MFT Creative Challenge - make it masculine

Welcome to the monthly MFT Design Team Creative Challenge. Head over to Kim's blog for a full list of all participating designers.

This month's challenge was to create something masculine. Don't groan...guys need cards too and many of them (like my hubby) ooh and aah over the cards we give them. And masculine doesn't have to mean difficult, but you do need to get into a bit of a different frame of mind.
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Here are a few guidelines I like to follow when making a masculine card:

1. I usually reach for darker colours for men, but I definitely gravitate to brighter, fun colours for boys.
2. Most embellishments/hardware are appropriate for a manly card as long as they don't sparkle, but no flowers. (buttons, brads, eyelets, staples, etc...)
3. Ribbons and twines are fine, but not tied in a bow.
4. I like to add texture to help bump up the interest factor.
5. Definitely nothing scalloped. 
6. Most of all, just have fun with it!  :-)

I used Just the Ticket stamps and die-namics set for the main focal panel and I stapled the tickets in place (although you can't really tell). 

The mini ticket strip die-namic was a perfect compliment for the large tickets and I stamped the small candles from Birthday Flopsey onto each of the tickets, just to help reinforce the birthday theme. The open zig zag border and stacking stars die-namics are two more of my "go to" dies for masculine cards because the shapes are perfect for a guy...no frills, but they still add fun elements to a card. The patterned paper is from the Paper Loft Hooked on Fishing 6x6 pad. 

I hope you'll take on this months challenge and make it manly!!!

Here are the die-namics I used:

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen