November is a fascinating month. For some, it remains a bastion of gloriously lovely fall foliage, mild weather, and sun-kissed days. For others (in the Western Hemisphere, that is), winter boots, snow shovels, and sub-zero temps are already the norm.
And in plenty of places (our own wee corner of British Columbia included), both versions of November are often intertwined. Autumn holding on for dear life as best it can, only to ultimately succumb to the icy power of the season that lies ahead.
Personally, as a perpetual lover of fall and someone who connects profoundly with this season, I prefer to celebrate the autumnal elements of November for as long as possible.
Knowing that winter will engulf our world fully within a matter of weeks at most, I am mindful to try and spend as much time outdoors as I possibly can during the gentle days of November.
Living in an area that marries farmland and woodland so majestically it borders on being intoxicating, much of that time is spent in the local woods – including the towering swath of birch and evergreen trees that call our backyard home.
Throughout my life, no matter if I’ve lived in close proximity to the woods or not, I have been drawn to forests and the magnificent microcosms of animal, plant, and fungi life they house.
Before the elegant earth and jewel tones of the woods of fall go to sleep under a heavy blanket of Canadian snow, I wanted to make and share a card that celebrates the joy and whimsy that forests spark in my – and many other peoples’ – heart with all of you.
Layers, fussy cutting, a shaker window, and some seriously cute woodland imagery!
Few paper crafting releases have resonated with me, my aesthetic, and even my spirituality (as a nature-focused Pagan witch) quite like P13’s gorgeous Forest Tea Party collection.
P13 is one of my absolute favourite paper crafting companies. Their products are high quality, their designs breathtakingly beautiful, and their wide selection of offerings helps to ensure a good many crafters will find something amounts P13’s various releases that appeal to them.
This post is not sponsored and I’m not on the P13 design team (a paper crafter can dream though!). I simply adore this brand and wanted to shine the spotlight on this particular release from them.
It’s rarely feasible for me to purchase all of the items in a given line (from any brand), and to be honest, I don’t usually feel like I need to do so – even when I madly adore a release.
I’ve long learned that a few products are often more than enough to craft a bevy of different paper crafting projects with – especially if you combine them with other items from your stash.
Thanks to the heart-touching kindness and generosity of a dear friend in the US who gave me a $25 gift certificate to Scrapbook.com last Christmas, I was able to pick up some of the products in P13’s Forest Tea Party Collection.
This is the second project I’ve shared here so far featuring items from Forest Tea Party. The first, as some of you may recall, was this adorable woodland themed birthday card.
As I plan to get as much use as I can out of the items from P13’s Forest Tea Party Collection that I have, chances are today’s project share won’t be the last you see here starring this whimsically wonderful collection.
Like many card makers, I try to create and keep a supply of versatile, multi-occasion suitable cards on hand throughout the year.
Understandably, I often find that as a given year winds down, my stash of such cards has diminished a good deal since January began.
Looking to replenish it, I opted for a sentiment that could be used for a wide array of possible card giving occasions. Birthdays, thinking of you, missing you, congratulations, thank you new babies, anniversaries, retirement, support – the list goes on and on.
The colours tap into fall, while also housing elements of the other three seasons as well. The classic pairing – amongst the other colours in the palette used here – of red, green, and white means one could even send this darling card as a winter holiday season greeting.
P13 and fussy cutting go together like fall and pumpkin spice lattes in my books. I did some here, both for the larger central image (with super cute woodland mouse) and for the layered foliage tucked around it.
A shaker element that houses a mix of woodland-themed wood veneer pieces coupled with sequins and tiny gem embellishments shares center stage with the fussy cut images.
True to form for most of my makes, a number of layers coupled with various embellishments round out this sweet woodland critter-themed card.
