The Value of Guidelines: Masculine card using stamps repurposed for a pattern

Hey there! 

I have always struggled with masculine cards. Both my dad and my brother have September birthdays, so every year at this time, I rack my brain trying to come up with not one but two designs. #facepalmtimestwo

I always do better if I can articulate a guideline for myself. For example, when I feel like a card or scrapbook layout is missing something, my go-to strategy is to try adding an additional texture. Guidelines give me a place to start and I can always choose to ‘break the rules’ if I want to. 

This is why I was so glad to take Altenew’s class called “For the Guys”. Jennifer Rzaza shares some great ideas that were helpful for me to adopt as guidelines.

 One of the things she talks about is geometric stamps. I didn’t  have any of those, but when I saw another lesson where she uses a halftone stamp, I realized that the second layer of the cupcake wrapper has a sort of halftone gradient to it. 

I used it to stamp this pattern creating a sort of “bouncing” effect across the card panel. (Is anyone else reminded of Dr. Sheldon Cooper demonstrating the Doppler Effect? )

I added a loose outline to the “bounces” and then added a metallic embossed sentiment from the Label Love Stamp set. 

I’ll definitely be applying the mental guidelines I developed to figure projects. I think that’s the best things about taking classes - it gives me the opportunity to incorporate other people’s ideas and techniques in a way that works for my own personal style and tastes. 

Do you have any go-to guidelines when it come to cardmaking? I’d love to hear them!

Take care,

Teri