Mr Cardmaker---Team Member!

Well, a milestone has been reached in my card making career--

I am on a DESIGN TEAM! 

Now, I have been a "featured Gallery" owner at GinaK Designs, a "Guest Designer" for my friend Melanie Meunchinger's stamp set release, but today, I am TEAM MEMBER. 

I am working with the very talented team at the Oozak.com Challenge Blog.  We do two challenges a month, and it looks like there's a great amount of inspiration to be had with this crew.  I am very much looking forward to working with them over the next 4 months.

I'm hosting the first challenge that we'll be doing together, and it goes live at 9am EDT TOMORROW!  Check us out, and have a look at Oozak.com.  My first contact with Oozak was years ago when I was looking for a good deal on Copic markers.  These were the cheapest on the market at that moment, and SO MUCH of what they sell is a good deal below MSRP, so definitely check it out!

I want to leave you a sneak peek of my card that will be seen tomorrow.

I made this--

Come see the rest tomorrow!  I'm on the DESIGN TEAM!!

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best--

Richard

Mr Cardmaker Gets Negative (And Feels Really Positive About That)

You know how sometimes you get an idea in your head, and it just won't leave you alone until you do something about it? 

I bought these Labels Twenty-two dies from Spellbinders, and while making a die cut with one of them, it came to me that if I centered it just so, I could use the negative to make a card.  So I did. Oh, the card I could make with this!!
And it sat.
And sat.
I kept looking at it, putting it aside, contemplating just tossing it....and THEN!

 

I made this--

 



So, the problem with wanting to use a die negative to make a card is that there's a big hole in your card. uh, Hello!

 I decided to go Springy and bright, so I got out the Lucky Limeade card stock, and filled that sucker in, nice and tight, making sure it would NEVER fall apart.

Then, I decided to stamp. After. Wop, wop......

What followed was a lengthy series of masks and cursing, with a (finally) decent medallion motif at the end of it all. I sponged some white into the center of the medallions, and onto the edges of the sentiment tag.  I was sort of looking for an early morning mist kind of feel, despite my use of really bold colors.

 

The flowers started with Melon Mambo card stock, which I sponged with white ink to texture things up.  I crumpled them up in my hand (a good thing to do after the aforementioned stamping debacle) before assembling them with a white mini brad.  The leaves are more medallions, punched out, cut into sections, and crumpled up.  After adding the flowers to the card, I added tiny dots of Glossy Accents to make it look like dewdrops.

 

The sentiment tag is just a strip that I gave an edge to by slipping it into Modern Label punch from SU.  The punch itself would have been too small, so this works.  The sentiment is from GinaK Designs' Enjoy the Sunshine set.

 

A few green rhinestones, and that's that.  Oh, I will need to make a big envelope for this one, since it's about 1/2" thick.  No biggie. (Famous last words)

 

So that's my story, and I'm sticking with it.  Uh, PLANNING would be the watchword for today.  I would probably have been able to pump this baby out TONS faster, if only I had thought the whole thing through first.  Live and learn. 

 

 We're off to Chicago for the holiday weekend.  Any plans for you??

 

Thanks for stopping by!

All Best-

Richard

Mr Cardmaker Tries to MishMash Up the Joint

Well, it was a good long week of gardening, from carting and laying down much, to planting a new cherry tree, to filling the window boxes and planters with lots and lots of lovely things.  Now, I just have to water and enjoy.  Looks so nice, so far!

I made some cards that were inspired by Michelle Wooderson's cardmaking style. Her blog is called MishMash, and is really worth checking out at length.  She does cards, and LOTS of Project Life stuff, and she makes awesome card elements and kits which she has available at her Etsy shop.  She is SO great at doing collage cards, and the way she makes many elements come together is such a great way really had me wanting to CASE her style.

I actually showed you one of the cards HERE.  I did a few others, and I really found that it all takes some practice.  Some of these are better than others.  Let's see why.

This was the one I already showed you--



I think the reason this works so well (for me) is that you really have a hard time deciding where one layer stars and another ends.  The name of the game here is print paper and tags.  The patterns and shapes really keep your eye moving, with that one sweet resting spot which happens to hold the sentiment. 

 

Then there's this one--

Here, too, lots of movement, but fewer shapes this time.  I am late to the table, but can I just say I LOVE me some washi tape?  It took me a while to figure out what to do with it, but I love that it's semi-transparent, and works in so many places!

