April's Review	Catherine's Review	Penny's Review	Stephanie's Review	Pomaika`i's Review

Review by April

What's new, distressed, hauntingly beautiful, and totally wicked as my teenage cousin would say? That would be Cosmo Cricket's new Haunted Collection! "Yummier than a bag full of candy", is the tag line for their new Haunted Paper Crafting Kit, and I have to say I definitely agree. I was really looking forward to this review and couldn't wait to get my hands on Cosmo's new Haunted kit!

For this review I received Cosmo Cricket's Haunted crafting kit. The kit contained one sheet of adhesive die cuts, one double-sided sheet of of journaling cards, one double-sided strip tease sheet, 12 double sided design papers, and a cover sheet with a design studio providing several project ideas on the back. Everything in this spectacular new kit is acid free, lignin free, and according to Cosmo Cricket, it's also fat free! The color scheme for this new collection is filled with richly muted dark purples, rusty reds and oranges, dark butterscotch yellows, weathered verdigris greens, lush cremes and darker neutrals, and of course various shades of grey and black. The pattern details are just as intoxicating and include fancy flower flourishes, bats, mysterious black birds, skeletons, pumpkins, stripes, candy corn, diagonal plaids, and wood grain. Each double sided sheet of cardstock also has a 65lb cover weight, which makes them perfect for distressing, painting, and altering. The double sided sheet of strip tease offers over 14 different strips of cardstock filled with designs, titles, and journaling. The sheet of journaling cards has 8 double sided cut apart cards, and each one has a unique print on it. The journal cards have a variety of coordinating designs, journaling lines, fancy frames, decorative borders, journaling strips, and catchy words and phrases. Last but not least, the adhesive die cuts sheet is filled with over 40 heavy weight images of skeletons, cute pumpkins, bats, cats, photo corner bones, title banners, stars, eyeballs, creepy little hands, and letter stickers that spell Happy Halloween. Besides having the design studio on the back of the cover to reference for project ideas, you can also visit www.cosmocricket.com to view more ideas if you are searching for inspiration!

To create my first project, I started by using an edge distresser on my photograph and several of the patterned papers. Since all of the papers were heavy in weight, they were easy to distress and sanded beautifully. I trimmed a section from the Nevermore paper to cut up and use as journaling strips, and I also cut out the little "Ghouls" flag I created from the middle of a journal card. To get rid of the distracting background in my photo, I scratched up the surface around the subjects, and then used a foam tool to add a mixture of black and purple distress ink. To complete the design, I added pop dots underneath the photo for extra dimension, and then dressed up a few of the embellishments with glitter glue.

Title: Spooktacular Ghouls
Products used:
Patterned Paper (Cosmo Cricket Haunted Collection: Ominous, Gothic, Nevermore, Haunted Strip Tease)
Stickers (Cosmo Cricket: Haunted Adhesive Die Cuts)
Journaling Cards (Cosmo Cricket: Haunted Journal Cards)
Glitter Glue (Ranger Stickles)
Brads (7gypsies)
Pen (Sanford Uniball)
Edge Distresser (Tonic Studios: Tim Holtz)
Ink (Ranger Distress Ink)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I love working with Cosmo Cricket's crafting kits because they are perfectly coordinated and really make it easy to create several great layouts in short amount of time! Since the adhesive die cuts, journal cards, and especially the strip tease sheet, provide you with several different title options, journal prompts, and embellishments, you can design fabulous layouts without even having to reach for other supplies. In fact, the only thing I added to my second layout that wasn't from the kit was a little bit of glitter glue, and two small brads. My second layout was created in less than 30 minutes and I simply cut out two strips from the strip tease sheet to use as my title, and then added an adorable adhesive die cut skelton to add some fun to the layout.

Title: Hauntingly Spectacular!
Products used:
Patterned Paper (Cosmo Cricket Haunted Collection: Eerie, Nevermore, Haunted Strip Tease)
Stickers (Cosmo Cricket: Haunted Adhesive Die Cuts)
Journaling Cards (Cosmo Cricket: Haunted Journal Cards)
Glitter Glue (Ranger Stickles)
Brads (Heidi Swapp)
Pen (American Crafts)
Alcohol Ink (Jaquard)
Ink (Ranger Distress Ink)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I thought this was a really cute kit and I loved the muted distressed colors. The distressing on each design really added to the overall spooky effect and made it great for scrapping those slightly scarier photos, yet it also looked just as good when paired with cute Halloween photos! You could easily scrapbook other themes with several of the papers in this collection and that's always a plus! The quality of the papers and stickers in this kit are superb and it was so nice having two of each paper because I loved all of the patterns and don't like having to choose between one side or the other. I would recommend this crafting kit to anyone looking for an exceptional new line to scrapbook their Halloween or Fall photos!

