KKS Challenge "For The Boys"!!

Happy Saturday!! I'm on my way to Kitchener, Ontario for Scrapfest with my pal Amy today!! Woo hoo! Two of my favourite local stores, The Town Scrapper and Skribbles and Scraps, are vendors there. Also, I'm planning to meet up with Kimmie and Andrea! I am so excited!!

Speaking of Kraftin' Kimmie, I'm sure you're here to find out about this week's Challenge over at the Krafty Girl's blog! You have me to thank (or maybe blame??!! lol) for the challenge topic, as it's my turn to be hostess this week. I'm calling it "For the Boys!". I don't know about you, but I don't often make masculine cards. Flowers, ribbons, lace, sparkles and all things not-manly just seem to call to me when I get crafting! lol So, this truly is a "challenge" for me too! However, we're in luck stampers because Kimmie's brand new April release (you have seen it right??) has a couple of images just perfect for boy cards! Gee...it's almost like I planned it!! hehe (Actually, Kimmie has several "older" images that would suit this theme too!)

So, I've pulled out the fantastic "Dexter the Dragon" for my masculine card. There's just something about dragons...I really love them! One of my favourite book series is Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini). I bought the first one for my son...who never even cracked the cover. Sigh. He's not really into reading, but I had hoped that one may have intrigued him. Nope. So, I read it and was hooked!! I was out at the book store early in the morning for the release of both Eldest and Brisingr. It is a fantastic series! I'm anxiously awaiting the announcement for release of book 4 in the cycle, which will be the final installment. I'll be preordering it for sure! Oh yeah...we were talking about cards! lol Sorry. (seriously though, you need to read that series!)



"Dexter" really is a great image. All of the images from the April release work so well together for creating scenes, but I decided to let Dexter take centre stage for this card. I stamped him on Neenah cardstock and coloured him with my Copic markers. I love roughing up the edges of my paper, so I got busy distressing it with the edge of my scissors. (lol I was such a mess...totally covered in paper fibres by the end of this process!) Now, my best friend (Hi Amanda!!) gets a little perturbed with me whenever I do this, so she encouraged me to get a distressing tool . Well, I finally did, but it broke...after using it twice. So I'm asking my readers....What is your favourite DURABLE distressing tool??

Here's a close look at Dexter:



I used my brand new Nesties Labels 10 (Thank you Phebe!!) to cut out a mat from some DCWV paper to place Dexter on. I also sponged all the paper edges with Black Soot Distress Ink. I kept the layout very simple, as most boys don't want a "frou-frou" card. The sentiment is part of Kimmie's "Everyday Sentiments". I just couldn't resist adding a little shimmer to Dexter, so I used my Sakura Star Dust clear pen on his belly. Dragons have irridescent scales, so this touch of glimmer is totally acceptable...even on a boy's card!

Time to get yourself over to the Krafty Girl's Challenge Blog where you will find some amazing samples by the rest of the team!! These ladies are so talented...my jaw just drops each and every week from their creativity! Then, pull out a Kraftin' Kimmie image (you can find them at the online store, here) and get inky! Link up your creation, and you could be the lucky winner of "Dexter" this week.

Have a fantastic weekend stampers! Oh, and if you happen to be at Scrapfest make sure to say hello!!

Blessings,

Melanie

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps "Dexter"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers,
Paper: Neenah, Bazzill, DCWV, and I forget the name of the DP company
Embellishments: Dollar Store metal corners, "Spare" Parts brads
Tools: Spellbinders Labels 10