Card: Security envelopes + embellishing for men!

Hello again.

It's day 5 of Going Postal 2012, which was meant to be the final day ...

• but I've still got to fit in the new posty themed Plundered Pages I'm adding to the shop today;
• plus I'll need to announce the winner of the giveaway which closes on Sunday. So go enter if you haven't already!

... and I'll be staying postal for at least a few more days yet.

Thank you to all those who've managed to grab time and contribute a mail themed item so far,  they're all safely pinned to the Pinterest board [there's even another giveaway on there which closes on Sunday too - from Bernice's blog, so if you're interested in free loveliness she has some lovely stamps + things up for grabs!]

Now let's move on to yet another project in what's rapidly turning into a '100 Things To Do with Security Envelopes'! It's the card I made James for his recent birthday:


This time the security envelope pattern is the fabulous black & white brick bond design.

Seriously though ... that paper could easily be part of a current Hambly or Studio Calico paper range, don't you think? And yet here it is, landing on my doormat, free of charge [unless of course the envelope had a bill inside ... and even then I guess wrapping it in cool paper serves to sweetens the pill a little!

The alphabet background was made by stamping 'Alphabet Background' [a Woodware, Clear Magic stamp] twice, for a slightly fuzzy effect*. [I'm going to tell you that this was a deliberate design choice and nothing at all to do with the first attempt not really working ... and you can choose to believe me ... or not ...].

I bought this particular stamp because:

• [a] It's an alphabet. Enough said. Alphabets rule! and ...
• [b] it reminded me of computer screens you see in films like War Games, Tron or The Matrix and thought it could work equally well on cards for men - as well as for typography freaks;
• [c] it's an alphabet ... have I mentioned that already?

As is my main method of working - all the colours for the card were chosen to compliment the image I was using as the focal point. An illustration cut from a retro dictionary:

There are lots of finishing touches and embellishments on this - which can sometimes be tricky on a masculine card - where you can't easily throw flowers or bling at it and see what sticks!

Here's a breakdown of the additional bits + bobs on this card - in case it helps you next time you're stuck for something to add that extra something while keeping the overall feel masculine:

• polka dot paper/washi tape;
• baker's twine;
• a few gems and pearls and even a hair grip ... but they're in black ... so that's OK!;
• a snippet of mesh;
• a star - the male equivalent of the heart/flower!
• and an X-Cut Postage Stamp die-cut [because, just when we thought we couldn't love postal themed things more ... they're unisex too!]:

OK, I'll stop now before this gets out of hand and mutates from '100 Things To Do with Security Envelopes' into ... 'Men's Cards Made Easy' ...

See you tomorrow.

Julie :-)