Batter Up! Father's Day Alternative #3

My third Father's Day card needed is for my husband!  Guess what!  It will be Alternative #3 card using the May 2021 Paper Pumpkin - Batter Up!  As you have all probably realized by now, an Alternative card using any kit is one that you make your own design using either all kit elements or part kit elements and part other elements.  It is not a reproduction of the card designs provided in the kit itself, although it could possibly be a you CASE one of the original kit designs.  I see a lot of cardmakers like myself who are obviously challenged to make their own designs rather than use those provided.

My Batter Up! cards have all used additional cardstocks and patterned papers, because we live fairly close to Seattle, Washington where the Seattle Mariners play, and their team colors are not at all similar to the colors provided in the kit, except luckily the die-cut sentiments are in a sponged gray background with blue-inked sentiments.  Both of these colors are part of the Mariners colors, but the reds, yellow-golds, and kraft colors also in the kit do not fit so well.  

One die-cut was a replica of a trading card with yellow-gold framing and the word League in red.  I wanted to use this for my husband's card, so I used a black Sharpie to very carefully re-color League.  Success!  I did NOT color outside the lines!  I fussy-cut off the yellow-gold frame and re-mounted it onto a two-layered panel set in navy blue and a Mariners green patterned paper.  I stamped "DAD" from the Hats Off stamp set in the current SU annual catalog and popped it on my newly framed trading card,  The baseball hat was stamped with the kit stamp set onto navy blue cardstock and outlined in a Black Journal pen.  I was able to use one of the patterned card front panels provide in the kit...a blue and light gray mottled white pin stripes., plus added some cardstock layers below.  Take a peek at my finished card...inside and out!

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Night of Navy, Tranquil Tide, Smokey Slate (inside). Patterned Paper--Regals 6x6 dsp-Shaded Spruce (2019-20). Stamps--Hats Off (stamp-DAD). Ink--Tranquil Tide, Balmy Blue (hat stamping). Paper Pumpkin/June 2021--Batter Up! Kit--pin-striped paper, stamps (hat), Baseball Card die-cut (modified).  Gems--Glitter Enamel Dots (Copic colored Dk. Blue). Journal Pen-Black (hat markings).  Other: Papertrey die--To Die for Sentiments/-Happy Father's Day (inside). EK Punch--Victorian Corners. Colorbox Ink--Charcoal (ink distressing).  Wink of Stella--Clear. Size--4-3/4x6 inches.

Batter Up! Father's Day Alternative #2

 My second Father's Day card will be for my son-in-law.  Once again, I will use the May 2021 Paper Pumpkin - Batter Up! card kit, but making my own Alternative #2 card design totally unrelated to those provided in the kit.  I will use the Seattle Mariners as the theme for this card as I did on the card for my son.

I will use papers and inks not provided in the kit for the Seattle Mariners team colors, as the kits was off on another color journey totally unrelated to Mariner colors.  I was able to use the pocket die-cut, baseball, bats, and the stamps provided in the kit.  I also used the SU - Hats Off / Hat Builder stamps for the #1 (stamp) and the baseball hat (a die).  Take a peek at my finished card.  I think Josh will like it.

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Night of Navy, Tranquil Tide (inside) Smokey Slate (inside). Patterned Paper--Regals 6x6 dsp-Shaded Spruce (2018-19). Stamps/ Dies--Hats Off/ Hat Builder dies (stamp-#1+die-hat). Ink--Tranquil Tide. Paper Pumpkin/June 2021--Batter Up! Kit--stamps, baseball, bats, gray pocket.  Gems--Glitter Enamel Dots (Copic colored Dk. Blue).  Other: Papertrey die--To Die for Sentiments/-Happy Father's Day (inside). EK Punch--Victorian Corners.  Copic Markers.  Wink of Stella--Clear. Size--4-3/4x6 inches.

Batter Up! Father's Day Alternative #1

When I got my May 2021 Paper Pumpkin - Batter Up!, it was all about baseball.  Right then and there, I decided I needed to use the kit to make my Father's Day cards!   Father's Day will soon be upon us and I have three cards to make, so I'd best get started.

