Masculine Cards Made Easy

Welcome Back!

Today I am switching gears from feminine to masculine. Many of us struggle with masculine cards.  Even when creating a very graphic card I have to resist the temptation to put a flower on it ;)

The Wplus9 April Release contains stamps and dies that make masculine cards easy to do.

This first card features a custom layered sentiment, for dad, created by mixing 3 of the new stamp sets, Hand Lettered Hello, Epic Dad, and Strictly Sentiments 4. The 'hello' and the darkest arrow in the background are stamped in Appletini Dye Ink and the color  works in beautifully with other inks in my collection to create a monochromatic look.

The background is created using a little arrow stamp from the Borders & Backgrounds 4. There are six arrows in the pinwheel pattern, 3 of each color.

This card is perfect for Father's Day or as a birthday card for dad.

Wplus9 Supplies:
Stamps: Hand Lettered Hello, Borders & Backgrounds 4, Epic Dad, Strictly Sentiments 4 // Inks: Appeltini Dye Ink // Cardstock: White

My next card was created with my nephews in mind.  I have 5 of them ranging in age from 7-18.

I've made my fair share of boy birthday cards over the years. Although I made this card with the Epic Dad stamp set you can see it's not just for dads. It's perfect for boy's birthday, congratulations/special occasions and even feminine cards, as Joni showed us! I wanted to keep the background neutral and add pops of color on the main sentiment.

QUICK TIP: Make sure to thoroughly clean your stamp between colors. Allow each layer to dry before stamping a new color to prevent the colors from becoming muddy.

To create the focal point of the card I stamped 'epic' in black ink on the Epic Dad coordinating die and then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I used Ink Splats to stamp vibrant color with distress paints. I added a bit of paint to my craft sheet, tapped the stamp into the paint, and then tapped onto a clean section of the craft sheet to make sure I had an even layer of paint rather than a huge blob.  In between each color and when I was all done, I washed my stamp in the sink with water and a nail brush to make sure I got all of the paint off of the stamp.

The stripes and stars were added using stencils and black ink applied with a sponge dauber.

Wplus9 Supplies:
Stamps: Ink Splats, Epic Dad  // Dies: Epic Dad Die // Cardstock: White, Black

My last card today is a simple, one-layer card and matching envelope.

I love using kraft cardstock on masculine cards and  I think the Wplus9 Dye Inks look great stamped on it.

Wplus9 Supplies:
Stamps: Ink Splats, Epic Dad // Inks: Wild Mango Dye Ink, Appletini Dye Ink , Lake House Dye Ink

Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you're having a great day.

See you tomorrow!