Even more masculine card ideas – simple designs which are easy to adapt

 

I’m continuing my theme of masculine projects with some more made with the fab He’s the Man Suite from Stampin’ Up!®’s new Annual Catalogue. These ideas can all be adapted to use the supplies you already have.

Apologies to the lovely ladies who are attending my Crafty Wednesday class at the beginning of June; this is very much a sneak peek as we will be making two of the projects I’m showing you today. 

 

I begin with my new Let’s Celebrate embossing folders. The really useful folder I’ve used here comes in a pack of two small folders which fit in the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. They both feature greetings in lots of different languages; this one is for birthdays, the other is for congratulations. 

 

It is perfect for those people you struggle to make cards for because the embossed panel provides the ideal backdrop for a greeting. When it comes to masculine cards or teen cards, this is really useful. Just emboss a panel, add some Designer Series Paper as I’ve done here and then top with a greeting label. 

 

 

Instead of a greeting label, though, here I have used a pop-out image from He’s the Man Designer Series Paper. I don’t often do this but I strongly urge you to invest in a pack of this paper if you struggle to make masculine cards. There’s a bit of everything in it for the outdoors type, the barbecue type, the beer type, the handyman and more. 

 

My second card is a fun fold which I keep seeing around on Pinterest and Instagram. I made my own template for A4 cardstock and C6 envelopes and kept it really simple. 

 

 

 

It’s closed with a belly band but you could simply create a panel instead if that’s what you prefer. 

For the Designer Series Paper panels, to keep things simple again, I created two panels the same size as the fronts, then trimmed a little off the vertical and horizontal edges. No measuring, just a small trim – I find this a lot easier than trying to get things 100% accurate. 

 

Inside the card I used one of the cut-off triangles at the bottom to add interest. Don’t be tempted to stick one at the top as this will show through when the card is closed.

 

My third card is a fun roll-back technique. Again this one is doing the rounds at the moment but I was inspired by Alisa Tilsner’s Instagram reel which currently has an incredible 2.7million views! See her video here.

This is a brilliant way of using up small pieces of Designer Series Paper – or making a favourite design go further. Simply create a front panel then tear along partway. You then roll back the centre piece – but the key is to remove most of it so the card isn’t too bulky. 

 

Place the torn panel over some Designer Series Paper to allow the design to show through, and finish off with a stamped greeting. It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s really effective.

I hope I have inspired you with some more masculine card ideas, which can be adapted for anyone, including those tricky customers; teenagers. Don’t worry, I will be moving onto another theme very soon!

If you are in the UK and would like to order, please visit my store and, if you use the May 2022 host code YN9XZVTS, I’ll send you a thank you gift next month.

To make it easy for you, please shop using this link

Does your wish list come to more than £99? There’s an incredible special offer on until the end of May 2022 so please get in touch and I will help you get more for your money and unlock discounts all year round.  

 

Please message me via my website 

 

More masculine card ideas – this time with Wildlife Wonder

 

I just can’t stop making masculine cards now I’ve started so I have another post of projects for you this week. All are birthday cards but all could easily be converted into Father’s Day cards if that’s what you need.

All the projects use the absolutely stunning New Horizons Designer Series Paper which I strongly urge you to grab now while you can, as it is in the January-June Mini Catalogue so won’t be around for much longer. 

They also use the beautiful Wildlife Wonder stamp set which thankfully has carried over into the current Annual Stampin’ Up!® Catalogue.
 

 

First up is this fun owl card which I made in two different monotones; purple and blue.

 

 

 

The first is in Blackberry Bliss, which you may not consider a masculine colour but how many purple shirts do you see out there? 

 

 

Next I made another using some Misty Moonlight cardstock for a class where I knew the ladies wouldn’t know or care that this colour has now retired (plus I got to use up my stash!). 

 

I selected the appropriately coloured paper and cut four strips to stick on the card front, then simply wrapped some twine around, then added a die-cut circle (All That Dies) with a stamped owl. I finished off with a tiny die-cut label and a greeting stamped from the Light the Candles Card Kit. 

 

The second card really shows off this beautiful New Horizons Designer Series Paper by covering the whole card front with a piece. I stamped some grasses and ground using Evening Evergreen ink and added a cut-out bear, popped up, stamped in Soft Suede. 

 

It’s finished off with a hand-cut greeting flag, embellished with a little linen thread. The result is a card which looks like it’s taken a lot longer than it has!

 

Finally I created a triple-fold card to show off the New Horizons Designer Series Paper and use the beautiful wolf from Wildlife Wonder. The wolf is stamped onto a label die-cut using Seasonal Labels dies and the greeting is from the hugely useful stamp set featured in the For the Guys cardmaking kit.

