TMR - Theme - Fishing ....

..... Hello! I'm back from our trip to the UK - it was so much fun and so nice to catch up with family members who I've not seen in years!!! It's time for our new challenge at The Male Room - TMR#89. For the next two weeks, you should make masculine projects based on the theme of FISH/FISHING. I've never quite understood the fascination for fishing, but I do know that it is very popular both here in the States and in the UK. I took a slightly warped view of fishing:

Stamps: There She Goes - Taglines; MFT - Marble Background; Lawn Fawn - Blue Skies
Inks: Kaleidacolor - Blue Breeze; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - London Fog
Dies: Spellbinders - Wonky Rectangles (S4-306) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Tempting Turquoise; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Clear Embossing Powder

I have no fishing stamps in my collection, but going through my stamp directory I came across this image from There She Goes Stamps (now discontinued) and it really made me laugh, so I created my card based around the image. I stamped the card base with the marble background using a Kaleidacolor ink pad to suggest a lake. I die cut a panel for the centre of the card and stamped the image, coloured it with Copic markers, put it back in the MISTI, restamped in Versafine and heat embossed with clear powder to make the image pop. I stamped a couple of clouds in the sky in pale grey and added more colour to create the sky and the lake beneath the boat. I also added some birds flying in the sky. I finished the front by adding some sparkle to the clouds and also to the beer can. I decided not to add anything further to the front of the card. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of turquoise card, and on the white panel, I stamped the message - which made me laugh!! I also stamped the boat again.

Do visit The Male Room to see more inspiration from the rest of the design team. You have plenty of time to join in the fun - the deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Tuesday 17th July - that's 7.00pm EDT in the States.

Today is Independence Day in the States. All over the country, there are going to be parades and firework displays and Northville is no exception. Normally, I'm in the UK at this time, but this year, I'm taking my mum into downtown Northville to see the Independence Day parade - it should be quite a spectacle!