Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Places You Don't Want to Live

We are watching Longmire again to prepare for the new season. What a great show. The audiobooks for the mysteries it's based on are also very good. You get a little bit more background - a lot more background, actually - on the characters.

But I realized the second time through that for a teeny town in Wyoming, there sure are a lot of murders. I came up with a list of places you probably don't want to live based on various TV shows:

I think Mayberry would be a better choice in terms of per capita murder and shenanigan rates. Well - I guess there were a lot of shenanigans, but they were harmless.

If you do live in Cabot Cove or Absaroka county, stay inside with the doors locked and read stamping blogs. I recommend mine. :)

Today I'm hopping around with some friends who do NOT live in Absaroka County. We are all safe and sound and playing with this month's My Monthly Hero Kit and decided to get together.

Fall holidays are pretty much my favorite and I feel like they don't get enough love in the crafty world, so I was super excited to have a chance to make some Thanksgiving and Halloween cards. The kit also has oodles of Christmas potential, but I wanted to stick with Thanksgiving and Halloween for mine. True fact my friend Libby told me - the sentiments in this set features Clare Prezzia's hand lettering. I love hand drawn stamps and I LOVE her blog - her art is amazing. Stop by sometime.

There are 30 million (that may not be technically accurate) dies in the kit to make wreaths with. So I cut out all the pieces and put them on my grid paper just to see what the shapes wanted to say to me. I do this every time I get new dies - cut out all the shapes in black and put them down to see if something other than the intended purpose pops out at me. Sometimes nothing comes of this, but sometimes it does.

This time, when I looked at one of the wreath pieces, I thought  - if I put a back on that it would look like the opening of a cornucopia.  So that's what I did! I took a piece of watercolor paper, and watercolored an entire piece. Then I used the tiny dies in the kit to cut out some colorful leaves, squash and acorns that could tumble out of the opening. This wreath die is one of the optional add-ons to the kit that I could not resist. Then I lightly rubbed some InkaGold on the wreath cut for a little shimmer.

Fall Cornucopia Hero Arts & Understandblue
Links to supplies:



Next up - Halloween! Every year at Halloween I put a wreath of BONES on my door - muahahahah! Don't ask where I get the bones! If you're not too much of a fraidy cat, you can see a picture of my bone wreath here.

The barer wreath shape in the die set looked like those bones to me, so I took the test cut and used it as a mask. I added Green Apple ink with my stencil brushes to give it an acidic, spooky glow. Halloween doesn't have to be black and orange. Nothing should really be black and orange anyway, except maybe tigers or monarchs. It's not a great combo outside of the animal kingdom. Sorry Princeton!

I stamped the skull, and die cut the sentiment and added some little green rhinestones. It's actually sort of a happy looking Halloween card I think. Not too spooky! The Halloween Trimmings stamp & die bundle are an add-on too, so if you're not into Halloween, you can just get the kit with the fall images and dies, and/or the Christmas add-on.
Spooky Bone Wreath Hero Arts & Understandblue
Links to supplies:




Then back to Thanksgiving I went. The kit comes with three ink cubes in Mustard, Rust and Deep Burgundy. However, they also make an ombre ink pad in these colors which I have, so I swiped that down a quarter sheet of cardstock to make stripes.. Then I flipped the pad upside down and continued the striping, adding a second stripe of the burgundy color to draw your eye to the center of the card. The sentiment and branch die are from the kit. All the fun silhouette dies make for nice dramatic simple cards.The card base is the rust cardstock from the kit, which is a match for the ink.
Thanksgiving Branch - Hero Arts & UnderstandBlue
Links to supplies:



Now speaking of fall holidays that usually get crushed on the way to Christmas, did you read about Falliday Fest at Splitcoast?

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/news/comments.php?id=1922_0_1_0_C

We are going to have two weeks of challenges, holiday crafting tips and prizes, along with TEN holiday tutorials, so read the full story and follow the instructions to participate! We are going to make the most of the fall crafty season.


For the hop, those generous peeps at Hero are giving away one of these kits, so be sure and leave all my buddies some love too for a chance to win, starting with the next person on the hop - the amazingly talented Jessica.


