Frankie Goes Trick-or-Treating

Mornin' y'all!  It is a gorgeous day here and it's cooler than yesterday so I think it's time for another cuppa tea : )  Another reason to be happy:  it's time to bust out that perennial favorite stamp set, Best Fiends!

For reals, it's not October until Frankie, Vlad, and/or Agnes make an appearance.  Frankie won the honors for today's card thanks to the color challenge from As You See It:

Isn't that an awesome collection of colors?!  Perfect for Halloween, so of course I had to use Frankie.  My Starry Sky elements look super dark in the photo, but I promise I used Starry Sky Blends and Starry Sky DSP on there.  I used the color lifter to lighten up the color around the words on Frankie's shirt so they'd still be legible.

I also used this week's sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday:

I rotated the sketch 90 degrees to accommodate my long, tall image.  I'm also entering this at Retro Rubber:

Any excuse to ink up some older stamps!  Best Fiends is super retro, I've had it since 2007.  The sentiment is from All Holidays, also in my collection since 2007, and the background is Wonderfully Worn, which is an old stamp background but it's been in my collection for a year or less (thanks, eBay).

Frankie also counts for the Frightfully Delightful challenge at Shopping our Stash.  So fun!

Okay, I'm off to make something else, and switch out laundry.  I'm already on my fourth load of the day, it's never-ending.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Best Fiends, Wonderfully Worn, All Holidays
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Parakeet Party, Stampin' Blends in Parakeet Party, Starry Sky, Mango Melody, Basic Black, Smoky Slate, neutrals
Paper:  Parakeet Party, Thick Basic White, Starry Sky DSP
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangles dies, stars accents

Friday Flashback: All Holidays

Been a while since I did a Friday Flashback post and I actually have quite a few draft posts just waiting to see the light of day :) So let's revisit the all-word set All Holidays, from way back in 2007.  There are 12 stamps in the set and I didn't want to make 12 different cards, so I just chose six stamps and paired them up with the For All Seasons DSP Stack to make some quick and cute cards.  Enjoy!

Supplies, Peace Card:
Stamps:  All Holidays
Ink:  Misty Moonlight
Paper:  Just Jade, Misty Moonlight, Thick Basic White, Flowers For All Seasons DSP
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Hippo & Friends dies, Dimensionals

Supplies, Christmas Card:
Stamps:  All Holidays
Ink:  Poppy Parade
Paper:  Poppy Parade, Bumblebee, Thick Basic White, Flowers For All Seasons DSP
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Hippo & Friends dies, Dimensionals

Supplies, Easter Card:
Stamps:  All Holidays
Ink:  Highland Heather
Paper:  Highland Heather, Bumblebee, Thick Basic White, Flowers For All Seasons DSP
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Ornate Frames dies, Dimensionals

Supplies, Friend Card:
Stamps:  All Holidays
Ink:  Bumblebee
Paper:  Bumblebee, Magenta Madness, Thick Basic White, Flowers For All Seasons DSP
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Stitched So Sweetly dies, Dimensionals

Supplies, Mother's Day Card:
Stamps:  All Holidays
Ink:  Magenta Madness
Paper:  Magenta Madness, Just Jade, Thick Basic White, Flowers For All Seasons DSP
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Potted Succulents dies, Dimensionals

Supplies, Father's Day Card:
Stamps:  All Holidays
Ink:  Just Jade
Paper:  Misty Moonlight, Just Jade, Thick Basic White, Flowers For All Seasons DSP
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: Pinch Proof

Happy Friday, stampy friends!  As it happens, this week's Friday Flashback is the super seasonally appropriate Pinch Proof, just in time for St. Patrick's Day next week.  SU! doesn't do a whole lot of St. Paddy's Day stamps, so you'll see I used this one quite a few times in baby books.  You ready to flash back?

Also features Pinch Me, non-SU stamps

This one was for the most recent set of twin boy baby books.

Also features Pinch Me, All Holidays

I made this card for a friend whose birthday is on Halloween...it's a Halloween birthday card in costume as a St. Patrick's Day birthday card.  Does that make sense to anyone else?

Also features Happiest Birthday Wishes

This card was for a friend of mine whose birthday is actually on St. Patrick's Day, not Halloween :)

Also features Tag Time

The wee clover on the journaling block is from Tag Time, and that wee clover is pretty much the whole reason why I bought that stamp set.  Is that silly?  Don't answer that.

I like that leprechaun but I wish we'd get a stamp set with a pot of gold and stuff like that too.  Just for variety.  But I do also like that "lucky me" stamp.

Also features Sprinkles

...as you can see.

I think I had one day where I tried to come up with a whole slew of Pinch Proof cards.

