Soft Fall "Thinking of You" Card

Today’s card is a sweet, "thinking of you" autumn card that features a stack of pumpkins. The digital download is a freebie. I accented the card with Stampin’ Up! card stock in the following colors: Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake and Wild Wheat.

The background paper is something that was given to me along time ago, and it was old then, so I’m not sure what brand that is. I like it though, because it’s quite thin, and I was able to easily make an envelope with it, as well as accent the front of the card.

I also used a piece of raffia, and in order to make it stay put, I punched a hole in the side of the card, and then in the fold of the card. I didn’t tie it in a bow because I wanted it to be gender neutral.

Making the envelope was sort of an accident. Instead of cutting the card stock 4 1/4 x 5 1/2, it was cut 4 x 5 1/2. So I decided to make a homemade envelope so that it would fit better. I really like how the whole thing looks all together. I think it's a great fall card.

One other little thing I did was used a standard hole punch and punched out three little circles out of the patterned paper and used them as an accent on the bottom. I love using enamel dots for things like this, but I don't always have the right colors. In times like that, punching out a few works perfectly. You can even get some clear glaze glue, such as Ranger Glossy Accents, and put it over top of them. It will look even more like real enamel dots.

Here's the free digi. As always:

1. Snag it to your desktop or photos.
2. Put it in a Word or Page Document.
3. Resize it to the size card you want to make.
4. Print it out, either at home or at a copy center. 

Enjoy, and Happy Fall!

Happy Camper Digital Freebie

We all have that special someone in our lives who, when we’re with them, makes us happy. I created this happy camper card for that special someone in my life, who is my daughter.

She’ll be home from University in just two weeks. It will only be for four days, but my heart is so happy. I’m mailing this card to her today. Just as a reminder that I am a happy camper when I’m with her.

Other accessories I used are Pink & Main's Autumn Paper Pack and Stampin' Up! card stock. All is mounted on a piece of 110# white card stock. This card is an A2 size.

Feel free to use this freebie, for that special person in your life who makes you a happy camper.

Sweet Halloween Freebies

I don’t like to get too creepy at Halloween, so these guys seem just right. And who doesn’t love cupcakes? Having them be just a little bit scary makes them perfect for any age group.

I made these digital designs and they are available free by just clicking on them below. To make the cards, I used, Stampin’ Up! solid card stock paper, and the patterned paper is from Pink & Main.

Shown above is a set of three, but there is a fourth one in this collection, too. It’s a long story, but he didn’t make it to the craft table.

I hope you enjoy these freebies, and thanks so much for stopping by my blog today!

Hello Autumn Freebie

I've got another digital freebie for you to download and size as you want today. It's called Hello Autumn and is super easy to cut out and place on the front of a card.

I printed mine on one of my favorite card stocks called True White. It's actually more of an off-white yet without being yellow and has matching envelopes available. I get mine at Paper-Papers.com but other places have it too. Make sure you search using the term True White Speckletone. It's perfect for times when you want something a little more soft. But regular white card stock or copy paper will work just fine too. 

My complete supply list for this card is:

• True White Speckletone Card Stock
• Stampin' Up! Patterned Papers
• Bow Made From Raffia
• Wood Patterned Paper

Image courtesy of snailmailstudio.blogspot.com

For personal use only not to be sold or redistributed in any way

Pumpkin Spice Plaid Freebie

Today's Digital Freebie is one I love so much! It's colors, orange and black, are perfect for fall, but not too Halloween-y. I think that black is one of my signature colors because it really makes cards pop.

This one makes it so easy to make a cute card too. The scalloped edge and plaid is part of the design. 

The following is my supply list:

• White Card Stock Base
• Black Card Stock
• Black Chiffon Ribbon
• Stampin' Up! Orange Dotted Paper
• SU! Yellow Dotted Paper

Super simple and so very cute!

Here's the digi:

Just save it, size it in Word or Pages and print it (or have it professionally printed out).

Thanks for stopping by my blog today, and happy crafting!

 

Fall Freebie Philippians 4:4a

Here's a sweet fall leaf with the Bible verse Philippians 4:4 on it.

