When I started designing this card, my first thought was to make something with a masculine theme... but then I started laying out my supplies and playing with the design and something else entirely poured out of me :)
I began with the strong brown woodgrain background. Nice and masculine, right? Then I chose to use one of the brand new "Modern Succulent" stamps that will be released by Ellen Hutson on March 8th as my focal point (just wait until you see this release, it's huge and stunning!). It works well for a masculine card, so I'm still on track! To help it pop off the wood background a bit, I centred it onto a vellum circle. For the greeting, I reached back to the awesome "Everyday Punnies" stamp set and found a sweet sentiment that worked well with the succulent stamp which I stamped and embossed with white embossing powder. This is where the design started to go off road... I chose a greeting that was a little more feminine than what I would probably send to a guy. Finally, I couldn't resist adding texture by sewing around the wood grain and vellum and adding a row of buttons to the card front. And, those buttons were, I think, the death knoll to my masculine design.
So, I started this design thinking I would be making a masculine card, but I ended up with something I will be sending to a girlfriend. C'est la Vie!
Supply list:
Stamps: Everyday Punnies, Modern Succulents, and Rustic Woodgrain Background by Ellen Hutson
Dies: Modern Succulents by Ellen Hutson
Inks: Emboss it Clear Embossing ink by Ranger, Tuxedo Black Memento by Tsukineko, Potting Soil archival ink by Ranger
Embossing Powder: White by Ranger
Cardstock: Solar White by Neenah, Chestnut by Hero Arts
Copic Markers: YG11, G14, G82, W0, W1, W3
Other: Vellum, MISTI Stamp positioner (large or small, either will work for cards), 3D Foam adhesive, Heat embossing tool, sewing machine and white thread, an assortment of old white buttons.