I found a new challenge site that matches my Throwback Thursday theme. Retro Rubber Challenge Blog encourages crafters to pull out that seasoned stamp set and remember why you fell in love in the first place. Their current challenge is a Tic-Tac-Toe board. I found lots of inspiration on the board. Let me show you.

For my card, I used the diagonal row: Neutrals, Flowers, and Birds. It just so happens the Hugs from Shelli Paper Pumpkin incorporated these nature-inspired elements, so I used the kit as my jumping off point along with one of the first stamp sets I purchased from Stampin’ Up back in 2005, Beautiful Beach. The Van Gogh quote that came in the set spoke to me then and, fourteen years later, still does.
My nature/beach themed card uses a base of Pretty Peacock which coordinates with the Paper Pumpkin kit. Over that I used a layer of a long retired DSP, Going Global in Lost Lagoon. This is also a retired color, but wow does it work with Pretty Peacock. Over that, I layered a card front from the kit stamped with one of the bird images in Gray Granite. I added a piece of retiring Wood Texture DSP to represent driftwood.
Next, I worked on the sentiment. Because this stamp is so old, at the time, it had to be trimmed by hand and mounted to the wood block. Well, I was a new stamper and I mounted the sentiment one way and the image sticker upside down. It’s always a challenge to get it right. But I managed to get it stamped correctly in Early Espresso. I added some “watery” texture with the Paper Pumpkin stamp using the second generation stamping technique and Pretty Peacock ink.
My embellishments are the die cuts from the kit, two feathers, and a flower as well as some twine. Then I added the seashell from another seasoned stamp set, By the Tide. I used Crumb Cake ink on Very Vanilla for the image and fussy cut it. For a final touch, I added some hard to see in a photograph raindrop shaped crystal drops.
One card, lots of nature and I had a ton of fun digging through my stash for inspiration. Thanks the Retro Rubber Challenge team for a wonderful board.
Update: I was a top pick for this challenge!
What a wonderful celebration of old and new! Beautiful Beach is long before I discovered SU and I’ve never seen it before – what a beauty! No wonder you’ve kept it and cherished it! You’ve played the tic-tac-toe with flair and style. Thank you for playing with us at Retro Rubber Challenge.
Such a pretty creation…I recognized that quote from the beach set right away! It’s perfect with the new colors and images from the current Paper PUmpkin kit, too! Very nicely done! Thanks for playing with our Retro Rubber challenge this week!
So happy you found us. Love this gorgeous card, I love the neutrals mixed with the soft blues. Thanks for playing along with us at Retro Rubber this time, hope to see you in the gallery again. Claire DT
Oh so pretty and detailed! Thanks for joining us at Retro Rubber for our Tic Tac Toe challenge.
Hello Colleen: I’m so happy you found our RETRO RUBBER CHALLENGE BLOG, where we celebrate our old stamp sets and encourage everyone to bring them out to play again.
I also don’t remember this set but I’m glad you have it and shared it with us this time.
Love the soft colors and your layout and, that quote is as beautiful as it is truthful.
Thank you for playing with us at RETRO RUBBER, we hope you come back to play next time.
Hugs.
Maria Rodriguez.