I just printed out this Digital Freebie, cut it out and mounted it on Stampin' Up!'s Cajun Craze card stock. Using SU!'s Flowering Vines Dies, I cut a square out of Speckletone True White and used adhesive spray (and a little bit of painted Elmer's Glue on the edges to hold down the delicate die cut.

A bit of chiffon ribbon simply folded gives it an elegant touch. All were mounted on a piece of Cajun Craze card stock again to tie the look together.

Snag the Digital Freebie below, place it in Word (PC) or Pages (Mac). Size it accordingly and print it out. I had this commercially printed at Fed Ex and an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper cost just .68 cents. I can get 6 to a page for that price. Such a good deal!

Use any supplies you have on hand. You can even cut the leaves out and mount them on card stock or patterned paper. Have fun and enjoy!

15 Healthy & Unusual Pumpkin Spice Treats Reviewed

I'm stuck in Florida. I'm a native here and there are so many things I love about my home state, but what I don't love is the lack of fall. I'm writing this in mid-September and it was 93 today. The only way I get to celebrate fall is to decorate with pumpkins and fake leaves, and buy as many Pumpkin Spice products that I can find.

Now everyone knows where to get a great Pumpkin Spice Latte, but for me, I'm watching my cholesterol and sodium, so I can't just run out and pick up any Pumpkin Spice goodie. So I set out to find some seasonal treats that I can have and still somewhat stick with my healthy eating plan. Surprisingly, I found quite a few, and I'd love to share them with you. So here goes:

1) Pumpkin Spice Goldfish Crackers

Now these aren't the healthiest of all my treats, but coming in at 140 calories a serving and 1 gram of saturated fat (I care more about that than total fat), these were a pretty good snack. 

Tastewise, I give them a "C." The goldfish itself has a really good graham cracker taste, but the Pumpkin Spice flavor seems to be just sprinkled on. It's not a really strong flavor, and since Goldfish are usually make for kids, I think they'd really like them.

They're good right out of the bag, but I also threw some in a container of vanilla yogurt and that was a great treat too. I found the best price on these at Target and was able to do a drive up to get them!

2) Great Value Pumpkin Butter

Wowza, this is one of my faves! Even though the first ingredient is sugar, it's not something that I'm going to binge the whole jar. With consistency like honey mustard (not quite as thick as jam) it's designed to be eaten on a little toast.

It has a strong (but not too strong) taste that's perfect for breakfast. I also think there are a lot of other things you can do with it like dollop it in yogurt or on ice cream (ohh, that would be good with some toasted walnuts on top too!) or maybe make some jam filled cookies.

This one gets an "A" for taste and for giving that "fall feeling" too. It's definitely worth a try. I got mine at Walmart, but you can find other brands of Pumpkin Butter other places too.

3) Pumpkin Spice Trash Bags

Yes, you read that right, Pumpkin Spice Trash Bags are available from Hefty. Since they're totally fat and sodium free, I thought these would be a good autumn treat too. 

Now you may be thinking that you could just burn a candle, but that's not always the case. I plan on using mine out in the garage where I'm currently crafting. Now I can have my area smell like Pumpkin Spice anytime I'm stamping or doing laundry!

The only downside is that they only came in packages of 50, and I won't go through them all even before Valentine's Day! I may stash them in a bag and see if they retain their scent for next year.

As for the scent, they're really mild and smell only slightly of fall. I guess you wouldn't want them to be overpowering especially since they'll mostly be used in the kitchen. 

I'm not sure if they'll make it as a long term product in Hefty's lineup, but for now they're fun. They also are the really sturdy kind of bag that can take a lot of poking, and they have a nice drawstring. So even if the scent dissipates, I'll still have some nice trash bags on hand.

I found these at Target as well.

4) Lenny & Larry's Complete Pumpkin Spice Cookie

These cookies are a go-to for me all year long when I need something fast, filling and non-perishable. They're delicious, filling and hearty, yet not super sweet. The Pumpkin Spice variety, purchased at Sprouts, didn't disappoint. And while 460 calories is a lot, I consider it a meal replacement. This variety has just 3 grams of saturated fat and 130 mg. of sodium, so it's in my healthy eating plan.

