TMR - Our 5th Birthday ....

... Hello and good morning! Today is a very special day, it's our 5th birthday at The Male Room. The challenge was started by Jacqueline of Phoenix Inspirations in July 2013, and it's been a challenge I loved right from the start. I started off playing along and I was lucky enough to join the design team in February 2014.

So it's probably no surprise that our challenge for the next two weeks here at The Male Room - TMR#91 is BIRTHDAY. I've made a very clean, simple and sparkly card:

Stamps: My Favourite Things - Happy Birthday Candles; Stampin' Up! - Water Colour Wishes
Inks: Dylusions - Calypso Teal, Cut Grass, Pure Sunshine; Gina K - Black Onyx
Dies: Die-namics - A2 Stitched Rectangles, Birthday Candles
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Concord & 9th - Summer Glitter Pack

I wanted to keep this card really simple to focus on the bold, bright, sparkly candles. I used a stitched edge die to cut a panel of card slightly smaller than the base card and then die cut the candles from the white panel. I used the inlaid-die technique to fill the spaces with glitter candles in blue and green, along with gold flames. I stamped the birthday greeting above the candles and then adhered the panel to the front of the card using dimensional foam to give some depth. As yet, I've not done the inside of the card but will add a photo once it's completed. I'm submitting this card to Dare2BArtzy - D2BA#07 - Birthday and also to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#08.

I've finished the inside of the card!! I cut a mat layer of dark blue card and on the white panel stamped the birthday candles. I stamped them first in green and then again in blue - I used second generation impressions and went for a very grungy look. I added the flames using yellow ink. I finished the inside with a fun greeting in black.

Do visit our blog to see more inspiring projects from the rest of the team and also to see a card from our very special Guest Designer, Jacqueline. So great to have her with us for this special occasion. You have plenty of time to join in the celebration, deadline for submission is midnight BST on Tuesday 14th August (that's 7.00pm EDT). Don't forget you can make any type of papercraft project but it must have a masculine theme.

We are very pleased to announce that we are being sponsored by Concord & 9th for this challenge and you could be the lucky winner of a $25 gift voucher for their shop - good luck! That's all for now!