Trains, Plains & Automobiles

Good Morning everyone.

Its time for the first challenge of the year over at Cardz4guyz with the theme for the next 2 weeks being

Trains, Planes and/or Automobiles 

So a good theme for start with alot of scope.  I made this card for my brothers birthday last week.

I first made a card 6x6 cardblank from a lovely pre-embossed ivory cardstock.  I covered the front in a brown and cream paper with a travel theme.  Using the same ivory card i used for the base i used curved border dies on the bottom edge and cut a panel to cover 3/4 of the cardfront. I die cut an oval into the middle and then added it to the front with foam tape.

I then die cut a map pattern paper with the same oval die and glued it into the oval aperture.  I added a small strip of the brown paper to the top edge and added die cut screw tops to the corners. 

I stamped the vintage car stamp onto cream and then a pale red paper, i paper pieced the red version onto the cream version and then cut the whole car out and added to the middle of the oval.  

Ive had this paper pad for years, nice to get to use a few papers from it on the same project. The vintage car stamp is also eons old, so good to start the new crafting year using up some very old products!

Items Used:

Graphic 45 'come away with me' 6x6 papers

MFT die-namics scalloped edge border dies

Spellbinders 'nuts & bolts' die set

Spellbinders oval die

Wildrose studio 'vintage car' CL095 stamp

Ivory embossed cardstock - payper box

Please do hop over to cardz4guyz to join in and see what everyone else comes up with, a good theme to kick start the mojo😊

I hope you all have a good week. Emma

Cheers to the New Year!

Good Morning everyone, on the countdown now to the big day. 

Its time for the last challenge of the year over at Cardz4guyz with the theme being

NEW YEAR/NEW BEGINNINGS

So very apt for the time of the year.  I went with making a new year card in black, silver & white

6x6 white cardbase.  I cut panels from frosted patterned silver mirror card, black card and white card to fit the front.  The white panel i embossed with a circle embossing folder, i thought they had the feel of bubbles to go with my champagne glasses.  As i had to extend the patterned i wrapped black twine around the join and attached to the front. Twine bow added on top.

I die cut 2 champagne glasses and the sentiments from silver card, the cheers i die cut again from black card and shadowed them.  I added the banner onto black card and cut around it.  I gently shaped the glasses and attached to the front with glue gel and then arranged my sentiments. 

Just a close up on the sentiments

On this one you can see the frosted pattern in the silver mirror card better.  Not quite as bright as normal silver and adds a bit of interest. 

Items Used:

Concorde & Ninth season of cheer dies

Champagne glass die - magazine freebie

Sizzix embossing folder

Frosted Silver card - payper box

White pearl & black card - payper box

Black waxed cotton twine

So if you fancy joining in one last challenge of the year and just see what everyone else comes up with do hop over to cardz4guyz

I hope you all have a good week.  Hugs Emmax

Snowman

Good Morning all.  

Time for a new challenge over at Cardz4Guyz  with the theme being

SNOWMEN

So Snowman/men as the main feature

6x5.5" white cardbase.  I cut a panel of white card smaller than the cardfront and die cut the memory box snowflake circle into the middle top, stamped the sentiment, then i dry embossed the panel with snowfall EF.  I lightly inked around the edges and around the snowflakes, mounted onto silver mirri card with foam tape and then the base card. 

I then stamped the quirky snowman onto white card with archival ink and coloured with alcohol markers. The little rabbit and present stamps came free with a magazine, i also coloured them with markers.  I then fussy cut them all out and arranged on the card front, i added the snowman in the middle of the snowflake. 

Close up, you can see the silver peeking through the snowflakes better here.  I added glossy accents to the snowmans eyes and 'buttons'

Items Used:

Paperartsy Zinski Art - totem

Memory box 'Snowflake Burst' die

Crafters companion snowfall embossing folder

Evergreen bought distress ink

Promarkers

So if you fancy joining in or just seeing all the other snowmen, do hop over to cardz4guyz

Thank you all for stopping by and i hope you all enjoy the rest of your week. Emma

Christmas Critters

Good Morning everyone.

