Cards for Guys, Masculine Cards

This post shows cards I made inspired by the For the Guys online class at Altenew Academy. This is part of the Level 1 AECP course that I am undertaking. I do not make many masculine cards unless it is specifically for someone. Masculine cards do well with geometric shapes. However in this post I actually make cards with stitching for guys. The main Altenew dies that I use for the seven cards that I make are from Cube Cover die and String Art Rectangle die.

Do watch the video to see how I create these cards.

Below is a slideshow of all the cards with cose up pictures.

Please see below for details of each of the cards I created.

Card #1 - Happy Birthday, Jamie

Die cut the Altenew Cube Cover die with Strathmore Bristol Smooth card. This card is perfect for ink blending. The pad comes with 9” by 12” sizedvcard and I cut each card into 4 i.e. 4.5” by 6” ready for use. When removing die from die cutting machine, stick a masking sheet at the die cut side to catch all the die cut pieces. Then ink blend the base die cut with Distress Ink Chipped Sapphire and then colour each piece of the die cuts in turn (on the masking sheet) with Altenew G715 alcohol marker and and Copic YG67. Adhere the blue ink blended card panel to a double-sided adhesive sheet. Then inlay the specific pieces coloured with alcohol markers in the spaces exposed by adhesive.

Then die cut the name, ‘Jamie’ with the Altenew Caps Bold Alphabet dies. Die cut five times and layer for dimension. Stamp ‘Happy Birthday’ from Altenew Mega Greetings 3 stamp set with Versamark ink on dark blue card, sprinkle with Ranger Superfine White Embossing powder and heat with WOW Heat Tool. Cut and adhere to card with foam strips.

Adhere colourless dew drops/raindrops to card with Art Glitter liquid glue with a fine metal tip for precision. Then adhere panel with fun foam using double-sided tape and attach to A2 base card (4.25” by 5.5”) made from 110lbs Neenah Solar Crest White Cardstock.

Card #2 - Hello

Die cut the Altenew Cube Cover die with three different coloured cards from Scrapbook.com Cools and Boho paper pads. Follow same steps as Card #1. For sentiment, die cut Fancy Hello die in black cardstock and another four times with scrap white card. Adhere them together for dimension. Stamp sub-sentiment with Altenew Hello and Hugs Stamp set with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink and die cut with Photoplay sentiment strips die.

Card #3 - Thanks

Same as card #2 except for sentiments. For the main sentiment, die cut Fancy Thanks die in black cardstock and another four times with scrap white card. Adhere them together for dimension. Stamp sub-sentiment with Altenew Sentiment Strips stamp with Altenew Obsidian Pigment ink. The whole sentiment is ‘thanks for everything’ but as I did not need the ‘thanks’ covered the word with tape and inked the sentiment. Removed the tape and stamped inked sentiment. Cut the sentiment out and adhered to card panel with foam strips.

Card #4 - For You

Same as card #2 except for sentiments. For the main sentiment, die cut Fancy For You die in black cardstock and another four times with scrap white card. Adhere them together for dimension. Stamp sub-sentiment with Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words stamp with Versamark ink on black card, sprinkle with Ranger Superfine White Embossing powder and heat with WOW Heat Tool. Cut and adhere to card with foam strips.

Card #5 - Be Happy and Smile

Die cut white card (80lbs Neenah Solar White Card) panel (slightly smaller than A2) with Waffle Flower A2 Layers Dies. Then place second large rectangle from Altenew String Art Rectangles Die Set to the bottom three fifths of the white card panel - ensuring that the cutting plate is placed below the horizontal side of the die, so it does not cut through the card. This die pierces holes in the card.

Use DMC varigated threads, 4030 (greenish hues) and 4230 (bluish hues) and sew across the pierced holes - use only three strands of thread with a DMC Tapestry needle #26. When separating threads, pull out one strand at a time so the thread does not knot.

Use My Favorite Things stencil mini cloud edges to ink blend cloud at the top part of the card panel with Altenew Ocean Waves Crisp Dye Ink. Use a light hand to achieve light and fluffy looking clouds!

Die cut Memory Box Marina Sailboats dies with coloured card stock and adhere to card panel with liquid glue and foam tape. The smaller boat is adhered with liquid glue to show that it is farther away and the bigger boat is backed with foam adhesive to depict it being closer. Stamp sentiment on card panel from Altenew Beautiful Quotes with Versafine Onyx Black ink.

Die cut a frame in grey cardstock with two different size dies from Waffle Flower A2 Layers Dies and adhere to A2 base card of 110lbs Neenah White Solar Card with double-sided tape. Back card panel with fun foam and adhere to A2 card base which already had a grey card frame.

Finally add embellishments of Lucy’s Things Caribbean Sequin mix with Art Glitter liquid glue with a fine metal tip for precision using a Marvy Uchida Jewel Picker.

Card #6 - Happy Hello

Same as Card #5 except for colour of card stock used to die cut the sails of the sailboats, and the ink used for the clouds is Altenew Coudy Sky Crisp Dye ink.

The sentiment is from Altenew’s Paint-A-Flower Sunflower stamp set.

Card #7 - Well Done, You Did It

Same as Card #5 except for colour of card stock used to die cut the sails of the sailboats. The Altenew String Art Rectangles Die Set is used twice. The first time is as per the previous two cards, and the second time the die is offset horizontally so the pierced holes on the card panel is closer and the ‘water’ represented by the DMC varigated thread is closer together depicting choppy waters! The inks used for the clouds are Altenew Coudy Sky Crisp Dye ink and Altenew Ocean Waves Crisp Dye Ink.