A Cute Fall Card - Apple Picking & Hay Rides With Friends

There's no better way to enjoy Fall then to hang out with friends! The falling leaves, crisp air, and vibrant colors of nature provide the perfect backdrop for crafting beautiful cards that will bring a smile to anyone's face. Today's card-making craft will consist of two classic autumn traditions: apple picking and hay rides. Let's get started - our crafty adventure awaits!

• I'm Going Apple Picking Stamp Set
• Free Cricut File - I'm Going Apple Picking
• Hay Rides With Friends Stamp Set
• Free Cricut File - Hay Rides With Friends
• Acrylic Stamp Block
• Blending Tools
• Craft Ink Pads
• White Cardstock
• Craft Paper of Choice: Colors, Patterns, and Designs
• Glue
• Scissors or Cricut

• Prismacolor Alcohol-Based Markers
• Archival Ink Pads
• Washi Tape
• Glue Tape Runner
• Gelly Roll White Gel Pen
• 3-D Styrofoam Dots
• Pearl Embellishments
• Tweezers
• Exacto Knife
• Address Stamp

Before jumping right in, gather all of your materials so you have them accessible.

If you have a Cricut machine, you can use the free Cricut files: I'm Going Apple Picking and Hay Rides With Friends to cut out your stamp images before inking. If you don't have a Cricut machine, place your white card stock onto a craft mat or paper to protect your surface.

Optional: Apply washi tape on the borders of your cardstock for crisp edges and borders.

Let's build our blended background! We're using Archival Ink Pads in colors Aquamarine, Library Green, Coffee.

Starting with your lightest color, gradually blend it using an ink blending tool. Build the color by going over the area multiple times until you reach your desired look. Repeat these same steps with your remaining colors, blending them together seamlessly.

Now it's time to bring your designs to life. Using clear stamps is easy, simply peel your stamp from it backing sheet and place it onto an acrylic stamp block. The photopolymer is slightly tacky, so your stamp can easily stick and be removed from your stamp block.

Stamp the designs onto its cut-out. We're using an Archival Ink Pad in the color Jet Black. From here, color in your designs using any coloring tools you have. We recommend using colored pencils to prevent any ink bleeding or smugging that can come from color markers.

Tip: When coloring in your larger designs, keep your hand movements the same to help create a more even layer of color.

Using an exacto knife, carefully remove the excess white spcae in the designs. Doing this will help give your card more depth.

Once your designs are colored in, plan out the layout of your card. Once you are happy with the placement, glue all your elements down. We recommend using a glue runner as it is quick, easy, and mess-free. Remove the washi tape to reveal your clean and crisp border.

Tip: For a 3-D effect, place adhesive styrofoam dots on the backs of some designs to raise them!

Enhance your card with embellishments and fine line details for an extra dazzle and fuller look!

Now you're ready to enjoy some apple picking and hay rides with friends! Don't forget to follow our blog and socials. Show us your version of this card, or share a new creation with us! Tag us @RubberStamps_com and use #StampWithUS to enter our monthly giveaway! Winners receive a $25 credit to use at our shop!