Happy 7th Birthday!

                                           The Male Room Challenge #141 - Our 7th Birthday

I consider myself still a new DT for the Male Room, and it was a surprise and a privilege to be creating a card for its 7th birthday. I thought about doing something special, and here is what I came up with. 

Here is the image for this new challenge.

The card fold is called Tuxedo card box which I found through Pinterest here by Sam from Mixed Up Craft. I was inspired by this box and decided to apply the measurements from the video. I used Gina K. in the Navy. I love this shade and the quality of the cardstock. I cut and scored the navy cardstock and cut according to instructions as shown below. I also added eyelets for my buttons and an invisible pocket flap.

Once I have closed the flap to create the box, I added 2 inserts following measurements from the video. 

I used the following products to decorate my box:

Shaker balloon - Lawn fawn stitched balloon frames

smaller balloon - Lawn Fawn reveal wheel circle add on frames

wine glasses and bottle - Lori Whitlock French kiss wine and glasses

Cake - cuttlebug die

Celebrate die cut - MFT 

I decorated the elements by either embossing and or inking it to add texture and dimension. I propped this using plastic packaging strips. I added a diecut "7" to finish off my decorations. This card will fit a C5 envelope. Here is another shot of the box at a different angle. 

We are also excited to welcome Tristan as our guest designer. You wouldn't want to miss her post, as she makes awesome cards. Likewise, visit the other designers in the team and spread some love. Until next challenge.

Happy crafting and have a great day. 

xx Clarissa

Happy Golf Life

                                                      The Male Room Challenge #140 - Sports

Welcome to another challenge at The Male Room, and the focus this month (you heard it right), you have a month to join in on our challenge, with a focus on SPORTS. Continuing in my interest in using die cuts from last challenge, here is my card

Here is the image for this new challenge.

To start off, I cut the Lori Whitlock Golf Cart SVG file in my scan n cut. This file was easy to cut as I did not alter the size anymore. I just had to ungroup the images to be able to cut the shapes in the colour of cardstock that I wanted.  This SVG was a pop up golf cart box. But as I wanted to create a scene, I made a Z fold card instead. You can find a tutorial on Youtube here by Stamping Jill. Next, I diecut other elements such as the grass, sun, cloud, hill, trees and assembled my card.  To finish off my card, I printed off a golfer silhouette, and edited the golf life svg into a sentiment. I also typed my own sentiment "To a hole in one on your birthday."As my brother loves golf, I decided to make a birthday card for him which is in a few months. I am so pleased with the result, hope you like it.

Here is another photo facing front. This card folds as an A2 size to fit perfectly in an A2 envelope. The supplies I have used will be listed below.

We are delighted to welcome Heather as our guest designer for this challenge. Hope you give her lots of love as well as the rest of the DT for their die cut projects. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Supplies are as follows:

golf cart, golf bag, flag, golf ball - Lori Whitlock Golf Cart Pop Up Box

Grassy hills - Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Backdrop 

sun and trees - Sunny Studios comic strip everyday

clouds - MFT cute cloud outlines

Golf Life SVG - The Crafty Crafter Club

grass - Lawn Fawn Grassy Border Die

I am also entering this card for the AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Game #15 3D

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - TTCRD anything goes

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

xx Clarissa

Life at the Farm

                                                 The Male Room Challenge #139 - Use Diecuts

When I was looking at my dies stash for this challenge, I just realised I have very few dies that I can use for a male/boy card, but am glad I found the Karen Burniston Barn Pop Stand Die to create my card. 

Here is the image for this new challenge.

For my card, I started off by assembling the barn. You can find the assembly video here.  Then, I diecut the following pieces for the grass, hills, fence, chicks, fox and the word "farm." Adhered all these elements once I was satisfied where everything would go. 

Next, I assembled my card front. 

To make this, I used several diecuts such as the owl, palm trees, sun, door and wind vain (converted to windmill), grass, clouds and the word "howdy." The supplies I have used will be listed below.

