Masculine Cards on Kraft Paper, Alcohol Marker Coloring and Freebies

I needed two masculine cards for family members in the mail today talk about feeling rushed!  I pulled up a couple of favorite digitals and thought these would look great on Kraft paper and colored with alcohol markers;  I'll show you the cards and then go over the details.

Showing you the end results first can give you a better idea as to whether or not you like the finished product - before investing time and supplies.  Because I was pressed for time, doing two cards at once with the same manly man color palette helped me save time and really made making these cards very enjoyable.

I printed these cards on Neenah desert Storm 80# paper from Paper Temptress  This paper is super smooth and holds the ink in a clean crisp perfection.  This is my favorite Kraft paper to work on any hand stamped ink works as well as my inkjet printer.  Also when you purchase from Pat ( the Paper Temptress) you have the option of buying 5 sheets or larger packs al the way up to 90!

I create my palette swatch and start coloring - the markers work so well with this paper- super-smooth blending - you can't blend on many lower quality kraft papers.

All colored up

I pulled papers from my stash and created the backgrounds, dry embossing a printed paper and distressing

A little trick - easy way to create a stronger edge - run the edge of paper on the edge of the ink pad 

Using the best papers and taking your time coloring will help you create a little work of art, but here is another tip:  Use the Best Glue Ever, especially on your heavy, textured, embossed, inked, foiled, and distressed papers.  A long time ago at stamp camp we were told to use score tape, "you have to use score tape or the adhesive will never hold on the heavy, textured, embossed, inked, foiled, and distressed papers.  Well Best Glue Ever holds it all perfectly with a tiny amount/ 

And a BIG bonus here, if you lay it down crooked - you have a few seconds to fix it!

while my markers were out I whipped up the second card.  The white areas in both of these cards is a white 'Posca" pen.

I actually got these in the mailbox with a few minutes to spare! 

                  

 




For making cards for the guys in your life:

 I hope you try these out and try the products I have demonstrated for you, no craft room should be without them!  Needless to say, I have sent all my old kraft papers to a new home and all my score tape - along with a drawer full of no longer needed and used adhesives!

Have a great day!

Thanks for stopping by,

Ginny M