Masculine Monday - using Newsprint DP

Good morning! When I looked at my favourite challenge site Less is More today, I was delighted to see that Chrissie and Mandi have challenged us to produce a masculine card... which fits in rather well with my weekly series on that very subject!

There's very little stamping on my card today!

I was inspired by the wonderful Newsprint designer paper - perfect for masculine cards! - and have stuck  to a simple red, black and cream colour palette. The textured effect on the front of the card base is achieved by inserting the card stock a little way into my crimper before starting, and only turning the handle a little way.

On some of the Newsprint papers there are pictures like this one which can easily be cut out and used as the focal point of a card. As well as this gorgeous vintage bicycle, there's a rocking chair and a pair of spectacles (which might appear on a card for my dad at some stage as he can never find his own glasses!)

It was easy to make some cogs and washers using punches and I was rather pleased with the bicycle chain effect on the sentiment, which is from the Punch Bunch Sale-a-bration stamp set. This promotion has finished now, so the set is no longer available, but do click the Specials tab at the top of my blog for current special offers.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut an A4 sheet of Cherry Cobbler card stock in half vertically. Score and fold in half to make a card base.
• Insert the card front a little way into the crimper and turn the handle until you have about nine or ten crimped lines.
• Cut a piece of the dark Newsprint designer paper to make a background, being careful about what words might show - I used mine upside down so that no words leapt out at you! My piece is 5cm x 9cm. Cut a focal picture to fit the space at the top of the background and attach it with dimensionals. 
• Stamp the sentiment onto Very Vanilla card stock using Basic Black ink. Cut out a Happy Birthday tab to use later and cut a 'bicycle chain' out of the remainder of the sentiment. Cut out some cogs and washers using punches and arrange them, with the chain, on the background. Tie a piece of linen thread through one of the washers and round the paper. Glue everything down and attach the paper to the card base.
• Glue the sentiment to the side of the focal image.

Supplies
Stamps: Punch Bunch (retired Sale-a-bration set)
Ink: Basic Black
Card stock: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
Other: Punches (I used Boho Blossoms for the cog and 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4" circle punches for the washers), linen thread, crimper

I hope you've all had an excellent weekend. We've all been spring cleaning for two days solid! My lovely children rolled up their sleeves too, with my eldest son cleaning all the ground floor windows inside and out; my youngest son valeting the car; and my daughter clearing out the airing cupboard. It astonishes me how much stuff we have accumulated over the winter and it certainly feels good to have a clear-out.

Thank you for popping in today. Don't forget to leave me a comment so that I can return your visit - I love seeing what you've been up to!

I'll be back tomorrow with another project and hope to see you then.
Enjoy your Monday!