Masculine Challenge Card No. 3 – Above the Clouds

Hello, Crafters.

My Christmas pre-order arrived yesterday. Although I had already seen all the products, on the display boards, when I was on the Incentive Trip, it really is something else to be able to hold them close to have a proper look! I spent the rest of my day yesterday sorting everything out, putting everything in its new home, and making labels, and more labels and more labels! LOL!

Although my system of filing and labelling dies, and labelling Designer Series Paper (DSP) is quite time-consuming, it saves me hours in the long run. Once it’s done, it’s always so easy to see which dies go with which stamp sets, and vice versa, and to see which colours match with which DSP. All that’s left to do now is to play! LOL!Today’s card is my first play with the Above the Clouds Stamp Set. It has a co-ordinating punch for the balloons; and I fussy cut the banner; it really couldn’t have been much easier. The colour combo is Night of Navy and Sahara Sand, and I chose the Night of Navy spotted design from the Neutrals 6″ x 6″ DSP Stack from last year. I’m especially pleased with the top Whisper White Cardstock (CS) layer.

I didn’t want the Whisper White CS to be plain, and although there are other smaller stamps I could have chosen from the set, they didn’t really appeal for what I had in mind for this card. I decided to dry emboss it, but I wanted to try something different from my two favourites i.e. Subtle and Scripty. I had a look through the designs I had, and wondered if the High Seas 3D Embossing Folder could look like clouds!

The answer is yes it can! What a result!! I embossed the top Whisper White layer, and when it was done, I looked at it from four aspects. They were from the front first, then second, I turned it round (so the bottom was at the top), for the third, I turned the layer round to look at the back, and fourth I turned the bottom round to the top! I think I’m correct in saying I’ve used the debossed High Seas upside down!

I wished I’d known about the seagulls stamp in this stamp set yesterday, and I wouldn’t have finished up cutting the three seagulls stamp in the Sailing Home Stamp Set. The stamp in the Above the Clouds Stamp Set works brilliantly every time! The Happy Birthday sentiment is from the Hostess New Wonders Stamp Set. The size of it makes it look as if it was made for this balloon!

The ribbon I’ve used on today’s card is from the Magnolia Lane Suite (149485 pages 37 and 174). It’s a combo pack, with this 3/8″ Linen Ribbon with white edges together with some Mossy Meadow Linen Thread – five yards of each. I adhered two tiny bows I’d made with our regular Linen Thread (104199 page 173) at each of the corners of the banner.

I added a layer of Night of Navy CS and a layer of Whisper White CS onto the Sahara Sand Card Base. Before I adhered the top two layers together, I stamped the Night of Navy Balloon coming off the bottom right hand corner. I inked the infill stamp with Night of Navy ink, and stamped it off once, and then again, and the third stamp was onto the balloon.

I’m happy how this card turned out, and I’m particularly chuffed with how the 3D High Seas Embossing Folder created these brilliant clouds! My job today is to start working on Sunday’s video. I have two or three ideas I’m going to work on, but right now, I don’t know which direction I’m going in! I hope you have a terrific Thursday, and I look forward to be back with you tomorrow, In the meantime, happy crafting.

JanB. xx

Products used: please click on any link to be taken to my 24/7 online Stampin’ Up! shop. Thank you.

Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock [106577] £8.25	Sahara Sand A4 Card Stock [121695] £8.25	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549] £9.00	Neutrals 6″ X 6″ (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [149614] £10.75	Above The Clouds Bundle [151135] £33.25
New Wonders Cling Stamp Set [149426] £12.50	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin’ Pad [147110] £7.00	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [103033] £3.50	Sahara Sand Classic Stampin’ Pad [147117] £7.00	Sahara Sand Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill [105220] £3.50
Basic Gray Classic Stampin’ Pad [149165] £7.00	Basic Gray Stampin’ Ink Refill [149166] £3.50	Magnolia Lane Ribbon Combo Pack [149485] £8.25	Linen Thread [104199] £4.75	Paper Snips [103579] £9.25
Grid Paper [130148] £11.75	Silicone Craft Sheet [127853] £5.50	Multipurpose Liquid Glue [110755] £3.75	Tear & Tape Adhesive [138995] £6.50	Stampin’ Dimensionals [104430] £3.75
Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals [144108] £3.75