Category: Fall/Autumn - Crystal Komara

Hey Pumpkin Mood Board

9/13/2022

Hello crafty readers! Happy September and the start of fall, which is my favorite season of the year. Give me all the cool mornings, warm sweaters and yes, pumpkin spice e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g! Today I am on the Joy Clair Designs blog sharing a card that I designed that was inspired by the colors of this month's mood board. If you missed last week's initial post, here is this month's mood board:

Mood boards (also commonly called "inspiration" boards) are a combination of colors, images, textures and patterns that can offer guidance or direction. If you feel like you don't know where to begin a project, try looking at a mood board and let the creative juices flow. You just might be surprised by what you create!

Here is the card I created that was inspired by both the colors of the mood board and the fall scenes:

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. This is the ONLY white cardstock I use. It's perfect for everything from stamping, Copic coloring, distress ink blending, cardstock bases, die cutting. All the things! I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of white cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot using a leaf embossing folder. This was the first layer of my card. I stamped the beautiful pumpkin image from the Hey Pumpkin stamp set in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock. I colored the image using Copic markers and then fussy cut the image out. I adhered the image to the card using Scotch 3M foam adhesive. I stamped the sentiment "Grateful for you" in Versamark ink on a strip white cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with gold embossing powder. I notched the ends of the sentiment strip at an angle and adhered the sentiment over the pumpkins. The sentiment is from the Fall Greetings stamp set.

I hope you have enjoyed today's card. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

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Autumn Breeze Twist

9/7/2022

Hello readers! Happy September, and welcome to the beginning of fall, my favorite time of the year. Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a unique way to use the Autumn Breeze Layer Plate.

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of the same white cardstock and ran it through my Big Shot using the Memory Box Blooming 3D embossing folder. I adhered this to the card base. I cut a 5 1/2" x 1" strip of decorative Madras Plaid coral paper for the bottom of the card. I cut a 5 1/2" x 1/2" strip of gold glitter paper above the plaid paper for contrast.

Using Layer Plate B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plates, I ran the plate through my Big Shot multiple using white cardstock, burgundy cardstock, rust cardstock and the same Madras Coral plaid cardstock. Using the stitched leaf cutout pieces only, I adhered them in a line across the center of the card.

I stamped the sentiment "you inspire kindness" in cherry ink on white cardstock. This stamp is from the Awesome Ticker Tape clear stamp set. I adhered the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

Ooh, I just can't wait to create more fall themed cards. I'm here for all the cozy sweater vibes and yes, even the PSL (pumpkin spiced lattes) too! ; )

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Pumpkins in Every Color

10/15/2021

Hello crafty readers! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a couple cards made using the beautiful Pumpkin Lacework stamp set and coordinating dies. This is probably my favorite stamp set from Birch Press Design, so just like the old expression "if the shoe fits, buy it in every color", I decided to stamp it in every color! Now the question is, do YOU prefer the more traditional orange/brown pumpkin, or do you like the blues and purples?

So, let's take a look at the most conventional card first. It's beautiful and elegant heat embossed with gold embossing powder and then colored using Copic markers in brown, oranges and yellows. It is very traditional, warm and earthy.

But, now let's step outside-of-the-box and try the same exact card simply using a different color pattern. Does it still emit fall vibes? I think so!

Each of these A2 cards were made using all the same dimensions and products, I simply alternated some colors. The base of each card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I matted a 5" x 3 3/" piece of white woodgrain cardstock with a coordinating piece of blue, purple or brown cardstock from the Ocean Blue, Vibrant Violet and Earth Neutral 6 x 6" paper packs. I cut 5" x 1/4" strips of ombre colors from these same paper packs and diagonally lined them up along the card alternating with 1/4" strips of gold glitter cardstock from the Twinkling Jewel Glitter 6 x 6" pad.

