Regal Deer

The second masculine themed card for the New Year is actually one I made a while ago and uses a couple of several different media. Mixing media is something I enjoy ... or maybe it's just that a card does not seem finished to me unless it has at least one sticker on it. 

I started by making a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" card from chocolate brown paper. Next I stamped a deer image and tree from Stampin' Up! in dark brown ink (Staz-on) on a piece of wood grained patterned paper (K & Company/E.K. Success. After the stamped image dried, I cut the stamped paper down to a 5" x 5" square; which I added to the center of the card. Next I edged the stamped panel with a leafy laser cut sticker border (Mrs. Grossman's) and then edged the panel again with a mirrored copper colored line sticker (Mrs. Grossman's).

This image looks very regal, majestic but mostly masculine and is suitable to be used for a number of occasions.

2017 New Year Resolution

Once again it's time to start a New Year ... and with fewer distractions calling on me, it will be my year to concentrate on my blog an my Face Book page! I will try to continue my masculine themed cards but also want to intermingle feminine and children themed cards. Okay, so enough chit chat and let's get started. The card I will begin 2017 with is a multi layer masculine card.

The card uses a number of items that re-enforces the masculine theme, from the blue monochromatic color scheme, the wood patterned paper, the wood plank look with nail heads and image. I started by adhering a piece of white wood grain patterned paper (My Mind's Eye) on a piece of card stock to make a more rigid background. Next I stamped a seascape with a lighthouse (Inkadinkado) in a dark blue ink (Staz-on) on background. Before using a ruler and craft knife to cut the stamped image into strips of various width, I lightly colored the image with pencils. Then using a deckle edge scissor (Fiskar) I trimmed each strip to a different length. I edged each piece with the same dark blue ink and added a small sticker (Stampendous) in black in each corner to simulate nail heads. I adhered the stamped panels with raised adhesive dots on a blue background card (Die Cut with a View) across which I ran horizontal stripe made with blue tape (Washi). I edged the card with more dark blue ink. The text is computer generated and could reflect numerous occasions or themes. 

That's it for the first 2017 blog!

Steampunk type masculine cards.

These three cards use steampunk jewelry ... nothing new for me, I did feminine cards a few years ago using jewelry.

The first card can be used for any "love" related occasions because it holds the key to one's heart. I started with a simple size A2 card and then ran some wood patterned tape edged with copper tape. The image was stamped in sepia ink and then colored with  metallic water color. The key was silver and I colored it with permanent dark brown ink and it was surrounded by gold color rhinestones.

The second card started with an embossed clock pattern on silver paper with a stamped clock panel added at the bottom. At the top I added a sticker tag with a sticker text. The watches are again from the steampunk jewelry counter ... I added a silver chain sticker to each and the some black rhinestones.

The third card is just a fun nautical themed car starting with a white A2 card covered with a wood patterned paper. Next I create a "pirates" map by stamping a nautical image of a ship and compass; which I over stamped with a distress pattern before I embossed it with a world map image. To finish my pirate map I die cut the stamped panel with a parchment die, edged the entire panel with black ink. To finish the card I added a anchor with chain also from the steampunk jewelry aisle- note that the chain is only fastened at either end to allow some movement. Finally I added half pearl rhinestones to simulate bubbles. 

There you have my version of "steampunk" masculine cards.

Father's Day

With Father's Day rapidly approaching masculine cards are always in demand, especially ones that show a father's relationship to his family/children. This year I decided to stick to a favorite subject of mine: scenery cards.

The first card is a landscape with deer made with nothing but die cut images: from the backgrounds trees, to the rolling hills, to the birch trees and even the deer family.

The second card is a landscape with a colorful pheasant taking flight made with nothing but stickers. The twist is that the scenery is seen through an opening in an embossed tree design with the pheasant overlapping the connection.

As always, these are simple easy cards to make because you don't want to be making cards when you can be spending time with dad!

Easter 2016

I wanted to make a really special card for some one very special - hope it worked!

I started be making a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" white card for the background. I then cut a piece of 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" piece of white paper; which I mounted on a piece of mirrored gold paper and trimmed. I added a piece of patterned paper to the center of the card. Before I attached the panel to the card I cut a 4" circle using a Spellbinder die. Next I cut a ring from  more mirrored paper (again using Spellbinder dies) and attached to the front of the panel. The card front is raised from the background to allow the 3D flowered rabbit and egg to be flush with the card front. Next I added the 3D lilac branches overlapping the one edge of the opening. Finally I added a gold text to the background. 

Happy Easter to every one!