TMR - Theme ....

.... Morning all! So good to be able to get on line and type up my post! Internet still good! And, more importantly, I'm on time with my card for our new challenge at The Male Room - TMR#63. Today, depending on whether you live in the northern or southern hemispheres, has either the longest daylight hours or the shortest daylight hours. Many people celebrate at this time of year so we thought that FIREWORKS would a fun theme. Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Man of the Hour, USA 1776
Inks: Distress - Mustard Seed, Blueprint Sketch, Lucky Clover, Twisted Citron; Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Brusho Paints - Ost Blue, Lime Green, Sea Green, Gamboge
Dies: Lil Inkers - Wonky Rectangles #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Tim Holtz Watercolour Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Emerald Envy; Clear Embossing Powder; Shimmer Spritz

I decided to celebrate my husband, Jonathan. He's a superhero to me and to the kids - he's caring, loving, funny, supportive and just the best Dad in the world. I might be a bit biased here!! I think Jonathan deserves a firework show of his own!!

I started by cutting a panel of watercolour card with the wonky rectangle die. I stamped the firework images in Versamark and heat embossed them with clear powder, then I stamped the sentiment in black and embossed that too. I taped the panel to a wooden block and then sprinkled on some Brusho crystals and spritzed with lots of water. I do like the burst patterns you get with this technique. I did blot off some of the colour so that the white fireworks showed clearly. I finished the panel with a light spritz of shimmer spray - sadly you can't see it in the photo above, but it looks super in real-life. I was going to adhere this to the plain white card, but it looked unfinished so I stamped some more fireworks around the card. On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark green card and on the white panel added a greeting and some more fireworks.

I used one of my favourite techniques on this card - emboss resist - which just happens to be the current challenge at AAA Cards - AAA#92, so I'm going to submit this card, even though I know it's not nearly CAS enough. I'm also submitting the card to Happy Little Stampers Watercolour challenge - HLSWC06 where anything goes.

You have plenty of time to join in with our new challenge. The deadline for submission is midnight (BST) on Tuesday 4th July - another day celebrated with firework displays!!! Have fun.

TMR - Add a Tag ...

.... Good morning all!  Where is this week going?  Time is simply flying by.  Anyway, with it being Wednesday it does mean that it's time for our new challenge at The Male Room.  For the next couple of weeks we have a technique challenge to add a tag to your masculine project.  I've got a Father's Day card to share with you:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Woodgrain, Ocean Bound, Man of the Hour
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Pool Party, Crushed Curry; Versamark
Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Stax #5; WMS - Ocean Bound Anchors
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Night of Navy, Pool Party, Crushed Curry; Cuttlebug EF - D'Vine Swirls; SU Ribbon - Pool Party; White Embossing Powder

I got the inspiration for this card from the new challenge at Fusion - FUSION#36.  I really like the nautical theme photo and I've used the sketch too.  I started by stamping a wood grain background on the card.  I cut a white fishtail banner which I embossed to resemble waves and then lightly ran an ink pad over the top to bring out the waves.  I die cut a tag in navy, added a little yellow star, die cut an anchor and added a Father's Day sentiment.  I attached the tag with dimensional tape.  I finished the front with another anchor leaning against the tag.  I die cut the anchor and then stamped the imaged on top.  A note about the stamping - I got my new Misti last week and it's just fabulous.  It makes it so much easier to stamp on dies like this and if the image isn't quite perfect you can restamp in exactly the same place - love my Misti!!!  Anyway, back to the card.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of aqua card and stamped a simple image on the white panel, leaving lots of room for message.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your creations - don't forget you can make any masculine style project - card, ATC, scrapbook page, even a 3D project - but you MUST use a tag. 

I am very pleased to announce that we have a new member of the Design Team - Chris of Dot Dot Stamping.  Chris was our Guest Designer during May and now becomes a full member of the team.  Do drop by and say Hi and check out what the rest of the team have made too!

That's all for now.  Have fun and see you soon.

TMR - Wood .....

.... Hello!  You guys certainly had lots of fun with our Halloween theme last time.  And now it's time for our new challenge at The Male Room.  For the next couple of weeks we'd like you to use the theme WOOD on your projects.  You can use real wood or you can go faux, but your project has to have a masculine feel.  I had fun and actually made two cards:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Man of the Hour, Wood Grain, USA 1776; Stampin' Up! - Happiest Birthday Wishes
Inks: SU - Blackberry Bliss
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Rectangles #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Blackberry Bliss; EK Success Punch - Notebook; BARC Wood Paper - White Birch

I used the sketch from CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#97 for the layout.  I kept the card really clean and simple.  The wood on this card is both real - the die cut panel is wood paper and faux - stamped chevron arrows. I stamped the main sentiment directly on the wood - you can see a little feathering where the ink has been absorbed by the wood, but it's quite sharp.  I stamped the birthday sentiment on some scrap card, cut it to size and adhered it behind the wood panel.  I made the horizontal strip by stamping the chevrons on white card, cutting to size and then adhering them to a punched border.  The wood panel was adhered with dimensional tape.  On the inside I cut a panel of blackberry card.  On the white card I stamped a firework burst (fourth generation image) and then a birthday greeting.

 My next card has a nautical theme and has a real wood panel too. 

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Tying the Knot, Ocean Bound
Inks: SU - Island Indigo, Mossy Meadow
Dies: WMS - Ocean Bound
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; BARC Wood Paper - Cherry

For this card I used the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch - CTS#97.  I cut a two inch piece of cherry wood for the central panel and used the die to cut out two ship wheels.  I stamped two wheels in blue and green and then cut them out with the die, I adhered them to the card with dimensional tape.  I added some interest to the front by stamping ropes down the edge of the card and the wood panel.  I finished the front with a simple sentiment stamped on white card, trimmed to size and then cut flags in both ends - attached with dimensional tape.  On the inside I made mat of blue card and stamped a simple greeting on the white card.

For more inspiration projects featuring wood check the blog to see what my team mates have made.  Have fun!