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Review by Catherine

Cosmo Cricket is such a fun, creative, and innovative company. Since their inception, I have been impressed by the quality of their products as well as their inventive and interesting products. The Cosmo Cricket website is a great place to visit to get inspiration, get a laugh, and see their wonderful products. I was excited to be assigned to work with the Haunted Collection by Cosmo Cricket because I love working with their products, and also because Halloween is one of my very favorite holidays.

For this review, I was sent the complete Haunted Papercrafting Pack. The papercrafting kit includes two each of six different double-sided design papers. As well as a sheet of Journaling Cards, a Strip Tease sheet, and a sheet of Cardstock weight stickers. The overall feel of the papers in this collection are elegant and fun at the same time. I love the rich colors and distressed feel of these products. Even though I absolutely love Halloween, I usually don’t love Halloween papercrafting products. The Haunted collection from Cosmo Cricket is definitely an exception. Rich orange, green, purple, black, and cream colors compliment each other so very well and are perfect for fall and Halloween themed layouts and paper crafts. Additionally, on the back of the cover sheet of the Paper Crafting Kit, there are ideas for using the kit products, including Layout sketches, Card sketches, and a Project idea. I think that this is such a wonderful idea. Having so many wonderful starting points for projects can certainly be a benefit.

My favorite paper in the Haunted Collection is the Gothic paper, which is black with subtle Damask, bats, and ravens printed lightly on one side. The other side is a very rich orange with swirls and flowers reminiscent of damask patterns printed in black. I had a really hard time choosing which side was my favorite. I was happy that there were two of each pattern in the Paper Crafting kit so that I didn’t have to decide which side of the paper to use. I used both patterns to create a page about my son’s Halloween costume from last year.

Title: Headless Horseman
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Papers)
Patterned Papers (Cosmo Cricket – Haunted Collection)
Die-Cut Stickers (Cosmo Cricket – Haunted Collection)
Journaling Sticker (Li’l Davis Designs)
Glitter Thickers (American Crafts)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

For my second project, I decided to use different papers from the collection, along with several of the die-cut stickers to create goodie bags for a party. I decided to use pieces of several of the different papers from the collection folded over the top of clear cellophane bags to create toppers for the goodie bags and accented them with the stickers. These goodie bags were a huge hit at the party!

Title: Cosmo Goodie Bags
Products used: Cardstock (Prism Papers)
Patterned Papers (Cosmo Cricket – Haunted Collection)
Die-Cut Stickers (Cosmo Cricket – Haunted Collection)
Other Stickers (Target Dollar Spot)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

On the cover sheet of the Haunted collection, it says that these papers are “Yummier than a bag full of candy.” I would certainly agree with that sentiment! I love the diversity and quality of these products. The papers in this collection are perfect for so many different uses, and lend an elegant look to any project. The stickers, Strip Tease sheet, and Journaling Card sheets are perfect accent to the papers in the kit. If you are a Halloween junkie, or if you would just like to create special memories of Halloween, then you need to get the Cosmo Cricket Haunted Collection papers and coordinating products. You will love them as much as I do, I am sure!

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Review by Penny

Cosmo Cricket's new Haunted Collection combines a bit of vintage, romantic styling within its orange, cream, green, purple and black color scheme. The collection includes six double-sided patterned papers.

Their "Gothic" pattern really caught my eye. It is covered with a black flourish on top of a bright orange background with little cream distress marks and accents. It's reverse is mainly black with a smaller cream pattern and orange distress marks.

"Nevermore" continues the orange and black color scheme with a cream and orange bird and diamond pattern on a black background with slight hints of purple. The reverse is orange with a wood grain look.

The Haunted collection includes a lovely purple background with a black, orange and cream pattern in "Eerie." There is also some green distress marks. The reverse is a green wood grain look with orange distress marks.

The other three patterned papers have a cream colored background. There is "Ominous" that has a small black pattern and orange on the reverse, "Them Bones" with whimsical orange, black and cream stripes with skeletons and "Macabre" has a thin orange filigree pattern with purple bats and black birds. Pattern papers cost around $.69 each.

The collection also includes "Strip Tease" - a double-sided collection of pattern, title and phrase strips that can be cut for your projects. Similarly, there is a journaling card sheet with eight to choose from on each side. (Each of these are $1.09.)

