Sam and friends enjoying the Autumn harvest

Morning Peeps, it's time for our mid month inspirational posts at We Love Stamping and Stamping Sensations where we have Autumnal themes and prizes of goodies from AALL and Create and Highlight Crafts.

AALL and Create stamps on the above card with a harvest from the orchard and goodness it's been a bumper crop this year. With the intense heat and lack of rain we didn't anticipate much of a crop but even now in mid October we are still collecting various varieties of apples and pears and the freezers are near to bursting.

Ten days ago we also harvested the Quince, only the one tree but a bumper crop of 56, may not sound many but if you are familiar with the fruit you will know how big they are. The best of them have been laid up for a few weeks to mellow for Quince Jelly, others poached with apples and pears and frozen for winter pies and also a few tagine's, they work well with lamb, not that I eat meat often but there are those in the family who do.

A bit of artistic licence here with Peonies in October but in Autumnal colours. For this one I have used elements from Highlight Crafts Vintage Inc stamp collections Botanical Bliss, Petals and Lace and the brand new Love Letters USB now available on the web. The links go to the collections but all stamp sets are available individually. After lots of inking and distressing I stamped the focal image and heat embossed with details gold EP, stamped again onto some inked card and paper pieced.

I am popping over for hot chocolate (or maybe something stronger) at the Playground with the first card as the sentiment, circles and Sam the Squirrel are all stamped onto snippets.

For the above and card at the top of my post I have used AALL and Create Pheasant, Pinecone and Basic Fruits. Whilst AALL and Create showcase all their new releases on Create and Craft TV and products are available from various retailers, many are unaware that A&C also have their own on line store and the links in my posts where I used their products will take you to there. They offer a quick and efficient delivery service.

I use the little Squirrel from Key Botanicals quite often. They are such clever little creatures and I love watching them, we have lots in the garden and paddocks and they have reared several families of young, all of whom seem to stay around, so I get plenty of photo opportunities....

I was almost nose to nose with this one outside the open kitchen window last week, she (a very recent Mum) seemed totally un-phased with me being so close. And yesterday we spotted the first black baby, we knew we had at least one in our top paddock hedgerow, so are thrilled there were a pair who have bred.  It's estimated there are only about 25,000 in the UK centred in our region of Cambs/Beds/Herts where they have breeding schemes in operation, but they are much shyer and photo opportunities rare.

Here is a rare photo, isn't he Beautiful?

And a few Highlight Crafts Two Red Robin Squirrels and other wildlife in Autumnal settings....

Have a lovely Tuesday and my thanks as always for your visits.

 

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