Products used to make this adorable woodland critter shaker card
-Red and green cardstock
-Brown wooden floorboard print paper and light grey leaf/branch print paper – Farmhouse 12 x 12 inch paper pad from Craftsmart (Michael’s)
-Green script print paper – The Green Witch 6 x 6 inch paper pad from Recollections (Michael’s)
-Cut out woodland images – Forest Tea Party 07 – from P13
-Large cut out piece (with mouse) – Forest Tea Party – 06 from P13
-Clear acetate (for shaker window)
-Scallop edge circle die
-Elegant scrolling edge style die
-Eyelet trim border punch – Doily Lace Boarder Punch from Martha Stewart
-Corner punch – Corner Punch from Martha Stewart
-“What a Wonderful World” sentiment sticker – Lost & Found 3 Ruby Sticker Accessory Sheet from My Mind’s Eye
-Shaker mix – Cactus Sparkletz Embellishments from Buttons Galore & More
-Small red faceted flatback embellishments/cabochons – from AliExpress
-Small green faceted flatback embellishments/cabochons – from AliExpress
-Small green flatback pearl embellishments – from AliExpress
-Woodland themed wood veneer shapes – from Dollarama
-Mini premade bows – Green-Gold-White Piped Nylon Bow Stickers from Martha Stewart
-Grey crochet trim – Arty-Licious Kohl Splendid Ribbon from Chatter Box
-Dimensional foam, pop dots, or similar to elevate some of your layers
-Adhesive, such as a tape runner, of your choice (I often use my Scotch Tape Glider)
How to make a shabby chic P13 Forest Tea Party Shaker Card
Begin by making a card base from green cardstock. Next use the Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch to create a strip of red border punched paper the same length as the bottom of the green card base. Attach this strip to the bottom of the card base.
Cut a piece of grey tone-on-tone leaf/branch print paper slightly narrower on the right and left side than your card base and slightly taller on the top than the card base. Use the same Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch to punch the top and bottom edges of this piece of paper. Attach grey paper piece to card base.
Cut a piece of grey crochet trim ever-so-slightly shorter than the width of the grey paper. Adhere just above the bottom scallop portion of the grey paper.
Trim a piece of brown wooden floorboard paper a little smaller than the grey print paper. Using the Martha Stewart photo corner punch, punch out four photo corner pieces from red cardstock. Attach one red photo corner to each corner of the brown floorboard print paper, then attach that piece of paper to the card base layers.
Die cut a scalloped edge circle from green cardstock. Back with a circle of acetate to create your clear shaker window.
Cut (by hand or with a suitable sized circle die) a circle of green text print paper to back your shaker window with.
Fill the acetate portion of the shaker window with wood veneer woodland creature pieces and Cactus Sparkletz Embellishments shaker mix.
Use foam tape, foam dots, or another suitable raised material on the back of the green cardstock circle to create a gap-free border for your shaker window.
Remove backing from foam and attach the shaker window t the green text print piece of paper. Once your shaker is assembled, attach it to the card base layers.
Die cut an elegant flourish shape piece from red cardstock. Adhere it across the centre of the card, overlapping, as you do so, part of the shaker window.
From the two different P13 Woodland Tea Party papers, fussy cut the center (mouse) panel and various foliage elements to tuck around the center image. Adhere all of these pieces to the card base as shown.
Back the “What a Wonderful World” sentiment sticker with a narrow mat of green cardstock followed by an equally narrow mat of red cardstock. Attach sentiment over part of the central image.
Adhere heart shaped embellishments taken from the Cactus Sparkletz Embellishments shaker mix to each of the four red photo corners.
Adhere an alternating pattern of green faceted flatback embellishments and green pearl flatback embellishments around the visible areas of the green scallop edge border of the shaker window.
Tuck and adhere a small smattering of red faceted flat back embellishments around the various fussy cut elements.
Attach four Martha Stewart premade white coloured mini bows vertically across your card front. Adhere a heart shaped embellishment from the Cactus Sparkletz Embellishments shaker mix to each of the bows.
