Make it Mailable!

It's "Make it Mailable" day again, so here's another card that will not give the Post Office fits when you send it. This was another from the Masculine Cards class about a week ago. (You really should have been there!)

Even though this stamp retired a while back, I just couldn't part with it because it is so perfect for guy cards. And while I would never demonstrate a retired product at a party/workshop, I'm not against occasionally using something retired in my classes, though I mostly prefer the awesome new things.

This card took me a couple of tries to get right. My first thought was to stamp the image with StazOn, and then use the white gel pen to color in the sails. Truthfully, it looked awful. The coverage wasn't consistent, and it covered up the hatch marks that gave the image depth.

So, Plan B to the rescue! Stamp once on Smoky Slate, then again on Whisper White and fussy-cut just the sails with the pennant on top of the mast. Popped up on dimensionals it looks AWESOME in real life! And the card with envelope is less than 1/4" thick, woohoo!

I love this color combination - Island Indigo, Smoky Slate, and Basic Black (with a bit of Whisper White), on a Basic Gray card base. Very strong and manly looking. ("Strong enough for a man, yet gentle enough for a woman." Name that commercial!)

Speaking of manly cards, too bad you missed the Masculine Cards class, because there won't be another one until next year! Classes have been scheduled through December, and the next class coming up is the Birthday Card class in August, then All Occasion Cards in September...everything else is holiday themed (yes, folks, the holidays will be here before you know it!). Be sure to check out my stamping schedule! Come join the fun with the monthly stamp club, or the monthly Christmas club. Or just take a class or two.

And if you and your friends want to schedule your own private card class, let me know! Better act quickly, though; available time slots are dwindling.

STAMPS: Sails Away (retired), Teeny Tiny Wishes
CARDSTOCK: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Whisper White, Island Indigo (Regals DSP stack)
INK: Jet Black StazOn
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Fancy Fan embossing folder, Stampin' Dimensionals, Hexagon Punch (greeting banner end)

One More from Dad

Here's the last one we made while I was visiting Dad. I talked to him this morning and he said he's made four Christmas cards and a birthday card since I left! Go, Dad!!!

Stamp: Sail Away
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Marina Mist, Real Red, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Stampin' Sponges, Blender Pens, oval frame (Nestabilities) for masking

The Old Salt Stamps!

Apologies for the long absence - I've been in Montana checking that Dad is okay since his return from wintering in New Jersey. Great news! He is in much better shape than when I saw him last summer. His appetite (and capacity) is great, so I'm not nearly as worried about him wasting away.

While up there, we spent some quality time together, and that included "hands-on" lessons in stamping. Even though I had made videos for him, it's just so much better when there is someone there to answer questions. He is a fast learner, and we even went into town to the local craft store to shop for stamps. He hit the dollar bin pretty hard, lol!  Bless his heart, he also ordered some things from me. I gave him the demo discount, of course. He's also getting a big box of retiring stamps and paper from me next week.

The only trouble I foresee is he has a bit of problem with his hands shaking. Some days are better than others, but for the days he needs a little help, I've sent him my old (non-SU) Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. I think it will help him get the stamp on the paper without getting a double, or triple, image.  Unless that's the look he's going for!  I did show him how to stamp two or three times, without re-inking, to get that misty look. :)  But this lesson covered masking, and making background paper with a small stamp. Easy-peasy!


Stamp: Sail Away, The Open Sea (what better stamps for retired Navy?)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Midnight Muse (new In Color!)
Ink: Midnight Muse, Marina Mist
Accessories: Stampin' Sponge, sticky notes for mask