Pastel Shells

Mornin' y'all!  Happy Monday, hope you had a good weekend.  Since yesterday was Mother's Day, the hubs and the kid made me breakfast while I sat in the living room and was hugely entertained listening to them.  I pretty much live-tweeted the whole thing to my pal Krissy so she could be entertained too (and she was).  I ended up choosing a lemon coffee cake recipe and it tastes pretty good but doesn't look like much; the crumb topping kinda sank into everything else but the top was sorta chewy?  Anyway, I like the idea of a lemon coffee cake but I think the recipe could be better, no shade to my beginner bakers for how it turned out.  I just finished a piece for breakfast today and I think it benefits from being chilled.

Anyway, I do have a card to share today:

We're going retro today for the Retro Rubber Challenge.  So, By the Seashore is around 14 years old, Nature's Prints (the greeting) is 4 years old, and Netting (the background) is at least 13 years old.  And I paired all that retro-ness with some new things, like Barely Blush and Hydrangea Hue inks and I made a mask from the die out of the Rolling Waves bundle which I finally got last week (you will be seeing more of that tomorrow).

Here's the Retro Rubber color challenge:

I used Hydrangea Hue for the blue/purple tone, then Barely Blush, Pink Pirouette, and Crisp Cantaloupe for three pale pinkish shades.  That was about as close as I could get to the palette.  I paired that with the theme challenge from As You See It:

And I slightly modified the TGIF Challenges sketch:

I was hunting all over for a greeting to go on the little panel in the bottom left, but I ended up liking the hello from Nature's Prints so I subbed in a circle and then turned the other pink panel on the sketch into three In Color Dots.

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  By the Seashore, Nature's Prints, Netting
Ink:  Barely Blush, Pink Pirouette, Crisp Cantaloupe, Hydrangea Hue, Versamark
Paper:  Barely Blush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Basic White
Accessories:  Rectangles Stitched dies, Stitched Shapes dies, white EP, Dimensionals, In Color Dots

And now for some Daphne pictures because who doesn't love puppy pictures on a Monday morning:

I signed her up for Bark Box last week and her first one was delivered last night (in a bag, so is it a Bark Bag?).  I just opened it up this morning and she got three toys and a couple of types of treats.  I think she's excited about it.

She was running back and forth across the living room with her new toys and clearly she's loving this so I'm glad I signed her up.  I signed her up for the super chewers level so we'll see how well those toys stand up to Destructo-Dog Daphne here.

I am out of tea so I think I'll take Daph out for her daily perambulation and then go switch out laundry.  Very exciting plans for this morning, ha!  Cheers, y'all!

Shells & Stripes

Mornin' y'all!  Ryan has a cooking class after school today so that means I get extra crafty time.  So my plan is to do some housework this morning and then I can spend the rest of the day in my craft room or working on my stitching, woohoo!  I couldn't settle in to create anything in the craft room yesterday, so instead I worked on my current stitching project, which was nice because I haven't stitched much of late.  I'm on the home stretch for this project, too.

Anyway, here's my card for today and once again we're pulling out some old stamps:

I managed to hit three challenges with this card, so let's start with Retro Rubber:

I went down the left side with die cut (Stitched Rectangle die on the DSP), stripes (also on the DSP), and twine (across the DSP).  By the Seashore (the shells) is 13 years old, and Seaside Notions (greeting) is six years old.  This is not the first time I've paired those two stamp sets together either.

Next up is the Festive Friday challenge:

From the list, I have shades of blue (really easy with the stripey DSP I chose), pearls (in the centers of the shells, they're pretty subtle with the patterns on the shells), and shells.  And what brought it all together is the sketch from Atlantic Hearts:

I guess I rotated the sketch upside down since I put the sentiment at the top instead of the bottom, I was focusing on the stripes and I think when I copied the sketch down that I didn't put the sentiment on it at all.  Hopefully they won't send the Challenge Police after me : )

That's it for me today.  I'm going to take Ryan to school and then start vacuuming up all the Daphne hair upstairs.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  By the Seashore, Seaside Notions
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Dapper Denim
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Dapper Denim, Very Vanilla, Shades & Hues DSP
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangles dies, linen thread, pearls, Mini Dimensionals

Thinking of Shells

Mornin' y'all!  Last night I made the Very Smart Choice* to stay up until eleven o'clock working on my stitching project and then I woke up at 5:15 this morning when the hubs opened the garage (he has a cold, so I've been sleeping in the guest room which is just over the garage).  Yep, gonna be tired today!

*Spoiler alert:  this was not a very smart choice.  Even Daphne was looking at me like I'd lost my marbles when I made her get up to go upstairs with me at 11.

