I love making cards.  There are times when I'm creating one because I have to (birthday, holiday, etc) and then there are other times I create simply because I want to.  Today's card was a combination of both.  From a family of 7, I am the only girl which means I have to make a lot of masculine cards.  I struggle with them for so many reasons but with my brother's birthday quickly approaching I had to come up with something.  I'm also in a group swap where this month's theme was masculine cards! How lucky for me that I get a two for one deal!  

I debated what color to make the base of the card, but lately I have been drawn to neutrals.  I used Sahara Sand which is not a heavily used color for me, however it was perfect for showcasing a little pop of color in the corner with the paper flags.  And, because I love the bronzed buttons, it was a "safe" accessory to put on my brother's card.

The images, both from the Open Seas, have exquisite detail and one of my favorite sets. I hope to see the stamp set around for a long time.

I assembled the card like a shadowbox, having the image set back slightly from the forefront of the card.  Dimensionals do all the work and make shadow boxes easy to create.

I hope today allows you the chance to be creative.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mary Ann