About Amber

Hey, I’m Amber Kemp-Gerstel - the crafty brain behind Damask Love, where creativity, color, and a little chaos come together. I’m a suburban mom of two, known for turning up the volume on everyday DIYs and showing up like your colorful, crafty BFF. Over the years, I’ve gone from psychologist to full-time content creator, TV host, and brand partner, with appearances on Making It, Today, and HGTV. When I’m not making stuff or on set, I’m chasing around my two boys, Markus and Maxwell, and laughing my way through the mess.

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234 Comments

  1. 10.2.26

    Appreciate the detailed breakdown here. Dressmaker

  2. 10.2.26
    Alex Chen said:

    Nice article! Learned something new today. Gesture Synth

  3. 10.2.26
    Alex Chen said:

    Nice article! Learned something new today. Size It Up

  4. 10.2.26
    Jamie Liu said:

    This is super helpful, thanks for the effort! Mimic Party

  5. 10.2.26

    Great explanation. Clear and easy to follow. Star By Face

  6. 10.5.26
    Jamie Liu said:

    Really enjoyed reading this. Keep it up! Lagos Life Guide

  7. 10.6.26

    Your tips for storing pattern paper are really helpful. I keep a small stack for card making and this approach would keep the sheets flat and easy to find. The giveaway looks like fun too, thanks for the chance and for sharing your filing ideas.

  8. 10.7.26
    Priya Nwosu said:

    The filing system you laid out here is genuinely practical, especially the part about keeping pattern paper flat so it stays usable for card making instead of curling at the edges. I do something similar but sort by color family first, then weight, which makes it faster to pull sheets for a project without digging through the whole stack. The storage advice is the kind of small detail that saves a lot of frustration later. If you enjoy guides that break things down number by number like this, the Nepo Baby vs LAPO Baby guide on Lagos Life Wiki is worth a look for anyone into that style of detailed, practical reference.

  9. 10.8.26
    Rachel Okafor said:

    The way you keep pattern paper flat instead of letting it curl at the edges is the detail most people skip, and it makes a real difference when you’re pulling sheets for card making later. I sort by color family first and weight second, same as you, but I’ve started writing the purchase date on the backing sheet because I kept rebuying pads I already owned. Your filing approach pairs well with a good reference habit too, the kind of resource that lists every number with a source and updates after each patch, like this Drill to Earth's Core wiki and code list. Either way, the giveaway is a nice bonus and the storage tips alone were worth the read.

  10. 10.9.26
    Grace Whitfield said:

    The bit about keeping pattern paper flat instead of letting it curl at the edges is the detail most people skip, and it really does make a difference when you’re pulling sheets for card making later. I do something similar but keep a labelled zip pouch per colour family so I’m not digging through the whole stack, and I’ve started noting the pad name on the back sheet because I kept rebuying ones I already owned. Your filing approach also reminds me of how much easier projects get when there’s a reliable reference to check first, the same way a sourced skill tree guide keeps builds straight, since it tracks every change from official patch notes and stays current with each hotfix rather than relying on guesswork. Either way, the storage tips alone were worth the read, and the giveaway is a nice bonus.

  11. 10.9.26
    Marta Feldman said:

    The point about keeping pattern paper flat so it stays usable for card making instead of curling at the edges really is the part most people skip, and sorting by colour family first then weight makes it so much faster to pull sheets for a project. I do something similar but store mine in a shallow drawer with a sheet of chipboard on top, and I’ve started writing the pad name on the back sheet because I kept rebuying pads I already owned. Your approach of documenting everything carefully actually reminds me of how much easier any hobby gets with a properly sourced reference that shows its work — I use Outlast Trials amp tier list for exactly that reason, since every value names its source and the date it was checked rather than relying on guesswork. The storage tips alone were worth the read, and the giveaway is a lovely bonus.

  12. 10.9.26

    What a fun DIY project, Amber! Love the vibrant energy you bring to Damask Love. I actually just tried an AI attractiveness test on a whim—it’s crazy how quickly it breaks down first-impression psychology. Makes me appreciate the ‘chaos’ in your creative process even more! 😂 AI attractiveness test

  13. 10.10.26

    Appreciate the write-up. The test side of it is at South Park Test

  14. 10.12.26
    Muse said:

    I love Amber’s energetic approach to DIY! Her transition from psychologist to full-time creator is inspiring. For anyone looking to add motion to their craft projects, Muse Video is a great tool to turn photos into videos with native audio. muse photo to video

  15. 10.12.26
    Jamie Liu said:

    Bookmarked. Also worth a look: PokeSurvivor

  16. 10.12.26

    I love how Amber shares her journey from psychology to full-time crafting—it’s inspiring to see someone turn passion into a career while balancing family life. The DIY concession stand idea sounds like a fun project for the kids, though I’d probably need more than just paper patterns for that! Speaking of creativity, sometimes I find myself needing tools outside my usual craft space, like when researching game mechanics in WoW Forever talent simulator, which oddly helps me think about strategy and planning differently. Thanks for the colorful inspiration as always!