I stamped the pumpkins and stems using the Pumpkin Lacework stamp set. I stamped the image in Versamark ink on white cardstock and heat embossed it with gold embossing powder. I used the coordinating dies to cut the pumpkin and stem out. I colored the pumpkins with Copic markers and then adhered the colored pumpkins to the card with 3M foam adhesive. I stamped the tag in coordinating colored cardstock in Versamark ink and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I adhered the tag to each pumpkin and added linen thread for extra dimension. Lastly, I cut the sentiment "thanks" and "hello" from white cardstock using the Thanks Sugar Script and Hello Sugar Script.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing these cards in a variety of colors and that you'll feel encouraged to try adding more color to your fall cards. Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

October 2021 Mood Board

10/4/2021

Hello crafty readers and happy 1st of October! The Design Team at Joy Clair Designs is excited to share the October 2021 mood board designed to help inspire YOU to create. Mood boards (also commonly called “inspiration” boards) are a combination of colors, images, textures and patterns that can offer guidance or direction.

If you feel like you don’t know where to begin a project, try looking at a mood board and let the creative juices flow. You might just be surprised by the end result!

This month’s mood board is inspired by the colors and images of Halloween. But you are welcome to create for any season, holiday or occasion, as long as your project incorporates these colors. We’d love to see you use Joy Clair Designs stamp set too, if you have them. If you don’t have any, you can start shopping NOW!

Here is a card that I created using this month's mood board colors combined with the boots stamp from the Extraordinary digital stamp set:

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. First, I cut the first matted layer from the same white cardstock using a scalloped rectangle frame. Then, I cut a 4 1/4″ x 3 1/4″ piece of black cardstock. Additionally, I adhered a 4 1/8″ x 3 1/8″ piece of white cardstock directly on the top of the black cardstock.

I printed out the boots from the Extraordinary digital stamp set on white cardstock. I increased the size to 75%. Then, I colored the boots using Copic markers in G03, Y13, Y17, YR09, YR68, YR02, C4, C7 and YG41. Additionally, I fussy cut around the boots and adhered the boots to the card using 3M foam adhesive.

I wanted this card to look more fall themed, so I stamped some of the leaves from the Love Endures stamp set in Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored them using the same Copic markers. Also, I fussy cut the leaves and adhered them to the card. Then, I printed the sentiment from the Extraordinary digital stamp set on white cardstock and adhered it to the card. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the entire image for added sparkle.

We would love to see YOU create using this mood board as inspiration too! Feel free to use similar colors in whatever brand of cardstock you have readily available. We’d love for you to use your Joy Clair Designs stamps if you have them! And if you don’t have any yet CLICK HERE TO START SHOPPING TODAY!

Be sure to tag us on social media using the following hashtags so we can see your cards or other papercraft projects:
#joyclairdesignsmoodboard
#joyclairmoodboard

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day! For more inspiration, you can follow me on my website, Instagram, Facebook and on my YouTube channel.

XO, Crystal

Hello Autumn

9/29/2021

Hello friends, it's almost the last day of September and we are officially in the midst of PSL season! That's Pumpkin Spice Latte for anyone unfamiliar with the popular influencer inspired lingo. Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog inspiring you to embrace fall (while dreading winter) and I'm sharing a simple, yet elegant card made using my favorite Birch Press Design stamp set called Pumpkin Lacework.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White smooth cardstock. Using Layer B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plates, I cut the background from white cardstock. I adhered this leafy imprinted background directly to the card base.

Using the Pumpkin Lacework stamp set, I stamped the large pumpkin in Versamark ink on orange cardstock. I heat embossed the pumpkin with white embossing powder. I used the coordinating Pumpkin Lacework die to cut the pumpkin out. I adhered the pumpkin to the lower right side of the card using 3M foam adhesive. I stamped the pumpkin stem in Versamark ink on brown cardstock and heat embossed it with white embossing powder. I also stamped a variety of the leaves in Versamark ink on white cardstock and heat embossed the leaves with gold embossing powder. I used the Pumpkin Lacework dies to cut all the small images out before adhering them to the pumpkin using a Tombow adhesive runner.

I stamped the "hello autumn" sentiment from the same Pumpkin Lacework stamp set in Versamark ink on white cardstock. I heat embossed the sentiment with gold embossing powder and used the coordinating die to cut the sentiment out. I adhered the sentiment to the left side of the pumpkin using 3M foam adhesive.

I hope today's card will inspire YOU to create some beautiful fall things! Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day.

XO, Crystal

Leaf Wreath w/ Birch Press Design

9/15/2021

Hello friends! Happy Wednesday, I hope your week is going good so far. Friday is coming! Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a fun way to use Layering Plate B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plates.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using a separate sheet of this same white cardstock I die cut Layer Plate C of the Delfina Layering Plates (retired) which became the background. I cut this twice (because I was making two cards):

Next I die cut Layer B of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plate four times, one each in red, orange, yellow and green cardstock. This would give me all the leaves I needed to complete these two cards. (*Note, I actually had enough leaves to create a third card).

I created a circular frame to act as a guide to adhere all the leaves to. I did this by placing a smaller circle die inside of a larger one:

Then I began to adhere the leaves to the frame in a circular pattern using a Tombow adhesive runner:

Using the Thanks Honey Script dies and the Blessed Honey Script dies, I die cut the larger shadow sentiment from white cardstock and the thinner sentiment from gold glitter cardstock using the 6" x 6" Holiday Glitter pad.

I hope you have enjoyed this different way to use the Birch Press Design layering plates.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

Hey Pumpkin

9/13/2021

Happy Monday and welcome back from the weekend! We spent a long weekend in Maine visiting my parents and it was our first real glimpse of fall with some cooler evening/morning temperatures and apple cider waffles with my family's own maple syrup! I just can't get enough of all things fall. Today I'm sharing two cards on the Joy Clair Designs blog featuring the Hey Pumpkin stamp set.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made with 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Diagonal Stripes Window die from Pinkfresh Studio, I diecut the frame from white cardstock. Behind the frame I placed a piece of Light Brown Woodgrain paper from Lawn Fawn. I stamped the pumpkins from the Hey Pumpkin stamp set in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored them with Copic markers. I fussy cut the image out and adhered it to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. I stamped the sentiment "thanks" in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and fussy cut the sentiment out. I placed the cut sentiment over a piece of orange cardstock and created my own shadow die by fussy cutting the second layer. I adhered the sentiment to the card using 3M foam adhesive.

Here is the second card I created also using the Hey Pumpkin stamp set:

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I cut a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of pumpkin orange cardstock as the first mat for this card. I cut a 5" x 3 3/4" piece of Light Brown Lawn Fawn Woodgrain cardstock to adhere to the orange mat. I die cut the picture frame from white cardstock. I stamped the pumpkins from the Hey Pumpkin stamp set in Memento Tuxedo black ink on white cardstock. I colored the pumpkins with Copic markers and fussy cut the image out. I adhered the pumpkins to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension. Using a leaf punch, I punched a couple gold glitter leaves out and tucked them behind the pumpkins to add some glitter and dimension. I stamped the sentiment "hey pumpkin" in Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white cardstock. I cut the sentiment out and adhered it to the bottom of the picture frame using 3M foam adhesive. Lastly, I added a coat of Clear Wink of Stella to the pumpkins for more sparkle.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great week!

