witticisms by Jess Witty

October 15, 2012

October Release in Review



Yes, I am bribing you with yummy food pictures;)

The following bajillion pictures are here to show you the rest of my October Papertrey Ink projects featuring all the fun new releases.  You can get your hands on all of it starting tonight, right at www.papertreyink.com.

You know me.  I'm always going to start with the food...


yummy, yummy fries and ketchup.
And by that, I mean yummy, yummy cookie fries and frosting, of course :)

You guys know I have a not-so-secret love of all those fantastic baking blogs out there, and when the lovely and talented Bridget of Bake at 350 came up with the idea of cookie fries, I knew without a doubt that there must be cookie fries in my future. 

And if only I could pair them with a little custom food service basket, it would be the perfect storm of this whole baking + paper crafting idea.  Hey, wait.  I know somebody that makes dies, don't I? ;)  So I passed that little idea along to Nichole who then made all of my food service basket dreams come true with the new Favor It Box #7 die...


I'm a happy girl :)

Here's how it went down.  I started by die cutting the box from white cardstock and stamping it with the new Background Basics: Super Stripes.  I used the offset corner of the box as my straight line guide so that the stripes go diagonally across the box. 

Those stripes are loooong, but I needed to stamp them twice across the box at some points because this box is not a tiny one. When that happened, I just connected them on the bottom portion of the box so that no one is the wiser ;)

The corners simply fold in together and were held together with a small stripe of ScorTape at each side.  A little piece of parchment or wax paper on top gives it the food service touch.


I added a few flags to my "ketchup" using the new Over Under Easy set.  I masked off the large sentiment to just stamp "smile" and used one of the single sentiments for "happy birthday."  A few of the Super Stripe images stamped along the flags liven things up (and give it that McDonald's look, ha!). 

{Sidenote... I so love food flags :)  They couldn't be easier and they make every thing cute. What's not to love, I ask you?}

The best part about this little baked surprise? 
It simply could. not. be. easier.
Seriously.
{Bridget is a *genius.*}

You just take your baked cookies out of the oven, wait a minute, and use a spatula or straight edge to cut them into strips.  An extra little notch at the ends to give them angled ends finishes them off.

And, let me tell you... store bought works juuuuust fine.
I even went with pink icing to make coloring it to red as easy as could be.  I was *that* determined to go with quick and easy.


I didn't even do individual cookies.  Yup, that lazy.  I just broke the cookie dough into 2 sections, rolled each into a ball, and basically rolled out 2 giant cookies. Next time, I'd leave the dough a smidge thicker, but that's the only change I'd make. 

For extra realism, I sprinked the baked cookies with sugar for that "salty" look :)

Let me tell you, folks... this is the *perfect* party food for a kiddo party.  Quick. Easy. Inexpensive.
And you will be FAMOUS.
{Or at least win the Mom/Grandma/Auntie/Friend's Mom of the Year award.}

I felt super accomplished when my 8 year old came home and asked me if I had made fries.
Winner, winner!


And, look, I made some non-food projects this month, too ;)


I broke out this month's new Peaceful Pinecones set and combined it with one of the dove die cuts from the new Heart-2-Heart #9 die this month.  It has to be said... those two are a match made in paper crafting heaven. 

If you get one, I beg you... get the other.  They are meant to be.

The branch dies are made so that you stamp both the branch and the pinecones within the die cut, so since I just wanted to use the branches, I trimmed the little areas where the pinecones would be off.  That left me with a perfect little limb to hold the dove. 

The sweet dove is holding a sweet little felt heart {used my super loved Love Lives Here die once again}.  I'm really digging the little bit unexpected holiday color combo of the Limeade Ice cardstock (stamped with Simply Chartreuse ink) and the Rasperry and purple-y tones.

So much so that I used the color combo and both sets again to come up with a non-holiday card, too...

Peaceful pinecone branches again, but this time I added a little "birdhouse" made from the Love Lives Here house. The addition of the kissing dove image and sentiment from Heart-2-Heart #9 makes it a newlywed birdhouse ;)
Sweet right?



 Next up... Winter Hills...

I stamped one of the Winter Hills images on Fine Linen patterned paper and did some simple Copic coloring.  A little strip of felt made an appropriately warm place for the sentiment...

Not sure why the sentiment has a slightly purple tone in these pics... I used Dark Chocolate ink on the felt and it has a pretty, soft brown tone in real life.


This month's new Menorah Medley seemed just perfect for a clean and simple look, so I paired it with Super Stripes.  {Those stripes got a lot of use out of me this month, didn't they?}

I pulled out all of the blue toned inks and made a simple plaid pattern. 

I used a gridded border block to line my stamp up on... this is super simple to do if you just lay your stripe stamp out (image side down) right alongside the edge of a piece of cardstock.  I simply did that, laid my border block down over the image, and pressed down to get my stripe stamp attached straight every time.  Easy as that. 

Plaids of all different color combos are in in my future ;)


Next up... the all new Snowflake Flurries set...

Maile's modern take on snowflakes totally floats my boat.  I used Aqua Mist, Spring Rain, and Limeade Ice (which is getting quite a lot of play from me lately) for this fun pattern. 

A few snowflakes stamped with VersaMark and embossed with clear ink add some extra depth and interest while the rhinestones bring some shine...


You know me and my love of all-purpose images.
This one totally fits the bill... love it.

Last up... a quick and easy one for you...


This one features the brand new Layered Postmarks set. 
Those holly leaves... they get me every time :)

When it comes to clean and simple cards, the details make all the difference.  A little curling forward of the holly points (just a few pulls on each point with a fingernail) makes this card so much more dynamic. 

