One of my favourite things about Paper Pumpkin kits is that they’re so much more than a box of card supplies. While the kits are designed to create beautiful cards (for the most part) exactly as instructed, I love looking at them as a collection of coordinating crafting supplies just waiting to be used in different ways.
This month I had so much fun playing with the Hooray for Birthdays Paper Pumpkin Kit, and, like always, challenged myself to see what I could make with some of the pieces.
First, the Cards
The kit includes everything needed to create the beautiful birthday cards. From the coordinating die cuts and embellishments to the gorgeous printed backgrounds, everything works together effortlessly. And this month the cards are fancy fold, which makes them feel even more special.
I always recommend making at least one of each of the cards first. Not only do you end up with a nice assortment of handmade birthday cards ready to send, but you’ll also get a feel for the colours, patterns, and design elements included in the kit.
Then… Think Outside the Box
Once I made one of each of the cards, I gathered the one of each of the pieces and started playing. It didn’t take long before a scrapbook page started coming together.
The result is a layout that has the same feel as the cards while documenting a special birthday memory. Many of the die cuts became clusters around my photos, and the coordinating colours made the page come together quickly without having to search through my stash for matching products.
Getting More from Your Craft Supplies
One of the things I encourage my customers to do is look beyond a product’s intended purpose. A card kit doesn’t have to stop at cards. The pieces can easily become:
- scrapbook layouts;
- mini album pages;
- journal embellishments;
- gift tags;
- card fronts for future projects;
- pocket page inserts or
- decorative clusters for junk journals.
When you start thinking of your supplies as versatile crafting ingredients instead of one-time-use products, you’ll find yourself creating more while spending less.
Challenge Yourself
The next time you finish a Paper Pumpkin kit, don’t pack everything away just because you’ve completed the cards. Spread out the leftover pieces and challenge yourself to create something completely different. You might be surprised by how much product is still waiting to be used!
Check out more Paper Pumpkin kit inspiration here.
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Until next time,
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