Two Masculine Christmas Cards

We had a chilly drizzly weekend so I got a couple of cards done for challenges that are closing soon.  And by coincidence, both cards turned out to be work well as masculine cards - something I always struggle with.

First up is Less is More's Sketch Challenge.

The sketch immediately made me think of my long-neglected set of Christmas inchie stamps so I got them out and made this card:

I kept it very CAS - just one colour of ink (Distress Vintage Photo) to stamp them on cream cs.  I hand-trimmed them and mounted them on a second set of squares for just a bit of dimension.  The sentiment is stamped in the same ink.  To add a bit more dimension, I layered the panel on fun foam.

Here's a close-up so that you can see the lovely detail in the tiny stamps:

The second card is for the Sparkles Christmas Challenge - use kraft cs.

In my on-going struggle to use up some of my stash of dp, I found a perfect piece of dp to go with kraft cs.  I cut a panel out of it and then cut an oval out of the centre, creating a frame for my holly die cut.

The die cut was cut from a piece of mixed media cs that I'd sprinkled and spritzed with olive green brushos.  Once die cut, I realized it was too pale and sponged over it with Distress Forest Moss ink.  I cut two more and glued them together to give it substance and dimension.  I put some tiny bits of foam tape under some of the holly leaves to give it varied dimension, and set it inside the frame (that I'd popped up on foam tape).

I added red pearls to the holly berries with a Viva Decor pearl pen.  Here's a close-up showing the holly die cut's dimension and berries, and how well they co-ordinate with the dp:

I think this one works as a masculine card, but I also like its vintage look.

Supplies for first card:

Stamps - Darkroom Door Christmas Inchies, A Muse sentiment

Ink - Distress Vintage Photo

Paper - PTI Vintage Cream

Size - A2

Accessories -  foam tape
 

Supplies for second card:

Ink - Distress Forest Moss

Paper - kraft cs, My Minds Eye dp

Size - A2

Accessories - Creative Expressions Holly Spray die, olive green Brushos, Spellbinders rectangle and oval dies, foam tape