I think some of the Lenny & Larry's Cookies can taste a bit artificial, but this Pumpkin Spice didn't. And my year-round favorites are Snickerdoodle & Peanut Butter. I'm dying to try their Lemon Poppyseed Cookie, but haven't seen it in stores yet. I don't dare order a whole box from Amazon for fear of eating way too many of them. Buying them one at a time works well for me!

5) Milkbone Dipped Pumpkin & Spice Dog Bones

Yes, on the same day I got an email from Ancestry saying they now do Dog DNA testing, I bought my fur baby Pumpkin Spice treats. What a crazy (and fun) world we live in!

Bella loved them! I didn't think they were very strong smelling, and they're dipped in something that looks like white chocolate. I trust Milkbone to make sure all this is good and safe for her to eat, and she's happy!

Happy pet, happy mom!

6) Mush Oats (Pumpkin Pie Flavor)

If you've never had Mush, it's like with Overnight Oatmeal that you make at home, but with a few more ingredients. This variety has almond milk, dates, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

My rating is a "B." It's good, and I'm grateful for the natural pumpkin puree in it (as opposed to artificial flavor) but it's not my favorite variety. ALL of the others are top notch delicious, so much so that I only buy a couple at a time because I will overeat them!

But yes, I'd buy this again too. 

7) Three Wishes Pumpkin Spice Cereal

There are a lot of great Pumpkin Spice cereals on the market, but I'm constantly watching my sodium and it's really amazing how much sodium some cereals have in them. For example, Grape Nuts, which I love, has 280 mg. of sodium in just 1/2 a cup.

When I first discovered Three Wishes Cereal I was so excited. It’s a little expensive for being so lightweight, but all their varieties are hard and crunchy, a must for me in my cereal bowl! I was excited to find this variety at Sprouts.

As for this flavor, I think it's pretty strong. At first, I loved it, but it left a slight aftertaste. I would probably buy it again next year, but I'm content with their everyday varieties even more.

8) Pumpkin Spice Kefir

Okay, this one is definitely for die-hard health food fans.  If you're not familiar with it, Kefir is fermented cow's milk that has a great tang to it. It is a bit globby, as it's consistency is that of drinkable yogurt. It's really good. I usually buy the plain variety and have it over cereal, but thought I'd give one a try.

I give it a "B." If you like Kefir, it's good, but not as good as plain Kefir. Either way, it's supposed to be really healthy for you, and I like that!

9) Magnolia Star Pumpkin Spice Extract

Finally! A pumpkin spice flavoring that's all natural and without added sugar.

I love Pumpkin Spice Latte's, but often they have artificial flavoring and lots of fat. So at home I make my latte's with oat milk. I've tried several oat milk creamers, but really wanted something more natural. When I saw this on the Walmart website, I thought I'd give it a try.

It's really good! An "A+" on this one! Not only was it good in my coffee (just drop or two will do) but I'm sure it would be a great substitute for vanilla extract this time of year. But one word of caution: my upper lip was a bit swollen after I testing some of these products, and I'm wondering if this extract in my coffee could be the culprit. 

Either way, this is a really great extract when used in recipes in place of another extract. I'm already thinking Pumpkin Sugar cookies the next time I need have an occasion to bake.

10) NuttZo Pumpkin Spice Nut & Seed Butter

WINNER OF ALL 14 PRODUCTS TESTED! This is definitely not your kid's peanut butter! I found this funny looking, upside down jar at Sprouts. With a price tag of $12.99 on sale, I thought about skipping my review of this one, but decided to go for it. 

Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I did! I love everything about this! First of all, the fact that this jar is upside down makes it so easy to stir the contents. I even shook the jar a little at first and that helped blend the oil too. Once opened, it's easy to stir.

The consistency is that of natural peanut butter, but the taste is so much better. It's a nutty, seedy blend with "tiny crunches" to it. The pumpkin flavor is perfect. And it has fewer calories and less fat and sodium than regular peanut butter.

This one really does make me want to, like the label says, throw on a flannel and jump in the leaves!

11) Califia Farms Pumpkin Spice Oat Barista Blend

As I mentioned before, I really love oat milk in my coffee. And although I usually shy away from ones that have added sugar, this on was a real hit. Funny thing is, it doesn't exactly say what it is on the box. It's a "Barista Blend" which would lead me to think that it's only for coffee, but the serving size says it's 1 cup, and I think you could drink it like an eggnog style drink.

