Masculine Cards from DSP odds and ends

After organizing my Designer Series Paper (DSP) yesterday, my goal today was to make some masculine birthday cards.  I found a couple on Pinterest that I wanted to try. 

Rustic Argyle

The argyle print is from a color collection several years ago (probably longer than I think) and the banner is from a package of 'sweater' prints.  The embossed background card stock is some that my sister, Jane, embossed for me several years ago (again probably longer than I think).  A great way to expand your designs.  I asked Jane if she had some of the embossing folders that I would like to try and for those she did, I told her which colors I wanted done with which folder.  For the most part, I did a color collection per folder - like Regals with this folder.  So she took a sheet of card stock in each color in the Regals collection and cut it into 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 pieces and embossed them for me.  When she came to visit next, she had a shoebox full of embossed pieces.  I replaced the card stock from my supply at that time.  I still have about 3/4 of embossed pieces to use up!

Angled DSP

The angled strips interested me on this card design.   I have lots of strips in different widths and this would be a way to use up some.  At first, I tried to find strips that were all from the same DSP package so they would coordinate, or at least use common colors.  I soon decided that would make it too complicated and I would wind up with more scraps that I started if I cut from larger pieces of DSP.  So I just started grabbing strips and playing with them.  I like the graph paper as the background on this one. 

More angles

I came up with so many combination of strips that I made 6 more cards based on that design.  Not sure which one I like the best but the upper left corner really catches my eye.  I'll have to remember this design.  It could be used for ay theme depending on DSP used or colors.  I want to try it with baby prints for a New Baby card, or maybe some strips of birthday prints for a birthday card.  So many possibilities!

Cheap therapy

Cheap Therapy

When I am stressed, I have a couple different therapies that I use.  Who needs to pay a professional therapist when you can craft, cook , consume and cuddle.

For the crafting, I made some masculine cards.  I had some of the retired Dusty Durango designer paper and just cut it into 5 x 3 3/4 inch rectangles and went from there.  I chose random samples of Whisper White and took the splash image from the reitred Extreme Elements set.  I stamped some Wild Wasabi splashes on the Whispery White.   I stamped the sentiment using Early Espresso.
My DH may not agree that this is a 'cheap' therapy but he has learned that if I am grouchy, a couple hours in the craft room and my mood improves.

I mounted the designer paper and the Whisper White on Early Espresso card stock.  I wrapped some Early Espresso baker's twine around the card pieces and tied with a short pice of the twine.  These were adhered to a Wild Wasabi card base.

On a couple I added a Wild Wasabi button.  I put some twine through the button holes and tied the button to the twine.  I put some mini glue dots behind the button as it was a little heavy for the twine.  The glue dots held it perfectly. 

I stamped 6 images but only had enough designer paper to make 5 cards so one used a smaller piece of the designer series paper. 

And while I was crafting, I had some buttery roll dough mixing up in the bread machine. 

These are so good.  I had two with my supper and then had two more for an evening snack.  Who needs sweets!??!?   You can get the recipe here -Buttery Rolls  I found this in a magazine many years ago and don't know whose recipe it was originally. 
Working with the dough helps relieve som eof the stress.

And that brings me to the thrid cheap therapy -consuming, or eating  :-)  Somedays you just need to indulge yourself a little and eating these rolls was my indulgence.

The last therapy is cuddle.  Dear granddaughter Adelyn, came over with her mommy and daddy.  We could all just stit and watch her for hours :-) Some cuddle time with her and everything looks better.

Frigid weather, hot soup and some fun cards

 

Hot soup for lunch

Today was one of those day that I love being able to work from home.  No cold walk into the hospital from the parking lot.  But I did have to run an errand just before lunch so came home and had a nice hot bowl of Kale, White Bean and Sausage Soup which I made over the weekend.  It is so delicious!

 

Here are some cards I made last week as samples at the embossing folder class.

 

Well Worn Honeycomb

 This was my favorite - and also was a favorite of the ladies attending the class.  It uses the Well Worn Designer Series Paper which is discontinued but is currently available on the Clearance Rack (if we did not buy it all - many of the ladies wanted some after seeing this card).  I used Crumb Cake card embossing with an Soft Suede inked up embossing folder.  That was put on Not Quite Navy and Soft Sueded then a Very Vanilla card base.