There is also a 12" sheet of adhesive die cuts that fit the Blackboard shapes perfectly, or you can use them on their own as I did in my projects.

My first project uses the "Nevermore" and the reverse of "Ominous" along with a journaling card and two adhesive die cut stickers.

Title: Batty About You
Supplies: Patterned Paper, Journaling Block, Stickers (Cosmo Cricket)
Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)
Mask (Tim Holtz for Advantus)
Marker (Zig)
Adhesive (Ad Tech Glue Runner)
Other: brads, ribbon, cardstock

I used a large section of the Strip Tease sheet as the background for my second project and three cardstock sticker pumpkins to finish it off.

Title: Lil' Pumpkin
Supplies: Cardstock (Prism-black, sugar cream)
Patterned Paper, Stickers (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink (ColorBox)
Roller Doodle (Glitz Design)
Punch (Stampin Up)
Vinyl Alpha (American Crafts)
Marker (Zig)
Adhesive (Ad Tech Glue Runner)

This collection also includes ribbon, rub ons, blackboard pieces, a package of two 6" cardstock sticker sheets and stamps which are not a part of this review.

Cosmo Cricket offers a unique collection of products and the Haunted Collection continues that theme. With the distressed look and the purple, green and cream added to the traditional orange and black color scheme, this is a collection that is guaranteed to get noticed. I whole-heartedly recommend it.

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Review by Stephanie

Since Cosmo Cricket first debuted several years ago, their paper collections have become a staple in my scrap room. I wait with anticipation for each new collection to come out, wondering what it will be, what it will look like, when I can get it. The quality of their papers is excellent and definitely original. When I found out Scrapfriends was going to review the Haunted collection this month, I just had to have it. These papers are even better than I imagined. They are jammed packed with rich, vibrant colors. With traditional and not so traditional Halloween themes, there is definitely something to please everyone.

For this review, I received 12 double sided sheets of heavier weight pattern paper, a sheet of adhesive die cuts, a sheet of double sided journaling cards and a sheet called “Strip Tease” which is a sample of all the papers on one sheet. Nice!!!. The colors are distressed, subdued solids on one side and awesome Halloween themes on the other. The papers are sturdy enough for the base of a layout or card, but can be torn easily and distressed further if needed.

These papers come with a descriptive legend on the bottom with the date, sku, website information, and the paper names: Eerie, Nevermore, Macabre, Theme Bones, Ominous and Gothic. Each legend then claims the papers are “acid free, lignin free, fat free, sugar free, high in fiber”. Too funny! Each sheet also dares you to “Look if you must”. Oh, I knew I was going to have fun with this collection.

I had recently taken some family photos and found that the papers were a perfect mesh with the photo. While I did not want to be “Halloween” specific for this photo, the distressed look on the flip side and the journaling tags worked wonderfully together. I love how this layout turned out.

Title: Bonds
Products used: Pattern Paper (Cosmo Cricket, Haunted Collection)
Journaling Tags (Cosmo Cricket, Haunted Collection)
Brads (Making Memories)
Stamps (Autumn Leaves, Making Memories)
Ink (Staz on)
Other (Metal Words)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

I then created a Halloween treat bag. Using a Scrapfriends how-to, this treat bag was quick, easy and fun to make. Adding a pumpkin and the skeleton hands from the die cut sticker sheet, I was done in no time.

Title: Treat Bag
Products used: Pattern Paper (Cosmo Cricket Haunted Collection)
Stickers (Cosmo Cricket)
Brads (Making Memories)

For my next projects, I pulled out some chipboard Halloween decorations I've been wanting to use. Looking at this collection, I knew the papers would work great with the chipboard and would be a great addition to my Halloween decorating. Using this collection, I distressed, tore and inked my papers to create a spooky ghost and BOO sign. Then I used one of the included stickers to create a banner for the ghost to carry.

Title: Spooky Decorations
Products used: Chipboard (Making Memories)
Pattern paper (Cosmo Cricket, Haunted Collection)
Stickers (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink (Colorbox)
Other (Fiber)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

What a gorgeous, fun and spooky collection to work with. Halloween themes and colors on one side plus rich colors and distressed looks on the other side, make this a wonderful collection for anyone. Even if you don’t celebrate Halloween, Cosmo Cricket has got you covered. Come on and try it, you will not be disappointed!

