Perfectly Preserved

I had a lot of fun creating this card.  I was inspired by an American Stampin'Up! demonstrator called Jamilla Ivits.  She used woodgrain paper for her background, but I was wondering what it would look like using the woodgrain embossing folder and I was happy with the results.
I used string for the stems of the pears.  It gives it quite a rustic look and would be suitable for a male birthday card.   This is one of three designs we will be making at my card class on Saturday, 1st December at 2pm.  Email me at cookv3@tpg.com.au if you would like to join me.

Tomorrow I will post something else I have made from this set.

Ness xx

Masculine Card Crusade

So, this would be the easiest card that was ever made.  I had some left over papers and saw a card like this on the internet.  So If you recognise it, please let me know and I will credit you!  It is simply stripes of scrap patterened paper and on Library Clip and the greeting stamped onto Cajun Craze, lifted up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I really like the rust colour combined with Not Quite Navy.

Nothing says Spring like a fete!

Can't believe it's September already.  I have been very busy making cards for my very first market stall.  My friend Anne Farrar (Stampin'Annie@blogspot.com) and myself are going to sell cards and promote Stampin'Up! at the Castle Cove Public School Spring Fair this Sunday.  We would love it if you dropped by our stall.  It runs from 10am-4pm, this Sunday, 16th September.

For the stall I have been focussing on some masculine cards as these are quite hard to find and make.  The first one I'd like to show you is one that is inpired from an American lady called Mary Fish.  It's using a set that I love but never made it here and it's called You're My Type.  I used my striped embossing folder as well as the Square Lattice.  I love the texture it gives.

This card was made for a work colleague of mine.  I used a stamp set I have been using a lot called Memorable Moments.  It is a versatile set as it's got Happy Birthday, Anniversary and numbers that make lots of different combinations.   I used Marina Mist in the background and distressed the edges using a pair of scissors.

Boys Birthday cards

This is a very simple card I made for 2 boys who have their birthday this month.  Super easy:  Just stamped their name using the Letter It Stamp Set, cut it out, and mounted it on some Stampin' Dimensionals.  The star paper is from The Big Top Birthday Designer series Paper.  It's great how the paper is specially coordinated with the inks and cardstock.

We will be making 2 of these on the card making day.  I will have all sorts of different colours (I have practically all of them!) so you can do a boy or a girl card or one of each.  The dates are on the righthand side of my blog.
Ness

Lovely as a Tree

I made this card for my male work colleague (I only have one guy that I work with).  To create this I used a stamp set called Lovely as a Tree, which is a beautiful set with very intricate images of -you guessed it- trees!  I also used one of my favourite techniques called distressing, which roughs up the edges to give it a worn look.  I also tried my hand at using Glimmer mist.  It is a spritz that gives it a vintage look too.  The risk you take is that you add it as the last step, so if you over spray, it just looks like you've spilt something over the card.  As usual I managed to whack some staples on there too.

I have seen this stamp set used as a Christmas stamp, by using a glue pen, putting dots of glue on the tree and then sprinkling glitter over it.  You tap it and the glitter attaches itself like tiny baubles- can't wait to try that!

Ness

'Man-ing Up' a card

Many of us have good intentions of making a card for a guy, but, let's face it, they are hard to make (considering not every man likes boats and cricket).  I got out my Basic Gray Ink and paper and thought that Pumpkin Pie would be a good accent colour.  I used my new friend, the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the plant images perfectly.  For those of you who don't know, the Stamp-a-ma-jig is this little contraption that helps you line up stamps exactly where you want them to be, it helps to get your greeting straight and also helps when you have say, a background stamp and you don't want to show the joins.  Simple but essential tool.

Ness

Apple Blossom Hostess Gift

I absolutely love the Apple Blossom Hostess Gift.  Hostesses achieve this (for free) when they hold a workshop, and achieve $600 in sales.  This is easily achieved, as at a workshop, your guests get to try all of Stamin'Up!'s great products before they buy.  As well as receiving the set, the hostess gets $60 to spend too!

I have used three main colours here:  Real Red, Crumbcake and Old Olive.  I love this colour combination.  I think this set is suitable for a somewhat masculine card as the flowers are clean and simple.  You can see from the picture, I have made a Father's Day card (totally getting in early!)

Ness