Masculine Tree

Over at the Simon Says blog they're having a Masculine card challenge. We all know just how difficult masculine cards can be to create (adding flowers, bows, and using colorful and femine paper is so much easier!) ...

...but I'm getting better at these masculine cards. It's a learning curve...

Today's card features another stamp from the "Thoughts and Prayers" stamp set by Stampin' Up. I absolutely love trees on masculine cards -- there's something about trees...

Sometimes the cards turn out to be monochromatic...when you truly didn't intend to create one! But shades of brown are so fun to work with...and calming... (I LOVE BROWNS!)

Here's a look at the full card:

The border punch is one of my favorite by Martha Stewart. The ribbon is from Simon Says store (I think)...and of course some pearls. :) You gotta love bling...of any kind! :)

So anyways, I'm off to get some other projects finished. Thanks for stopping by my blog...and have a great day! :)

ttcrd -- anything goes

party time tuesday -- anything goes

To my Husband

Hi guys. It's Father's Day today and I thought I'd share a card I made for the occasion. This one isn't actually for MY father, but for my husband...but he's a dad...so it totally counts. :)

I decided to try a bit of a new style. I've always loved stamping...but for some occasions I just don't have the right stamps. And so I decided to use my printer and print out a sentiment instead...

I had some beautiful sparkly (or shiny) grey cardstock that I used for my background. It keeps it from being boring. I also added a strip of black paper on the left which I embossed with one of the border folders from the Cuttlebug "Just My Type" folder set. It adds a bit of texture to the card, which I always love.

So here's my card. Masculine cards are always the most difficult ones for me to make...but I'm loving how this one turned out. :)

Thanks for dropping by. Have a great and Godly day! :)

Challenges:

Oldie but a Goldie -- Father's Day / Masculine

Word Art Wednesday -- Anything Goes

Glitter and Sparkle -- Faher's Day / Men's Cards

Tuesday Throwdown -- Special Man

Bearly Mine -- One for the Boys

Imagination Crafts -- All that Glitters
Tattered Lace -- One for the Guys
The Sisters of Craft -- Anything Goes

Masculine Card using a Butterfly Stamp

Hi guys. I'm taking a bit of a break from Christmas cards today.

I wanted to make a card for one of my uncles -- was thinking of a "Praying for You" or "Thinking of You".

Now I know, those cards are not very difficult cards to make usually....

       until I tried to make it masculine.....

                         and include a butterfly stamp at the same time...

Now THAT proved to be a tough one to make!!!!

I ended up with a pretty Clean and Simple card, which wasn't what I had in mind when I first started...

       .....BUT....

                   I did manage to use a butterfly stamp on the card and still have it look masculine!!!

That's an accomplishment!!! :)

Using some orange/brown cardstock, I embossed the border with one of the "Just My Type" embossing folders. Then I layered the cardstock on white and finally on some black cardstock.  Using the same orange/brown cardstock, I stamped one of the "Fanciful Butteflies" stamps from Sweet Stamps and then cut it out with scissors. Finally I stamped a "Thinking of You" sentiment on the card that I picked up from a Michael's bin. I'm happy with the way it turned out...hopefully it'll brighten my uncle's day. :)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Leave me a comment if you like what you see -- I love hearing from other people in the blogging world. And I'll drop by your blog as well... :)

Have a great day! :)

some challenges I found to enter my card in:

The Cuttlebug Spot -- Any Season 
I chose "Summer"
ABC Challenge Blog -- Clean it Out!
I used my "Thinking of You" stamp which has been unused for far too long!
The Kraft Journal - Clean and Simple
Frosted Designs -- 2 Stamps to Stamp with...
Pause, Dream, Enjoy Challenges -- Lost Stash
I forgot I had the "Fanciful Butterflies" stamps!

And before you head off...here's a giveaway I ran across. "THE DAILY MARKER" is giving away a "Falling Stars" craft die from Simon Says Stamps. Head on over to their blog and check out the details. 

Like I always say...you can't win it...if you're not in it! So go check it out! And good luck! :)

Birthday Masculine

Hi guys. Today I have a masculine birthday card to share. Masculine cards, in general, seem to be everyone's most challenging cards to create. I find little boys' cards to be pretty simple, cause you can add a cute animal image and it works. But when you start making cards for adults, it gets a lot harder. Especially when you try a card without a coloured image (which isn't really my style in the first place).

So when I set out to make masculine cards (for older guys)...I like to keep them Clean and Simple for starters. I often look if I can find a sketch online to use, which I did in this case. And when I finally do find something that turns out really really really well, well I mass  produce! :p LOL Different colours, different stamps, etc.  -- but a great sketch is dying to be mass produced! And when it comes to masculine cards -- a GREAT card is hard to come by, so why not?!!!

On to my card:

The cardstock is from a Michael's pack. The border is from a Colorbok paper pack I won awhile back. I love all shades of brown and this Paper pack was my favourite from Colorbok so far! Beautiful papers!!! (I only have scraps left, but that was perfect for this card, as all I needed was a scrap). :) The square stamp is from the Dollarama -- I haven't found a whole lot of uses for it yet, but I do love it for Masculine cards. And finally the two sentiments are from the Upsy Daisy stampset I borrowed from a friend.

