A Little Brewhaha

Midnight greetings, ghoul friends!  For tonight's card, I got out two of my very favorite Halloween stamp sets but this time I wanted to let Just Between Fiends be the star of the show:

I stamped Agnes on the Old Olive card base and added some fun stripes from my favorite Cast-a-Spell DSP.  Not the first time I've combined these stamps and papers and I'm sure it won't be the last, I do love them together and they're all from very early in my stamping career.

Stay spooky, friends!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Best Fiends, Just Between Fiends
Ink:  Old Olive, Perfect Plum
Paper:  Old Olive, Basic Black, Pale Plum, Cast-a-Spell DSP
Accessories:  Chalk Talk Framelits, Black Rhinestones, Dimensionals

Race Against Time

Good mornin' y'all and welcome to the Nancy Drew Challenge!  Today's book is one of my favorites, #66, Race Against Time:

I think it's obvious which cover is my favorite if you've been around here for a bit : )  Okay we have some action scenes on the first and third one between the fire and the horse behaving badly, but that middle cover!  It's like a movie poster and I love it.

Case file:  This time Nancy is back on her home turf in River Heights, investigating the theft of a racehorse named Shooting Star from his home on Rainbow Ranch while also starring in Ned's film club movie despite the fact that a.) she doesn't go to the school the film club belongs to and b.) she's not part of the film club itself, she's just smooching the director (but only on the cheek because this is a kids' book).  The film club is shooting a vampire comedy at a rundown mansion in the area, but strange things keep happening there.  Nancy also finds time to befriend a small child, film several TV commercials, and deal with a jealous girl who wants her role in Ned's vampire movie.

Here's my first card:

Since the stolen racehorse is named Shooting Star, I had to break out some star stamps.  I did think about doing a rainbow for Rainbow Ranch, but I stuck to the cover colors and just did Marina Mist, Pumpkin Pie, and Lemon Lolly.

There's a small subplot with an opal that also belongs to the ranch owner, so I had to make sure to get some gems on my star card.

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Everyday Arches, Be the Star
Ink:  Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Lemon Lolly
Paper:  Marina Mist, Pumpkin Pie, Lemon Lolly, Basic White, Marina Mist DSP
Accessories:  Everyday Arches dies, Textured Notes dies, Stars Collection Framelits, Dimensionals, Rhinestones

On to card #2:

You know I'm always super chuffed to use Vlad (or his pals Agnes and Frankie) from my very favorite Halloween stamp set ever, Best Fiends!  I had so much fun with this one : )

I used Brocade Blue, Fresh Freesia, Basic Black, Basic Beige, and just a bit of Golden Glow for my colors.  I stamped and embossed the bats on the black layer, that's the shiny bits behind Vlad and the sentiment.

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Best Fiends, Just Between Fiends
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Stampin' Blends in Fresh Freesia, Golden Glow, Ivory, Basic Black, Smoky Slate
Paper:  Brocade Blue, Basic Black, Basic Beige, Toadstool Garden DSP Stack
Accessories:  Black EP, Nested Essentials dies, Black Rhinestones

I actually have two copies with this cover:

The one on the right is in better condition, but a previous owner of the one on the left (which I've had since at least high school, if not longer) drew vampire bite marks on Nancy's throat and that just makes me laugh so I can't get rid of it.  Also, Ned's vampire movie is a comedy, and this book was released in 1982 while Leslie Nielsen's movie Dracula:  Dead and Loving it was released in 1995 so I think they stole the movie idea from this book.

Anyway, on to card #3:

In this book, Nancy's horse Black Prince is mentioned and I think this is the only time that it's said that she owns her own horse.  She also rides several other horses over the course of the book.

I wish I could find a copy of this cover that doesn't have marks on it like this one, but the only one I've been able to find in the last year is a part of a lot of five books that are listed for almost $80 on eBay and that is just a bonkers price so no thank you.  Anyway, for this card I knew I wanted to use Pretty Peacock and Old Olive, and the new Mosaic Garden DSP has those colors as well as Crisp Cantaloupe which was a good match for Nancy's shirt.  I always love the horsey mysteries so this was fun to make.

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Bareback, Friendly Words
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Old Olive, Hydrangea Hue
Paper:  Pretty Peacock, Basic White, Mosaic Garden DSP
Accessories:  Perennial Postage dies, Moody Palette Glossy Dots, Dimensionals

This book is one of my favorites because I always love the horsey books AND this one has the vampire film going for it, it's just an absolute romp and so much fun.  Five stars just for the plot of Ned's vampire movie, it sounds hilarious.  If you're inspired to make a card based on the book or any of the covers I've shared here, drop me a comment so I can see!  And I'll see you next week when Nancy takes on The Sinister Omen.

