Tag: All About Autumn

Autumn · Fall

Joy to My Heart

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We’ve made it through the first week of September. I don’t know about you, but holiday weeks always feel longer, for some reason.

This week, we’ve been all about the autumn designs and looking at a variety of different ways to pair Stampin’ Up! products or to use techniques. Today, we’re revisiting the emboss resist technique with this card design which features the Leaf Collection background stamp. I recently saw a card posted by a fellow demonstrator that paired this stamp with a Blackberry Bliss and metallic gold color palette. It was super elegant and I wanted to give it a twist. So let’s see how it all comes together.

We get started with a base of Blackberry Bliss cardstock. The focal panel is also Blackberry Bliss that has been stamped with the Leaf Collection stamp and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder. To help the pattern pop, I went over the panel with metallic gold ink which gives the entire panel a subtle sheen and really makes the clear embossing twinkle. This panel is matted with Rose Gold textured specialty paper and then wrapped with Blackberry Bliss & Gold textured ribbon and tied with a bow. The sentiment from So Sincere is stamped on Blackberry Bliss cardstock and then heat embossed with gold before being diecut with the Greetings of the Season die using the extension method. The sentiment panel is adhered underneath the bow using several layers of dimensionals. I cut some sprigs of leaves from gold foil using the Changing Leaves die and adhered them with dimensionals around the bow to keep things cohesive. Drusy embellishments finish things off with lots of extra sparkle.

It’s been a lot of fun designing cards all about autumn, and I hope you’ve enjoyed the inspiration. Next week is all about Christmas as we get a better look at the new product from the Stampin’ Up! Holiday Mini Catalog. In the meantime, I hope you’ll tune in on the socials for a little bonus All About Autumn content this afternoon.

Products used in today’s card:
Blackberry Bliss cardstock
Gold foil, Rose Gold textured SP
Leaf Collection, So Sincere stamps
Greetings of the Season, Changing Leaves dies
Clear, gold embossing powder
Blackberry Bliss & Gold textured ribbon
Drusy embellishments
Dimensionals
Adhesives

Product List
Blackberry Bliss 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
[133675]
$11.50
Textured Metallic 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Paper
[163772]
$8.50
Gold Foil Sheets
[132622]
$5.00
Leaf Collection Cling Stamp Set
[163610]
$20.00
So Sincere Cling Stamp Set (English)
[162283]
$24.00
Versamark Pad
[102283]
$9.50
Basics Wow! Embossing Powder
[165679]
$21.00
Metallics Wow! Embossing Powder
[165678]
$21.00
Greetings Of The Season Dies
[164112]
$32.00
Changing Leaves Hybrid Embossing Folder
[164138]
$40.00
Blackberry Bliss & Gold 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Textured Ribbon
[164039]
$10.00
Drusy Adhesive Backed Embellishments
[164223]
$9.00
Mini Stampin' Dimensionals
[144108]
$4.25
Tear & Tape Adhesive
[154031]
$7.00
Add All to Cart
birthday

I Can’t BeLEAF It’s Your Birthday

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The leaves are really putting on a show in our area now. We have a beautiful Ash tree in our front yard that is covered in beautiful shades of yellow right now. And the drive up the main parkway in our neighborhood is beginning to look like it’s lined by fire. I just LOVE this time of year!

Today’s card is inspired by all of the beautiful foliage of fall. The card base is Pretty Peacock cardstock, and although hues of blue are not necessarily traditional for leaves, it certainly works to complement the lovely shades of foliage we traditionally see this time of year. I used a beautiful vanilla foiled pattern from the All About Autumn designer paper pack to help the leaves really pop. The different colored leaves are diecut from Oxidized Copper and All About Autumn using the Autumn Leaves die collection. The sentiment, from the Circle Sayings stamp set, is heat embossed in copper atop a layer of Early Espresso that has been diecut using the Nested Essentials dies. A scattering of brown sequins adds some dazzle and moves the eye across the design.

I love how an everyday thing, like a leaf, can be used to create a beautiful and versatile card design.

Products used:
Pretty Peacock, Early Espresso cardstock
All About Autumn (sold out), Oxidized Copper DSP
Nested Essentials, Autumn Leaves dies
Copper embossing powder
Adhesive-backed sequins
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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Fall · Fun Folds

Love Spending Time With You

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Do you love learning new things? I’m learning new fun folds to add interest to my card designs, and I really love this one that I learned from fellow demonstrator Jacki Bolhuis with Klompen Stampers. She calls it the Split Front Fold, but I like to think of it as the Cut and Twist because you cut out the center of the front panel and twist it up to make it a focal panel. What I really love about this fun fold is that you can get stellar results whether you dress up the front focal panel or leave it as a stand-alone, like I did here. So many possibilities!

