Introducing the Autumn Apple, Mighty Acorn, and Statement Alphabet Dies

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the introductions to our Autumn 2023 lineup! These new products will be available on Saturday, August 19th at Noon ET. We're kicking things off today with some quintessential Autumn favorites, but first we need to say hello to the friends joining us for this month's release!

Lin Brandyberry's work caught my eye on Pinterest one day and I was completely hooked right away. Her stitches are flawless and her design sense is lovely. I have complete confidence you'll love her projects just as much as I do!

 

Chari Moss continues to be one of my favorite creators out there. Her designs are thoughtful, playful, and a whole lot of fun. Tilly put it best when I showed her some of Chari's sneak peek photos the other day. "Oh, wow!" she said. I couldn't agree more.

These ladies have some truly inspirational work to share with you over the next few days and I'm totally positive you are going to be just as amazed as I am.

I wanted to make a quick note about a new thing I am going to try this release. I am going to do an Instagram Live each introduction day at 9pm ET, so you can ask questions about the products that we're unveiling each day. I am going to set up a slide in my Stories so you can ask questions and I can prepare a few props ahead of time. Hopefully it's helpful and fun! So my first live will be tonight at 9pm ET on Instagram (I have to wait until after bedtime, naturally). I hope you'll join me with your questions!

Ok, now let's get down to some of the new goodies for this release! We'll kick things off with our new Autumn Color Stories. The Color Stories will be available for $53 each.

By The Bushel

Inspired by a trip through a charming orchard, the colors in this palette celebrate sun-ripened apples, harvest baskets, and acres of thriving trees. This Color Story includes Red Currant, Pea Pod, Gingersnap, Shortbread, and Weathered Moss felt.

Scenic Route

Scenic Route evokes the warm, sunwashed look of an Autumn road trip. The hint of color on leaf tips, the weathered wood of a roadside picnic table, the changing, dusky sky. You can almost feel the landscape rolling past the car windows. This Color Story includes Lagoon, Chai, Smoked Paprika, Agave, and the *new* Ochre felt.

Ochre is our only new color for this release, but it definitely doesn't disappoint! This luscious golden tone is perfect for all things Autumn. It's warm and spicy and rich. It's a little deeper and cooler than Sunflower, but it's a great complement. You're going to love it!

Here you can see it compared to some of our other yellows.

From Left: Sunflower, Ochre, Marigold

Each Color Story includes five rolls of 100% wool felt measuring 5"x36." The felt won't pill and stays vibrant over time. It die cuts beautifully and gives your projects a luxurious feel. 

Also included are five skeins of matching 6-strand cotton thread to take the guesswork out of your creative time.

You also receive a carefully curated assortment of seed beads and sequins in a handy storage box. The box is durable, but with easy access so you can take your projects on the go without the hassle of juggling plastic baggies full of embellishments. Each color of sequins also comes in two sizes to give you extra versatility with your designs. These Color Stories are designed to make getting creative effortless and joyful!

Again, the Color Stories retail for $53 each. Ochre will also be available as individual rolls for $6.75 each.

What do you say we take a look at some of the new dies, shall we?

First up today we have the Autumn Apple Die (retails for $38).

Apples and Autumn are practically synonymous. Heading to an orchard and choosing perfectly sun-ripened fruit straight from the tree is one of the true joys of the season. The Autumn Apple Die embraces that bucolic experience and allows you to preserve your fall bounty well after the frost sets in. These apples can be assembled in a variety of delightful ways. You have your choice of juicy whole apples, sliced apples, or even candy dipped treats. These apples are also perfect for celebrating your favorite educators. Truly a versatile set of dies to have on hand.

Next, we're introducing the Mighty Acorn Die (retails for $32).

If mighty oaks from little acorns grow then this tree is going to be a doozy. This super-sized acorn is perfect for decor during the Autumn season. Create personalized place cards for Thanksgiving. String up a seasonal garland for fall flair. Or simply stuff a few to fill your autumnal displays. There is no end to the possibilities!

And, finally today, we are introducing the Statement Alphabet (retails for $14, $17, or $20 depending on the letter OR $375 for a full alphabet).

Have you ever wanted to make a banner with a very specific message? Or how about create personalized monogram package toppers for everyone on your holiday gift list? Well, look no further! Our Statement Alphabet Dies are a generous size (4 ½" tall and ranging between 2 ⅝” and 4 ⅝” wide), ideal for bunting, ornaments, and more. You can spell out whatever your heart desires with these incredibly useful letters. Collect them as needed or buy the whole set for maximum versatility.

