Father's Day viewing

I know Father's Day has long gone, but this is the card that winged it's way up to my Dad.  

A little bit like another one you have seen, but a few differences.   I had this card sitting on my desk ready to go long before Father's Day, but unfortunately it just sat there looking at me and I didn't remember to post it until the Friday before.  I still love you Dad, even if I am a bit slack in the mailing department. 

"Beachy" male card?

I was recently asked by a friend if I could make a birthday card for her husband's 50th birthday.  Of course I would love to, who doesn't love having a project.  When questioned about her husband's interests, the answer was that he loves anything to do with the beach.  

Dilemma - as I don't really have anything beachy.  The Open Sea is nautical, but I wouldn't call it beachy.  However I am very fortunate that she loved the card, and she was sure her husband would too.  

You may think you have seen something like this before on here, and you would be right.  Sometimes you just have to go with what works. 

My Dad's birthday card

On Monday my father celebrated his 85th birthday.  Sadly he lives a little too far away to visit very often, so I have to get by with phone calls with him. 

For his card I chose to use the stamps from The Open Sea, my go-to set for male cards.  Cardstock used was Pool Party and Soft Suede, once again, male colours.  And even male cards can have a little bit of bling added. 

 

 

A little vintage style

I quite like the look of vintage style cards and the rich colours associated with it, so tried to recreate the look with this card.  I stamped various images onto white cardstock and then using a dauber began shading.  A little bit of effort involved, but I quite like the finish.

A collage type card

Now I really don't know what the correct name for these sorts of cards is - if anyone does, let me know.  I just called it collage because it has lots of different images stamped together.

I have always admired people who seem to be able to put random things together, in any form, and make it work.  So I tried to do that with this card.  It has images from a few different stamp sets all stamped in black, and then a few of them are popped up for dimension.  Was trying to achieve a vintagey type feeling with the shading, but I think it needs a little more.  

As I haven't actually stuck the top panel down yet onto the base card, I think this is one I will go back and have another try at. 

 

One for my Dad

My Dad will be 84 next Sunday and this is the card he is going to get.  I saw one like this on Pinterest with lots of shading and wanted to have a try.  

Lots of shading with post it notes covering "clean" areas.  I like the look of it but my top line dips downwards and the background sea looks more like land in the distance. Will keep working on this one cause I like the effect.  The style is called a one layer card. 

Happy Birthday to my Brother in Law

This is the birthday card for my brother in law whose birthday is today.  He and my sister are currently on holiday (again) somewhere down the coast and this is the card he will get when he returns home.  

And the inside

Very similar to one made last week but this time I used some eyelets to read through the ribbon.  My B-I-L is a very fit and active man who lives by the beach and is quite boaty, hence the nautical theme.  

Enjoy your travels and happy birthday.  Your card will be sitting in your letter box when you get home.  

Male birthday

This is another one for the men in your life.  It's a combination of The Open Sea and Clockworks.  I think by now you know that I like shading around the edges and don't mind a little cutting out.  Done in Black, Grey and White. 

 

You're a blast

I had another go at a Spinner card on the weekend - this time one that goes all the way around.  The colour of the card is Night of Navy, which is a little hard to photograph, or for me anyway.   There is a "trough" all around the centre that the rocket is supposed to glide around but when I sprayed shimmer all over the card it slightly warped it so the rocket has a little trouble getting around the world. Nice idea though. 

A Father's Day card

I realised yesterday afternoon that I had better make and SEND a card to my Dad for Father's Day, so had to whip something up in less than an hour.  Takes me that long to figure out what colours to use normally.  Anyway, this is the second attempt, and managed to get it in to the mail before 5.00 pm.  The colours in this photo make the yellow seem very bright but it was actually a mustard yellow and looked better in real life.  I think it needs a little more work, but I was in a hurry.  Wonder if it will arrive today.  

Spinner card

As planned, I got together with relatives yesterday to have a "card day".  Lily, my 5 year old niece, also joined in the fun and had to make some cards with us too.   

I had printed off some instructions and had my first attempt at making a Spinner card.  I wanted to use the rocket ship from the Pun Fun set, and make it zoom across the page.  Well, it certainly moves, but would hate to be an astronaut inside it.  I actually thought it would slide across the card, but this thing spins out of control.  My techie daughter is making a little video so you can watch it move, so hopefully it works.  

 

Feeling sick yet?  Hopefully it stops spinning after a while.  Am going to have another go and will try and make something that goes around a whole card.  Will let you know if it works out. 

One more from The Open Sea

I had to wait until after the birthday to post this, cause I know his wife looks on here regularly, but hopefully the card has arrived by now. I have this bad habit of making cards in time, but then forgetting to put them in the post so I end up being late. I have to get more organised!

Even though we can't get this stamp set from the Summer mini catalogue any longer I will be very surprised if it doesn't make it into the new catalogue out later this year.  We all struggle with male cards and The Open Sea is perfect for men.  The recipient of this card lives by the beach and is into water activities and boats, but the more modern version.  

 

I'm going to a stamping day with friends on Thursday and then again on Friday, so hopefully will come back with new cards and ideas to share.

The Open Sea

The first time I saw cards made with this stamp set I knew I "needed" it. I had to wait a while, but eventually the set was available in Australia in the summer mini.  The stamps are great for those hard to make male cards, or even travel journals or bon voyage cards.  There are also papers that are designed to coordinate with this set, and Baker's Twine for those of you able to tie Sailor's knots (obviously not me), but these are only available until the end of the month. 

On the fourth card I have used a technique where you ink up your acrylic block and "stamp" on cardstock.  This gives a mottled background great for vintage style cards.