The Hero Arts Blog
Jennifer McGuire
Yana Smakula
Mariana Grigsby
Clare Prezzia
May Park
Amy Tsuruta
Laura Bassen
Lydia Fiedler
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Libby Hickson

I saw some peeks of their projects on Instagram and Facebook - I can't wait to see the full cards.

What do you like to craft this time of year?

My favorite is little treat containers for my people at Starbucks. I'll be back tomorrow with something cute I'm doing this year. :)

Happy Fallidays!

Loveyameanitbye.

167 comments:

  1. What fun card designs you created today! my fav is the cornicopia

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  2. So many awesome projects from this kit! Lobe the wreath.

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  3. Great cards, there is so much you can do with this kit!! Love the wreaths!

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  4. Love the unusual colors you picked. Makes me think of colors in a different way.
    Love the cards! Thanks

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  5. OOOO! When is Longmire due to start again? LOVE that show!
    Your cards are all amazing!! I can't believe how versatile these dies are! So many possibilities to explore!!! TFS!
    BTW~ LOVE your Bone Wreath!!

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  6. Cool idea with the cornicopia, I like it. And I'm a big fan of Inka Gold too, the perfect paint for fall I think. :) Beautiful cards!!! Now trying to sort out which add-ons to go with my MMH kit! :)

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  7. Clever designs!! Thanks for showing us how to use that beautiful wreath die from the kit.

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  8. So many creative ways to use this kit. TFS.

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  9. Oh my goodness, your cards are fantastic! This kit is fabulous!

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  10. This set is so great!! Thanks for the inspiration!!

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  11. Thanks for tutorial and inspiration.

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  12. Such creative use of the wreath - to make a fall basket (I have no idea how to spell cornucopia lol)? Genius! Lovely watercoloring too!

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  13. Love the unexpected ways you've used these dies! All very cool cards! I miss the Longmire tv show. It's not carried by our tv provider anymore. :( So I'll just longingly admire your Fall cards! ;)

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    1. Don't despair Nan - Netflix actually picked up the show to rescue it from cancellation - the new season starts later this month!

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  14. Great cards..
    This kit is amazing

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  15. Your cards are so lovely, Lydia! I adore the way that your created a cornucopia - it's brilliant! So pretty with the touch of gold too!

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  16. i like your creative cornucopia!

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  17. I can't get over how fabulous those wreath dies are. I just love them. Your Halloween card is spooky! Love it!

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  18. I don't usually think of turquoise as a fall color, but you made it look great! Love it.

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  19. Love each and every card, Lydia, but the Cornucopia ....stunning!
    I ordered the kit earlier...😍

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  20. What wonderful ideas, your cards are fantastic!! Love this kit :)

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  21. Thanks for the Longmire update. Love your cards, thought your cornucopia was especially clever.

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  22. Love the cornupia. That's a great tip to set out all the dies and really look at them for ideas. Both of the other cards are great too.

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  23. What a great idea to die cut those pieces from watercolor! The color combination just screams fall!

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  24. Love your creative ways to use the wreath die!! The nest is adorable and so clever!!

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  25. i really, really want these dies!! the possibilities are endless!! great card!

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  26. I love the yellows and blues on the cornucopia card - very pretty!

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  27. Great cards from a super kit!
    God bless!

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  28. Amazing kit ... can't wait to try out the ideas you've posted! Why Fargo??? I like the town.

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    1. Did you ever see the movie or the TV series Fargo where they're chopping up everyone in a wood chipper? :)

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  29. This time of year, I love making Halloween treat holder and cards for the youngsters in my family. Well - for some of the oldsters too! I LOVE Halloween craftiness! And I love your cards too!

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  30. Just love what you did with the MMH kit and add-ons, Lydia! That "cornucopia" you created is brilliant!!

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  31. Fabulous cards! Your Many Thanks one has me inspired! I'm going to try something similar this weekend. Thank you for sharing!

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  32. Beautiful cards, Lydia! Love the Heroarts kit and the way you used color in the cards!

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  33. Gorgeous cards. I absolutely love the colors you used on the spilling foliage. I will have to check out SCS to see what is happening!

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  34. I really like your bright Halloween card, can't wait to see what your doing tomorrow.

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  35. This is an amazing Hero Arts kit and you make such creative cards that anyone would be happy to CASE.

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  36. Very nice cards Lydia. This kit is pretty awesome!

