Vintage goodies

Well, I haven't felt much like creating lately at all. The heat this summer feels like it's turned my brain and bones to mush (lol). It's just grand to feel a little cooler air this week, and that's sent me right back to my happy room! I'm catching up with some design team projects, and decided to look over several of my favourite challenge sites for inspiration.

There's a brand new challenge site around..Art Journey...and since I love love LOVE their stamps (from the Netherlands), I decided to play in their first challenge...friendship. The Creatilicious challenge and the Stampin' for the Weekend challenge are both vintage. The Secret Crafters challenge is to do clean and simple, which is what I tried with the first two cards here. The Art Cards challenge is to use direct to paper, which I did with Vintage Photo ink around the edges of this first card. Have you ever seen a stamp, and decided you just HAVE to have it? That's the way it was with this beautiful rose. I've kept these cards intentionally simple, because the rose is just so perfect. Just some stamping on kraft cardstock and a little chalking, and I'm happy! I stamped the roses with Vintage Photo ink and the sentiment (Hero Arts) with Versafine Black.

For this one, I computer generated the sentiment.

Since I had my Art Journey binder out, I decided to use another Art Journey stamp for the Creative Card Crew and Wednesday Stamper challenges...September and school. The City Crafter challenge is "one for the boys." The Creative Cottage challenge 22 is "celebrations," and back to school sure does qualify! (lol) One Powerful Hour's challenge is "hittin' the books." The Wee Memories challenge is to incorporate babies or young children into your creating, and Our Creative Corner's challenge is to incorporate letters or numbers. This sentiment is computer generated too. I'm sending this card off to my little grandsons, who are all attending school this year, after a long time home schooling. Just LOVE this stamp! The wing stamp is from Crafty Secrets.

This next card is my birthday card to my daughter, who'll

be travelling west later this week to defend her master's thesis while I happily do Grammie duty with her children. This young woman just ROCKS...yes, I'm biased. I always make very "girlie" cards for her, as she lives in a veritable nest of testosterone with her husband and four little boys.

I'm so happy you visited today. I'll come see you too if there's a link in the comments section. I wish you a creative week, doing whatever you like best!