We are delighted to welcome  Janet Swanlady as our guest designer for this challenge. Hope you give her lots of love as well as the rest of the DT for their die cut projects. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Supplies are as follows:

barn - KB Barn Pop Stand

mountains - Lawn fawn Stitched Mountain Borders

 chicks - KB spring Animals 1074

 fox - KB Woodland Animals 1001

owl - KB Feathered Animals 1075

palm trees - Lawn Fawn Hammock and Trees

sun and cloud - Sunny Studios comic strip everyday

door and wind vain - KB Barn Pop Stand 

"howdy" and "farm" -MFT pop up alphabet

grass -Sunny Studios Woodland borders die

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

xx Clarissa

Time at the Beach

                                         The Male Room Challenge #138 - Sketch

It's winter here in New Zealand, and I have been dreaming of summer and beaches. So here is my take on this challenge. 

Wow, time flies and another challenge begins at The Male Room. I hope this challenge inspires you to follow our sketch.

For my card, I started off by stamping the central image using an old Stampin Up stamp (sorry, I don't remember the name of this set) in Versafine Onyx Black ink. Then, I water coloured my image using Altenew 36 pan set. For the 1st background panel, I stamped the background using the small images from Stampin Up Just Beachy in versamark clear ink and embossed it using clear EP. For the second background, I used the same stamps but embossed these images in Wow ultra fine bright white EP. Then, I inked the background using tumbled glass distress ink to make the white pop out. For the banner, I used a waves stencil design to blend with the sea theme.

We are delighted to welcome back the talented Shawna, who is guest designing with us again for this challenge. And hope you check out what the rest of the DT has come up with. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

xx Clarissa

A Retreat!

                                       The Male Room Challenge #137 - Landscape

Hello friends, it's time for another challenge here at The Male Room. I hope this challenge inspires you to dream or revisit any landscape that you like.

Hope you will join us in creating your masculine projects with any landscape you come up with.  For my card, I was inspired by one of the photo cards sent to me when I purchased some Stampscapes. 

rubber stamps. It reminded me of a place of retreat. These are my go to for nature scenes as I can mix and match depending on what I want to create. I decided to create a lakeside cabin scene. I stamped my cabin image using versatile onyx black ink on Stamping Up Glossy white cardstock.

Then, I stamped my foreground image (ledge), reeds. Used Potting Soil Archival ink for the background and foreground trees. Garden Patina Archival ink for the water ripple. To add color to the scene, I used a color box blending brush to add color to the sky (CP sweet sixteen dye ink, SU Baja breeze, SU bordering Blue, and SU night of Navy).  For the water (LF merman dye ink, CP Mint to Be). For the ledge (CP Sweet sixteen, SU night of Navy, CP mint to be). I dried the ink on paper with a heat tool in between inking to prevent smearing as Im using glossy paper. For the sentiment, "Wishing you a beautiful day" is from Altenew Birch Land stamp set.

Please welcome the talented Cornelia, who is guest designing with us for this challenge. And hope you check out what the rest of the DT has come up with. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.
I am entering this into the Colour Crazy Challenge - Week 20

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

xx Clarissa

Lawn Mowing Time!

                                     The Male Room Challenge #136 - In The Garden

Hello friends, it's time for another challenge here at The Male Room. I hope this challenge is very apt as we have somehow found lots of free time in our hands during this lockdown, that some form of gardening must be one of those activities you have found yourself engaging in.

Hope you will join us in creating your masculine projects with a garden feel. For my card, I started off by stamping the image from Art Impressions the Lawn Ranger set into x-press it blending card with memento tuxedo black ink. I coloured my image with copic markers. Then I started sketching a scene of a garden with some inspiration from google images to help me. I remember some tips from Amy Young about having foreground and background images, varying these in size and colour (foreground images are bigger and darker as these are closer to the viewer).

 I love how it has turned out.  Hope you like it too. Copic colours I have used for the card are listed below.

