Happy Graduation

Hi everyone.  It's the start of a new challenge at Addicted to CAS.  I can't believe how quickly time flies between challenges! :)

This challenge is hosted by the very creative and sweet Barb (Barb's Studio Creations) ... and she has chosen this word ...

This challenge is sponsored by

I made the above graduation card for a family friend who just graduated from Grade 12 at the end of June.  Natasha is a very smart, beautiful and talented young woman and I know she will enjoy her time at University.  Congrats Natasha!!

I used a panel I made a while back with concentrated liquid watercolour paint (yellow, orange, magenta) to die-cut the butterfly.

I stamped the sentiment in black, placing it so that the butterfly could snuggle right up against it.  I decided it needed something a little extra, so stamped the splat in gold ink for the background behind the butterfly.  To tie the butterfly in with the gold splats, I dry embossed the butterfly with script and sponged with Inka Gold wax paste.  I used a foam brush and swiped lightly across the embossing just to highlight the raised areas.  Using stiff foam works well for this.  I added just a little to the tips of the antennas as well. :)

I hope you'll find time to check out the ATCAS School Challenge.  You'll see the wonderful cards from our Design Team, along with a card made by our extremely talented August Guest Designer, Linda (PaperCutting Kind of Day).

I'm also going to add this to the Mixed Media August Card Challenge ... where they are looking for Butterflies this month, with an optional element of gold.  I know this is super CAS, but it does have a lot of mixed media in this card, but in small doses (stamping, watercolour sprayed background, die-cuts, dry embossing, and inka gold wax paste highlights). :)

And I'm adding it to Virginia's View Challenge #17 - All About Embellishments.  The butterfly embellishment is the star of this card. :)

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge (SU!); Happy (Simon Says)

Paper:  White (Neenah); Black (SU!); Watercolour (Arches 140 lb. cold press)
Ink:  Delicata Gold (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Yellow, Orange and Magenta Liquid Watercolour Concentrate (Dick Blick), Frost White Paint (Tsukineko), Moonlight butterfly die (Memory Box), sponge, Inka Gold

Challenges:

ATCAS #70 - School
Mixed Media August Card Challenge - Butterflies
Virginia's View #17 - Embellishments

Happy Graduation!

Hi everyone.  Today I had planned on making a graduation card for my second cousin Demi.  She just graduated from high school, and will be heading off to UBC in the fall.  We are all so proud of her!!

This morning I checked the challenge at Simon Says and it is "Stencil It" ... perfect, it's my favorite technique right now.  Before I could start my card, the postie dropped off my latest order from Simon Says Stamp and inside was this fabulous mesh stencil :)  I knew I had it ink it up right away.  LOVE IT! ... and know I will be using this A LOT!  I wanted to make a modern card, but with lots of bright colors to match Demi's personality.  This is what happened. :)  Super simple, CAS card that didn't take very long to make --- love it when that happens.  Since it's CAS, I'm entering it into the current challenge at ATS&M #99 - CAS.

I simply taped the mask over my card front and sponged five colors of ink in graduated tones.  I also added a little stenciled strip at the bottom inside of the card as well to tie it all together.  I cut out the letters in basic gray card stock, and then three times in white and glued them all together to create some thickness.  The challenge at Muse #71 - card by Therese Calvird inspired my design and the Fusion Challenge inspired the colors.

Muse #71 card by Therese Calvird

Edited to Add:  Thanks to Kimberly for letting me know that my card qualifies for Paper Crafting Challenge #11 - use stencils.  I was also going to add to Classy Cards n Such, but they didn't want to make my link ... ah, technology! :)

Paper:  110 lb. white (Neenah); Basic Gray (SU!)
Ink:  Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Calypso Coral, Regal Rose (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  Big Shot, High Rise alphabet dies (MFT), Textured Mesh Stencil (Memory Box), sponges

Challenges:
Simon Says - Stencil It
ATS&M #99
Muse #71
Fusion
Paper Crafting Challenge #11

Two more Grad cards

Today I'm posting a couple of grad cards I made for friends of Jer's that just graduated from university.  The first one is for Heather (my stamping friend), who just graduated with a degree in Atmospheric Science --- I hope I got that right! ... so that's why the owl is holding an umbrella :)

"Congratulations Heather!"

Stamp:  Love & Laughter (SU!)
Paper:  Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Basic Black, More Mustard, Bashful Blue, Daffodil Delight polka-dot DP, Bashful Blue polka-dot DP (SU!)
Ink:  Basic Black, Sahara Sand (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  2-part owl punch, scalloped oval punch, sponge, mini More Mustard brads, Lemondrop Twine (The Twinery), Big Shot, Umbrella die-cut (Memory Box), glue, adhesives, and dimensionals

Punched out the owl, sponged the Sahara Sand pieces, and glued everything together.  Hand cut the cap and added a mini brad and twine.

