Double Take - Blog Hop

Hi all. It's time for an Autumn Beauty Blog Hop. As one of Theresa Momber's guest designers this month I was invited to play along so here's my project. I'm calling it double take because it's the same image done up in two entirely different formats, one CAS and one with multiple layers and embellishments. I fell in love with the mailbox image the moment I saw this set. I think there's nothing more fun than going out to your mailbox and getting a card or letter - I mean email is fast and efficient but nothing is better than REAL mail. After all, isn't that why we do what we do as stampers??
When I first stamped the mailbox image and colored it I was delighted with how beautiful it was, all by itself. I quite often use the embossing with Nesties technique (you can see Gina K's video on it here) to highlight a focal image or I sometimes sponge an image while it is still inside a nestie die. So I got to thinking "wonder if I can sponge the nestie die itself and THEN emboss with it." So I inked up the smooth side of my Labels 4 metal die with dark chocolate palette ink, centered it over my image and ran it through my CB. Card #1 (on left) was born. (On my first try the ink wasn't very even so be sure to run it back and forth through the CB a couple of times.) I added two of the sentiments from Autumn Beauty and the card was done. Just CAS (which is usually really hard for me.) Here's a close up of card #1 -->

Now - card #2 came about after I did everything I had done above for card #1 BUT I decided to cut out the colored mailbox image with a larger Label 4 nestie die. I then placed the smaller die in it's embossed spot and sponged both the inside and the outside for a double layer sponge effect. I used Pumpkin Spice for my CS base, added a mat layer of Golden paper from Theresa's digital paper set, All About Autumn, scored a smaller piece of Green Apple paper to mat the image. I used a piece of CB'd Pumpkin Spice instead of a ribbon (didn't have a good color match) for horizontal interest. I've included a close up of card #2 also. Finally I finished it off with 4 golden rhinestones for a little "bling". At this point I didn't have room for a sentiment on the front so I used the inside for the sentiments. -->

SO - what do you think? Card #1 or Card #2? Have a preference? Hop along now and see the rest of the ideas from everyone who's blog hoppin' with us. You'll want to be sure to see work from Theresa's other two Guest Designers, Karen Knegten and Jennie Harper, as well as several of the senior DT gals. Since I'm not sure who's hoppin' besides Karen and Jennie, please go to Theresa's blog or Gina K's blog and follow the hop from there. Thanks for stopping by. Have a GREAT weekend. I think I'm finally ready for fall :-) Hugs y'all.