And voila, your cuter-than-cute woodland tea party-themed shaker window card is complete. Ready to send out or give in person to a special someone whose day will surely be brightened by this darling handmade greeting. ❤️
What a wonderful world
Let’s be frank, life hasn’t been a bed of roses for many of over the past couple of years. Both globally and often personally as well, these have been times that exemplify words such as challenging, stressful, uncertain, difficult, and, perhaps above all else, unforeseen.
Yet amongst the profound struggles and worries, life marches forward on this planet. Seasons come and seasons go. Days meld into weeks that build months and ultimately etch new years into the history books of time.
Simple acts of kindness and thoughtfulness take on greater meaning than ever, the blessing of rising to greet a new morning holds deeper importance to many of us. And as we continue to navigate the waters of a new normal that isn’t quite so new anymore, we hold onto hope and faith – however we may personally choose to interpret those concepts.
Life is rarely perfect. Sometimes it is brutal or boring or scary or terrible. But it can also be glorious, peaceful, comforting, happy, and marvellous. Naturally, it can be many things in between as well.
It would be pollyannaish to say that things are always hunky dory. Goodness knows they are not for me, nor are they for most folks out there.
However, when the going gets tough or a major curveball comes our way, I try to remind myself of what a truly wonderful world it is that we humans are blessed to live in.
At few points in the year is that message more evident to me than during fall, when even in the face of challenges, stress or any other less-than-ideal element, my heart cannot help but purr like a contented kitty. As for a few brief, magnificent weeks, the landscape is once again alive with the fading warmth and exquisite colours of the harvest season.
And if you ask me, that – much like P13’s gorgeous Forest Tea Party Collection itself – is well worth smiling about and finding no shortage of inspiring joy in. 🍂🐭🍂
I really resonate with how you feel about the Autumn season my friend! It actually snowed and was very windy over my way today..Brrr! So I stayed inside the warmth for now! LOL! Your little squirrel is SUPER cute and reminds me those scurrying around my house right now! Your design is so beautiful with lots of amazing Autumn details! Love the papers and elegant edges! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you deeply, wonderfully lovely Vicki.
Snow came calling here a few days into November as well. The first two falls that we received were relatively mild affairs. Not so for the third and those that have since followed. While not quite at the level we usually experience around these parts in January and February, it nevertheless looks like a picturesque winter wonderland out there at the moment.
Aww! I adore that you get squirrels in your area. While some do live in our neck of the (literal) woods, they are surprisingly few and far between. So much so, that despite the swath of lofty pines and birches in our backyard, we’ve only seen spotted two or three squirrels in the nearly four years we’ve lived at this house thus far.
I suspect that the relatively large number of birds, coupled with coyotes and plenty of cats in the area explain at least a good part of why that is the case.
Happily, we can whip up a forest’s worth of squirrels with our crafting and enjoy seeing these cute little woodland critters (in paper form) anytime we please. 🐿️
I hope that your November is going positively and that there are still at least a few traces of our cherished fall holding on a bit longer in your area. 🍂
🖤 Autumn
Beautiful woodland animal card Autumn! Like all of your beautiful layers and your lacey edges! We’ve been taking a lot of trips to parks to hike and enjoy the scenery.
Thank you very much, Donna. I really appreciate your lovely, supportive words here – just as I do each thoughtful comment that you bless my blog with throughout the year. ❤️
Your fall time hikes sound fantastic. What have been some of the highlights for you on the trail so far this season?
🖤 Autumn
I love the idea of using the wood pieces in the shaker. It’s such a beautiful card. Love Dawn x
Aww, thank you so much, Dawn! I’m delighted to know that this idea strikes a chord with you as well.
Shaker projects are perpetual faves of mine and I’m always trying to come up with fun new ideas to fill them with (in addition to the tried-and-true classics such as sequins, beads, and tiny gems). This one puts some of those charming wooden shapes so many of us paper crafters have in our stashes to good use and, IMO, is especially well suited to woodland themed projects (given that wood often hails from the forest originally).
