Masculine Cards...

There have been lots of circle-based cards of late, but I don't have a lot of punches, and frankly I am far to lazy to hand cut them. My solution? Use the only two punches I have and then run some through an embossing folder (in this case Lattice) and others through some Versamagic to create the effect of different circles... The result?

A multi-layered circle card which hopefully works well for those ever-difficult men.

I initially had left the Basic Grey cardstock plain, but it really was too bland. I've really been loving my background stamps (and ordered a few more today in a fit of therapeutic shopping - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

The background stamp is the Hero Arts friend definition. I love this type font. I find it's really modern and fresh.I usually swear by Colourbox White chalk Ink on coloured cardstock, but for this, it would have been far too vivid (which is exactly why I usually love it). Instead I used one of the first inkpads I ever purchased - Versa Magic White. It added a much more subtle walk/light grey tone which I also used to define the lattice design and to polish the plain grey circles.

The sentiment is from a SU Hostess Stamp set I won at the last launch. It has a third line, but since used my markers to just ink the words I wanted, and there you have it!

Paper napkins get a new lease of life...

I was recently surfing Splitcoast Stampers during another night of  insomnia, when I stumbled upon this tutorial on "Felted Cardstock". Basically, it's fusing the design on paper napkins to cardstock with cling wrap and a domestic iron. Very clever - and lord help me next trip to Ikea! ;)

I found these paper napkins at my local $2 store and it instantly reminded me of the tutorial. This is my take on the technique:

What the photo can't possibly show, is the gorgeous texture these cards ultimately have. It feels like a felty-fabric (hence Felted cardstock) Dah Duh!

I fused it onto Whisper White but instead of cutting the cardstock once the fabric is on, I actually cut the cardstock to size to begin, then cut a small border around the fabric and stuck it to the back which left a much smoother finish/edge.

I mounted the panel onto  SU Night of Navy which was in turn mounted on Papertrey Ink white cardstock.

I thought it was a nice blank card for all occasions. Sort of a modern take on the bird theme.

I also took the same idea and applied it to the outside flap of the envelopes for a matching set. Viola!

EDIT: I guess it would help to have actually added the envelope image at this point ;)

Each of the envelopes have the birds facing in different directions, otherwise I just got bits of tails or beaks.

I was thinking that this technique might turn out well for a boxed set as a gift.

What do you guys think?