Nuts & Bolts Birthday Slimline Card

Hello crafty friends and a very happy February 1st to you!

I've got a birthday card for you this week. This one I created for my sweet brother using the Nuts & Bolts stamp set along with the Slim Sayings stamp set and coordinating Slim Card dies. I'm always in need of making masculine cards and they are a challenge to make!

It seems appropriate to use the Simply Marbleous DSP from the Sale-a-bration brochure for these robots, doesn't it? This is a good way to get that metal look.

 Cardmaking Tips:

• Use Misty Moonlight cardstock for the cardbase which measures 3-5/8" x 8-5/8".
  
• Since the Simply Marbleous DSP is only 6"x6", I had to extend the paper for the background piece and the frame by adhering 2 separate pieces together. You really can't tell where the seams are unless you inspect it very closely.
  
•  Those cute little robots were stamped onto the backside of the Hydrangea Hill Mercury Glass Acetate with Stazon ink then fussy-cut. I then cut out the same robots on Pool Party Cardstock and adhered them behind the acetate.
  
• Trim off the gear that the robot is holding and extend the line from below his hand towards the top to make it look like he's holding a balloon. I used an 1/8"x 1" strip of the Hydrangea acetate then drew a line with my black sharpie pen. 
  
• Those adorable little party hats are from the Awesome Otters stamp set from the Sale-a-bration brochure. Use the Smoky Slate, So Saffron and Balmy Blue Stampin' Blend markers to color the hats.
  
•  Finish off the card front with a few black Adhesive Backed hexagons on the top left and bottom right corners to look like rivets.
  
•  Be sure to keep your scrap pieces you cut from the Simply Marbleous DSP so you can use them throughout the card as you see on the inside piece in the picture below.
  

 

Cardmaking Supplies:

• You can view the list of supplies in the following link, except the Sale-a-Bration products: https://s.tamp.in/DRyP1E
  
• Click on the following links for more information about these Sale-a-bration products I used, which can only be earned for FREE with a $50 or more purchase: 
• Awesome Otters
• Simply Marbleous Designer Series Paper (DSP)
  

 
 I really appreciate you joining me this week! I would LOVE to hear from you about your thoughts on this card in the comments section below! 

 

Until next time ... 

 

#TGIFC352 - Masculine Valentine card

 Hello crafty friends! 

I've got a card to show you that was inspired by TGIF Challenge #352 and features a NEW bundle that will come out on Tuesday, February 1st called "Here Together".

I'll be sure to share more on the NEW bundle next week but until then, here's a sample using the bundle amongst other products as described below.

I wanted to make something masculine to give to my husband just in time for Valentine's Day! I'm already ahead of the game and I'm so glad I got around to it.

Cardmaking Tips

• The finished dimensions are 4" x 4".
• Use a piece of Pool Party cardstock that measures 8" x 4" and score at 4" along the length,  as your card base.
• Use another piece of Pool Party cardstock that measures 3.5" x 3.5" and zip it through the Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine with the Gingham Embossing Folder.
•  use a 3-1/4" x 3-1/4" piece of the Simply Marbleous DSP to crumble up and distress the edges. Sponge some Soft Suede ink on all four sides. The DSP can ONLY be earned through our Sale-a-bration promotion.
  
• Cut a heart out from the same DSP using the large heart-shaped die from the Give It A Whirl Dies. Adhere the heart to the center of the square DSP piece.
• Stamp the hands image onto some Basic White cardstock using Soft Suede Ink. The color of the hands are from the NEW Natural Tones Stampin' Blends Pack (SU600, SU700) that are a part of the "Here Together" collection. Use a little Cherry Cobbler marker to color the nails on the hands.
  
• Use your Dark Pool Party Stampin' Blend to color the black and white twine from the Playful Pets ribbon combo pack. Wrap it around your large DSP square 3 times and tie with a bow.
• Stamp "Sure do love you" onto a 1/2" strip of Soft Suede cardstock with Versamark and heat emboss it with White embossing powder.