I hope I have shown you that masculine cards don’t have to be difficult – and can be fun to make, too.

If you are in the UK and would like to order, please visit my store and, if you use the May 2022 host code YN9XZVTS, I’ll send you a thank you gift next month.

To make it easy for you, please shop using this link

Does your wish list come to more than £99? Please get in touch and I will help you get more for your money and unlock discounts all year round.  

 

Please message me via my website 

 

Foolproof tips for masculine cardmaking

 

Lots of crafters tell me they really struggle to make masculine cards. While there are lots of images in the current Stampin’ Up!® catalogues designed specifically with men and boys in mind, they can’t cover every hobby and interest. And, let’s be honest here, sometimes you don’t want to invest in a stamp set for just one card.

Rant warning: But first I’d like to get something off my chest about shirt and tie cards. I know they are really popular but does the man even like wearing a shirt and tie? Or will it symbolise discomfort or, worse, dressing for a job he hates?

So what’s the alternative and where do you start? In this blog post I have some very easy masculine projects to show you, all using the new He’s the Man Suite. Most of them just use the He’s the Man Designer Series Paper as it contains a sheet of pop-out images and elements which make cardmaking and scrapbooking really easy.

Take a look at the projects then read on for my top tips for making cards for men and boys, many of which use your existing Stampin’ Up!® stash. 

 

I love this camper van from He’s the Man Designer Series Paper. It comes from a sheet of pop-out images and greetings – and you get two in the pack so you use the other camper van for a gift label or scrapbook page. There’s absolutely no stamping on this card so it was made in a matter of moments. 

This card, too, features a main image from that sheet of die-cuts. I’ve added a stamped greeting and some die-cut flags and that’s it. 

This one involved actual effort! I die-cut the greeting and the argyle patterns using the new All That Dies from the He’s The Man Suite. Some Designer Series Paper and a bit of linen thread finish it off. Oh, and the words are stamped using that really useful stamp set from For The Guys cardmaking kit. (Tip: It’s worth buying this kit just for that stamp set!) 

 

Adhesive sheets are really useful when using intricate dies like these. Adhere your cardstock to the sheet, then run it through the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. Your die-cut will be sticky all over so you won’t have to mess around trying to apply glue to tiny areas and getting it all over yourself (or is that just me?).

 

Finally, I have this card, which is my least favourite of today’s makes. I feel it needs some ribbon but the ribbon I want to use is on its way and won’t arrive until later today. 

But it’s a good principle for masculine cardmaking; a few strips of Designer Series Paper and a label with a greeting. Very quick and easy and can be made with any papers.  

Five tips for making masculine cards

1. Tap into their interests

This is the most obvious way of tackling a masculine card and is the reason I buy so many stamps with trees and mountains. But if you don’t have anything suitable, don’t despair: read on.

2. Serve up some food or drink

Beer, wine, cake, cookies... one of those has to float your fellow’s boat. Food and drink are perfect for masculine cards.

3. Spell it out

Still stuck? No relevant images or food and drink images? How about using words as your focal point? You could use alphabet dies or stamps to spell out their name, a greeting, a private joke or even something cheeky that you’d NEVER find in a Stampin’ Up!® catalogue. 🙈

4. Keep it simple

This is SO easy... just use a birthday greeting as a focal point on some patterned paper. One panel, two, three, four... the choice is yours.

5. Go geometric

A variation on the simple theme above... use shapes as your image, or create a patchwork of shapes using a punch. You can use Designer Series Paper or just plain cardstock if you don’t have anything suitable. Tip: If using lots of different patterned papers on a patchwork design, adding something subdued or even plain into the mix will make it easier on the eye.

Want more masculine cardmaking tips? Please follow me on Facebook or Instagram for lots more all week.

If you are in the UK and would like to order, please visit my store and, if you use the May 2022 host code YN9XZVTS, I’ll send you a thank you gift in the following month.

To make it easy for you, please shop using this link

Does your wish list come to more than £99? Please get in touch and I will help you get more for your money and unlock discounts all year round.  

 

Please message me via my website 

 

Cup of Tea cards and In Color™ comparisons

Crafters everywhere are loving our new Stampin’ Up!® In Colors so I wanted to show them off using a brand new stamp set called Cup of Tea.

This is from the new Tea Boutique Suite from the new Annual Catalogue which goes live today. I will be using this suite at my Craft-Tea Day Out in June. 

I am taking bookings for this event and places are filling up fast, so if you live close enough to Derbyshire to attend, please go here for more information. 

 

Today’s cards are all the same design, and all on a monochromatic theme. Let’s begin with Starry Sky, a deep rich blue which I think you’ll love.

I’ve stamped and die-cut the cup, then coloured in the leaf pattern using my Starry Sky ink pad and a water painter. 

