Create your Future - A Man Card

Hello dear visitors and welcome to my blog.  So pleased you dropped by.

Well, here I am with another of my 'man' cards to share.  Still have lots of these to make, although I've slowed down a bit with them.  Got a little too involved in creating some ATCs and everything else just got put on the back burner for a little while.  LOL!!

So, I'm still using up those re-discovered quote panels, and ('cos I'm being a bit lazy this year) I'm still using the same basic design but I'm also still managing to  make them look a little different anyway.  Don't want the guys on my list to think they are all getting the exact same card!  LOL!!

The papers are from Kaisercraft but I cannot remember where the tags came from.  I'm using up a lot of old stash for these cards and the memory is not as good as it used to be.  (Not that it was all that good to start with!!  LOL!!)   
The clock is a free printable which I cut out, mounted on some chipboard and then covered with Glossy Accents.

Wanted some extra embellies so, instead of using cogs as I usually do, I simply punched out a few circles of paper and attached them with a brad.  Probably should have inked the edges though.

 Again, for something a little different, I attached the twine with staples instead of inserting it through the holes.

No idea where I got that ticket either.  One of those little treasures you sometimes find amongst the rubbish.  Do wish I had some more of these though.

The full frontal ..

.. and another one completed!

Thank you so much for stopping by today and taking a peek at my little makes.  Very much appreciate your visit and any comment you may care to leave for me.

Have a wonderful day!!
Take care, stay safe and God Bless.

ATCs - A New Addiction

Hello sweet visitors and welcome to my blog.  So pleased you decided to drop by.

I'm sharing something new with you today.  Well, at least it's new for me.  I have been busy creating some ATCs and, I have had so much fun with it,  I think I have a new addiction!  

Like everyone else, I have seen these around for a long time but never really felt the need to try my hand until now.  I've been watching a few videos, which is not unusual in itself but, I've been watching videos about ATCs.  I think I can blame Anne Redfern for this.  LOL!!  She mentioned her love of ATCs a few times recently and it got my curiosity aroused.

So, I watched a few videos and thought I would give it a go, and these are the result.

  I must tell you that these are not my own design.  Quite a few of the videos I watched used these techniques and I simply followed them.
The inspiration for my version came mostly from Shira Manor so these look very much like hers.  Here is the link to her video.

 So, basically, I made a Masterboard, and then cut it up into ATC sized pieces.  I ended up with 6 ATCs and the scrap was used for the collage.
I didn't take any photos of the process because, if you're interested, you can see it all on Shira's video.

 The substrate is watercolour canvas paper.   The layers started with a few papers from Simple Stories 'Documented' paper pad.  These were torn into strips and adhered to the canvas paper.

The next step was to add masking tape and washi tape.  Unfortunately I couldn't find the masking tape.  It has disapeared into our domestic black hole I think, so I used plaster tape instead.

Next came some stenciling with two different stencils and texture paste.  Before the paste dried I applied white embossing powder and heat set it.
Unfortunately, embossing powder is not my friend.  I can never apply it cleanly.  It just seems to stick to everything.  Even when I have rubbed the area with a resist pad, it still sticks and it is really hard to get it off the places I didn't want it to go.  Hence you can see it scattered everywhere.  Still, I don't really mind the look of it here.

So, once the embossing was finished it was time to add the colour.

I used a mix of Lindy's Stamp gang Sprays and Magicals. 

 The colours used in the Sprays was Sea Grass Green and Cape Cod Coral and

 in the magicals I used Tears on my Pillow Tangerine and TiffanyLou's Blue.

Once all the colour was dry it was time to chop up my Masterboard and, as stated before I ended up with six ATCs but, so far, have only completed these three.

The scrap was cut into smaller pieces for the collage and, once I got the arrangements to my liking they were simply stapled together but, before glueing them to the bases, I added some twine underneath.  I added a metal button to each ATC and then went round all the edges with a Sharpie pen.

Found some quotes on the net, printed them, cut them out and also edged them with the Sharpie.

The final step was to glue the quotes to the base.

A final look at all three together.

This was so much fun!  I loved getting messy preparing the Masterboard.  Should say, I was not really impressed when it was done but, once I got it all cut up and once my ATCs were assembled, I am really loving these.  Also, putting that black edging all around made a big difference to the look.  I love them!!! And I'm definitely making more of these.

Thank you so much for stopping by.   I really appreciate your visit and hope I have inspired you to try making some ATCs for yourself, if you haven't already.  Check out all the amazing videos, I'm sure you'll find something you haven't tried before!!

Have yourself a wonderful day!
Take care, stay safe and God Bless.

Dream, Believe - A Man Card

Hello my dear visitors and welcome!  So lovely that you stopped by.

I have another card to share today .. another masculine card.  This year, I am trying to get most of these done early so that I have them ready when needed.  Making feminine cards is easy.  I'm always ready to make those, but with male cards, I need to create as many as I can while I'm in the mood (which I am at the moment) otherwise I keep putting them off until it's almost too late.  

