Graduation Cards in August??

Happy Saturday everyone!! It is a PERFECT DAY in Connecticut-sunny, not too hot and very low humidity. I wish all days could be like this!! 

Today I am popping in with some Graduation cards. Yes, you heard it right, I am posting Graduation cards in August. To be honest, I had the last three cards created in May but only sent out one! The card below I made this week to send out to one of my husband's cousins.

I used this weeks Global Design Project's Sketch (#GPD302)- as the bones of my card. I did change the "label" on the sketch to the numbers block. I figured attaching the numbers, the hat and the sentiment would work well for this sketch. 

I used an MFT Blueprints Die to die cut the white and black polka dot stitched stripes. The mirrored cardstock numbers were die cut from Chrome Silver Tonic Cardstock using The Greetery's Bold Numbers Dies. 

The little cap was die cut using the Sugar Pea Designs For the Graduate dies and the sentiment is from Sweet and Sassy Stamps. 

I cannot tell you how much fun it was to make this card! I am also going to enter this in this weeks Watercooler Wednesday Challenge-wwc321. It is Tristan's challenge and it is to make a Masculine card.

Even though this is for a girl, I am thinking it is more generic than most of the cards I create.

I created the next two cards for my cousins. They are twins and graduated HS in May. I just sent out the cards on Thursday. I am so horrible!!! 

Again, I used The Greetery's Bold Numbers Dies as my focal point and built on this with a retired Paper Trey Ink set.

I added some scraps of silver cardstock behind the numbers to ground the whole focal point.

For the second card, I used black paper over a white card base, with silver numbers.

The hat is from Paper Trey Ink and the sentiment is from a retired CAS-ual Fridays stamp.

The black paper on the card front was from my scraps and is actually HALLOWEEN paper!! It didn't have a distinct Halloween pattern so I used it.

I am posting one more card that I forgot I made. I created this one for my nephew's college graduation. This was the only card that was sent out on time!!

I have to admit that this was the first card I created and actually was the inspiration for the second card I posted. Instead of using silver cardstock behind the numbers, I chose to randomly adhere silver paper stars.

I am so happy with how all these cards came out and am just ashamed of myself that it took so long for me to send them!

That is it for me today. I want to thank you for taking the time to stop by. 

Have a FABULOUS day!!

A Successful Sunday With Cards for Some Challenges

 Hello everyone!! Just popping in to post a couple of cards I created for some challenges. 

I had a bit of time today to create. My mojo has been a bit spotty and my energy low so I have not been getting into my craft room as of late. It doesn't help that I really need TO CLEAN because it sure is a mess!!!

For my first card, I used this weeks sketch from the Paper Craft Crew for my card. Please excuse the photo. I could not fix the lighting on it no matter how hard I tried!

Below is the sketch that inspired me. 

I was a little bit liberal with the elements on my card because they wound up being a bit bigger then what is represented in the sketch.

I literally used elements that were previously stamped or die cut for other projects to put this card together.

The flowers are from Altenew and Paper Trey Ink, the circle is from MFT, the envelope was cut from a die from Mama Elephant and the sentiment was from Hello Bluebird. 

This was one of the EASIEST cards I have created in a long time and will be sent out tomorrow to a member of the Union I belong to.

My second card I created using this weeks The Color Throwdown #619 and Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #297.

I knew when I saw the badge for the Color Throwdown that I wanted to use my new Tall Tree dies I bought from The Stamp Market and my Skinny Postage Frames from PTI. These were some of my new toys I bought to try to get my mojo going!!

I created the blue background on this with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and watered down white acrylic paint.

The sentiment is from a stamp set that was gifted to me from Stamplorations.

I absolutely LOVE how this card came out!!! 

My next card was inspired by this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #461 and once again, I used the Color Throwdown colors. 

This card was one I originally designed for The Color Throwdown but I liked the one above better.

I used some paper from my scrap drawer for the background and the greenery is from The Greetery.

The poinsettia is from the Layered Poinsettia from Spellbinders. I used Copic markers to shade it in BUT as I was doing it, I failed to do a color test with my background paper. I wound up having to fix my mistake by using more colors than I wanted so it is more blue than white.

The middle of the flower got muddled too because I was impatient for the Silver Stickles to dry. They were supposed to resemble the tiny flower in the middle of the poinsettia but when I was doing my layers, I didn't let the previous one dry enough!!! 

I will fix it by layering some more over it once the first layer dries.

My last card I created using the Inspired By Challenge #150 and the sketch as my inspiration.

I used a Santa image from Simple Stories Simple Vintage North Pole Collection. 

I keep buying these darn pre made die cuts and never use them but this image was PERFECT for this challenge. 

I actually altered the die cut by cutting some things off this side that just didn't go with this aesthetic. I also covered the fur and hat with a Scrapbook.com Clear Glitter Marker and the hat with some Glossy Accents. 

The snowflakes are from a huge amount I die cut last winter and the sentiment is from Uniko Stamps.

Well, I think that is enough from me today. I thank you for taking your time to stop by and I hope you have a FABULOUS night!!

Thinking of You

 Happy Sunday!! Just a quick jump in with a post for a couple of challenges. 

I used two challenges as the inspiration for my card. I used this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #456 and the Inspired By Challenge: Pumpkin Spice. 

As you can see, I flipped the sketch for my card design. I was inspired by the gray gingham from the badge and the yellow/gold accents.

Everything is from The Greetery, with the exception of the paper. The gingham is from Lawn Fawn and the strip on the side is a scrap.

I really love how this came out but wish the gingham was a brown gray rather than a blue gray. I think it came out really nice, though.

I added some Nuvo clear shimmer pen on the leaves and some Glossy Accents on the berries.

Well that is all from me today. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a FABULOUS night!!

Just a Quick Pop In With Cards for Some Challenges

 It is Sunday night here and I am exhausted. I stayed up all night last night because I got into such a GREAT book. 

I am a romance junky-I got that from my mother. I read other things but when things get too stressful-and they have been with the tropical storm last week and the terrible plans that the state DOES NOT have for our school systems to go back (which we are), I have been totally stressed out. Anyway, I made these cards yesterday but didn't have the energy to post them until tonight.

My first card was inspired by two challenges-CASE this Sketch #384 and The Color Throwdown #605.

I kind of "flipped" the sketch in that I used my butterflies as the main image, rather than a branch. I used the little flower images as the accents.

   

The butterfly stamp is my new favorite stamp, I think. It is Hero Arts Monarch Butterfly. I used Lawn Fawn's Peachy Keen, MFT's Cherry and Blueberry Ink for this card. 

The sentiment is from Altenew's Label Love stamp set. 

When I was finished with my stamping, I die cut the panel using The Greetery's Crimped Frame Dies and layered it on a dark blue card base.

I finished off the card with some sequins and Diamond Stickles in the middle.

For my second card, I used the Fusion Card Challenge as my inspiration for my card.

I chose to use the sketch but flipped it and using fruit on my card was the inspiration, just not the fruit from the photo.

I used The Greetery's Just Peachy stencils, dies and stamps for this card. I think this card may be a bit too busy for me BUT unfortunately I used some strong liquid glue that I cannot rip this apart without damaging the background. That stenciled background took me a long time to complete!!

I used a TON of different inks on this-too many to even name. The little strips of pattern paper and cardstock are just scraps from my stash.

I have to admit that this was a TON OF FUN to play with. I cannot wait to use this on some other cards but will not be using the stamps and the background's together again like this.

Well, that is all from me tonight. I thank you for taking the time to stop by. Have a great night!!

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