For the inside of the card, I used the banner shaped die from the Sweet Hearts Die set and heat embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder. The sentiment and the hearts are from the Sweet Conversations Stamp set. 

All the supplies, minus the Simply Marbleous DSP and the Here Together Collection (coming 2/1/22),  can be found in the following link:  https://s.tamp.in/AAeFlf

The Simply Marbleous DSP can only be earned for FREE after a qualifying order of $50 or more during Sale-a-Bration. Click here for more details.

Thanks so much for joining me this week! Don't hesitate to comment below and let me know your thoughts on this card! I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time... 

Masculine card for wedding anniversary

Me and my sweet husband's 11th wedding anniversary is this month and of course I had to make my husband a card.

Masculine cards are a challenge for most of us (including myself) and it took me some time to figure out what to do after having a finished card coming out too feminine. Believe me, I know the struggle! 

So back to the drawing board I went, literally. I shifted gears and thought about using the Sailing Home and the Little Twinkle stamp sets together somehow. By the way, I used a totally different stamp set and layout for that one card I made that came out too feminine. I started drawing a sketch of my layout and searched on Pinterest for "sail in night sky" and I noticed this picture and thought it was perfect! I was automatically inspired!

Below is my inspiration that came to life! I am very happy with it!

Some instructions on how I made the card:

1.  I first got to work with placing my mountains for the background. I just drew them by hand and colored them in with my black Stampin' Blends. 
2. I then heat-embossed the lighthouse and sailboat with black embossing powder. I created some masks for these to prepare for the sponging technique. 
3. I sponged my lightest color first at the top of the mountains and worked my way to the darkest color towards the top of the card-front. I used Blueberry Bushel, Night of Navy, and Rich Razzleberry. Please note that I did have to be careful with the Rich Razzleberry because it tends to overpower the other colors. I ended up sponging some more Night of Navy over it.
4. I took some white craft ink and my watercolor brush to splatter the ink above the mountains. After that dried, I heat embossed the heart with white embossing powder.
5. For the water below the mountains, I sponged Coastal Cabana, Blueberry Bushel, and Night of Navy in that order. 
6. I colored over the lighthouse and sailboat with my Stampin' Blends. Crumb Cake for the lighthouse and Mint Macaron with Smoky Slate for the sailboat to make it look darker.
7. Finished off the card with the sentiment from the  Little Twinkle stamp set and some Braided linen trim.

 I would love to hear your comments on what you think about this card (please be kind). Let me know what stamp sets you've used for masculine cards. I always need help with that!

Until next time....

Stampin UP dapper dad & beyond plaid

I recently participated in a mail-swap a couple of weeks ago and the theme for the swap was masculine or for kiddos.
Since I'm always needing a masculine card, I decided to go with using the dapper dad  and beyond plaid stamp sets in the Spring catalog.

I really wanted to extend the wrist-band of the watch to fit the length of my card and came up with this idea. I must say, I'm pretty proud of how it came out!

  
My tips:

• stamp watch image on white cardstock and trim the top and bottom wrist-band as shown.

• use the herringbone image from the beyond plaid stamp set and stamp vertically onto cardstock multiple times, making sure to line up as best as you can.
• Cut out 2 pieces about a 2 1/4" length then trim one end with the 1" circle punch. 
• Adhere on top of original wrist-band.

• stamp another watch image and cut out the clock with a 1" circle punch. Adhere on top of original watch with a dimensional.
• add a rhinestone as the final touch and voila!

Supplies Used:

• cardstock: whisper white, midnight muse, pool party
• inks: midnight muse, basic grey
• stamp sets: dapper dad, beyond plaid, a word for you
• punches: 1" circle
• rhinestones    

 I really like the simplicity,masculine, and clean look of this card. A card most men would appreciate. 

Comment on my post below to let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you!

Blog you again next time...