And who doesn't love button holly berries? :)



Well... that's all for me this time around.
Not to fear, though... more to be found with the rest of the dt, of course!
Nichole Heady
Cristina Kowalczyk
Erin Lincoln

So what are *you* most looking forward to from this month's release?
Anybody think they are up to the {simple} challenge of some cookie fries?



{Cookie Fries}
Supplies not available now but available 10/15:
Stamps - Over Under Easy, Background Basics:Super Stripes
Die - Favor It Box 7
Supplies availble now:
CS - White
Ink - Pure Poppy; Summer Sun (SU)
Other - parchment paper, paper cup, washi tape (Target), toothpicks

{Peace & Joy} card
Supplies not available now but available 10/15: 
Stamps - Peaceful Pinecones
Die - Peaceful Pinecones, Heart-2-Heart #9
Supplies available now:
CS - White, Raspberry Fizz, Simply Chartreuse
Ink - Simply Chartreuse, Plum Peony (ColorBox)
Die - Love Lives Here
Other - Raspberry Fizz felt

{Mr. & Mrs.} card
Supplies not available now but available 10/15: 
Stamps - Heart-Heart #9, Peaceful Pinecones, Love Lives Here
Die - Peaceful Pinecones
Supplies available now:
CS - White, Simply Chartreuse, Raspberry Fizz
PP - Crate Paper
Ink - Simply Chartreuse; Plum Peony (ColorBox)
Die - Love Lives Here
Other - Button twine

{Warm My Heart} card
Supplies not available now but available 10/15: 
Stamps - Winter Hills
Supplies available now:
CS - Simply Chartreuse
PP - Fine Linen
Ink - Dark Chocolate, Copics
Other - Vintage Cream felt

{Happy Hanukkah} card
Supplies not available now but available 10/15: 
Stamps - Menorah Medley, Background Basics: Super Stripes
Supplies available now:
CS - White
Ink - Enchanted Evening, Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain, Aqua Mist,
{Merry Christmas Flurries} card
Supplies not available now but available 10/15: 
Stamps - Snowflake Flurries
Supplies available now:
CS - White
Ink - Aqua Mist, Spring Rain, Simply Chartreuse, Enchanted Evening, VersaMark
Other - Filigree clear embossing powder, rhinestones

{Merry Christmas Holly} card
Supplies not available now but available 10/15:
Stamps - Layered Postmarks
Die - Layered Postmarks
Supplies available now:
CS - White
Ink - Simply Chartreuse, Dark Chocolate

20 comments:

Cheryl B. said...

Love those "cookie fries". And thanks for asking for this cute little food tray. It's definitely going into my basket.
All the projects were stellar ( as usual). You have so much on your plate and you continue to come through each and every month. Nicole is sooo lucky to have you!

Taheerah said...

I don't think my brain can comprehend the cookie fries - they are amazing! But I'm sure if I tried one my brain would be so confused expecting a fries taste. ;o) Jess you never cease to amaze me with your projects - especially the cake-related ones!!

Amy Rohl said...

Hey idol of mine, have I told you lately how amazing you are?!?!

♥♥♥everything!!

Marlena M. said...

You pulled me in with those fries... ;)Such a clever idea! I love what you did with Winter Hills...awesome felt sentiment strip!

Denise E said...

Oh, I am so stealing this fry idea! So cute and so yummy...everyone will love these! You have awesome projects this month...again...as always!

Connie and Jack said...

Awesome cards! And the french fry cookies ("frookies"??) look yummy.
-- Connie C.

Lynda said...

Wow, Jess - I am blown away by your "cookie fries"! At first glance, I did think they were the real thing!! Even tho my kids are grown, I still want to try this treat ~ practice my "Grandma" skills ;-)

Sharon D said...

LOVE all your projects! You're so creative and amazing!

bridget {bake at 350} said...

Oh my gosh....aDORable!!! :)

Bev Gerard said...

Queen of Foodie Goodies, you are!
Darling projects, every one. :)

jintyoo7 said...

Haha - too cute! Gorgeous projects too :)

andie smith. said...

What a sweet Mr & Mrs card! And I love how you stamped the winter hills image on polka dot paper! Aaaand the felt banner!

jan metcalf said...

Your Mr and Mrs card is super cute!

thejoyinlisa said...

Awesome stuff Jess! I love your french fry project. Know what? My girls are young adults but next time I know they're coming over I'm going to try this. I bet I'll STILL come out lookin' like a rock star!
Your other projects look terrific too - clean lines, contemporary colours. What else can you ask for? Thanks for the inspiration and the smile!

CJPillow said...

Those fries are too delectable, and I adore the newlywed card. Who can resist the kissing birds?

Jill Norwood said...

Cookie fries here I come! Maybe a few pumpkins and bats thrown in but love the idea of doing fries with the rest!!!!
Great cards my dear as always!
Thanks for the food and card inspiration!

Melissa Sibert said...

Jess, I love all your projects, but my favorites are always your food related ones. As a pastry chef and paper crafter, I always love giving food gifts or finding ways to make food look pretty and festive. You are a kindred spirit. I have had to put my pastry skills on hold career wise to be a full time homeschool mom, but I still love to give food gifts. Keep bringing those great ideas.

How sturdy is the new favor it box and would it be best to reinforce the bottom with card stock to make it easier and more sturdy to carry?

Anonymous said...

Some J.W. creativity!
I seriously needed a hit!

Rad stuff, Jess!

Pat said...

Food looks good, but I am wild about the bird house, and the Winter Hills. Great job, and I am really wanting those stamps!
Hugs, Pat

Kathy H said...

Love your cards and, yes, love those fries too!