Serene Silhouette Masculine Card

In my quest to use all of the images in a stamp set I came up with this card.  And in using this image I have completed my challenge of using all four of the images in this set.  I did like making this card.  The tree image is very fun to work with.  This would also make a great Father's Day card and a nice masculine sympathy card too.  

I took the easy way out when I colored in the tree.  I stamped the entire image using Old Olive ink and then I colored over the ink with the Chocolate Chip marker.  It sure made the Direct to Rubber technique easier!!  My ink pad wasn't very cooperative though.  I think it needs to be replaced.  I REALLY do like the new pads.  You don't have to tap very hard on them to get the ink on the image.  I'm sure someday I will be replacing all of my ink pads, but for now it will be on an "as needed" basis.  I still have a box full of inkers too.  You can use the new inkers on the old pads but you can't use the old ink on the new pads.  I often use the ink on my markers too.  Two parts ink to one part distilled water.  ALWAYS use distilled water in anything you use where the water stays in it.  Tap water will start to make your items stick.  There's minerals in there that will cause bacteria to grow and then whatever you have the water in will stink.  I have spray bottles in my workroom with distilled water in them.  I even put distilled water in my iron.  The instructions told me not to use distilled water.  I often wondered what distilled water would do to my iron.  Well, I found out.  It made it last for over 20 years!  It still words as nice as it did the first day I bought it!! Hmmm, what does that tell you?  The tap water here is SO full of lime and calcium and things get clogged up fast.  I could imagine my iron would have been ruined by now had I followed their instructions!  Aren't you glad you know about my old iron now?  LOL

Ok, back to the card.  I used the Neutrals decorative paper pack (Chocolate Chip) for the background panels.  The lighter one is just the flip side of the dark dots.  I added some texture to the Very Vanilla background and added the layers.  I used the Split Coast Stampers Sketch Challenge #199 again but I just flipped it around a bit and I added the scalloped circle greetings at the top.  Fun card, huh?  I love using those sketches.  I just take the image I want to use and I flip through an album I keep them in and when I find one that the image fits in and that also fits the mood I'm in, I run with it!  The page was sitting open and I saw that the focal panel would work with this tree so that is why I went with this layout again!

I have some retired decorative papers I think I'm going to use to make some more cards like this.  I'll sell the finished cards at the craft fair.  People there don't care if the papers are retired.  They care about the look and quality of the card.

Thank you SO much for visiting today,
Wanda