March Monthly Meeting

Last night was our local demonstrator's meeting. I meet with a fantastic group of ladies every month to discuss products, share ideas, and swap cards. This month we made cards with a masculine theme.

Like a lot of paper crafters, I have difficulty creating cards with a masculine theme. From my husband, I have learned that the card is more pleasing when it is simple, uncluttered, and includes his favorite colors. Simple cards are often the most challenging. I'm still learning! It is easy to add embellishments but difficult to know when to stop. The key is to find the balance with each project. Plus, once you find the card or project style that they like, it will become easier to replicate for other occasions.

Here are the amazing cards from last night's swap. Can you guess which one was mine?



The sets we used were

• Going Global (Item #140748 Wood-Mount; Item #140748 Clear-Mount ), 
• By the Tide (Item #131910 Wood-Mount; Item #129120 Clear-Mount ), 
• Lovely as a Tree (Item #128655 Wood-Mount; Item #127793 Clear-Mount ), 
• Guy Greetings (Item #138825 Wood-Mount; Item #138828 Clear-Mount; Item #137178 Photopolymer ), 
• The Sky is the Limit, 
• In the Meadow (Item #140754 Wood-Mount; Item #140754 Clear-Mount ), 
• Amazing Birthday (Item #134225 Wood-Mount; Item #134228 Clear-Mount ), and 
• Awesomely Artistic (Item #138694 Wood-Mount; Item #139950 Clear-Mount ). 

I think these are all great stamp sets for the guys in our lives. What sets do you use for masculine cards?

I appreciate you stopping by!
Beth

In the Meadow Gate Fold Card

Building on yesterday's theme, here is another gate fold card. The stamp set is called In the Meadow from the 2016 Occasions catalog. This is a great stamp set for anniversaries, Valentine's Day, or birthdays. In the Meadow could be fantastic for masculine cards too.

Instead of the glimmer star, the card is kept closed with two antique brads.

You can make a gate fold card with an 8 1/2" x 11" or a 12 x 12" piece of cardstock. To recreate the card above, use an 8 1/2" x 11" piece of cardstock. Using your Paper Trimmer, cut it in half vertically. This yields 2 pieces that are 4 1/4" x 11" each. Rotate 1 piece sideways, so that the 11" edge is at the top and the 4 1/4" edge is on the side. With the scoring blade, score at 3" and at 8 1/2". This is the base of your card.

Cut four 2 1/2" x 4" pieces to make the Hello Honey DSP mats. Attach to the outside left and right panels and to the inside left and right panels on the card base.

Cut a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock for the inside center. Stamp the sentiment "day after day, year after year" in the center. Attach to the center panel inside the card base.

Cut a 3 1/2" x 2 1/2" piece of watercolor paper to stamp and watercolor the deer on. Stamp the deer, grass, tree, and butterflies. Using the aquapainters, color in the deer, grass, tree, and butterflies. Allow to dry.

Cut a 3 3/4" x 2 3/4" piece of Cajun Craze cardstock for the mat around the watercolor. Once the watercolored, stamped image is thoroughly dry, attach it to the Cajun Craze mat.

Cut a 1 3/4" x 1/4" piece of Whisper White cardstock for the sentiment on the outside. Stamp the sentiment "To someone who is great to be around..." in the center.

Cut a 2" x 1/2" piece of Cajun Craze cardstock for the mat around the sentiment. Attach the sentiment to the Cajun Craze mat.

Position your watercolored, stamped image and sentiment in the center of the closed card base (as photographed above). Once you are satisfied with the placement of each, apply SNAIL Adhesive or Liquid Glue to ONE side of the stamped image and to ONE side of the sentiment. Attach both the image and the sentiment to the card base.

Thanks for stopping by!
Beth

The products used in this post are:

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