Now that you've gotten a sneak peek, let's see what our Guest Creators have to share with you!

Lin's fall decor is making me wish for spiced cider and a nip in the air. Make sure to visit here blog HERE to see all of the fabulous details up close!

 

I can't wait until you see where this adorable decoration hangs. Chari has truly outdone herself. I don't want to give away the surprise! Make sure to see more of her projects HERE.

I've been having a great time with these dies and I can't wait to share! Let's jump right in with the Autumn Apple Die.

I wanted to use this die to make some apple-shaped refrigerator magnets to hang Tilly's school projects for the upcoming year. I love how these turned out!

I used the By The Bushel Color Story to create this set of magnets.

This die includes buildable options for several styles of apple. I happen to love the half apple with the core. There are two sizes of apple that layer seamlessly and a details die that cuts the core. I added seeds to this magnet using Truffle felt.

But I also made a style with a wedge cut out by simply layering on a solid apple that I cut in half (a rotary cutter makes the cut super easy). I went with Walnut seeds and a Truffle stem for this magnet.

You can also create whole apples by using the solid apples. I embellished these two with a sprinkling of beads and sequins to add some sparkle.

And finally, there is the caramel apple option. For these, you use the smaller solid apple along with the caramel details die and layer. I used beads and sequins to look like nuts or candies stuck to the caramel.

I also used real wood to create the stick! I simply cut 1/16" wood sheeting with my die. I had to take care to pop out the stitching holes, but I think the end result was totally worth it!

You may be wondering "How did she make them magnets?"

Here's how! I used a circle die from another set that's coming soon (you'll see it in detail on Friday) to create little pockets for holding 12x3mm neodymium magnets.

This is what it looks like on the inside of the back panel. Then, I used chipboard inside to make them all nice and sturdy. I sewed everything up and they worked great!

I am so excited to use these through this upcoming school year. I'm thinking of getting a whiteboard or something to hang in Tilly's new play room so she can see her own artwork displayed up there. These will be perfect for her space (though they have been a fun addition to our kitchen in recent weeks)!

Next, I have a Thanksgiving banner that I made with the new Statement Alphabet and Mighty Acorn dies.

 

I don't have a ton of Thanksgiving specific decor, so this banner is a welcome addition. It's hard to tell from the photo, but these letters are 4 1/2" tall so this truly does make quite a statement! I think the finished length is nearly 6' from acorn to acorn.

These letters are so much fun! They're bold without being overwhelming. I can definitely see making special ornaments or gift toppers with these this year. I always have a random gift that feels just a little too big for a standard tag. These letters will definitely come in handy.

I used Red Currant for all of the letters to keep things feeling uniform. I sprinkled a handful of leaves throughout the phrase to make sure everything tied together.

All of the other colors of felt also came from the By The Bushel Color Story. I think this acorn might be my favorite, but it's so darn hard to choose.

Each acorn cap is stitched with lazy daisy stitches, but you could use straight stitches if you preferred. I layered each acorn with a coordinating oak leaf and tied them together with cream colored jute.

 
I also embellished the acorns with a sequin sprinkle. The sequins and beads add just enough shine to keep things interesting.

I used chipboard inserts inside the letters to keep them nice and rigid. You probably wouldn't have to do this with all letters, but that G was making me nervous. No one wants a floppy G. To make the inserts, I simply cut the shape from chipboard and then trimmed inside the stitching holes with scissors. Then tuck the chipboard between your layers of felt before sewing up the edges. No sweat.

I hope you've enjoyed today's post and all of the introductions! I am so excited about these new additions. Please make sure to check in with Lin and Chari to see the magic they're creating for you and to leave them some love! We'll all be back tomorrow with more introductions, but in the meantime it's time for a giveaway!

Leave a comment on this blog post letting us know 

Do you have a favorite apple variety? What about a favorite apple treat?

before 7am ET on Saturday (8/19) and I will randomly select one winner to receive a $50 credit to our store! The winner will be announced on Saturday morning's post at 9am. The winner has 30 days to contact Customer Service (customerservice@poshtadesign.com) and claim their prize. Good luck and we'll see you tomorrow for even more inspiration!