L'Automne en France

It's French Friday!  : )  That's not really a thing, I just made it up because I used two stamp sets on today's card that have "French" in the name.  Also I took French classes for something like 7 years and used to be at least minimally functional in the language, but I haven't practiced much except for when we visited France.  And Belgium.  Anyway, card!

So I've been stamping for nearly 20 years and I almost never get rid of any stamps or supplies which is why my craft room is trying to take over the entire house and also why I occasionally like to take a trip down Memory Lane with some long-retired stamps.  This time I paired said stamps with some new DSP and accessories because it's fun to see how they play together. 

For challenges, first up is the Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge:

I loved that!  I zoned in on French Foliage for my leafy stamps right away but what seemed to take forever was choosing patterned paper.  I kept coming back to Thoughtful Journey, though.  I'm also entering this at Shopping Our Stash, where the theme is leaves.  Last up is the CASE the Designer challenge at Inspire. Create.:

I kept the basic layout but switched where the sentiment and the images go, and I stamped my French Script over the dark DSP on the left side of my card.

That's it for me today, y'all.  Ryan is off school, we have the hubs' first post-op appointment this afternoon and then we're going to see the new Transformers movie.  But first I have to go clean bathrooms : p Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  French Foliage, French Script, All-Year Cheer I
Ink:  Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Pretty Peacock, Versamark
Paper:  Cajun Craze, Thoughtful Journey DSP Stack
Accessories:  Stylish Shapes dies, Stitched Rectangles dies, Basic Borders dies, White EP, Dimensionals, Faux Glass Dots

Challenge Redux

Okay, most of the time I don't go back and re-do challenges because there's so many out there and I want to play along in most of them, but I had such a good time making my Silver Fox card that I just had to have another go at those two challenges.  So here it is:

I pulled out some retired stamps for this one.  First up is the Inkspirational mood board:

And then the Cupcake Inspirations challenge:

The combination of orange and deep pink plus the idea of plaid made me think of the Plaid Tidings stack so I just had to do another card with it.  I loved that paper so much I bought an extra stack, I do love me a good plaid!  I stamped two large leaves from Wonderfall and cut them out, and then found a wee sentiment from the very, very old All Year Cheer I and there's another card done.

Okay, I'm off to wash Ryan's taekwondo uniform, he managed to get Taco Bell all over himself on Tuesday and you know what doesn't come out of WHITE pants?  Wish me luck.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU! (some retired)
Stamps:  Wonderfall, All Year Cheer I
Ink:  Mango Melody, Melon Mambo, Rich Razzleberry
Paper:  Seaside Spray, Rich Razzleberry, Thick Basic White, Plaid Tidings DSP
Accessories:  Deckled Rectangles dies, Dimensionals, Milky Dots

Happy Little Sea Creatures

Mornin', y'all!  Man, yesterday afternoon was a little crazy trying to get home.  They started working on the road in two different places so I had a detour in between where I work and where Ryan goes to daycare, so I ended up getting there later than usual thanks to traffic.  Ryan and I did a bit of grocery shopping and then started to head home, only to find *another* detour!  It usually takes about 15 minutes to get home, but last night took us more like 35 to 40 because the second detour was longer and crazier and also it was pouring down rain.  Wonder what it's going to be like going in this morning...

Anyway, I have a new card to share with some old stamps!

I didn't get Fishy Friends when it first came out, and I kicked myself for that for years afterward, and then I finally found it (I think on Etsy, actually) and bought it for my Virginia Beach scrapbook pages, along with the coordinating Silly Sealife (click the label on the bottom of the post to see other Fishy Friends projects).  Gotta say, I love coloring in these old images with Stampin' Blends!  Super easy and quick.

Check out the awesome sketch from Inkspirational:

And the theme challenge from Less Is More:

I checked the rules over there, white space doesn't have to be white so woohoo Pacific Point white space! :D  Usually you can't really combine theme challenges unless they happen to both be exactly the same thing, but I think sea creatures dovetails with the Paper Players theme as well:

I chose the bright primary colors to make this card appropriate for a little boy.  Since my 4-year-old boy loves Finding Nemo, I think he'd like this card :)

Better go get ready for the day.  Oh, the funny part of yesterday--I got sent over to the Printing & Graphics shop to make license plates for a couple hours.  Hubs said that's good practice for if I ever go to prison, haha!

