Stamp-It Australia Windward Nautical Masculine Card

 

Hi everyone,

I am still making my Nautical Cards in-between other projects that I am working on.  I just love making nautical themed cards for men and really enjoy the process so much - and here is what I made:

Challenges

This is also my card for the following challenges - click on the underlined link to take you to the challenge:

• Splitcoaststampers - USEIT2026 - Use something old or neglected from your stash

• Crafty Catz - #719 - Anything Goes

• A Perfect Time to Craft - #9 September - Anything Goes

• Little Red Wagon - #875 - Use a Stamp

The main image is a very old Stamp-It Australia stamp called Windward which dates back to 1998.  I really miss Stamp-It Australia as they had such a large and diverse range of stamps.  They are still in business but no longer make stamps for cardmaking.

I stamped the ship using Versafine Vintage Sepia Ink onto Ranger Watercolour Cardstock.  The ship was coloured using a variety of mediums - Derwent Inktense Pencils, Lyra Watercolour Pencils and Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  

I extended the sea further down because it looked weird when I diecut it to have a blank area.  I added whitecaps to the ocean using a White Gel Pen and smeared it a little with my finger to help it blend in.

I went over some of the brown lines using a Brown Copic Multiliner - mostly on the body of the ship and the mast to darken up the wood and give it a little more definition.

I layered the main image onto American Crafts Kraft Cardstock then Kaisercraft Shadow Cardstock, then ink blended around the panel using Hero Arts Soft Sand Shadow Ink - as are all the layers on my card.

The designer papers are by Kaisercraft Sandy Toes which was first released in 2014 so are old.

The Navy Blue Grosgrain Ribbon I saved from an old gift bag that was being thrown out.  It was added in 2 separate elements because it is easier for me that way so that it sits nicely on the card.  I added some Fray Stop to the cut ends to stop them from fraying.

The sentiment is from the back of the Sandy Toes Paper Pad and was popped up on scraps of white cardstock.

The red hearts were diecut from Red Cardstock using an Impression Obsession Heart of Hearts Die which I've had for many years.  I love it because it diecuts lots of different hearts:

I added some Uniquely Creative Clear Sparkle Brush to the hearts plus the red flags on the ship as well as the whitecaps on the ocean.

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a Kaisercraft White Card Base using Tombow Mono Multi Glue.

Finished size is 5-1/2" x 5-1/2" or 140mm x 140mm.

I think you could use this card for a Birthday or a Wedding Anniversary or Father's Day.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stamp-It Australia Windward 1073G Self-Cling Rubber Stamp (1998 & retired)

Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia, Hero Arts Soft Sand Shadow

Designer Paper:  Kaisercraft Sandy Toes PP957 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" Pad (2014)

Accessories:  Big Shot, Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, Derwent Inktense + Lyra Watercolour Pencils, #2 & #4 Round Paintbrushes, Copic Brown .005 Multiliner, Uniquely Creative Clear Sparkle Brush, White Gel Pen, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Navy Blue Grosgrain Ribbon, Fray Stop, Ink Blending Tool with Domed Pad, Cardstock - Kaisercraft Shadow + American Crafts Kraft + Scraps of White & Red, Ranger Watercolour Cardstock, Kaisercraft White Card Base

Dies:  Impression Obsession Heart of Hearts DIE052-I (retired), Lifestyle Nesting Circles (retired)

Olive Green Masculine Thank You Card

Hi everyone,

Today I am sharing another Masculine Thank You Card.  This was my Splitcoaststampers Fan Club Design Team card for the February theme of Good People - and one of the suggestions was to make a Thank You Card for people who help.

Now that it is 6+ months since the challenge went live, I can share my card online.

I stamped the leaf image & sentiment with Olive Green Ink onto white cardstock.  I used my Stamping Platform for perfect placement.

The strip of designer paper along the bottom of the main panel is 3/4" x 3-1/2" and both that dp and the dp on the card base are scraps from my stash. The Olive Green Cardstock and was trimmed to 1/16".

I added some Grey Twine in two separate elements as I couldn't seem to tie a neat bow and have it sit at the right angle.  I glued the bow on using Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive.

The main panel has been popped up a little on scraps of white cardstock.

Lastly, I added an Echo Park Green Enamel Dot but added a dot of Art Glitter Glue underneath as I tend to find glue dots slip over time.  This enamel dot is from The Magic of Christmas Collection from 2022.