Vlad's Boo-quet

Midnight greetings, spooky friends!  Tonight's Halloween card features one of my favorite spooky pals, Vlad!

I can't believe we're three weeks into October and Vlad has just now joined the chat : )  I usually do at least one card with Vlad or one of his pals from Best Fiends, Agatha and Frankie, every October.  Best Fiends and the coordinating greeting set Just Between Fiends debuted pretty early in my stamping career and I still love them--we've never had another set that's quite this style.

Anyway, Deborah's card for last week's Paper Players color challenge inspired me to break out the colored pencils for the first time in a long while.  Funny story:  I have a big set of Prismacolor pencils, but earlier this year I got a wild hare that I just *really* wanted a set of 100 Crayola colored pencils (I use the Crayola ones mostly for coloring in what I've done on cross stitch patterns).  Did I need them?  Hubs would say no.  Did I get them anyway?  I think we know the answer to that.  So I got out my brand new never-before-used Crayola pencils to color in Vlad here, and then I went looking for something in another drawer and I found...a SECOND set of 100 Crayola pencils.  So apparently I went through that same thought process and just forgot that I'd already bought the pencils.  I also have a brand new set of 36 and another set of 8 that are retired crayon colors, not to mention the 24 set that I actually use with my cross stitch stuff.  And the giant box of Prismacolors.

My erratic (but probably relatable) purchasing habits aside, Vlad would like to join the Color Hues Challenge:

I knew I was using the Happy Haunting DSP, so I matched my orange colored pencils to Tangelo Twist, but then I just picked purple pencils that I liked and then decided that Lovely Lilac cardstock was the best match after I had colored him in.  I finished with a few purplish stars from an embellishment pack a few years ago.

And I remembered to take a picture of the inside!

Just Between Fiends also has a stamp that says "This Boo-quet's for You" but for some reason I wanted to do this one this time.

Okay, I've been far more chatty tonight than I usually am with the Hex-Travaganza posts, but I hope you enjoyed getting to see Vlad.  I've got ten more nights to get Agatha and Frankie inked up so that just has to happen.  Stay spooky, friends!

Supplies:
Stamps:  Best Fiends, Just Between Fiends
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  Lovely Lilac, Basic Beige, Happy Haunting DSP
Accessories:  Hippo Friends dies, Crayola colored pencils, Dimensionals, star embellishments

A Little Brewhaha

Surprise Saturday post!  Y'all know I love making fall and Halloween cards, and that's what I have today.  Ryan and I went to the movies this morning and watched the original Hocus Pocus on the big screen : ) I'm continuing the witchy theme with this card:

I have to say, that plaid in the background was a pretty good match for the flannel shirt I was wearing when I made the card : )  Agnes rides again!  I try to get Best Fiends out at least once every Halloween season.  Agnes is my favorite, though Frankie and Vlad are pretty awesome too.  Anywha, check out the frightful Festive Friday challenge:

I used black, a spooky sentiment, a spider (hanging out among the letters in the greeting), and of course Agnes for my witchy component.  I'm also entering this at Cupcake Inspiration:

Those cupcakes are super cute!  Anyway, I love this stamp set so much (and making Halloween cards in general) that I had to see if I could create a card with Agnes and her friends Frankie and Vlad too, so here's a bonus card:

I almost always color in the images, at first with watercolor and lately with Blends, but I thought I would go for a different look on this one.  Now I need to send out Halloween cards to pretty much everyone I know : )  Sometimes I feel like I am single-handedly keeping the US Postal Service in business.  While I was unpacking our stuff from storage, I found an old purse with a wallet in it, and I had two old books of stamps in there.  Gotta love the Forever stamp idea because I can still use those!

Tomorrow, Ryan and I are going to the last day of the Texas State Fair with my brother and his family.  Trying to get Ryan all of the Texas experiences while we're here.  I haven't been to the fair in years either, so I'm looking forward to it.  Cheers!

