1st Card Swap at Work-Time For Guys

This is my 1st official card swap at my workplace.  We could choose either birthday, get well, baby, or thank you for our theme.  12 signed up, including the owner-no pressure there- and we agreed to swap on Monday the 4th.
I love swaps.  This is an opportunity for the beginner to the advanced card maker to share ideas, techniques, tips, etc..
I decided that since guy cards are always in short supply that I would hit that up as my specific theme for a birthday card.
I began with the Tim Holtz Timeworks Mask.  Mixing  Walnut Stain Reinker with water from my Aqua Painter that has water in the reservoir handle 
I pounced a segment of my  Yellow Cheesewheel Sponge into the dye mixture and over the mask as I placed it over the top portion of my Very Vanilla Cardstock front (4.25"x5.5")  from Stampin' Up!.
Then I repositioned the mask again and lightly spritzed a mixture of water and Super Russet Pearl Ex Powder from my Mini Mister over the top.
I let it dry while I cut a 2"x4.25" strip of striped cardstock from my new Rustic Paper Pad I picked up at Joann's for the bottom portion of my card front.  I then pounced some Walnut Stain Ink Pad around the edges.
Using  Aluminum Tape I embossed this great new Sizzix Stitch Embossing Folder onto the aluminum tape thru my Big Shot and then used Adirondack Alcohol Inks in Copper Mixatives and Espresso to make it look like bronzy metal.  And another piece of the tape in the Squared Lattice Folder from Sizzix.
Also, to carry my clock theme I used cheapo bronze embossing powder and Clear UTEE in my Melting Pot and poured the hot liquid into my favorite Clock Face Mold -AM297.  Let set and pop out.  So clear and detailed.  I then pushed an interesting little nailhead that I got with my Purple Monster into the centers.  Here's a good review of it.
I layered the large gear shape from the SU Gear Punch from Espresso Cardstock and stippled some Sparkle Gold Pearl Ex Powder on it.
But this was not enough for me.  I have to see layers, something transparent, some tactile objects.  So I stamped the SU large clock on scrap pieces of acetate (I always save the scraps from packaging) with my StazOn Timber Brown pad and trimmed around the edge.
I added a blob of Burgandy Stickles to the center of the clock and adhered it to the card front with Crystal Effects. 
I used the Timber Brown StazOn to stamp part of the sentiment from the  SU Smarty Pants set onto the striped paper.
At the bottom of the card front I layered the striped paper then the aluminum tape stitch-just pull off the backing, the gear punch out and then the clock from UTEE adhered with glue dots.  I tucked a small strip of the lattice aluminum tape under the very edge of the striped paper and adhered it all to the card front and the card front to a Very Vanilla folded card blank.  I added the rest of the sentiment inside the card along with the small gear stamp.
Don't forget to stamp your personalized stamp on the back of the card.
Awesome possum!
-Trish
P.S. Here's a quick pic of the card from my computer-the mirrored image. Hence the words are reversed...yes I said hence.  It fit the time period of the card. I know it has a Steampunk feel to it tho I am not a huge Steampunk fan.  Enjoy!