Finished size is 4-1/8" x 4-1/8" or 104mm x 104mm.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Leaf and Thank You Sentiment

Ink:  Olive Green

Designer Paper:  Scraps of Olive Green

Accessories:  Grey Twine , Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, Art Glitter Glue, Echo Park Enamel Dot - The Magic of Christmas (2022), Stamping Platform, Cardstock - White + Olive Green

A Gender-Neutral Thank You Card

 

Hi everyone,

Today I am sharing another Thank You Card.  This was my Splitcoaststampers Fan Club Design Team card for the February Theme of Good People .  One of the suggested interpretations for the theme was to make a Thank You Card for people who help.  I made this card to be more gender-neutral:

Now that it has been more than 6 months since the challenge went live, I can share it online.    

I stamped the leaf image in Versamagic Tea Leaves Chalk Ink onto white cardstock.   I used my Stamping Platform for perfect placement for the leaf and the sentiment because my ink pad was a little dry so I needed to repeat stamp until I was happy with how it looked.

The scrap strip of designer paper along the bottom of the main panel is 3/4" x 3-1/2". The designer paper on the card base is by Kaisercraft - Open Road.  The cardstock is from my stash and is a Bamboo colour and was trimmed to 1/16" on the main panel as well as the card base.

The twine is by May Arts - Parrot Green and was added in two separate elements as I couldn't seem to tie a neat bow and have it sit at the right angle.  I glued the bow on using Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive.

The main panel has been popped up a little on scraps of white cardstock.

Lastly, I added a Kaisercraft Green Rhinestone to the RHS of the sentiment but added a dot of Art Glitter Glue underneath as I tend to find glue dots slip over time.  

Finished size is 4-1/8" x 4-1/8" or 104mm x 104mm.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Leaf + Thank You Sentiment

Ink:  Versamagic Tea Leaves Chalk

Designer Paper:  Scrap of Green (stash), Kaisercraft Open Road 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" pad PP1034 

Accessories:  May Arts Parrot Green Twine SM-66, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive, Art Glitter Glue, Kaisercraft Green Rhinestone, Stamping Platform, Cardstock - White + Bamboo

Vintage Tools Masculine Card

 

Hi everyone,

I originally made this card as my Splitcoaststampers Design Team Project for the February Fan Club Challenge CT0226 of 'Good People' - and one of the suggestions was to make a Thank You Card for people who help:

Now that it is 6 months since I shared this card in the Fan Club Gallery, I can share it here on my blog.

In case you don't know, the tool on the card is a wordworking plane which is used to flatten, reduce the thickness of and smooth wood surfaces by shaving off thin layers with a sharpened blade.  It transforms rough, uneven timber into straight, true, and refined pieces, essential for furniture making and joinery.  My late father's passion was working with wood and used this tool alot.  I used to love sitting with him in his workshop watching him work.  After he left school at Grade 8, he took himself off to Night School in the 1930s to learn cabinet-making and was very skilled.
 
I stamped the Plane and Sentiment using Dark Grey Ink onto White Cardstock.  I diecut the panel using a Lifestyle Nesting Circle Die then went around the edges using Dark Grey Ink.  I layered the main panel onto a grey piece of Kaisercraft Documented Designer Paper then diecut black cardstock using a Spellbinders Inverted Scalloped Circle Die and my Big Shot.  I popped the panel up a little using scrap pieces of Black Cardstock.
 
The top designer paper on the card base is from the Kaisercraft Documented Pad - and the bottom is by Mintay Garage from their Add-On Pack.  This Kaisercraft range is old and was released in 2017.
 
The Black Cardstock centre panel was dry embossed using a free embossing folder that came with a UK Cardmaking Magazine ages ago.  I sanded the panel using a Kaisercraft Sanding Tool - which I thought was in-keeping with the whole vibe of my card.
 
I added the 3/8" / 1 cm wide Black Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon in two separate elements because I find it easier for me that way.  
 
The card base is Dark Grey.
 
Lastly, I added 3 x Kaisercraft Black Pearls to the top RHS.
 
Finished size is:  4-1/4" x 5-15/16" or 118mm x 150mm.

I think you could use the card for a birthday as well - or just to tell someone how amazing they are.

 

Thanks for stopping by!
 