Its time once again for a new challenge over at Cardz4guyz   The theme for the next 2 weeks is:

CHRISTMAS CRITTERS

So any creatures associated with Christmas

Ive gone with a penguin and dug out the first Katzelkraft stamps i bought of this grumpy penguins.  Everyone loved the cards i made with them last year. 

6x5.5" white cardblank.  I found a sheet of ombre patterned paper in a bluey purple to use, i cut slightly smaller than the card front and dry embossed with a snow fall embossing folder, then mounted onto black card and the card base. 

I die cut the star frame twice, once from white and once from black card and off set them.  I cut a panel of the same paper as the background to fit the middle of the frame and then mounted onto the front with foam tape.  I stamped my penguins, added a little colour and fuzzy cut him out. I gently shaped him and added to the frame with glue gel.

Stamped greeting diecut into circle and mounted onto a black circle and added to the front.  I coloured some clear enamel stars with orange marker and added around my penguin so he is in a nice starry sky. 

Close up of Mr Grumpy.

Items Used:

Katzelkraft Grumpy penguin stamps

Star frame die - brand unknown

Sentiment stamp - magazine freebie

Papermania patterned paper

star gems

Distress ink markers - tumbled glass, honey, marmalade

Please do hop over to see what everyone else comes up with for Christmas Critters and join in at cardz4guyz

I hope you are keeping warm, turned rather chilly down here.  Enjoy your day and thank you for popping by. Emmax

Winter Blues

 Good Morning Everyone. 

Its time for a new challenge over at Cardz4guyz  and the theme for the next fortnight is:

WINTER BLUES

A winter card in shades of blue and of course for a boy/man

I decided to do a snowflake emboss resist background for my polar bears

6x6 white card base, my blue panel takes it upto 7" wide as it over hangs the edges of the base card. Something i do now and then and it adds interest and i didn't want to hide all the embossed snowflakes.  

I first stamped the snowflakes onto white card using embossing ink and added a clear embossing powder.  I then inked over the top using distress inks in blue tones.  I splashed on some water and dabbed with a tissue, this gives more interest.  I then rubbed the ink of the embossed snowflakes with a tissue - the embossing powder resists the ink so easily wipes off.  I then added this panel onto navy cardstock and then the base card. 

I die cut my polar bears from white cardstock, added navy card behind the snowflakes in the bear, added on top of a die cut silver mirror snowflake and then a circle cut from vellum.  Add the scarf to the baby bear which i inked with distress oxide.  Stamped greeting onto the base card.   

Just a close up showing the bears better.

Items Used:

Craft stamper mag stamp - the snowflake

Tattered lace polar bears die

Spellbinders lrg snowflake die

Wonky stitched circle dies

Distress Inks - peacock feathers, everygreen bough, chipped shappire

Distress Oxide ink - cracked pistachio

White card is CardcraftUk

Silver & Navy card is payper box.

So if you fancy joining in or just to see what the rest of the DT created and all the entries over the next 2 weeks do hop over to cardz4guyz

I hope you all have a good week, hopefully i will get a bit more time to craft this week, last week was busy with family visiting us.  Lovely to catch up with them all. Hugs Emma



I would like to enter the following challenges:
animalfriendschallenge-november - Winter

craftyanimals challenge-20 - anything goes with animal

sparklesforumchristmaschallenge - embossing wet or dry   - heat embossed background

Into the Woods

Good Morning everyone.

Once again its time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz with the theme for the next fortnight being:

INTO THE WOODS

Anything you find in a wood or forest, think flora, fauna or maybe a teddy bears picnic, or is there a pixie hiding among the trees.  It could be an everyday card or a Christmas card but must be for a man/boy.  

Ive gone with a Christmas card as its that time of year and although i did make this with a man in mind i think its unisex really and could be done in any colours.  Ive gone with green & gold.

4.5x6" white linen cardblank.  I made a background using distress oxide inks and let dry.  I then cut the tree background die from white linen card, this i attached over my background and mounted on the card front.

I then die cut the 2 deer from gold pearl cardstock, i felt they were a bit lost against the background so added a die cut circle of vellum to just soften the background for them.  I snipped a bit off the bottom of the vellum and placed level with the bottom of the background.  Afterwards i thought it kind of had a snow globe look.

