Less is More week 7 - Masculine

Today's card is for...you guessed it...the Less is More challenge to make a masculine card.  I woke up with a card in my head this morning, and was able to adapt it to this challenge.  I love it when that happens!  This card took less than 10 minutes to put together.  And I really love it when that happens!

I stamped the shadows of the wheat like I was stamping off the excess ink on scrap paper before I clean my stamp.  Really fast and with reckless abandon.  I think it gives a great effect.  Add a little twine and a square button, both masculine IMO, and you are done!

I used my Sakura clear glaze pen on the button, and I like it for several reasons.  First of all, it dries with a little texture to it and isn't super shiny.  Sometimes I prefer this look, especially on a masculine card.  Secondly, it dries super fast which translates to no waiting to finish your project.  Yea!

I added a couple tiny pieces of a dimensional under the button to give it stability.

Supplies:
Stamps - Stampabilities, PTI Birthday Basics
Paper - crumb cake, soft suede
Ink - Memento rich cocoa
Accessories - Baker's twine, buttons #5 Sizzlets, Big Shot, Sakura clear glaze pen, dimensionals


Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you have a great weekend!

K

Oh, My!

I didn't realize how long it had been since I've posted here.  The last two weeks have been a whirlwind, and it doesn't look like things will be calming down for a while.

My new craft tables and cubbies from Scrap'n'Cube are going to be delivered this afternoon.  Since my craft show is over, I have been spending my time here and there cleaning out my craft room, and it looks like a tornado came through our basement.  It's amazing how much stuff one can pack into a 10' x 10' room!  Will it ever end?

Emptying my room has made me realize how much stuff I don't need, and when it's time to put it all back together, it won't be allowed in my room unless I use it.  Regularly.  No more hoarding pretty patterned paper.  No more buying dollar spot things to alter or saving altoid tins to alter because... I don't alter!  It has taken me years to realize that, but I'm done buying stuff I don't do anything with.  I'll leave the altering to someone else and stick to making cards.

Speaking of cards, here is a quick one layer beauty I made for our son for his birthday today.  I'm not very talented at the collage-y style, but I think this one turned out pretty good.  It's pretty hard to mess up when you use the Exteme Elements set.

One thing I love about SU's neutrals is how well they go together.  They can all stand alone, but combine a few of them, and you have a great looking color combo.

Supplies used:
Stamps - Extreme Dirtbike, Extreme Elements, PTI Birthday Basics
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Crumb Cake, Espresso, Suede, Night of Navy

It's hard to believe my first born is already eight.  He's halfway to driving a car, and will probably be trying tricks like this on his dirtbike by then - ack!  I'm just glad I'll have a great room I can hide out in!

I'll post pictures when it is all put together, and I hope to be stamping again soon!

K

OLW a Little Late

You know how you can come up with a card design out of nowhere, but if you are challenged with that particular design you draw a blank?

You don't?

Oh.

Well I do!  That is what happened to me this week with Susan's OLW challenge to use three images and one sentiment.  It seems like I have used that layout a lot.  Using three images is a popular design because of the rule of 'odds' and forming a visual triangle to make the design appealing.  But do you think I could come up with anything?
        
Nooooooooooo! (voice raises and lowers)

Until today when I wasn't even trying.  I bought a border stamp set on clearance several weeks ago and finally inked it up today.  Here is the first card I made.

I was originally going to put a third strand in another color, not even thinking about the OLW challenge, but it would have been too crowded.  So I left it the way it was and stamped the sentiment.  I really liked how this turned out, even without the third color.  Then the light bulb went on (off?), and I thought of this...

Isn't it purty?

Supplies used:
Stamps - TPC Studio Dots & Stripes, Sincere Salutations
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Pacific point, old olive/cherry cobbler, old olive
Accessories - none!  Not even my SAMJ!

I really like my new border stamps.  There are so many possibilities for them!

Toodles!

K

Guy Card and some Simple Daisies

My brother's birthday is tomorrow, and like usual, it snuck up on me, and I didn't have a card made for him.  I was going to make it last night, but nothing came to me until I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep.  It was already almost time to get up, so I thought I'd better stay in bed and wait 'til morning to make it.

I used the new Espresso cardstock that SU is adding to their core colors this year.  It is so rich in color, I already know it will be my go-to brown.  I didn't think I would like anything better than chocolate chip (how could I like anything better than chocolate?), but we're talking about coffee here!

Isn't this a great color combo for a guy card?  I will have to file this one away for future reference.  You could substitue navy, artichoke, riding hood red, eggplant, wasabi, Baja breeze, or Pacific point for the embossed panel, and it would still be a great combo.  Don't you just love the espresso and suede together?

Supplies used:
Stamps - Angler, teeny tiny wishes
Paper - naturals ivory, espresso, not quite navy, soft suede
Ink - Memento rich cocoa, creamy caramel
Accessories - CB folder and machine, linen thread, HS edge distresser, dauber


Then I was playing around with my Both Way Blossoms set that I have had for at least 3 years.  I only know that because it retired in 2007.  Can you believe it had never seen ink?  I have too many sets in that situation, so I am trying to use them so I can decide if I want to keep them.  After all, I have to make room for the new sets I don't have yet!  heehee!

It may be a little hard to see, but the center card has a frame around the image made with my scor-pal.  I was just playing around with different frames to make a one layer card.  I made one image panel and colored in the leaves, but decided to leave these black and white with just a pop of color from the flock.  As I am cleaning out and reorganizing my craft stash, I am finding all kinds of fun things to use.

These don't have sentiments stamped on them yet.  Too many times I have a card I want to send to someone, but it has the wrong words, so I thought I'd wait to put them on until I know who I am sending them to.

Supplies used:
Stamps - both way blossoms
Paper - GKD PL white
Ink - Memento black
Accessories - Glue pen, flock, gingham ribbon, glue dot, scor-pal, Zig writer, SAMJ

I think I'll keep this set!

K