Hello, crafty friends! I’m so excited to share this fall-inspired birthday card with you today. Fall is hands down my favorite season, and it always inspires some of the richest color combinations. So, when I came across the Quad Citrus Embossing Powders from WOW Embossing, I knew they’d be perfect for creating a warm and textured background that screams autumn vibes. Let’s dive into the card details and explore how I combined embossing techniques with die cuts for a cozy fall birthday card that’s sure to impress.
Fall WOW Embossed Birthday Card:
Bringing Texture and Color to Life
You know how embossing can completely transform a simple piece of cardstock, right? That’s exactly what I wanted to do with this card. I started with my Falling Leaves Embossing Folder—the perfect backdrop for a fall-themed card. Now, instead of just dry embossing the cardstock, I decided to take things up a notch. I inked up the embossing folder with my Ultra Slow Drying Embossing Ink, placed a piece of WOW Superior Cardstock inside, and ran it through my die-cutting machine.
Here’s a little tip: Inking up your embossing folder gives you a beautiful, crisp outline of the design and a perfect base for adding embossing powder. This technique ensures that you get the best of both worlds—dimension and shine!
After embossing, I applied three colors from the Quad Citrus Embossing Powders: Olive, Rusty, and Tomato. These colors bring that perfect blend of warm autumn hues. Heat setting the embossing powder was probably the most satisfying part (isn’t it always?). I love watching the powder melt into a smooth, glossy finish.
Pro Tip for Full Coverage Embossing
I’ll be honest, sometimes embossing doesn’t cover every single area the first time around. If you’ve ever experienced those little gaps, don’t worry! A quick solution is to grab your WOW Embossing Pen and fill in those areas that need a little extra attention. After filling in any gaps, I reapplied the same colors of embossing powder and heat set it again. This trick always gives me perfect coverage, and it’s an easy fix if you’re like me and want every detail to shine.
Adding Depth with Distress Ink
Once the embossing powder was set and cooled, I wanted to bring more depth to the uncovered areas of the background. So, I pulled out my Scorched Timber Distress Ink and a Foam Blending Tool to ink over those bare spaces. The rich brown hue really tied everything together and added that extra dimension I was looking for.
Here’s a tip: After inking, gently buff off any excess ink from the embossed areas. This step keeps your embossing crisp and ensures the ink doesn’t dull the shine. For a final touch, I took my heat tool and lightly went over the embossing again—this brings the glossiness back in case the ink softened it.
Layering the Elements: Pumpkins, Leaves, and Flowers
With the background complete, it was time to start layering. I trimmed the embossed panel to 3 ¾" x 5" and mounted it onto a brown mat layer from the Cozy Autumn Pattern Paper Pad. I love how these cozy patterns complemented the fall theme of the card.
For the focal point, I die cut two pumpkins from a matching pattern in the same paper pad. To make them stand out, I created a little “hill” from green pattern paper using foam tape for dimension. I also die cut some leaves to layer onto the pumpkins, adding a touch of greenery that ties in perfectly with the warm colors of the background.
Whenever I’m working with multiple layers and patterns, I like to play around with the placement before committing with adhesive. It gives me a chance to really balance the design, and it’s a fun way to experiment without feeling locked into any one arrangement.
Adding Heat Embossed Details for Extra Shine
I couldn’t resist adding more embossing to tie the whole card together. Using my WOW Embossing Pen, I applied ink to the stems of the pumpkins and the centers of the flowers I’d die cut for embellishment. I used Olive Embossing Powder for the stems and a mix of Rusty and Tomato powders for the flower centers. Once heat set, these little touches brought even more texture and shine to the card.
Here’s a pro tip: When adding small embossed details like this, try heating the area from the back of the cardstock instead of the front. It prevents the embossing powder from blowing away before it has a chance to melt, and you’ll get a cleaner finish.
Finishing Touches That Make All the Difference
To finish off the card, I cut two banner dies from the Cozy Autumn Pattern Paper Pad and added a simple sentiment using die-cut letters. I love how the banners frame the top of the card without distracting from the embossed background and pumpkins.
As a final touch, I added White Gel Pen highlights to the pumpkins, leaves, and flowers. Those tiny pops of white really bring the whole design together and give it a more polished, detailed look. When in doubt, white gel pen accents are always a good idea!
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love how this fall-themed birthday card turned out. The combination of WOW Embossing Powders, distress inks, and die cuts created a layered, textured design that feels both cozy and vibrant. The Quad Citrus Embossing Powders really made the card shine, and I think they’re perfect for anyone looking to add some autumn magic to their projects.
If you’re feeling inspired by this card, I encourage you to give these techniques a try in your own designs! Embossing is such a versatile tool, and when you pair it with vibrant colors and intricate die cuts, the results are always stunning. Thanks for stopping by today—I can’t wait to see what you create!
Thanks for dropping by today I hope that you found a little spark of creative inspiration with my project today. Wondering what I used in this project? Everything is linked to multiple sources in the thumbnails in the Materials Used section, or in the text below. Compensated affiliate links used when possible.
Materials Used:
Here you will find the list of supplies that I used to create today's card. All supplies are linked to supply sources below. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
Happy Stampin'
Rick Adkins
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