Frame Pumpkin Contours Trio

 Build a shelf-sitting plaque from cardstock featuring 
a trio of autumn iconic pumpkins, sturdy enough to store 

and display year after year. 

Main panel fits inside the four-component wrap-around frame. 

Prepare and add the layered-for-thickness 

contour pumpkins, positioning as indicated by 

guide dash marks for top and bottom of each 

on front panel. 

Project measures approx. 10” long x 4 tall x 1.5” deep 

when completely built. 

(This post is under construction.

Please return soon to view

the completed assembly guide references.)

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A main front panel (cut 1 face selection,

2-3 to layer for thickness)

B top, bottom frame components

C sides frame components

D contour pumpkins (cut 3 sets of 1 face selection,

4-5 layers for thickness)

2. Prepare the 3 contour pumpkin units by layering

and attaching one set of shapes in a stack,

taking care to align ALL cut edges

as precisely as possible, and paying

particular attention to align twine holes.

Immediately press each pumpkin stack under

a heavy flat weight such as a thick book volume

with something else heavy on top, until the stack

is completely dry - for several hours at least,

or overnight. Pressing helps minimize warping or

curling of a stack glued together with liquid adhesive.

Complete 3 contour pumpkins.

3. Cut a length of twine, thread through the stem

holes, tie knot and bow and trim ends for each

of the three pumpkin units.

4. Identify the guide marks cut into the front panel

as small dashed lines to show top of stem

and middle bottom "bulge" where the pumpkins

should each be positioned, once the frame

is built. Or, as suggested in this image, you

can position and add prior to attaching the panel

into frame during its assembly.

5. Follow this LINK to the frame assembly as described

in a different post for the same frame.

Refer to Steps 3, 5-15 

(also 18-19 for opt. decorative overlays).

Here is the completed pumpkins in a frame project.

Featured Silhouette Artist Preview

* * * This post is the [incomplete] "preview format" for an upcoming

Silhouette America Featured Artist spotlight

that will be added to their social media for release

sometime early 2025. * * *

Jodi G. Warner’s paper crafting designs have been available in the Silhouette Design Store since 2013 when she was invited to join SnapDragon Snippets, the enterprise of talented daughter Kenzie Daley who is one of the initial group of Silhouette artists. Hearthsewn became a separate portfolio beginning in mid-2021, and includes more than 3300 designs, featuring cards, scrapbook elements, and 3D boxes and forms.

An internationally-recognized quilt artist and teacher, Warner’s quilt making project patterns and books under the Hearthsewn Patterns banner were available for purchase from 1985 through 2015 when that business was retired so she could focus solely on paper craft design.

Warner’s creative mother provided materials, time and working space for early and varied crafting exploration which was eventually narrowed to textiles and traditional fiber arts. Formal design training came next as she earned a four-year university degree. Following that, her gained understanding of design elements and principles led to success in professional fiber art applications, in her quilts and in teaching. As she discovered the fun and very different challenges of die cut paper design, additional digital tool training helped her transition from using graph paper, ruler and pencil to on-screen drafting and publishing.

[Barn 3D Model 274902]

Her first foray into die cutter crafting was instantly delightful. “Kenzie asked if I would consider ‘styling’ some of her designs to demonstrate how they could be used as decor. I was instantly inspired by her dimensional letter boxes, imagining how to enlarge them using Silhouette's Designer Studio software tools to spell seasonal or holiday words. Wood cutout displays have been popular for years, but if they could be created from cardstock, crafters would not need a jig saw or power equipment. A fun new world opened, and that was very empowering! I was hooked.”

[418259, 418260, 417703, 417704, 414080, 414157]

Warner’s years working in the realm of traditional patchwork can be regularly seen in the Hearthsewn collection, including these traditional block cards and more contemporary monthly block series.

[Top to bottom, l to r:

195382, 439548, 319283, 341538, 441907, 

289389, 399355, 41887, 299109]

Warner’s appreciation for another fiber craft is also featured in cross-stitch tags and cards, shown in this sampling.

[top to bottom, l to r: 

466824, 382639, 408532, 395163, 448434,

431026, 428992, 429985]

When queried about her sources of inspiration, Warner repeats what other contributing artists mention, that ideas are encountered everywhere and there will never be enough time to execute even all the best ones. She shares one example of a dimensional paper design “3D Snowman Teacup” inspired from a ‘90s magazine cross-stitched pattern on Pinterest. See how elements from the chart influenced choices for the dimensional object.

[1228045, 1228046]

Many of the Hearthsewn 3D designs make it to Warner’s “drawing board” to become seasonal decor. She explains her approach. “Sometimes I am teased as the classic ‘over-thinker’. But I find the most compelling part of the design process is the intellectual chase of envisioning a project, developing a construction scheme, completing the digital drafting, then solving the challenges of paper shaping such as how to allow fingertip access for glue-up and assembly. My decoration boxes and forms are engineered to be sturdy enough for rotation between being displayed and being stored across many years. I consider durability a signature of my work.”

[clockwise from left: 342537, 342547, 168160, 234130, 460736]

Warner invites a “walk-through” of the creation of her 3D designs. “The first step often is an educated ‘guess’ regarding the geometric basis from which a design will grow. For instance, a round paper form is easier to build and sturdier if it has many sides with seams rather than just being a tube. Sometimes I begin by “draping” paper strips or paper tape over a similar real object, taping seams and marking guidelines with pencil. Other early decisions are made about how parts like lid and base will fit together, which elements are structure and which are decoration, where additional reinforcement within the form may be needed.”