Supplies, first card:
Stamps:  Best Fiends, Just Between Fiends
Ink:  Starry Sky, Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Blends in Smoky Slate, Starry Sky, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sea Foam, Pecan Pie, Ivory
Paper:  Basic Black, Thick Basic White, Plaid Tidings DSP Stack
Accessories:  Deckled Rectangles dies, Tangerine Tango EP, Dimensionals

Supplies, second card:
Stamps:  Best Fiends
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  Basic Black, Parakeet Party, Highland Heather, Gorgeous Grape, Mango Melody, Cutest Halloween DSP Stack
Accessories:  Stylish Shapes dies, Nested Essentials dies, Dimensionals, star accents

Eyeball Booquet

Happy Fri-YAY, y'all!  I still have Halloween on the brain so I'm back with yet another Best Fiends card.

I checked my archives and poor Vlad here hasn't been featured as often as Frankie or Agnes, so he's in the spotlight today.  Also somehow it doesn't show up at all in the photo, but I used the Shimmer Black embossing powder for the sentiment so in person it's *very* sparkly.  I also outlined the images with the lighter Smoky Slate Blends marker and used the color lifter to soften the edges; that doesn't show up as much in the photo either.

I used the sketch and theme from Try Stampin' on Tuesday:

And the color combo from Global Design Project:

Yeah those colors don't exactly scream Halloween, do they?  Just got to be creative I guess ; )

Last up is the theme from Cupcake Inspirations:

Though you know what?  Those cute cupcakes remind me of another Halloween stamp set that I haven't inked up yet this year...good thing I've got ten more days to make Halloween cards!

Trick or treat, y'all!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Best Fiends, Just Between Fiends
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark, Stampin' Blends in Petal Pink, Sweet Sorbet, Soft Succulent, Crumb Cake, Smoky Slate
Paper:  Petal Pink, Sweet Sorbet,  Thick Basic White, Soft Succulent DSP
Accessories:  Stylish Shapes dies, Shimmery Black EP, Dimensionals

2016 Showcase, Part 3

Mornin' kids, welcome to the last post in the 2016 showcase, at least for cards.  I think I'll pick out some favorite scrapbook layouts over the next few days too because it's fun to go back and look at those (which is the whole reason I make them, right?).  So let's get started.

October's pick is this Halloween card featuring Agnes, whom I dearly love (along with her pals Frankie and Vlad).

Here's a pretty Thanksgiving card for November's pick.

And I really liked two cards for December, the first one being this Christmas Magic train.

And my other favorite is this CAS snowflake card.  That wraps up the card showcase for 2016, hope you enjoyed it!

Friday Flashback: Just Between Fiends

Happy Friday!  I've got a totally seasonally-appropriate stamp set for today's Flashback, but just one problem--I'm absolutely SURE I've used Just Between Fiends before, but I can't find any pictures of it either in my personal archives or on my Splitcoast gallery.  Arrgh!  Anyway, Just Between Fiends goes along with Best Fiends (probably my favorite Halloween stamp set ever) and is a set of four sentiments.  For today's card, I picked the sentiment I was pretty sure I hadn't used yet (never dreaming I would have no photographic evidence for having used the other three either).  So here it is:

I think I'll send this to my sister-in-law, who loves purple and also frogs because she went to Texas Christian University.  Usually I color in Agnes with orange/red hair and use the purple for her outfit, but I decided this time Agnes has gotten into the wild hair color trend and has purple hair.  I think it would be fun to dye my hair some wild color, but let's be honest, I'm far too lazy to keep up with hair dye.

My colors are courtesy of Create with Connie and Mary:

Everything I used is Stampin' Up!, but the stamps retired ten years ago (eek!) and I'm not sure how old the Cast-a-Spell DSP is but it's pretty old too.  But that DSP has exactly these challenge colors with the only addition of Basic Black so it couldn't be any more perfect for this challenge.

I also used this week's Freshly Made Sketch:

I squished it to be a horizontal card instead of vertical, just because my stamps were so large they wouldn't fit on a standard A2 card otherwise.  I suppose I could have done a 5x7 card but honestly that didn't even occur to me until just this minute.

This also fits in with the SUO Challenges theme of Fall Fun, so I'll enter over there as well.

Okay kids, I'm off to take my sweet little doglets for a walk since the weather looks really nice today and a walk would be good for me too.  Cheers!

Supplies, all SU!
Stamps:  Just Between Fiends, Best Fiends
Ink: Basic Black, Perfect Plum, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Smoky Slate, Soft Suede, Soft Sky
Paper:  Perfect Plum, Thick Whisper White, Cast-a-Spell DSP
Accessories:  retired Ovals Framelits, Dimensionals