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Review by Pomaika`i

To me, Halloween means the coming of Fall. Pumpkin patches, homemade costumes and trick or treating. We have a wonderful Halloween album with layouts from each year beginning with the year my son was born. Looking back I noticed with interest, the lack of Halloween themed papers. In my earlier layouts I used mostly solid cardstock and theme embellishments. I remember that there just weren't many exciting Halloween papers on the market. That has changed for the better these last few years!

When I received my Cosmo Cricket "Haunted" Crafting Kit, my eyes were immediately captured by the product page that shows a picture summary of the items in the package. Each kit comes with 12 double sided design papers, adhesive die cuts, journaling cards, and strip tease (pre-printed title and borders). On the back of the product page is an idea sheet with 4 layout sketches, 5 card sketches and an altered wreath project. Cool beans!

My first thought was that all of the colors and designs in the collection were beautifully coordinated. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well, here was a picture of everything in the package, all in miniature, and in full color. The amazing thing was that everything coordinated. Nothing clashed.

When I began to take the contents out of the cellophane package, things got even better! Only three of the patterned papers are specifically Halloweenish with skeletons and bats which lends versatility to this set. If you don't have too many Halloween specific photos, not to worry, you won't be stuck with a bunch of papers you can't use until next year. On the other hand, you can use all of the papers for a Halloween theme, so if you need tons of Halloween specific supplies, you've got them!

All of the designs are gorgeous. My favorite paper design is "Gothic" a striking orange/red background with black flowing floral and vine like designs. Unfortunately I also love the reverse side, black bats in floral/vine pattern. This paper is of excellent quality. Heavy enough to use as a page without cardstock (65 lb cover weight), and if you are efficient, you could even decorate both sides of the pages and slip them into an album, two for the price of one!

My favorite piece of the whole collection is the Haunted Die Cut Stickers. They are to "die" for. I love that they are large. Cute without being obnoxious and screaming fun! The sheet includes a title sized "Happy Halloween" and two smaller titles, perfect for a variety of pages. I love the skeletons and the jack-o-lanterns, they are too fun! Lots of extra "eyes" are included in case you want to customize your die cuts.

The journaling cards are a wonderful mixture of lines for your journaling and decorative titles. The "Journaling Cards" as well as the "Strip Tease" are made with the same heavy paper as the decorative papers, and are double sided. If I have one complaint about this collection it is this; that the papers are double sided. Not too much of a problem for most of the patterned papers because many of them are just solid "wood grain-like" designs, I don't mind cutting that up, but the Journal Cards and Strip Tease are equally wonderful on both sides. I want to use all of them, front and back, and I can't. Okay, so call me spoiled. It does say a lot of good things about the collection though, and that is my only complaint. ;) You'll notice I didn't use any of the journaling cards in my projects. I am still trying to think of a way to use both sides of them in a project.

My first project is a layout about a pumpkin patch visit. My background is "Nevermore." I used a strip tease under the photos, and added a "jack-o-lantern" of my son's face. The letters were cut with a Colluzle from "Them Bones" and matted with the reverse side of the same paper. I backed the large pumpkin and arm die cuts with thin chipboard and cut them out for more dimension.

Title: I Pick You
Products used: Patterned Paper (Cosmo Cricket Haunted)
Die Cut Stickers (Cosmo Cricket Haunted)
Ink (Adirondak Espresso Ranger)
Other (chipboard, dymo lable)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner)

My second project is an altered tin for a coach appreciation gift. This person loves anything Gothic and also loves Halloween. I used both sides of the "Gothic" paper for the outside, and "Ominous" for the inside. I created a photo mat and embellished a metal tag with "Macabre." The weight of this paper is perfect for altering.

Title: Gothic Tin
Products used: Patterned Paper (Cosmo Cricket Haunted)
Leaves (Gold Leaf)
Charms (Making memories, So Charming)
Ink (Adirondak Espresso Ranger)
Tin ( Provocraft)
Floss (DMC)
Other (ribbon, fiber. skeleton beads)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Bond Glue Runner, Mod Podge, Golden Soft Gel)

If you need some new Halloween paper that can also be used for other projects, look no further. Cosmo Cricket's Haunted Crafting Kit is perfect! No goulin'! This set retails for about $15.99. Each piece can also be purchased separately. I noticed that this line also has coordinated clear stamps, ribbons, rub-ons and blackboard chipboard shapes! Oh, and check out the Cosmo Cricket Blackboard House Album. Perfect for a Haunted House Album! I give my highest recommendations for this collection! No tricks here, only wonderfully sweet treats from Cosmo Cricket!

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