Steampunk or steampunk style is great for men’s card. The design is quite simple – I was trying to recreate a smoggy scene and grunged it up a bit.
Inks: Distress inks Black soot, Antique linen, and Pumice stone, Black India ink
Card: white card, pale dusky green, black
Stamps: Clarity stamps wrought iron corner (?), Oxford impression Steampunk
Other: natural sponge to stipple on black ink
So I was blog hopping the other day and landed on Kaz’s blog where she did a metal foil covered tag inspired by Tim Holtz. I have used this technique a few times previously but had forgotten about it and it was just the reminder I needed for creating Kevin’s card. It more or less uses the same technique but I added some discs, numbers and magic mesh underneath the aluminium tape to give lots of texture and dimension. I used paper stumps and embossing tools to smooth the tape gently around these additions and going inside all the little squares made by the mesh. The text I made using metal stamps. I have used this kind of technique before but instead of using alcohol inks to colour the metal foil in the recesses of the texture I used black acrylic paint then swiped some areas away with a baby wipe before it had dried completely.
Inks: Alcohol inks Pitch black, Stonewashed and Rust
Card: white, black antiqued metal card
Stamps: metal alphabet stamps
Other: Aluminium foil tape, small discs, Ideology: fasteners, washers, and cogs. Hammer, wrench, and keyhole brads, small key charm
It feels like ages since I last blogged so here is the card I made for Mark’s birthday. ‘Simple’ can’t really be used to describe Steampunk but it does describe the simple layout. The image was stamped using versamark ink then embossed using a mixture of Kettle copper and Brass embossing powder. Although you can’t tell from the photo, I used a silver glitter pen to make some of the metallic pipes shiny.
Inks: Versamark, Versafine Vintage sepia, Distress ink Brushed corduroy
Card: white, metallic patterned, background paper
Stamps: Oxford Impression Steampunk elements
Other: Large brads, gold nail-heads, silver glitter pen, small silver cog (watch part), embossing powders (mix of Kettle copper and Brass), brown water colour pencil to colour the wheels
A bit of a wee joke for Harry. He managed to still get lost the other day while we were on holiday the other day even though he had an android phone, a Garmin (sat nav type thingy), and maps in the car! Maybe just a map and a compass would have been all he needed so there is a compass inside the big brad and the pin has the word ideas on it.
Inks: Memeneto Tuxedo black, Distress inks Frayed burlap and Victorian velvet, Adirodack espresso, embossing ink with clear embossing powder and brass detail powder
Card: antique gold card, pale greeny beige card, Cosmo Cricket card, 7 Gypsies patterned paper
Stamps: Oxford impressions Steampunk and Steampunk works
Other: Tim Holtz brads and pin, Papermania brad making refill kit, Moonshadow ink Burnished brass (to colour the cogs)
The clear embossing power is used here in a faux batik style and the brass powder is on the compass.
I love the Steampunk style that can be seen in a few stamp designs now and it really lends itself to cards for men. Now I am not saying Steampunk is not for women – far from it – just that it is great for male cards which can sometimes be more difficult. I remember a few conversations about Steampunk with Donald (whose birthday it is very soon) so this card is for him.
The corner elements are made by sticking thermawrap tape onto paper lace border and using an embossing tool or paper stump carefully emboss the lace pattern. Then paint over with black acrylic paint and wipe off most of it before it dries just leaving some in the de-bossed areas.
Inks: Memento Tuxedo black, Distress inks Barn door, Aged mahogany and Peeled paint, versamark with silver embossing powder
Card: white, black, silver miri card
Stamps: Oxford Impressions Steampunk
Other: watch parts, diamond glaze, paper lace covered in thermawrap tape, copper pen