Masculine cards and more

Still playing with the designer papers from my paper share today.  I think I came up with a few clever ideas.  I did not copy anyone's cards that I know of here, they are my designs.  Might explain the subtle design flaws, but it feels good to flex my own creative muscles every once in awhile.  ;)

I also wanted to crank out a few masculine designs and when I saw that watercolored splat/blotch piece of paper, it just called out for masculine cards to be made out of it.  I sure wish I had a whole paper pack of just that print.  I love the soft yet wonderful masculine tones.  Feels woodsy in a way.

I am also entering one of these cards into the MFT Summer Card Class contests on breaking up straight lines with some curves or soft elements.  I have lots of straight layers, but the focal point softens them with it's curves in die cuts and patterns.  I like it.

Hope you all are enjoying your last few days of summer before school starts back.  Have a lovely day.

Papers: Stampin' UP! soft suede, grey, lost lagoon, sahara sand, hello honey, mint macaron, night of navy, kraft, mellow moss, and English Garden dsp

Stamps: SU! watercolor wings, PTI Cold Brew, Queen Bee, and a Think Big Favorites set.

Plaid Builder love

I tried so hard to resist getting the new Plaid Builder stamp set from PTI as well as the Bowl of Sunshine set and a few other goodies, but they were just too much temptation for me.  I love them.  I have had a fun time playing with them and making some pretty cards in the last few days.   Don't you just love the beautiful clean lines of those plaid patterns.  So easy.  And that bright cheery fruit is just delicious.

My only complaint with the plaid builder set is that it is time consuming to make several card front sized pieces to play with, so instead of making 2 of each card, I usually just have time to make 1.  I will work on that and see if I can't be a little more efficient.  Enjoy the samples.  I case'd several of the wonderfully talented ladies on the PTI design team and substituted elements where I didn't have what they used.   The scale image is from a Clear and Simple Stamps set I got awhile back.  May have to get the Second Helping of Sunshine set for Christmas.  I love fruit and anything food related. Can't wait to try my hand at some masculine cards next.

Playing with designer papers

I joined a new Stampin' UP! 2015-16 catalog paper share this year.  I got a sample of all the new designer series papers.  I really like several of the stacks.  Often times I order a whole package and then have a hard time using those papers.  Call it hoarding, call it creativity block, or just having too much of a good thing to use them up.  While I really like several of the designer series paper packs, I am not going to order any of the whole packages.  Why?  For those very reasons stated above.  Even with just a small sized piece of the papers from the paper share, I struggle to figure out how to use them on cards.  I spend a lot of time culling Pinterest trying to find ideas.

Here is what I have come up with in using several of those papers.  I am quite happy with the results and hope to continue using them up entirely in the next few weeks.  That way I can feel good about having bought the paper share and that I actually used it.  Score!  I am meeting my goal of using up my stash.  

Using some of the Go Wild papers.  I got this card idea from Inge Groot from Stampin Cards and Memories.

Pretty Petals DSP stack.  Several ideas from Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty.

School House DSP and card idea from Inge Groot.  I am loving the Joy fold card technique.  Fun way to make a card.

Bohemian DSP.  

English Garden DSP.  I got several ideas from different people.