  17. 10.15.26

    Thanks for the detail. The playable version is at Azeroth Survivors

  18. 10.15.26

    Well put. The no-emulator port is at God of War 3 PC Port

  19. 10.16.26

    PokeSurvivor lets you pick a Pokémon and test your survival skills against increasingly threatening wild hordes. Collect rewards, strengthen your build, and adapt your active move to changing combat situations.

  20. 10.17.26
    Caitlin Mercer said:

    The bit about keeping pattern paper flat rather than letting it curl at the edges is the detail most people skip, and it genuinely makes a difference when you’re pulling sheets for card making later. I do something similar but keep a labelled zip pouch per colour family, and I’ve started noting the pad name on the back sheet because I kept rebuying ones I already owned. Your filing approach also reminds me that any project goes smoother with a reliable reference to check first, the same way Anime Zero beginner walkthrough keeps things straight by naming its sources and the date each page was last checked. Either way, the storage tips alone were worth the read, and the giveaway is a nice bonus.

  21. 10.18.26
    Nina Castellano said:

    The point about keeping pattern paper flat so it doesn’t curl at the edges is the one I wish I’d internalized sooner — I lost a whole pad to warped sheets because I stacked them upright in a bin. Sorting by colour family first and weight second makes sense, and I’ve started slipping a thin sheet of chipboard between stacks so the corners don’t bow. Your filing approach also reminded me how much easier any hobby gets once there’s a reference you can actually trust to stay current, the same way a sourced best Pokemon tier list tracks every patch instead of relying on guesswork. Either way, the storage tips alone were worth the read, and the giveaway is a lovely bonus.

  22. 10.18.26
    Dana Whitmore said:

    The bit about keeping pattern paper flat instead of letting it curl is the detail most people skip, and it really does make a difference when you’re pulling sheets for card making later. I do something similar but keep a labelled zip pouch per colour family so I’m not digging through the whole stack, and I’ve started noting the pad name on the back sheet because I kept rebuying ones I already owned. Your filing approach also reminds me of how much easier projects get when there’s a reliable reference to check first, the same way a sourced MapleStory Classic guide keeps class picks and leveling routes straight, since it tracks every change from official patch notes and stays current rather than relying on guesswork. Either way, the storage tips alone were worth the read, and the giveaway is a nice bonus.

  23. 10.18.26
    Dana Whitmore said:

    The flat-storage point is the one I wish I’d learned years ago, before half my paper pads ended up with curled corners that made clean die-cuts nearly impossible. I sort by color family first and weight second like you, but I’ve also started slipping a thin sheet of chipboard behind each stack in the drawer, which keeps everything pressing flat without taking up much room. The other habit that saved me from rebuying pads I already owned was jotting the pad name and purchase date on the backing sheet in pencil, so it wipes off if I ever pass the pad along. Your giveaway is a generous touch, and the filing advice alone made this worth reading. For anyone who likes reference material with sources and dates attached, I’ve found the Azeroth Survivors build guides keep their numbers traceable the same way.

  24. 10.18.26
    Nadia Brooks said:

    The part about keeping pattern paper flat instead of letting it curl at the edges is the detail most people skip, and it really matters once you’re pulling sheets for a project and the corners have already bent. I do something close to your filing approach but keep a labelled zip pouch per colour family, and I’ve started writing the pad name on the backing sheet because I kept rebuying ones I already owned. It’s the same lesson as any good reference habit: a sourced list that gets rechecked after each update saves you from working off stale info. I’ve been using the Pixel Lineage tier list guide for exactly that reason, since every page names its sources and last-checked date. The giveaway is a nice bonus too, and the storage tips alone were worth the read.

  25. 10.20.26

    I appreciated the practical perspective in “Comment-To-Win-Patterned-Paper – Damask Love”. The point about aion2 build was especially useful, and it gave me a clearer way to think about the subject.

  26. 10.20.26
    Nora Patterson said:

    The point about keeping pattern paper flat rather than letting it curl at the edges is the one most people gloss over, and it really does make a difference when you’re pulling sheets for card making later. I do something similar but keep a labelled zip pouch per colour family so I’m not digging through the whole stack, and I’ve started noting the pad name on the back sheet after rebuying ones I already owned. Your filing approach also reminds me how much easier creative projects get when there’s a low-pressure way to just start playing, which is why I’ve been messing about with browser gesture synth guide — it turns hand movements into chords and volume with no install or signup. Either way, the storage tips alone were worth the read, and the giveaway is a nice bonus.

  27. 10.21.26
    Gas said:

    I love finding creative ways to make everyday moments more fun! I’d be curious to try a gas station dance video for a silly family project and see what everyone comes up with. It sounds like a fun way to capture a little chaos and laughter. gas station dance video