Friday Flashback: Ocean Commotion

Happy Friday, y'all, and welcome to the first Friday Flashback of the year.  This week's stamp set is Ocean Commotion...it's funny to me, I'm not a huge ocean person but the hubs is, and we lived on Okinawa for a bit under three years so I do have some beachy/ocean-y pictures and basically I always get the marine sets and use them pretty frequently.  But I think Ocean Commotion might have been my first fishy set :)

Also features Rough Type

Speaking of Okinawa, here's a scrapbook layout from the Churaumi Aquarium in Nago.  I do love that photo with the sea turtle :)  Anyway, Ocean Commotion is a wee little set of just four stamps, and I used all of 'em on this layout--the fish, the seahorse, the seaweed, and the shell.

I did a couple of baby books for kiddos born on Okinawa so I made an ocean layout for those.

Also features Thank You Kindly

The hubs loves to scuba dive, so when he asked for some thank you cards I made up a set of six of these.

Also features Short & Sweet

Ocean images are perfect for using with polished stone!  I miss SU's glossy white cardstock just for polished stone backgrounds, that was one of my favorite techniques.

Also features Warmest Regards

Here's a birthday card for one of the hubs' scuba diving friends.

Also features Big Deal Alphabet

And one last scrapbook layout from the one and only time I'll ever go whale watching--I was so busy being seasick I didn't see not ONE STINKING WHALE!  But I did really like how this layout turned out.  I love the bright blues and orange together.  And while the hubs kinda laughs at how my photos all seem to tilt a little bit, I can categorically say all the crooked photos on this layout were taken by HIM, not me.

So there's the flashback, and here is my brand new card:

Why Father's Day?  Well, since I'm 8 months pregnant that means this year will be my hubs' first Father's Day as a daddy himself.  And the idea popped into my head when I was perusing stamp sets for a sentiment to put on this card so I went with it.  I was inspired by the Fusion challenge:

Obviously I used the sketch, but I also used the photo--completely different theme, but I took the colors Soft Sky, Tip Top Taupe, and Real Red from the picture.  So now I just need to put this card someplace the hubs won't see it, but that I won't forget where to find it in June...

Cheers, y'all!  Stay warm this weekend.

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Ocean Commotion, Something to Celebrate
Ink:  Soft Sky, Tip Top Taupe, Real Red
Paper:  Soft Sky, Thick Whisper White
Accessories:  Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: Fruit Stand

Happy Friday, y'all!  I just finished up my Flashback card, and as soon as I go back downstairs I'm going to clean off my stamping table.  I don't *think* my girl dog Sadie gets up there to have fun with my craft supplies, but somehow her hair does--I've long suspected it is self-aware and also independently mobile.  But I've been needing to clean off my table for eons so I'm gonna do it TODAY.

On to the Friday Flashback!  Today's retired stamp set is Fruit Stand, a set of three stamps from 2008 and wouldn't you know, I happen to have cards with each stamp in the set.

Also features Amazing to Zany

I admit, the peaches are my least favorite stamp, but that might be because when the set was released, there was a huge discussion on Splitcoast about the peaches' resemblance to a certain male body part.  o.0

Also features Stippled Stencils

I do like the grapes, though.

Also features Short & Sweet

And the raspberries are my favorite, though I suppose they could be blackberries too.  This card has the most comments in my entire Splitcoast gallery thanks to a little prank my Mothermark. I later sent her a card with like 85 buttons on it.

So anyway, here is today's new creation:

I had to go with the raspberries because they're my favorite, and also because of today's FabFriday color combo:

The colors might make you think of Christmas but I'm a rebel so I did something else.  I get kind of annoyed at those people who like to pretend fall doesn't exist and start dragging out their Christmas stuff before Halloween (I have a cousin who's planning to have her kids pose in their Halloween costumes next to the Christmas tree.  NOOOOO!) so I like to wait until at least November to think about Christmas stuff.  Thanksgiving deserves its own time in the holiday spotlight if you ask me.

Anyway, Christmas colors aside, I figure a fruit stand (and fruit in general) is a summertime thing, so I'm entering over at Retro Rubber:

And staring at that fruit stamp is kinda making me crave a piece of triple berry pie.  With ice cream because of course ice cream.  Anyway, as I said Fruit Stand came out in 2008, so it's now 8 years old, and the Four You sentiment is 3 years old.

I also used this week's Retro Sketch:

I turned the sketch on its side, and instead of having the three small circular elements clustered around the image, I lined up some Candy Dots in the corner of my card.

Okay kids, I'm off to clean up my stamp table and maybe organize a few things.  Then I can start my next scrapbook layout with a clean slate.  Have a great weekend!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Fruit Stand, Four You
Ink:  Versamark, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Blushing Bride, River Rock
Paper:  Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Very Vanilla, Bella Rose DSP
Accessories:  Clear EP, Neutrals Candy Dots, Dimensionals

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: Like it a Latte

It's Friday Flashback day, yay!  And today's featured stamp set is a real treat, a set I like a lot and should use more often even if it is retired:  Like it a Latte.  Let's get going!