 

Next up is Orchid Oasis, a beautiful cornflower blue. With each of these projects, I am showing off as many In Color products as I can, including cardstock, ribbon, Designer Series Paper, Baker’s Twine and embellishments. 

 

 

Tahitian Tide is the third blue in the new collection, although I know many would argue it isn’t blue at all. It’s a bright vivid turquoise which is sure to make your projects pop. 

If you like your brights, you’ll also love Sweet Sorbet, which is reminiscent of the old Watermelon Wonder of days gone by. It’s red, but it’s a little pink too... not pink enough to offend me though. I really like it. 

 

Finally my favourite of all: Parakeet Party, a zesty lime green which I believe fills a gap in our collection of colours. For this card I stamped the greeting in Gray Granite to make it stand out a little more. As much as I love Parakeet Party, I don’t think it’s designed for stamping fine greetings like this one. 

Each of these cards contains a little hidden greeting inside the cup – watch this being made in my video here.

In Color comparisons

If you’re wondering how our new In Colors measure up to Stampin’ Up!® colours past and present, check out these comparisons. 

 

  

Starter Kit offer

Love our new In Colors and want to get an amazing deal? If you’re in the UK, why not consider joining my Stampin’ Up!® team? You can get a whole load of extra In Color supplies in your £99 Starter Kit if you join my team in May!

 

 

Four ideas for In the Moment stamp set

As soon as I saw the gorgeous In the Moment stamp set, I knew I wanted to run a class with it. In fact, I am running not one but three different classes with it, as I transition into my new system of showcasing a stamp set each month.

My first event was a fun evening on Zoom combining this fab set with the technique of paper piecing and beautiful Expressions in Ink Designer Series Paper (which is retiring and I believe has now sold out).

We made four beautiful cards, some of which were inspired by my talented friend Julie at The Paper Haven.

I love that this set has three images of the same size, which means you can swap them around to mix up your projects.

We began with this very simple fun fold card – I say ‘fun fold’ but it’s simply a standard card base with a strip cut off the front panel. I used Stitched So Sweetly Dies (retiring soon – please don’t miss these, they’re fab) to create a panel on the front and a smaller one inside.

 

The image is coloured using Stampin’ Blends and a little bit of paper piecing for the dress and hat. This is a great way of ‘colouring’ an image if you don’t have exactly the right coloured marker, or if you simply want to add some pattern and texture, like I did here. It allows me to pick up the colours and patterns from the paper behind, while creating a really natural look for the fabrics.

 

This card is really simple and allows the Designer Series Paper to do a lot of the heavy lifting. I mounted the paper onto Shaded Spruce (not just for Christmas!) and made the use of white space to really make the image pop. I coloured this lady using new Skin Tones markers, which mean we can create projects which represent a much wider range of people. 

 

Again I have cut the had and dress from Designer Series Paper. To balance the orange of the hat, I have given her a glass of orange juice (or bucks fizz, if you like!).

You can see this card being made (well another version of it) in my Instagram reel here

 

This card features one of my favourite images. I would love to be snuggled up in bed with my dog reading a book. Sadly I don’t have a dog to do this with but I will one day!

This time I have pieced paper onto the duvet at the front and the pillows behind her head, and coloured in everything else with Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers. 

 

 

The image is stamped and cut out roughly using scissors. The bright pink ink picks up the pink from the paper. Finally, the gold elements from the Expressions in Ink Ephemera Pack pick up the gold in the Designer Series Paper. As I was talking about here and on my social media all last week, it’s all about balance!

Remember if you plan to colour with Stampin’ Blends alcohol markers, you must use a water-based ink for stamping. I have used Memento Tuxedo Black here but any of our water-based Classic Stampin’ Pads will work too.

Finally, to mix things up a little, we made this square card which really shows off what I like to call the ‘best’ piece of Designer Series Paper in this pack.

The lady on the window sill is coloured with Stampin’ Blends; I use Balmy Blue Light and Dark for jeans. The paper piecing here is done on her top and the cushions. 

 

I coloured lightly with light Pool Party in the corners of the window panes to help the window frames stand out, and the green of her mug is balanced by the piece of Just Jade ribbon.

For the greeting, I stamped the whole sentiment in Magenta Madness and cut out just the word ‘Relax’ before mounting it onto the image. The rest of the greeting is stamped onto the card using Sweet as a Peach (also retiring!).

I hope you like these In the Moment projects. If you are in the UK and would like to order any Stampin’ Up!® products, please visit my store and, if you use the April 2022 host code YZH39MCB, I’ll send you a thank you gift in May. 

To make it easy for you, please shop using this link

Does your wish list come to more than £99? Please get in touch and I will help you get more for your money and unlock discounts all year round.  

 

Please message me via my website