I love how all these different products work together. :) And yes, I am definitely mass producing this card!! I love it! :)

Just Tracy's Crafts Challenge -- Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Challenge -- Father's Day/ For a Special Male
Sweet Stamps -- Anything goes
Mojo Monday -- Sketch
Creative Inspirations -- Anything Goes

Masculine Birthday

Hi guys. Today I want to show you a masculine card I made. These cards always the hardest for me to make -- 'cause cards tend to look flowery or "girly" very fast -- especially when you start to add embellishments....like ribbons.
I used a sketch from a friend -- it's also a great sketch if you're looking to clean up scraps. I'm definitely keeping it around for the future...'cause there's always scraps that need to be taken care of! :)
Here's the card:

I used a clear stamp to stamp the "grey/light black" image of the candles, and then stamped my Birthday sentiment over it with black. I cut the spellbinder and inked up the edges to make it "pop" a bit. (and yes -- I even used a bit of ribbon...but it doesn't make the card any bit girly, now does it?!) Guess it all depends on what you do with the ribbon. (something to note for myself).

So that's it -- another C - A - S card :)

Cuttlebug Borders

On a recent trip to the states, I told my mom to keep her eyes open for some cuttlebug borders. She brought me home this set...ORGANIC FLOURISH BORDER SET

LOL I'll admit, in the beginning I was a little clueless as to how to incorporate them into my cards, but after a few tries, I've come up with some great ideas! It's amazing what a little bling can do to make everything look even better (the borders look great to start off with). Here's a quick look as one of my cards using one of the folders from this set.

I so have to get a cuttlebug!!! Next trip to the city!!! TFL :)

Old Stamps, New Technique

 Oh yeah!!! The computer is up and running...and I have so much to show off!!! :p

I won a clear stamp set a year or so ago. Basically it was the same image -- one stamped the outline only, and the second stamped the whole image. I've used it a few times, but I was never really impressed. Yesterday I saw a card in a gallery using a similar stamp set...and I set out to try the technique. It's so simple, but it looks amazing! :) I used two different colours (recommended), and stamped first the outline and then the whole image -- kind of on top of each other. Let it dry...and your stamped paper is ready to use!!! And it looks really cool!!!

Here's a card I made using the new technique.

I'll be reaching for this stamp set a whole lot more in the future! TFL :)

Totally Stampalicious -- Anything Goes

Happy Father's Day!

I got the card done in time -- total me fashion too!!! LOL

It turned out a lot plainer-looking than I wanted -- but I'm thinking it's got something to do with the plain dark brown paper on all the layers. Oh well -- it's still beautiful! :) I dry embossed the leaf with a Fiskars shapeboss -- that is seriously one amazing tool to have! I've seen people adding these dry embossed cutouts to cards, and I've really liked the look. Thought I'd give it a try as well. And this may just be the first of many!  I found the message online -- it's totally perfect!

 Well, everyone is into Father's Day challenges on the blogs. Here's just a few I've found to enter this card in:

Pear Tree Designs: Father's Day
Crafty Cardmakers: Cards for Men
Totally Stamalicious: Celebrating Dads
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: A Tribute to all Fathers

Re-using a fav Sketch

During an online crop at www.fiskateers.com somebody asked if we had any favourite papers lying around that we just can't bring ourselves to use. This background paper is one of those for me. I've had it for at least half a year...picked it up so often...and then put it back in my stash 'cause I couldn't make myself use it! I don't know what it is about it that I like -- maybe the complexity of it -- who knows! But I finally decided today was the day!!! :)

I borrowed some Birthday clear stamps from a friend and embossed the images with my gold embossing powder.  I also borrowed her Fiskars border edge punch...and then topped it off with some yellowish/golden ribbon from my stash. I found this card sketch online awhile back...and if you've been following my blog for awhile you will probably remember I've used it before. But this card is a little different 'cause I didn't use circles, but two square images instead. I love combining old ideas with new ones -- it keeps me using my favourite sketches again and again...but always adding new ideas as well...so they're a little different than before! :)

I've just realized this card could be a masculine card! Those are my most challenging cards to make...and I didn't even think about it! :) Total breakthrough people!!! :)

This card is definitely worth entering into a challenge!
Stamp Something: 2 of Something
> I used two different papers, and two different stamps
Our Creative Corner: Masculine Birthday
The Creative Cottage: One for the Boys
The ABC Challenge: U is for Unused

Plaid Masculine

I've had a few WOJ Henry With a Cake embossed images lying around on my work table for awhile now...just waiting for an inspired moment. :p I needed to make some birthday cards for kids anyways, and decided it was time to clean up. The card turned out simpler than originally planned -- I was trying to follow a sketch, and then decided I liked the simplicity of this idea. I just love that pastel plaid paper!!!!!!!!

I found a challenge to enter:
Daring Cardmakers: BoyZone
  > This challenge is sponsered by Charmed Cards & Crafts

Masculine Card

I soooooo need some ideas for masculine cards. I've made quite a few...but they're typically a struggle from the start to the end! Why is it that they are sooooo much harder to make than any other cards??? It just doesn't make sense to me. Anyways, TFL. :)