A Minimalist Masculine Card

This card goes back to the basics. It was a challenge to see if I could make a card I really liked without a large amount of supplies.

Here is what I started with as my supplies to use:



Basically this included the following:
1) Cardstock (brown, dark green, light green, and colonial white)
2) Adhesives (regular and pop dots for dimension)
3) Ink (black and watermark)
4) Piercer (could also use a needle or a pushpin if you don't have one)
5) Mini brads
6) Hemp

To start I used the watermark ink and random stamped on the dark green piece of cardstock. Watermark ink gives you a "tone on tone" look when stamping on uncoated cardstocks. You can also use it for wet embossing. If you don't know how to random stamp there is a good tutorial HERE. Watermark ink does stay wet for a bit so I set that aside to dry.

I stamped the saying in black and matted it to the brown cardstock. Then added pop dot adhesive to the back and set aside. Next I tore the light green strip and adhered it to the left side of the dark green cardstock. Next I cut a strip of brown and added it to the light green torn strip. Now to "fancy" it up a bit I added the piercing. Since I was truly trying to go back to the basics...I used a pushpin and a ruler (helps keep your line of holes straight and equidistant). I placed an old mouse pad under it to poke into. Here's a picture of that:



Next I finished by adhering the matted saying piece. Adding three brads to the bottom right corner. And tieing a piece of hemp around the card.



I'm really happy with the way the card turned out and if someone was to buy the supplies to make the card...they could probably buy everything for a reasonable amount. Any more my cards have so many steps and so many supplies than any set card could potentially cost big bucks to recreate. Not this one...

So...what else have I been up to? I made a few more cards this weekend. So more artwork to share this week.

I also have started a dreaded diet. I turn 39 next month. By my 40th birthday I'd like to be more comfortable in my own skin. I joined a group of other stampers who are trying to lose weight. We support each other and reward each other for every 10 pounds lost with a little stamping goody. So I'm sure you'll be hearing about that venture here on my blog every so often.

Other than that, same stuff...different day.

Jane

Masculine Card

Ok...had to follow up the VERY feminine card posted below with a very masculine card! This was a sketch challenge on SplitcoastStampers. Overall, I am very pleased with how it turned out.





Both stamps are from my grab bag from The Hampton Company. I don't often carry my cards "inside" but on this one I did. I wanted the greeting to go with the image on the front but there was no room. Thus...it HAD to go inside! LOL.

Today I challenged myself to go back to the basics. That was a challenge for me! No embossing, no patterned paper, used only black ink and watermark ink, used a pin and a ruler to do my piercing (instead of my piercer and mat), and the only embellishments were a piece of hemp (from a roll from the $1 store) and 3 brads. But I am REALLY happy with how it came out. Matter of fact, I may just make up a set of these since I need to do a Christmas gift for a friend still. In the meantime...sometime in the next couple days I'll be posting the supplies I used, some tutorials of sort, and the finished card so that a beginning stamper can make the same card themselves. So keep your eye out for that.

Also, of note, today is a new release from Clear Dollar Stamps. I do admit there are a few coordinating sets I really want to purchase. (Even though I need MORE stamps like a hole in the head!). Check out THIS set called Farm Critters. I LOVE the piggy. There is a coordinating "saying" set that you can see HERE. And lastly, they have a wheel you can see HERE that also coordinates. Dang it...I wish companies would quit making cute stuff!

Hope everyone has had a great start to the New Year and that 2009 is better than 2008!

Jane

Pissy card

I couldn't resist this stamp when I saw it at Rubber Necker! The night I got the stamp I stamped two images and then colored them in while watching tv...but that was as far as I got because I fell asleep early. So, the next night I made this card...I liked it so much that I actually made TWO of the same card (which is unusual for me).



This kind of came together on it's own. I used an old sketch challenge from SplitcoastStampers. I grabbed a couple papers that went together...and went from there. The "rusted" looking paper is from a paper stack I got at Joann's. I ran it through the cuttlebug to emboss it and then sanded off the top of the embossed to give it some distressing. I added the little mini button brads to finish it off.

One card went to my boss (I was giving out thank you cards to everyone at work for their birthday gifts and knew he'd get a laugh out of it) and the other card is going to go to my brother (for 'pissing me off' and taking that job in Reno!)

I've also seen people use this stamp but omit the hydrant and have the dog peeing on other things (like snowmen). Hmmm...I guess the possibilities are endless!

I'll probably work on a few cards this weekend. Monday I'm doing a Stamp-A-Stack of birthday cards with a group of women. I also have got some fun mail that I'll be sharing this upcoming week. So keep your eyes peeled!

Jane