Have a great day, y'all!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Fishy Friends, All-Year Cheer II
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Stampin' Blends in Daffodil Delight, Balmy Blue, Real Red, Calypso Coral, and Pumpkin Pie; Pacific Point marker
Paper:  Pacific Point, Thick Basic White
Accessories:  White EP

Friday Flashback: Linen

Happy Friday, y'all!  Today's Friday Flashback stamp set is Linen--yep, we're shining the light on a background stamp today.  Let's check it out!

Also features Baby Talk, Petite Patterns

One thing I noticed going through my archives is that I've used Linen quite a few times, but it's hard to see in the pictures because the texture is so fine on the stamp.  So click on the photos to enlarge, and check out the card base on this one.

Also features Heartfelt Thanks, Warm Words, French Script

Or the Almost Amethyst layer on this one.

Also features Fall Whimsy, Print Pattern, AYC3

Pumpkin Pie layer on this one...

Also features Touch of Nature, Print Pattern, Weathered, AYC3

The card base on this one...

Also features Steppin' Style, Print Pattern

And finally, the blue layer on this one.  Uh, Linen is a hard stamp to photograph I guess?  Well, here's my new card:

I think you can see it a little better here; I stamped Linen with Dapper Denim ink on Dapper Denim cardstock and IRL it looks like blue jeans which makes me happy.  I'm entering this at Just Add Ink, where the challenge is to just add "B"--I made a birthday card with a blue jeans background, using the color Blushing Bride and the stamp set Bodacious Bouquet for my blooms, to which I added a bit of bling in the form of rhinestones, and I used my Big Shot to cut out the Lots of Labels die for my sentiment.  How's that for Bs?

This also counts for Retro Rubber's challenge to use flowers:

I've had Linen for 10 years (!!!), Bodacious Bouquet for 9, and Perfectly Penned for 5, so they're all nice and retro for that challenge.

I also incorporated the colors from The Color Throwdown:

I used Dapper Denim, Blushing Bride, and Watermelon Wonder for my colors, and I think they'll forgive me for adding a smidge of Pear Pizzazz because I just needed some leaves for my flowers.

This afternoon, hubs and I are going to see the new X-Men movie (hubs is off work today!) and then we're going out to dinner.  Maybe I can talk him into going to Chuy's for some Mexican food...adios for now!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Linen, Bodacious Bouquet, Perfectly Penned
Ink:  Dapper Denim, Blushing Bride, Watermelon Wonder
Paper:  Dapper Denim, Blushing Bride, thick Whisper White
Accessories:  Lots of Labels Framelits, rhinestones

Friday Flashback: Sassy Stems

Happy Friday, y'all!  Welcome to the Friday Flashback.  This week's featured stamp set is one of my favorites, Sassy Stems.  There are just three stamps in the set but it's pretty awesome.  Let's take a trip back in time, shall we?

Also features Short & Sweet, Kindness jumbo wheel

I still miss Barely Banana sometimes.  It was a little brighter than So Saffron.

Also features Paisley, Warmest Regards

I used the old, old Color Coach (when it was an actual color wheel) for this color combination--Certainly Celery, Tempting Turquoise, and Cameo Coral.  And I put Iridescent Ice EP all over the main image panel so it sparkled.

Here's a more fall-ish take on Sassy Stems, and lots o' layers.

Also features Paisley

I made this one for a swap not long after they introduced Watercolor Wonder Crayons.  I shoulda made more of the watercolored background visible but oh well.  And also eyelets!  So glad I got rid of most of my eyelets, I never use them anymore.

Also features All-Year Cheer II

Huh, looks like this is the only time I used markers to color the stamp rather than stamping in black.  Anyway, it's time now to unveil the new card on the block:

Ta-daaaah!  The card base and the main image panel are Shimmery White cardstock, so the whole card has a bit of sparkle to it.  I am looking forward to getting my backordered Wink of Stella glitter pen, lemme tell you.  Anyway, I pulled out two retired In Colors, Coastal Cabana and Strawberry Slush, and paired them with the current In Color Cucumber Crush.  I like them as a combination.  I also used this week's Retro Sketch:

Obviously I used stamping for the long thin panel in the background, but I just really liked the idea of butterflies to go with my sassy flowers.

Well kids, that's all she wrote today.  We're going out to dinner tonight for Mexican food, woohoo!  See you back here tomorrow for a baby book layout.  Cheers, peeps, and happy Easter!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Sassy Stems, Beyond the Basics, Really Retro
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Coastal Cabana, Strawberry Slush, Cucumber Crush
Paper:  Shimmery White, Strawberry Slush, Cucumber Crush DSP
Accessories:  Dimensionals, rhinestones, hexagon punch to flag the ends of the banner

Friday Flashback: Paint Prints

Happy Friday, peeps!  This week's Friday Flashback stamp set is the awesome Paint Prints, which was a Sale-a-Bration set back in 2005 when it was still Sell-a-Bration.  Are ya ready?