Jocelyn
 
 
Card Recipe:
 
Stamps:  Vintage Tools
 
Ink:  Dark Grey

Designer Paper:  Mintay Garage 6" x 8" Add-On Pack MT-GAG-11, Kaisercraft Documented 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" Pad (retired)
 
Accessories:  Ink Blending Tool + Domed Pad, Big Shot, Diamond Embossing Folder (free with magazine), Kaisercraft Sanding Tool, Kaisercraft Black Pearls BR211, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, 3/8"-1cm wide Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Cardstock - Black + White + Dark Grey 
 
Dies:  Lifestyle Nesting Circles (retired), Spellbinders Inverted Scalloped Circles S4-195 (retired)
 
 

Uniquely Creative Echoes of the Outback Birthday Card

 

Hi blogging friends,

Today I am sharing another Masculine Card that I made for my brother-in-law's birthday:

I used a Uniquely Creative Echoes of the Outback Card Kit but made a few changes to the sample in the kit.  This kit was released in April 2025.  I love how Uniquely Creative has released lots of products over the years that celebrates everything Australian.  When I first started cardmaking many years ago, the most Australian image you could get was Santa on a surfboard and that was about it - and even then, he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt which isn't remotely Australian.....sigh....  It is so refreshing to see local creators crafting cardmaking and scrapbooking products that capture the soul of our unique flora and fauna and sweeping landscapes.

Anyway, I am digressing, so back to my card:  I specifically chose the images because my brother-in-law lives in rural Victoria and he regularly helps out a friend on their farm - and he just loves everything rural - so it was a no-brainer to choose a card design that encompasses his lifestyle.

I added a sheet of designer paper underneath the main image and used my Uniquely Creative Edge Distressing Tool to rough up the edges to make it look distressed.  I glued the paper to Uniquely Creative Chocolate Cardstock using Tombow Mono Multi Glue.

The main image was fussy-cut from one of the 6 x 6 inch designer papers and was popped up on Uniquely Creative Foam Mounts.  The original design in the card kit had more flowery images behind the main image - but I swapped them for gum blossoms and added extra gum leaves.  I also added kangaroo paw flowers (the red flowers) as I felt they were more masculine than the other flowers.  Some of the elements were fussy cut using my Uniquely Creative Fussy Cutting Scissors - others were from the matching Creative Cuts.  I also used Uniquely Creative Paperbark Blooms Creative Cuts - and this range was released in April 2026.

For the most part, I glued down the stems so I could bend up the leaves/flowers a little to add some dimension to them.

The barbed wire underneath the sentiment is from the Echoes of the Outback Creative Cuts.  The sentiment is also from the same pack and was popped up on 1mm mounts.

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a White Card Base using Tombow Mono Multi Glue.

Finished size is 5-15/16 x 4-1/4 inches or 151 x 108mm.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe (all Uniquely Creative unless stated otherwise):

Stamps and Ink:  None

Designer Paper:  Echoes of the Outback 6" x 6" + matching Creative Cuts, Paperbark Blooms Creative Cuts

Accessories:  Fussy-Cutting Scissors, 1mm Foam Mounts, Distressing Tool UCE1986, Chocolate Cardstock, White Card Base, Tombow Mono Multi Glue

Concord & 9th Greatest Hits Masculine Birthday Card

 

Hi everyone,

I still had my Concord & 9th Greatest Hits Dies (first released in 2023) out on my desk from making my husband's birthday card (see HERE) so thought I would use them again to make a card for my brother's birthday:

Challenges

This is also my card for the following challenges - click on the underlined link to take you to the challenge:

• A Perfect Time to Craft - #8 August - Anything Goes

• The Neglected Stuff Challenge - August - Old Crafting Products you have in your Stash (mine is the designer papers from 2015 and the sentiment is from 2010)

• Splitcoaststampers - Use it 2026 - Using Old Supplies

This die set comes with a separate metal circle that makes the grooves in the records which makes them look like real records.  Isn't that cool?!  The record on the far right was popped up on some scraps of cardstock.

The inner coloured circles were diecut from the designer papers - Simple Stories - So Rad - which was released in 2015 so quite old.  The designer paper on the card base is also from the So Rad Paper Pad which was layered onto Kaisercraft Shadow Cardstock with a 1/8" border.

I diecut the blue stars from Doodlebug Bubble Blue Glitter Cardstock.  I wanted orange stars as well but I didn't have quite the right shade in my stash so made my own glitter cardstock.  I coloured some white cardstock with Ranger Carved Pumpkin Distress Oxide Ink, dried it with my heat-gun, then added Versamark Watermark Ink over the top.  I poured on some Clear Polysparkle Embossing Powder and heat-set it: voila, your own glitter cardstock.  You can't really see the sparkle in my photo but it is there in real life.  Note that if you don't have any sparkly clear embossing powder, you can make your own by adding some glitter to clear embossing powder.  When you heat-set it, it seals the glitter in.

