Aged to Perfection

For last month's card classes we had a vintage theme and these are the cards we made:

Materials used:

• stamps - Best of Butterflies
• card - crumb cake, very vanilla, Graphic 45 Secret Garden dsp
• other - pearls, Big Shot, dimensionals, sponge daubers
• non SU - Gesso, nestabilities dies, copics

The papers were a little bright for what I had in mind, so I brushed them with Gesso which tones down the colours and also adds a lovely canvas-type texture to the paper.

Next I tried out a vintage masculine card using SU's World Map and Open Sea stamps.

Materials used:

• stamps - Open Sea, World Map, Happiest Birthday Wishes, canvas background 
• card - crumb cake, basic black, very vanilla
• other - twine, dimenionals, sponges, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches

For the last card we used the emboss resist technique over the dsp to age it a little more - it looks a lot like some old wallpaper my ladies thought! The rose was made with two toning colours of cardstock, one of which is core'dinations card and was sanded back for a distressed look. More crinkling of seam binding - this time always artichoke - similar to the card in my last post.

Materials used:

• stamps - Simply Sketched, Tres Chic
• card - raspberry ripple, very vanilla, always artichoke, primrose petals, Vintage something retired dsp (can't remember the name!)
• other - pearls, deco labels framelits, Big Shot, always artichoke seam binding, dimensionals, sanding set
• non SU - roses die, rose petals punch and embossing punch, hot glue gun

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kez

80 Years Young

I was asked recently to make a card for a gentleman about to celebrate his 80th birthday. My brief was that his favourite colour is red and he really likes stripes - so naturally, the Nautical Expedition papers came immediately to mind. Assured that he does like boats, I went with that theme and paired it up with a great quote from the Daring Adventure set. It's an A4 sized card (ie four times the usual size) so that all the people at the celebration event can sign it.

The stamping part was done on MDS so I could increase the size enough to suit my large card. It also gave me the advantage of being able to really get the effect of that great ship graphic. I added a couple of retired brads and a chipboard anchor.

Materials used:

• stamps - The Open Sea, Daring Adventure (MDS)
• card - nautical expedition dsp, whisper white, midnight muse, purchased A3 navy card
• other - deco labels framelits, Big Shot, dimensionals, cherry cobbler bakers twine, brads, chipboard anchor

On the inside I put a message that continues the adventure theme:

When I took it around to my client I was given three excited hugs, so I'm assured that she likes it! Hopefully the birthday boy will too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kez

Masculine Thinlits for SUO

Over at SUO Challenges it's a masculine card challenge this week and as they are the focus for my classes this month, I was right in the zone! It also gave me the perfect opportunity to flex my creative muscles with the new Circle Card Thinlits die that arrived on my doorstep this morning! I have been waiting for these to arrive on our shores for aaaaaaaages and we demos are lucky enough to be able to pre-order this week - calm down, customers, they will be available to you on the 22nd of this month!

Having used the stamp combo of The Open Sea and Word Play for one of my class cards, I had an idea to give that another whirl and I also used one of my favourite masculine colour combos - midnight muse and gumball green. I will really miss these two when we lose the 2012-2014 in colours.

And here is the inside. I thought the "hugs and kisses" die went perfectly with my sentiment, don't you?

Materials used:

• stamps - The Open Sea, Word Play
• card - gumball green, midnight muse, Sahara sand, whisper white
• other - circle card thinlits, Big Shot, chevron border punch, circle dies, cute clips, patterned papers, sponge daubers

 Here are all the things you get in the die pack:

I think I might just have to go and play with my new toys some more! Thanks for calling in.

Cheers

Kez

'For All The Men We've Loved Before'

Masculine cards are our focus in class this month and I've shamelessly cased cards from other talented crafters - no point in trying to improve on perfection, now is there?

Firstly a fun suit card made from Jackie Topa's great tutorial (click HERE for the link):

Materials used:

• stamps - none
• card - marina mist, basic black, marina mist patterned paper
• other - marina mist satin ribbon, sticky dots
• non SU - 25mm black satin ribbon, black buttons

The gorgeous set Wetlands is used for our second card, this one cased from LeeAnn Greff.

Materials used:

• stamps - Wetlands
• card - gumball green, midnight muse, whisper white, watercolour, basic black
• other - dimensionals, sponge daubers

And last but by no means least a case of a Teneale Williams card that I have long admired.

Materials used:

• stamps - The Open Sea, Word Play, MDS
• card - crumb cake, very vanilla, cherry cobbler, midnight muse, early espresso
• other - sponge daubers, dimensionals, square dies, Big Shot

Hopefully that will keep my lovely ladies stocked up on masculine cards for a while!

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers

Kez

For The Blokes

Cards for the men in our lives is the theme for classes this month, cos we all know how difficult they can be to make cards for. Mine is, for sure!

First up a card that can be for either sex (and may in fact end up being sent to DD21) using the new promotional kit of papers and stamps called Sent With Love.

Materials used:

• stamps - Sent With Love
• card - island indigo, whisper white, real red, Sent With Love dsp
• other - in colour brad, square punch, dimensionals, cloudy day E/F, Big Shot

Next one of my favourite male sets in a joy fold card. I still have heaps of these Nautical Expedition papers hoarded away - they go with the stamp set 'just like peas and carrots' as Forrest Gump would say! But if you didn't stack up and need them, you can get them on MDS (how handy is that?).