For this card, we begin with a base of Early Espresso and a single sheet of the leaf pattern from the All About Autumn designer paper pack. The base is is a standard size but scored at the top rather than on the side. To achieve the cut and flip, with the long edge up, you cut 1 1/2-inches from one side and then make a second cut of 2 1/2-inches. This leaves a 1 1/2-inch strip just beyond the center fold, along with the two pieces that were cut. The larger piece gets twisted up vertically to serve as the focal panel on the card front and also holds the smaller pieces of the card front together. I chose the leaf pattern of All About Autumn to serve as the star of the vertical focal panel. The foiled pattern on the back side of the leaf sheet serves as the two decorative strips at the top and bottom. A little twist of linen thread gives a little punch to the focal panel. To allow the beautiful patterned paper to really shine, the sentiment is stamped on the card base so that it shows through the peek-through window in the card front.

What do you think of this new Cut and Twist method? I’m excited to try some other designer papers with this unique fun fold!

Products used:
Early Espresso cardstock
All About Autumn DSP
Linen thread
Adhesives

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Fall · Fun Folds

Because You’re You

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For today’s card design, I challenged myself to use paper scraps for as many elements as I could. I had accumulated a number of scraps of All About Autumn after completing projects for a team event. So those scraps set the color palette for this card design.

We begin with a base of Early Espresso cardstock. A 1-inch peek-through panel is cut in the card front. The predominantly vanilla mosaic foil from All About Autumn serves as the decorative base for the card front. Scraps of Mossy Meadow and copper foil serve as the peek-through elements on the base panel. A scrap of Moody Mauve foil is mounted askew on the mosaic foil to add visual interest and a color base for the vellum sentiment panel. The mauve also helps to bring out the copper metallic of the leaves and sentiment. The leaves are diecut from Oxidized Copper designer paper using the Autumn Leaves dies. The veining of the larger leaf is diecut from Crumb Cake cardstock to add a little definition without detracting from the overall design. The sentiment is stamped using the Pansy Patch set and heat embossed in copper atop a vellum panel that is diecut using a Deckled Rectangle die. The vellum sentiment panel and leaves are layered using dimensionals. The brushed metallic dots draw the eye to the sentiment panel in the center.

Do you save your paper scraps? If so, do you have success in using up your accumulated scraps? I’m a scrap saver and pretty efficient at being able to use them. I do periodically purge my scraps since the smaller pieces can sometimes take over. I love how these scraps worked together for this design!

Products used:
Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, vellum cardstock
All About Autumn (retired), Oxidized Copper DSP
Pansy Patch stamps
Autumn Leaves, Deckled Rectangles dies
Copper embossing powder
Brushed metallic dots
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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Fall · Fun Folds

Happy Day

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

I’m feeling all the fall vibes these days. What about you? In usual fashion, however, the weather here in North Texas can’t decide if it’s summer, fall, or winter. But I shall press on with my fuzzy socks and long sleeves anyway!

Today, we’re revisiting the Z-fold. Did you recognize it when you glanced at the photos of today’s card? It looks a little different when the orientation is changed from portrait to landscape, and I just love how this orientation adds some extra drama!

For this card, we begin with a base of Pretty Peacock. You’ll want to cut your card base 4 1/4-inches by 11-inches and then score at 2 3/4-inches and 5 1/2-inches to achieve the landscape-oriented Z-fold. The foiled papers are from two different designer series paper packs — All About Autumn and Oxidized Copper. For the card panels, I selected 3 different foiled patterns from the All About Autumn paper pack. These 3 patterns work in tandem to introduce the color palette of vanilla, peacock, and mauve. The leaves on the front panel are diecut from our selected designer papers using the Autumn Leaves dies. The veining for the largest leaf is cut from Early Espresso, which helps the eye pick up on the foiling in our other card elements. The sentiment is stamped using the So Sincere stamp set and then heat embossed in copper atop a panel of vellum, which is diecut using the Autumn Leaves die set. The sentiment panel and leaves are layered on the card front using dimensionals. The brushed metallic dots help the eye move across the front panel of the card and also draw out the foiling in the papers.

TIP: if you use a paper scrap that isn’t quite wide enough, like I did here with the mosaic pattern in the center, select a complementary ribbon to fill in the gap and add interest. I loved the texture and pattern that the natural wavy trim adds to the mosaic panel.

