I've decided that I can not buy anything new and so I've been really busy playing around with things I already have ... such as my many, many Spellbinder dies. I also decided to try and make a couple of really masculine themed cards using the dies. Here are the results.
The first card starts off with a gold background die-cut and embossed using the largest of the Fleur-de-Lis rectangle die. I fitted the inside of with a patterned light colored patterned paper (the backing from one of my K&Company/E.K. Success sticker sheets). Next I added the central gold medallion which was die-cut and embossed using one of the Fleur-de-Lis accent dies. I added a die-cut and embossed red heart made using the Renaissance Hearts die.The two lions are done using the Heraldry dies. The 3D banner was made using one of the Ribbon Banner dies. The banner was cut apart, edged with black ink and then reassembled using raised adhesive dots. The banner is the perfect place for a future text.
The second card started by making a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square white card. Using the Martha Stewart/E.K. Success around the page Scroll Lace punch I create the next layer from a square of ivory paper; which I lightly edged with gold ink. Then using two die-cut and embossed gold tags from the Fancy Tag Three series of dies I created the central medallion by criss-crossing the two cut out tags on a diagonal. The crest from the Heraldry die set was die-cut, embossed and then colored with markers before it was added to the center of the card. The banner is made using the Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Tattered Banners die. I edged the banner with gold ink, folded back the ends and then added it to the card using raised adhesive dots. To add some bling I used large and small red rhinestone hearts from Darice. Again the banner is the perfect place for a future text.
These cards required a lot of patience and a lot of work ... but I think they were well worth it!