I had some fun time in my craft room yesterday though, take a look:

After I pulled out all my Bright & Beautiful DSP Stack scraps for yesterday's card, I couldn't resist using the same DSP for today's card too.  The big background piece I had to cut, but the Pretty Peacock piece was a scrap.  I think this is the closest I've ever come to using up an entire pack of DSP; good thing I already bought a second one ; )

Check out the Retro Rubber Challenge:

I used three sea-riffic stamp sets and they're all retro!  The shells are from By the Seashore which is 13 years old; the coral is from By the Tide which is 12 years old, and the sentiment is from Seaside Notions which clocks in at 6 years old.

Next up is the Atlantic Hearts sketch:

I was mulling over card ideas while Daphne and I were out walking yesterday and the shells from By the Seashore popped into my head and I got started making it right after we got back home.

Last up is the color challenge from Creative Colour Challenges:

I had seen that Pretty Peacock scrap a couple of days ago and built the card around that.  Happily, Bubble Bath is also in that DSP so this came together very easily and the shells are pretty easy to fussy cut.  I finally got to use the Two-Tone Sparkle Gems too, they're technically Balmy Blue and Bubble Bath but I still think they're perfect for my card.

I've finished my breakfast so it's time to take little Daph-Daph out.  Cheers, y'all!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  By the Seashore, Seaside Notions, By the Tide
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Pretty Peacock, Bubble Bath
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Pretty Peacock, Very Vanilla, Bright & Beautiful DSP Stack
Accessories:  Two-Tone Shimmer Gems, Dimensionals

Ombre Shells

Mornin' y'all!  I'm pretty happy with the card I made to share today, take a look:

It's been a while since I inked up By the Seashore and I missed it!  Check out the current Retro Rubber Challenge:

By the Seashore (shells) has been in my collection for 10 years and it just so happens that the very first card I ever posted on this blog featured a shell from this stamp set.  It's Your Birthday (sentiment) has been in my collection for at least nine years, so both stamp sets are very retro.  Even my colors are retro, Dapper Denim and Tip Top Taupe are two In Colors from years past.

As soon as I saw this challenge, I thought of the Color Theory DSP Stack from several years ago, which has a variety of ombre patterns.  Then the question was what images to use, that decision took me like four times longer than making the card did!  Once I chose the Dapper Denim ombre and got the idea to stamp the shells, this card came together lickety-split thanks to the sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday:

I like this one, it's different and it gave me a nice big panel to show off that ombre pattern.

Have a great day, peeps!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  By the Seashore, It's Your Birthday
Ink:  Tip Top Taupe, Dapper Denim
Paper:  Tip Top Taupe, Thick Basic Vanilla, Color Theory DSP Stack
Accessories:  Stylish Shapes dies, Dimensionals, pearls

OBX

Soooo apparently I was kidding about that whole "same bat time, same bat channel" thing ;)  The day after I posted that card, I got a bad headache and didn't do anything and then...well, I got a teensy bit completely obsessed with a cross stitch project.  I had set it aside for almost a year while I worked on some other smaller projects and I just picked it back up maybe a month ago.  So that's what I've been doing.

But today I plan to get back in my craft room and do some stamping!  So let's start the week out with a scrapbook layout from, uh....2005? 2006? I don't remember.  But it's the beach!

This was the year my parents came out to North Carolina for Thanksgiving, and then we drove to the Outer Banks and then up to Washington DC (my first-ever trip to DC).  That stupid B in the title is totally crooked--I had the most trouble with it.  I actually DROPPED the inked-up stamp on the paper the first time I was trying to do the title, so I had to peel everything up and flip the paper over because it was all messed up but I didn't want to just trash a sheet of 12x12 cardstock.  So I may have muttered imprecations at it but the B is staying crooked.

Today's color palette includes Mint Macaron, Midnight Muse, the long-retired Cranberry Crisp, and my first-ever use of Gray Granite on a scrapbook page, where it is the journaling block.

Okay, kiddo is making noise so it's time to do breakfast.  Cheers, y'all!  Hope to be back tomorrow with a card.

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  By The Seashore, Larger Than Life Alphabet
Ink:  Mint Macaron, Midnight Muse, Cranberry Crisp, Basic Gray marker
Paper:  Mint Macaron, Midnight Muse, Cranberry Crisp, Gray Granite, Midnight Muse DSP
Accessories:  None

Beach Wedding

Happy Friday, y'all!  We're getting the kiddo back on his regular schedule of naps; he took two pretty good ones yesterday so I managed to get today's card done and got started on a scrapbook layout.  And I like how this card turned out!

