Masculine Studio Sketches in Black, White and Green and Janna’s OWH cards

Hi everyone.  Hope you all had a fabulous Tuesday.  My card for the PDCC challenge is followed by Jannas Operation Write Home card showcase.

Tonight's card, using Studio Sketches is for theplaydatecafe (still love that name!!!) challenge.  This week's challenge was a color challenge.  The colors?  Black and white with a touch a green.  Oooooo….. I couldn't resit that.  I don't often do black and white challenges, but have enjoyed the ones I have done for playdatecafe.

I really wanted to make a masculine card.  Now, these are pretty tough for me – and Lou and I have long discussions about whether or not it's "masculine".  Lou, isn't in to the whole "outdoorsy", golf, tool-type stamps.  So, it makes it a little tougher.  Also, his number 1 rule for masculine cards.  No glitter, no ribbon, no buttons, no bling!  I know that sounds like more than 1 – but he makes it 1.  So, getting away with a little ribbon on a card was an amazing feat for me!

I LOVED playing with this color scheme and used one of my favorite "go-to" layouts.

So, here's my DH approved masculine card using the black, white and green challenge.

I thought the image would work for a thank you card.  I've had dinner cooked for me by several male friends and this is a perfect thank you image.  In fact, I could do this one for Lou when he cooks when Cherie and Brenda come around for a playdate!  I thought the sentiment of celebrate life worked well considering that I had chosen to highlight just the green pears – and… well, it's just a super cool sentiment!  We should celebrate life, every single minute of it.

Card recipe: (All supplies Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.)

• Card stock:  Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Basic Black, Whisper White
• Stamps:  Studio Sketches, sentiment Life (Papertrey)
• Accessories:  1/8" grosgrain ribbon in black and white (love this!), Night and Day DSP (retired)
• Tools:  Markers (Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz), Tiny Tags punch, dimensionals

Card instructions:  (really easy card!)

• Card base is Basic Black 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" scored and folded at 4 1/4 with the fold across the top
• Cut Old Olive card stock to 5 3/8 x 4 1/8 and adhere to card base using snail
• Cut DSP to 3 7/8 x 5 1/8 and adhere to Old Olive
• Cut horizontal strips – one Old Olive 5 1/2 x 2" and Pear Pizzazz to 5 1/2 x 1 7/8 adhere to horizontal pieces to each other.  Stamp "Life" sentiment onto top layer.
• Stamp "celebrate" sentiment onto Whisper White card stock and punch out using Tiny Tags punch.  Punch another tag using Old Olive.  Adhere these two pieces together at an angle. Put aside
• Wrap grosgrain ribbon around this horizontal layer and tie a bow.  Once bow is tied adhere knot to the card base using a mini glue dot – before you press it down though, adhere the Tiny Tags sentiment underneath the knot
• Ink up your Studio Sketches image using StazOn on the Whisper White layer.  Ink up around the pear piece and stamp again onto a piece of scrap Whisper White.  Color the scrap piece image using your makers and then carefully cut around the pear image.  Using stampin' dimensionals, pop the pear image over the original image.
• Cut a piece of Old Olive to 3" square and a Pear Pizzazz piece to 2 3/4" square.  Adhere both layers together using dimensionals.  Adhere to card base using dimensionals. 
• Adhere the focal point image to the other layers also using dimensionals.  I love the raised layers for this card as it really helps to elevate (excuse the pun) the focal image!

I was actually really pleased with the finished product.  I love the black and white and the way the filigree on the upper right and lower left corners add just a little interest to the background, without drawing away from the focal point or the sentiment.  This is one time that Lou approved of the ribbon – especially because it was a dark masculine color.  He wouldn't have been happy if I had used Old Olive.. which was what I originally wanted to do.  Really…. he was right.  The Old Olive satin ribbon would have made it more feminine.

Of course, choosing the pear image was the perfect "pearing"… mmm… I mean pairing.  (sorry, can't help myself with the terrible puns tonight!) 

Tips:

• What makes it masculine?  Color for one.  The very precise angles for another.  The fact that there are no "soft" elements on the card, other than the ribbon.  The fact that the ribbon is a strong bold masculine color, and is very thin, makes it a lot less feminine.  I know, though, that Lou would have preferred not to have the bow!  Lastly, the image.  The image works for masculine or feminine cards.

NOW….. On to Janna's Operation Write Home cards.  I am blown away by how fabulous all the donated cards are – and Janna's are no exception!  Thank you to Janna for agreeing to make cards for our Christmas Card drive, too.  You rock, Janna!  Without further ado, here's a sampling of her wonderful cards:

I love this card!  the red, white and vanilla work so beautifully together and the little bit of embossing really adds to the overall card.

The bright and cheerful color combo and the super sweet sentiment, make this an ideal card for a serviceman/woman to send home to a love one.  The pumpkin pie ribbon was the perfect touch.

I am always amazed the the different and creative ways you all put these animals together!  the giraffe just peeking in, the crocodile giving the penguin and the bird a lift and the elephant stopping to take a look!  And.. of course, it features my all time favorite Kiwi Kiss and Vanilla ribbon! 

I loved the flowers popping up behind the beehive – such a fabulously composed card and the background DSP was just perfect for this card.  Who wouldn't want to send this card home!

Perfection!  I really need to get my glossy paper out!

No comment necessary!  What a perfect sentiment to end this slide gallery!

Thank you, Janna.

On a personal note:  still hot and humid here.  I am almost wishing for winter!  I am really looking forward to the weekend, we have lots of things going on – not least of which is Lou's birthday.  Yep, it's my honey's birthday on Saturday and then a playdate with Cherie and Brenda on Sunday.  I hope to get in some play time, too. 

The landscaper came around to day to discuss the landscaping around our new deck.  I'm not entirely sure that we are on the same page.  It's a bit of a worry.  But I decided to leave it and see what she comes back with.  She was talking tall grasses and lots of rock… mmm….. for those of you who have seen our garden, you will know that I tend to go for the soft and frondy, fairy garden type of planting.  So…. not too sure about that!  We will see.

I am adding another fellow SU demo to our prayer list tonight.  She is known as ladybugsmommy on splitcoast and her spirit and love for life always come through in her posts.  She has some major health problems and young children.  So, please add ladybugs mommy(Angela)  to your prayers.  If you would like to pop along and show her a little love you can do so here.  Prayers as always for Trish, who has a chemo day tomorrow.  Trish, stay strong – we will all be lifting you up in spirit tomorrow.  For Germaine.  We haven't heard from you after your Doctor's visit – so hope that you are OK.  For John and Sue.  For T, Pri, Arthur and Hugo.

Robin…. a package for me…. oooooo (squeal of delight)!  I love packages.  Robin doesn't post comments very often, but I do believe she visits quite regularly.  Robin is an amazing person and I am so pleased to have met her through my blog.  Robin also sold me some pretty cool uppercaseliving goodies for our house, too.  Anyway, I look forward to receiving your parcel.

Cam let me know that she already has 30 Christmas cards for our Christmas card drive for Operationwritehome!   Way to go, Cam. 

NOW….. I have a question for everyone.    PLEASE will you tell me what your favorite white embossing powder is and why?  Yes, you can name your favorite brand, too. Also, if you have any tips on how to get the best coverage for white embossing powder without the "pitting", I am all ears!

As always, thank you for spending time in my little area of the stamping blogosphere.  I hope you all have a fabulous Wednesday.

Hugs

Jaydee