Visible Image "Ahead of our time" 50th Male Birthday Card

Today our friend celebrates his 50th birthday.  As the postal service is a bit slower, I made this card a fortnight ago, just to be sure it arrives with him before or on his special day.

I knew the blue colour scheme I wanted to use(this friend spends a lot of his leisure time on the water) and although I had an idea what I wanted to create, I actually had a dummy run of the card using a background I was not so fond of.  This gave me an indication of positions etc.  As it was it turned out ok, so I may well use this "draft" card for somebody else in the future.  This is the first draft of the card.  Same stamps, just a different colour way.

For the main card, I used four Brusho colours (Ultra Marine, Turquoise, Violet and Black) to create the background colour.

I used stamps from Visible Image "Ahead of our time" stamp set, stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" black ink.

I used a silver, blue and purple glitter Signo pens and a white Posca Pen for areas of the card.

I typed out and printed the "You Sir, are fifty today!" then die cut and layered the sentiment.  The two smaller stamped sentiments of "Congratulations" and "Happy Birthday" are from a Papertrey Ink stamp set.

Visible Image "Night Owl" Birthday Card

I have played with a Visible Image stencil and stamp set to create this card for a male birthday.

I used Distress Oxide Inks (Antique Linen, Stormy Sky and Blueprint Sketch),to create the background below the strobe, by swooshing the card through the ink.  I then used the "Chipped Sapphire" Distress ink through the Visible Image "Strobe" stencil.

I used the owl image from the Visible Image set called "Night Owl" to stamp over the strobe background using Versafine ink.

I swooshed a piece of  white card with the owl image through three shades of Distress Oxide inks (Antique Linen, Tea Dye and Rusty Hinge), drying with a heat gun.  I then stamped the owl image on this coloured background using Versafine Clair "Acorn" brown ink.  I coloured the owl using a Sakura Gelly Roll pen in a copper colour.  I also added some white highlights to the eye area.  Finally I fussy cut the image and adhered it over the stamped image on the strobe background.

I used a white Posca pen on the lighter areas of the strobe along with a silver glitter Signo Pen and a black fine liner pen, adding dots of colour.

I mounted the image onto blue card and then onto a white card blank, adding a stamped sentiment using a sentiment from a Personal Impressions set called "Double Sayings", stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink.

Stampin' Up "Feeling Sentimental" Male Birthday Card

I know I'm not the only crafter who struggles making cards for males.  I don't know why it's such an issue but the struggle is real!

I started with some cream card for the background, swishing it through an "Antique Linen" Distress Oxide ink.  Using a fan brush and diluted "Tea Dye" Distress Oxide Ink I splattered the darker shade on to the card.

Using Versafine Clair "Chianti" dark red ink, I stamped the Penny Farthing bicycle, which is a Stampin' Up stamp from their "Feeling Sentimental" wood mounted stamp set.  Using the same ink, I stamped the Hobby Arts Ltd sentiment which is part of their "General Greetings - CS016D" clear stamp set.

I used another Stampin' Up set called "Gorgeous Grunge" with Versafine "Vintage Sepia" ink to make the foxing marks.

Funky Fossil "Circuit Board" Birthday Card - Male Birthday Card

I always struggle to create cards for men, which got me to thinking, I should try to create a few more.  With this thought in mind I created this card. 

I used "Blueprint Sketch" Distress Oxide Ink through the Funky Fossil Circuit Board Stencil to create the background.

I used an Inkylicious Light Bulb stamp, stamped in Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink.  I coloured the screw bit of the bulb with a water colour pencil, then cut out the shape of the whole bulb and adhered it over the background.

I used Papertrey Ink stamps for the sentiment, from their "Big Birthday Wishes" set, stamped in Versafine Clair "Blue Belle" ink.

I decided the white of the glass bulb was too stark, so added a light covering of "Squeezed Lemonade" Distress Oxide Ink with a blender to give a softer look to that area of the card.

Funky Fossil "Antler Background" Stencil - Male Birthday Card

I've been playing with stencils this afternoon, creating this card.

I started by covering some white card with "Shabby Shutters" Distress Oxide Ink.  I used "Brushed Corduroy" Distress Oxide through the Funky Fossil "Antler" stencil, taped on top of the green background to create the over all pattern.

To create the central sentiment, I used an off-cut of the "Shabby Shutters" Distress Oxide background and stamped "Have A Wild Birthday" using stamps from the Funky Fossil clear stamp set called "Wild Things" stamped in Versafine Clair "Pinecone" brown ink.

I die cut the sentiment into a rectangle and then edged it with "Brushed Corduroy" Distress Oxide Ink before adhering it to the middle of the card.  I then edged the whole inner image with the same ink.

Male Birthday Card using the Funky Fossil Mini Cube Stencil

I often struggle making cards for males.  Considering they are half the population I don't know why it is so difficult, but I find it so, especially if you don't want to go the typical route of sport and beers.

