Oct 20 2007
Expect Miracles
I put my stamps to work on this birthday card for my husband — no designer papers, just stamps. I’m not much better at buying masculine designer papers than I am at buying masculine stamps but I do love a natural, woodsy look so I always have something on hand I can work with for an outdoors theme.
The main image is a CHF Thomas Kinkade I’ve been hanging onto. I stamped it twice — the first time in Chocolate Chip ink on Very Vanilla cardstock. The second time I stamped it in Versamark on Kraft cardstock that I’d first stamped with Canvas in Close to Cocoa ink. I black embossed the Versamark image and cut out the oval with my Exacto knife to create a frame. I adhered the two images together and matted those onto Always Artichoke.
The upper background is stamped with the pine boughs and cones from SU!’s retired Fantastic Foliage. The lower background is Flannel Plaid stamped first in Always Artichoke and then Close to Cocoa, slightly offset the second time. It gave the flannel two colors and a softer look like an old flannel shirt. It’s finished with Martha Stewart twill, some hardware and a sentiment my husband has in the back of his mind every time he sets off with his fishing rod. The edges of all the pieces and the twill are besmudged with Close to Cocoa ink.
My posts have been a little sparse this week as I’m having Portland lag, I think. It’s taking me a while to catch up and get back in the swing of things. Gosh, just a few days out of the routine and look what it does to me. I’ll get there, though — I’m trying! I’m hopelessly behind in visiting all those wonderful blogs I’ve got listed in my sidebar, tsk tsk. Please bear with me! Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!
Stamps: Thomas Kincade, Flannel Plaid, Fantastic Foliage, Canvas
Paper: Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Kraft, Very Vanilla
Ink: Always Artichoke, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Versamark, Basic Black
Accessories: Twill, hardware, black embossing powder, Word Window punch, Scotch brand dimensional mounting tape
This is card has the “WOW FACTOR”! You did a fantastic stampin’ job! Your DH will love it! No worries with regard to “sparse” postings this week, I am in aye at each and everyone you do post! Hope you get caught up on your rest. Take care. Deb
Oh, my . . . I knew whatever you did with your TK stamps would be fabulous, Leslie and this certainly is! Love the background stamps you paired with it and all the distressing . . . great sentiment, too!
I love how you made the frame, and all those delicious textures.
Gorgeous masculine card! Wait till Lindsey sees this!! I love all the stamps and hardware you used, Leslie…just stunning!
What a fabulous masculine card!!! I love what you did with the TK image and framing!!! Both of your b/g’s are wonderful and so appropriate — love them!!! Fabulous card!!!
Wow, Leslie! Your backgrounds are stunning! I love the layers and natural outdoorsy look that looks so perfect with that TK image!
Happy birthday to Rich!!
Glad you were able to make some time for this masterpiece for your hubby. I love how everything falls into place just perfectly! And the sentiment is really cute for anything we “chase” or hope for.
Have a restful Sunday!
Wow, Leslie! This is fantastic! A perfect masculine card. I just love everything you do!!!
This card is certainly a WOW card for me. It is a Wow card for me just in the fact that it is all stamping, no DP!wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!!
Love all of the texture. Wonderful masculine card. Your hubby will love it.
Who needs dp when you’re can create your own? Awesome card…so many patterns, texures and colors…all in perfect harmony!! Creating a truly masculine card can be challengine, this one is just perfect! = )
Oh Leslie, Rich is going to absolutely LOVE his very, very special birthday card! I just love your color choices, beautiful main image and hand stamped bg. You do not need designer papers……yours are as good as they get! Happy Birthday to Rich and have a wonderful rest of the weekend, Nancy
Gorgeous card Leslie. LOVE these colors together and that image is beautiful. Have a great week, Jennifer
BTW Hope you had a wonderful Birthday!
OOOH this is just so gorgeous Leslie! I love the colors, pines, stunning!
WOW this is Amazing, awesome stamping all around but I especially love the plaid bottom half, GREAT masculine card!
fabulous!!!!
This is so gorgeous! Love all the layering! FAB job!
Wow! This is just amazing! These stamps are gorgeous and you can really put a card together around them! Fantastic job!
This card is gorgeous!! I love the pines in the background.
Dee
WOW! Who need designer papers when you stamp this beautifully? Amazing as always!
This is gorgeous!!!
Wow this awesome Leslie! Such a treat to look at- really! Don’t feel bad about being a bit *out of it* - I’ve been right there with you!
gorgeous masculine card! Those Thomas Kinkade images. They lend themselves so well to this style. No coloring required! Great job!
Oh Leslie, this is just a drop dead gorgeous masculine card! Any man that enjoys the outdoors would treasure this! I love all the backgrounds and textures that you achieved. This will be going into my favorites for sure!
Linda
What a wonderful card! Love the “double” flannel, love the foliage, and totally LOVE the sentiment! I know your husband had to really enjoy this card!
Girl, you are amazing!!! This card is over the top!
This is such a fabulous masculine card, Leslie! Great job on the backgrounds and matting around the oval focal image. And I LOVE that sentiment for fishing. I’m showing that to Bill. Linda