Sweetheart Honeycomb

 This one also uses the Honeycomb folder.  I used some stamps from the Tiny Tags set and Raspberry Ripple ink to decorate some of the hexagon sections.  The heart is Primrose Petals embossed with Elegant Lines folder.  It is mounted on Primrose Petals cardstock and a Whisper White base.

 

Circles and Rings - Double Embossed

This one uses Pale Plum and Certainly Celery card stock rings and circles adhered to a Whisper White background and then embossed with the Snowburst Embossing Folder (also on the clearance rack) 



Razzleberry Heart

For this one I embossed the lower edge with the Vine Street folder available free during Sale-a-bration.   For the polka dot embossing edge around the sentiment, I have a piece cut from the Polka Dot embossing folder that is just one row of dots (I also have one with two rows of dots).   The heart is embossed with the Elegant Lines.  When doing these hearts I embossed a scrap of card stock, then punch out the heart so I could get the exact area I wanted.  I really like the Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry colors together.  I will make more of these!

Double embossed trio

The square frames are made using the 1 inch and  1 1/4 inch square punches.  These were made similarly to the rings on the Circles and Rings card about.  Punch the smaller shape first and then center the hole from that punch in the larger one.  So simple! I adhered the frames to the Sahara Sand card stock and embossed it all with the Houndstooth folder.

 

Kite flying

I created the scene on this card using scraps of card stock them embossed it all using the Square Lattice folder.  Doesn't the circle look quilted?  The DSP is a scrap from a retired set.

You Rock!

A masculine card with the Honeycomb folder.  I cut along the hexagons and then wrapped linen thread around it.  Old Olive, Cajun Craze and Rich Razzleberry - on Sahara Sand is a nice manly color combination.

 

 

I am so loving the Honeycomb embossing folder.  Sure hope they come out with a punch to match the hexagon.



Playing with DSP

Played with some retired DSP (Designer Series Paper) recently and made 21 birthday cards.   I needed to stock up on masculine cards for all ages.  I have so much of the retired papers - could probably make twenty cards every day for the next year and still have paper left over.

This one was probably the simplest.  Just random circles cut from the DSP, a ribbon and some score lines. 

A pinwheel - these are so easy.  Who doesn't like pinwheels?

I just purchased the Need for Speed stamp set and imagine I will be using it a lot for masculine cards. 

I saw a card similar to this from one of hte other demonstrators.  I think it gives the impression of the car moving as you are watching through a window or opening.

 

This one doesn't use any of the DSP but I had these two images left so combined them on a simple card. 





So many new toys- where to begin?



I have so many new toys I don't know what to play with first.  I did play with a couple new stamp sets tonight.

The first one is called Clockworks.  It makes a great masculine card.  I did the background and the timepiece and then debated about what sentiment to put on.  I need a retirement card this weekend and "time ticking away" sort of goes with that so that is what I ended up with.   The cog punch is a retired one that I got on the clearance rack.   I thought it went well with the stamp set.
Card stock - Gumball Green, Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit and Very Vanilla
Ribbon - Midnight Muse Satin Stitched
Stamp sets - Clockworks, Teeny Tiny Wishes

The other sets I played with are Word Play (I got that set free ) and Cottage Window.   I love the cottage window set.  It has the basic window and items for all seasons.  The sentiment is from the Word Play set.
Card Stock - Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Midnight Muse and Whisper White
Stamp Sets - Word Play, Cottage Window

This would be an autumn window.  I love the spider you can add.
Card Stock - Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green and Whisper Whire

And the winter window with holly branches and snowflakes.
Card Stock - Gumball Green and Midnight Muse

So - just a little bit of playing but at least something productive.   I also made a stack of masculine cards using some retired DSP. Clean and Simple - maybe I will share those tomorrow :-)

CASE-ing Masculine Cards

Recently I hosted a Masculine Card Swap with some other SU demonstrators. Each demonstrator that participated sent me 5 masculine cards. I sent them back 4 cards made by other demonstrators. The extra card from each will be donated to Operation Write Home or another charity if the card does not fit the OWN guidelines.
The best part about hosting the swap was I got to see all of the cards (I believe there were 23 different cards).
The other night I was trying to come up with some ideas for using the new Sweet Shop Designer Series Paper (DSP) and copied (or CASE-d) some of the masculine cards.


