Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Let's hear it for the boy

Did you start singing when you read the title of this post? I had to go watch that Footloose clip on YouTube, and the list of related videos on the right side of page was filled with awesome '80s hits. Serious flashback. So what does a classic '80s jam have to do with crafting? Well, today I'm going to share a few cards for the boys -- masculine birthday cards.

Masculine birthday card with gray woodgrain-style background, two mugs of beer and the sentiment "cheers to you."
Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Cheers to You, Hardwood
Paper: Smoky Slate, Basic Black, More Mustard, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight Blendabilities, light gray alcohol marker (Copic C1)
Accessories: 1-3/8" and 2-1/2" circle punches, Circle Collection Framelits dies, Neutrals Candy Dots, Ice White Pearl Pen (Viva Decor), Dimensionals

I love the textured foam on those beer mugs, and it was easy to make with a Pearl Pen. And here's a little tip: If you'd rather have root beer for a child-friendly card, just use a brown marker to color inside the mug. You could even add a narrow strip of white paper with hand-drawn red stripes for a straw.

Masculine birthday card with a grid of twelve punched squares. In each square is stamped a balloon or star. In each star image is a punched glimmer paper star.
Supplies (all Stampin' Up!):
Stamps: Bold Shapes
Paper: Sahara Sand, Whisper White card stock; champagne glimmer paper
Ink: Baked Brown Sugar, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey
Accessories: 1-1/4" square punch, Itty Bitty Accents punch pack, Neutrals Candy Dots, Dimensionals

This is an easy layout with basic stamping and punching. I did lay the punched squares out on the card before gluing them down so I could play around with the spacing and color order. For a little embellishment I added small stars punched from glimmer paper in the middle of the stamped stars and added a Candy Dot in the corner of three of the balloon squares.

Masculine birthday card with a vintage typewriter as the focal image. On the paper in the typewriter is stamped "happy birthday" three times.
Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: You're My Type, Geo-Graphic (Paper Smooches)
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Basic Black, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Lost Lagoon
Accessories: Lost Lagoon taffeta ribbon, mini stapler and staples (Making Memories), Dimensionals

I love how the rows of polka dots along the bottom of the card mimic the rows of keys on the typewriter. And
I decided that a little bit of ribbon would be OK on a guy card as long as it wasn't tied in a frilly bow.

Masculine birthday card with black embossed card base and decorative die-cut shape backed with patterned paper.
Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Whisper White card stock; Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper (DSP) Stack
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Courtyard die (Tim Holtz Alterations), Word Window punch, Tea Party embossing folder (Lifestyle Crafts), Neutrals Candy Dots, Dimensionals

The Courtyard die (what I've cut from Crumb Cake card stock for this card) is a fun way to add little bits of color and pattern to a project. I glued small pieces of a Crumb Cake DSP print behind each circle. I also added Basic Black card stock behind the diamond shapes between the circles. I added Basic Black Candy Dots to three of the circles and adhered the panel to an embossed Basic Black card base with Dimensionals. I used the Word Window punch to add a sentiment, but you could omit that to have a great all-occasion card.

Here is another version I made with the Courtyard die:
Basic Black card with rows of circles made with the Courtyard die. Pieces of patterned paper are behind the cut-out diamond shapes in the circles.
Supplies (all Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black card stock; This and That Epic Day DSP
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Courtyard die (Tim Holtz Alterations) 1" circle punch, mini silver brads, linen thread, sponge, Mono Multi liquid glue

For this card I cut out the Courtyard die shape twice and then cut apart the rows of circles by hand. I punched 1" circles out of DSP to glue behind the diamond shapes, but they still needed to be trimmed down a bit. I sponged the edges of the strips and added a mini silver brad to two circles in each row. I adhered the rows to the card leaving enough space to add some linen thread.

Thanks for stopping by!

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