Gracious Inspiration

Tomorrow sees the August release from Papertrey Ink and like lots of other fans I've been enjoying the showcase projects from Nichole Heady and her team.  This month I especially like one stamp set - Autumn Hills.  I'll definitely be adding it to my stamp library (with the help of my lovely shipping buddy Yuki!).  My favourite project from the whole release was this pretty card using the tree stamp from Autumn Hills and as I will have to wait another 3-4 weeks for my new stamps to arrive I wanted to try to reproduce the design with stamps I already have.

The pink card is almost a straight copy of Nichole's so I thought I'd try another and came up with this Autumny version using leaf stamps.  I never can resist picking up fallen Autumn leaves but of course they never stay as beautiful and bright as when you pick them up.  These leaves will stay just as they are!  I added embroidery thread to both cards for a bit of interest.

And thinking of Autumn and late Summer gardens, I have to share this photo of Plas Maelgwyn, a house in a quiet street close to the centre of Llandudno.  I must have passed this lovely building dozens of times over the years but not noticed it before.  I think it was the beautiful garden that caught my eye yesterday.  I have a patch of those wonderful tall yellow daisies in my own garden.  When I got home I looked the building up and found it on the British Listed Building website.  I knew it must be special and read the comments of two people who had wonderful memories of living in the house.  I tried to upload my photo without success so I thought I'd share it here instead and maybe one of those who lived there might find it one day. 

Stamp supplies: PTI Leaf Prints, Beautiful Butterflies, Mega Gracious Vases die collection; Lavinia Stamps Dandelions stamp set; Distress Inks