Altenew September Inspiration Challenge

I'm thrilled to be hosting Altenew's September Inspiration Challenge this month! I live in rural west Michigan, and September means apple season in my area, so I took a photo of a local orchard and used the for this month's inspiration palette. I'm thinking the colors lend themselves to fall projects and even Christmas ones, but I look forward to seeing how crafters use the color palette in their own creative ways. I hope you'll join in and add your card to the linky for a chance to win a $30 gift card to Altenew!

Here's a look at my photo and the color palette for this month's challenge: 

If you'd like to join the challenge on the Altenew blog, here's the link: September 2026 Inspiration Challenge | Altenew

Of course I wanted to create an apple-themed card for my project, so I chose the Craft-Your-Life: Sweet Harvest project kit from the many Altenew apple-themed products I own. This kit has dies to create apples and apple slices as well as stamps with some apple puns and other sentiments and the large apple tree branch I used as my focal point. It's a large stamp, so I decided on a 5 by 7 card to make the most of the stamp. I love fun fold cards, so I turned to an easy one that allows the stamped image to really shine. I trimmed my white card base to 5 by 8 1/2 and scored it at 1 1/2 and 2 1/4 on the 8 1/2 inch side and then flipped it over and scored at 1 1/2 and 2 1/4 inches again. 

To decorate the card base, I trimmed 3 white cardstock panels to cover the middle and side sections. The panels for the sides measure 1 3/8 by 4 7/8 and the middle panel measures 3 7/8 by 4 7/8. I ink blended Fresh Leaf ink from Altenew's Whispering Woodland ink collection onto the panels and then embossed them using the 3D embossing folder from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Painterly Perfection project kit. That embossing folder provides such lovely texture to panels. Once I had embossed the panels, I ink blended them a second time using the same Fresh Leaf ink to make the texture stand out a bit more. I adhered the green panels to the white card base. 

I stamped the apple branch image a few times using my Stampwheel 2.0 and then die cut them using the coordinating die from the add-on die set to the kit. I used the stencils to ink blend the image with the following inks: Burnt Red, Ruby Red, Cocoa Cream, and Reindeer Moss. I stacked two of the die cuts together and adhered them for added thickness. 

Next, I set about die cutting the background branches, foliage, and apples. I used Altenew's Berry Branch Layering Die Set and the foliage from Altenew's Creative Cuts: Feathered Beauty Layering Die Set for the branches and foliage. I ink blended them with Choco Hazelnut, Fresh Leaf, and Reindeer Moss inks. Then I die cut two apples from the Sweet Harvest project kit and ink blended them with Burnt Red and Ruby Red to match the apples on the stamped focal point. I added a few black lines on the die cut apples using Altenew's Fine Liner Pen Set so they matched the stamped apples. I also added a few small black spots on the die cut apples for texture. I adhered the branches, foliage and apples to the panels and trimmed them where needed. Then I added the stamped focal point to the center panel using Altenew's 1/2 wide and 1/16th inch thick Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

The "thankful for you" sentiment is from the Sweet Harvest project kit as well, and I used the coordinating die from the add-on die set to die cut several layers. I glued the layers together for dimension and then decided to add an offset of Brown Diamond Glitter Cardstock from the Brilliant Red Glitter Cardstock Set. I glued the stamped sentiment stack to the glitter cardstock, leaving a bit of the glitter die cut showing at the top of the sentiment for a touch of sparkle. I used more of Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape to adhere the sentiment to the card front. 

To finish the card, I added a few of Altenew's Whispering Woodland Enamel Dots around the sentiment and to the top left of the card front. 

If you're interested in doing some crafty shopping at Altenew, I'd be so grateful if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link.  I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many wonderful craft products and has a great weekly sales section if you are looking for bargain prices to grow your Altenew collection. 

Close up to see the texture on the embossed panels and the glitter cardstock behind the sentiment:

Side view:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases Challenge: ATG with a fun fold project: I'm on the DT and entering just for inspiration (ends 9/4/26)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges**********: Apples (1/3; ends 9/7/26) C10

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Garden Party: Anything in or from a garden (5/5; ends 9/7/26)

Allsorts challenge blog: All Creatures Great and Small or ATG (1/5; ends 9/11/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/: Shapes (I have rectangles and circles on my card) (1/5; ends 9/7/26)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: use die cuts (ends 9/12/26)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with option of easel card (1/8; ends 9/12/26)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: ATG (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

fourseasons: ATG Fall (ends at the end of the month)

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie...: Sweater Weather: I hope my apples count as a fall-themed project (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

 I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6: 22-26