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  37. Yeah, Absaroka county is definitely a no go!! Love your cards! This kit rocks!

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  38. All your cards are beautiful. What an amazing kit. Thanks for sharing.

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  39. Love the ideas you have come up with using this awesome new kit. There are so many possibilities with this set of wreaths and I am really inspired by what you have made. THANK YOU for sharing your talents with us:)

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  40. Great cards and very clever to make a cornucopia.

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  41. Very pretty cards! I love the yellow and black with the skeleton head, too cute!

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  42. I love how you could look at the wreath and see a cornucopia!

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  43. Love your cards! The un-traditional halloween card is great idea :)

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  44. Reading your blog shows you definitely have a vivid imagination. It shows up in your cards too. Love it.

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  45. Your fall card is beautiful! I love this kit!

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  46. What a wonderful kit and what great cards you created with it. I especially like the first card it is stunning! Well done tfs.

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  47. Such creative cards (esp the grateful heart card) you have made from this very useful kit.

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  48. LOL, I frequently think the same thing about several of my favorite shows. Your card a wonderful use of this great card set.

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  49. Cornucopia?! That is so AWESOME!!! I love it!! And omg, you made me blush with your sweet words! Thank you so much! :))

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  50. Like your cards. So excited for this kit!

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  51. That cornucopia is a knock-out!!!! Love seeing so many great ideas

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  52. These are greatl. Thank you for sharing!

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  53. Hey I like the cornucopia that you made! Love the colors of the treasures falling out of it too.

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  54. love these and yep, I'm definitely not hanging out in those cities!

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  55. wonderful cards Lydia - can't wait to get my kit!! and love your comments on the mystery TV shows as mysteries are my favorite in books and TV

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  56. Really fun and unconventional use of the wreath! That just shows how versatile it is. I'm sure I'll be copying your idea with the wreath as the cornucopia. Great color combos too!

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  57. You are too funny. I thought Longmire was cancelled! I'll have to look for it. And I totally agree, there are an awful lot of murders in otherwise nice little towns, not only on TV but in books. LOL. The dies in this kit are so versatile, thanks for sharing your cards with us.

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  58. Great cards and ideas! This kit is so versatile. Thanks for sharing on the hop!!

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  59. Three very unique cards - love your creativity!

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  60. The variety of cards created with this awesome kit is amazing--great job!

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  61. Lovely cards,thanks for the chance to win!

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  62. This is an awesome kit! I especially love your first card with the pop of blue.

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  63. Bones , very clever ... I'm waiting to see all the other inventive ways to use these dies too !

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  64. Wow, nice job! You cards really show us a different way to use the September kit. Thanks.

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  65. Fall/Halloween is my favorite too. You are Def correct--they get crushed by the looming (dare I say obnoxious?) Christmas holiday.
    First up- the bone wreath is soooo cool!! I might have to steal your idea.
    Second- thumbs up on the cornucopia. The watercolor 'spillage' is just lovely.

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  66. Lydia, just saying....if this kit isn't already sold out, it will be soon after everyone sees your creations! Love all the cards and the great ideas. The cornucopia and the "bone's" wreath cards are probably my favs.

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  67. Wow those are so pretty! I especially love the blue mixed into the fall colours! It's my favorite color mixed with my favorite season!

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  68. Love these cards! Thanks for this fabulous inspiration!

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  69. Okay, that first card with the Cornucopia is AMAZING!! I love when I see things like this!! I also love the Halloween card. So cool with the skull. Really nice kit!

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  70. Love your ideas to use the dies in different ways than intended. And I'm with you...can't wait for more Longmire!

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  71. These cards are beautiful! Love them!

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  72. WOW your cards are wonderful and so is this new card kit!!!

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  73. I love the first card. Very creative! Thanks for sharing.

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  74. This is a must have kit!! So many ideas for all seasons!!! Your cards are lovely!! Thanks for the inspiration!!!

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  75. Three amazing designs! Love how bold and graphic these appear

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  76. Great cards! I love the cornucopia idea! And cutting out dies in black is also a great idea!

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  77. Great cards. Love the turquoise on the first card. Yay Longmire will be on soon.!

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  78. Love your first one the mostest! Great cards and great release! Will check out SplitcoastStampers, too.