Thank you again, my friend. I hope that your November is going really enjoyably.
🖤 Autumn
A beautiful card Autumn, lots of super fussy cutting and fabulous layers.
I’m sorry I haven’t been commenting on all of your posts, unfortunately I find it difficult to read all of your wonderfully detailed posts without straining my eyes.
Pauline – Crafting with Cotnob
x
Dear Pauline, please – really and truly – do not worry for the tiniest of moments. You need never apologize about anything regarding your health (nor the degree to which you comment on my site).
I wholeheartedly appreciate your visits and delight in the gift that is those lovely comments you do leave here for me sometimes.
My own health often curtails my ability to be online to the degree I would ideally like to be, so I really can understand and relate in general to what that’s like.
Big hugs & the sweetest of thanks for your wonderful comment.
🖤 Autumn
Really beautiful card. Love how you layer you cards, they always look perfect. Have a great weekend. x
You are heart-touchingly kind, dear Anesha. Thank you very much for your supportive comment about this fun woodland critter themed card and my passion for layers.
To paraphrase the classic potato chip slogan, when it comes to layers, I can (almost) never stop at just one! 😄
🖤 Autumn
Beautiful work. It’s a pleasure to see what you can create.
That is truly touching and awesomely encouraging, Ally. Thank you very much.
It is my heartfelt joy and pleasure to share some of my paper crafting projects here and I feel all the more bolstered to keep doing so thanks to the gift of your kind words.
🖤 Autumn
Our Autumn has been a mix between warmer days and colder, more blustery days. It’s slowly trying to usher winter in here in Southeast Missouri. I absolutely love your gorgeous card. So much beautiful detail and that squirrel is beyond precious!!!
Thank you sweetly, dear Celeste. I really appreciate your wonderfully kind words about this fun woodland themed card.
How lovely that a bit of early to mid-autumn warmth has spilled into November for you. We had snippets of fairly chilly sunshine early on in the month, but have since been inundated with snowfalls.
Even still, I wouldn’t call autumn done and over completely yet, but it’s clearly not long for this icy world. 😄
🖤 Autumn
What a delicious multi-layered triumph this card is Autumn! I love the woods and forests as much as I do, and surely they are never as breath-takingly splendid as during the Autumn months? I’m trying to go for Autumnal November walks whenever the weather permits! xxx
Sweet Ann, I am in complete agreement with you regarding the unmatched beauty of the woods during autumn.
I will gleefully spend time in the forest at any point in the year (assuming I’m dressed for the weather and against bugs, when applicable), but love doing most of all during the fall months.
As such, I am even more grateful that there are multiple areas of woodland in our town – some of which I can reach on foot from our house, including one up a hill that is on the other side of our street itself.
If only we lived close to one another and could take long, leisurely strolls through the woods together during these all-too-brief fall months. I’m sure we’d have the loveliest of times.
Many thanks for your terrific comment & the cheeriest of November wishes coming your way.
🖤 Autumn
What a sweet and cheery card this is, Autumn! You talents never cease to impress me.
You are exceedingly kind, my dear friend. Thank you wholeheartedly! 💗
Please know that the very same words apply to you and your jaw-droppingly incredible artistic skills as well.
I hope that you and L are enjoying a beautiful, not-too-chilly month and that you were spared the ravages of the recent storefront that ravaged much of the Lower Mainland.
🖤 Autumn
I am always so impressed by how you manage to incorporate so many different elements and textures in your cards and still make them look complete and whole. I am sure I would end up with a big mess if I tried. This is simply fabulous. thanks for sharing your love of Autumn xx
Aww, Hilary, what an exceedingly kind comment. Thank you so much! I genuinely blushed as I read your lovely words. 💗
We are so often our own harshest critics and doubters of our abilities. I’m sure that an abundantly multi-layered project of your own would be absolutely gorgeous! (How could it not be when everything you share with us already is!)
