Falling for Autumn at Di's Digi Challenge

Autumn is my absolutely favourite time of the year, so it's somewhat ironic that I live in Western Australia where we have a short and not very spectacular autumn, and are in fact in Spring right now!  However at Di's Digis Challenge Blog there's a new challenge starting today with autumn as the theme, so I'm getting my fill of autumn (or fall) lushness.  

As I said I don't have a great deal of autumnal splendour to base my ideas on, but I did plant a couple of Japanese Maple trees a few years ago (when I lost the battle with hubby over the HUGE Liquidamber that used to reside in our front lawn... I got to replace one rather muddy deciduous tree with two (very much smaller) spectacularly rich coloured ones, they are predominantly red, hence my card is. 

I've used one of Di's newer image, this is Fairies Storytime and you can get it here... cute isn't it?  I've coloured with Copics and there's lashings of Crystal Stickles on the wings (which of course you can't see), the white dots on the toadstools are Viva Decor Pear Pen.  I made a mistake and started trying to add coloured pupils to the fairies' eyes, so they look too dark; next time I'll just leave them as they are drawn.  I used my Lifestyle Crafts nesting circle dies to cut out all the panels and mats.

 I added a jewel ladybird to the bottom right hand corner adding Viva Pearl Pen eyes then swirls cut with a Memory Box Trailing Vines die that I was lucky enough to win in the fabulous Crafting Vicky's Candy recently (thanks Vicky)... I smothered it in Stickles too and it looks pretty good IRL, and of course doesn't show in the photos at all!  The little metal "Thanks" tag is from my stash - if need be I can change it out for another sentiment - they're handy like that.

The papers are Basic Grey's Indian Summer (not sure they do it any more), the deep red matting is from my stash.  I used the sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches,

I followed the same sketch for the inside of the card, used more of the paper from the Indian Summer pad, and used some of the pattern used for the diagonal strip to cut the swirl - it shows up better than the paper I used on the front but as I only remembered to make this card late yesterday afternoon I ran out of time to change the one on the front, I will when I get time.

 Well that's about it for my very simple card, I hope you get time to join in the challenge, there's a great prize on offer from Marker Pop, and as always if you use one  of Di's lovely images you go into an extra draw with its very own prize.
I would like to enter the following challenges with this card: 

Through the Craftroom Door	Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly	Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet	Anything Goes
Art by Miran	Anything Goes
Paper Creator Crafts	Anything Goes
Tuesday Morning Sketches	Sketch
Hiding in my Craft Room	Fall colours
Sparkles Monthly Challenge	Fall or Autumn Colours
Great Impressions	Thankful Thoughts
Totally Gorjuss	Warm Colours
Divas by Design	Bonfire Colours
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge	Use Patterned Paper
Delightful Challenges	Patterned Paper
Outlawz Friday Colouring Challenge	Leaves

On a Personal Note: I feel I have "turned a corner" with my recovery; Surgery was 5 weeks ago yesterday.  I had a consult with a Physio on Thursday and she told me (well confirmed really, I knew it already just didn't want to accept it) that I was doing too much and not medicating enough; she gave me better stretches and she also gave me acupuncture in the painful IT Band, Quadriceps, and my pectineus muscle (I think that's right, basically the one that joins your leg to your pelvis! it's been sore since day one which is very common in Hip Replacement Surgery).  I wasn't going to get acupuncture done as I considered it so much snake oil, but I was in so much discomfort in just about everywhere but my hip! and have been progressing so well in every other way I was pretty desperate... she used only nine needles on the Quads, and when the third one went in I felt a slight "popping" sensation (not painful, but like being flicked with an elastic band) and the relief was immediate!  Another four went in the Pectineus and I finally lost the dragging feeling, yay!!   I've slowed down a bit, medicated regularly (still only need Paracetemol, so not "heavy" medication) and I feel heaps better - back to the land of the living, doing all my chores :-( I'm walking around the house without any assistance, but do use a cane if I'm going for a long walk or to the shops as it gives me a bit of security.  One more week and I get to see an Xray of my bionic hip, and hopefully get cleared to drive.  What would be really nice is if my Surgeon thought I had healed so well he could lift the rest of my restrictions and I could sleep on something other than my back - not having to do that for the extra six weeks would be like winning the lottery I reckon :-))  I know he hasn't given me the extra restrictions to "punish" me, but 12 weeks IS a long time... still if needs be, sigh
Anyway until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna