TMR - The Outdoors

... Good morning!! I've been keeping a secret and I can finally tell you, I am thrilled and delighted to be re-joining the Design Team at The Male Room. I love making masculine cards and this challenge has a special place in my heart. Now, moving onto this month's challenge at The Male Room - TMR#211. Our theme for the next month is THE OUTDOORS. I've made a birthday card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Way Out West, Back in the Saddle, Sheriff; Happy Little Stampers - Born to be Wild; Waffle Flowers - Postage Collage Dad Silhouette; Gina K - Find Peace

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Turquoise Sea, Blue Sky, Powder Blue, Kraft, Warm Cocoa, Dark Chocolate, Charcoal Brown, Stormy Sky; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Stencils: WF - Postage Collage A6 Blocks Stencil

Dies: WF - Postage Collage A6 Die

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; Copic Markers

Do you ever dream about the cards you plan to make? Well, I dreamt about this one. I know it's strange. It's an A6 US size card - that's 4½" x 6¼". I used kraft card to make the card base. I wiped various ink pads over the note card to create a kind of wood grain texture. I used the A6 postage die to cut out a panel of white 'stamps'. I inked the background to make a soft, early evening sky. Then I stamped silhouette images of a desert background with various cacti. I added some birds flying in the sky, a crescent moon, and lightly added some stars. I cut the panel into individual 'stamps'. I stamped some additional cacti, and a horseman on white card and cut them out. I stamped the sheriff star on white card, cut it out, and then added the birthday greeting. I adhered the two middle stamps flat to the card, and used dimensional tape to add the bottom stamp and the sheriff star. On the inside, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the main card. I stamped a fun birthday greeting, added a small sheriff badge, horseshoe, and star, added a line of blue stars along the bottom of the panel, and edged with a blue marker.

I'm submitting this card to Inkspirational - INK#368 where they have a word prompt - For the Guys. I'm also playing along with The Neglected Stuff Challenge - NSC#0626, they have no theme, just use old products - done!

One of the things I like to do is mix products from different companies. This card mixes new - the waffle flower die, some of the stamps, and the inks. It also has a lot from older, and sadly, closed companies; in this case the wild west silhouettes from Waltzingmouse Stamps and the birthday greeting in the star from Happy Little Stampers. While the companies have gone, I have the products and it's great giving them a new lease of life!!

I had such fun making this card. The theme gives so much scope - do visit The Male Room to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the Design Team. Bye for now.

Doing well in Challenges

... Morning! This is just a very quick note to say thanks to the Design Teams who visit all the entries in the various challenges run on the Internet. I've not made many cards over the past couple of years, so it's a real pleasure to get comments on my cards. And it's even better when I get a badge to put on my blog, as you really liked a card. 

So, particular thanks to the Design Teams on Addicted to Stamps and More! and Addicted to CAS for picking some of my recent makes. You've made my day.

Birthday Card for a Sewing Fan

.... Good afternoon! It's absolutely beautiful here in North Wales. The sky is blue, and the sun is shining, and, more importantly, it's lovely and warm too. And I've spent the morning making a birthday card for my friend:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Sweet Birthday Sentiments, Postage Collage, Postage Collage Sew Fun

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Gina K - Soft Stone, Stormy Sky, Light Orchid, Medium Orchid, Dark Orchid

Stencils: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage Sew Fun, Postage Collage Blocks Stencil, Postage Collage Coloring Stencil

Dies: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage Die, Sweet Birthday Sentiments

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; White Posca Pen

I had so much fun making this card. Heather, my friend, is a whiz with the sewing machine. She makes lots of her own clothes, so this is perfect for her. I die cut the postage stamp panel from white card, used the co-ordinating Sew Fun stencils and inks to create the little stamps, and finished by adding postage marks in black ink. I used the PC Coloring Stencil to make the airmail border on an A2 white note card. I layered the stamp panel on grey card and added the whole piece to the A2 card. I finished the front with a simple birthday greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of grey card, and on the white panel stamped a birthday greeting and a couple of sewing images.

I'm submitting this card to AAA Birthday Challenge - AAAB#85 where it's their 7th birthday and the theme is Anything Birthday Goes. I'm also playing along with Color Hues - CH#133 where the colours are lime green and violet.

This card is going in the post this afternoon and should reach Heather in plenty of time. That's all for now. See you soon.

Belated Birthday Card

... Hi! I'm running late with this card. It's my brother-in-law's birthday today, and I got so caught up with the bank holiday weekend, that I forgot to make a card for him. However, it's never too late to wish someone a happy birthday. Here's the card:

Stamps: Uniko - Bauhaus Blocks, Simply Said Birthday, Everyday Sentiments, Birthday Sentiments, Background Blocks Mid Century Modern

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Gina K - Blue Denim, Blue Sky, In the Navy

Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers; Lawn Fawn - Clear Embossing Powder

This came together very quickly. I used my MISTI to stamp the Bauhaus Blocks images, removed them and coloured with Copic Markers. I returned them to the MISTI and restamped with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then cut them into individual square panels. I added them to the front of an A2 white note card and finished with a suitable greeting. On the inside, I cut a white panel slightly smaller than A2 size. I stamped a fun background in light blue ink, and added a greeting in shades of dark blue. I edged the panel with a yellow marker and adhered it to the note card.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#307 where it make a birthday card

Color Hues - CH#132 - to use yellow and blue

Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#385 - make a clean and simple card

 

I really like the Bauhaus blocks images - they work perfectly for masculine cards, and also for feminine cards too. It just depends what colours you pick! That's it for now. See you again soon.

Hubby's Birthday Card

.... Morning! Today is Jonathan's 62nd birthday, and this is the card I made for him:

Stamps: PaperArtsy - Kate Crane KC012; Uniko - Simply Said, Birthday Wishes

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Versafine - Black Onyx; Gina K - Soft Stone

Dies: Waffle Flower - Nesting Postage Layers #3

Accessories: White & Black Card; Copic Markers; LF - Clear Embossing Powder

I got a new stamp set last weekend featuring some fab toadstools. I used it for this card. I stamped a number of the toadstools directly onto an A2 white note card in soft grey ink. I die cut the postage stamp backing and white topper. I used my MISTI to stamp the main image onto white card. I removed it from the MISTI, used Copics to add colour, restamped with Versafine ink and embossed the image with clear powder. Then I fussy cut it out. I added the 'postage stamp' to the card at an angle, adhered the toadstool and finished with sentiments in black ink. I added a couple of words ' to my' in black fine liner. Jonathan does enjoy a pun!!! On the inside, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than A2 size, edged it with a blue marker, added a birthday greeting and another toadstool.

I'm submitting this card to:

Cardz 4 Guyz - C4G#385 where they want a clean and simple card (mostly)

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#516 - to make my mark - done

Seize the Birthday - STB#325 - I've done an anything goes as long as it's birthday

That's all from me today. I'll be back soon. 

Silver Wedding Anniversary

... Good morning! Today is our 25th wedding anniversary. I can't believe how fast the years have gone by. I was going to make a special silver anniversary card, then I remembered that I still have lots of cards that I made for Jonathan in my stash. I tend to make new cards and give those, so I've built up a small stash and I've picked one to give Jonathan today. This is the card:

I made this card when I was on the design team for The Male Room; still one of my favourite challenges. Full details about the products used and pictures of the inside can be found on my original post.

Signing the register after our marriage ceremony - it was such a lovely day.

Birthday Cupcakes

.... Hello! Three days in a row, my I'm on a roll. Today's card is for my sister-in-law, her birthday is next week and I'm safe to share it here as she doesn't look at my blog. Here's her card:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Postage Collage, PC - Birthday, PC - Fall

Inks: Memento - Anel Pink, Summer Sky; Gina K - Passionate Pink, Blue Sky, Barely There Amalgam; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Waffle Flower - Postage Cupcake

Stencils: Waffle Flower - Postage Cupcake, Random Rhombus

Accessories: White Card

I used a stencil to make the background - blending pale pink and pale blue inks, where they cross I have a soft lilac. Next I die cut three postage circle stamps and used the co-ordinating stencil to create little cupcakes in each stamp. I added some ribbon to the card base, adhered the two blue cupcake stamps directly to the card. I added some postage marks to the pink cupcake, stacked it on two white die cuts for dimension, and added it to the card. I finished with a simple birthday sentiment in black. For the inside I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than A2, stamped a greeting and added a little birthday postmark.

I'm playing along with the following challenges:

CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#583 - I turned the sketch to make a landscape card

{PIN}spirational Challenges - PIN#336 - to use pale pink and pale blue

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#85 - I've had the rhombus stencil and cupcake die 'n' stencil for a while, but this is the first time I've used them!

That's it for today - see you again soon.

Oversized Postage Birthday

.... Hello again! Today I'm sharing a card I made for my aunt - it's actually her birthday today, so it's going to be a bit late. Here's the card:

Stamps: Waffle Flower - Sketched Aster, Oversized Postage, Postage Collage, Sweet Birthday Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Emerald Coast, Blue Sky, Dusty Rose, Innocent Pink, Petunia, Soft Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Waffle Flower - Oversized Postage, Rhombus Texture Die

Stencils: Waffle Flower - Sketched Aster

Accessories: White Card; Copic Markers

I created subtle texture on the A2 card background using a WF Rhombus Texture die. I used the Oversized Postage dies to cut out the stamp edge background and the top panel. I added a touch of green ink to the stamp edge. I used the Sketched Aster stencil to create the flower on the white panel. Once the flower was completed, I lightly inked over with matching colour to tone down the brilliant white. I added some postage marks in black ink and adhered the panel to the card. I finished the front with a circular special delivery stamp containing a cute birthday cake. I kept the inside very simple. I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than A2, edged the panel with a green marker, stamped a bold birthday greeting in black ink and added the sketched aster in soft grey ink.

I'm submitting this card to:

AAA Colourful - AAAC#27 - love these colours

Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#306 where the theme is Postage

Stencil Fun Challenge - SFC#0426 - where it's always anything goes with stencils, the option is rainbow colours - which I skipped

 

 

I need to make a few more cards today and tomorrow. One for my hubby as it's our 25th Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday - and I can't believe how fast the time has gone. And one for my sister-in-law, who has a birthday at the end of the month. That's it for now. See you again soon.

Spring Garden Birthday

..... Oh boy! So much for my plan to make a card every day. I've not even managed one a week. However, today I've made two. The card I'm sharing today is for a friend in the village - she's a keen gardener and crafter, so I think she'll love this one:

Stamps: Gina K - Birthday Garden, Modern Greetings

Inks: Gina K - Passionate Pink, Sweet Mango; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Gina K - Birthday Garden, Modern Greetings; Waffle Flower - Sparkles Panel Die

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Kraft, Granny Apple Green; Copic Markers

I had an A2 (US size) kraft card on my desk and decided to start with that. I used the WF Sparkles panel die to cut the background pattern, and on the inside I added green card to show through. Using my MISTI I stamped all the images from Birthday Garden on white card. I removed them from the MISTI, coloured with Copic markers, replaced into the MISTI and stamped again with VFC Nocturne ink -this gives a really strong black image. I used the matching dies to cut out all the images. Next, using a technique that I learnt from Gina K, I stamped an ombre birthday greeting. I adhered all the images to the front of the card. On the inside, I cut a piece of white card slightly smaller than the A2 card, stamped a simple greeting, edged the panel with a green marker, adhered it to the card and finished by adding the wheelbarrow image.

I'm submitting this card to the following challenges:

Seize the Birthday - STB#324 - where the option is to make a Spring Garden

Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#515 - to use die cuts and/or stencils - die cuts used

A Cut Above - ACA#0426 - where it's always anything goes with a die cut the option is pastel colours

 

 

I have enjoyed making cards today. However, even though I've not made many cards, I have been crafting. I've been doing several of Dyan Reaveley's doodle classes - they are brilliant. Anyway, that's all from me today. Drop by tomorrow to see my other card.