Radiant Paper Pumpkin Pillows with May Arts & Imagine Crafts

Authentique Paper is teaming up with May Arts Ribbon & Imagine Crafts over the next week to bring you tons of project inspiration using Authentique Paper combined withMay Arts Ribbon & Imagine Crafts products!

After you check out the projects here on the Authentique Paper blog, be sure to head on over to the May Arts Ribbon& Imagine Crafts blogs to find out what the talented members of their Design Teams have in store for you today!

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Hi everyone, it's Audrey, here today with a fun fall-inspired project and tutorial featuring our beautiful Radiant collection and lots of fun products from our blog partners this week, May Arts and Imagine Crafts.

Although Radiant is from our summer release, and contains bright and tropical prints and colors, it is definitely not just a summer collection. The warm orange, pink, and yellow tones also work perfectly for fall.

Fall happens to be my most favorite of all the seasons, and I love to decorate my home with lots of homey seasonal touches. I think these cutie pie paper pumpkin "pillows" will add a cheery festive spirit to my home decor this month.

If you're looking for templates or patterns for creating fun home decor projects like these, Google images is a great place to look. I found this pair of pumpkin shapes from a simple Google search, and used them as the jumping off point for my paper "pillows". It's so easy to right click on a pattern to save it to your computer. Then all you have to do is print the pattern from your home printer. Better yet, you can re-size the templates in any photo editing program, giving yourself unlimited papercrafting possibilities. Can't you image these cute pumpkins in all sorts of shapes and sizes?

Once you have your basic patterns, here's what you need to do.

Trace the pattern shapes onto 12x12 patterned paper and cut out. I used patterns with multiple layers to add extra detail to my finished shapes.

To help the individual layers stand out, ink the edges with a variety of fall colored Memento inks from Imagine Crafts. I used three different colors on my pumpkins, with heavy inked lines to really definite each shape.

 

Adhere the pumpkin layers together, then machine stitch around the edge of each shape for a decorative touch. Don't care to sew? No problem. Simply use a strong adhesive between the layers to ensure each piece will stay in place. Once my stitching was complete, I scraped my fingernail along the edges to add a bit of extra texture.

 Now we'll create the pocket for our paper pillows. Clip the pumpkin shapes onto solid Radiant Foundation paper to hold them in place. Don't use adhesive for this part, as you'll glue the pocket shut. Then machine stitch around the edge, leaving about a 3" opening at the top of the pumpkins. Again, if you don't care to sew, apply liquid tacky glue or strong adhesive around only the outer edges of the pumpkin shapes, leaving the top open.

Cut around the pumpkins, leaving about an 1/8" of the Foundation paper showing. Lightly stuff the pumpkin pockets with polyfill fiber, tissue paper, crumpled up newspaper, or whatever you may have on hand.

For the pumpkin stems, cut 5" lengths of May Arts burlap trim. fold in half, and tuck the ends into the top of the pumpkin pockets before stitching all the way closed.

Now the pumpkins are ready for embellishment.

I added rolled flower rosettes made from gorgeous May Arts V-striped twill ribbon. To make these, simply roll one end of a long piece of ribbon tightly around itself to begin. Continue wrapping the ribbon around and around itself, twisting the ribbon as you go. Secure the bottom with a few hand-stitches.

 

Using tacky glue or hand-stitches, secure May Arts pleated tulle ribbon around the base of each flower.

Die cut a large leaf from Radiant patterned paper, and ink the edges with Imagine Crafts inks. Tie a pretty bow around the pumpkin stems, then adhere the leaves and rolled ribbon flowers. Now we just need some curly-q vine.

To create the vines, dip May Arts natural twine into tacky or white craft glue, then wrap the twine around a plastic straw. Allow the glue to dry, then unwind the twine from the straw. You will end up with these fun coiled strings.

Tuck the curly-q's in and around the leaves and flowers.

Enjoy!

Supplies:

Authentique Radiant Collection:

"beaming" 12x12 paper"sprightly" 12x12 paper"whimsical" 12x12 paper

"foundation two" distressed solid

Imagine Crafts Memento Inks: Peanut Brittle, Potter's Clay, Morocco

May Arts Ribbon: Burlap, V-Striped Twill, Pleated Tulle, Natural Hemp

Die: Sizzix

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Be sure to check back every day this week for more project inspiration! We have an Authentique Prize Pack as well as prizes from May Arts Ribbon & Imagine Crafts to give away to a couple of our lucky commenters (please leave unique comments!) 

For another chance to win, make sure you follow us on Instagram @authentiquepaper 

Also, make sure you stop and visit us as well as our friends over at May Arts Ribbon & Imagine Crafts on facebook for prizes and lots of wonderful inspiration coming your way! 

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