This card was made by Jane (my sister and upline). It is so simple yet appealing to the eye.


Here is my card using the Sweet Shop DSP in the squares.
Card Stock - Soft Suede, Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Sweet Shop DSP
Embellishment - In Color Brad
Tools - Simply Scored, 1 inch square punch, 1 1/4 inch square punch
I think I'll be making more of these to use up scraps of DSP.


This card was made by Kate. I love how she used three different designs of the DSP.


Here is my copy using the Sweet Shop DSP
Card Stock - Soft Suede, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White, Sweet Shop DSP
Tools - Decorative Label punch, Medium Oval punch
Embellishment - Soft Suede 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon
Stamp Set - On Your Birthday
Ink - Lucky Limeade


And here is one that Susan made. I really like the use of the Big Shot Scalloped Envelope die.


And here is my take on it using the Sweet Shop DSP.
Card Stock- Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, Whisper White, Sweet Shop DSP
Embellishment - Calypso Coral ruffled ribbon
Tools - ??? Punch, Scalloped Envelope die
Ink - Soft Suede


And here it shows the little card pulled out of the envelope. This would be a great design to use for a single layer card like a post card.

It was fun working with the Sweet Shop DSP but then I enjoy all the DSP designs!

Stained Glass Technique

The technique for November's Technique Tuesday is Stained Glass. Here are some cards I made to learn this technique. For more details on Technique Tuesday - click here.

This is probably the card we will make at the class. The sentiment could be changed to Happy Thanksgiving or even Merry Christmas - -or any generic sentiment like Get Well or Thinking of You.
Card Stock - Old Olive, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Ink - Stazon White, Cajun Craze ink pads, Old Olive, More Mustard, Cajun Craze ink refills
Tools - Medium and Large ovals
Embellisments -Dazzling Diamonds, Hemp Twine
Stamp Sets - Lovely as a Tree, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Additional materials- Window Sheet, Tissue Paper

Here I used a retired sentiment stamp which was given to me by a friend.
Card Stock - Old Olive, More Mustard, Cajun Craze
Ink - Stazon White, Cajun Craze ink pads, Old Olive, More Mustard, Cajun Craze ink refills
Tools - Eyelet scallop punch
Embellisments -Dazzling Diamonds, 1/4 inch taffeta Old Olive ribbon
Stamp Sets - Lovely as a Tree
Additional materials- Window Sheet, Tissue Paper

This closeup shows the effect better but still does not do it justice. You can see the dazzling diamonds in the background. The 'glitter' is all captured underneath the window sheet so no messy glitter all over from handling the card.

Another attempt- all in the same colors as the previous two except I tried Stazon black ink this time. Hard to see the image on this as my background got darker than I wanted. I need to get some pastel ink refills and try this one again.

You might be able to see the image a little better in this shot. The card looks better in person :-)

And - since the mica flakes come in such a large quantity I tried using that instead of the dazzling diamonds. I like it on this card because it reminds me of chips of sea shells.
Card Stock - Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Island Indigo

Embellishments - Whisper White 3/8 inch taffeta dyed Pool Party, Mini Brad

Inks - Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Island Indigo, Stazon white

Tools - Word Window, Modern Label

Stamp Sets - Teeny Tiny Wishes, Sail Away (from the mini catalog so it is not available after Aug 31 - hurry and place an order if you want this stamp)

Additional materials- Window Sheet, Tissue Paper

I tried to get a better shot of the mica flakes but not sure that worked. These really are cards that you have to see in person. Hope you will join us on November 15 for this technique.

Jazz it up

I have been wanting to do something to show how you can take a simple, basic design and jazz it up with just a few little touches. So here goes my first attempt.

This is a basic card. The image is stamped in a single color and mounted on a card with some colorful DSP. The sentiment is simply stamped and mounted. A nice looking card and would definitely brighten someone's day.
All of these cards use these products:
Card Stock - Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Autumn Spice DSP (retired)
Stamp Set - Lovely as a Tree
Ink - Chocolate Chip
Tools - Word Window and Modern Label punches

So this is jazzing it up a little. I used two colors for the stamping by rubbing the stamp pad against the stamp in the specific areas. I added a ribbon (Old Olive 3/8 inch taffeta) and I used dimensionals to pop-up the sentiment. I did turn the card sideways just to make it a little different.