As for the coffee, it's great in it. It steams well and gives the perfect amount of creaminess, Pumpkin Spice and sugar. If you like pumpkin coffee, definitely give this one a try!

12) Sprouts Pumpkin Spice Applesauce

I was on the fence with this one. I'm not a huge

applesauce person, but I don't dislike it either, so I gave it a shot.

It's good! It's applesauce, so it's not great, but it's really good. What wasn't so good about it was the $4.99 price tag. It's a fairly big jar (24 oz.) but that still seemed like a lot.

I think this would do very well served alongside some sliced turkey and stuffing, possibly at Thanksgiving. It's different enough to stand out, yet common enough for everyone to enjoy. Definitely keep this one in mind!

13) Noosa Pumpkin Yogurt

Noosa yogurts are simply the best. They taste more like a dessert than a typical yogurt does. And paired with pumpkin, it's amazing! Walmart sells it for $2.00 a container which is a little more than I like to pay for yogurt, but every once in a while I splurge.

If yogurt's your thing and pumpkin too, don't miss this!

14) Yogi Pumpkin Spice Tea

I came across this at Target and thought it would be good for evenings when I wanted something a little sweet but healthy too. What I love about this is that, despite it's gray box, it is an herbal tea. It's also all natural too. 

The taste is great and delivered on what it was-a gentle cup of Pumpkin Spice tea. 

15) Alma LusA Pumpkin Spice Liquid Soap

While scrolling around Target, I came across this soap imported from Portugal. What I first loved about it is its label. How cut is that little pumpkin in a wagon?! So in my cart it went.

It's a milk smelling and pleasant pumpkin smell with just a slight tint of color to it. It doesn't seem very artificial and I like that too. And at just $4.49 a bottle, it's a bargain! After all, a good cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte costs more than that!

Conclusion

Well, that's it for this year. It was really fun researching all these products. Some I knew about while others were undiscovered. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to buy all these things to help me get into the fall season. I hope you've found this helpful or at least interesting and that you'll try something new as a result.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today, and HAPPY FALL!

DISCLAIMER: I wasn't asked, paid or compensated in any way to review these products. I purchased them all with my own money and all reviews are my honest opinion. :)

Freebie Printable "Thinking of You" PNG

Here's my very first Freebie that I'd like to share on my blog. It's an elegant "Thinking of You" sentiment with flowers and a border. 

If you're just experimenting with card making, or if you're quite experienced and just like the design or want something quick and easy, feel free to snag this print.

Just save it like you would any JPEG file. I usually save these to my desktop, then add them into photos later if I like them.

Then I opened Pages in Mac (or Word on a PC). Drag the PNG on the page and resize it to any size you want. I put 2 or 4 on a page and cut the images out accordingly. Six may work with this image too.

I used the following supplies to make this card:

• Stampin' Up! Wild Wheat Card Stock
• SU! Blushing Bride Card Stock
• SU! Paper Doily
• Misc. Heart Brad
• Darice Embossing Folder

That's it! Pretty and simple! Keep your eyes peeled for more Graphic Freebies! 

Retro Rubber Challenge 215 & NBUS Challenge 54

I'm so ready for fall right now! It's 87 out at 7 pm, with a "feels like" temp of 94, and it's mid September. Yikes! But at least I have my craft table, where I can create fall any time I want! And with some inspiration from Retro Rubber's Challenge #214 (rrcb215)  that's what I've done. 

I'm also sharing this over at NBUS because this set is brand new to me. Although I bought it used, it had never been snapped out of the rubber. And this guy is so cute. It's from 2015-that's a long time to sit and wait to be used!

Everyone over at Retro Rubber has created such elegant fall cards, and this guy is a little goofy, but I really like him. I plan on sending him to a little one anyway. I just wish I could include a piece of candy without the price of postage going up. Maybe there's a flat, mailable candy of some kind out there.