I used some retired stamps on here, we'll get to that in a minute.  Do you like the color variation on the shell and starfish?  I inked them both up with Crushed Curry, and then used a sponge dauber to add some Cajun Craze ink.  For the shell, I just did a bit on the center of the whorl; for the starfish, I held the dauber at an angle to only get the outside edges of the starfish.  Took me a couple of tries to get them both looking how I wanted, but we got there in the end.  The bottom part is Thick Whisper White (I ran out of regular WW, can you believe it?) sponged with Dapper Denim; the strip with the sentiment is another piece of Whisper White adhered on the top of the sponged piece, and I tore the bottom edge of that strip so it would look kinda like a wave coming in.

I'm entering this card in several challenges!  First up is this week's Freshly Made Sketch:

Next is the challenge from Fusion:

(Obviously I used the picture but not the sketch, hee).  But we're not done yet!  I squidged this challenge together with another theme; check out the challenge from Retro Rubber:

A beach wedding card sounded like a good idea today.  I've had By the Seashore (shell stamps) since at least 2012, so five years, and in fact I used that stamp set on my very first blog post here.  Gorgeous Grunge has been in my collection since 2013, and Rose Wonder is the baby at a mere one year old.  And my fishy card from a couple weeks ago was chosen as a Top Pick at Retro Rubber, so that's cool!

And just one more challenge for good measure, the Color Throwdown:

The challenge writeup said dark red for the first color, but it really looked more like dark orange to me, so I used Cajun Craze with Dapper Denim, Crushed Curry, Whisper White and of course Crumb Cake for the sand.  (I almost used Sahara Sand because...sand...but I thought Crumb Cake worked a little better with the other colors this time.)

I think my kiddo will be ready for his nap pretty soon, so we're going to read a book until he falls asleep ;D and then I'm going to go work on that scrapbook layout.  Cheers y'all, and happy Friday!

Supplies, all SU! (some retired)
Stamps:  By the Seashore, Gorgeous Grunge, Rose Wonder
Ink:  Crumb Cake, Dapper Denim, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Thick Whisper White
Accessories:  Stitched Shapes Framelits, retired Pearls, Dimensionals

Friday Flashback: Elements of Style

Happy Friday afternoon, y'all, and welcome to the Friday Flashback.  This week's stamp set is Elements of Style, which is a lovely vintage-kinda style stamp set which debuted in 2010.  So let's get started!

Also features By the Seashore, Pursuit of Happiness, Perfectly Penned

The flourish behind the postage stamp-style element is the stamp that's from Elements of Style.  Hey Stampin' Up!, we need more flourishy stamps like this.

Also features Pursuit of Happiness

The real reason I got the stamp set:  the hummingbird.  Also that ribbon is actually Marina Mist to match the hummingbird stamp, it just really doesn't look it in the photo.

Also features Fabulous Phrases

There's a big toile stamp in the set in addition to that flourish, both fun.

Also features Papillon Potpourri and Perfectly Penned

Another one with the flourish!

And hey,t here's a card that has one of the Elements of Style sentiments on it.  So there's your flashback, here's today's new card:

Seems like all my card photos are under-exposed lately.  Well, we've been socked in with clouds for what seems like forever (it's a giant swamp outside) and I really think my little camera is on its last legs.  But anyway, that's the new card...and the sentiment is a bit crooked but I'm going to write that off as proof that this is homemade.  And it's going in the mail within the next week.

I used the brand new color challenge from Fab Friday:

But I added a bit of Sahara Sand (generally you're allowed to add neutrals to any color challenge) and that means it also counts for the Inkspire Me color challenge:

Well, we've got to go pick up my car from having its oil changed, so I'm outta here.  Cheers, y'all!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Elements of Style, Thank You Kindly, Hardwood
Ink:  Soft Sky, Sweet Sugarplum, Sahara Sand
Paper:  Soft Sky, Very Vanilla
Accessories:  Stitched Shapes & Lots of Labels Framelits, Dimensionals, Pearls

Friday Flashback: Perfectly Penned

Hey kids.  My Friday started off with a bang--my little boy dog Vader injured himself again.  He was trying so hard to run up the stairs to get breakfast faster and he's busted his left knee this time.  So I'm stressed out and feeling bad that he's hurt and he's stuck up on the middle floor of the house until the hubs can get home and carry him downstairs.  Hope he doesn't have to tinkle...

Anyway, here I am with today's Friday Flashback, and I'm going to have to be quick because I need to be out of the house in under 10 minutes.  So here we go!

Also features Perfectly Preserved

I think I have at least three stamp sets with apples in them.  No wait, four.  I must like apples :)

Also features By the Seashore

Perfectly Penned is one of my favorite sentiment stamps ever ever ever, so I just picked out some favorites for today's post or else we'd be here until next Friday.  And I started to notice something...