I think that pack of patterned paper was some of the first DSP I got from Stampin' Up!  And now I've got about a zillion pounds of paper.  Just ask my husband:  when we were getting ready to move out of our house in England, he told our movers to double the estimated weight of our stuff just because of my paper.

Ok, ok, so doubling the initial estimate turned out to be just about right, but still.  Don't encourage him.

Also features Short & Sweet

Here's a kickstand card for ya, those are fun to do occasionally.

And back to the same paper pack from the first card, but I did a good job of switching out the toppings on the mug right?  And this is the only card in today's post where I did *not* put the heart on top of the mug.  So that's it for the Flashback part, here's today's all-new card:

And not a bit of patterned paper to be seen!  I've been itching to try the color combination from ColourQ this week:

I kinda sorta want those rain boots.  I don't need them, but man, they're pretty!  I also used the new sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch:

For the pink circle elements on the sketch, I busted out a marker and just drew some hearts and freckles and tried not to overthink where I put them.  Sometimes you've just gotta go with it.

So that's it from me for today!  At least, on the blog.  I think I'm going to continue messing around in my craft room for a while, I want to get back in the habit of spending more time in there and gettin' my muse on!

Cheers, peeps!

Supplies, last card only:

Stamps:  Like It a Latte, For All Things (the swoosh behind the cup, I love that stamp)
Ink:  Blushing Bride, Blackberry Bliss, Summer Starfruit, Calypso Coral
Paper:  Blushing Bride, Whisper White
Accessories:  Calypso Coral baker's twine, Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: Weathered

Welcome to this week's Friday Flashback!  Today's stamp set of choice is Weathered, a great background stamp.  I was kinda surprised how big the SCS gallery for it is, usually background stamps aren't the ones that people choose to upload cards under.  Anywha, let's flash back!

 Ah yes, before I learned to tie pretty knots :)  I'm not a huge fan of this card but I do like the color combo (Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron, and Wild Wasabi).  The main image and sentiment are from A Beautiful Thing.

Here's an older card I do still quite like and it might possibly still be in my card stash somewhere.  The beautiful butterfly is from Wonderful Wings, and the sentiment is from Fancy Flexible Phrases.

How do you like how Weathered looks when stamped with white craft ink on dark cardstock?  I like the crackle effect.  The main image is from the wonderful lighthouse set Coast to Coast.

Here's one that features Touch of Nature (I know lots of people were gaga over that set, and I liked it okay but it was never one of my favorites) and Amazing to Zany.

Stippled Stencils and Sincere Salutations for this one, and you can't tell from the scan but the sentiment was embossed in gold.

Another Touch of Nature card with a sentiment from Short & Sweet.

And apparently I really liked using Touch of Nature with Weathered, 'cause here's a third bird.  Sentiment on this one is from All-Year Cheer III, and the harlequin is Print Pattern.

Ready for today's brand-new card?

I admit, I had to do another fall card before Thanksgiving...I figure that starting next week I'll be doing Christmas stamp sets for the Friday Flashback but I refuse to start that before Turkey Day :)

The color combo on this one is courtesy of the challenge over at Create with Connie and Mary, lovely fall colors:

And the sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches:

I kind of wish I'd used some kind of pattern for the Tangerine Tango strips on my card, but maybe that would have been too busy with the Weathered pattern on both the card base and the main image strip.  Regardless, I'm not going to redo it now :)

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Weathered, Lovely Leaves, Vintage Verses
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip
Paper:  Sahara Sand, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Accessories:  None

Friday Flashback: Bundled in Love

Happy Friday!  Welcome to this week's Friday Flashback, featuring Bundled in Love.  This is a super-cute baby set and it's also got a companion set, Bundle of Joy.  I love to use those two sets together, the moon & stars stamp from Bundle of Joy is a great lil background :)  So let's Flashback!

This was an idea for a baby shower invite for my friend Sarah (I know last week's Flashback was baby themed and featured projects for Sarah too, that is completely coincidental as I pick out stamp set names at random.  As in, for reals, I have a big plastic container full of paper slips with stamp set names on them, which my mom thought was funny and OCD).  Our friend Tiana was planning Sarah's shower before we knew she was having a boy, so we were going for bright colors but more gender-neutral.  We ended up going with something else but I thought this was cute.

Tiana loves both these stamp sets and we used them for her baby announcements for both her girls (her older daughter's announcement featured the giraffe from Bundle of Joy, these are the ones for her younger daughter).

And here's a layout from Baby Girl #2's baby book.  And here's today's brand new card!

