The Maine Stamper

We’re In This Together

The March 2020 Paper Pumpkin kit has been a huge hit! We are all facing difficult times. The stormy clouds, adorable rainboots (let’s try to be fashionable in arduous situations!), and uplifting phrases like “wishing you brighter days ahead” and “I believe in you” are a much needed breath of fresh spring air to our tired souls.

Paper Pumpkin kits include supplies that are both consumable (like ribbons and embellishments, use them up!) and non consumable (stamp on my friends!). The kits are a great way to build up your stamp collection, and the stamps are intended to be used once all the consumables are gone.

In fact, today’s featured card uses just the stamps from the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin kit. Bonus: this embellishment-free card is flat and easily mailed! What is not missing is… the wow factor.

If you would like to print or pin the card recipe with dimensions and a list of additional supplies I used, click here.

My Creative Process

Following are some pictures of assembly, useful tips and insights in the making of this lovely card, and alternative suggestions in creation. Please read on for more details!

Embossing Raindrops

To make raindrops on the watercolor paper, I took the following steps:

1. Run Embossing Buddy over Watercolor Paper.
2. Using VersaMark Ink Pad, stamp raindrops from the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin Kit on Watercolor Paper. (I stamped 3 images, then sprinkled with embossing powder, tapped off excess powder and repeated the process. In this way, I could see where my raindrops would be, and where I might want more of them.)
3. Use the heat tool to heat set the embossing powder. I experimented with both Clear and Silver Embossing Powder in my creative process.

Pigment Sprinkles

Prepare to be amazed….and very messy! Pigment sprinkles create super unique backgrounds, no 2 will ever be the same. So therefore, instant art! Here are my steps:

1. Using protective tray (or box, paper plates etc), lay heat embossed watercolor paper down and spritz with water to wet randomly. Don’t over-saturate here, you will be adding more water.
2. Sparingly tap pigment sprinkles over wet paper. These tiny particles have a mind of their own, just remember less is better and more is mud. Watch the colors run, it is so cool!
3. Add additional spritzed water to help pigment sprinkles blend. It is helpful to have a paper towel on hand to absorb excess water/color, especially from the sides where it tends to pool up.
4. Need to add more pigment sprinkles? Do so now, but be careful not to over blend.
5. When satisfied with outcome, you can place a clean paper towel over your watercolor paper to absorb liquid and speed drying time. Baby wipes are useful for your messy hands!
6. Allow watercolor paper to dry completely. Placing it under something flat and heavy helps to keep the curling paper manageable.

Fussy Cutting

Rainboots

Fussy cutting, the use of scissors to trim an image in close capacity, is not typically first choice. But sometimes it is necessary, and practice makes…if not perfect, maybe close enough? Regardless, Stampin’ Up!’s sharp little Paper Snips make the job easier.

1. Stamp the rainboot outline from the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin Kit on a scrap of Whisper White Cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.
2. Use the floral filler stamp from the same kit, and Pineapple Punch Ink, lining up with the outline image.
3. For an additional pop of fun bright color, I used the Dark Pumpkin Pie Stampin’ Blend and colored the boot label, boot straps and outlines.
4. Time to fussy cut! This one isn’t too bad, you can do it.

Grass

Here’s how I created the grass inserts for the rainboots:

1. Stamp the grass image from the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin Kit on a scrap of Granny Apple Green Cardstock using Granny Apple Green Ink.
2. Next, add Garden Green ink to the grass stamp and apply, overlapping the first image. This will give you thicker, greener grass. Who doesn’t want that?
3. Time to fussy cut. This one is a bit hard, once you get it sliced in half. I recommend first tackling the sides (make sure you leave a nice base at the bottom for handling), then when ready to do the grass fronds, snip downward from the top. Making little x patterns or spear shaped cuts is helpful.
4. After I fussy cut the grass, I applied the grass stamp with Granny Apple Green ink to each half to overlap (again) the previous grass. The illusion here is that you are really good at fussy cutting!
5. With the White Stampin’ Chalk Marker, I added tiny dots to the top of the grasses. This brightness adds the look of dainty flowers.

Sentiment

You are not alone in this. This card speaks comfort. To create the embossed verse, here are my steps:

1. Using your paper snips, flag the end of the Bermuda Bay Cardstock. I start at the bottom corner and cut straight toward the middle, stopping there. Next, I start at the upper corner and do the same, meeting in the middle to remove the triangle cut away.
2. Run Embossing Buddy over Bermuda Bay Cardstock to prevent embossing powder from sticking where you don’t want it.
3. Ink stamp saying form the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin Kit in Versamark, apply to cardstock.
4. Immediately sprinkle White Embossing Powder over Versamark image.
5. Tap off excess embossing powder and heat emboss to set.
6. I love sponging to add interest and depth. I added Bermuda Bay ink to the outer edges of the flagged sentiment piece using my designated sponge. (Yes, I am that person, designated sponge.)

Putting It All Together

All the hard work is done! Now it is time to assemble your card layers. As mentioned earlier, this card is flat, and easily mailed. However, if you choose to add dimension or embellishments, get creative!

Quick Tips

1. I used Tear and Tape Adhesive to attach the watercolored paper to the Whisper White Cardstock. This great holding tape really secures the heavy paper with its tendency to curl.
2. I used (Tombow) Multi-Purpose Liquid Glue to tuck the grass fronds into each boot. The wiggle room you have with this glue lets you move the grass around a bit to get the best angle.
3. Play with the placement of your sentiment piece. Depending on your creative outcome from the pigment sprinkles, you may need to adjust the height as you desire.
4. The process for heat embossing on this card is optional. If you have raindrop embellishments, use them instead. Craft Whisper White Ink can be used to stamp the sentiment instead of heat embossing it, and will look similar.

I hope you enjoyed my tips and techniques in the making of this card using the stamps from the March 2020 Paper Pumpkin kit! Be sure to sign up for my email newsletter, where I share more tutorials for free.

And if you need any of the supplies to create this card in your own stamp studio, shop my online store, https://juliemakson.stampinup.net, anytime.