Mounted all the pieces, popping up the umbrella and congrat banner with dimensionals.

____________________

The second grad card is for Scott (my computer techie, who has helped me SO much with my blog).  Scott just graduated with a degree in Computer Science.

"Congratulations Scott!"

Stamp:  Outlined Occassions (SU!); grad cap (unknown)
Paper:  white cardstock, basic black (SU!)
Ink:  StazOn Black, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  adhesives

I stamped the sentiment in StazOn black and colored it in with Stampin' Write markers.   Stamped a grad cap on the "C" in basic black.  Mounted the panel onto a larger panel of Basic Black cardstock and then mounted onto the card base.  Easy and fun CAS card!

Grad Card

Today I'm doing a quick post of a card I made a week or so ago.  I usually don't hold back on posting cards, but this was for a friend's son who is graduating from high school ... and I didn't want to post it until he got it in the mail.  I followed the owl as per instructions I saw on Mary Fish's blog ... thanks Mary.  And I called the school to find out the color of the grad gowns, just so I could make it special.  Hope you like.

"Happy Graduation, Alexander"

Stamps:  Woodgrain (SU!); sentiment - unknown
Paper:  Whisper White, Soft Suede, Sahara Sand, Pacific Point, Basic Black, More Mustard (SU!)
Ink:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede (SU!)
Accessories & Tools:  2-step Owl Punch, mini Sahara Sand brad, Cappucino Twine (The Twinery),  Itty Bitty punch, scalloped oval punchsponge, glue, adhesives, and dimensionals

I stamped the woodgrain in Early Espresso ink onto Soft Suede cardstock.  I sponged more Soft Suede ink overtop to darken.

I punched out the owl, scalloped oval and itty bitty circles (for the glasses).  I hand cut the grad cap and the arms of the glasses.  The "diploma" is a scrap of computer paper rolled up and tied with more twine.

Here's a closeup of the owl:

I kept the card clean and simple, just adding the woodgrain at the bottom with some twine wrapped and tied in a knot. 

Happy Graduation Card

I had a request from Melissa on Splitcoaststampers asking for instructions on how to make the below Graduation card.  I made this card last October when my son received his degree in Visual Arts from SFU.  I CASE'd this card from Jackie Topa.  Hope you like.

 

"Happy Graduation Card"

 

 

Stamps:  None (computer-generated sentiment)

Paper:  Pacific Point, Real Red, Whisper White (SU!)

Ink:  Whisper White (SU!)

Accessories & Tools:  5/8" Basic Black satin ribbon (approx. 8"), small brad, gold thread, hole punch, sticky strips, adhesives and dimensionals

 

* * * * *

 

First I made the "shirt" ... using one the two pieces of 4" x 2" Whisper White (laying vertically), I scored a line from the 1" over from the top right to 1" down from the top right (diagonal line) and then creased the fold (see below picture for visual).  I repeated this with the second 4" x 2" piece but on the left hand side.
 
 

 
I then layered the left hand piece over top of the right, just overlapping slightly at center (about 1/8") and adhered them together.  I then cut a "V" shape with my shirt from the top left corner to the middle of the bottom and from the top right corner to the middle of the bottom (see below picture for visual).
 
 

 
I punched a hole in the middle, just under the collar of the shirt (or you could cut a slit with an Exacto knife).  I took the black satin ribbon and tied a loose 1/2 knot and fed one end through the hole and glued it to the back of the white cardstock.  I used a couple of glue dots to hold the "tie" onto the shirt.
 
I then used the Real Red 5/8" strips of paper to add a design on top by gluing them along the edge of the "V" and overlapping the strips at the bottom and then trimming any excess.  The thin strips of Pacific Point were placed on top of the red, overlapping at the bottom and then trimmed to created the "V".  Then the whole panel was adhered using sticky strips to the card base, lining it up with the top edge.

I framed the sentiment (that I printed on my computer) on Real Red cardstock and adhered to the bottom right side of the card front.

The "hat" was next.  I took the 2 1/2" piece of Pacific Point and scored a line 1/4" in on all four sides and folded the creases to the back and glued them down ... this give the illusion of depth of the hat, but you can certainly just use a 2" piece of cardstock instead.  I sponged the edges with Whisper White ink to give more definition to the hat since it would be sitting on the blue cardstock.  I punched a small hole in the middle, made a tassel out of gold thread and threaded it through the hole and glued it to the back and then added a small brad through the same hole.  The hat was attached to the card and popped up with dimensionals to give it even more depth.

I framed the inside white panel with Real Red cardstock and adhered to the inside of the card.