The sentiment is from a stamp set by Taylored Expressions - You're my Hero - which was first released back in 2010 - so 16 years ago.  I stamped it using Stampin' Up Night of Navy Ink, layered the panel onto designer paper and trimmed it to 1/16" using my We R Memory Keepers Perfect Layers Guides, then popped it up a little on 1mm Mounts.

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a Kaisercraft White Card Base.

Finished size is:  6-1/8" x 4-1/4" or 157mm x 118mm.

The card was nice and flat so went through the post with regular postage which was a bonus.  It costs $1.70 to post a letter nowadays in Australia - and if it is slightly thick, it costs $3.40 so if you post alot of cards, it really starts to add up.  Just over a year ago, it was still $1.50 - and the cost just seem to keep increasing and the postie only comes every 2nd day now as well.  Even parcels are very expensive to post now so I think twice before sending one.  I imagine it will all get privatised some day soon so who knows what it will cost then.........

Anyway, I did really enjoy having another play with this die set and I think it is such a great, well-thought-out set that you could use for any age or gender.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Taylored Expressions - You're my Hero (2010-retired)

Ink:  Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Ranger Distress Oxide Carved Pumpkin

Designer Paper:  Simple Stories - So Rad 6" x 6" Paper Pad #6522 (2015-retired)

Accessories:  Big Shot, Heat-gun, Polysparkle Embossing Powder, 1mm Mounts, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Art Glitter Glue, WRMK Perfect Layers Guides, Doodlebug Bubble Blue Glitter Cardstock, Kaisercraft White Card Base, Cardstock - Kaisercraft Shadow + Black + White

Dies:  Concord & 9th Greatest Hits #11785 (2023)

Concord & 9th Greatest Hits - Taylored Expressions You're My Hero Masculine Birthday Card

 

Hi blogging friends,

EDITED TO ADD:  My card was selected as 3rd Prize Winner at the A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge.  Thank you so much!

EDITED TO ADD:  I just found out my card was one of the Design Team Picks at the Tic Tac Toe Challenge.  Thank you so much!

****************************

My Craft Room has been a hive of activity making masculine cards for all the August birthdays.  And today, I am sharing a Birthday Card that I made for my husband:

Challenges

This is also my card for the following challenges - click on the underlined link to take you to the challenge -

• A Perfect Time to Craft - #8 August - Anything Goes

• Tic Tac Toe - TTTC298 - I chose the diagonal top left to right bottom - Sparkle (my sparkly stars), Free, Markers (I used my Zig watercolour markers)

Because my husband is very musical and plays guitar in two bands, I wanted to make a card that celebrated his musicality.

Last year, I bought a die set by Concord and 9th called Greatest Hits and it is a fabulous set.  The record sleeve, records and stars are all from that set.  I love how the set has a die that embosses the rings on the record to make it look like a real one!  The record sleeve was diecut from a sheet of designer paper by Simple Stories - So Rad which was first released in 2015.   I used designer paper for the coloured circles on the records.

The sentiment is from an old Taylored Expressions Stamp Set called You're my Hero which was first released in 2010.  I stamped it using Stampin' Up Night of Navy Ink.  I glued on a strip of designer paper along the bottom of the sleeve because it looked a little bare.

The guitar is also from this same Taylored Expressions Set.  I stamped it onto Ranger Watercolour Cardstock using Versafine Onyx Black Ink and coloured it using Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and a Zig Blender Pen.  The guitar body and neck are separate stamps in the set so you have the option of mixing and matching the guitar body that you want as there are four different guitar bodies to choose from.  Once I had coloured my images, I diecut them using the matching dies which are called Rock On, then glued the neck to the guitar.  I added some Silver Posca Pen to the tuner pegs on the guitar neck, then added Glossy Accents to the entire guitar to make it look all shiny like a real guitar.  I did add 1mm mounts to the guitar to pop it up a little.

The designer paper on the card base is also from the So Rad Paper Pad and was layered onto Kaisercraft Shadow Cardstock.

The Gold Guitar Pick on the record sleeve was diecut using a Hunkdory Moonstone Rock 'n Roll Guitar Die.  I bought this die set last year but it was first released in 2023.  I love how it embossed the detail on the pick.  I popped it up on a 1.5 mm mount.

The Orange Glitter Stars were diecut from glittered foam using the 3 stars in the Concord and 9th Die Set.  I don't know where this orange glittered foam came from but found it in my stash of glittered cardstock when I was looking for something that matched the designer papers.