Please welcome the talented Martina, who is guest designing with us for this challenge. And hope you check out what the rest of the DT has come up with. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Copic Colours: Skin - E000, E00, E04, E11
hat, mower, seat - R39, R35, R27, R24
singlet - E87, E84, E81
shorts - B99, B95, B93
bumper, steering wheel, foot rest - C7, C5, C3, C1
tyre - BV29, BV25, BV23
grass, bushes - YG21, YG03, YG11, YG63, G94
trees - G21, YG17, G07, YG63
tree trunk - E49, E47, YR27, YR24, E33, E31
dirt path - E31, E33, E41, E43, E93, E95
sky - B41, B000. B0000. C1, C0
fence - W1, W3, E50, E51, E53
flowers - YR04, Y11, YR21(yellow), V06, RV02 (purple), R24 (red)
brick - YR27, E49, E44, E57

I am entering this card into the following challenge:
Colour Crazy Craft Challenge - Week 18 Anything Goes Colouring Challenge

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

xx Clarissa

Hello from Home

Hello friends. I'm back with a card using digital stamps (Hello from Home and Build a Living Room) from The Greeting Farm. I love that these digital sets are separate files that help you customise your own living room, just like what I did. I printed off my image on x-press it card stock and coloured the images with copic markers. The finished card is an A2 landscape size panel. Here it is:

For the walls, I scored vertical lines to add texture. Added white dots on the chair upholstery using Signo white gel pen. For the flooring, I drew this and coloured with copics as well. 

Copic colours used:

Flooring: E47, E44, E43, E41

Chair: BG18, BG15, BG13, BG11

Bookcase and center table: E41, E43, E21

Wall frame: E25, E23, E21

Potted plant, boy's top and slippers: G07, YG23, YG11

Pot: YR27, Y15

Boy's pants: B99, B97, B95

Candles and decorative vase: Y11, YG23

Vase and cellphone: BV04, BV02, BV00

Flower and girl's clothes: RV17, RV14, RV13

Boy's hair: C7, C5, C3, C1, BV00

Boy's skin: E30, E21, E04, RV00

Girl's hair: E49, E44, E43

Girl's skin: E30, E32, E33, E000

Laptop: CC3, C1, BV000

Rug: BG32, B000, BG11

Puppy: E81, E84, E41, R20

Baseboard: C5, C3, C1

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Colour Crazy Challenge - Anything Goes Colouring Challenge - Week 17

The Daily Marker 30 day challenge - at Instagram

A parent's wish

                                         The Male Room Challenge #135 - Sentiment in Focus

Hello friends, I can't believe that a fortnight has past and we are welcoming you to another challenge at The Male Room. 

For this challenge, we are focusing on a sentiment on your masculine cards. Hope you will join us.

I started off printing this sentiment, which I got off the internet, onto my standard A2 vertical card panel using my printer. I chose this sentiment as I think it is quite a nice wish of a parent for their child or baby. I decided it to cover my whole panel as this is the focus. Next, to add some texture and interest to my panel, I used a stencil by Montage, and applied a paste (mixed distress crackle paste and distress inks) into the crevices until it was filled. Took off my stencil and let this paste air dry. Colours I used were broken china, mowed lawn and walnut stain. Once dried, I lightly blended tumbled glass and shabby shutters to cover the remaining white space. Added some washiest tape for additional accent.  I love how it has turned out.  Hope you like it too. 

Please welcome the talented Kathy, who is guest designing with us for this challenge. And hope you check out what the rest of the DT has come up with. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

xx Clarissa

Night Concert at the Park

Hello friends, I would like to share my first magic changer card by Lawn Fawn. I had do much fun creating it, and followed the talented Marine's video, to work out the mechanism. To start with, I ink blended my card base, all the mechanism parts in carved pumpkin, candied apple, seedless preserves and faded jeans distress oxide.  I chose this colour as I wanted a night sky for the critter concert at the park scene. Splattered walnut stain, fired brick distress ink and white acrylic paint to add texture. Then, I coloured my images from Lawn fawn sets (critter concert, really high five, and say what christmas) using my copic markers. I cut my images with my scan n cut, then adhered them to my card. Here is my finished card:

This is my entry for the Lawn Fawnatics Challenge #75 - Spectacular skies

Thanks for stopping by and hope you are all keeping safe and well.

xx Clarissa

Welcome Spring

Hello friends, i'm back with a  quick blog post. I've been wanting to make a card using this retired MFT boutique window die that my friend, Chick, lent to me. After I coloured the images from Choose Joy SSS stamp, with my coloured pencils, I decided to match these two. A window is not complete without curtains punched out of Martha Stewart Doily Lace edge punch. I also added blinds made by scoring patterned paper and folding along the score line. I added vellum with a grey paper behind it to give the illusion of darkness inside. Here is the detail.

