3 Fall Tags – 2026 Reveal

Hard to believe that we’ve been doing this annual reveal for 5 years now – and it’s been a fun way to celebrate the change in seasons. This year, I’ve kept each of the tags pretty simple.

Let’s get started with Tag 1

I used an image from Unsplash for the focal piece. The image has a bokeh kind of feeling to it and was perfect to use as a mask in the SCAL software. The tag shape is found in the SCAL library and the pumpkin colored side piece is embossed with an embossing folder called Burlap by Taylored Expressions. The piece is swiped with some brown ink. A bit of crochet thread, a sentiment and some sequins finish this tag.

Like I said, super simple and it would be perfect for a quick gift – bag or package.


On to Tag 2:

This tag was super simple – incorporating lots of scraps and files I purchased years ago. The leaves and stems are from SVG Cuts. All cut in white paper and then inked using re-inkers and the smooshing technique. Got my fingers a little inky as well! 🙂 After drying a very thin coat of pearl ex and gel medium were brushed on the leaves and stems.

The tag base is created in SCAL using some basic shapes and a couple of commands in the software. Super easy. The base is embossed using another folder form Taylored Expressions (Tweed). It’s pretty dimensional. It is inked with some distress inks and those lines just pop (embossing done horizontal).

The Autumn sentiment was created using a font from Lettering Delights (it’s been in my font folder for ages). It’s called LD Letterpress Inverted. Lettering Delights was one of the first sites I purchased things from after PC Hugware shut down. This tag is perfect for a bag or to snug into a fall themed gift basket. I think future versions will have different colors used for each of the letters. Time was short when creating this one — so it was all one color!


Tag 3:
The weather has finally settled into cooler starts and ends. It’s been fun to snuggle up with a good book and a hot drink on the weekends and even a few mornings.

This is a file I’ve used mostly for birthdays recently. It is pretty adaptable and thus it became a tag with a few alterations in my original file.

Textured paper for the card panel, pull, slide and additional leaves for the left side of this 3 inch wide tag. The base is white and inked on the edges for a little more interest. The image is from Creative Fabrica – and is meant to be used as a sublimation image. However, you can get a really good vivid print with most ink jet printers.

When you pull the slide:

No guilt feelings here! Enjoy every moment we have left — and do something you enjoy!

I’m looking forward to working on some Holiday Tags over the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Laughter is healing!

3 Positives:
Thanksgiving decor up.
T has a referral to a Low Vision specialist
a few more tasks checked off the list yesterday
BONUS: Dedicated Studio Time today! I’m ready!

Our Journey Notes:
T had two appointments yesterday. Disability letter being written by PCP. Referral to Low Vision specialist by his ophthalmologist (not the surgeon’s) office. He felt like someone was finally listening to him. He has one more appointment this month with the eye surgeon. Let’s hope things have healed sufficiently to call his visits there done.

I got a call back from the orthopedic surgeon’s office. Injection approved. Should be getting a call from the scheduling office in the next couple of days. That moved a lot quicker than anticipated.

find your life’s treasures

3 Positives:
a little deep cleaning completed – the basement great room is just about ready for occupancy again
studio time — not too productive but getting closer to desired outcome
Fall back — let’s just say, the change in time isn’t my favorite, but I would like that extra hour of sleep — I hope I find it soon!

finally done…

This year’s Halloween themed anniversary card is finally finished and on it’s way to the recipients. I’m grateful it turned out the way it did, cause this one threw me for a loop a few times. What I thought would work, didn’t x 3. Resizing of some of the elements was essential to get everything to fit together. So here goes:

Let’s talk flowers first – SVGCuts.com had some Cherry Blossom flowers that fit the bill. Cut from white card (110 lb) and then dry embossed using a clay tool for a little more depth. Pan Pastels provide the color. The stamens are black card (80 lb). The skull is a png from a drawing I created in Procreate. Pretty simple and then it is inked with some Distress ink.

The figures are from a file found at Treasure Box Designs. Luckily there were scraps in all the colors for the cuts for them. The figures are sized down to about 75%. There is a bit of inking on these and I did leave off a couple of pieces.

The front assembled. That frame is a die cut — it was scanned and resized in SCAL to fit the 5×7 card panel. It worked just fine and the brown gray color of the card added that next dimension.

Before adding the front panel to the card base, the pop up mechanism for the inside needed to be completed. Karen Burniston’s Cascade pop up set was the perfect solution. It was reversed to the pop up would open on the upper part of the card. The black vellum I ordered was too thick and not transparent enough — so it was used for the heat embossed sentiment on the card panel front. We did find some printed Halloween transparencies at Michael’s and pick that up along with some printed vellum. The transparency was perfect for the base on each of the platforms of the pop up and the flowers fit on those as well for the next design element.

The print to cut sentiment using SLF Art Deco was added after the pop up was installed.

The panel was attached to the card base and then wrapped in some printed vellum (Michael’s) and some ribbon.

A quick video of the opening…