Paper Crafters Sampler ~ October Issue "Truly Grateful"

Happy Day! The October edition of the Paper Crafters Sampler is NOW available!

This issue is packed full of amazing, beautiful, creative and inspiring projects that you will be Truly Grateful for! Stop by today and pick up your issue and get started on those projects!

{Sneak Peek}

So Sorry #140: Lots of Sympathy

Once again I'm making a Sympathy card. They are never fun, but they are necessary. This one is for a friend that lost a family member. My heart goes out to their family. This too shall pass my friend.

Supplies:

Cardstock ~ Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky, Core'dinations in Chocolate Chip and Smoky Slate

DSP ~ Sweater Weather

Ink ~ Chocolate Chip

Stamp Sets ~ So Sorry

Embellishments ~ Chocolate colored satin ribbon (not Stampin' Up!)

Soft Sympathy

I am addicted to French Foliage. I've been using the heck out of it lately. I always seem to get attached to something AFTER they retire it. Day late and a dollar short is my motto. Oh well, works for me. Once again, the need for a sympathy card sucks, but it WAS really fun to put this one together. I really like the color combo. Not sure if I'll be able to duplicate it ever again. lol

I really love doing detail work. The leaves seem to come alive with a little marker attention. Time consuming yes, but definitely worth it.

Supplies:

Cardstock ~ Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Soft Sky, Very Vanilla

Ink ~ Crumb Cake, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Suede, Soft Sky, Early Espresso

Stamp Sets ~ French Foliage, So Sorry, Truly Grateful

Other supplies ~ cream ribbon, burlap ribbon

Bags and a Bottle o' Rum

Yep. It's official...Fall is in the air. I sat in my cozy woman cave and played most of the day. WHOOP! I know it's a bit early, but I'm preparing for the kids' school Halloween parties. Here are Preston's treat bags for his little preschool class.

Supplies:

Cardstock ~ Perfectly Plum, Wild Wasabi

DSP ~ Sweater Weather

Ink ~ Early Espresso, Basic Black

Stamp Sets ~ Positively Chevron, Gorgeous Grunge, Off the Grid, Ghouls, Make a Monster

Other Supplies ~ small brown paper bags, googly eyes

*Small paper bags and googly eyes not SU products.

As I worked, I sipped on this yummy, hot and fall appropriate drink. Don't worry. The kids were at Nana and Papa's and it was well after noon. he he he

Hot Spiced Rum Cider

Recipe:

64 oz. jug of Apple Cider

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Ground Cloves

1 Tbsp Nutmeg

Spiced Rum

Stir all ingredients together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes while stirring. Pour with a ladle into a mug, add a shot of Spiced Rum and enjoy!

Open Season

Tis that time of year again. Hunters are gathering their gear and heading out to claim that prized rack! I think this is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the crisp weather (though we still have sweltering temps), I love the colors, I love the pumpkin spiced lattes, I guess I just love it all.

I set out to create a card for my brother, who is headed out to go archery hunting this weekend.  So I'm a little late. SHOCKER! I was hoping to send this to him to wish him "Good Luck" but I may have to send it as a "Congratulations" instead. Hopefully I didn't just jinx him.

I really can't take any credit for the design of this card. I pretty much stole the entire idea from my sweet friend Bree at Craft-somnia Momma.

Supplies Used:

Cardstock ~ Baked Brown Sugar, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Ink ~ Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso

Stamp Sets ~ Remembering Christmas, Gorgeous Grunge, French Foliage

Embellishments ~ Burlap, hemp twine, feather

With Gratitude

Wow. This card took F O R E V E R  to complete. It doesn't look like much. I'm trying to think what took SO long. I think it was the leaves. I probably stamped a dozen before I got the colors I wanted. The turkey took a while too. It was done with markers. Oh, and the feather. That took a while as well. I guess it all adds up. I won't even admit to how long it took from start to finish. This card has been entered in the SUO Challenges blog for challenge #82 Harvest Time!

Here's the Sketch!

I got this wonderful color combination from Fab Friday's Blog. They also have wonderful challenges. This was from challenge #26.

Here's the color combo!

Here's my card!

Supplies Used:

Cardstock ~ Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla,

DSP ~ Sweater Weather

Ink ~ Soft Sky, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand

Stamp Sets ~ Ex Libris, French Foliage, Fine Feathers, Harvest of Thanks

Embellishments ~ Burlap, Hemp Twine (not SU)

Many Leaves... Many Loves

Vacation is over. Kids are back to school. Summer is ending and Fall is in the air. I enjoyed my first Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks this morning. First of the season I should say. I'm a longtime addict. Oh Starbucks...

Since the kids are both at school today (I have one in preschool that only goes part time), I thought I'd get back on track and get a card created. We visited family in Seattle, Wa. over the weekend and I needed to come up with a Thank You card. No, I didn't have any in my inventory, believe it or not. Oh darn, an excuse to make one. he he!

This card makes me think of warm cozy Sunday nights, hot tea, fuzzy socks and the kids giggling under their livingroom forts. I used the sketch from Retro Sketches challenge #78. It was a fun one. Lots of room to be creative!

Here is what I came up with... I love everything about this card. Love the colors, love the textures, love the layers, love the leaves... Many loves!

Supplies:

Cardstock ~ Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze

DSP ~ Sweater Weather

Ink ~ Baked Brown Sugar, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Pear Pizzaz, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, Baja Breeze

Stamp Sets ~ French Foliage (retired), Harvest of Thanks (Holiday Catalog)

Others ~ Woodgrain embossing folder, Apothecary Accents, Artisan Label punch, Adorning Accents Edgelits

*Non-Stampin' Up! brass brads, linen 

Whew! That was a lot. It took me a good part of 3 hours to complete this card. I kept changing things and adding things as I went along. Of course I really didn't have a plan except for the sketch. I love my whims!

WHOOP WHOOP!!! This card was chosen as the RetroSketches ROCKstar!

Copy Cat

I can't take an ounce of credit for this card. I found it on Pinterest. I loved it so much, I had to recreate it. I changed it just a tiny bit, but not enough to make it my own. It was a fun one to make though.

Supplies:

Paper ~ Early Espresso, Baja Breeze, Calypso Coral, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Ink ~ Early Espresso, Calypso Coral, Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze

Stamp Sets ~ Harvest of Thanks, Gorgeous Grunge, Positively Chevron

Other SU Supplies ~ Woodgrain embossing folder, Floral Frames Collection framelits, Apothecary Accents Collection framelits, Boho Blossoms punch, Pearl Basic Jewels, Very Vintage Designer Buttons

Misc. Supplies ~ burlap

Truly Grateful 3D

Anything but a card they said. Challenge it will be. This was created for The Paper Players latest challenge. A challenge indeed it was. I have been stuck in my little happy place creating cards for who knows how long. I've really never done any 3D objects. It was a really fun little project. Something new and different. I've been collecting jars for quite some time. I think this one was a jalapeno jar (don't worry, I washed it first). I can't stand throwing things away that I think may someday turn into a craft project.

Supplies Used:

Paper ~ Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, First Edition DSP

Ink ~ Early Espresso, More Mustard, Crumb Cake

Stamp Sets ~ Gorgeous Grunge, Positively Chevron, Truly Grateful

Other Supplies ~ Linen fabric, burlap fabric, burlap ribbon, pool party ribbon