Thumbs Up Teen Card

Of all the various occasions out there where I find a need for a card (Christmas, birthday, new baby, sympathy, thinking of you, congrats, etc etc etc......), I know that - for me - the challenge of making MASCULINE TEEN cards ranks right up there with fire walking or skydiving! They are the hardest ones for me to do!! My boys are darn good about giving me plenty of notice when they need a card, but it's my procrastination or "half-listening" that gets me every time. I'm always scrambling to get a card done a couple hours before they have to be somewhere... egads! :)

I found myself... again, needing to make a card for DS #1 yesterday, and this card was the result. I find that this is a real "go-to" set for masculine cards... it's called "Happiness is a Journey", and I simply adore this reverse-image train. It's a unique stamp, and one that will not leave my ever-growing collection. The image was stamped on Whisper White in Basic Gray ink. I used a sponge to color in the train with More Mustard ink, and the smoke with Baja Breeze. I went over the smoke again with a blue/gray colored pencil to create swirls in the smoke. This was matted and silver brads were inserted. I glued this main panel to my More Mustard cardstock that was sponged on the edges with Kiwi Kiss ink. I freehand cut branches from Chocolate Chip, and used my Big Shot/Little Leaves sizzlet to diecut leaves from Old Olive and Kiwi Kiss cardstock scraps. The leaves were snipped off the stems, individually glued to the branches and very lightly sponged with Kiwi Kiss ink. A few of the leaves are popped up with dimensional popdots that were cut in half. I used my stylus to add veins in the leaves, but I don't think you can see that detail from the photo. Lastly, I used my StampAMaJig to line up the sentiment from Sock Monkey (my daughters love this set!).

Well, I held my breath and showed it to DS #1..... A Thumbs Up! Whew!!

I'm not trying to make my sons sound like they are incredibly difficult or picky, but... they are teenagers (and those of you that have them, or went through these years with them, know what I mean!). And I must not forget what I was like those few short years ago. {snort! OK, OK... but it wasn't that long ago!}

Have a great Sunday! :)

Stamps: Happiness is a Journey, Sock Monkey sentiment

Paper: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Gray, white

Ink: Basic Gray, Kiwi Kiss, More Mustard, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Big Shot, Little Leaves sizzlet, dimensional popdots, silver brads, sponge daubers, colored pencil, StampAMaJig