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

A Happy Trails Birthday

Hello friends. Today, I am honoured to be guest designing for  challenge #176 for CAS on FRIDAY. This week's theme is birthday, so I decided to ink up this adorable "Bus Cubbies" from Art Impressions. These are so cute, the main door of the bus opens up, and I had so much fun making this card, as I changed the position of the animals on my bus. I coloured my images with copic markers.

I prepared my card base sized 3.75" x 7 1/2" and masked off the ground and inked this up with distress inks (vintage photo, tea dye, and walnut stain). the clouds and part of the background is inked with tumbled glass distress ink. After inking, I adhered my die-cut images and stamped my sentiment in black and heat embossed in clear EP.

Thank you for stopping by, stay safe and have a great day.

x Clarissa

Love for Reading

                                   The Male Room Challenge #132 - At my Grandfather's House

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

For this fortnight, we are focusing that could inspire you by something you could do or see at your grandfather's house. The story behind my card is this. I have always been inspired by the huge selection of books as well as my grandfather's love for reading. He was also a huge fan of reading newspaper, Time magazines, political features and current affairs. He was an eloquent speaker who loved sharing what he read to others.

For my card, I used most of my images using Mama Elephant Book Worm. I love the images in this set, so adorable. I decided to hand draw a few things like the comfy chair, side table, rug, and floor. The lamp is from Ellen Hutson Leading Ladies Book worm.  I decided to add lift the flap feature on my card as I loved these kinds of books when I was a child till now. I also hid the sentiment "When you read you never stop learning" from Mama Elephant Good Reads.  Then, I used my bone folder to  score vertical lines to add texture to the wall. I have coloured my images with Arteza real brush markers and Prismacolor pencils. Here is my card with the flaps open.

Thank you for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

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

x Clarissa

Sketched flowers

Hello friends, here is a card I have coloured with my prismacolour pencils using Simon Says Stamp Sketched flowers. I used Canson Mi Teintes paper in black where there is a bit of tooth to grip the pigment from the pencil. Here is my finished card.

First, I hear embossed the stamped image in hero arts silver. Then I layed out my dark colours first before the light ones to blend it out. I also used a blending pencil to blend well, then added my dark colour again to add vibrancy and depth.

Thanks to my friend, Chick, for lending me this stamp. I love colouring it. Hope you enjoy this card. 

I am entering this card for the following challeneges:

Timeout challenges

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge 

AAA Birthday Card Challenges - game 11 Flowers

Crafty Creations Challenge - March - Anything Goes #407

Kathy Racoosin's Day 6 #thedailymarker30day challenge

Thanks for stopping by. 

x Clarissa

Basketball Star

The Male Room Challenge #131 - Team Colours

Hello friends and welcome to another challenge at The Male Room. We are so excited to welcome Betty as guest designer for this challenge. I am a personal fan of her work so pls check out her amazing card as well as the other gorgeous cards by the team. 

This fortnight, we are focusing on team colours. This could mean your favourite sport team's, country's or old school's colours, and I chose my favourite team. As I come from the Philippines originally, basketball is a national sport, and when I was growing up, my favourite team, San Miguel, named after a famous beer brand. It's colours were red, yellow and black. That's where I based my colours. It was hard finding a basketball stamp, so I looked for a basketball svg file, and I found my basketball player silhouette and 'PLAY' font here. The basketball hoop and ball svg can be found here.  It's a good thing that I have a scan n cut, so I learned to cut svg files for the first time. Yaay!

Do you like the sentiment "Practice hard, train hard, work hard and ---- harder" that I used? It was just perfect. It is the same svg file that I formatted to jpeg, printed on cardstock, as I didn't have stamp phrases as these.

Distress inks for the background: fired brick, spiced marmalade, and wild honey.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you join us for this challenge.

xo Clarissa