Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

masculine card

July My Monthly Hero Blog Hop+Giveaway!

Hi there! Today’s the day…. it’s the first Monday of the new month, so we have the newest My Monthly Hero release and blog hop to share with you today! This month’s kit is perfect for those difficult-to-create masculine cards. Let’s get started with some of the details!

In this month’s kit, you’ll receive a large 6×8 stamp set, coordinating frame cuts, 2 fancy dies, 5 ink cubes, 4 5.5×8.5 sheets of two new Hero Hues cardstock colors, and new blue pearl embossing powder, valued at over $75, all for $34.99! These kits frequently sell out, and once they’re gone, they’re gone… so don’t wait and miss out! You can also subscribe to make sure that you get first dibs every month. The kits will begin shipping from the warehouse on Friday, July 5th. I have two projects to share with you today, so let’s get started!

I will admit something… I struggle to create scenes on a full card front. The “canvas” almost seems too big and is intimidating to my mind’s eye. I have found that I can create scenes if I limit the canvas size, and my favorite way to do this is to create a die cut frame. I began by masking the edge of a white panel, then stamping the mountains from the main kit on the horizon, then lightly blending a sky above. I masked the bottom of the mountains with some Post-It notes and blended some blue water towards the bottom of the framed in area.

After the stamping and blending was finished, I removed the masks to reveal a rectangular scene. I used that scene to create a white die cut frame with the Infinity Rectangle dies. I also die cut a line of trees using one of the fancy dies included in the main kit, cut from some dark green card stock, as well as stamping the little boat with it’s captain and first mate. 😉 I also stamped a greeting from the main kit on a rectangle of white card stock.

After I’d die cut and stamped all of the pieces, I adhered them to the blended and stamped card base using foam tape to create lots of dimension! Perfect for that outdoorsy guy in your life, right?

For my second card today, I wanted to put to use my favorite of the add-ons: Camper Fancy Die. There are some really fun add-on stamps and dies that coordinate beautifully with the main kit, but as soon as I saw the Camper Fancy Die, I wanted to pair it with the Paper Layering Desert Cactus and Paper Layering Prickly Cactus. I used the new Meadow card stock for both cacti, die cutting them both and doing a bit of blending around the edges for dimension using Moss ink and some blending brushes.

Next, I die cut the new Camper Fancy Die from some plain white card stock, ink blending some pale gray ink around the edges and adding details with Copic markers. (I have no idea if campers have red doors like that, but if they don’t they really should! Such a fun detail!)

I trimmed down a panel of the new Lapis card stock and blended some Stone Wash ink around the edges. I layered the die cuts using foam tape and added a greeting from the main kit heat embossed in white on a rectangle of Pitch Black card stock.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! Now, for some fun giveaway information!

Hero Arts is giving away one kit to a lucky commenter (and if you’ve already purchased one, they will reimburse you!). All you have to do to be eligible is leave a comment on each stop on the blog hop. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

Your next stop is Ilina Crouse. Here’s the full lineup in case you got lost:

The Hero Arts Blog
Caly Person
Emily Midgett
Ilina Crouse
Janette Kausen
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Michelle Short
Amy Kolling
Debi Adams
Julee Tilman
Laurie Willison
Lydia Fiedler
Mariana Grigsby
Libby Hickson

Man Card Monday: August Edition!

Hi there! Popping in today for August’s Man Card Monday! I missed last month’s Man Card Monday installment, so I thought I’d create two projects for this month to make up for it! Every month, I try to set aside at least one day in the month to create some masculine cards to build up my stash in case an unexpected (ahem, inadvertently forgotten) man-birthday comes up. I hate buying a card from the store when I have an office stuffed with stamps. The My Monthly Hero kit and add-ons for the month of August were absolutely perfect for masculine cards. No flowers, no frills, just a nice, strong cup of coffee is perfect to create a card for that uber masculine guy in your life. There are a few of these kits left, so if you’ve been on the fence, hurry over and grab one, because once they sell out, they’re gone for good! You can also subscribe if you are afraid to miss out on any future kits, as well.

For my first card, I wanted something simple and quick, something easily replicated and easily mailed. I used the updated Infinity die Teapot and Cups, both newly updated with inserts to cut out the handles! I cut both from some Pool Layering Paper, then used the new Doily background stamp to heat emboss a super detailed design onto the cup to add fabulous texture. I added the greeting from the new Spill The Tea add-on stamp set in black ink, then used liquid adhesive to adhere the teapot and foam adhesive for the teacup to add a bit more dimension. Simple, but effective! I could see this easily replicated with lots of different Bold Prints backgrounds and in all sorts of colors!

For my second project, I used the August My Monthly Hero kit to create an eclectic little cluster of coffee cups, like you’d see on a cafe table. I can just picture a group of friends, clustered around one of those tiny cafe tables, a variety of cups spread out in front of them because they all have different caffeine desires. 😉 I started by stamping and masking the coffee cups onto some watercolor paper, then left the masks on to clear emboss the new Doily Background to create some subtle texture. I then used the Daniel Smith Hero Arts Dot Palette to watercolor the cups, adding a coffee stain around the coffee cups using the new Cocoa Liquid Watercolor to help emphasize that pretty texture from the clear embossed background. I finally stamped a sentiment from the new kit onto a strip of white card stock and adhered it to the card front. Nice and flat and easy to mail!

Well, that’s all for this month’s Man Card Monday! I hope you enjoyed these projects using the new Hero Arts products from this month’s My Monthly Hero release, and that they inspired you to create some masculine cards of your own. It’s nice to have a little stash of man-friendly cards hanging out in my card container. Thanks so much for dropping by today! Have a marvelous week!


Where Creativity Meets C9: Anything Goes!

