Cards for Men DT card- Challenge 15

This fortnight the challenge at Cards for Men is a recipe- 1 image, 2 design papers and 3 embellishments.

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This is my first DT card ever!!!

I used the 'My Guy Ian' image from Greetings Farm, coloured with Promarkers, and some fab free download papers from Summertime Designs called 'Freedom Ain't Free'. As you can see, I used the stitched check and the fine stripe papers and one of my fave layouts of 3 panels across the card. This is, yet again, an easel card- I love this style and it really solves my dilemas over where to put the sentiment! My 3 embellishments are the 3 silver star brads.
The sentiment is made with the great clear sets from Elzybells. I set out all the little stamps face down on my craftmat then carefully lifted out the word 'greatest'. I put my block on top to pick up the other stamps without moving them and stamped them in red. I put the remaining stamp on another block and inked it in blue before positioning it through the clear stamp.
Another thing that I keep reaching for at the moment is my Sizzlet corner die! This time I used the plain corner and added faux stitching with a white gel pen to tie in with the stitching detail on the paper.

Sad news...

I discovered Elzybells Stamps quite a while ago and love them, but now Elizabeth has, with regret, decided to close down the company. This is such a shame but I'm letting you know because she has reduced all her stamps by 50% so it is a great last chance to pick up any you have been admiring from afar! Here are a few of my cards made with her stamps:

Exciting news...

... I entered a Design Team call at Cards for Men and I was one of the three ladies chosen to join the team! I realised how it was going to be soon after my, now 8 year old, son was born- I couldn't sleep and I had my husband happily snoring on one side of me, my son in his crib snoring on the other side and our male dog snoring at the bottom of the bed! I was surrounded by blokes! So as you can see I have quite a few occasions to make male cards and, I know there are often groans at the mention of men's cards, but I enjoy making them. Why not pop over to the blog and take a look at the latest challenge and make a card for one of the men in your life?!

My Husband's Birthday card...

Another fishing image! This one is from Elzybells. This card is also from the Sketch Saturday sketch but it came together really easily! (See my last post for a card made using the same sketch that seemed like a really good idea but didn't really come off!) Just as I was putting it together I remembered that I had the little fish charm- I'm really pleased with this as the little touch of silver works well with the deep turquoise blues and fits with Charisma Cardz challenge to use something metal on your card. I have been looking at Secret Crafter's rules to see if I can enter another card but it doesn't say, so I will have a go at entering this one also for their 'water' challenge. His birthday is tomorrow but I'm safe putting it on my blog today as he doesn't look at it!

This looked better in my head!!!

I had the idea for this card and just had to make it. It took me ages to find the right papers but when I did the colours were perfect and I'm quite pleased with how the colouring went. (I think I'm starting to get to grips with my promarkers now.) But that's where the luck ran out!! I had trouble with the layout which was a sketch from Sketch Saturday. It wasn't the sketches fault- it was just that I couldn't get it to work with what I had! Looking at it now I think I should have trimmed the image closer or used an oval and put the sentiment on a separate piece so that I could overlap the image with it. Oh well- you live and learn!

I'm also entering this card for Passion for Promarkers 'Think of a Number' theme because of the countdown. The images and sentiment both come from my Murray and Ethel sets which really make me smile- I must make some more cards with them soon.

Dad's birthday card...

Dad has always loved looking at boats and used to drag us off to walk around harbours when we were on holiday so I thought this image would be perfect for him.

The papers are a free download called 'Fathers and Fedoras' from Summertime Designs and I have used them a few times before because I love the set. I wanted it to be mainly blue but I'm really glad I used the touch of light brown from the argyle on the image too. I have been collecting Promarkers for a while now and have quite a few, so why is it that you could always do with a shade that you don't have yet?! In this case True Blue and French Navy- Oh well, it will have to wait because I have just ordered new stamps! I'm loving the sizzlets corner die with 4 different corners- I would have put this one down as too ornate and feminine for a man's card but in navy I think the swirls look quite wave like and fill the gap perfectly.
I am entering this for Secret Crafter's Saturday Challenge as they have a theme of 'water'.

A Birthday Card for my Godmother...

I just had to use Dancing Maggie from Sugar Nellie for Aunty Barbara who has lived up in Scotland for most of her life and, as usual, I found a check paper to paper piece her kilt. I followed the sketch from the Sugar Bowl and the option of scallops. Creative Card Crew and Cuttlebug Challenges both have an Easel Card as their challenges. The circle has been embossed in the Perfect Paisley folder from Cuttlebug on Core'dinations and lightly sanded which fits with Allsorts challenge of embossing. I 'heart' Promarkers has stripes which I have used as one of my papers. Simon says has 'check it out' - the kilt and tag are done in the same checked paper. I got out my old Sizzix Original die to make the scalloped tag which fits with Little Red Wagon's challenge. Practical Scrappers challenged us to get out our border punches which I have done with a Fiscars punch for my stand. Colour Create have 'baby pink, peach and black' as their colour scheme- found it hard to get in the black so that is my stamping! Dutch Dare have a flower photo as their inspiration and I tried colouring some white flowers with my promarkers- they came out a bit strongly coloured so I will start lighter next time but not bad for a first try! And finally, Crafts and me have birthdays as their challenge. Wow- this is going to take some linking so I had better get off and do that!!!