TMR - Theme - Song Title ....

.... Hello!  Morning!  As this post goes live, I'm on my last week's holiday in the UK.  Kathryn and I flew over at the end of June, leaving Jonathan to have a two week vacation at home in the States.  So as you've guessed this is a scheduled post - prepared before I fly off!  It's been a busy week.  Our challenge, for the next two weeks, at The Male Room is to make a masculine theme project based on a Song Title.  Here's my card - see if you can work it out before I tell you:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - North Shore; Verve Stamps - Learning to Sail
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Real Red; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Markers

Have you guessed it yet?  He's a surfer dude, and I've gone for good old, red, white and blue .  My song is Surfin' USA by the Beach Boys - just love this song, it is so, so summer!!  And my card is ultra clean and simple.  I cut a mat layer of red card.  On the white panel I stamped this fabulous surfer image in black and embossed it with clear powder.  I added just a touch of colour to the sea behind him and to the lovely hibiscus flowers.  On the inside, I kept it just as simple with another mat layer of red card and some cool red, white and blue surf boards and greeting.

We have a guest designer with us this month - I'm sure that many of you are familiar with her work, please welcome Monika of Creative with Monika.  The rest of the team have some fabulous inspiration for you too.

Here's a video of the Beach Boys singing Surfin' USA - enjoy!!

Chillax .....

....  Hello again.  I woke up rather early today - something I often do at weekends, but struggle with during the week - go figure!!!  Anyway, I had a play and came up with a bright, clean and simple card for this week's CASology - CAS#137 challenge where the cue word is TROPICAL.  Here's what I made:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - My Island; Verve - Learning to Sail
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Peanut Brittle; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Fancy Pants Designs DP - Beach Babe; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear

I actually had this card pretty much figured out when I saw what the challenge was, but only managed to make it this morning!  I stamped the surfboard several times and coloured them all with Copic markers - the colours coming from the design paper.  I stamped the palm trees in Versafine as it gives a really crisp image and added a few sand banks suggesting a beach.  I adhered the boards to the beach, stamped the sentiment chillax (love this word) and finished with a bright sun - which is sparkling!!  On the inside I cut a mat layer of design paper and on the white panel added another surfboard and a greeting.

It's always fun when you get to do lots of creative stuff at a weekend.  As well as crafting - we have a photo shoot with one of our favourite models today - Natalie.  She's always a blast to work with and we all get super photos - like these from a shoot this time last year:

If you'd like to see more photos of Natalie - click this link - it goes to the the album on Flickr.  The theme of the shoot was Steampunk - something Natalie does so well!