[378403]

“Next, a digitized sketch becomes a ‘test cut’ version assembled with cello-taped seams and no tabs. Changes are penciled on the prototype, modifications made to digital sketch lines, then cut and test-assembled again. Sometimes with complex forms, the “old bones” pile can grow surprisingly.”  She shares an image of discarded test parts for the “Biblical Oil Lamp Form”.

[378403]

“Once the design reaches final draft stage, tabs for seams and fold perforations are added, plus guide marks or mini symbols to aid with assembly. Then the finished design is cut out and photographed through each step of construction, since a 3D project often needs a tutorial.”

[379452]

Explore the Hearthsewn portfolio of regular and dimensional designs while it is featured this week, and try your hand at the “Box Snowflake Petals Dome” design offered as the free pattern this week.

[1230199]

Snake Jump Action Toy

 
Origami-style snake is assembled with minimal gluing after 

completing moderately-complex folding on cut line perforations. 

Employ two hands to compress the center accordion pleats 

then release suddenly to make the snake “jump” forward. 

“Head” panel has eye hole cut outs which are lined 

with a contrast shape that shows thru from underside. 

Tiny “tongue” strip can be inserted through 

short slit under head extension and glued in place. 

Cut the snake body from print paper weight 

(not to exceed 65 lbs.), including single-side print. 

See how the compressing and releasing can

make the snake jump by activating this video:

(recommended to mute the sound)

NOTE: for best results, keep the thumbs in place

as you release the compressed snake so that it

has something to push forward against.

Snake measures approx. 7.375” long (not including tongue) 

x 1.125” wide x .625” deep “at rest”. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:

A main body with multiple perforation fold lines

B "head" area underlay/liner to show thru as eyes

C tongue strip (if using single sided paper,

cut 2 and glue together back to back)

2. Follow this folding diagram

BLACK LINES = mountain folds

RED LINES = valley folds

3. Begin by folding as "mountain" folds along the two

most-inward long body perf lines.

4. Next, fold as "mountain" folds the two long lines

next to those folded in Step 3.

NOTE that the paper is face down in this image

for better visibility.

5. At head end, fold the triangle tip as "valley" fold,

and the next parallel line also as "valley" fold.

6. Work downward, the next cross-body perforation

line is divided with the un-folded "head" portion between

For this line, fold as "mountain" fold on one side,

skip past the head (NOT folded) and fold the second

half of the line as "mountain" fold.

7. Continue working downward to fold the next

cross-body line which defines the bottom of the head

area and is folded completely across.

8. Continue in the sequence to fold the remaining

cross-body lines as "mountain" folds all the way

to the bottom.

9. At the tail end (shown pointing upward in image),

fold the diagonal 'X' lines as "valley" folds,

taking care that the creases DO NOT extend

beyond the corners where the 'X' perforations end.

(Follow this caution throughout!)

10. Continue to move along the center of body to

bend the 'X' perforation diagonal lines as in

Step 9. 

NOTE that to fold and crease the 'X' lines, it may

be helpful to view the shape from the backside,

as is shown in this image at the above-head 'X'.

11. Returning to the body-length fold lines,

fold on the second line outward from body center

so that the side cut edge will align at body center.

12. Next, fold on the next-to-center long line that

was previously folded in Step 4 while simultaneously

 folding the line that is directly under that line

as "valley" fold.

13. Repeat Step 12 on the second side of body.

14. At the tail end, fold the short line at center

that ends at the center of the tail 'X' as

a "valley" fold.

15. Returning to the head end, re-fold the 'X'

lines as "mountain" folds, and simultaneously

encourage the short intersecting "valley" fold lines

to push inward (slightly only at this stage).

16. Reverse the work and identify the "head" area.

Apply glue around eye circle openings on body,

and along edge of face of contrast liner shape

(avoid adding glue that will show through holes).

Position, centered in the fold-defined area 

(tiny offset within the fold lines), and attach in place.

Allow to dry.

17. If desired, consider ink distressing the creases

to reduce the visibility of contrast "core" of paper

where perf lines and fold may cause contrast to

show undesirably.

18. Begin the final assembly steps by assisting

the 'X' folds above head to fold with intersecting

lines pushing inward as described in Step 15. 

At the same time, bend the body side wall into its

 position perpendicular to head edge.

Continue to complete the folding inward on second side,

then assist the nose tip to configure as shown here,

with the "valley" cross fold tucking up under head.

19. Apply dabs of glue where arrows indicate in

Step 18 image, then re-position the under-head

connected triangles into place so that nose tip folds

are aligned as closely as possible.

NOTE that the triangle tip that attaches to the body

walls should fall at or very near to the body fold

edges. Adjust to help it NOT extend beyond folds,

but if necessary, trim any overhang away.

20. Form the "spring-action" folds by pushing

side walls at 'X' configuration inward as shown . . .

. . . re-creasing along the folds as necessary

to allow compression folds to close up completely

between the head and body segments, as well as . . .

. . . between remaining body segments.

Body segments with "spring" 'X' folds should

appear like those in this image.

21. At the tail end, push the 'X' folds in toward center . . .

. . . so that the inward surfaces meet up.

22. Apply glue between outer layers and also . . .

. . . between the two middle layers BUT only

end-ward from the 'X' diagonal bend visible

inside the tail compartment. Then . . .

. . . apply pressure to all the tail layers to attach

fully to each other. NOTE that the triangles within

the tail area remains unattached.

23. To attach the tail, use a blade tool such as

this spatula tip to ensure that the tongue slit

under head area is open. Then . . .

. . . apply glue to the blunt end of tongue (both sides)

and insert it through the slit. Push it inward so that

at least an 1/8" is inside . . .

. . . adjust it to be straight, then press between fingertips 

to secure in place.

Here is the completed snake jump action toy.

Review the video clip to see how compression

areas are pushed together and held before

releasing to make it "jump".