I am still using the same basic design I used in my last two cards HERE and HERE

If it ain't broke, don't fix it .. right??   Besides, I have all these fab quote panels to use up and they are working really well with these cards. Well, I think so anyway.  LOL!!

The papers are older ones from Kaisercraft.  I have a lot of their papers in my stash so it's really good to get to use some of it.

The clock was a freebie printed on the computer which I covered with Glossy Accents and I also added a strip of torn washi tape.

There's piece of torn corrugated board tucked in at the side.  I actualy lightly painted it with white gesso but didn't like the way it looked so went over it with black.  Looks a bit messy but that's ok.   It's a man card so it's allowed to be a bit messy.  LOL!!

Just couldn't resist adding some prills and microbeads ..

.. and a few metal cogs.

Added a few splatters here and there for a bit more interest.

Do love this quote panel .. it adds a lovely touch of colour!

Some more of the paper on the inside ..

.. and the full frontal!!

I'm quite happy with the way these cards are turning out.  Using the same basic design makes it so much easier in creating them.

Thank you so very much for dropping by today and for any comment you may care to leave.  Always very welcome and very much appreciated!!  Enjoy the rest of your day!

Take care, stay safe and God Bless!

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #206 - Floral Delight

Hello my dear visitors.  So pleased you decided to drop by.

It is time for  another Challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers.  Mary is our host this time around and the Theme is Floral Delight!   As always, anything you care to create is fine as long as it has lots of lovely flowers!!

Well, if you know my work, you know this Challenge is right up my alley!!  I love to add flowers to my cards .. to the feminine ones that is .. so, of course I made a feminine card!

The papers I have used are by Kaisercraft and they are from the Rose Avenue Paper Pad.  In keeping with the Theme, I have used some floral papers as well as a script design.

 I have layered some floral laces in between the papers and, underneath the cluster, you can see the Chloe Stem Die by Memory Box to which I have added a few tiny pearls for a bit of bling!

The other die cut is called Elegant Lines by Altenew.  This one was cut in half so I could spread it out so as it would not be hidden underneath the cluster.
Of course, I had to add some prills and micro beads as well.

Added some colour to the larger blooms.  For the pink, I used Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Spray in Salt Water Taffy ..

.. and for the yellow I used watered down Distress Ink Re-inker in Squeezed Lemonade.

More prills and micro beads.

Also added some floral paper to decorate the inside.

Would love for you to pop on over to the Crafty Cardmakers Blog to take a look at the wonderful inspiration by the rest of the Team and, while you're there, why not join in the fun and link up your entry!!  Looking forward to seeing your take on the Challenge!!

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #206 - Floral Delight

Thank you so much for dropping by today, and a special thank you also to those of you who leave me a sweet comment!!  I really do appreciate it!

Have yourselves a fabulous day!
Take care, stay safe and God Bless.
oxox Marg

In the Watercolour Garden - for Megs Garden

Hello everyone and welcome!!  Hope you are having a wonderful day!

I'm here to share two cards made with some stunning papers by Megs Garden.  The collection is called In the Watercolour Garden (hence my post Title) and it is absolutely gorgeous!!  The papers I have used here are from the A4 digital version but you can also purchase these papers in different sizes in both digital and printed format.
All of Meg's papers are fabulous to use as backgrounds but they also have some lovely images as well so, whatever you wish to create, from cards to layouts to mini books, there is a size and design to suit your needs.

I printed out two copies of the paper and cut one to size to be used as my base layer. 

I fussy cut the butterfly and two flowers from the second sheet and layered them over the original image.  I used some double sided foam tape to give it dimension.

The flower petals below were all from my stash and were all originally white.  Some of them were coloured with Lindy's Stamp Gang spray and others with watered down acrylic paint.  I then simply layered them to fill the chipboard frame and added some seed beads for the centers.

For my second card I printed a single sheet of my selected paper and added a bit of stenciling with texture paste in the top corner.

Some pretty lace from my stash was adhered down the center of the card.  I also added a piece of gauze and a couple of straws before attaching the flowers.

The blue flower is from my stash.  The smaller flowers are from the Garden.   All of them (except for the white one of course) were coloured with sprays.

The chippie is by Scrapmatts and I simply left it raw.  To create a bit more interest and texture, I added some prills and microbeads.

Instead of twine, I created the bow with some knitting cotton.  I find this best to use when I want a soft, floppy bow.

Meg's Garden products used
In the Watercolour Garden A4 digital papers
Cherry Blossoms
Small White Paper Flowers

Although the laces I used on these cards came from my stash, Meg has some beautiful laces in her shop.  Some are similar to the ones shown here but there are many more as well.

Thank you so much for dropping by and taking a look.
To see all the fabulous products Meg has in store HERE is the link.  Why not also take a look at the fabulous creations by the rest of the Team.  I am sure you will find some wonderful inspiration HERE.

Take care and God Bless.
oxox Marg