Anyway, my complete supply list for this Fall Scene is:

• Stampin' Up! Howl-O-Ween Treat Stamp Set (2015)
• White Card Stock
• SU! Pineapple Punch Card Stock
• SU! Chocolate Chip Card Stock
• SU! Gorgeous Grape Ink
• SU! Cucumber Crush Ink
• SU! Pumpkin Pie Ink
• SU! Poppy Parade Ink
• Copics YR15 & Y13
• Darice Wood Embossing Folder
• Green Rhinestones from Michaels

Be sure to check out the challenges over at both NBUS and Retro Rubber, and thanks to everyone over there for the inspiration!

Happy fall and happy crafting!

NBUS Challenge #54

I bought this cute Avery Elle set off of eBay years ago. I thought it was adorable, and it was a good deal because the dies were included. But even though I loved the set, I just never used it, until yesterday. On a whim I pulled it out, played around with it and got this card! Perfect for NBUS's Challenge #54!

I planned on cutting out the umbrella using the die, but when I went to do that I realized that the perches or branches weren't positioned correctly. So instead of mounting it on patterned paper like I planned, I watercolored little areas around the branches. I'm glad that happened because it's a technique I don't use often but really like. And it's also part of my NBUS-I used Stampin' Up! Boho Blue to do the watercoloring. I just got that in the mail last week!

Oops! It looks like I have the YG11 cap on two
different green markers!

My complete supply list is:

• Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green Card Stock
• White Card Stock
• Avery Elle Tweet Tweet Stamp Set & Dies
• Memento Black Ink
• Lots of Copics (see pic)
• SU! Boho Blue Ink
• SU! Clear Shimmery Self-Adhesive Rhinestones
• Sun Die from an Ebay Seller

This was a really fun card to make and I'm so happy to have finally used something that I've been sitting on for way too long. Thanks Darnell for helping us discover new things we already had!🐌

Guy Card From Leftovers

My last post was to create a guy card featuring poppies. Wowza, that was tough. But that's why I love challenges. 

I had some leftover pieces of card stock on my desk, specifically these 3 stripes. I was thinking of a racing theme kind of thing, but that didn't seem to go well with poppies. I picked them up and included them on this, another masculine card.

My supplies are pretty simple: Stamping Up! "Sweet Cake" stamp set and SU! Background Paper, 4 Colors of Card Stock, Memento Inks and some Copic Markers. I was tempted to add some jewels or something, but I want to play it safe with my masculine cards.

Challenges are always fun, but what's leftover can be a challenge too. And I'm glad I have another masculine card in my stash now!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #330

This is the biggest reason that I LOVE challenges! Today’s card is for  Challenge #330 over at Cardz 4 Guyz. This time they wanted us to make a masculine card that had poppies on it. That certainly is a challenge!

My take on it was to use this flower stamp from the Floral Essence set from Stampin' Up! It didn't officially say that it was a poppy. 

I've only seen poppies once in my life out in Colorado. They don't grow here in Florida. It was at an abandoned service station Greeley. Purely by chance as we were driving through a residential neighborhood, we stumbled upon a beautiful bed of perfect poppies. I was over the moon!

Anyway, I thought this stamp looked like a poppy. In order to keep it masculine, I used gray paper instead of white or cream. And instead of coloring the entire poppy, I only highlighted the middle. Same with the leaves. The black textured background also adds to the masculine nature of the card.

The poppies in Greeley, Colorado.

My complete supply list is:

• Stampin' Up! Forial Essence Stamp Set
• SU! Basic Gray Card Stock (base)
• Misc. Dotted Gray Paper (front)
• Black Card Stock
• Darice Embossing Folder
• SU! Poppy Parade Card Stock
• Prismacolor Pencils #922 & #912

Like I mentioned, this is why I love challenges. I would have never made this card without the inspiration from Cardz 4 Guyz. Thanks so much to everyone over there for helping me create another guy card!

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks 611 & 612

I always love the scriptures that they have over at Word Art Wednesday, but this week especially so. Romans 8:38 & 39 really speak to the love that God has for us and how nothing can separate us from that love.  What a beautiful message to send to someone in a card.

It was only after I printed out the scripture that I realized the sponsor this time is Pink & Main. I was so excited because I really love their products - and I live only 1/2 hour from their headquarters in Bradenton, Florida. They have an amazing store that practically spins with thousands of exciting (and pink) supplies.