Also features All Holidays

All the stamps in Paint Prints are kinda watercolor/distressed looking.  I think I got a little carried away with this card, it's kinda busy.

Also features Happy Everything

And here is incontrovertible proof that you can take two stamp sets you really like and still make a hella ugly card.

Also features Lovely Letters Alphabet

Ah, a unicorn chaser in the form of some scrapbook pages.  The Paint Prints flowers are stamped all over the page base around the photo blocks; click on the pic to see it bigger.  And marvel at my photographic skillz in taking pictures of all those lotus blossoms.

Here's another super old baby book layout.

Also features A Greeting for All Reasons

And a very old card, but I still kinda like this one.

Here's some kinda manly colors, and you can see the block and the "delight" stamp also in the set.

Also features All-Year Cheer

 Bopping right along...

Also features Sincere Salutations

I like the colors on this one but I think they're almost all retired.

Also features Whimsical Alphabet, Amazing to Zany, Paisley

 I like the rounded corners on the main image panel, I should do that again and update this card.

Non-SU sentiment

My great-grandmother used to tell me to drink orange juice because "it will put sunshine in your day" and this card makes me think of her.  So that's the end of the Flashback, here's the new card on the block:

Haha, block, and it's a colorblock card.  That wasn't particularly on purpose but it amused me when I thought about it for a second.  Anyway, this card's layout is courtesy of Freshly Made Sketches, gotta love a good colorblock.

 

And the colors are courtesy of me, because I wanted to use Elegant Eggplant, Pink Pirouette, Pale Plum, and Pistachio Pudding.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.

And there's the inside of the card.

Well folks, that's it for me this week.  I'm off to go do some more crafting.  Cheers!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Paint Prints
Ink:  Elegant Eggplant, Pink Pirouette, Pale Plum, Whisper White
Paper:  Elegant Eggplant, Pink Pirouette, Pistachio Pudding, Pale Plum, Whisper White
Accessories:  white baker's twine, Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: Carved & Candlelit

Happy Friday, y'all!  I have an appropriately October-ish stamp set for today's Friday Flashback:  Carved & Candlelit.  Love it!  So let's get to the fun part :)

Also features Rough Edges Alphabet

It's hard to tell from this photo, but the jack o' lanterns' faces are embossed with Iridescent Ice so they're all sparkly.

Also features Cool Cat, Background Basics, All-Year Cheer III

What's more Halloweeny than a cool black cat?

Also features Background Basics, Petite Patterns, All-Year Cheer II

I happen to know a couple of people whose birthdays are ON Halloween, and quite a few more with October birthdays who also love pumpkins.

Ok, so this one is really old:  it's a layout from the first set of baby books I did way, way back.

Also features Bright Blessings (unmounted wheel)

So Carved & Candlelit is a simple little set with a couple of pumpkins and a few faces, but clearly I love it.

Also features Grateful Greetings

Again with the Iridescent Ice EP faces.

Also features Priceless, Falling Leaves

You've seen this layout on here quite recently but I couldn't leave it out.  And that's the Flashback part of today's post, so here's the new creations:

Yep, I made two!  My brother-in-law and his son have birthdays one week apart so I figured I'd make cards for both of them.  And between the two cards, I used every stamp in the set one time.

First up is the grown-up card; I had quite a time trying to get this card to work.  This is actually the FOURTH background panel!  I don't know why but I was just having trouble getting things to gel yesterday when I worked on it.

I used the color combination from The Color Throwdown:

And the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches:

And I think this one counts for the Male Room challenge to make an autumn card for a guy:

So next up, the card for the 6-year-old.

This one didn't quite want to gel either, I don't know what is up with my craft cave lately.  But anyway I used the color combo from ColourQ:

And the sketch from Retro Sketches:

I think this might have worked better for me if I'd made my card more like 5 inches square instead of 4.25".  But I don't have envelopes that size, so what can ya do.

Well, I know what I'm going to do:  I'm going to go back down to my craft room and work on another project, and hope that this time my mojo cooperates a little better.  Cheers, peeps!

Supplies, next-to-last card:
Stamps:  Carved & Candlelit, Fall Fest, Birthday Wish, Work of Art
Ink:  Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip
Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Accessories:  Dimensionals

Supplies, last card:
Stamps:  Carved & Candlelit, All-Year Cheer II
Ink:  Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss
Paper:  Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango DSP
Accessories:  circle punch, Dimensionals