Vellum Snowfall

     For the new challenge at The Male Room we would like to see you use vellum somewhere on your masculine project.

   
     As I am running behind with my Christmas cards I have chosen to make a seasonal card with a simple winter scene.
     The trees were die cut from green card, I wanted to create the faded look the distant trees have so I inked the back layer with white Distress Ink which knocked back the colour just enough.
     With two layers of trees on white card I moved on to the deer.

     These two doe's were cut from kraft card and stuck down flat. The white panel was then stuck on to a square kraft card blank.
     I ran a large square of vellum through a snowfall embossing folder, I had to move the folder over to get full coverage. Fixing vellum to anything with glue or tape usually shows, so I decided to cut slots in the base card and slot the vellum through it. The corners didn't look very nice so I used a punch to round them off and soften their appearance.
     Using dark brown glitter paper I stuck it to double sided sticky sheet before die cutting the stag, this made sticking him on a whole lot easier.
     To finish I die cut a tattered banner from kraft card, coloured the edges with a brown pen and added a peel off greeting also coloured with a brown pen, it was then stuck on to the vellum with foam pads.
     Please pop over and have a look at all the vellum inspiration the team have come up with, there's lots to help get you started, then you can join us at The Male Room with your project.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

52 Christmas Throwdown - Brown, Green & Kraft  (F)       (HM)

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Goes   (M)

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas - Anything Goes / option blue  (W)

The Holly and Ivy - Anything Goes  (F)
Cardz 4 Guyz - Reindeer   (F)         (Top 3)

MHK Designer Inspiration

  The digi papers are very good for making boxes, with so many to choose from it could be for any occasion. As it's fast approaching the festive season I have made a small gift box, a perfect size for gifting a few handmade treats.

      I printed the paper from Christmas Past on to thin card and then die cut the box, it measures 2.5 x 2.5 x 3 inches so it's a rather useful size.
     With just a little double sided tape the box is complete, it has a slot fastening star on top to go with the star paper. All that was needed to finish off was a tag which has a sentiment from Candy Canes and Crackers printed on it, a bit of red edging with ink to make it pop and a big foam pad behind it.
     I do hope you enjoy using MHK Designs images and papers for your projects, don't forget to join our challenge to show us what you've made.

Christmas Past

Candy Canes and Crackers

                             

I would like to enter this gift box in the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Anything But A Card   (F)

Incy Wincy Designs - NOT A Card   (F)

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes   (W)

The Holly And Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes   (F)

Sneaky Paper Piecing

     The new challenge at The Male Room this time is Paper Piecing, the DT have come up with several different ways to interpret this giving you plenty of scope for your project, just remember it has to be masculine.

     My trusty Woodware Sneaker stamp was used again, I have had this for a couple of years and it still proves to be very popular with the teenage boys around here.
     The image has been stamped on to patterned paper and on to white card, both images are embossed in black. I cut the uppers from the patterned paper and stuck them over the white image, leaving the soles and lace bow uncovered.
     Using a marker I coloured the toes and the insides of the sneakers along with the lace eyelets too. The bottom part of the sole is also coloured with a pen to make it a tiny bit darker.
     The laces on the patterned paper are coloured with a white Sharpie, one coat was enough.
     The white image has been cut out and is then mounted on to a pale patterned paper. The word is also a Woodware stamp, embossed in black and coloured in with a maroon marker pen. The mat layer is coloured with the same pen on white card so it would match the word.   
     The little heel guard has a small maple leaf stamped and embossed in maroon to match the word colour, then the whole paper panel is stuck to a Kraft card blank.
     Please pop over and take at look at the DT inspiration at The Male Room, our new teamies have come up with some great designs for you.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes   (F)

Retro Rubber - Fall/Autumn Colours   (F)

Glitter 'N' Sparkle - Fall/Autumn Colours   (W)

Stag Night At The House Of Cards

     
      A new challenge at the House Of Cards begins today, as we're fast approaching Christmas our colour palette is quite seasonal but you don't have to make a Christmas card.