I then die cut my sentiments and mounted onto more of the gold pearl card and added to the top.  The sentiments actually have the fishtail on both ends but i snipped off the left side.  

Just a close up and this shows the gold pearl better. 

Items Used:

MFT deer love die set

Concord & Ninth 'season of cheer' die set

Wonky stitched circle dies

Christmas Tree panel die - brand unknown

Distress Oxide inks - cracked pistachio, peacock feathers & twisted lime

White linen cardstock craftUk ltd

Gold Pearl cardstock - payper box

So do hop over Cardz4guyz and see what everyone else comes up with for 'Into the woods' and to join in, everyone is welcome to join the challenge.

I hope you all have a good week. Emma

Triangles

Good Morning everyone.

So its once again time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz

The theme for the next fortnight is:

TRIANGLES

Something a bit different. Luckily i had for my birthday this set of Altenew Shattered Triangle dies so had a play for their first outing.

White Linen DL cardblank.  I first made a brusho/pixie powder background in blues, greens & oranges.  I then die cut lots of triangles from it and then the top layer from white card and glued them together.  I arranged them on a strip of white linen cardstock, layered that onto a strip of my background and added to the cardfront.

Stamped sentiment to finish.  Simples😊

Close up.  This would also be a good design to use up all those little left over backing papers or i was thinking Christmas trees?

Items Used:

Altenew Shattered Triangle die set

Brushos

Cosmic Shimmer pixie powders

CraftUk white linen card

Sentiment stamp

So if you fancy joining in and to see what everyone comes up with using Triangles hope over to cardz4guyz

Thanks for stopping by and all your recent comments and visits.  Have a good week.  Hugs Emmax

Autumn Leaves

Good Morning all.  Hopefully this post has worked as ive schelduled it.

Its time for a new challenge over at Cardz4guyz with the theme being

AUTUMN/FALL LEAVES

So once again i used the stamp set that came with creative stamping magazine issue 60.  

XL DL card made by folding white linen A4 card in half lengthwise.   Using a multicolour ink pad i stamped the 3 different leaf images onto white linen card. Once dry i die cut into wonky stitched circles and mounted onto circles die cut from dark maroon cardstock.  I cut maroon and white card to fit my base, i used the same ink and the splatter stamp around the edges to tie it in with my leaf toppers and attached to the card front. 

I added my leaf topper circles to the base with foam tape.  I then added lots of little enamel drops around my leafs with viva paper pens in dark red, yellow & orange to just add some interest.   

Close up of the middle circle, i used black ink to stamp one of the quotes from the stamp set.  It says 'Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower'

 Items used:

Leaf stamps - creative stamping mag issue 60

Kaleidacolor rainbow ink pad 'cappuccino delight'

Viva paper pens - red, yellow & orange

Wonky stitched & plain circle dies

White linen card - craftUk

Maroon cardstock - payper box

Please do hop over to cardz4guyz to see what everyone else comes up with for this great theme and to join in. 

I hope you all have a good week. Emma

All At Sea - Shaker card

Morning all, well its time for another new challenge over at Cardz4guyz

with the theme for the next fortnight being:

ALL AT SEA

I decided to go with a looking out through  a porthole into the deep sea and make a shaker card.  

6x6 White cardblank.  I added woodpanel paper onto brown cardstock and then to the card front.   I added a strip of rope pattern paper across the middle and copper effect screw brads in the corners.

To make my shaker i first die cut a frame from metal rust effect paper and backed with a circle of acetate.  Then added foam tape around the frame.  I die cut an octopus and coloured him with orange starlight paint so he shimmers in the light.  I die cut some fish and seaweed from scraps of inked cardstock.  I then added clear micro beads and tiny silver and blue sequins, then backed with a blue water paper.  

I then added the shaker to the front and a sentiment sticker.  I added bronze viva pearl drops around the shaker frame to act as rivets. 

Close up showing the shaker better

And the cute octopus, the starlights paint really shimmers in the light.

