Falling Leaves Table Runner

Hello,

its finally beginning to feel like fall here in Northern California.  Last week we had day time temps in the 90's!  It is cooler in the evenings and mornings so I know the season is changing.  I am lucky enough to live in area where we get the fall show of colors with all the trees changing.  One of my favorite things to do is create fall leaves for my home decor and other projects.

I already gave you a peek at what I've created so far in this post Fall Leaves and More on September 29th.  I showed my place card and table runner.  I have added some more leaves to the table runner and its now complete in all its rich fall colors and leaves.

The dies I used to create my leaves and pumpkin are all Tim Holtz Sizzix dies. Really, you can't be surprised by that choice, hee, hee.  The newest die in his die and texture fade combo series in the Layered Leaf (660039).  I also used the Autumn Gathering Sizzlits Decorative Strip(657454),  Tattered Leaves Bigz (656927),  Garden Green Bigz (659436), Pumpkin Parts (660031), Mini Acorn & Pumpkin Movers and Shapers (657457), Baroque Bigz (656633) and the Textured Leaves Set Texture Fades (658251).

I have found that Kraft card stock makes the most realistic leaves when I want to color them myself.  Using a variety of reds, yellows, greens, oranges, and even a touch of purple distress inks I created backgrounds on Kraft using Tim's Wrinkle Free Distress Technique.  See list below of the Distress Ink colors I used. Then I proceeded to cut out about 100 leaves.  Yes, that one hundred leaves!  Mostly with the colored background but I also used some core'dinations Time Holtz Kraft-core Nostalgic collection.  Check it out at the core'dinations website.

The centerpiece of the runner is a dimensional pumpkin made with the Pumpkin Parts die.  I cut 12 of the base pumpkin, folded them in half, and glued together.  I used fibers from my LSS, Chico Scrapbooks to create the stem.  The pumpkin was glued to the Baroque die cut.  That whole assembly was glued to a length of burlap ribbon. 

I also created some mini pumpkins and acorns to next among the leaves.  These were cut from the Kraft-Core paper and crackled.  I topped it off with a length of sheer wired ribbon that I curled.

It will make a great centerpiece to the Thanksgiving table.

Or will work on the mantle or a console table.

Check out some of the details you can achieve with these dies, texture fades, and inks!

The options on this runner are only up to your imagination.  For a mantle only piece I would make the leaves cascade on one side so that they would hang over the edge.  A round or square center piece could be created by using a larger card stock or chipboard base.

Happy Fall.  Hope you can find some time to create a fall leaf runner for your home.  If you are in the Chico area I will be doing a class on the Fall Table Runner sometime in early November.  Keep an eye out on the Chico Scrapbooks website and Facebook page for more details.  As soon as I have more info I'll let you know.

I've got several projects in the works.  In fact I've got three holidays on my desk right now.  Of course, the fall/thanksgiving leaf projects.  For Halloween I've got some cards almost ready to show you as well as a just started mixed media canvas.  Third is some winter/Christmas experimentation going on.  The next die in the layered series is a snowflake!   I'm working on the best paper and colors for the snowflakes.  Lots to share this holiday season so please come back and check out what's next.

Distress Inks used for Fall Table Runner:

Barn Door, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Rusty Hinge, Wild Honey, Scattered Straw, Mustard Seed, Peeled Paint, Crushed Olive, Seedless Preserves, Dusty Concord.

Thank You for stopping by.  Happy Creating!

Hugs, Sharon