Groovin’ with the Go-to Gals – Masculine Cards

Betsy Veldman

Men. Can’t live with ‘em and you can’t live without ‘em.

And you’ve probably realized that it’s really hard not to paper craft for them from time to time. Because let’s face it. Men have birthdays, too. And then there’s Father’s Day (just a few days away…don’t forget!). And you can probably throw in an anniversary, along with another special occasion or two. 

But if you’re like me, the thought of creating cards for the men in my life has me wanting to run to my nearest Hallmark store. Gone are the frills, the lace and all the paper lovelies that tend to cover my creations from head to toe. I’m left with…well, what am I left with? Let’s see. Since Father’s Day is just around the corner, let’s delve into this mysterious world of card making for men. 

• First, start with a collection that’s decidedly male. Like A Proper Gentleman collection from Graphic 45, or The Boyfriend collection from Cosmo Cricket or the Like Father, Like Son collection from Fancy Pants Designs that I used on my card here. The patterns and colors in these collections are sure to inspire you to create beautiful, yet masculine projects!

• Use masculine motifs. Instead of flowers and butterflies, think trees, stars, fish, etc. Playing around with typography is also a great way to create unique, manly cards.
• Challenge yourself! Use an element that is typically considered more on the feminine side, but change it up to feel more masculine. On this card I used a punched heart as an accent, but made it feel manly by embossing it with a woodgrain impression plate and embellishing it with a star brad and twine!

• Throw out the bows! If you typically use bows on your projects, consider using twine instead. It gives a much more masculine feel. If you still prefer ribbon, use a stripe or solid and finish it off with a knot rather than a bow.
• Keep it simple! Men don’t typically like things that are frilly and overdone, so keep it classy and simple. My masculine cards are almost always much simpler than my typical feminine style…and that’s okay! 
• Make the message the focus. My card here is definitely all about the sentiment! I love this journaling card from the Like Father, Like Son collection, and it pretty much says it all! I finished off the sentiment on the inside to make Dad feel extra special.

Need more masculine ideas? Join me on my personal blog this week as I’ll be doing a few more posts about creating masculine projects! Also, don’t forget to check out the Thanks Mom & Dad feature from the May/June issue for more fabulous Father’s Day ideas! 

Paper Crafts Go-to Gal,
Betsy Veldman

P.S. Have a paper crafting question that has you stumped? Send it to our panel of Go-to Gals at gotogals@papercraftsmag.com and it could be answered and published in a future issue. If your question is selected, we’ll send you a complimentary magazine!

P.P.S. You still have two more days to vote in round 2 of Gallery Idol! Click HERE to view the Top 15′s cards and to cast your vote. Voting will end at noon (MDT) tomorrow!