I had so much fun making this card and enjoyed co-ordinating elements from the different brands.  

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a Kaisercraft White Card Base using Tombow Mono Multi Glue.

Finished size is:  4-1/4" x 6-1/8" or 117mm x 156mm.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Taylored Expressions You're My Hero (2010 - retired)

Ink:  Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Versafine Onyx Black

Designer Paper:  Simple Stories So Rad 6 x 6 inch Pad #6522 (2015 - retired)

Accessories:   Big Shot, Orange Glitter Foam, Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, Zig Blender Pen, Glossy Accents, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Art Glitter Glue, 1mm + 1.5mm Mounts, Silver Posca Pen, Stamping Platform, Ranger Watercolour Cardstock, Gold Foil Cardstock, Kaisercraft White Card Base, Cardstock - Kaisercraft Shadow + Black + White

Dies:  Taylored Expressions Rock On TE260 (2010 - retired), Concord and 9th Greatest Hits #11785, Hunkydory Moonstone Rock 'n Roll Guitar

Stampin' Up The Open Sea Masculine Birthday Card

 

Hi blogging friends,

EDITED TO ADD:  I just found out my card was chosen as a Top 7 at the Allsorts Challenge Blog.  Thank you so much!

***********************

I have a confession to make:  I really enjoy making Masculine Cards.  Alot of cardmakers say that is the hardest type of card to make, but due to the amount of men in my family/extended family, I have had to learn how to make them.  When you buy a card for a guy, it is really expensive, yet the cards are often just so simple - and I think that is the key - keeping it simple and not overthinking it or you might feel defeated before you even start.  

Start with a limited colour palette and choose a simple image.  You can even base your card around a sentiment - either stamped or diecut.  14 years ago, I made this card based around the sentiment for a cousin of my mother-in-law who lived in Wales and was turning 90:

I had no clue what this man's hobbies were or if he had any hobbies at all.  I had only met him once briefly when he came to Australia some years before so didn't really know him.  I opted for something simple and he loved the card so much, that he rang up to thank me personally - I mean, ringing from Wales to Australia wouldn't exactly be cheap - so I was especially chuffed.  I still think the card design works well for a masculine card and it is all based around the sentiment -  but the rest of the card elements work in harmony with each other which I think is important.  The only thing I would change now is the font on the sentiment because it is a little dated.

Some more ideas:  add some texture by using an embossing folder - or add some distressing.  Use a basic layout that you can replicate for multiple cards.  If you want to add ribbon, do a simple knot rather than a bow - or add string or twine.  I love to use grosgrain ribbon for it's texture.  If you like the layout, you don't need to reinvent the wheel - just use the same layout and your cards will all look different if you use different colours, stamps, designer papers, embossing folders etc.

I have four masculine birthdays coming up in August and here is one of the cards that I made:

Challenges

This is also my card for the following Challenges:

• Allsorts - Challenge #854 - At the Seaside

• Splitcoaststampers - Free for All Friday F4A857 - What makes you happy?  Mine is spending time in my Craft Room away from the world

• Tic Tac Toe - Challenge TTTC297 - I chose the line across the bottom: Any Shape Die, Layers, Embossing

I pulled out my all-time favourite masculine stamp set by Stampin' Up called The Open Sea which was first released in 2011.  It stayed in the catalogue for quite a few years because it was so popular and was eventually retired in 2016.  I would never be able to part with this set as it is just perfect for masculine cards.  You can do so much with the images in this stamp set.  Do a search on Pinterest and there are hundreds and hundreds of cards and you will get lost down a rabbit-hole as I often do on Pinterest............

First of all, I stamped the Ledger (the text image behind the ship) onto Cream Cardstock (from my stash) using Crumb Cake Ink but stamped off twice before stamping so it gave a faint impression.  Next, I stamped the ship using Night of Navy Ink.  The splotchy circles are from another retired set called Gorgeous Grunge which was first released in 2013.  I also stamped them in Crumb Cake Ink but stamped off twice.

I diecut the main image using a My Favorite Things Die-namics Pierced Circle STAX die and my Big Shot, then ink-blended around the edges using Crumb Cake Ink.

I diecut a circle from Crumb Cake Cardstock using a Lifestyle Nesting Circle Die, then ink-blended around the edges with Crumb Cake Ink.  I diecut another circle using a Pierced Circle STAX die from Kaisercraft Ink Cardstock and glued this underneath.