🖤 Autumn
What a gorgeous card Autumn! I love the papers and the beautiful dies you used, the scallop borders are so pretty!
Tammy x
Thank you very much, sweet Tammy. I really appreciate your kind and supportive feedback – not only on this fun woodland critter themed card, but each time you bless my blog with one of your beautiful comments.
You are such a lovely, warmhearted person.
🖤 Autumn
Beautiful creation, so much lovely detail to enjoy and the more i look the more i see. Here is Cornwall we rarely get it really really cold, more temperate and damp most of the year which is why its so green. Snow is a real treat to see and still brings out the kid in me as it never lasts more than a day or two before its melted, my cat experienced her first snow when she was 8 and it was a delight to see, that was many years ago now. The world is definitively full of wonder. Hugs Emmax
Hi sweet Emma, thank you very much for your lovely comment and for sharing with me about both the weather in Cornwell and regarding your precious kitty’s first experience with snow (aww!).
Being a Canadian born pup, our sweet Miss Annie has experienced snow every year of her life and really seems to enjoy it – especially when the temps remain above about -5C (which, nice as it would be if they did, they do not for the whole of winter around these parts by any means).
She was born in January, so perhaps that helped to acclimatize all the more to the year’s harshest season. You never know! 😃
I hope that your November is going positively and that you (and your cat) get treated to at least one or two beautiful snowfalls this time around. ❄️
🖤 Autumn
This is a wonderful card! I love the forest theme.
Thank you deeply, dear Ivana. We are two forest adoring peas in a pod (I can never get enough of the woods or projects, fashion, home decor, etc that include a woodland element).
Thinking of you, sweet lady, and hoping that you are experiencing a peaceful, happy, and very enjoyable holiday season.
🖤 Autumn
I absolutely adore the concept of a forest tea party. How perfect! Now as I sit on our deck, which borders the edge of a beautiful forest, I’ll breath in the sounds of the forest and the animals and imagine a Forest Tea Party beyond.
Your card is amazing and I’m thrilled that you were able to purchase elements of this theme with your gift card.
Yes, we are indeed blessed to receive the gift of all this Natural beauty. And I hope to never take it for granted.
Thank you tremendously, sweet Debi. Your generosity, kindness, and friendship are perpetual blessings in my life.
Wouldn’t it be magnificent if we lived nearby to one another and could have a real-life woodland tea party of our own? (Naturally, I suspect we’d both want to do so during our beloved autumn.)
You are so fortunate to live in such a peaceful, nature-filled setting. I hope that is filled with the crisp, timeless beauty of winter by this point in the year and that you’re still able to spot at least a few of the woodland critters that call your area home during the year’s darkest chapter.
Abundant hugs & the happiest of holiday season wishes,
🖤 Autumn
A beautiful card Autumn, lots of wonderful woodland details.
Pauline – Crafting with Cotnob
x
Thank you sweetly, lovely Pauline. My heart and soul adore both the ocean and woodlands to no end. I can never pick a favourite and say that they share top billing as my favourite type(s) of nature settings.
As we live amongst the trees and are fortunate to have a fair bit of woodland here in our wee town, I tend to gravitate a bit more towards making woodland-related projects, but have been itching to create some seas/ocean themed ones again. I might have to do just that in 2022. 😊
🖤 Autumn
Wonderful shaker card. Cool idea of a shabby forest tea party! The details are incredible!
Thank you so much, Trina! I really appreciate your terrific feedback on this cute forest tea party themed project.
I’m fortunate that some of my dearest friends adore woodland themed things, too, as it means I always have recipients to make projects for when the urge to craft in a forest inspired direction strikes.
Many thanks for your lovely comment – as well as for every visit you’ve paid my blog throughout 2021.
Big hugs & the happiest of New Year’s countdown wishes,
🖤 Autumn