🎣 Moody Monday: Rugged Birthday Bridge Card

Happy Moody Monday, crafty friends!

Today’s card was inspired by the @Not2Shabby November Mood Board, and it’s giving me all the rugged, outdoorsy vibes.

For this project, I used the Rugged Birthday Paper Pack and the Ultimate Birthday Sentiments and Coordinating Die Set (releasing 11/15/2025) from Not 2 Shabby, designed by @LVHandcrafted. The combination of earthy greens, aged map textures, and masculine tones made this a no-fuss, all-style kind of card.

🪶 The Design

I decided on a bridge card design — one of my favorite folds! It’s dimensional enough to stand proudly on display, but still folds flat for easy mailing (and you know I love that).

The front features a classic hat, a well-earned fish, and this funny sentiment that always gets a grin:

“You’re not old… just close to expired.”

Perfect for that guy in your life who claims he’s “still young at heart.”

🎁 Inside Details

Inside, I continued the rugged theme with a vintage-style backpack and a big, bold:

Happy Birthday!

Simple, masculine, and packed with personality — just the way I like my guy cards.

💬 Final Thoughts

This one’s perfect for any outdoorsman, fisherman, or adventure-loving fella. I love how the muted tones and vintage textures really pull everything together.

Watch the replay of Moody Monday HERE. Join me on the 1st and 3rd Mondays on the Not2Shabby youtube channel for some Mood Board Inspiration.... And to shake off those Moody Mondays!

If you’d like to try these supplies for yourself, you can find them at Not 2 Shabby Shop (my affiliate link — thank you for supporting my crafty adventures 🩷).

Don’t forget to swing by the November Mood Board challenge for inspiration and join in on the fun!

#MoodyMonday #MasculineCards #BirthdayCards #BridgeCardFold #CardMaking #Not2ShabbyShop #CraftInspiration #PaperCrafting #HandmadeCards #LVHandcrafted #RuggedBirthday

🌟 Guest Designer Spotlight: Oh, Christmas Tree! Soft & Glowing Holiday Card 🐭

 

Hello, creative friends! I'm back for my second post as a Guest Designer for Gerda Steiner Designs! I'm absolutely loving my time crafting with the incredibly sweet Caroling Woodland Animals stamp set (GSD873).

For my second project, I wanted to create a scene that felt warm, bright, and full of quiet Christmas morning magic. It's all about that soft, illuminated glow!

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The Magic of the Soft Glow

While my last card was all about high-contrast drama, this one focuses on subtle, light-filled artistry. This design features the little mouse in his cozy red sweater, happily caroling next to the stately Christmas tree.

1. Stamping the Scene: I stamped the mouse and the tree onto a clean, white card panel. To give the card a little extra polish, I used a die to add a simple stitched edge around the border.

1. Copic Coloring (The Secret is the Light!): I used my Copic markers with a light hand, blending softly to give the images a painted look. The real trick here is creating the glow effect:

   • I used a very pale yellow (like Y0000 or Y00) and blended it outwards from the star at the top of the tree. This simple step makes the tree look like it’s illuminated from within!

   • To ground the scene, I added a wash of my lightest blue (B0000) at the very bottom of the card. This suggests a snowy morning or a chilly outdoor ground without distracting from the main focus.

2. Whimsical Details: To complete the look, I stamped the fun musical notes from the stamp set near the mouse to show his enthusiastic singing! The "oh, Christmas Tree" sentiment, stamped in a simple black ink, perfectly captures the feel of the card.

I just love how this card turned out—it proves that these adorable Gerda Steiner Designs critters can shine in any style, from dramatic night scenes to soft, glowing mornings!

What's your favorite way to add a "glow" to your Copic-colored scenes? Let me know!

✨ A Night of Caroling Magic! Gerda Steiner Designs Guest Post! ✨

I'm absolutely thrilled to be a Guest Designer for Gerda Steiner Designs! What a perfect way to kick off the festive season with some adorable holiday crafting.

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Starring the Caroling Woodland Animals!

For my card today, I couldn't resist using the unbelievably cute Caroling Woodland Animals stamp set. Seriously, these critters in their cozy Christmas sweaters are pure joy! I just love the tiny hedgehog in his Santa hat and the cheerful mouse in his little red sweater—they bring such a warm, playful spirit to a winter scene.

I paired the caroling duo with that sweet, simple Christmas tree from the same set to build a truly charming scene.

Creating the Cozy Night Sky

To make the little animals and the bright green tree really pop, I stamped and colored my images, then mounted them on a black card base.

• Coloring: I used my trusty Copic markers to bring the images to life. The black background really makes the color vibrate. I kept the coloring simple yet dimensional, focusing on smooth blending for their fur and the tree's needles.

• The Snowy Effect: To finish the wintry scene, I created a magical night sky with a classic technique: splattering! I used bleed proof white paint, thinning it down slightly and flicking it across the black cardstock to create a beautiful, scattered starry and snowy effect. It adds so much texture and depth, transforming a simple background into a twinkling winter night.

What do you think of this sweet, starry Christmas card? I had so much fun creating this festive scene!

🎄 Joy to the World with Gerda Steiner Designs! 🎅

 

I’m so excited to share that I was a guest designer for Gerda Steiner Designs! Their stamp sets never fail to bring a smile, and this one — Woodland Holiday Friends — is pure Christmas cheer in a stamp!

I couldn’t resist this stack of Santa and his woodland pals, all ready to spread holiday joy. I colored them up with my trusty markers and added a soft blue background to let those sweet critters shine. The sentiment “Joy to the World” felt just right for this heartwarming crew.

From the cozy reindeer to the scarf-wrapped bear (and that little bird perched on top!), every detail makes me feel like I’m stepping into a storybook Christmas scene.

If you love cute critters, classic Christmas vibes, and a little crafty magic, this set is a must-have for your holiday cardmaking!

💌 Stamp Set: Woodland Holiday Friends by Gerda Steiner Designs

✨ Colored with: Alcohol markers

🖤 Sentiment: Included in the set