Stampin’ Up! Merry Cafe Hello Fall!

Happy weekend, y’all!  Hope you’re ready to do something fun – or at least useful!  Or…maybe you plan to just rest and recuperate…see a movie?  

I am ready for Fall.

I want the leaves to turn, I want to need a t-shirt or long-sleeve in the morning.  I want the ponies to start to get fuzzy and the flies to die.

Yes – die.  I’m sorry, but that’s just how I feel about flies.

In short – I’m done with heat and humidity.  Bring on a little chill!

My card today is a loud and strident collage calling for Fall!  I used the Merry Cafe stamp set (new on 1 Sept) – which so handily works with the Coffee Cups Framelits! – and a few leaves from the new Gourd Goodness stamp set.  Take a look-see:

My layout comes from this week’s MFT Card Challenge.

Being a collage – there’s lots of elements and layers.  Don’t be intimidated – they’re easy to make and easy to layer!

I started with a piece of the Painted Autumn DSP (from the 1 Sept 17 Holiday Catalog), that I matted on a piece of Cherry Cobbler.  I wrapped a length of Peekaboo Peach 5/8″ Crinkled Seam Binding around the panel, securing it in the back with tape.  Then I cut a circular frame from some Copper Foil using my Circles Layering Framelits.  I used a large scallop circle (3″) and a straight-edge circle (2 3/8″) on the inside to make the frame, which I adhered with Liquid Glue.

I made a coffee cup, stamping the image in the Merry Cafe stamp set in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and cutting it with the matching die in the Coffee Cups Framelits.  I also stamped a lid on Pear Pizzazz and cut it out as well.

Using the leaves and dots images in the Merry Cafe stamp set, I stamped leaves in Cherry Cobbler – with Crushed Curry insides, and dots in Crumb Cake and Pear Pizzazz ink.  I cut a piece of green paper from Painted Autumn DSP with the “cup cozy” die in the Coffee Cups Framelits and adhered it over the cup with Liquid Glue.  Then I wrapped Linen Thread around it, securing it in back with tape.  Finally, I added an oval shape from the Corrugated Elements.

See – here’s the thing about collage cards (in my opinion).  You have to make all the elements like they were the only ones on the card.  They need to be “complete”.  So that’s why I did full up decorating of the cup – even though it would end up almost hidden.  You know it’s all there. 🙂

I pulled out the new Gourd Goodness stamp set and stamped a few of the two-step leaves – I made the veins in Pumpkin Pie and the fill with Crushed Curry – stamping them on Very Vanilla.  Then I fussy cut them.

I embossed a piece of Copper Foil in the Layered Leaves Dynamic TIEF and cut three leaves with the new Leaf Punch (coming on 1 Sept).

The last thing was to make my sentiment circle.  I inked up part of the sentiment from Merry Cafe in Cherry Cobbler, stamped it on Very Vanilla and cut it with a Circles Layering Framelits die.  Then I added some faux stitches in Pumpkin Pie.

Using Liquid Glue, I built my collage starting with the cup, then adding the leaves and…leaves!  And the sentiment circle.

I made two bows – one with Peekaboo Peach 5/8″ Crinkled Seam Binding and one from Linen Thread.  These are Billie Moan bows – and….aren’t they great?  I’ll show y’all how to make one on a video soon, but until then, you can see Billie make them right here.  I used a Glue Dot to adhere them together and then a dab of Liquid Glue to add a Corrugated Element.  I adhered it to the card with Liquid Glue, added a few Cherry Cobbler Enamel Shapes and the card front was done.  

On the inside, I added the second part of the Merry Cafe sentiment in Cherry Cobbler on a piece of Very Vanilla.  I added some Pumpkin Pie and Crushed Curry leaves around it and in the corner.

I Fast Fuse’d the panel to a Cherry Cobbler mat and into my Thick Very Vanilla card base, Fast Fuse’d the front on as well, and the card was done!

My Very Vanilla Medium Envelope got more Merry Cafe leaves on the front…

…and more of the Painted Autumn DSP on the envelope flap.

Y’all – there’s a lot of pieces and parts on this card, but…I think they all come together pretty nicely!  I can just smell some Apple Cider and taste those pumpkin muffins!  Merry Cafe covers Fall, Christmas, New Year and even Valentine’s Day very nicely – and the fact that it works with the Coffee Cups Framelits is an added bonus!  And I love the photo-realistic images in the Gourd Goodness stamp set.  Hope you like – and are building your Holiday Catalog wish lists!!

TTFN

Mary  

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