The designer papers are by Kaisercraft - High Tide - which was released in 2016.  You can still buy the 12 x 12 inch High Tide Paper Pads from Kaisercraft but not the smaller pad which is what I used for my card.  Kaisercraft has had some fantastic sea-beach-nautical themed releases over the years.  

The dry embossing was done using Crumb Cake Cardstock and a Kaisercraft Anchors Embossing Folder.  I ink-blended over the embossing using Crumb Cake Ink to make the anchors stand out more and to also tie in with the rest of the card.

The sentiment is from the back of the same Kaisercraft Paper Pad.  I added some Inque Boutique Brads which I thought matched the card really well.  Inque Boutique are no longer in business:  I think they closed around 2010.

The card base is Kaisercraft Ink Cardstock and the next layer up, Crumb Cake Cardstock - again ink blended with the same ink.

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a Kaisercraft White Card Base.

So, what do you think?  I was really pleased with how it turned out - and I am working hard on a few more designs using ship or beachy images.  Often, I like to stick to one theme for a few masculine cards until I am tired of it.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Stampin' Up The Open Sea #123032 (retired) + Gorgeous Grunge #130517 (retired)

Ink:  Stampin' Up Night of Navy + Crumb Cake

Designer Paper:  Kaisercraft High Tide 6-1/2" x 6-1/2" Pad (retired)

Accessories:  Inque Boutique Brads (retired), Big Shot, Kaisercraft Anchors Embossing Folder (retired), Ink Blending Tool with Domed Pad, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Kaisercraft White Card Base, Cardstock - Stampin' Up Crumb Cake + Kaisercraft Ink

Dies:  My Favorite Things Die-namics Pierced Circle STAX (retired), Lifestyle Nesting Circles L-CC-001 (retired)

Simon Says Stamp Wildflowers Sunrise Card

 

Hi everyone,

I have been very busy in my craft room making some ink blended backgrounds which is one of my favourite things to create.  I thought I would create a Sunrise Card to fit the theme of the Splitcoaststampers Free for All Friday F4A844 Challenge of Yellow and Black.  You can use other colours but yellow and black should be your main two colours.  There are no time limits to play Splitcoaststampers Challenges - so play along anytime you wish.

When I was planning my card, I was thinking about that very first warm Summer's Day of the season and how you can just tell at sunrise, that it is going to be beautiful and warm:  you anticipate the joy that it give you to feel the heat of the sun's rays on your body after the cold - it just makes you happy and puts you in a good mood 😄 

So here is what I made:  

I used Bristol Smooth White Cardstock for my ink-blending which is my favourite cardstock to use because it blends so beautifully due to its smooth surface.  I masked the sun using a Lavinia Circle Mask and used repositionable tape underneath to hold it in place.  I ink blended Ranger Distress Inks in the colours:  Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber and Carved Pumpkin.  I splattered the panel with clean water to some texture which is a little hard to see in the photo.

I removed the circle mask then went over the sun with Squeezed Lemonade and Scattered Straw to take away the whiteness - then used Mont Marte Pastel Pencils in two yellow shades to add some more colour.  It still looks quite white in the photo but it is more of pale yellow in real life.

The silhouette stamp I have had since 2020 but is still available on the Simon Says Stamp website.  It comes in a set of 2 and is really HUGE!  I stamped it using Altenew Obsidian Black Ink with my Stamping Platform so I could re-stamp it several times to get good coverage - then went over a few small bits that didn't quite stamp properly using an Anko .05 Black Pigment Pen.  

The sentiment is by Unity Stamps and dates back to 2009, and was stamped using Versafine Onyx Black Ink.  I added a Kaisercraft Black Pearl to the RHS of the sentiment using Art Glitter Glue for good adhesion.

Final touches were adding Stampin' Up - Tiny Bee Trinkets - which were glued on using Art Glitter Glue.  These tiny bees were a very recent purchase and were on the Last Chance List but are no longer showing on their website so must have sold out.  Now I wish I had bought a second container......sigh.......