 

Then there's this one--

 

This one is a bit simpler, using the motif of the paper as a guide.  That little banner on the tag is paper pieced.  Of course, I love my stars.  I think we lose something here with the text paper NOT being aged down a bit, and the blue dot paper needs an edge treatment, I think.

Here's where things break down a bit, for me--

So, it's hard (read, impossible) to see in this photo, but the big dark paper has text on it.  I was trying to continue the idea of text being the watchword.  Again, I think the cream text sheet should have been aged down , and WHAT was I thinking cutting things off just short of the edge of the card?  Does the bottom left corner make you as crazy as it does me? 
The dark piece is too wide, the text sheet is wicked crooked (which is why everything else is on an angle, btw), and the folder tabs just don't really add so much, IMHO.
This was my first try in this series; can you tell?  In fact as I remember, I made each of these in direct opposition to how I show them here. 

Like I said, new ideas take practice.
Let me know what you think.  (Be kind.)

What are you trying, lately?  Who's inspiring you?

Oh, yes, update on my Mega Meet experience.  I SAW Tim Holtz, but no photo with him, or even OF him.  Oh, well.  I got some good stuff, and I am proud of my powers of restraint.

And, HEY!--Do you know that your local TJMaxx often has craft supplies in their stationary and book stuff?  I just got a BIG cluster of 6x6 paper pads for $2.99 EACH.  There are also often stamps and punches to be had, as well as ribbon packs.  You gotta have a look!

Thanks for stopping by. 
All Best-
Richard

 

 

 

 





It SERIOUSLY Doesn't Get Any CASimpler....

One of the lovely ladies in my Stampin'Up! group is Windy Ellard.  I was interested in a small group of stamps that came with the Paper Pumpkin set for April, and she wasn't using hers.  So she SENT them to me!  Just like that!  Well, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, crafters are about the NICEST, MOST GENEROUS group in all the land!  What a doll, our Windy!

I had to make something with them the second I saw them.
I made these--

Sorry about the photo.  I wanted to get these up on the blog, and the iPhone was there....
Two stamps.  Two inks.  Three pieces of washi tape. Corner rounder punch.
CARD!
I am NOT known for my CAS cards, as you know.  (If you don't know, read my crazy entry HERE)
Sometimes the muse is with you. 
I hope you like!

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best--
Richard

Mr Cardmaker Has Been At It For TWO YEARS!!!

Well, who'da thunk it?  Two years!!!  It all started HERE , and two years later, here I am, having the time of my life, and just so happy about all the friends I made along the way.

If I could send each and every one of you a card to say thanks for your constant support and bloggy love, I'd probably send something like this--

 

The sentiment says it all.  Truth.

 

Today I am off to the Mega Meet in Novi, MI to buy me some good good stuff!!  Tim Holtz is rumored to be coming, so it will be cool if I get a pic with a real "famous" crafter MAN.  So few of us out there, you know!  (Not that I am famous...yet!  Infamous, maybe...)

 

I have some other versions of this card idea to show you, but I gotta get dressed and outta here.  Those supplies won't buy themselves, you know! 

 

A million "thank you"s to you, my friends.

You've given me a million smiles.

 

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best--

Richard

 

Mr Cardmaker has No Control, Whatsoever

Well, I seem to have lost control of myself on these cards.  More, MORE, MORE seems to be the watchword here, and it just has GOT to quit!  I mean, for REALS.

Take, for instance, Charlie's birthday card. 
I made this-

I mean, is this just LUNACY? 
Now, I DO like the little cupcake.  I used my crimper to make the liner.  Yes, my crimper.  That thing I use mostly to make padding for hefty cards.  You know you have one hiding in the dusty back part of your closet somewhere. 
Oh yeah, and that's a cloud die making the frosting.  That, and some Stickles.
I used paper to "thread" that button.  Seems much easier than doing the whole needle thing.
I was pretty happy with the whole cupcake thing.

Then I think I took about an hour to do those fussy cut banner flags.  Oh, and I fussy cut the sun. And that cherry. I am SUPER glad that maraschino cherries are ALL red.

Did you notice that little banner paper pieced into the sentiment there?  Who does that?  Me, that's who.