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  79. love the autumn card, it is lovely
    debpeslinger at g mail dot com

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  80. Sweet cards!! I enjoy making special treat containers for Halloween and Thsnksgiving!

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  81. Beautiful cards! Love the fall one. Awesome new kit!

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  82. I love your cards...and especially the blue leaves and the Halloween card! So clever!

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  83. I agree that fall holidays don't get enough love. Fall colors are some of tge easiest for me to work with. Great cards!

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  84. This kit is so awesome and your cards are also. Love the colors on the fall and the scary Halloween card of course.

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  85. Lydia, such beautiful cards. The beautiful thoughts is my first choice altho' it's hard to pick just 1.

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  86. OH MY GOODNESS.... I'm in love with your first card!!!! It is so breathtakingly beautiful!!! Those colors you used are just simply gorgeous!!!!

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  87. Love it all!! But I especially love your cornucopia card - you are a creative genius! And the colors of the leaves/squash/acorns are just gorgeous.

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  88. I dare say that your method worked WELL, this time! What GREAT cards!

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  89. Oh my...your cards are AWESOME.

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  90. fabulous set of cards... love how you used the dies to create the cornucopia!

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  91. Love your comments😀 and all your cards too. Your idea of looking at the die cuts cut out in black to see them in a different light is a great tip! My fav would be the Halloween card.

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  92. Fabulous cards! The cornucopia idea - pure genius! And very beautiful in colors as well. Love the skeleton head in the Halloween card, fun!
    (Oh, and I love Longmire, but was so upset they took it off TV. I'll have to buy the series at some point, I guess).

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  93. Really like the Halloween card! Very creative.

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  94. Great cards, but love the autumn card best.

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  95. The color combo on your first card is just fabulous! Love the simplicity of the Halloween card and the multi-colored stripe on the last card.

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  96. Love how you used
    the wreath die on
    your cards, so
    pretty.
    Carla from Utah

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  97. Awesome cards! Love that beautiful wreath card and your amazing colors!

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  98. love these cards and color combos. Would love to win this set!

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  99. Love your cards but that cornucopia idea was the best. I like to create eggs all year not just fall!

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  100. So many great cards, Lydia! Magically changing the wreath into a cornucopia is brilliant... just like you!♥♥ ♡Dawn@Petals.Paper.SimpleThymes

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  101. Your cards are lovely and very different. I have to comment on places you don't want to live -- My Father loved that TV show with Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote), but we always joked that we wouldn't want to live in Cabot Cove.

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  102. Great mix of cards. Love the Halloween one with its bit of spook factor!

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  103. Very beautiful cards ! I especially love cornucopia one! It really looks like a cornucopia ! I love the color combo you chose, it's so gorgeous. Thanks for sharing. Izzy Scrap

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  104. Beautiful and original card ideas! Thank you!

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  105. Not fair that everyone is showing amazing cards for a set that hasn't even shipped yet and IS SOLD OUT! Congrats to Hero Arts on an great kit.

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  106. I do love Longmire too (books also!) And I do love your cards, especially the first one, what a great idea for the cornucopia! TFS

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  107. I love the autumn feel of this kit and how the wreath can be changed up to look Christmasy. So versatile!

    I tried to order this several times yesterday and today. But each time I was interrupted and didn’t complete my order. And now…it’s sold out :(

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  108. I love the autumn feel of this kit and how the wreath can be changed up to look Christmasy. So versatile!

    I tried to order this several times yesterday and today. But each time I was interrupted and didn’t complete my order. And now…it’s sold out :(

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  109. I love the autumn feel of this kit and how the wreath can be changed up to look Christmasy. So versatile!

    I tried to order this several times yesterday and today. But each time I was interrupted and didn’t complete my order. And now…it’s sold out :(

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  110. Great cards! Simple and effective! P.S. I think the town of Charming (Sons of Anarchy) would be pretty high on the murder rate list!

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  111. Awesome cards. I love how you look at products in a different way and share with us how to stretch our products.

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  112. Absolutely wonderful ideas. Gorgeous.

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  113. Beautiful cards, love the wreath turned cornucopia and watercolored leaves, super cute Halloween card and love the CAS style and color combo of the thanksgiving card. I am usually making Christmas cards and tags too.

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  114. Love what you did with the kit. My favorite card is the first.