The main image panel was layered onto Stampin Up Daffodil Delight Cardstock then Black Cardstock - then finally an American Crafts White Card Base.  Finished size is:  6-3/8 x 4-11/16 inches or 162 x 119mm.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamps Wildflowers SSS201998, Unity Stamps Feel the Joy IB-254 by Lindsey Spencer

Ink:  Altenew Obsidian Black Pigment, Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress - Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold, Wild Honey, Mustard Seed, Fossilized Amber + Carved Pumpkin

Accessories:  Ink Blending Tools, Stamping Platform, Anko .05 Black Pigment Pen, Kaisercraft Black Pearl BR211, Stampin Up Tiny Bee Trinkets #164714 (retired), Mont Marte Yellow Pastel Pencils, Art Glitter Glue, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Repositionable Tape, Bristol Smooth White Cardstock, Stampin Up Daffodil Delight Cardstock + Black Cardstock, American Crafts White Card Base

Stencils:  Lavinia Acetate Circle Masks LAM001    

Wellington Bear Wedding Anniversary Card

 

Hi blogging friends,

My husband and I celebrated our 37th Wedding Anniversary in April and this is the card that I made for him:

I can hardly believe it is 37 years!  I am so lucky to be married to my one true love.  He is the nicest and kindest person I know.

The main image and sentiment are by Docrafts from their Wellington Bear Collection which was released around 2013.  I love this collection and have made many cards from it over the years.  On the card inside, I wrote:  "So glad that I am on this ride with you" to tie in with the car theme.

The plaid background designer paper is by Mintay - Garage - and the woodgrain designer paper is by Studio Light - Denim Saturdays.  The light blue designer paper is from the same Wellington Bear Collection.

The side panel Navy Blue Cardstock was punched using a Fiskars Threading Water Punch.  

The ribbon was attached in two separate elements.  I added Fray Stop to the cut ends to stop them from fraying.  I popped this panel up on scraps of white cardstock.

I also popped the sentiment up on 1mm dimensionals.  I punched some tiny hearts from reddy-orange designer paper from the Wellington Bear Collection using my EK Success Arrows Border Punch - they are the leftover punchies that look like tiny hearts.  I glued them on using Art Glitter Glue.

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a White Paper Rose Slimline Australian Card Base using Tombow Mono Multi Glue.

Finished size is 3-7/8" x 8-3/16" or 98mm x 208mm.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps and Ink:  None

Designer Paper:  Mintay Garage 12" x 12", Studio Light Denim Saturdays PPDEN103 6" x 6", Docrafts Wellington Bear - Light Blue + Reddy-Orange Paper

Accessories:  Multicraft Ribbon SR108J 10mm-3/8" wide, Fabric Glue, Fray Stop, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Art Glitter Glue, 1mm Dimensionals, Docrafts Wellington Bear Card Topper and Sentiment, Cardstock - Kaisercraft Navy Blue + White, Paper Rose Slimline Australian White Card Base

Punches:  Fiskars Threading Water Border, EK Success Arrows Border

Penny Black Fetching Slippers Masculine Retirement Card

Hi everyone,

* I just found out that my card was Top 3 at Crafty Catz Challenge Blog*

** Woo hoo 😀 **

**My card was also picked by Becca over at Critter Crazy Challenges and offered a Guest Designer Role for May - Yippee!**

Last December, we adopted a beautiful 7 years 8 months old Groodle (Golden Retriever - Poodle cross) from a Council pound in a country town several hours away from where we live.  He had been surrendered by his family to the pound which is so incredibly sad and had been there for many months.  We saw his ad on a Pet Rescue website and I just had such a good feeling about him.  I get alot of strong senses about many things and have always been that way since I was little.  I guess they call it a sixth sense (?) but it is more than that - and interestingly, my late Father and his Mother (my Grandmother) were exactly the same.  My Father and I even used to sometimes have the same dream on the same night which used to be quite unnerving to say the least!  I even have senses about someone's imminent passing even when they aren't sick.  Anyway, I am digressing.......  

So we rang up the Council to find out more about the dog and they told us he was good with children and adults and other dogs and not aggressive in any way nor had separation anxiety.  So we made the trip up to see him and oh, he is just the LOVELIEST dog and we couldn't wait to bring him home with us.  Tucker is very gentle and has the sweetest nature - doesn't pull on the lead when you walk him - loves being brushed - honestly, we hit the jackpot.  He just wants to be cuddled and loved.  I also love that he doesn't shed because of the Poodle in him.   Here is a photo of Tucker rocking his bow tie:

Honestly, he is just like a teddy bear!  And who could resist that adorable face?!  We took him to the dog groomer for the first time yesterday and he was brilliant.  The lady who groomed him said he was so friendly and relaxed the entire time and made friends with her friend's dog that was already there and they sat on the mat together like they were besties.  

Now that we are retired, it means we have the time to put into having a dog plus it is good company for my husband when he is pottering around in the garden or garage - or when any of us is outside.  We just adore him and so happy that he now has a fur-ever home.  We are his 3rd family and I really can't imagine how sad he must have been when he was given up not just once, but twice 😢

So, I HAD to make a card to celebrate my husband's retirement with a dog on it - it just seemed so fitting for the occasion!

