Magazine Column

I'm very happy and proud to announce that starting with the July 2015 of "Scrap & Stamp Arts" I will officially become part of their family with a regular column on masculine cards. The idea is that I will write short articles with accompanying new cards  ... all masculine themed! This falls beautifully into place with my new year's resolution to concentrate a little more on masculine themed cards. The cards will not only use stamped images but stickers and even die cuts.  

  

Foiling technique - to be perfected!

I truly enjoy metals and especially "foil" as a finish for my cards ... the problem is the technique is not the easiest (at least not for me). Last year a major manufacturer came out with stencils, glue and special foil paper and tried to revitalize the process ... I tried it but the results were not that great. Another manufacturer came out with pre-design double sided adhesive to be used with the foil ... but the cost seemed high. After the Holidays I found the entire line on clearance at my local craft store and decided to give them a try. I decided to make a masculine themed Easter card.

The process is simple ... the double sided adhesive pattern is nestled between two protective sheets. First the backing sheet needs to be carefully pealed away. The adhesive is then laid on the card and gently rubbed in place before the second protective layer is removed. Finally a sheet of foil is laid over the adhesive and rubbed down to transfer the metallic finish. Unfortunately I wanted a shimmering paper for the background and the only one I had on hand happened to be textured ... take it from me this was not the way to go. Anyway, I added a die cut cross (Magenta) and a quick sticker text to complete the card.   The scan does not do the card justice but I have to admit that the textured paper is a problem!

New Year 2015

2015 will be the year for me to go back to my original reasons for making cards (almost 40 years ago)! I started to make cards because I couldn't find appropriate masculine themed cards and to find a less expensive way to send a card. Over the years I've wondered away from both. I have also amassed a huge amount of supplies so  much so that I've also made the resolution not to buy any new supplies in 2015. To show everyone how sincere I am at my goal ... here are five cards to illustrate the theme. 

I used one stamp in five different ways; which include creating my own 3D effect,

 

These are simple to make and each one uses very few supplies ... basically besides the single  stamp all I used was black or brown ink, a bunch of solid colored papers and water colors. I will continue making these cards through out the year ... starting with Valentine's Day.

Variation on a Theme - Thanksgiving Style

Once again I decided to make three cards using the same theme but a different medium for each.For Thanksgiving I liked the idea of wheat shafts - something to do with bread and food and being thankful I guess or just maybe my catholic upbringing. I wanted to keep each card simple and clean. 

Card #1:

This card was made using an Inkadinkado image stamped in brown ink from Staz-on on a burlap patterned paper from K&Company/EK Success. The card was edged with the same brown ink. I added a simple tag (also edged with brown ink) for the computer generated text. To finish the card of I added some black brads from Making Memories in the corners.

Card #2:

This card was made using a 3D sticker from Jolees' Boutique/EK Success mounted on two strips of solid color paper (the colors were chosen to reflect the sticker colors) embossed with a Swiss dot pattern from Darice. The tag is made using the Tim Holtz/Sizzix tattered banner dies and again holds a computer generated text.

Card #3:

The final card was made using the Spellbinders Cattail die (to me they look like shafts of wheat) that was mounted over a circle punch on a panel die cut with the Sizzix parchment die (retired but one of my favorites). The cattail die cut was colored using brown ink. The background paper is a lightly mottled paper from K&Company/EK Success and also edged with brown ink. Again the text is computer generated.

These are simple cards and even though the die cut is supposed to represent cattails, when you use your imagination you can do anything!

Simple Halloween Cards

Sometimes, especially when we are busy, we need to go back to easy ... and what better time than Halloween. Here are some "easy" card ideas that are simple to make and can be adapted to almost any media .. I happened to use stickers for two of them and stamps for the third ... but can also be added to by creating some of the pre-made items used yourselves.

The first card was made using pre-embossed black Swiss dot paper for the card but you can use an embossing folder to create the same look. The strip of text-ed paper is just that, a strip of pre-made text-ed paper from Die Cut with a View, but again you can create your own using a rubber stamp. The strip was edged and lightly colored with black ink. The glittered rat sticker is from Martha Stewart/EK Success. The text are individual black glittered letters from Sticko/EK Success.

The second card use a strip of black paper in which I punched three holes and then added a small glittered sticker in each one (all from one $1.99 pack of Sandylion stickers). Can't get any easier than that!

The third card uses a single tree scene stamp (Picture Show) that was colored using watercolors - just make sure you use permanent black ink for the stamping to prevent bleeding of the paint and ink. The text is a rub-on from the dollar bin at Target. Everything was edged with black ink and the black frame around the image was done using a Sharpie marker.