August Paper Pumpkin Kit: Bold Botanicals

Hello!  One of the stamping projects I was able to work on this weekend was my August Paper Pumpkin kit!  I'd started it at last month's Paper Pumpkin Power Hour, and it was nice to play and create some alternates with the wonderful materials in the kit!  The stamps are so beautiful!!  I love that the colors and stamps in the kit have a fall feel to them -- especially because I'm certainly ready for cooler weather and pumpkin spice lattes starting around this time of year!  ;)  

This kit was designed with materials to create 3 note cards (3-1/2" x 5"), 3 full size cards, and 3 gift card holders.  I started by creating the note cards in the kit.  However, it seemed a bit of a waste to me to have that beautiful background Mint Macaron pattern on the back of the card, when I could envision using it as part of more card fronts.  So, the first thing I did before starting to assemble these cards was cut the note cards that came with the kit in half.  Then,  I created some note-card-sized Very Vanilla card stock bases to make these 3 cards, which aside from the altered card base, follow the directions in the kit:

Here's a closer view of one of those:

So, what did I do with the rest of the Mint Macaron paper?  I cut three 4-1/2" x 5" Very Vanilla bases, along with a Cajun Craze layer (approximately 3-3/4" x 5-1/2"), and created these three cards:

I was having a bit of fun with my Gold Wink of Stella marker on these -- you might notice some gold splatters on the Mint Macaron paper, as well as some gold highlights on the background stamping in the top two cards, and on the wood leaf elements in the bottom card.

Next, I decided to create the full size cards in the kit.  For the first one, I followed the kit's directions:

It was around this point I began to realize that my Early Espresso ink pad was stamping awfully lightly, and since I didn't have an ink refill to remedy that (although one has been ordered now and is on the way!), switched to the beautifully inked Early Espresso Stampin' Spot that came in the kit!  So, you'll notice the color is better on the cards from here on out!

This card isn't too far off from the original design -- rather than using the circle that came in the kit for the greeting, I used my Layering Circles Framelits to die cut a scalloped Cajun Craze circle, a Mint Macaron circle to layer on that, and a piece of one of the lined note cards that came in the kit:

  

For the final card, I decided to go a bit crazy with the stamping and fussy cutting and added a wreath-like border around the greeting circles (again die cut with Layering Circles Framelits): 

The wooden leaf elements here are some Into the Woods Elements I had left over from last year's Holiday Catalog.  I just checked, and they are available right now on the Clearance Rack at a fabulous price . . . so you might want to head over here to my online store and pick some up before they're gone again!

For the three gift card holders, I decided to cut those into rectangles and create cards instead.  Here's how those turned out:

And, then, I just wanted to play with the stamps and create my own card.  I decided to stay with the Very Vanilla, Mint Macaron and Cajun Craze, but add some Peekaboo Peach to the mix as well:
 

The pretty ribbon is Mint Macaron Sheer Linen Ribbon.  I'd love to make some more of these!  Maybe in some other color combos, too.  What do you think would look good?

Thanks so much for visiting!

- Michelle

P.S.  If you would like to learn more or sign up, be sure to click here to go to my Paper Pumpkin website!  And, for the first time ever, first-time subscribers can buy one month at the regular price of $19.95 US/$26.95 CAD and get the second month FREE! It’s a Paper Pumpkin BOGO deal that you don’t want to miss!  (Fine Print: For first-time subscribers only, not valid on prepaid subscriptions. Offer invalid if subscription is suspended or cancelled during the first two months. After that, the subscription will continue for $19.95 USD/$26.95 CAD + tax per month (shipping included) unless cancelled or suspended. Offer ends October 10, 2016.)