Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge

I'm up to my eyeballs in Thanksgiving Day food preparation today.  I last made this feast 21 years ago when I was 23 and with the help of my mom (so in other words, half a lifetime ago)!  My brother, sister-in-law, 7 year old niece, and 5 year old twin nephews are also coming to stay with us in our one-story, 1200 square foot home.  Oh, and did I mention we have one bathroom and 3 children of our own?  And that we're all running a Turkey Trot tomorrow, including the cook (me)?  It sounds like the Griswald's Christmas Vacation movie!  But not by a long shot, because we love our family and are excited to see them!  My little niece and nephews are adorable and funny.  And my sister-in-law is an incredible cook, so nothing can go wrong with this feast that she can't salvage!

No matter what, though, there's always time for stamping 😊  And a Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge comes to the rescue when I need a quick creative fix.  

Not gonna lie - I am patting myself on the back for this card.  I ADORE those gorgeous, deep, rich autumnal hues.  I especially love the contrast of the dark Early Espresso card base and Stitched Rectangle panels with the leaves die-cut with Come To Gather Designer Series Paper.  The Cajun Craze and Merry Merlot colors in that paper really stand out!

Just arrange the die-cut leaves on the panels and trim off the excess.  Adhere the panels with Stampin' Dimensionals and add sentiment strips stamped in Cajun Craze and highlighted with tiny Gold Brads.  The measurements and supply list are in the tutorial below - just click the image!

Enjoy the downloadable tutorial.  Don't forget to print it and add it to a binder, along with my other free tutorials (look for the "Click here for free tutorial image on my blog posts)!

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• Shop my online store using the current month's special host code for thank you gifts.
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Wednesday Sketch Challenge

Yesterday I held a Christmas card class at my local library.  The laughs and the conversation were uplifting.  Plus, it felt good to relax and cut loose with some creativity!  The best part was meeting the women who attended - there really are so many friendly people out there.  I left that class energized and refreshed, and I hope the other women there felt that way, too.  I'm holding another class today - a Sweet 'N Simple class - and get to experience the same kind of connections.  If you're in the Pittsburgh, PA area, I would love to meet you at a class!  And if you're not in the Pittsburgh, PA area, then consider my printable tutorials, photo tutorials, and weekly Facebook Lives my classes brought to you!  Let me know what you'd like to see, learn, and read reviews on.  I'm open to it all!

It's Wednesday so it's time for a Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge.

View the thread for this week's sketch.  You can always upload your card to the thread for us to see!  These challenges have no deadline.

I saw leaves when viewing this sketch.  I also saw snowflakes but since the season for making fall cards is quickly closing, leaves it was!  

Underneath that vellum is a piece of Pear Pizzazz cardstock, randomly stamped with the sentiment in Old Olive ink.  I love how it subtly peeks through.  A gold brad in each corner adds warmth to the card and neatly frames the "swirling" leaves.  Those were created with Come To Gather designer series paper and the Gathered Leaves dies.

A neat trick is to use a bone folder to curl the ends of twine.  A sponge dipped in Soft Suede ink was used to add focus to the sentiment piece.  Sponging is one of my favorite go-to techniques.  Click the image below for a printable pdf that has the measurements, supply list, and steps to create this card.

You also can watch the replay of my Tuesday Facebook Live to see how to make this same card.  There was a beautiful, perfect snowfall happening right outside my window as I was live and it felt so cozy to be stamping!

Want to see more projects using Gather Together?

See other Gather Together projects here.  There's a mix of cards and home decor pieces.  You can always search my blog by stamp set by typing the name in the search box.

If you enjoyed this post, pick a way to connect with The Joyful Stamper:

• Shop my online store using the host code 7YNXHH3W and receive as my gift to you a 6 Pack of Christmas Card Tutorials ($15 value).  If you liked the one above, you'll enjoy these!
• Shop the Clearance Rack for fantastic deals.
• Request a catalog, if you are not already working with a demonstrator you love.
• Join My Joyful Stampers team - instant community of people who love stamping as much as you do!
• Subscribe to Paper Pumpkin, the monthly crafting kit for those who like neat, simple solutions to their crafting needs.  As part of your subscription, you'll receive a monthly newsletter with alternate ideas and an instructional video.
• Attend one of my local, in-person classes - laughter is good medicine!
• Follow me on Facebook for more interaction and spontaneous fun!
• Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration.
• Subscribe to my YouTube channel to see stamping demonstrations.

  

Thank you for choosing me as your demonstrator!

Gather Together and Watercolor Pencils

What an amazing past four days we've had!  I've mentioned our love for the sport of cross country running.  Both our daughters in high school and college had important meets Thursday and Friday and we were fortunate enough to see them.  While the high school girls team did not make it to the state championships, the boys team did so we are heading to Hershey!  Our college-age daughter ran a personal best and held her team position so that she gets to race in the Regionals meet in a few weeks (that is a meet that qualifies people for NCAA Nationals).  It was an exciting couple of days with lots of time outside in the sunshine and cool weather.  It definitely felt and looked like fall.

My card for you today also definitely looks and feels like fall.  I envisioned lots and lots of watercolored pumpkins, so I got out my watercolor pencils and Aquapainter to go along with my Gather Together stamp set.

