WWC91 - Happy Birthday

It's time for another challenge and this week Marsha is hosting a Masculine "Anything Goes" Challenge.  Simply put, as long as I create something that has a masculine flair, I'm golden.

Of course I turned to one of my favourite stamp sets, The Wilderness Awaits.  Is it only meant for masculine projects?  Not at all.  But certainly my husband and brother-in-law both love anything to do with the outdoors or wild animals.  I love the way that little fox looks, curled up in its den but watching all that goes on.  I knew he would be perfect used with a brick wall and perhaps, some leaves.

I have been hoping for years that Stampin' Up! would carry some modeling paste.  What is so special about that product?  You can mix any colour of ink with the paste and then spread it over a stencil.  Once the stencil is pulled off, the resulting brick has so much texture, it actually looks real.  I love the effect.  That was my plan and as the day progressed I realized that I had put too much ink into the mix, making the paste more fluid than normal and much slower to dry.  Well, my project was due last night.  Go to plan "B".  Same idea but instead of the modeling paste I turned to the Stampin' Up! Brick Wall embossing folder.  First, of course, I used my brayer to add ink to the raised portion of the folder and then I embossed my paper.  That resulted in the lines of grout being a different colour.  I love the way that looks.

Stamps:  The Wilderness Awaits, Best Birds, Thoughtful Banners, Sprinkles of Life

Paper:  Soft Suede, Soft Sky, Very Vanilla, Tip Top Taupe, Whisper White cardstocks

Inks:  Soft Suede, Tip Top Taupe, Cajun Craze, Wild Wasabi, Crushed Curry, 

Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black (Archival), Whisper White (craft)

Tools:  Brick Wall embossing folder, Birds & Blooms thinlits, Duet Banner punch

I've also linked this card with the SUO Challenge for their Fall theme.

Of course my other card could be assembled today.  The modeling paste had dried nicely and gave the bricks a great texture as well as a feeling of solidity.  I changed the card up a bit simply because I don't often create two of a kind.  Instead of the tree and bird, I used a background of Whisper White upon which I stamped two images of the Sheltering Tree as well as a number of leaves.  I also used the Swirly Scribbles thinlits to cut out a whole bunch of little leaves in a variety of cardstock colours.

Stamps:  The Wilderness Awaits, Sheltering Tree

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Crushed Curry, 

Wild Wasabi, Whisper White

Inks:  Cajun Craze, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Wild Wasabi, Pumpkin Pie,

Early Espresso, Basic Black (Archival)

Tools:  Swirly Scribbles thinlits, Crafter's Workshop Brick Stencil,

Teresa Collins Ba-Si-Cal-Ly Essential Modeling Paste

I hope you've enjoyed my journey through these cards.  For some amazing creations by the Watercooler Artists, check out this week's Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.