Items Used:

Octopus & Fish dies - unbranded

Spellbinders & Cheerylynn foliage dies

Spellbinders circle dies

Kaisercraft papers 'coastal escape'

Papermania papers 'Mr Smiths workshop'

Imagination crafts starlight paint 'oxide orange'

Brushos & Pixie powders

Viva bronze pearl drops

So if you fancy joining in and seeing all the DT's work and entries please do hop over to cardz4guyz      I think this is a good theme for those men's cards and lots of different items to use.  

Thank you for stopping by and all your visits last week.  Its my brothers birthday this week so today we are having a family lunch so looking forward to that.  I hope you all have a good week. Hugs Emmax

Bugs

Good Morning everyone, well autumn is slowly arriving down here in Cornwall, trees are starting to turn and summer flowers going over.  So time to see those beautiful garden spiders creating amazing webs.  So a warning that spiders are ahead for those who aren't keen on them. 

Its time for a new challenge over at Cardz4guyz and the theme is:

BUGS

We the design team had a long discussion on this subject as the meaning of bugs is different here in the UK to the meaning in USA, so as the DT members are international we decided to go for any form of insect life/creepy crawlies this includes butterflies, bees etc so more scope for ideas for your projects.

After having a think and look through my stash i decided to use my spider web and spider dies for a change.  

6x6 white card blank.  In my graphics programme Serif Craft Artist i printed out an autumny background scene, with toadstools in greens and browns.  Also added a couple of white muted moths to the background, Added the sentiment in white.  I sized it so that it would be just larger than my die cut frame.  I die cut my background into a stitched square and mounted onto dark brown card and then the base.

I die cut my spiders web and spider from white card.  I painted the web with silver paint, to give the effect you get of dew on a spiders web, i added this to the back of my white inverted die cut frame, then added foam tape to the back of the frame and added to the base.  Doing it this way meant the actual web isn't stuck directly to the image.  

I added my white spider and drew on a string for him dangling from the web with a silver pen. 

Just a close up of my friendly spider.  

Items Used:

Spider & web die

Daisytrail digikit - 'water garden' (sadly discountinued)

Mama Elephant inverted scallop frame die

Silver acylic paint.

So do pop over and see what bugs everyone comes up with at cardz4guyz

I hope you all have a good week.  Emma

Male Get well Card

Good Morning everyone, i hope you are all having a good start to the week.  

So today its time for a new challenge over at   cardz4guyz

The theme this fortnight is

GET WELL SOON

Ive gone for making a CAS card with Katzelkraft stamps and brusho's.  

6x6 white cardbase.  I first computer printed the word sick onto white card, i then die cut that into a square, then working out where i wanted my sheep to be i added brusho powders to that area.  Once dry i stamped the sheep into place.  I stamped the sheep once more and cut out and decoupaged over the first one.  I left him mainly white to stand out against all the coloured background.  Just added a little colour to the eyes and horns. 

Then matted onto black card and then the cardbase.  I computer printed the rest of the sentiment in the same font, cut into a strip, layered onto black card and then added underneath the sheeps feet. 

Just a close up.  I added glossy accents to his eyes and horns.

Items Used:

Katzelkraft 'Farm Animal' stamp set

Tattered lace square dies

Brushos - turquoise & gambage

So please do pop over to cardz4guyz to see what everyone comes up with and join in.

****************

Now onto today, thank you for all the birthday cards & goodies ive been sent, all so beautifully unique, you really are a talented bunch.  I will of course thank you all personally in a day or two.  Im off out with family today so looking forward to that and then another meal at the weekend to celebrate.  Wishing you all a good week. Hugs and big thanks Emmax

Relax male card

Good Morning all, i hope you all had a good weekend.

Its time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz, the theme for the next fortnight is:

RELAX

Searching through my stash i found this lovely image in an old LOTV art pad.  I picked out the colours in the image of grey & blue.

A5 white cardbase.   I found in my stash cardstock in a dark blue and grey for matting and layering and a few papers to co-ordinate too.  I first die cut the image into an oval, layered onto bigger ovals of blue and grey.  Onto the base card i layered up the papers, of setting the blue foliage ones.  I added the topper with foam pads.

