April Hero Arts Contest

The April Hero Arts Contest details are out, go and take a look!  This month it's all about sketches, masculine cards and stamp layering.  For my first entry I decided to go with one of the sketches and the masculine theme.

Paper: Cardstock (PTI); Patterned Paper (Making Memories)
Ink: Walnut Stain, Vintage Photo & Shabby Shutters DI
Stamps: Hero Arts
Other: Brad (Recollections); Nestabilitie star die; Gem (Hero Arts); Butterfly (Making Memories)

I first stamped the background with the Envelope Pattern stamp using Vintage Photo DI and then added the strip of patterned paper. I stamped and embossed the "branch" on the star with Walnut Stain DI, inked the edges with Shabby Shutters & Vintage Photo DI and applied a die cut butterfly with some dimensional dots.  The gem was clear, but I coloured it in with a Copic marker.

Then it was just a matter of adding the sentiment strip and the corduroy covered brad.

I hope the butterfly and the gem does not take away from the masculinity of the card?!

What a weird weather day today!  I went for a run at 5am and it was 76F, it was so hot, and now it's down to 66F and apparently going to be in the forty's tonight!  Very strange!

Hoping you are all having a great day!