Masculine Thank-You

Hello!

Second post for the night, on a school night, that's a bit of a record!  This is the other thank-you card for my team.  It is also A5, big enough for everyone to sign.  This time for a young man.

Oh dear, how I struggle with masculine cards.  This card I've made this evening is the most recent in a long line of attempts at an idea I have in my head that I am really having problems getting down on paper.  I thought this time I would share anyway, even though I'm still not happy, because I have found many, many times that cards I'm not enamoured of can be something that someone else actually likes.  And maybe if I look at it for a while I'll be inspired with some magic to make it better. . . maybe. . . LOL.

There is a new challenge out there called For Your Inspiration which I have been watching since it started a short while ago.  I have been inspired almost every challenge, but have never found the time to enter.  This time, at Challenge number 8, I am giving it a go.  And I have a couple more ideas which I might still try and enter a second time (with some layers, to jolt me out of this one-layer phase I'm in).

So the inspiration is this photo:

I love these colours.  I love the contrast of textures.  I'm not sure I captured it in my card, but take a look and let me know what you think (please be nice, I know it isn't my best work ever, but constructive feedback is appreciated).

I used mostly Stampin' Up!
Very Vanilla cardstock
Inks: Really Rust, Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Garden Green, Creamy Caramel
Stamps: Circle Circus, Trendy Trees (sentiment)
I also raided my daughter's colouring pens for a grey pen to create the frame because I wanted to capture the grey of the water cascades.

So what do you think? 

Michelle
xxx