Getting ready for the Card Buffet with something old and something new

Getting new cards ready for the card buffet is always fun.  When we started the card buffets we brought an assortment of samples, and asked our friends to show us the cards they liked best, and would like to see at future card buffets.  The one thing that was unanimous was that they wanted to see masculine type cards.  We all seem to have a number of sons and grandsons that we would like to make cards for.  So I always try to keep that in mind when making my selections for the card buffet. 
Since many stamp sets retired in May, and some of mine retired along time ago and I still love them and use them, I have used several retired sets for cards this month, because people requested these cards.  Eventually I will have some new stamp sets for making those masculine cards, but for now I work with what I have got. 

This card was made using a retired stamp called Sail Away and DSP called Nautical Expedition.  The sailboat is very special to me.  I used to work in a store that was across the street from the marina on White Bear Lake.  I loved coming to work in the morning when it was quiet and hear the clanging of the boats in the marina.  In our downtime at work we would stand and look out at the lake and watch the comings and goings of the boats, especially the sailboats, but also windsurfers, kite-boarders, and fishermen.  This is the perfect card for the men in my life who love the lakes and rivers here in Minnesota. 

This card was also made to remind me of the town of White Bear Lake.  The town was a resort area in the olden days, where the wealthy folk of St. Paul would come to spend their summers.  They would ride the train out to the lake to their summer homes and cottages, and the lake was the playground for all.  Their were lovely hotels and pavilions along the lake that attracted many visitors.  The street car company in St. Paul also ran a line out to White Bear Lake and built a big amusement park at the end of the line with a fabulous big roller coaster that was the talk of the town.  When the amusement park closed in the 60's, the roller coaster was put into storage, and was eventually rebuilt at a new amusement park south of Minneapolis called Valley Fair.  This Wild Roller was their big attraction when they opened, and is still considered one of the best wooden coasters around.  The town is still filled with grand old Victorian homes along the lake with huge old oak trees that shade the yards.  You can almost hear the crack of the croquet mallet as it hits the ball as you drive by and think of the families that played and picnicked on these lawns many years ago. 

My card is the reflection in the lake made with the stamp set Lovely as a Tree using a reflection transfer technique.  I stamped the image on plastic, like an old style case that the wood stamp sets came in, then I pressed the plastic to the paper to get the reflective image.  It took a little practice, but was really quite easy to do.  I sometimes get a little bubbly look to the ink, but for the most part I was very pleased with the way they turned out.  After stamping my images I used chalk to add a little color for the sky, a little pink sunrise, land and water.  I used this card for a swap previously, and it will be one of the cards done at the card buffet next weekend.

This was the card I used for my husband for Fathers Day, and he was really impressed!  Have a good week, and I hope you stop back soon.