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  115. Great Fall cards. Love the versatility of this kit in everyone's projects

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  116. Great cards; love the cornucopia(so clever). And thanks for the heads up for Falliday Fest at SCS.

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  117. All of your cards are fantastic, and what a brilliant idea to use the wreath to create a cornucopia, I love the design of that card and the gorgeous colours you used for the leaves.

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  118. Fab cards. Love the touches of blue in your cornucopia and the non-traditional Halloween card. Crafting for Halloween is my favorite.

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  119. Your cards are very inspiring along with everyone else on the bioghop! Thank you I appreciate everyone's hard work to do this!

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  120. I really like how you filled in the spaces in the first wreath. I know it was to make it into a cornucopia, but I also like how it makes the wreath fuller if you're just using one cut and not layering more of them on top of each other.

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  121. Great cards! Can't wait to get my kit!

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  122. I love all your cards!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!!

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  123. Your cards are awesome. I enjoy reading your posts and seeing your creations.

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  124. Fabulous cards!!! Missed out on this kit due to being in the hospital!!

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  125. Great job on the cards, Lydia! The unique color combinations are beautiful. I love your comments about Mayberry and shenanigans too! Lol! Thanks for sharing your ideas using this amazing kit with us and for participating in this great hop and giveaway.

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  126. Oh my! I'm getting that "Lydia Love" feeling...😉 Thanks for sharing your creativity and inspiration! The HA kit is gorgeous and your cards show it beautifully.👏🏻😻

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  127. The Halloween is so creepy-love it!

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  128. Yeah! I learned a new word ' Comucopia'! Never heard of it b4. But seriously I love that card! And to use a wreath other than a wreath was brilliant!

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  129. The cornucopia is brilliant! Thanks for sharing how versatile this set is!

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  130. Lucia your cards are AMAZING as usual. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  131. I love how you blended the colors in the first card. Some of them don't look like they should go to gather but the way you blended them they do. Those tiny leaves and acorns and things are so cute! The Halloween card is my favorite color, yellow and bright yellow is even better! I would never have thought bight yellow is for Halloween but hey, if it was up to me my mom says, my whole house would be yellow inside and out so I would use yellow for Halloween. I also like the Many Thanks card and the fall colors.

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  132. Love the color combinations you used on the first card. I never would have thought of them. So glad you did! ABFAB!

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  133. Hi Lydia...both cards are fabulous. I specially love the cornucopia...the concept and the colors are stunning. My daughter and I like to bake pumpkin rolls this time of year as a gift for teachers, friends, family, and anyone who is a blessing in our lives. This kit is perfect to make the cards that will go along with those gifts!

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  134. Hmmm, I think Cabot Cove would be interesting though! Fun cards!

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  135. (You are a very amusing person. I like your "happy fallidays" sentiment.) Thanks for sharing your cards--particularly the Thanksgiving ones. And I totally know what you mean about St. Mary Mead.

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  136. Lovely works of art, Thankyou for sharing you ideas, true inspiration.

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  137. Great cards. Love your color combination in the first card. The turquoise really pops.

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  138. What great ideas! Thanks for sharing.

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  139. Thank you for sharing your exquisite cards with us, Lydia. They are an inspiration!
    - Sharlini Nambiar

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  140. I really enjoyed seeing your cards. Thanks for sharing.

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  141. Great ideas and techniques from the kit. This kit is amazing. Thanks for sharing!

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  142. Wow! Great ideas for the kit. Fantastic cards and lots of inspiration :)

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  143. Fabulous cards, Lydia! I especially love your first card. Those leaves look so pretty against the brown background.
    Will have to check out SCS (if I can remember my login details). I'm having such a hard time keeping up with all the blogs, so that I forget I also have a (free) account at SCS.

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  144. Pretty cards with some very interesting color combos.

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  145. I really liked the variety of ideas you had using those pieces!

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  146. Nice cards! I love the way you colored all the little things falling out of the cornucopia and the gold on the wreath. A great card! I also enjoy reading your other info. My hub loves Longmire the show, the books and the author. We have been to see the author more than once.

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  147. Nice cards. The one card looks like a horn of plenty.

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  148. Love your cards, Lydia (and your insights hehe)!!! That optional wreath die used the way you did totally does look like a cornucopia!! I always learn something from you!! ☺️

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