Materials used:

• stamps - The Open Sea, Happiest Birthday Wishes (retired hostess), Best Dad Ever
• card - night of navy, cherry cobbler, whisper white, Nautical Expedition dsp
• other - cherry cobbler bakers twine, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, square punch, dimensionals, crystal effects

And lastly I dusted off a set they gave us at the regionals last year and which I haven't used since - I thought it would be character building to use it (lol). Once I got going I decided I rather like it after all! Ain't it always the way?

Materials used:

• stamps - Clockworks, Best Dad Ever
• card - more mustard, midnight muse, very vanilla, vellum
• other - gold embossing powder, heat tool, gold brad, dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig, 1 1/4" circle punch

This one was inspired by a number of cards but mostly one by Erna Logtenberg. I will miss more mustard when it goes - a great colour for masculine or Autumnal cards. I'd better order some more!

Thanks for dropping by.

Cheers
Kez

Just A Dream And The Wind To Carry Me

Today's project is a Gunnadoo. Have you got some of those? You know, ideas you see and love and file away because you are "gonna do" them one day? This one has been in my Gunnadoo file for literally years, ever since I saw one at a friend's place (hi snail buddy!).

Anyways, I've been planning for a few months now to use the Nautical Expedition papers and Open Sea stamp set on this particular project and today decided that I couldn't possibly let the Summer mini end without finally completing it. Such a fantastic stamp set and I soooooooooo hope it makes it into the main catalogue come September ... are you listening, Stampin' Up!?

So, without further ado, here is my very first star book:

And of course embellishments can be added with the compass and anchor stamps etc once photos are in place. It was so much easier to make than I thought it would be and has such a wow factor when you see it that I can tell I'm going to have to make some more of these ...

Now if you haven't already gotten hold of this stamp set (and the papers too, of course) then all I can say is WHY THE HECK NOT? Get it now before the mini ends and they are sailing away .....

Thanks for dropping anchor here today.

Cheers
Kez

Sailing the Ocean Blue

A double header for today's card; I've amalgamated the Just Add Ink sketch challenge with the Inkspirations colour challenge.

The colours are perfect for a masculine card and even more perfectly fit the colours of the papers I wanted to use. Here's my card:

The sails have been stamped twice and layered - little bit of fussy cutting, but not too bad and it makes me think of a ship in a bottle. I covered the anchor stamp with crystal effects after cutting it out, then tied some cherry cobbler baker's twine through. It took no time at all for the CE to dry in this heatwave we are having! Phew! Wouldn't mind an ocean voyage to cool off, lol.

Materials used:

• stamps - The Open Sea
• card - cherry cobbler, not quite navy, very vanilla, sahara sand, Nautical Expeditions DSP
• other - crystal effects, bakers twine, dimensionals, non SU die, Big Shot, sponge daubers

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers
Kez

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! We're celebrating with a family brunch this morning and I think DH is hoping to go see Cowboys and Aliens at the movies. Nothing Hollywood comes up with will surprise me after a movie with that combination, lol!!!!!

Here's the card I made for DD13 to give her dear old dad. They are both planning to build a boat in our backyard, so DD picked a nautical theme:

Materials used:

• stamps - The Open Sea, Best Dad Ever
• card - crumb cake, night of navy, very vanilla, Nautical Expedition DSP
• other - dimensionals, early espresso baker's twine, circle dies

I'm sure we'll get a Skype call from DD19 too, so DH will enjoy seeing both his girls today.

Have a great day and thanks for all your kind anniversary wishes.

Cheers

Kez

Going, Going, Gone

I'm a little behind in my posting, so today's cards use stamps from the now ended Autumn/Winter mini. Both these masculine stamps are fabulous and so versatile.

Firstly I cased my own card which was a case of someone else's card! Hmm, if you managed to follow that logic, here's Sail Away again:

Materials used:

• stamps - Sail Away, The Open Sea
• card - cherry cobbler, very vanilla, crumb cake, night of navy, watercolour
• other - night of navy striped grosgrain, dimensionals, nestabilities die, aquapainter

That gorgeous ribbon is on the retirement list, so I'll be stocking up on that one!

Next a simple card with plenty of texture and a bit of "grunge". I also put some crystal effects over the coloured portions of the bike to give it that "shiny motorcycle" buzz, lol!

Materials used:

• stamps - Motorcycle, Sanded 
• card - not quite navy, very vanilla, crumb cake, soft suede
• other - crystal effects, square lattice embossing folder, dimensionals

I think the sanded background stamp might be on the retirement list too, so that's another favourite going. Ho hum.

And then, as it's DH's birthday on Friday, I made another Sail Away for him. As you know, he likes bold colours, so I've used my fav red, white and blue nautical theme! Layout inspired by a card by Lesley Annabel.

Materials used:

• stamps - Sail Away, Best Dad Ever, French Foliage, The Open Sea
• card - cherry cobbler, whisper white, not quite navy
• other - white embossing powder and heat tool, cherry cobbler bakers twine, non SU charm, dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by.

Cheers

Kez