I wanted a soft, slightly blurred look so I stamped the pumpkins in Pumpkin Pie ink.  Because this ink is dye-based, it will bleed when water is added to it.  After stamping the pumpkins, I used a Pumpkin Pie watercolor pencil to color them.  I like to use a light touch and go in circular motions when using watercolor pencils.  I find this avoids indentations in the paper and coloring lines.  It also makes it easier to get the depth of color I want - it's easier to add color than to take it away!

After coloring the pumpkins, I used a damp Aquapainter to go over them.  The colors of the watercolor pencils and the ink from the stamped images began to soften and blend beautifully!  I used a Dark Soft Suede Stampin' Blend marker to color the pumpkin stems.

Other Gather Together card details:

• The pumpkins were die-cut with the Gathered Leaved dies and adhered using Stampin' Dimensionals.  The dimensionals let me layer and tuck card elements, which I love!
• The leaves were die-cut from Come To Gather DSP, also using the Gathered Leaves dies.
• The wheat bundles were stamped in Crushed Curry ink on Crumb Cake cardstock and cut with Paper Snips.
• The sentiment was stamped in Night of Navy ink on a strip of Crumb Cake cardstock.  The right edge of the strip was folded around the Come To Gather DSP and Champagne Foil layers.
• A strand of Linen Thread was tucked amid the card elements using Glue Dots.

The Gather Together set used for today's card is the one used for my October ordering gift.  Use Host Code GZU4ASKR when you order with me and you'll receive two card kits plus their tutorials as my gift to you (a $10 value).  Shop now and don't forget to add the Host Code if your order is under $150.  If your order is over $150, you''ll still receive the card kits and tutorial PLUS you'll get Stampin' Rewards (free Stampin' Up! product of your choice).

Tags & Feathers Elements, Oh My!

Remember my delight last week in being asked to be on the Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge Design Team (okay, that was a really long sentence.  My apologies)?  Well, I'm still just as tickled!  Take a look at this week's sketch.

As soon as I saw the branch in the sketch above, I knew I wanted to use the feathers from the Tags & Feathers Elements in that spot.

The top two feathers are stuck down with Tear 'N Tape as they came in the package.  The bottom feather, though, is dressed up with embossing powder.  Smoosh the feather into a Versamark ink pad, then dip into a jar of Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder.  You can hold the feather embellishment with tweezers for this next step to avoid burning your fingers.  Melt the powder with a Heat Tool and watch the magic happen!  Ooooohhh pretty!  

Ready to make this?  You can!  Shop my online store here (use Host Code GZU4ASKR and I'll send you two fall card kits as my gift to you!).  Be sure to post what you make with this week's Splitcoaststampers sketch.

Did you miss Tuesday's Stampin' News?  Get it here!

Trio of Adorable Paper Pumpkins!

I fell in immediate love with these cute little pumpkins!  I gave the first set to Emma who wanted them for her dorm room.  I missed them so much that I made a second set and created a tutorial for all of you, friends!  Please excuse my well-loved tools and supplies - I'm sure we all have a few of those, right? 

 The Supplies You'll Need

 Stamp leaves in Cajun Craze and Crumb Cake on the same color cardstock, using the largest leaf image from the Gather Together set. 

Die-cut leaves with Gathered Leaves coordinating die.

Die-cut scalloped circle from Early Espresso cardstock using Layering Circles dies.

Cut skinny strips of Garden Green cardstock.

Use bone folder to gently curl.  

Use Braided Linen Trim to tie a bow.

Gently pull apart fibers to create a more rustic look.

To make the pumpkin stems, use a bone folder to soften the fibers of a 1" wide piece of Early Espresso cardstock.  This is the same way you curled the vines above.

Once the cardstock feels soft, start in the corner and peel apart the two layers.  

Using just one layer of Early Espresso cardstock, roll it diagonally into a stem until it's your desired thickness and length.  You'll want to make the stem long enough that you can bend the bottom a bit and glue it to your pumpkin. Glue to hold together.

Cut (4) 1" x 12" strips of Designer Series Paper.  Place them wrong pattern up (the pattern that will be on the inside of the pumpkin is the one facing up), as shown in the photo.

Staple together in the center.

Bend the strips up to meet in the center and staple.

Glue the die-cut scalloped circle to the bottom of the pumpkin.

Turn the pumpkin right-side up.

Bend the bottom of the stem and glue to the top of the pumpkin.  A hot glue gun is highly recommended for this.

I forgot to take a photo of the next step!  Glue on the pumpkin vines near the base of the stem.

Now glue on the stamped and die-cut leaves.

Glue on the Braided Linen Trim bow.

Ta-da!  You have the cutest, easiest paper pumpkins ever!  I put mine on the window sill above my kitchen sink.

Don't you love those?  I do!  These would be so fun with the Monster Bash Designer Series Paper.  You could have them sitting near your candy display on trick-or-treat night or displayed on a foyer table.  They would be such a cute decorative touch!

If you loved this tutorial, I would so appreciate you shopping with me.  Shop my online store here and don't forget about the recently updated Clearance Rack - there are some serious bargains there (up to 60% off)!

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