Masculine Cards

As a stamper of greeting cards, we see a LOT of cards that are designed for female recipients.  This past week I worked on putting together a plethora of cards for the males in our lives.  I had a good response at my stamping class where the ladies got to choose 4 cards that they wanted to make.  

This first card features a Paper Pumpkin stamp set that had feathers and birds in it.  We stamped the background with the Dictionary background stamp that I pulled out of the "archives."  Then we used a splatter stamp that we spritzed with water to give it a watercolor look.  I used the new tag dies and added a saying and some feathers.  I love how it turned out.

This next card features the stamp set By the Dock.  Again I used the new Tag dies and added a rowboat, some oars, grass and a sweet bird flying off in the distance.  I added the green designer paper to give the cards some color.  From Cindy Brumbaugh.

Here are 2 seagull cards that I designed last year.  They also feature the Hugs from Shelli stamp set that came in the Paper Pumpkin box. I saw this idea from KB Papercraft.  I can almost hear the seagulls calling from the shore.  

The next few cards are made using the man from the stamp set Senior Years.  He is very silly looking and I didn't know if I liked him or not.  But now that I've used him, I just love the look of these cards.  :)  I got this idea from Christine Pierce.

For this birthday card, I added a goat from the Way to Goat set.  He's peaking out from behind the "old guy" and making this card very whimsical.  On the inside is the saying, You're the Greatest of all Time (GOAT).

And last, but not least are the sailboats from Sailing Home.  It's a cloudy, rainy day here today and I wish that I was out at the lake watching these boats.  I saw the idea for this by Terry's Cards on Etsy.

Which 4 would you pick to make your Masculine cards?

 
 

Set Sail in the Direction of Your Dreams

This past week I made this wooden decor piece for a friend who graduated from high school.  It's about 6" x 8" and I used a wooden block that I picked up from Joann's left over from the holidays.  I painted the block and then added the designer paper from the Come Sail Away designer paper set for the background.

I used the Stitched Nested Labels to frame in the saying.  Then I added a compass cut-out from the designer paper, a stamped lighthouse, some ribbon, a cut out silver wheel, an anchor, a stamped world image from an old sailboat set and some more embellishments.  I added some designer paper on all 4 sides of the block to give it a finished look.

I love how it turned out.  You can make decor out of any stamp set or paper!  What will you make from this set?

Come Sail with Me!

I love anything that reminds me of the ocean.  Seriously, why do I not go there more?  This month I chose to use the Sailing Home stamp set for my cards and projects. 

The designer papers have a great masculine look to them, but they don't have to be for men only.  Even ladies like blue and sailboat cards.  :)

This first card is from Bonnie O'Neill.  You can't see in the photo, but the wheel is cut out from silver paper, which makes it shine so nicely. 

The second card with the sunset in the background came from raxzldazl on Pinterest.  I used a punch to create the circle mask and sponged in the sunset.  I made the waves from a stamp in the Lilypad Lake set.  

I colored in the sailboat using the blends and added just a bit of orange color on the "sea" for the reflection of the sunset in the water.  I used the blends to create a shadow near the boat.  I added two orange sequins and that really tied in the orange colors on this card.  Ah, don't you wish you were on that sailboat right about now?

I got the idea for this card from Narelle Farrugia.  She has some really nice cards on her blog.  I added the lime green card and coloring to give it some pizazz and then finished it off with a couple of lime green accent sequins.  The background for the saying is just cut out from some green cardstock to frame the saying.  

Here is the inside of the card.  I made it for a friend who is graduating from high school.  I love the saying, Set sail in the direction of your dreams.  Right?

And latestly, I found this idea from Stacey Marsh.  It is simple, and yet so profound.  I changed up the colors a bit and used the new Seaside Spray color along with gray accents.  Then I just tied a gray piece of thick twine in the anchor.  Perfect, easy card.

Which one do you like the best?