August/September Release Day 2

Welcome back to day 2 of our August/September Release! If you are just joining us, you can catch up with Day 1. Today, we are focusing on a hot hot trend that I've noticed creeping it's way into paper crafting. The quilt craze! Have you noticed? More and more geometric shapes and patterns, mixed with pinked edges and those cozy fabric patterns. I for one, couldn't be happier about it and am excited to introduce today's line up.

Country Charm

• is a 4"x6" clear photopolymer stamp set
• 9 high quality photo-polymer stamps; 3 square patterned "patches" and 3 background building strips
• will be available for purchase August 9th for $14

Clear Cut Stackers: Pinking Squares

This month we are introducing our Clear Cut Dies. This design allows us to bring you graduated sizes of simple shapes at an economical price. The centers of all but the smallest image are backed by a clear acetate, allowing you to see directly through the die while cutting! The center point is even marked with a registration mark to assist with centering images.

• cuts 4 graduated pinked edge squares in the following sizes: 2 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", and 1"
• 4 separate dies
• will be available for purchase August 9th for $12

Quilt Cuts 1

• cut quilting patterns quickly and easily
• 3 separate dies wired together that can be easily snipped and separated
• will be available for purchase August 9th for $16

I knew immediately that I wanted to recreate a quilt square on at least one project this month. Here, I've employed the help of Quilt Cuts 1.

I started by die cutting one of the quilt patterns from 3 sheets of patterned paper. I was able to cut two patterned papers at once so it went super fast. I alternated the patterns until I came up with a design that I liked and matted it using the 2.25" pinking square.

I adhered the focal image onto a rectangle that I stamped the checkered pattern from Country Charm onto at the top and bottom. The sentiment was added from Pretty Patches: Apple which I will show you more of tomorrow.

Some gorgeous patterned paper from the Clippings collection by Basic Grey was the perfect base for this card. I'm really loving this color palette for the fall. The blues are such a great addition to cool off those warm tones.

My favorite of the day is a spectacular display of how well Country Charm and Clear Cut Stackers: Pinking Squares compliment each other.

I started by die cutting several of the pinking squares and stamping them with the patterned patches from Country Charm. I added the 1" die cut pinking squares stamped with hearts from Pretty Patches: Apple, & Pretty Patches: Pumpkin to the center of the left and right squares.

For the center, I decided to add a bit more dimension. I cut one square, and then die cut a negative space out of the middle using the square one size smaller. This created a perfect frame for the butterfly from the Layered Butterfly Die.

Another sentiment from Pretty Patches: Apple on a Label Layers 3 die cut topped with a heart border I created with the Silhoutte and a little lace border from Mehndi Medallions at the top finish this card off.

I really wanted to create a background pattern using Quilt Cuts 1 and was really happy with how quick it went. And I can not get enough of that Basic Grey paper!

To create the repeating pattern, I started in the middle of my card and worked my way out on either side. This made sure that my pattern was centered. To really make laying down your pattern go quickly, you could cover your area with adhesive and then just place your tiles as you go. I filled in at the sides and in between each square with the regular hexagon shapes also included in the Quilt Cuts 1 Die. And added a few to the left side to bring some of the pattern to the left side for balance.

The focal image needed to be pretty heavy visually to hold it's own against that background, so I chose to use buttons matted with a few layers of pinking squares.

A simple tag from Timeless Tags stamped with a heart from Pretty Patches: Pumpkin and pinned to a seam binding bow was the perfect finishing touch.

Let's switch it up a bit and go graphic, bold and bright.

How's that for a punch of color? Here, I used the solid stripe from Country Charm to create a plaid background. I simply stamped a series of stripes on the diagonal in gray, and then again in pink in the opposite direction.

For my focal image I revisited Love You More. A perfect go-to for graphic styles.

That concludes Day 2 for me. But the Design Team has some show stoppers to share as well!

• Elise Durenberger
• Cristina Kowalczyk
• Jinny Newlin
• Kerrianne Gwin
• Lea Lawson
• Savitri Wilder
• Jean Martin
• And our Guest Designer Maureen Merritt

I really hope you are enjoying the release so far! What do you think, are you digging the whole quilt sensation? Would you like to win Country Charm, the Clear Cut Stackers: Pinking Squaresand the Quilt Cuts 1 Die? Just leave me a comment by 9:00 AM EST August 7th to enter. I will select one random winner from all comments. Winners will be posted here.