      I'm really enjoying playing around with the media plates and my stamp press so I have used them to make this card.
     Using two shades of green to ink up the plate I then smoothed it out with a brayer and stamped the oval on cream card. I went back around the edges of the oval with the two inks to create a darkened edge, then I stamped the trees in dark green onto the plate and pressed it onto the card.
     Once dry I used a white pen to add snowflakes and a little snow on the trees. The deer is stamped in Versafine black, as he's a silhouette it was tricky to get a good even coverage but that's the beauty of a stamp press, I inked him again and stamped again in exactly the same place making him a perfect solid black silhouette. If you have ever struggled with stamping I would highly recommend one of these tools, with several brands now available the price has come down to a more reasonable rate.
     The greeting was stamped and gold embossed after gently drying off all the inking. To compliment the oval I used a punch on opposite corners to round them off before matting the cream panel on to a dark red layer. To finish off the panel has been stuck to a dark green card blank to compliment the trees and bring the whole colour scheme together.
     You have a month to create your card following our prompt so please come and join us at the House Of Cards, we'd love to see what you make.

November - House Of Cards

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Christmas At Sweet Stampin' - Anything Christmas   (M)

A Snowflakes Promise - Anything Christmas   (M)

MHK Designs - November Challenge

     MHK Designs has a seasonal prompt for you this month, you don't have to use one of our images to enter the challenge just take inspiration from the picture.

     Digital images are not just for cards, being able to change the size means you can make all sorts of things with them.
     The wreath has been printed four times, twice in mirror image, this means that I can back the wreath with a corresponding image.
     The wreath is coloured with alcohol markers and then cut out, the top part of the bow and some upper leaves are also coloured and cut out from the spare images.
     Once the images where cut out the edges were coloured to cover and white card that may still be showing.

     Before joining the two wreathes I put some Christmas twine at the top so it can be hung on the tree. After joining the two shapes together the bow and leaves where shaped and stuck on to the wreath on both sides.
     All that remained was to add some tiny red gems for the berries, this also adds a little sparkle as the wreath moves around.
     Please remember you don't have to use an MHK Designs image to play along but of course we would love it if you did.

Wonderful Wreath

MHK Designs blog

I would like to enter this decoration in the following challenges:

CraftyHazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Anything Christmas   (M)

The Holly And The Ivy - Anything Christmas   (F)

Austin Comes In From The Cold

      Altered Eclectics new challenge had me reaching for my magazine straws again, this time to make Austin, he's a metro gnome, based on a jam jar.

   

     To make the base I began weaving around an empty jar, this particular brand has a lovely tapered shape. I find the flat base the hardest part to weave, once it begins to rise around the jar it becomes much easier, the trick is to remove the jar before it tapers too far and gets stuck. Leaving the jar in is an option depending on where your gnome is going to live, he will be breakable.
   

   

     The hat is worked the same method as the tree but for this one I have left the ends out. To get the curve I used a heavy duty rubber band to hold it while I sprayed it with red paint. The base has a coat of white primmer to knock back the print on the straws.

     Austin's beard is cut from thin white card folded in half and die cut using a bauble die. Having the fold in the card at the top keeps the two layers together so that the top layer can be fringed and they both stay in place.
     The beard was stuck on to the base with hot glue, then the top fringes were gently curled up slightly.

     All that was left was to give Austin a nose, how do you make a nose for a gnome?....hot glue of course. I made an oval of glue on my craft sheet, once cold I dusted it with a dark pinkish mica and then coloured the back with a brown peel off pen to get a weather worn colour.
     With the hat in place the nose was stuck on using a little more hot glue, Austin has no visible eyes as his hat sits over where they would be.
      This would make a great novelty container for gifting wrapped sweets, just remember a gnome is not just for Christmas.


      You can enter our challenge at Altered Eclectics with anything mixed media or recycled, just no cards or ATC's please, we run all month so please come along and join us with your projects.

I would like to enter Austin in the following challenges:

Make My Monday - Anything BUT A Card   (F)
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes   (M)
Rhedd's Creative Spirit - Anything Goes   (M)
Eclectic Ellapu - Anything Goes   (M)