From Leaves to Pumpkins: Fall-Themed Card Inspiration
From autumn harvests to the start of the holiday season, fall has traditionally been a time of thanksgiving and gratitude. While there are many ways to express our love to the people around us, one of our favorites is through handmade cards filled with heartfelt handwritten sentiments. We’ve gathered some of our best fall card ideas to inspire you to add that extra handcrafted touch to this season of thanks.
COZY COLOR PALETTES AND TEXTURED PAPER TECHNIQUES FOR AUTUMN LAYOUTS
With a wide variety of paper options, seasonal stamp sets, and festive embellishments, Stampin’ Up! has all the craft tools you need to create the perfect DIY cards for fall. If you’re looking for a good place to start, you might consider color. The right color palette can set the tone and feel for any craft project. From the bright and vibrant colors of early fall to the earthy and rich tones of late autumn, there are plenty of colors to choose from for your fall paper crafting projects. For a more in-depth look at the best colors for fall, check out our article: Fall Color Palette: Ink & Paper Pairings for Fall Crafts.
Once you’ve selected your seasonal color palette, it’s time to start planning the style and layout of your fall cards. From leaves to pumpkins, here are some of our favorite seasonal elements to incorporate into your handmade cards for fall.
AUTUMN LEAVES
From long drives on tree-lined roads to the crunch of leaves underfoot on cool afternoon walks, nothing says fall has arrived quite like the presence of autumn foliage. Finding ways to incorporate leaves into your fall card layouts is an easy way to add instant seasonal charm. From stamps to dies, Stampin’ Up! offers a variety of options to help you add that vibrant autumn foliage to your fall card layouts.
BEAUTIFUL PUMPKINS
Another symbol of autumn that you can add to your fall card layouts is the pumpkin. Whether you’re going for the earthy feel of a pumpkin patch, the festive fun of a Halloween Jack-o-lantern, or the elegance of a Thanksgiving table centerpiece, the pumpkin is a versatile image that instantly creates a seasonal look and feel to any paper craft.
EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE
While showing love and appreciation goes a long way at any time of the year, fall is especially synonymous with gratitude. Celebrate the season of thanks by adding expressions of gratitude to your handmade cards this fall. Whether you choose to add heartfelt sentiments with stamps or through a handwritten note, it is an easy way to show the people around you that you care.
EMBELLISHING WITH LEAVES, PUMPKINS, AND SEASONAL DETAILS
Now that we’ve covered some basic elements—like color, symbols, and sentiments—for autumn cards, let’s dive a little deeper with embellishments and finishing techniques that will take your cards from ordinary to extraordinary.
LAYERING WITH STAMPS AND DIES
Add depth and dimension to your fall paper crafts by using coordinating stamp and die sets. The stamps and ink allow you to create detailed images, while dies allow you to quickly cut out the stamped shapes for easy layering. Whether you’re creating a bundle of vibrant autumn leaves or a miniature pumpkin patch, this technique will elevate any handmade card for fall.
ADDING TEXTURE WITH EMBOSSING
Adding texture to your DIY cards is a fun way to make them pop. While there are many ways to add texture, from crinkling paper to adding small embellishments, one technique is embossing. To emboss is to add 3D texture to paper in order to create depth, detail, and dimension. The example below uses the Beautiful Pumpkins Dies to create the intricate, cut-out details of the pumpkin stem and vines for a sophisticated finish.
INCLUDING 3D DETAILS
From ribbon to sequins, there are a number of ways you can add 3D details to your card designs. One of our favorite techniques this fall season is with the Gathering Moments Dies. This seasonal die set helps you cut intricate leaf shapes to add a touch of nature to your cards. While this set is great on its own, you can also take it one step further by adding stitching detail to the die-cut leaves. The example above demonstrates how a little twine takes a simple leaf shape to the next level.
ADDING DETAIL WITH INK
From simple, single-color stamps to intricate inked images, one of our favorite ways to add detail to any DIY card is with stamps and ink. The great thing about this finishing detail is that it is accessible to crafters of all levels. The example above shows a more advanced ink technique using the Rustic Centerpiece Cling Stamp Set, with the stamp filled in and layered with dimensional coloring. Other stamps have depth and dimension built into their design, like the Gathering Moments Cling Stamp Set. The leaves and nature images in this stamp set only need one ink to create a watercolor image that is full of detail.
SHOW SOMEONE YOU CARE THIS FALL WITH A HANDMADE CARD
Whether you are making cards to drop off with your seasonal treats or sending thank you notes to the people who have made an impact in your life this year, handmade cards are the perfect way to add a little bit of appreciation and gratitude to the season. Hopefully, these fall card ideas have given you the inspiration you need to get started! For more ideas or personalized help, connect with a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator!