6-4-2 adventures

Did you miss me?  After my last post in May, I spent 6 weeks preparing to retire, 4 weeks on the road to Dallas and Denver to spend time with the cutest grandsons in the known world, and 2 weeks catching up on chores at home - more adventures than I can tell about!  Included in the catching up was 200+ blog posts.  OK, really I skipped some of the older challenges.  I made this card last week, using a beautiful new stamp set and thinlits bundle, for the retired Peace on Earth challenge at Jingle Belles:

stamp set - Carols of Christmas; ink - Versamark, Craft White; Stampin' emboss powder - Silver; card stock - Silver Foil, Dapper Denim; Big Shot and Card Front builder thinlets

(I would like to say that I can't believe I forgot to post it, but unfortunately, it's all too much like me to forget to post) Then the new Jingle Belles challenge came out - Spirits of Christmas Past - and I pulled out retired supplies for this card:

stamp set - Seasonal Bells; ink - Crumb Cake, Encore Gold (retired); card stock - Very Vanilla regular and thick; punch - Bell; Big Shot with Holiday Frame embossing folder (retired)

(So perverse of me to use new for old and old for new, and then to think it sounded like a rally cry for the Three Musketeers)  In an effort to redeem myself, I used supplies you're still able to purchase for the not-yet-retired challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments, and created a card suitable for the current season:

stamp set - Rose Wonder; ink - Pool Party, Lemon Lime Twist, Flirty Flamingo; card stock - Pool Party, Flirty Flamingo, Whisper White, Watercolor; Big Shot with Rose Garden thinlits; Aquabrush

This card is a CASE from a card I thought I had pinned, using a technique the original artist described - watercoloring through the die-cut negative.  Now, I can't seem to find the original post anywhere (aaugh!) - if anyone can point me to it, I'd love to link it here to give her credit!

a very vintage adventure

For my Card Buffet at the end of this month, I had five designs picked out, one bright Valentine card and two masculine designs which could be Valentine or birthday cards.  I didn't have anything feminine in the lineup at all - the other two are gender-neutral thinking of you cards.  I really thought something frilly that could be a Valentine or a birthday card was called for, but it took me some time to find the right inspiration - Lesley posted it at the Challenge today, so I paired it with Match the Sketch #107:

stamp sets - A Dozen Thoughts, Rose Wonder, Timeless Textures; ink - Blushing Bride, Crumb Cake, Tip Top Taupe; card stock - Blushing Bride, Very Vanilla; Big Shot with Deco Labels framelits; 1" dotted lace trim - Tip Top Taupe; Very Vintage buttons

adventure with vintage

While browsing Pinterest for ideas for all those cards I intended to make this weekend, I was captivated by the vintage style.  I don't do vintage well, but I like to try different things and learn new things when I can.  The challenge ending this morning at House of Cards calls for shabby/vintage with a button.  That's pretty much a "gimme", isn't it?  It seems like vintage almost always includes at least one button - but that may just be me.  The Farm Fresh inspiration at Curtain Call reminded me of many of the vintage elements, so this is my last card from yesterday:

stamp set - Banner Greetings; ink - Summer Starfruit, Crumb Cake; card stock - Naturals White; Boutique Details button - Baked Brown Sugar; Tea Lace paper doily, 3/8" Naturals Trim, 3/8" satin stitched ribbon - Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit; Big Shot with Alphabet Press embossing folder, Stampin' sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals

I tried to incorporate the sign, the ribbon from the flowers, and some of the colors - especially the awesome honey!  yummm...
OK, now I really need to get to that homework, since *all* of it is due today, and one is a written paper!