Happy Sunday!  I've spent the past week getting back into the groove again at work which also included handing out thank you notes to co-workers for some really lovely Christmas gifts.  Creating feminine cards is FAR easier for me than masculine.  I'm always wanting to add some "bling" or some other embellishment that likely would not be appreciated by my male coworkers.  Fortunately, Stampin' Up! has created  some really great masculine or gender neutral sets that helps making these kind of cards easier.  The card below uses the set, Wetlands (#126697).  With the addition of some retired designer scrapbook paper and a bit of baker's twine and a button, my work was done!  This card was inspired by the a sample in the Stampin' UP! catalog. 

Thank you for stopping by!  Have a great week!

Mary Ann

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

I received some great cards from a recent card swap.  I am fortunate to be able to exchange card ideas with these talented women!  Each card was to showcase products from the Spring Mini Catalog.  Click on each card to enlarge.

This adorable card features the elephant from Henry Says (#128093C, #128090W).  Paired with the Parkers Patterns DSP, this card is bright and fun.

What a great masculine card!  Sandy incorporated the Dapper Dad stamp set (#129198C, #129195W) and the new Oval Framelits to create this handsome card.  

This gender-neutral card features the Parkers Patterns DSP and the sentiment from the Oh Hello stamp set (#130733C, #130730W).  Bold and bright, it will make the recipient smile.

If you like 3-D cards, then you will love this one.  This diorama card is stunning and interactive too. Featuring the By the Tide set (#129120C, #129117W) and some great brayering  this is definitely "thinking outside the box"!

Interested in seeing more?  Be sure to come back tomorrow when I showcase the rest of them!

Thanks for visiting!

Mary Ann

I don't mean to brag.

Wait...

Yes, I do.  I totally mean to brag!

Why?

I got a handmade Valentine from my husband!

Technically it's not the first handmade card I've received from him, but it is the first one he made by himself.  The previous card, ironically, also a Valentine, was also made by the dog.  This time around he was completely on his own.

When the Dude, You're Welcome Kitcame out, I bought one for my husband thinking that he would embrace the idea whole-heartedly.  NOT!  It was met with ambivalence and not nearly the excitement (or at least gratitude) that I was hoping for.  So, for the past month or so it has sat on my shelf collecting dust.  I was resigned to the fact that I would most likely be the one using it - perhaps to make a card for HIM. 

So, yesterday morning, I went to pull out the kit and begin creating a fabulous Valentine for my husband.  But, I couldn't find the stinkin' kit!!  Where the heck did I put it?  I looked everywhere!  Now, mind you, my craft room can be a little chaotic at times and to "misplace" items is not all that uncommon, but I do eventually find them.  Nope, not this time.

I suspect you know the ending.  At some point yesterday he came in to my room, grabbed and put it in his briefcase to take to work.

He was very proud of his work - and frankly, so was I.  He described in detail what he had to do to create this. From inking the stamp and making sure it was inked completely, to trying to clean the stamp when he was done.  I told him how impressed I was with the pink accent.  He told me it's a highlighter and he had an option of yellow or pink - and went with the pink.  Gotta work with the materials you have and, at work, highlighters were the only source of color.

So, there you have it.  If you buy the kit, it does get used...eventually.  And, honestly, this card means more to me than any Hallmark I could ever get.  Going forward, my husband will know exactly where to find the kit - just in case he is motivated to make another in the future.  I won't count on anything too soon, but at least now I all that all things are possible!

Thanks for letting me brag!

Interested in the Dude, You're Welcome Kit?  You can get it here.

Have a great day.

I finally had the opportunity to ink up a stamp I've had on my shelf for awhile  - the Just Thinking (#129940) stamp.  It's not often that I leave a stamp un-inked, but this one got over-looked.  It was time to put it to use!  Coupled with the paper from the Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper (#131021), I was able to keep this card gender neutral.  The Cherry Cobbler paper, ink and seam binding give it a nice coordinated look and a "pop" from the base of the card.

To add a little texture, I used the Fancy Fan embossing folder (#127751) and the Big Shot.  This is one of my favorite embossing folders and complements most stamped images beautifully.

One of the great features of this stamp is that is coordinates with the Window Frame Framelits (#129021).  Framelits take the hassle out of cutting images and create perfect die-cut elements. 

And finally, what's a great card without a little 3-D?  I added an antique brad and some pearls to add a bit of dimension. Quick. Easy. Simple.

So, what stamp or embellishment have you neglected lately?  I encourage to get it out and use it! 

Happy Stamping!

Creating masculine cards can be difficult for some people to make.  I struggle with it too.  There are a decent amount of suitable images out there, but I think what stumps me is that I like to add a lot of embellishments.  And some of my embellishments aren't very manly.

Thanks to a recent post from Dawn Olchefske making my Father's Day card this year just got a little easier.  With a new twist on an "old" card fold, this card came together quickly and easily.  And, with the re-emergence of the Open Seas stamp set in the new Stampin' Up! catalog, this became a great masculine card.

With the recent addition of Label Framelits(125598) to the Stampin' Up! accessory line, images can be enhanced and showcased on any card front.  I really like how the ship and the map fit so perfectly within this framelit.  I was even able to add a button embellishment with some linen thread!

It's been a wet week here in Orlando and the weekend doesn't show much promise of it drying up. It will be a great opportunity for me to try out some of my new Stampin' Up! products that landed on my doorstep yesterday.

Do you have the new Stampin' Up! catalog yet?  If not, contact me!