Here I have jazzed it up another step. I colored the image using chalk pastels. To do this I stamped the image in a lighter color (Crumb Cake) and then using cotton swabs (had to steal those from DH's vanity in the bathroom) sponged on some autumn colors among the leaves and added some brown to the trunk and green to the grass. Then using the Stamp-a-ma-jig, I lined up and stamped the tree in Chocolate Chip over the chalked image.
The Very Vanilla 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon has a little strip of 1/8 inch Old Olive taffeta ribbon tied into the bow.
I added a Cajun Craze brad to the sentiment.

These next two cards are not necessarily 'jazzed up' versions of the previous (more like the same level) but show other ways to make your card special. For this one I used So Saffron card stock for the image background instead of the Very Vanilla and since I did not have any So Saffron ribbons that would work I dyed a piece of Whisper White 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon using the So Saffron stamp pad and a sponge.


This was my attempt for a truly masculine version. I used the pastels to color the image as before. To distress the edges of the Very Vanilla card stock, I took the scissor blade and ran it along the edges. This breaks down the fibers and gives it a ragged texture. Then I rubbed the edges along the Chocolate Chip ink pad. I added some Hemp Twine instead of a ribbon.

Hope you like all of my versions of this card. Each one uses the same design, dimensions and supplies - but all have some unique features.

Little boys and their toys

Little boys is another area where I never have enough cards. I got this new stamp set - I Dig You - specifically to make cards for those little boys on my birthday list.

I used my new Sizzix (but non-SU) embossing folders for these too. The stamp set has 'chunky' designs so it is easy to color in the different areas with a marker before stamping.
Card Stock - Night of Navy, Cajun Craze, Old Olive
Ink - Old Olive, Night of Navy, Basic Gray, Cajun Craze
Stamp Set - I Dig You

Another card using the same supplies. I am watching for more ideas for this stamp set :-)



This would work for a young man. This is the 4th embossing folder in the sets I bought online. This one looks like a splat.
Card stock - So Saffron, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango
Ink - Pacific Point
Stamp Set - Happiest Birthday Wishes
Embellishment - So Saffron brads

And another with the same supplies.

Let's hear if for the boys!

I am always looking for masculine card ideas and never have enough on hand so was so glad to find some embossing folders through an online craft store that work for masculine cards. These are not from Stampin Up although SU has recently added a houndstooth and a striped embossing folder that would work for masculine cards. The polka dot also works well for men especially if you reverse it and it looks like pegboard.
But I just had to share these - they are Sizzix brand.

This one is like a sunburst. Here I placed the 'sun' at the bottom of the card so it looks like a sunrise.
Card Stock - Basic Gray, Pool Party, Whisper White
Stamp Set- Happiest Birthday Wishes (new hostess set)
Ink - Basic Gray

This is a checkerboard design but the edges have a distressed look. That is more noticeable on some cards below. I like adding ribbon but don't always think a bow is very masculine. This little loop of ribbon seemed to work better.
Card Stock - Basic Gray, Pool Party, Whisper White
Stamp Set- Happiest Birthday Wishes (new hostess set)
Ink - Basic Gray
Embellishment - Basic Gray 3/8 inch taffeta ribbon (retired), Designer Printed Brad

This is one of my favorites of the embossing folders. It is full of circles and they are all 'distressed'. I added one of the large eyelets in the center of one of the circles.
I used two stamps on this one which is so easy with the clear mount and the acrylic blocks. You can just put both stamps on the acrylic block and use it like one large stamp- or I could have stamped the first then done the second one in a different color.
Card Stock - Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Pacific Point
Ink - Old Olive
Embellishments - Large eyelet, 1/4 inch taffeta Old Olive ribbon
Stamp Set - Happiest Birthday Wishes

Here is that checkerboard embossing folder again - you can see the distressed part of the design better on this card.
Card stock - Sahara Sand, Old Olive, Pacific Point
Ink - Old Olive
Embellishments - Large eyelet, Hemp twine
Stamp set - Happiest Birthday Wishes

Another with the checkerboard embossing folder.
Card stock - Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Tangerine Tango
Ink - Old Olive
Embellishment - Hemp twine
Stamp Set - Happiest Birthday Wishes
Tools - 1/16 inch hole punch

So - now I am stocked up on adult masculine cards. I also have some little boy cards but that will be another post.