Retro Vintage Shabby-Chic

I've really been inspired to craft today, and made these two cards. I'm distressing machine now that I have my handy paper distresser. Oh Tim Holtz, you are so much wiser than your years!

This week's combos at the Color Throwdown and colourQ are really challenging & really wonderful, and I had lots of fun pulling out some long-hoarded papers from my stash and just letting the card come together (with a little help from the sketches at Top Tip Tuesday/Robin's Fetish and Mojo Monday!)

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I haven't had much luck taking photos today: everything either looks washed-out or technicolored. But I'm pleased with how the colors match the challenges' in real life. The card above uses mostly paper from the 5&Dime October Afternoon collection (wow, it really came through for me with this otherwise challenging combo).

When I saw the classic-black rotary phone image, I just had to make a "missing you" card. I covered the phone image with Glossy Accents to create a faux-epoxy embellishment. It looks & feels really cool, but it took hours to dry.

Totally off the crafting subject, I love that the classic-black rotary phone not only evokes a retro feeling to me, but also feels vintage. My mom (Ann, because she actually has a name other than Mom, much to my dismay!), was telling me about some children who were scoring low on standardized tests that used images of rotary phones. What 4-year-old now would recognize a rotary phone?! Which makes me feel...experienced.

Inspiration: Color Throwdown #150, Top Tip Tuesday/Robin's Fetish Sketch
Stamps: StudioG, Paper Studio, sentiment from Regal Greetings set by {ippity} Stamps
Paper: Recollections, Core'dinations, 5&Dime
Tools: Marvy heat tool, Fiskars papercutter, Tim Holtz scissors & paper distresser,
Other: ZipDry glue, Stampendous embossing powder, Gary M. Burlin & Co. brads, Making Memories buttons, Simplicity thread & needle, Versamark & Stampin' Up! inks, Glossy Accents

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This card is all about the paper: each piece has its own wonderful texture. The medallions are heat-embossed with silver and colored with Copics.
The sentiment is actually a (clear) horizontal stamp that I partially inked and stamped to fit into the circle frame. Um, yeah, that took a little doing! But I'm pleased with the result.

Inspiration: ColourQ #93, Mojo Monday Sketch #199
Stamps: Hero Arts, Paper Studio, K&Co., large medallion from stash (thank you Spotlight Challenge)
Paper: Recollections, Core'dinations, handmade from stash
Tools: Marvy heat tool, Fiskars papercutter, Tim Holtz scissors & paper distresser
Other: ZipDry glue, ZING embossing powder, Versamark ink, Copic pens, Offray ribbon, pop-dots