By the Seashore again :)

I also really like By the Seashore, and...

Also features Stippled Blossoms

A lot of my favorite cards are in fall colors.

Also features Gently Falling

Also features French Foliage

See what I mean?  Ooh, I love the copper brads on this one.  I still have quite a stash of those.

one more time for By the Seashore

Haha, more seashells, which I had so much trouble typing the word "seashells" you'd think I was trying to stumble through saying "She sells seashells by the seashore" six times fast.

Also features the All Dressed Up Framelits which were pretty cool

One last happy yellow card and I would totally wear that if it were a real dress.  Now for today's new card:

My friend Missy (a.k.a. Baylor bear extraordinaire) had a birthday earlier this week and I musta been sticking my head in the sand because I DIDN'T SEND HER A CARD and I'm very distraught about this, so I made a Baylor bear card.  But I do feel a bit guilty because this one came together really fast so maybe I should spend some more time in my craft room tomorrow and really make her a masterpiece.

Anyway, I revisited this week's Freshly Made Sketch:

I switched the main image panel to the left side so the bear would be looking into the card rather than off the side, I think about these things (comes up even more in scrapbooking).  And to add a bit of glam, I painted the balloon with clear Wink of Stella.

Okay, I've got two minutes to get out the door.  Cheers, peeps!

Supplies, last card only:
Stamps:  Perfectly Penned, Thankful Forest Friends, My Paper Pumpkin (balloon)
Ink:  Basic Black, Garden Green, Daffodil Delight, Smoky Slate
Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Garden Green, Thick Whisper White, Garden Green DSP
Accessories:  Lots of Labels Framelits, black taffeta (retired), Dimensionals, clear Wink of Stella

2015 Showcase, Part 1

Since it's the last week of December (already!), it's time for the 2015 showcase here at Snapdragon Stamps.  So I went back through my blog posts for this year and picked out one card and one scrapbook layout for each month (okay, sometimes there were ties) just to share my favorites one more time.  So let's start off with Part 1 of the card showcase.

January's pick:  I love this happy card.  That "oh, happy day" stamp just makes me smile.

February's pick has Valentine-y colors and some pretty lotus blossoms.  I like how it turned out to do the first layer of the flower stamping with white ink.

March's pick:  By the Seashore has long been a fave stamp set, and I just love that patterned paper from last year's Sale-a-Bration.

April's pick is this giant Swallowtail paired with some stamps from Tea Party.  I love the watercolor background for the butterfly and those are my colors.  Spoiler alert:  new tea-related goodness is coming up in the Occasions Mini next week!

May's pick is this coral rose card.  It's an advertisement for why I don't get rid of my retired stamp sets:  I love that rose and the sentiments.  Plus, if I sold off all my retired stuff, how would I do Friday Flashbacks?

And for the last one of the day, June's pick is this bouquet card I CASEd from the catalog.

Undersea Double Feature

Howdy, peeps!  Today is Thursday, a.k.a. the day before Friday, and that's why we like it.  And this week we like it so much that I made two cards :D

I was inspired to bust out By the Tide for the first time in a while because of this ridiculously cute set of cupcakes featured on Cupcake Inspirations:

I mean for reals, have you ever seen crabs so cute?  I used Crumb Cake, Calypso Coral, and Island Indigo for the colors, and I also used the newest Freshly Made Sketch:

*cue cheesy TV announcer voice* But wait, there's more!  I couldn't resist the color combination at The Color Throwdown:

So pretty, am I right?  And I had to dig up my much-loved starfish stamp from By the Seashore to make this:

It's totally a starfish conga line.  I used Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, and Tip Top Taupe as my colors and of course the same sketch as the first card.  And both of these cards are flat, which means they're easy to mail.  Which I should do.  Who doesn't like getting pretty mail?

Ok, that's it for me today.  I've got to go dream up what to do for tomorrow's Friday Flashback and maybe even work on baby books.  Cheers, peeps!

Supplies, By the Tide card:
Stamps:  By the Tide, Gorgeous Grunge, A Dozen Thoughts
Ink:  Versamark, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride
Paper:  Island Indigo, Crumb Cake, Whisper White
Accessories:  Calypso Coral EP (seriously, why did they discontinue all the fun colored embossing powder?!)

Supplies, starfish conga line card:
Stamps:  By the Seashore, Gorgeous Grunge, A Dozen Thoughts
Ink:  Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Tip Top Taupe, Whisper White
Paper:  Whisper White, Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise DSP
Accessories:  None, believe it or not