And that's finally it for the flashback!  Here is today's new project:

Gasp, it's a one-layer card!  If you don't count the ribbon, anyway.  It so happens that the Fusion challenge this week was absolutely MADE for Pinch Proof, take a look:

I recycled my color combo from all those baby book layouts and used Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, and Garden Green instead of green ombre.  I thought about doing a rainbow theme but then if you start with red and go diagonally, then you'd only have two green shamrocks and that didn't seem right either :)

So that's it for this week!  Hope this post reminds you to get out a green shirt for next Thursday so you'll be Pinch Proof :)

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Pinch Proof
Ink:  Garden Green, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight
Paper:  Thick Whisper White
Accessories:  1/8" Daffodil Delight ribbon

Friday Flashback: Bella's Bloom

Happy Friday and welcome to the Friday Flashback!  This week's stamp set is a super-cute little set called Bella's Bloom. 

Also features All Holidays

Here's a quick 5-minute CAS card...

Also features Hugs & Wishes, Bella Toile

And something a little more involved, and then the archives were empty.  So here is my new Bella's Bloom creation:

It's more on the CAS side again but I like it.  I used this week's Color Throwdown:

I interpreted the color swatches as Melon Mambo, Lost Lagoon, and Basic Black.  It reminds me of a lot of the cross stitch patterns I have from Stoney Creek, it seems like their color of choice for the leaves and stems on roses is always more in the blue-green area rather than straight green.

I also used this week's Retro Rubber Challenge:

I got Bella's Bloom when it debuted in the fall of 2008, so it's 7 1/2 years old, and I've had Curly Cute probably since 2010 or 2011, so both of my stamp sets for today are suitably retro for this challenge.

See you here tomorrow for another baby book layout!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Bella's Bloom, Curly Cute
Ink:  Melon Mambo, Lost Lagoon, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Shimmery White
Accessories:  Brights Candy Dot

Friday Flashback: Triple Treat Flower

Happy Friday, peeps!  Welcome back to the Friday Flashback.  Today's featured stamp set is actually one single stamp, the Triple Treat Flower.  So let's look back in the archives...

Also features All Holidays

 Oh, okay.  That's it for the archives.  Well then, on to today's new card!

I like the colors.  I used the ColourQ color challenge (colour challenge) and decided to use Island Indigo as the main color and just pops of the other colors.  And I decided to use the Get Well sentiment from Express Yourself because I don't have a big stash of Get Well cards.  I have lots of Thinking of You which also works for that, but we like variety.  Anyway, here's the ColourQ challenge graphic:

I also used this week's Freshly Made Sketch:

Those collage-type layouts aren't really in my comfort zone, so I appreciate this challenge making me stretch a bit and I do like how the card came out.

It wasn't all sunshine and roses working on it though.  Have you ever opened up a red ink pad and seen the dreaded gold sheen?  I don't know what causes it but I opened up my Raspberry Ripple ink pad and there it was.  Well, Raspberry Ripple is retired, and as I had no fear and nothing to lose, I took the ink pad up to the sink and rinsed it out, hoping to get all the gold sheen off.

Note to self:  do not rinse out ink pads in a white porcelain sink.  It looked like a crime scene cleanup.  Luckily it came off with some Clorox wipes.  After I rinsed it out and squished it on a lot of paper towels, I set about inking it back up with an ink refill.

That little bugger was hard to squeeze, this is what the ink pad looked like when I was almost done.  And then I tried inking up my stamp.  And I think maybe I didn't get enough of the water out of the ink pad before I started with the ink refill.  I'm going to have to think about how I might possibly salvage this ink pad...might have to go rinse it out again and let it dry really good before inking it up again.  Only I won't use the white sink to do that ;)  I ended up using a marker to color in the stamp, which turned out much lighter and less saturated than the ink pad would have but at least it worked.

Anyway.  It's time for me to get off the computer and go tackle something else.  Though I might check all my red ink pads for the dreaded gold sheen...

Cheers, peeps!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Triple Treat Flower, Express Yourself
Ink:  Island Indigo, Cajun Craze, Raspberry Ripple
Paper:  Island Indigo, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Island Indigo DSP
Accessories:  two retired flower punches, 1/2" circle punch, hexagon punch, rhinestone, Circles Framelits, Secret Garden Framelits

Friday Flashback: Pretty Amazing

Happy Friday, folks!  It's time for the Friday Flashback, and today's randomly-chosen retired stamp set is Pretty Amazing.  Y'all know I have a thing for hummingbird stamp sets :)  Let's rock and roll!

Also features Amazing to Zany

There's one ruby-throated hummingbird for you.

Also features Pretty Petals

The background stamp Pretty Petals coordinates fabulously with Pretty Amazing, so I use those two together a lot.

Also features Pretty Petals and Sweet Serendipity

That tiny hummingbird is a bit of a pain to cut out, I will admit.