I then die lots of little leaves from the same papers picking up on the branches in the image.  I arranged them around the topper.  I found a scrap of card in yellow/peach and die cut lots of little birds.  I went with that colour for the birds to stand out against the dark colours and also it picks up on the images skin tone.  

I then die cut the sentiment in white and blue, added the blue as a drop shadow and added to the bottom of the cardfront.  Left over leaves and birds to finish. 

Close up of the topper, this shows the colours a bit better.  

Items Used:

LOTV art pad

Spellbinder oval dies

Memory box bird dies

Small leaf dies

Papers - rustic atmosphere - poundland

Paper - Blackberry lane - wild rose studio

Paper - Papermania Parisienne blue - docrafts

If you fancy joining in with this brilliant theme or just seeing what everyone comes up with,  then please do hop over to cardz4guyz

I hope you all have a good week. Thank you for stopping by.  Emmax

Men's Fashion

Good Morning everyone, i hope you are having a good week. 

Its time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz, the theme this fortnight is

MEN'S FASHION

So a real challenge for me too, i don't really have any stash for this theme but came across a sheet of paper in a 12x12 paper pad i got from B&M.  Its printed on kraft background so i decided to use Kraft card as my base and a gatefold, with the kind of wardrobe idea. 

A4 gatefold made from Kraft card. I rounded the middle corners.  I found some bluey papers in my stash to use, which i layered onto the front panels., i then cut out from of the icons and a dapper looking chap, inked the edges with vintage photo distress ink.  I arranged these on the front.  Threaded some brass buttons with blue twine and added to embellish.  I then added some chit chat stickers saying

Create Yourself Be Original.

Another view of the front, peeking into the inside

So the inside of my 'wardrobe'   I layered pattern papers onto the panels and more items of clothing etc.  I die cut the sentiment circle from white card and added the circle image of the chaps head - had the idea of being like a mirror or portrait. 

This is the sheet of paper, so it came in useful.  The B&M paper pads are all great quality, almost thin card, and such varied designs in them.  They are all double sided so if you don't like one pattern you can use the other side.  

Items Used:

Crafts You Create paper pad - 'Chic Vintage' by B&M

paper pad - 'Vintage Chic'  by poundland 

MFT birthday sentiment circle die

Tim Holtz Chit Chat stickers

TH vintage photo distress ink

Kraft Card

Brass buttons

How funny, just realised both paper pads have similar names!  

Anyway please do hop over to cardz4guyz to join in and see what everyone comes up with.  

Enjoy your week. Emmax

Blue & Brown - crazy birds

Good Morning all, i hope you are all enjoying the weather.

So its time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz,   the theme this fortnight is

BLUE & BROWN

Ive made quite a simple card, and paper pieced my stamped crazy bird.  Paper piecing has always been one of my fav techniques as im not really into colouring in.   I used papers from a 6x6 paper pad that isn't necessarily male orientated in design. 

6x6 white cardblank.  I added a thin strip of blue dotty paper to the top and bottom of a panel of woodpanel paper and added to the cardfront.

I then stamped the bird in black so that i had the hair and feet on the wood paper.  I stamped the bird again on blue dotty paper and cut him out minus his feet and hair.  I gently shaped the body and added to the card front with glue gel lining up with the feet.  I stamped a 3rd time on white card cut out the eyes, beak & wing, and added this again onto the bird.  I added a touch of yellow pen to the beak, wing & tail. 

Stamped sentiment die cut into a speech bubble.  Then i added a strip of blue ruler paper for the bird to stand on.  

Close up of the bird, i added white gel pen highlights to his feet and hair and glossy accents to his eyes. 

Items Used:

My Minds Eye paper pad 'remarkable' by Jen allyson

Tim Holtz Crazy bird stamps - original size

Clearly besotted sentiment stamp

Wild Honey distress marker pen

Glossy accents

So do pop over to cardz4guyz  join in and see what everyone comes up with for blue and brown.

Thank you for all your visits and comments.  Keep cool. Emma

Metallic Madness

Good Morning all, one thing ive really noticed with my design team posts is how fast the weeks fly by! 

