July Paper Pumpkin

If you have not tried Paper Pumpkin, I am here to tell you (once again) how much fun it is! I have recently announced to my current and future Paper Pumpkin subscribers that beginning in August, I will be preparing a PDF file with different ideas to do with your kits each month. This post is simply a PREVIEW of what it will contain!

If you have not yet subscribed to Paper Pumpkin, you'll want to take advantage of Stampin' Up!'s special offer that expires the end of this month (so hurry!!)... if you sign up by August 31st, you will receive your first TWO Paper Pumpkin kits for only $10 each! That includes shipping! The regular price of $19.95 will resume on your 3rd month. And remember, EVERY one of my own Paper Pumpkin subscribers will receive a FREE inspiration sheet to give you more ideas for using your kits! Sign up with me today! (I also have a free gift for any new subscriptions between now and August 31st :)

Okay, so on to our most recent kit - July. This kit contained the elements needed to make a total of four adorable banners (two different styles) that can top a cake or a group of cupcakes. As for my gluten-free self, cakes are not a regular thing in our home anymore, so I decided to use the elements, along with some other simple supplies, and make cards instead! Look at how much I was able to make:

I made a total of EIGHT different cards of varying sizes using the pieces in this month's kit. With the exception of the last card I will show you (my favorite), the only supplies I used outside the kit were cardstock, ribbon, various sentiment stamps, and some Island Indigo ink. So let's take a look!

This first one measures 7-1/2" x 3" in order to use the big, beautiful "Celebrate" banner. I included some Tangerine Tango ribbon, stamped 3 banner flags with Pool Party, and voila!

This next one is a standard size (5-1/2" x 4-1/4") and I just trimmed the banner to be shorter so it would fit as shown below. The white outline on the Indigo cardstock was made with the new Stampin' Chalk Marker (item #132133, $3.50).

I decided to turn one of the banner flags into a sail for a boat... and came up with this next one. It measures 6" x 6" and uses some of the textured Island Indigo cardstock and a stick from the kit.

This next little one measures 3" x 3" and fits into our little square envelopes (item 107309). I used some White Organza ribbon and a sentiment from Petite Pairs - there are several images in that set that fit on these flags. You could make a TON of these little guys using all the flags in the kit!

To use up the rest of the banner flags, I designed these next simple cards. I pulled out the small heart from an earlier Paper Pumpkin kit, as well as the "hey there friend" stamp from the Welcome Kit (one of my VERY favorites!). There is a faint honeycomb design behind the sentiment, but it doesn't show up in this photo.

Since Tangerine Tango was one of the colors in this kit, I was determined to make at least one card using it as a base... it's not a color I use a lot, but I am pleased with how it turned out! I used one of the itsy-bitsy clothespins that came in the kit, and on this one you can see the honeycomb design behind the sentiment...

These last two are my favorites... first, a Summer Starfruit base with some more of those adorable clips.  I think this is a nice, soothing color combination.

And finally, my favorite. I did pull out the Big Shot and the honeycomb embossing folder for this one, but other than that, it's just cardstock and the banner flags! Easy-peasy!

You can see how versatile the kits can be - there is no end to the different projects you can come up with! I am excited to challenge myself each month to come up with different projects for all of my fellow Paper Pumpkin People. I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peek, and I hope you decide to join me as a Paper Pumpkin subscriber!

Michele