Gave the Cuttlebug a workout too, with all the die cutting and dry embossing.  Oh, and can't leave the punches alone either.  Had to grab one for that top piece. 

And washi.  See those red dots along the bottom?  Washi.

Ridiculous.  Hoo boy.

He liked it.  A lot.  I guess I do too. 
.....................................................................

But, it's really getting out of hand.  Really.
But, trust me, it ain't getting any saner around here any time soon!
Stay tuned.

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best-
Richard

And a Happy Sunday Was Had By All

Wow, what a beautiful weekend here in Michigan.  The sun is shining, the temps are WONDERFUL, and we were able to get out and do some much needed garden and yard tending.  I hope your weekend is going well, too!

Today, I am sharing Ms. Lillian's 88th birthday card.  Nana, as she is known by the family, is the lady I call mother-in-law, even though the law isn't quite ready to comply with that assessment.  She just turned 88 (!), and is feisty as ever!  She still drives, though mostly during daylight hours. She lives in an Independent Living community, which means she has her own apartment, but gets fed twice a day, and has somebody around 24 hours a day, just in case.  Oh, and somebody comes to clean the apartment, too.  I need to move into one of these places, asap.

I made her this--

Who doesn't love a little va-voom?  Or a lot, as the case may be....
So, I went a little overboard.  So, shoot me.

The papers, cardstock, and embossing folder are all new stuff from Stampin' Up, as is the happy birthday banner with matching die. The glitter paper is from Michael's.  The edge punches are EK Tools, and the other stamps and the pull tab die and number die are from Papertrey Ink.  Oh, the coral medallion stamp and punch are also SU, and the letters on the envelope are PTI.  Man, I used a BUNCH of stuff on this thing!

When you pull the tab, (which she did NOT want to do) it finishes the sentiment, and says, "it's a matter of making your years count."  Awwwww...
Well, she loved it.

Nana keeps ALL of the cards, calendars, banners, EVERYTHING that I make for her, and every once in a while we pull them out and I am reminded of where my card making journey has led me.  THAT is a cool thing to do, for sure.

What would you see if you went back to your early crafting days?  What would you love, and what would you cringe at?  I have my share of cringe-worthy moments, let me tell you!  But you do things, you learn things, you make more things, and you get better.  And you create, you relax, and along the way you get to meet some remarkable people like you.  And you have fun.

Go have some fun, will ya?  Get OUTTA here!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  That makes me so happy!
All Best-
Richard

Mr Cardmaker Walks the Walk (Since He's ALREADY Talked the Talk)

Well, after my tirade (tirade, rant, whatever...) last Friday about using bright, saturated colors on masculine cards, I decided to put my money where my (BIG) mouth was, and come up with some cards that are LOADED with color. 
These are cards that are suitable for anyone, really, but they're ones that I am planning to use for guys' birthdays. You will notice, not a HINT of dusty blue (uck! Pheew!) in the bunch!

I made this--

 

Clean, simple, bold, bright, active. 

 

Then there's this--

 

 





Same idea. Sharp, crisp, colorful, with movement.  Oh yeah, I did that flag edge with a scalloped square die, turned on the diagonal.  Fun, right?  And that's SKY blue in there, not dusty blue, btw...

 

Look at this one--

 

 

Even with the bling, I think this is fine for a man.  Yes, I do.  (Uh, Baja Breeze, thank you...)

 

Look at THIS one--

(Is anybody thinking of Scarlett Johanson doing this "marble columns" skit from SNL, like I am?)

 

 

 

Ohmygawd, who is THIS card for, the POPE?! (uh, see afore mentioned video clip....)

Nope, this is for my Uncle Rich's 60th.  Looks masculine to me! (Yet still workable for anyone!)

 

So, you see?  I CAN do more than just run my mouth.  Fooled you, didn't I?  (Hey, I fooled myself...)

Oh yeah, and a decidedly more feminine one for you--

 

Look at THIS one--

 

And while the shapes and movement are similar to the other cards, clearly the colors take it in a more feminine direction, especially when you come to the abundance of pink !

 

Don't be afraid of COLOR COLOR COLOR when you are doing cards for men!   (We like colors, really!!)

 

Happy Weekend!  I have some exciting news to share, but I am under orders to keep it on the QT for now.  Stay tuned!

 

Thanks for stopping by!
All Best--

Richard