TMR - technique ....

.... Good afternoon! I've not been around much over the last week, not just because I've got my Mum staying with us for a while, but because my Internet connection has been so patchy. I've tried to start a post several times, only to lose the connection and all the work I've done!!! I'm saving regularly right now. I've finally made a card for our challenge at The Male Room - TMR#62. Our challenge this time is a technique - OFF THE EDGE. My card is a clean, simple encouragement card:

Stamps: Dare 2B Artzy - Hot Air Balloons
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Dotted Rectangles #4; Dare 2B Artzy - Hot Air Balloons
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Bermuda Bay; SU/Sizzix EF - Cloudy Day; Zig Clean Color Brushes; Clear Embossing Powder; Vellum; Tim Holtz Watercolour Card

Not only have I had a hard time with my Internet connection lately, but my mojo seems to have taken a hike too! However, when I saw the sketch at this week's CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#227 challenge, I had an idea. I've not adhered to the sketch, but it's generally the same layout! I stamped a couple of hot air balloons on watercolour card, heat embossed them and coloured them with Zig clean colour brushes. I used co-ordinating dies to cut them both out. I was going to adhere them flat to the card, but decided to added a cloudy panel to represent the sky.  I attached the panel with dimensional tape and adhered the balloons to the panel.Both hot air balloons are flying off the edge of the cloudy panel! I drew on some birds flying in the sky and finished the card with a bold statement, stamped on vellum and heat embossed with clear powder. On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark aqua card. On the white panel I stamped another balloon, going off the edge, and a simple sentiment.

Do visit The Male Room blog to see more inspiration projects from the rest of the team - they are all just fabulous. I'm going to submit this card to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#11, where the theme is Anything Goes.

You still have time to play along with our current challenge and create a masculine project with an OFF THE EDGE technique. Deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Tuesday 20th June, that's 7.00pm EDT here in the States. Have fun!!!

It's take me most of the day to get this post typed up! Now to post it and link to the challenges. Here's hoping the Internet connections plays nicely!!!!

Happy Birthday ....

.... Good morning everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your weekend. Today I've a bold, bright birthday card to share with you. I used a few challenges in the making of this one:

• CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#83
• Inkspirational Challenge - INK#60
• Addicted to CAS - ATCAS#42

Stamps: Dare 2B Artzy - Lift Your Spirits; WPlus9 - Basic Banners; Stampin' Up! - Endless Birthday Wishes
Inks: SU - Only Orange (discontinued); Memento - Tuxedo Black, London Fog
Dies: Dare 2B Artzy - Hot Air Balloons; WPlus9 - Basic Banner
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Tangerine Tango; SU/Sizzix EF - Cloudy Day; Copic Markers

I used the layout from CAS(E) this Sketch! adapting it a bit to fit the fact that I've a big hot air balloon on the card. I stamped the image onto white card and coloured with Copic markers. I made the background by embossing white card with my SU Cloudy Day EF; which is actually in landscape format, so I had to add a bit to make it fit this card. I layered the embossed panel onto orange card and finished the front with a simple banner birthday sentiment. Both the sentiment and hot air balloon were attached with dimensional tape. On the inside I cut another mat of orange card and on the white panel stamped a trio of smaller hot air balloons, coloured them and added a birthday greeting.

I am safe to share this card with you today, as we were at Rachel's party yesterday. I picked orange because Rachel's family originally come from Holland and and orange is the country's national colour. Yesterday was not only Rachel's birthday, but Holland were playing in the World Cup quarter finals against Costa Rica.  It was a fantastic match, being 0-0 at full time and after 30 minutes extra time too.  So it went to penalties, which is always tough, but Holland pulled it off and beat Costa Rica 4-3 on penalties!  Yea!!!  It was a very happy party :)

TMR - Vintage ....

... Morning!  It looks like spring might be trying to make an appearance in Northville, it got up to 7°C (45°F) yesterday afternoon, and it should be even warmer today, although a bit wet!!  Still it is time for our new challenge at The Male Room.  We had so many lovely submissions for our blue, green and brown theme.  Our theme this time is VINTAGE, and here's my take:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Perfectly Penned; Dare to be Artzy - Hot Air Balloons E13102
Inks: SU - More Mustard, Sahara Sand; Versafine - Onyx Black; Distress - Antique Linen
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black, More Mustard; SU DP - More Mustard; Couture Creations EF - Ascension; Lakeland Greetings Banners

I find that vintage style is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I'm quite pleased with this card.  I used the colours from Dynamic Duos - DD#94, as well as the Dessert option of dry embossing.  I made the base from black card, cut a mat layer of More Mustard design paper and a panel of white card.  I embossed the white card with these fabulous balloons and brayed over the image with Sahara Sand and More Mustard.  I then added more ink by sponging on Antique Linen and More Mustard.  I rounded the corners of both layers and adhered them to the front of the card.  I finished the front with this bold birthday sentiment.  Not a bit of stamping on the front of the card.  On the inside I made a mat layer of More Mustard and on the white panel stamped (using second generation images) several small balloons and finished with a birthday greeting.

For more inspirational masculine cards with a vintage feel, check out the cards from the rest of the Design Team.  Looking forward to seeing what you make!  Bye for now.