Since they're so sweet to sponsor Word Art Wednesday this time, I wanted to use their products in my card. On a recent trip down there I bought a Mini Minc machine and have been really enjoying it. I chose to use that with some of their Foilable products along with the Word Art. After making the card, I used the "negative" part of the foil to make a second card. 

When I first got the machine, I wasn't real sure what all that meant, so I decided to make a short video explaining it. Foiling is such a fun technique, and the fact that you can use the negative is a really cool bonus too. 

My complete supply list for this card is:

• Pink & Main Foilable Floral Corners
• Pink & Main Cheerfoil in Silver
• Copic Markers RV55, R83, V04, Y11, YG11, YG13
• Misc. Silver Dotted Vellum
• Michael's Silver Card Stock
• Stampin' Up! Parakeet Party Card Stock
• Papertrey Ink Card Stock Lovely Lady
• Gifted Pink Chiffon Ribbon

Thanks so much to everyone over at both Word Art Wednesday and Pink & Main for another really fun challenge!

Time Out Challenge 246

I've been over to Time Out Challenges before, but today it really hit me that they have some really cool challenges and I've been missing out. Today's Challenge really spoke to me. It's a Word Challenge from the Chinese Proverb that says, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

I just love this Proverb for several reasons. First of all, I just love trees. I've planted at least a dozen in my lifetime. I always seem to buy houses that don't have a lot of trees. In fact, my current house which was 50 years old when we moved into it had no trees at all on the property. Crazy! I've since planted several. So this Proverb really makes sense to me!

My card reflects that Proverb too. The acorns signify the trees that can be planted now. The oak leaves signify trees that were planted 20 years ago. And the wood background signifies really old trees that were cut down and used for wood. The green leaves are just thrown in there for a little color.

My complete supply list is:

• Stampin' Up! Wonderfall Stamp Set
• SU! Old Olive Ink
• SU! Pumpkin Pie Ink
• SU! Cajun Craze Ink
• Memento Rich Cocoa Ink
• Memento Toffee Crunch Ink
• Sentiment from SU! Forever Fern Set
• Wood Paper From Reminisce
• Sentiment Die from My Favorite Things

Thanks to everyone over at Time Out Challenges for creating this challenge. This was such a fun one for me, and I'm making it a point to participate more often over there!

Lastly, a couple of pictures of the tree we planted last spring. It's called a Pigeon Plum.

I liked it because it's a mid sized tree with leaves that are easy to rake! Those are my wonderful guys (hubby and son) helping me with it.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and listening to me talk a little too much about trees today! :)

Christmas BINGO Challenge #3 (September/October 2023)

Once again Christmas BINGO Challenges has a new BINGO Card for September and October. There are a lot of really great spaces on this card that will really help get your creative juices flowing! Just a reminder, you have to choose only one column and go straight up and down, choosing at least three of the slots.

For my snowman card, I chose the "B" column. And the three slots I chose to work with are Black, Stripes, and No Stamping. Out of those components came this cute little snowman.

I know he's not a totally typical Christmas Card, but I think he'll be perfect for the right situation. Sometimes people don't want a religious card, and other times I'll be sending a card to a young person, who may like something a little more whimsical like this one. Plus it's perfect to send a snowman card out just a little after Christmas too, for those times that I procrastinate a bit!

My supply list is:

• Black and Silver Glitter Paper from Joann's
• White Glitter Paper from Joann's
• Spellbinders Circle Dies
• Stampin' Up! Forever Flourishing Dies
• SU! Cinnamon Cider Card Stock
• Black Card Stock from Michaels
• Asterisk Die (for small snowflakes) from a Sizzix Drop In Card Die Set
• Red Glitter Paper from DCWV
• Unbranded Snowflake & Hello Dies

As you can see it took some finagling to get this guy to come together since I didn't have an official snowman die set. Here's a picture of two of the dies that I used from the Stampin' Up! set. After cutting out the paper, I trimmed them down to make the coal eyes, mouth and button on one and trimmed down the branches to make his arms on the other.

I'll be looking forward to sending out this guy to just the right person this Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today, and if you haven't checked out the Christmas BINGO Challenges page, be sure to do so. We'd love to have you join in our challenge this time!