Time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz   the theme this time is

METALLIC MADNESS

So i dug out some mirri card and had a play, ive used 3 colours of mirror card in gold, copper & steel grey, so difficult to take decent photos of it. 

5x7" white linen cardbase.  I have die cut lots of leaves from the mirror cards, layered together on a panel of white linen card, overhanging the edge of the panel (cut off excess), which i then matted onto black card and layered onto the white card front.  

I die cut the happy birthday circle from white card, matted onto a larger black circle and added to the cardfront on foam tape.  I then added a spare gold leaf to the middle of the sentiment. 

This one shows the colour of the mirror card better.  There is 3 leaf outline dies so all 3 are slightly different sizes and shapes.

Items used:

MFT birthday circle die

MFT layered leaf dies

Gold, Copper & Steel grey mirri card

Black & White card

So if you fancy joining in and having fun with metallics or just fancy seeing what everyone comes up with please do hop over to cardz4guyz

Thank you for stopping by.  Enjoy your week. Emma

Father's Day - farm animals

Good Morning all, i hope you all enjoyed some weekend sunshine.  I can't believe how fast the fortnights go, its time for a new challenge over at cardz4guyz with the theme this time being:

FATHER'S DAY

So i thought it was the ideal theme for my dad using my new Katzelkraft farm animal stamps.  These really are quirky. 

First I stamped the cow, sheep, pig, duck & cockeral and coloured them in with inktense pencils and cut them out.  I then cut a panel of white card, stamped the cow, sheep & pig, it doesn't matter that they overlapped as i only needed the legs as i laid the cut out versions on top.  I inked a simple sky and grass background.  

Using my new stitched hexagon dies i die cut a white frame and stamped my greeting on the bottom.  I then mounted this over my topper with foam tape, layered onto black cardstock and then white base card cut to the hexagon shape.  I then added my animals with glue gel, adding a bit of shape first.  I added glossy accents to their eyes.  Finished size approx 7x7"

Close up on the animals, the colours i went with are loosely based on the colour of animals he owns - Normandy cow, tamworth pig, shetland duck, suffolk sheep.  The cockeral is cheekily photo bombing the scene as he is cheeky like that. 

and the insert, that cheeky cockeral is about again😀

Items used:

Katzelkraft stamps - KTZ208 'La Ferme des Animaux'

Derwent inktense pencils

Stitched hexagon die set

Glossy accents

Please do hop over to cardz4guyz to join in and see what everyone comes up with for Father's day - it will soon be upon us. 

I hope you all have a good week and thank you for stopping by and waving hello to all of you that are following by email👋.  Emma

Steampunk

Good Morning everyone, i hope you had a good weekend. 

Today im sharing my first post after being invited to join the design team for 

the cardz4guyz challenge blog.  As most of you know i make alot of male cards so quite enjoy making them.  

The theme this fortnight is

Science-Fiction Or Steampunk

both are a bit of a challenge for me, after searching all my stash I found these steampunk digi images as the starting point. 

7x7 White cardblank.  I first designed the background using serif craft artist & the digi kit by daisytrail 'Steampunk Emporium'  I cut this into a square and mounted onto Navy blue cardstock and then the base.

 I then printed the crow off twice and decoupaged him, i added a die cut hat and some glossy accents to him.  I die cut cogs from silver mirror card and added a touch of blue paint to them, to tone down the silver and tie in with the blue in the crow.  A couple of bolts cut from orange mirror card, these i used a permanent pen on to tone the colour down, add the pen wait a little for it to start drying and then rub off - gives a nice aged effect on mirror card. 

I added a metal word band with screw top brads to finish.  It says ; 

'Possibility begins with imagination'

A close up.

Items Used:

Serif Craft Artist

Daisytrail 'Steampunk emporium' (discontinued)

Cheerylynn cog dies

Spellbinders 'nuts & bolts' die S2-288

Hat die - unknown 

Tim Holtz ideology word band

Screw top brads

Glossy Accents

So if you fancy joining in and see what the rest of the design team and entrants come up with do hop over to cardz4guyz 

Thank you for stopping by, i hope you all have a good week and the sun shines on you all. Emma