I used a Distress Oxide Ink in a blue/green shade called "Peacock Feathers" through Funky Fossil Designs stencil called "Mini Cubes".  I did it first on a pale blue background card and then again on the front of a white 5"x5" card blank.

I stamped the birthday sentiment on the pale blue background, using Hobby Arts Ltd stamp set called "Greetings for a friend - SC158D" using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink, which is a lovely black ink to use.  I then cut the panel down and mounted it onto black card before adding it to the top of the patterned front of the card.

I always clean my stencils after each use.  I usually use an off-cut of card to rest the stencil on, but this time decided to open up the card and clean the stencil on the inside right hand side of the card.  

Using a wet wipe I gently wiped the ink away, in doing so the ink on the stencil fills the pattern gaps creating a toned down replica of the stencil pattern, so it nicely matches the front cover.

I used a Papertrey Ink stamp from their "Stylish Sentiments" set for the internal sentiment, again using Versafine Clair "Nocturne" ink.

Vintage Style Male Birthday Card

There was a fab set of vintage style stamps in issue 70 of Creative Stamping magazine, one of which (the Penny Farthing bicycle) was ideal for this card.

I started by stamping a Stampin' Up "Crackle Paint" stamp to brown cardstock using Versafine "Vintage Sepia" coloured ink, I also inked the edges using the same ink.

Using Versafine "Black Onyx" coloured ink, I stamped the Penny Farthing stamp and the time sentiment below the bicycle, which was free with issue 70 of Creative Stamping Magazine.

Finally, I stamped the Papertrey Ink "Happy Birthday" sentiment from their "Stylish Sentiments" stamp set in Versafine Black Onyx shade of ink.

Male Birthday Card using "Black Ice" Technique (Papercraft Essentials Issue 61)

I had heard about a technique called "Black Ice", so I 
Googled it and found out how to do it.  The best demonstration I found for it is this one.  It is clear and easy to follow.

I thought the look of the black ice, leant itself to a male card, so that is the direction I took.  I used a stamp and embossing folder Apple Blossom set which came free with issue 61 of Papercraft Essentials magazine.

I started by embossing a piece of black card and mounted it to a white card blank.

Using a piece of mirror/foil card, I dragged a black StazOn ink across the surface, from top to bottom.  I then rotated it and dragged it in the opposite direction so that there was equal amount of ink at both the top and the bottom of the foil card.

Using the stamps from the magazine I mentioned earlier, I stamped the sentiment and beer glasses, also in Black StazOn ink.

Using a Versamark clear ink embossing pad, I dragged it across the surface, in the same direction as earlier, from top and bottom, I didn't want total coverage, but more of a streaked effect.  I then coated it with clear embossing powder and heated till raised.

I finished the card, by mounting the foil section onto a piece of black card and then mounting that with foam pads for elevation onto the embossed surface already prepared.

I do like the look of this technique, but it is very hard to get decent photographs as I seem to pick up the colours on mirror card from around me.

Hobby Arts Puffin Island Birthday Card

I made this card for a male relative.  I stamped the image in Versafine "Smokey Grey" shade of ink, using the Hobby Arts stamp called "Puffin Island".  I coloured the image using a paint brush and Distress Inks.  The sentiment is by Papertrey Ink and is part of their "Stylish Sentiments" stamp set, stamped in Versafine "Black Onyx" ink.

Design Team Make - My Time To Craft Challenge #390 - Men Only

I made this card for the "My Time To Craft Challenge Blog" #390 with a theme of "Men Only".  If you have a minute, please do pop over to check out the fab makes by my Design Team colleagues.

This was a really quick make.  I had a decoupage kit with a few bar room bits left on it, which were ideal for this prompt.

I layered up the four sections with foam pads to provide dimension.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to create the birthday background.  I used a Stampin' Up stamp from their "Endless Birthday" stamp set to stamp the word "Celebrate", I then cut one end into a banner.

Bear Birthday Card (Papercraft Essentials Magazine - issue 159)

I made this card for a relative who will be celebrating his birthday shortly.

The lovely bear and sentiment was a stamp that came free with Papercraft Essentials magazine in issue 159.  I stamped him in Versafine "Vintage Sepia" ink for the bear face and "Black Onyx" for the hat and the sentiment.  I then coloured the image using a damp paint brush and Distress Inks.

The green stars in the background were stamped in Versafine Clair "Verdant", this stamp was in the same set as the star. Finally, I added two shades of Nuvo sequins to the surface of the card and a sticky black gem for each of the eyes.

Male Birthday Card

I find making cards for males quite difficult, especially if they don't have a hobby, but this card developed nicely.

I used a blend of three colours of Distress Inks through a masked off circle.  The birds, tree and giraffes are all from  a Darkroom Door stamp set called "African Trees".  The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called "Stylish Sentiments", all stamped in Versafine "Black Onyx".

I mounted it on a Kraft card blank.