TRC Creative Cafe Kits ~ Fall Harvest!

Fall is such a beautiful time of year in the mid-west.  The fields are harvested, the leaves are turning and there are pumpkins everywhere.  This month's Creative Cafe Kit by The Rubber Cafe is no different because it is filled with beautiful products that are already coordinated for you.

My projects today are two envelope cards using the little kraft bags that come with the kit.  The bags measure approximately 4" x 2 3/4", so they are perfect on their own or you can put them on a card front.   Kraft is one of my favorite colors to work with, so these bags were the first thing I picked up with my kit arrived!   Below are some close ups for my envelope bags & inserts along with directions and tips on how I made my project.

Step 1: Since the kraft bags are a little bit darker, I decided to stamp my images from the Harvest Time stamp set with Rich Cocoa Memento Luxe Pigment ink and heat emboss it with clear embossing powder.

TIP: I heat embossed my images for a few reasons ~ 1)  I wanted the stamped image to stand out.   2) I wanted to use my alcohol ink markers to color the images and sometimes on kraft bags, the marker saturates and bleeds a little too much.  If you heat emboss with powder, the ink will stay within the lines.  But be careful when coloring that you don't go over the embossed lines too much because you don't want to ruin your marker tips.

Step 2: I colored my images with my Spectrum Noir markers.  Pumpkins ~ DG2, DG3, DG4, EB3, EB4, DR6, OR3.  Sunflowers ~ GB3, GB6, DG4, DR6, EB3, EB4, EB7.

Here's a close up of my sunflower image with all the pretty details.

Step 3: I wanted to mirror the rounded scallop edge of the bag for the insert.  I used the orange cardstock in the kit and trimmed it to 2 1/2" wide x 4 1/4" long.   Then I used one of my scallop circle dies and trimmed off the top edge.   TIP:  slip the top of the cardstock through the die if you only want the top cut (see the photo below).   I repeated the same process with the brown cardstock for the other envelope.

Once the top is cut with the die, cut the bottom with a paper trimmer so it fits perfectly inside the envelope with the scallop edge peeking out. (see photo above for the finished look)

Step 4: I stamped the sunflower image with VersaMark Ink for the part of the insert that would be peeking out of the kraft bag and added some Bo Bunny Autumn Song pattern paper on each insert (2 3/4" x 2 1/4").

Step 5: For the sentiment, I wanted to combine a few of the words in the Harvest Time set.  I used the "Happy" from the Happy Thanksgiving sentiment and the Harvest for one insert & then the Autumn for the other.

TIP: Here's a super easy way to stamp a portion of a sentiment.  I put some tape over the portion I don't want to use, ink up the stamp and then remove the tape before I stamp the image on my cardstock.  EASY PEASY!  But make sure your stamp is VERY CLEAN before you stamp.  If there is any ink or if your scrubber pad is dirty, you may get a faint image on your cardstock.

After I stamped the "Happy", I added the word "autumn" from the set.

Step 6: To punch out the sentiment, I like to turn my punches over so I can see it in the window and line it up perfectly.

Step 7: Here is the insert for my pumpkin envelope. I stamped the sunflower image in the background with Antique Linen Distress Ink and then a sequin and pearl accent.  The pretty pearls come with the Creative Cafe Kit and I colored it with my orange marker.

For the Sunflower insert I added some of the gold leaf sequins from the kit and colored one of the pearls with a brown marker.

Step 8: I love the wooden buttons included with the kit, but decided to try and color one of them with my dark brown marker.  It worked great!!!  Here it is partially colored.

Step 9: I wrapped the jute around each kraft envelope and knotted it.  On the sunflower envelope, I added the wooden button.

I know you'll love creating with this beautiful kit!  Keep checking back to The Rubber Cafe blog for lots of inspiration from the design team!