Good morning! For the month of August, the Where Creativity Meets C9 team has the pleasure of joining Concord and 9th as their guests for the month. We are helping celebrate their 3rd birthday by kicking off their release day with some projects featuring the new Freebie for this month: Birthday Dies and Birthday Balloons stamp set! The dies are free with any purchase over $60, and you get both the dies and the Birthday Balloons stamp set when you spend $120 (which is not difficult with the gorgeousness that is this release! Swooooon.) These little freebies are perfect for birthday cards, especially those masculine cards that so many of us find so challenging!

Our theme this month for Where Creativity Meets C9 is “Anything Goes,” so I chose to go with some simple stamping and die cutting to get started. I find that when I’m in need of some color inspiration, I go to pinterest and look for different color combinations from Design Seeds, wedding planners, and so forth. (You can check out my Pinterest board for color combos that inspire me here.) I found a really pretty pin with the unique color combination of baby pink, smokey blue, bright, royal blue, and mustard yellow. (The closer we get to fall, the more mustard yellow seems to appeal to my creativity.) I translated this to Spun Sugar, Stormy Sky, Mustard Seed, and Blueprint Sketch Distress Oxide inks.

I first stamped the balloons and confetti in all of these different Oxide colors, which was easy because of the opacity of the Oxide inks… no masking required. Plus, the slight translucence of the inks create that illusion of slightly translucent balloons. I love that you can actually stamp with Oxides and get great results!

After I’d stamped my balloons and confetti from the new freebie Birthday Balloons set, I used the dies to die cut some banners and the greeting from the freebie Birthday Dies set using some bright blue foil card stock. I used my gridded craft mat to carefully arrange the individual letters of “birthday” so that they were nice and straight, then picked them up with some low-tack washi tape and added adhesive to the back, then added both die cut words to the card front while still attached to the washi tape. After the liquid adhesive had dried, I carefully removed the washi tape, revealing a nice straight sentiment. Easy!

 

This card is perfectly flat and super simple to mail… it would look great in all masculine colors too, though I guess there are enough masculine colors on this card to be used in a pinch, right? That little bit of pink won’t hurt a tough guy! Ha! #realmenwearpink #unlesshesaredhead

I hope you will check out the new release from Concord and 9th…. there are some stunning floral sets and some simpler, super versatile sets that are just fantastic. I can’t wait to show you all that we’ve been working on! Now, for some challenge details: create a project-any project- using Concord and 9th stamps as the focus of your project, then link it up to our post. Be sure to read all of the rules so that, if your project is chosen, you have covered all of the bases to be eligible to win! One lucky random winner will be the recipient of a $25 shopping spree to Concord and 9th, and one crafter will be chosen to be a guest designer for Where Creativity Meets C9 on an upcoming challenge.

Thanks so much for dropping by today! The Where Creativity Meets C9 team will be back with you every Friday for the month of August to share more inspiration using the new Concord and 9th release, so be on the lookout. Have a marvelous day!

Spellbinders Large Die of the Month for July!

Good morning! I recently had the honor of playing with the new Spellbinders Large Die of the Month club for July… I made this project and intended to share it last week, but I got sick (blah) and have just now been able to get my computer going. This month’s kit is a super fun set of alphabet dies and their coordinating outline dies.

For my projects, I wanted something bold and graphic, a bit of a departure from my usual style, so I decided to use some bright ink blending and crisp black die cuts.

 I began by blending two panels using Oxide inks. Oxide inks are my go-to for projects like this. They blend perfectly and quickly. I used Peacock Feathers and Blueprint Sketch for one, Picked Raspberry and Squeezed Lemonade for the other. Because these projects were such a departure from my normal style, I thought I’d angle my ink blending on the diagonal instead of my usual vertical blending.

I used my lined craft mat to ensure straight placement of my letter die cuts. I lined them up on the craft mat, then used some Post-It tape to pick the letters up to add adhesive and adhere the words to my card front.

After I had added my sentiments, I trimmed the edges of the blended panels and adhered them to an A2 black panel. To create a bit of textural interest, I added some Nuvo Crystal Glaze to the letter die cuts.

Spellbinders has several different styles of monthly club kits available, with several different price points. I’d encourage you to check them out; they really have something for everybody! Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a marvelous day!


Man Card Monday: Go Wild!

Good morning! Happy Monday! Today is….. Man Card Monday! Last month, I decided that I needed to increase my stash of cards suitable for those hyper-masculine guys in my life… you know, the ones who probably wouldn’t appreciate a birthday card with flowers on it? (seriously, psh, what’s wrong with those weirdos?) Anyway, today is the second installment of Man Card Monday! (click here for last month’s project) Today’s project is uber simple, with just some die cuts and some vibrant ink blending. But you know, I’ve discovered that guys don’t need a whole lot of frills, right? At least that’s what I’m telling myself. Ha!

I began by blending Hero Arts’s Red Royal, Soft Apricot, and Butter Bar inks using my ink blending tool onto some white A2 card stock. I wanted to create a super bright and vibrant safari sunset, so I made sure to use plenty of layers and lots of ink. While that was drying, I die cut some fabulous safari-themed silhouettes (Thorn Tree and Fancy Grasses and Safari Huge Thanks)  from Hero Arts and some black card stock. I love that this card has only a few simple die cuts on it, but those die cuts are so intricate that they make a huge impact!

I added the greeting from Birthday Hugs and Kisses at the bottom of the blended panel using Versafine and clear embossing powder to really make it stand out. I used foam tape to pop up the die cuts and create a sweet little sunset scene. No pink, no flowers, no sparkle, punny greeting, an animal… definitely qualifies as a Man Card in my view!

Well, that’s all for me today! I hope you’re enjoying this series… I’m definitely enjoying pushing myself outside of my natural floral inclinations!