This is also my card for the following Challenges - click on the underlined link to take you to each challenge:

• Crafty Catz - #708 - Anything Goes
• Critter Crazy - #108 - Anything Goes with a featured critter (real or fantasy)
• Ellibelle's Corner - I Spy with my Little Eye - Something You Love - I chose dogs
• Splitcoaststampers - Ways to Use It WT1055 - Make it Masculine - this is from a while ago and there are no time limits to play their challenges
• Crafty Animals - #103 - Anything Goes - Must include an animal but birds, bugs, bees and insects are all OK

The main image is an old stamp from Penny Black - Fetching Slippers - and was stamped onto Ranger Watercolour Cardstock using Versafine Onyx Black Ink.  I tried to colour the dog to look similar to Tucker and to also make the fur look curly.  I used a mix of Watercolour Pencils and Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers + a Zig Blender Pen.  Check out those cute bunny slippers!  They sure put a smile on my husband's face!  Here is a close-up:

I still had my Basic Grey Max and Whiskers Designer Papers on my desk from a birthday card I made the other day for my BIL - see HERE - so I thought I would use them again.  I do love these papers - Basic Grey had such unique designs and I really miss them.

I went over the black lines on the main image using an Anko 0.05 Black Pigment Pen to darken up the lines after my colouring.  I diecut the image using a Quickutz Nesting Card Templates Die and my Big Shot - then layered it onto some Blue Designer Paper and then onto Dark Brown Cardstock from my stash.

I added the 1/4" wide Grosgrain Ribbon in two separate elements and glued the knot on using Helmar's Fabric Glue.  I find that attaching the ribbon elements separately saves some ribbon because I don't have to wrap it around my card and the knot sits flatter and just looks neater and better IMHO.

To do the sentiment, I stamped the banner which is from a very old WPlus9 Basic Banner and Die Set (2013) - and fussy-cut around it using my Uniquely Creative Fussy Cutting Scissors, which meant I could then diecut the banner from the Blue Designer Paper so I had a layer underneath it.  It just looked better that way instead of just having just the banner on white cardstock.  I went around the edges with my Anko Black Pigment Brush Pen to hide any imperfections in my fussy-cutting.  The sentiment is by Penny Black - a Bear of all Trades - and went perfectly with the image I thought.  I stamped it using Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip Ink which is a very dark brown and looked better than using black ink.  Yep, retirement is all about "taking it easy".   I diecut the banner again from white cardstock and glued that underneath so I could have a little bit of dimension for the sentiment panel.

The centre panel was popped up on scraps of white cardstock as is the main image panel.

The buttons on the RHS are also by Basic Grey from their Granola Collection released in 2008.  I sewed matching threads through each button then glued them on using Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive.

The hearts either side of the sentiment were diecut from a Reddish-Orange sheet of Designer Paper using an Impression Obsession - Heart of Hearts Die.  This is a well-used but retired die that has seen alot of love over the years because it diecuts many different sizes and styles of hearts - just perfect for anytime you need a heart:

Once I had finished my card front, I glued it to a Kaisercraft White Card Base using Tombow Mono Multi Glue.

As finishing touches, I added Uniquely Creative Clear Sparkle Pen to the dog collar plus the hearts.

Finished size is 6" x 4-1/8" or 153mm x 105mm.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

Jocelyn

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Penny Black Fetching Slippers 2085F + Bear of all Trades 30-108, WPlus9 Basic Banners (2013 - retired)

Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip (retired)

Designer Papers:  Basic Grey Max and Whiskers 6" x 6" (2009-retired)

Accessories:  Big Shot, 1/4" - 6.5mm wide Grosgrain Ribbon, Buttons - Basic Grey - Granola (2008-retired), Matching Sewing Thread, Needle, Kaisercraft Trimmer, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, Helmar's 450 Quick Dry Adhesive + Fabric Glue, Anko Black Pigment Pen - Brush + 0.05, Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers + Blender Pen, Watercolour Pencils, #2 Round Paintbrush, Uniquely Creative Clear Sparkle Pen, Uniquely Creative Fussy Cutting Scissors, Cardstock - Ranger Watercolor + Scraps of White Cardstock + Dark Brown

Dies:  WPlus9 Basic Banner WP9D-059#-32557 (retired), Quickutz Nesting Card Templates DC0431 (retired), Impression Obsession Heart of Hearts DIE052-I (retired)