Also features All Holidays

But it looks so good when it's fussy cut!  So there's the flashback part of the Friday Flashback, so now it's time for today's new creation:

And I fussy-cut the hummingbird again :p  And used Pretty Petals with it.  If it ain't broke, don't fix it, amirite?  I used the color challenge from Colour Q:

Quite the lovely inspiration picture there.  I also used the sketch from As You See It, but I'm too late to enter this over there:

So that's it for this week on Snapdragon Stamps.  Hope you have a great weekend!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Pretty Amazing, Pretty Petals, Simply Sketched
Ink:  Wisteria Wonder, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Melon Mambo
Paper:  Wisteria Wonder, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Whisper White
Accessories:  Banners & Circles Framelits, rhinestone, Delicate Dots EF, Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: French Filigree

Felicitations on this fine Friday!  And welcome to this week's Friday Flashback, featuring the background stamp French Filigree.  That's a lot of F's :)  But no failing grades today, just some cards!  So let's visit the archives for some French Filigree artwork.

Also features Falling Leaves & All Holidays

This was my little brother's birthday card one year.  You knew that I was only going to go without leaves for one day :)

Also features Fabulous Flowers

 This one was created when Fabulous Flowers was the featured Friday Flashback stamp set.

Also features Medallion & Occasional Quotes

And here's a birthday card for my hubs from a few years ago.

Also features Well Scripted & My Matryoshka

When we went to Russia, we looked long and hard at the matryoshka dolls and would have loved to buy them, but all the really pretty ones were SUPER expensive so we didn't do it.

Also features Sage Advice & Hearts a Flutter

And there's another former Friday Flashback card.  But now it's time for today's all-new creation:

Hubs' aunt and uncle are hosting us for a big Thanksgiving hooferah next week, so I thought it would be nice to make a card for them.  I used the color challenge from Create with Connie and Mary:

I admit, I was not at all sure about Tangelo Twist on my card...it's just so BRIGHT.  But I think it works because there's so much Hello Honey on there.  I also used the sketch from Just Add Ink:

Easy peasy!  I cut a piece of Hello Honey cardstock to 3 3/8" by 5", stamped it, and then cut it into three strips that were 1 1/8" wide for my background pieces.  Then I pulled out some other wonderful retired stamp sets for the sentiment and leaves, and bing bang boom my card was done.  Which is good, because now I can tackle some other items on my to-do list :)

Cheers, peeps!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  French Filigree, Day of Gratitude, Curly Cute (all retired)
Ink:  Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist
Paper:  Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist, Whisper White
Accessories:  Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: World Treasures

Happy Friday afternoon, peeps!  It's time for another Friday Flashback, and grab a cuppa tea (or coffee, if you prefer) and settle in because this one's a long one.  Let's take a look back at the very awesome stamp set (and more recent retiree) World Treasures!

Also features Fabulous Phrases

I think you're going to figure out very quickly which stamp in the set is my favorite.

Also features Four You

 For a while, it was even available as a single stamp.

Also features Vintage Verses

Because it's that awesome.

Also features Sweet Essentials

Haha, snuck one in here without the peacock on it!  But the flowers are from World Treasures too.

Also features Curly Cute

This one might be my favorite card with World Treasures, I just love that bright blue and orange together.

Also features All Holidays

The fun thing about stamps is that peacocks can be any color you want.

Also features Pursuit of Happiness

Or multi-colored.

Also features Occasions

Though I admit, perhaps I am lacking in imagination for usually sticking with the blues, greens, and purples for my peacock.  Or maybe those are just the colors I'm drawn to.

Still, the sky's the limit for peacock colors here.  And that's the flashback part of the Friday Flashback, so now it's time for a brand new creation!

I decided to be contrary and make a World Treasures card *without* the peacock.  I mean, I love that peacock, but these flowers are perfectly lovely too, and I was suddenly curious this afternoon as to how Crushed Curry embossing powder would look on Blackberry Bliss cardstock.  Answer:  awesome.  But use your Embossing Buddy, the first time I had powder all over everywhere.  The sentiment is from World Treasures too, I took a marker to the sentiment stamp in the set and only inked up "friend".  Tip:  make sure your stamp is very, very clean and DRY or you'll get a ghost image around the part you ink up.  And Halloween is over.

So the color combination for today's creation is from Fab Friday:

Another awesome fall color combo, amirite?  Might have to use that one again!  Y'all know how much I love Crushed Curry and Blackberry Bliss.  And they work great together.

The sketch is from Freshly Made Sketches:

So even though it took me a long time to settle down enough to actually make something today, once I sat down the card came together in, like, ten minutes.  Woohoo!

And that's it for today's Friday Flashback, I hope you enjoyed it.  Happy weekend, peeps!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  World Treasures
Ink:  Versamark, Cajun Craze
Paper:  Crushed Curry, Blackberry Bliss, Very Vanilla, Comfort Cafe DSP
Accessories:  Banners & Labels Framelits, Crushed Curry EP, Very Vanilla seam binding, Regals Candy Dots, Dimensionals