Next, as I wanted a rustic look, I stamped the background panel with thhe woodgrain stamp from Concord & 9th Petals and Pallets stamp set, and ink blended the edges using vintage photo distress ink. For the ground, I used Spellbinders Gridiron to add texture and interest. The roofing detail is a digital stamp from Magengo Reindeer. Here is the card I came up with. Hope you like it.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Knock on Wood

All Sorts Challenge# 568 - with flower

Creative Fingers # 184 - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday Challenge #12 - Dots and/or stripes

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #206 - Spring/Easter

Thanks for stopping by and stay safe, be well and happy crafting!

xx Clarissa

Making Music

                                               The Male Room Challenge #134 - Music

Hello friends, and welcome to another challenge at The Male Room. 

For this fortnight, we are focusing on anything that inspires music in your masculine cards. Music is therapeutic during these stressful times. Hope you join us.

For the front of my card, I used the musical notes background stamp from MFT. Next, I used the Lawn Fawn stamp concert critters as I love these. I planned to make a peek-a-boo card following Jennifer McGuire's video. I added a spin to it, instead of one window, I made two. In this case though, the opening must be smaller than 4cm to fit in two windows. The window circles were die cut using Lawn Fawn reverse stitched scallop dies. If I were to make another one, I would have put the windows closer to each other, so that the image didn't get caught in the fold as shown here.

To solve this problem, I cut the part of the image caught in the fold and glued it close to the fold. Glad I managed to save the card, as I originally thought that I had to throw it. Here is the finished card when it opens. A different image pops into the window when it is opened. Such a fun interactive card, don't you think?

Measurements for this card are as follows:

Front: 10.5 x 21.5 cm, scored at 14cm

Inside 10.5 x 22 cm, scored at 11cm

Back 10.5 x 14.75, scored at 14cm

Please welcome the talented Andreja, who is guest designing with us for this challenge. And hope you check out what the rest of the DT has come up with. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

x Clarissa

A 3D display card

Hello friends, hope you are well and keeping safe. Today, I have a card to share with you using the adorable free digital stamps from Isabel Cristina. 

Cristina's blog post read, "Let's spread some love" and I couldn't agree more, spread love and kindness instead of fear and selfishness. I coloured my image with copic markers. I decided to make a 3D display card, as I am a big fan of Arte Banale, so I cased this card of hers. To create my scene, I die cut the hills and tress using Sunny Studios woodland borders.  The birch trees and birds were die cut from Lawn Fawn Birch Trees Die.

To create the window, I stamped the woodgrain stamp from Concord & 9th petals and pallets stamp set. Then I cut out the window using MFT A2 stitched rectangle stay 1. The sentiment "You are amazing" is from cristina's stamp Sentiment Chalkboard, and "thank you for everything" is from Hello Bluebird Fall friends. To create the pop up feature, I scored and folded 3 cm strip scored twice 1 cm apart. I made two of these and sandwiched one side. While the other two sides were connected to each panel as shown here.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Spring Moodboard

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #206 - Spring 

Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes #434-435 Challenge

613 Avenue Create Challenge #232 - Anything Goes without optional twist

Thanks for stopping by. Till my next project, stay safe and happy.

xx Clarissa

Remembering Birthdays?

                                      The Male Room Challenge #133 - Make Me Laugh

Hello friends and welcome to another challenge at The Male Room. 

For this fortnight, we are focusing on anything that is funny, that could definitely tickle your bones, especially during these stressful times. 

For my card, I used a digital image from Bugaboo Stamps called Frame it Gus Wife's Birthday. I love this stamp as don't we have a common problem with our partners or hubby, forgetting or almost forgetting special days, like birthdays and anniversaries? I printed off my digital stamp to size (smaller than an A2 card base), then coloured my images with copic markers. 

To add interest to my image, I drew diagonal lines and coloured these with copic W10. Afterwards, I mounted this to another polka dotted black DSP, before adhering it to a white card base. Hope this card brightens your day.

I am entering this card into 

Simon says Stamp- Happy birthday

Please welcome Trina, who is guest designing with us for this challenge. And hope you check out what the rest of the DT has come up with. Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

Happy crafting and have a great day. Be safe, stay home and stay positive.

x Clarissa