Products used:
Pretty Peacock, Early Espresso, vellum cardstock
All About Autumn (retired), Oxidized Copper DSP
So Sincere stamps
Autumn Leaves dies
Natural wavy trim
Copper embossing powder
Brushed metallic dots
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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Fall

A Pile of Thanks

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

Have the leaves begun to change in your area? Fall is my favorite time of year. And I absolutely love it when the leaves begin to change colors. The main thoroughfare through our neighborhood is lined with a wide variety of trees that put on quite a show during the fall. The street looks like it’s lined with fire. I love to watch the process and am always awed by it. I find reasons to run errands every day as the leaves are changing.

I was super excited to receive a box of goodies last week, which included the beautiful Oxidized Copper designer paper, the Autumn Leaves die collection, and brushed metallic dots. When the Holiday Mini Catalog first released, I completely talked myself out of any of the fall products. But after participating in a team building event where we used them, I realized that I would find myself reaching for them more than I thought!

I was inspired by a card posted by i.heart.stamps over on Instagram and wanted to try my hand at recreating it with a few twists here and there. This card design begins with a base of Early Espresso cardstock. The beautiful woodgrain panel is from the All About Autumn designer series paper pack. The gorgeous leaves are diecut from Oxidized Copper designer paper using the Autumn Leaves dies. The sentiment panel consists of two layers. The base layer is gold glimmer paper diecut with the Deckled Rectangles set. The sentiment is heat embossed in copper atop Crumb Cake cardstock, which has been diecut using the Autumn Leaves dies. TIP: for richer color when heat embossing, whenever possible stamp in the same color ink that you will be embossing with. A twist of gold trim behind the smaller sentiment panel really helps unify the metallic elements and draw the eye to the sentiment. The brushed metallic dots allow the eye to pass across the card, following the path of the falling leaves.

I just love the details in the Autumn Leaves dies. The veining you see here is a part of those dies. There are also leaves without the vein detail embedded within the die but that include a separate die for the veins. The leaf duo under the bottom, left corner of the sentiment panel is an example of that combination of dies.

Products used:
Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, gold shimmer (retired) cardstock
All About Autumn DSP (sold out)
Oxidized Copper specialty paper
Tsukineko Cosmic Copper ink
Copper embossing powder
So Sincere stamps
Autumn Leaves, Deckled Rectangles dies
Gold trim
Brushed metallic dots
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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Fall · Fun Folds

Thanks, Pumpkin

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

Do you participate in Thankful November? While I don’t always participate to the extent that I make social media posts, I do tend to find myself much more reflective through the month of November and try to turn my focus to giving thanks. Honestly, it’s such a wonderful practice that I really need to carry it forward throughout the entire year. How do you feel about it?

Inspiration for card designs reflecting thankfulness always seem to come much easier this time of year. And today’s design is no exception. This lovely peek-through fun fold card uses the All About Autumn designer series paper. This paper pack is so inspired — with its beautiful foiled patterns on one side and still life fall photographs on the other. I’m finding it hard to even begin to grow tired of it! And clearly LOTS of you agree because it is now completely sold out!

Today’s card begins with a base of Cajun Craze. Aside from the 1-inch peek-through section on the card front, the base is a standard 4 1/4-inch by 5 1/2-inch design (when closed). This design uses 3 separate sheets of All About Autumn designer paper. The sheet with the sweetgum leaves, the foiled side of the sheet with books, and the sheet with pumpkins. The sweetgum leaves sheet is cut to 3 1/8-inches by 5 3/8-inches and adhered to the front panel of the card base. I retained a 1-inch strip of the leaves and used it as an accent on the foiled panel on the inside of the card, and the small strip is matted with a scrap of the blue cardigan sheet from this paper pack — that I happened to have lying on the craft table. The pumpkin sheet that serves as the peek-through portion of this card measures approximately 2-inches wide. The sentiment panel is more understated in this design because I wanted it to complement more than stand out. The base panel of the sentiment is vellum that is diecut using the All That die set. The sentiment from Circle Sayings is stamped in Cajun Craze on Very Vanilla cardstock and then diecut using the oval from the All That die collection. Before adhering the sentiment to the vellum base, I elevated it on dimensionals and then set it atop some twists of gold cord. Glitter sequins and speckled spots add a little sparkle and visual interest and help guide the eye down and across the card design.

I don’t know about you, but when I have a pack of really gorgeous paper, my mind immediately turns on designs that allow me to showcase as much of the paper as I can. And so I naturally gravitate to fun folds. Do you like fun folds? Did you know that there are quite a few PDF tutorials for some of my favorite folds over on the Tutorial page of my website? Feel free to click here to check them all out!

