-Backed Sparkle Gems placed strategically with the Take Your Pick Tool added just a hint of shimmer, perfectly complementing the card’s rich colors. Inside, a Basic White panel bordered by Night of Navy adds a thoughtful finishing touch, tying in the card’s color scheme.
This card, which was entered into the PP713 online sketch challenge by The Paper Players, truly embodies the season’s spirit of gratitude with warm tones and elegant textures.
And – even more exciting – the card WON!!! Woohoo! This little sweetie was selected as The Headliner for The Paper Players Sketch Challenge 713! So I get to show off this badge:
If you’d like to follow along, I’ve also created a video showing each step of the process, which is available below to view.
Measurements: (in inches)
- Card Base – 11 x 4-1/4
- 1st Layer (Night of Navy) – 5-1/4 x 4
- Stamped panel – 2-1/2 x 5-1/8
- Embossed panel – 1-1/4 x 5-1/8
- scrap for sentiment and focal point (I die cut the focal point with the Autumn Leaves dies)
- Inside – Basic White 3-3/4 x 5; Coordinating Layer (Night of Navy) 3-7/8 x 5-1/8
It’s a joy to share the making of this fall-inspired card with you!
Beautiful, Julia! These colors are gorgeous together. I love the embossed panel and the leaf die cut. They contrast so perfectly with the soft, stamped off images on the left. Thank you so much for playing in my sketch challenge at The Paper Players this week!
Thank you so much, Ann! I loved your sketch from The Paper Players. I had a great time playing along with your sketch challenge.
The colours are lovely together! I like that mix of stamped leaves and timber embossing in the background, while that Highland Heather leaf is a showstopper. Thanks for sharing with us at The Paper Players.
Thank, Jan! What a wonderful challenge from The Paper Players this week. I truly enjoyed playing along.
I love purple so your colour scheme is right up my alley Julia – your leafy card is just lovely! Thanks for sharing with us over at The Paper Players this week!
Oh, thank you so much, Joanne! I’m glad you’re a fan of purple as well – such a versatile color. The Paper Players sketch challenge was fantastic this go around and I enjoyed playing along immensely.