XO, Crystal

Autumn Breeze Layering Plates by Birch Press Design

9/8/2021

Hello crafty readers and happy September! For those of us who love fall (ME ME ME!) then let the pumpkin spice season begin! If you're still sippin' on your summer 'ritas, no shade here, you do you! But, I'm full speed ahead to apple pies, sweater weather and all things fall. Today I am on the Birch Press Design blog sharing a fun (and mildly Halloween inspired) card using the Autumn Breeze Layering plates:

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card was made from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using two out of three layers of the Autumn Breeze Layering Plates, I used a piece of garden green cardstock as the bottom layer (in lieu of Layer B). For Layer C I die cut the plate using pumpkin orange cardstock. Layer A was cut from basic black cardstock. You can see my photo below for all three layers:

I adhered all three layers together using a Tombow adhesive tape runner before gluing the three layers down to the card base. I cut a 3" circle from vellum cardstock, cutting of the right side just a bit before adhering it to the card. Using the Big Thanks Sugar Script dies, I die cut the large shadow sentiment from garden green cardstock and the thinner sentiment from gold glitter cardstock from the 6" x 6" Holiday Glitter Pad. I adhered the two layers together with Tombow adhesive before adhering the enticement sentiment strip to the card using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

On a thin strip of white cardstock I stamped the sentiment "for your friendship" in Memento Tuxedo black ink. This sentiment is from the Lingo Thanks stamp set. I adhered this sentiment strip below the large "thanks" using 3M foam adhesive for added dimension.

You're going to be seeing lots of fall and Halloween themed ideas over then next couple of weeks here, so let's slowly embrace it together!

XO, Crystal

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Watercolored Sunflowers

9/6/2021

Hello friends and happy Monday! Welcome September and the refreshing beauty (tastes and smells) of fall. It truly is my favorite time of the year, especially since I live in New England! Today I am on the Joy Clair Designs blog sharing one of my first fall themed cards of the season. These watercolored jewel toned sunflowers feature the Thankful For You stamp set by Joy Clair Designs.

Card details:

The base of this A2 sized card is made with 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. Using the Scalloped Stitched Rectangle Border dies from Gina Marie Designs, I die cut the frame from white cardstock. I stamped the sentiment "thankful for you" in the lower right corner of the scalloped frame in Versamark Ink. I heat embossed the sentiment with gold embossing powder. On a separate piece of Tim Holtz Distress White Heavystock I stamped three sunflowers in Versamark Ink. I heat embossed all three sunflowers with gold embossing powder. I colored each of the sunflowers using Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I fussy cut the flowers and adhered them to the card using 3M foam adhesive.

Happy fall friends! I look forward to sharing many more cards with you that are inspired by my favorite time of the year over the new few weeks!

XO, Crystal

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Pumpkin Patch

10/23/2020

Hello readers! Today I have a cute slimline card to share with you featuring a new digital stamp from 88 and Clear (formerly known as Richard Garay Designs and RG Avenue)! I combined practically ALL of the pumpkins from the new "Pumpkin Patch" digital stamp with the scarecrow from the "Halloween Treat" stamp set to achieve this final result:

Card details:

*A full list of supplies is located at the end of this post.

This slimline card measures 8 1/2" x 3 1/2". Slimline cards are designed to fit into a regular #10 business sized envelope and require no additional postage. The base of this slimline card is made from Sweet Cane sugar stock. Using a scalloped rectangled slimline line, I cut the first mat from 80 lb. Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock. I printed the digital "Pumpkin Patch" stamp set onto the same Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and colored the images using Copic markers. I then used my Brother Scan and Cut 2 e-cutting machine to cut out the pumpkins, in lieu of fussy cutting. Using Black Taffy ink, I stamped the scarecrow onto a piece of Neenah Solar White Smooth cardstock and also colored it with Copic markers. I fussy cut the scarecrow and adhered him behind the row of pumpkins. I printed out the digital sentiment, fussy cut around it and adhered it to the left side of the card using foam adhesive for added dimension. Lastly, I added a coat of Dazzling Pat to the pumpkins for added sparkle.

If you would like to learn more about working with digital images, please click here to read this informative post I wrote to gain a better understanding.

I love how this card turned out by adding a variety of blue, orange and white pumpkins. It made the card less spooky and more cutesy. What do you think?

Thank you for visiting and have a wonderfully creative day!

XO, Crystal

List of supplies: