A 'CASE' Card for a Special Uncle

I CASE'd Cheiron Tricarico Brandon's card from September 1, 2021 featuring the Oak Leaf Impresslit by Tim Holtz and Sizzix. It was simply perfect for a special card for a family member I had never met before, but I had sent many handmade cards to. My husband's, uncle Bruce is a self-professed hermit. Years ago I sent him a handmade Christmas card and he responded by sending me a handwritten letter thanking me for my cards and saying they reminded him of cards his mom used to make. 

Recently, he drove from southern Arizona to Dallas, TX to see his sister (my MIL) after decades away. I finally met him and gave him this card with the matching envelope. He loved it. He told me all the cards I have sent him over the years are on display in his house. Needless to say, I was beyond touched. 

I used the Impresslit folder on watercolor paper, then used a wide variety of Distress Spray Stains and Distress Inks to color the leaves. I used the Ranger Heat Tool in between layers to get that wonderful layered look. On my green leaf, I experimented by using a thin brown felt pen over some of the main veins on the leaf. Lastly, I added a spritz of Iced Spruce Distress Oxide Spray to a few leaves. 

Next, I went to work on the background. First, I heat embossed the saying from Pretty Pink Posh's Autumn Wreath stamp set with Ranger's Princess Gold ultra fine embossing powder. Next, I sprayed the dark brown background (Stampin' Up's Early Espresso CS) in the Tarnished Brass and Antiqued Bronze Mica Sprays. I used foam adhesive on the back of all the leaves, just as I guessed Cheiron had done. The card base is Stampin' Up!'s Crumb Cake CS. The envelope features the Ideology Black Kraft cardstock with a cut out using the Sizzix Alphanumberic Stretch uppercase. 

I had a blast making this card. I could have cut and colored those leaves for days on end. Here's to autumn, Uncle Bruce and Cheiron Brandon's fantastic work.