Seems like most mamas I know are having boys right now but I wanted to use this week's Dynamic Duo so a girl baby card it is!  The bunny shows up better IRL than she looks in the picture, perhaps I should have stamped her in darker ink to make her stand out more.  And crud, looks like I missed the challenge deadline on this one.  Oh well.

I stuck like glue to the color challenge, the only other color I used at all was Very Vanilla.  The sketch is this week's awesomely fantastic Sketch Frenzy Friday challenge:

I think I wanna go make another card with this sketch because I'm kind of in love with it.

Did you notice that giant shiny new badge in the right sidebar?  I'm gonna be on the Nacho design team starting in September, woot woot!  Super excited about that :)

Y'all have a lovely weekend!  Tomorrow I'm going down to London to meet up with my pal Vicki, so yay!!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Bundled in Love
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Pink Pirouette
Paper:  Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla, retired DSP in Pink Pirouette & Sahara Sand
Accessories:  Deco Label Framelits, Pearls, Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: Inspired by Nature

Happy Friday and welcome to the Friday Flashback!  This week's randomly chosen stamp set is Inspired by Nature.  Let's take a look back at some previous cards I made with this set, shall we?

Ok, so, I love these giant flowers but I just noticed that I *always* do them in pink!  Had I looked back at these older photos before I did today's card, I woulda picked different colors :)

I suppose you could just stamp them all in one color like a silhouette, but I always want to do different colors with markers.

And here is the only non-flower and non-pink card in today's lineup!  I made this for my sweet hubs for our anniversary one year.  Hey, we're coming up on our tenth this October!

So I thought this look was kind of cool, with the darker shading on the edges done with markers.  So far as I know, I thought of that all by my onesies, I don't recall seeing it anywhere else.  And that's the Flashback, so here's today's card:

Again with the pink, but what can ya do :)  This was a recent SCS color challenge and perhaps I could have done the flowers in Bermuda Bay with just the centers in Regal Rose, but again I didn't realize how pink this Flashback was going to be when I made this.  And this is the first stamping I've done in over a week!  I have a LOT of catching up to do and I'm sad about all the great challenges I missed out on, but there's always new challenges popping up so I shan't be sad for long.

Thanks for joining me for today's Friday Flashback, and have a wonderful weekend!  OH, another thing to make today fun--we can order from the new Stampin' Up! catalog!!  I know I've got my wish list ready...

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Inspired by Nature, Happy Greetings (both retired)
Ink:  Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay, Regal Rose, Creamy Caramel
Paper:  Certainly Celery, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, retired Regal Rose DSP
Accessories:  none, but I did use sponges on the card :)

Friday Flashback: Season of Joy

I started Friday Flashbacks on my first blog because I have...more than a few retired stamp sets, and I wanted to challenge myself to use them more often.  So I put all my stamp set names onto little slips of paper and I draw one out and make a card or two with that stamp set.  You can see the previous Flashbacks here.

So for today the stamp set is Season of Joy.  Generally, I'm the type that doesn't like to rush into the holidays; I like to concentrate on Halloween and Thanksgiving before the Christmas stuff takes over the universe.  But we'll let that slide in the interest of breaking out some old stamps :)

First up, this card is from the archives...made this back in 2007.  And somehow that's the only card I  made with this stamp set?!  (Hence the need for Friday Flashbacks.)

And here's my first brand-new card with this set.  I saw the layout on a blog somewhere and jotted down the sketch, I think it was from the Friday Mash-Up?  Aha!  I found the original challenge. This was one of those rare cards that turned out pretty much exactly the way I saw it in my head.  Lee really liked it, he asked if it was going to be our Christmas card this year.  The answer is no, in no small part because I am hoarding that Frosty Day DSP :)

Here's my second card, showcasing that fun poinsettia stamp.  I think Dashing was some of the first Christmas DSP I ever got and I've got about a zillion scraps of it, some of which made it onto this card.  I'm on a mission to complete all of the Splitcoast sketch and color challenges (even the ones I don't like so much) and this is a combo challenge card.  I paired the old retired set with a new greeting from More Merry Messages.

And here's my last card for this Flashback.  I saw the color combination in my list of color challenges I hadn't done yet and thought it would be fun for a less traditional holiday card.  And I do like how it turned out.  It's hard to see but I stamped the larger flowers in white ink on the pink cardstock, then the smaller one in pink.  I sponged some pink ink on the edges of the Christmas tree mat to make it stand out a little against the pink panel, and I sponged some on top of the word panel to tone down the white a bit so as not to compete with the Christmas tree panel.  I think that word panel gives the impression that it was a word jumble wheel or something, but it's just the regular stamp cropped close.  Kind of like having Christmas carols playing in the background!

I'll have all the supply lists for these cards in my Splitcoast gallery; I don't mind posting them in two places when it's one card at a time, but this is four cards and I've got to get my little girl dog to the vet in 15 minutes.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed this Friday Flashback!