Step by Step Tutorial: Cuckoo Cottage Harvest Time Thank You Card

Hello crafty friends, Heejung Hunsberger here, and I'm so excited to share a delightful autumn-themed card featuring the upcoming Cuckoo Cottage Collection and the beautiful Harvest Time die set, releasing this August! This project combines embossing, die-cutting, and a touch of watercolor for a truly unique and heartfelt card. If you'd like to get to know me better, visit my blog or follow me on Instagram. Additionally, I have a YouTube channel where I regularly post video tutorials. Let's get started!

Step 1: Create Your Embossed Background

Start with a piece of white cardstock and the Spellbinders Oak Forest 3D Embossing Folder. Run the cardstock through your die-cutting machine with the embossing folder to create a beautiful raised texture of oak leaves and acorns. Using a Spellbinders Large Blending Brush, apply yellow and sandy-colored inks to the embossed background. Focus on blending the colors, creating a darker shade around the edges for a natural, rustic feel. This highlights the dimensional design of the embossing.

Step 2: Die-Cut Your Cuckoo Cottage Elements

• Gather your Cuckoo Cottage Die and the additional add-on die, Harvest Time.
• Die-cut all the various pieces for the cuckoo cottage from coordinating cardstock colors.
• For the tree branches, die-cut them from Fawn colored cardstock. To add depth and realism, use alcohol markers or colored pencils to shade and define the branches, giving them a more dimensional look.

Step 3: Create Colorful Autumn Leaves

• Take a piece of watercolor paper and apply various autumn-inspired watercolor shades (reds, oranges, yellows, greens) in an abstract wash.
• Once completely dry, use the leaf dies from the Harvest Time set to die-cut a variety of colorful autumn leaves from your watercolor paper. This technique yields unique and vibrant leaves for your project.

Step 4: Assemble the Cuckoo Cottage

Begin by assembling the main structure of the cuckoo cottage using the die-cut pieces from Step 2. Layer the different elements to build the house, clock face, and decorative accents.

Step 5: Hot Foil Your Sentiment

• Using the Cuckoo Cottage Sentiments BetterPress Plate & Die, hot foil your chosen sentiment onto black cardstock using Matte Gold Hot Foil. The sentiment "clockin' in with thanks" is perfect for this autumn-themed card.
• Once hot foiled, use the coordinating die to cut out the sentiment.

Step 6: Assemble the Pendulum and Attach the Cottage

• To create a movable pendulum for the cuckoo clock, adhere a small circular foam sticker to the back of the pendulum piece, ensuring the top loop of the pendulum can swing freely within the foam.
• Apply additional foam stickers to the back of the assembled cuckoo cottage to give it dimension.
• Carefully adhere the cuckoo cottage, with the pendulum attached, to your embossed background, making sure the pendulum is positioned to swing.

Step 7: Embellish with Harvest Time Elements

Now for the fun part: embellishing! Adhere the die-cut pumpkins, squirrel, fox, mushrooms, and your colorful watercolor leaves around the base of the cuckoo cottage, as shown in the final card image. Arrange them to create a charming autumn scene. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and are inspired to create your beautiful autumn cards with the new Cuckoo Cottage Collection! Happy crafting! Heejung