Products used:
Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla, vellum cardstock
All About Autumn DSP (sold out)
Circle Sayings stamp set
All That dies
Speckled dots
Glitter sequins
Gold cord
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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Fall

Thankful

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

Are you a paper scrap saver or chunker? I just can’t bring myself to throw away perfectly good scraps of (expensive) paper. When I need to diecut smaller elements, I prefer to dig through and use my paper scraps rather than cutting a new sheet, unless that’s my only option. And today’s design is a perfect showcase of paper scraps.

I had two scraps of foiled All About Autumn designer paper that I wanted to use — one Pretty Peacock and one Moody Mauve. I thumbed through the All About Autumn pack and found the foiled mosaic that coordinated perfectly. So I started the design with a base of Pretty Peacock to provide a solid, earthy anchor for the busy foiled patterns of the selected designer papers. I wanted to pull the gold elements from the mosaic sheet and decided to diecut gold glimmer paper using the Nested Essentials dies. Rather than stamping a sentiment on this panel, I opted to diecut the word THANKS using the Alphabet a la Mode dies from a scrap of Pretty Peacock to tie all of the card elements together. The sentiment panel is adhered using dimensionals. The twist of copper twine and scatter of copper sequins add additional visual interest and sparkle and tie all of the card elements together for a more cohesive look throughout the design.

Products used:
Pretty Peacock, glimmer gold cardstock
All About Autumn DSP
Nested Essential, Alphabet a la Mode dies
Adhesive-backed sequins
Copper twine (retired)
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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Fall

Fall-ever Grateful

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

We recently had a virtual team stamping event. It was so fun to get to stamp together with team members who are scattered across North America. The beauty of that event was getting to play with some product that I don’t currently have in my own stash of products. After working with the Autumn Leaves dies, I just might have to change that though!

This design helps showcase the beauty of the autumn products on page 43 of the current Stampin’ Up! Holiday Mini catalog. This card sits atop a base of Very Vanilla. The card face sits atop a sheet of Copper Clay foiled designer paper from the All About Autumn paper pack. The focal image is mounted on a panel diecut from Copper Clay using the Deckled Rectangles dies. The iridescent ribbon is mounted between the Copper Clay mat and focal image sheet and tied using gold cord. The sentiment panel is diecut from Very Vanilla cardstock using the Autumn Leaves dies. The sentiment is stamped with Charming Sentiments in the center using Old Olive. The leaves are diecut from Oxidized Copper designer paper using the Autumn Leaves dies. (Check out the details in those leaves! Even more stunning in person!) The entire center panel sits atop dimensionals which really allows it to shine.

Products used:
Very Vanilla, Copper Clay cardstock
All About Autumn, Oxidized Copper DSP
Charming Sentiments stamps
Autumn Leaves dies
Adhesive-backed speckled dots
Iridescent ribbon
Gold cord
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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birthday · Fall

Falling for Birthdays

susanfoxbowenLeave a comment

The All About Autumn designer series paper is another line that lends itself really well to a variety of fun fold designs. This pack of paper is full of stunning designs with one side of the sheet being fall-themed, full-color photographs and the other side showcasing gorgeous foil designs. The paper is so popular that it sells out quickly each time it comes back in stock, so you can’t hesitate to swipe it when you see it or else it’s usually gone on backorder again when you go back to the online store!

For this design, I wanted to create a card that you would be perfect for any recipient and selected elements that would draw out all of the finer details of the papers. The single-Z fun fold is perfect way to spice things up and create more visual interest and drama. The card base is a sheet of Crumb Cake cardstock, which helps draw out the lighter brown elements of the leaves in the sheet of DSP that serves as the card front. The sentiment panel is diecut from Very Vanilla cardstock using the Nested Essentials dies and stamped with the Charming Sentiments stamp in Copper Clay. A sheet of foiled Copper Clay provides a good base for the sentiment. Adding some dimensionals under the sentiment panel, along with the metallic Flirty Flamingo ribbon, allows it to pop against the busier background. The ribbon also draws out the orange and gold elements of the leaves. The inside of the card holds a small panel of foiled Copper Clay and a small sentiment panel.

I can think of so many of my friends with upcoming birthdays for whom this design would be perfect. What about you?

Products used:
Mossy Meadow, Very Vanilla cardstock
All About Autumn DSP
Charming Sentiments stamps
Nested Essential dies
Adhesive-backed speckled dots
Metallic Flirty Flamingo ribbon
Dimensionals
Adhesives

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