BOING, BOING, BLOG HOP! Howdy Fiskateers!

Happy hopping to everyone who is here for the

Fiskateer Orange Blog Hop!  

If you hopped over from doverdi  at  http://www.craftingthismoment.blogspot.com/ ,
you are in the right place! This is the 10th stop on the Orange Blog Hop where members of Fiskateers, a community sponsored by Fiskars, is sharing their passion for crafting.  If you need to start from the beginning, go over to Fiskateers and hop on.

Yes, visiting all of the blogs on the Fiskateer blog hop is going to take some time.
No, you shouldn't watch the clock.
Yes, you will be so inspired you might fall off your chair.
No, it won't hurt.
Yes, we all are sharing Fiskateer love!
YES, I'm giving away some goodies if you leave a comment.
YES, I have more exciting news at the end of this post!

Autumn is my FAVORITE time of year. I love the smells, the colors, the cool temps, the crunch of the leaves.  I decided to bring some autumn into the house by creating my own tree! 

I punched out some leaves from yellow cardstock using my Fiskars Oakey Dokey squeeze punch.  In case you are not a regular follower of my blog (and why aren't you?), you may not know that I NAMED THIS PUNCH!!!  Isn't that cool?  Just one of the many reasons I love Fiskars!
 

To re-create the rainbow of fall colors on my leaves, I wiped inks on my splat mat and misted them with water.  Then I dragged the leaves through the colors to get that real-leaf effect.  While they were wet with ink, I squished and folded them and let them dry overnight.

When they dried, I punched tiny holes in the leaves using my Fiskars 1/16" hole punch.  I made the tree by cutting 25-30 pieces of different lengths (approximately 5-7 inches) of wire and twisting them together at the bottom.  I then wrapped the "trunk" with twine.  I stabilized the leaves onto the wire with Zots glue dots and curled the ends of some of the wires using a round nose pliers. 

I sanded and distress stained a 5x7 wood frame that I got from The Dollar Store.  I popped out the glass, and I placed my tree on some patterned paper (from Kaiser Craft) that I "swiss-dot" embossed with my Big Shot and a Cuttlebug folder, and then distress inked.  I added a Tim Holtz "autumn" sticker and I AM DONE!

This is the fastest and easiest way to grow your own tree!  Ok, you still need water, but no seeds!  And, you won't ever need to rake these leaves!

Now for EXCITEMENT!

Leave a comment and you will be entered for a chance to win some crafty goodies!  Make sure you check back on Monday to see if you are a winner!

Now for MORE EXCITEMENT!

Not only is today the Orange Fiskateer Blog Hop, it is my debut as a writer for Scrapstreet and GingerScrapsStreet magazine...  the  October issues of Scrapstreet and GingerScrapsStreet magazine come out TODAY!  If you have not gone to Scrapstreet yet, what are you waiting for?  It is free...did you hear me?  IT IS FREE.  After you are done hopping this weekend,  you will probably be tired.  By Monday, you might want to go take a relaxing walk on Scrapstreet.  

Become a Scrapstreet subscriber...make me smile!

I have a submission call out for some "Graffiti" for the January Scrapstreet issue...see if you can create what I am looking for!

Now for even MORE excitement...I don't know, can you handle anymore?  Keep hopping...your next stop is Connie's Crafty Goodies at http://www.craftygoodies.com/.  Sit back, relax, put springs on your your shoes, and keep HOPPING!