The team in our neighborhood is the Seattle Mariners.  The Mariners colors are: Navy, Metallic Silver (gray), Northwest Green (teal-tone green), and Cream, with the accent color Mariner's Yellow.  Unfortunately, the Paper Pumpkin kit colors are navy, red, golden yellow, pacific blue, gray, kraft, and white; therefore, all three of my card will be my own alternative designs for sure, as the kit designs are sure to use colors that do not fit our team colors!

My first card will be for my youngest son, and he is long-time Mariners baseball fan.  His card is definitely my own design and not even close to a CASE of any kit design.  These are the kit materials that I've used:  four precut die-cuts--the "All Star tag," two bats, and a baseball, plus kit stamps for baseball cap and DAD sentiment.  Added materials are:  navy cardstock, gray cardstock, green teal-tone dsp, wood plank stamp, ink (SU: Tranquil Tide, Balmy Blue), and epoxy stars (Copic colored green).  I'm pretty happy with the results, and I think my son will be pleased...take a peek below:

Ingredients:  Stampin' Up products:  Cardstock--Night of Navy, Smokey Slate, Tranquil Tide (inside). Patterned Paper--Regals 6x6 dsp-Shaded Spruce (2019-20). Ink--Tranquil Tide, Smokey Slate, Balmy Blue (hat stamping). Paper Pumpkin/June 2021--Batter Up! Kit--stamps, baseball, bats, All Star die-cut.  Stars--Itty Bitty Epoxy Accents (Copic colored Dk. Green). Journal Pen-Black (hat markings).  Other: MFT Stamp--6x6 BG--Wood Plank. Papertrey die--To Die for Sentiments/-Happy Father's Day (inside). EK Punch--Victorian Corners.  Colorbox--Chestnut Roan (ink distressing).  Wink of Stella--Clear. Size--4-3/4x6 inches. 

Birthday Greetings to a Mariner's Fan!

My October is FULL of birthdays as you may have already notice from previous blog posts.  The next card needed is for my youngest son, Mark, whose birthday is also October 8th.  I have made many birthday cards for Mark over the past eight years of cardmaking, depicting his many talents and interests. . .vehicles, dirt bikes, tools, a bear beerfest, and Seahawks football are some ideas already used.  I find as I work on other cards, my mind will subconsciously be thinking about designs that I might be able to use on upcoming cards needed.  I pondered, "What shall I do for Mark this year?  One interest that I have not yet covered is Mariners baseball.  I wonder if I could make that work?" 

When the time came to get started, the Mariner idea was right there with some half-formed ideas, knowing that I needed to keep it fairly simple as my time was limited due to an upcoming trip.  For another birthday, I had been thinking of doing a simple cupcake card, but so far had not gone there.  I began to do a little online surfing and "googled" baseball cupcakes, and out popped this picture...I was stoked...what a great idea. 

My creative juice really began to move and jell.  I had seen a punch art cupcake card using circle patterns to make the cupcake icing...see the link here, and thought baseball circles would work perfectly.  Then my brain took another leap and thought. . .Mariner logo baseballs would be even cuter!  From there, I was really on a roll and went looking for bats online as an embellishment addition. . . they leaped right into vertical layers for my cupcake liner.  In addition, I did use them on the inside for an embellishment as well.  Take a look below at the inside and outside of the card created when my juices finally simmered enough to finish my card for Mark.  I think he will really like this new addition to his stash of Mom-made cards!

Ingredients:  Cardstocks: Stampin' Up--Basic Gray, Very Vanilla, Naturals Ivory (retired).  Bazill--Navy, Huner Green.  Stampin' Up stamp: Big Day (verse).  Cuttlebug EF: Happy Birthday.  Cottage Cutz die: Birthday Candle Border (modified).  Online images: Mariners baseball (colored/ resized), wooden bats (black & white/ resized).  Copic Markers.  EK Punch: Bubbles Corner (modified).  Size:  5" x 6".