Hints of Fall

It's been feeling like autumn here in Michigan this week. The temps cooled quite dramatically, and everything has that golden glow as we transition into a new season.

I made this card using my stamped background, and then adding some of the die cut leaves as accents for this fun bird.

I did a little seasonal swap out in the house, adding a new wreath over the fireplace and swapping out some of the dishes in the hutch. A few new colors of pillows and a plaid throw. It's not full, in-your-face fall décor. Just a subtle shift in the color palette.

Many years ago, I worked at Coldwater Creek when they still had stores. I loved the ever changing displays. We didn't have just four seasons at CWC. We had multiple seasons with different names. You can still see them on the front of their catalogs, too. Seasons in Transition 2025. Hints of Fall 2025. That's where we are now.

Are you seeing Hints of Fall? 

The Goodwill Bookstore

 

I went to visit Mom yesterday, and after I left I decided to drive into town to visit the Goodwill bookstore.

This store opened a few years ago in a space that used to be a Family Video. When we lived in town (25 years ago!) my boys used to visit the video store for the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. So imagine my surprise when I saw the turtles on a screen in the kids section!

It's a lovely store, well organized with so much to see!

This reading lounge is fun!

Of course, I ended up in the cookbook section...

...which is where I found this classic!

 

I picked it up on a whim because it was in great condition and I loved the illustrations. After getting it home and doing a little research, it turns out the author's family owned a restaurant in the area we just visited this summer in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania!

Goodwill bookstore prices are not as cheap as, say, your average Goodwill store. They're still cheaper than Half Price Books. I got this book for $4, but on Amazon it shows that it's out of print and over $30 to buy one. I snagged a deal!

I'm going to make a point of visiting this store more often in the future!

Emily Lex Inspired

 

Have you seen the line of watercolor books from artist Emily Lex? If you've walked into any kind of home or craft boutique or bookstore this year, you've probably seen them. They are spiral journals with black and white sketches and instructions on how to paint them.

Farm, birds, garden, florals, fruit, camping. Lots of themes. 

But I already purchased a spiral-bound book of blank watercolor pages from Walmart last year (probably from school supplies), and the quality of the paper is not bad.

I thought I'd do the sketching on my own, and then give the painting a try.

I used my Prima pan watercolors and a fine tip Prima brush for these. It was fun!

It's good to flex your creative muscles from time to time.

You can see the full line of Emily Lex products here:

https://shop.emilylex.com/

I appreciate the creativity of artists, and if money was no object, I'd buy them all! And I know I'm treading a fine line between inspiration and creative theft by making my own version. I'm filing this under the CASE category, and hoping that imitation is the best form of flattery.

Hoping to do some more water coloring during this season when nature is so inspiring.

From ISO to Found!

Do you have a stamp set or product that you've been on the lookout for? On forums and FB buy/sell pages, these are called ISO's. In Search Of.

For a long time, I've been ISO a stamp set from Catherine Pooler called Leaf Motifs. It was an old set (I think from her Stamp of Approval collection), discontinued. But I liked the look of the funky leaves, and all the cards made with it were fun.

Lo and behold, someone was selling theirs a few months back on a B/S/T forum, and I got it...and for a great price, too! It also came with two leaf dies.

I couldn't wait for fall to arrive so that I could finally play with this set.

{Today's Brew: Leaf Motifs stamps and dies (CP), Birds of a Feather stamp and die (CP), Mama Elephant banner dies, CP basket weave card front die, CP inks}

Happy Monday, café friends!

 

Finding Beauty in Nature

 

There is so much beauty in this wonderful world that God created, but sometimes we miss it.

I stepped out on the deck at just the right moment yesterday, when the sun was at just the right angle to illuminate this spider web in a kaleidoscope of color. Stunning! A work of art! 

I try to live a slow life that pauses and examines.

The swallowtail caterpillar eating fennel in my garden.

The monarch flitting from blossom to blossom.

The young buck with fuzzy antlers.

This squirrel napping on the deck railing.

Peppers dangling from the plant.

This beautiful pink brandywine tomato, fresh from the garden.

Sometimes, people get so wrapped up in the bad that they become blind to the good. They'd rather see the negative and the ugly than the positive and the beautiful right before their eyes. They don't live in peace, but choose to dwell in conflict.

I hope that I can always see the good. One day, I will get to heaven and tell the Lord of Creation "Thank you for that funny squirrel, and those butterflies and caterpillars, and that spider's web. They made me smile!"

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- practice these things, and the peace of God will be with you."  Philippians 4: 8-9

More New Release Dupes

 

I love fall releases! All those pretty pumpkins and leaves are so hard to resist!

When I see a new collection that I like, I have to ask myself a few questions.

Is it the color palette that appeals to me?

Are the stamped images similar to something I already own?

Do I have very similar embellishments and accents that can copy the look?

Usually, the answer to all three is "yes".

The new CP release features a set with animals in scarves. Well, birds in scarves will do!

There is also a leafy cover plate-style die. Got that, too!

Patterned papers and sequins? Made my own "paper" using background stamps, and combined a few sequin sets to get the colors I needed.

I love getting creative with the things I already own!

Happy Friday, friends!

Simple Stories to the Rescue

 

I needed a card for one of our pastors who is celebrating a birthday this week.

This On The Lake collection from Simple Stories is great for masculine cards.

I thought this sentiment from Creative Worship stamps went well with the fish papers.

{Today's Brew: Simple Stories papers and enamel dots. Creative Worship Hymn sentiment, Hello Bluebird deckle frames}

And here's a beauty that visited my garden this week. Last year was not a good year for monarchs, but I'm seeing a lot more this summer, along with swallowtails and cool moths. They flitter and fly so fast that it's hard to catch them on camera!