Pomp and Circumstance

May is graduation month here in Georgia, beginning with the colleges and universities. The high schools will have their commencements Memorial Day weekend. One of the partners at my store graduated from Georgia State University this past weekend, and I organized a gift for her from all of us baristas.

I'd seen this card by Jackie Topa and thought it was a great way to capture the spirit of graduation without purchasing a stamp set devoted specifically to the event. I heard someone share at SU!'s annual convention a few years ago that she doesn't purchase a set unless she can envision three different uses for it. I think that's sound advice.

This card starts out as an 8" square piece of Basic Black card stock, folded gate style (2" in from each side) to create a gown effect that opens down the middle. I then took 2-2" squares of Whisper White card stock and punched one corner of each with my Scalloped Corner punch. This punch was featured in the Occasions Mini and will be in the new Big Idea Book & Catalog that comes out July 1. I scored a line parallel to the corner to create a collar.

The cowl is made with a scrap strips of Brilliant Blue and Real Red card stock, the school's colors. The mortar board is just a 2" square piece of Basic Black with a silver brad attached in the middle. I followed Jackie's instructions for making the tassel.

I also followed her lead--why reinvent the wheel?--and used the congratulations stamp from Well Scripted. Isn't the diploma just a cute little finishing touch? Shawn loved it, and I was tickled that she did. It was the perfect size for a note and a bit of cash, a gift always appreciated by graduates.

Father's Day at Ronald McDonald House

This is the week each month that I go to the Ronald McDonald House and provide a crafting opportunity for the families staying there. Because we only go once a month, I try to provide a card that is suitable for the next holiday on the calendar. This month, that would be Father's Day.

This card was inspired by something I saw on Kristina Werner's blog almost a year ago. She made a photo card with a patchwork background that was 4" x 12", scored at 3" in from each end to create a trifold card. Since I didn't have any 12" x 12" card stock, I chose to make mine a bit differently. I cut a 4" x 9.25" piece of Really Rust card stock and scored it at 3" in from each end and then got to work.

I cut dozens of 1" squares from the Outlaw Designer Series Paper I have had for several years and determined to use instead of save for later. The sentiment is one of my all-time favorites, from a long ago retired set called Gratitude. Isn't it a perfect thing to say to a father?

Then I got out my Wanted stamp set and my only Father's Day stamp and started stamping. I only used RR ink because it's easier for all concerned if there's only one color of ink to stamp with. The trifold panels could be used to place pictures of kids and dads, but the families at the House probably don't have those handy, so I didn't go that route.

The trifold is mounted on a single sheet of 4.25" x 5.5" RR card stock. I thought the 4" x 9" just turned out to be a bit too small on its own.

Last month there were all boys at the house, so I hope the census is similar this month. I think they'll like stamping with this Western themed set.

For My Sister

LOTS of birthdays in the family this month--5! Three of them are this week!! Today is my sister's 41st birthday. No big celebration like last year (I sent her 40 pieces of her favorite toffee from our favorite chocolate shop), but that doesn't mean her day should pass without acknowledging her and what makes her special.

This card utilizes another favorite color combination (Tempting Turquoise and Gable Green) that I won't be able to craft with after June 30, when GG is retired. I'm not planning on stocking up on retiring colors; there are new options and I'm going to embrace change! If you don't feel similarly though, I would advise you to act immediately and shop online to get what you'd like to have and hoard.

This card is fairly simple. It was inspired by one I saw online, but when I went back to find it, I couldn't. This one by Nancy Riley comes closest to what I saw. I stamped the grass image from Inspired by Nature in Garden Green on Whisper White card stock. I stamped it again on a smaller piece and matted it with GG and TT. The butterfly is from Flight of the Butterfly, and the solid 'fly is inked in TT and stamped off once, and the overlay of flowers is not.

Deciding where to place the greeting was the most challenging part of this entire layout. I finally went with the plain "Happy Birthday" from It's Your Birthday and determined the more meaningful sentiment would go on the inside.

My sister has not always been my confidante; we fought as kids and I even pulled her hair and strong armed her at times to try to get her to do what I wanted her to do. Today, though, we are close, and I'm so thankful to have her not only as a sibling but as a friend. She's been there for almost everything and she loves me. She's an amazingly talented pianist, incredibly organized household manager, and unconditionally loving wife and mother. Hugs from here, sister! Wish we could go for lunch.

So Long, Farewell...

All demonstrators have a favorite color combination. I like Elegant Eggplant and Apricot Appeal together, even though you don't see this often in my cards. I just don't think many other people enjoy it as much as I do, so I save it and use it only once in awhile. Well, Apricot Appeal is one of the colors being retired June 30, so I thought I'd better use it while I can.

Fellow demonstrator Andrea Walford highlighted a technique called Craft Resist, which uses Craft Ink to create a background color over an embossed image. I don't have any Craft Ink other than Whisper White, but I was curious to see if the technique would work with Classic Ink. I followed Andrea's instructions by first stamping my image, from Watercolor Trio (it's SO versatile!), in Versamark and then embossing it with Clear Embossing Powder.

I swiped it with my EE pad until I had the amount of color I wanted on the Whisper White card stock. I could've left it a bit more streaky, but I'm pleased with the result. The ink that covered the image wiped off, and would've been stunning on its own with the white serving as a stark contrast to the color. But Andrea removed the Embossing Powder by melting it with an iron so that she could place color with Stampin' Pastels on the image.

I applied the dry heat and, sure enough, it melted! So I used Old Olive and AA chalks and I like the soft look it created. I used Q tips to apply the chalk; I wish there was a better tool, but it got the job done. I matted it on Whisper White and mounted it on Apricot Appeal.

In my stash of EE card stock, there was this 4.25" x 11" piece, folded to overlap and with rounded corners; I'm sure it was left over from another card attempt that didn't work out. I decided it was perfect and stamped the same image I used in the technique in Versamark to create a background pattern.

I have a friend whose birthday is coming up early in June, so I wanted to create a way for her to be able to keep the art after she was finished with the card. When I pulled out the 5/8" Old Olive grosgrain ribbon so that it would help pull that color out of the main image, the idea for a bookmark suddenly popped into my head. I adhered the entire piece using temporary mono adhesive. It can be removed and the sticky stuff rubbed off; then she can use it to mark her spot in her favorite book.

Since this card ended up having a bookish theme, I'd like to know what you're reading this summer. I just finished Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. Fantastic! What do you suggest?

For the Clothes Horse on Father's Day

I always have trouble designing a Father's Day card, since my husband doesn't seem to fall into a specific category. He's not a sports fan, he's not a hunter, he's not a car guy, and he's not my personal version of "Tim the Toolman". So, most of the stamp sets geared toward guys just don't fit him.

Since I figure I'm not the only one with this issue, I try to make my annual Father's Day card something masculine without being stereotypical. It's HARD! This year, I wanted to use up some retired Manchester Designer Series Paper, and I wanted to make a card that I could use for card making time at the Ronald McDonald House next week. It dawned on me that most men like to be considered stylish, so I tried to make a card that would capture the "inner clothes horse" in every dad.

I came up with this. I think it looks like an argyle sweater vest layered over a shirt. At least that's what I was going for! It was also my goal to use up some retired Soft Sky card stock, so to me, this is a win-win result!

The card is 5.5" x 8.5", scored at 2 1/8" in from each side on the 8.5" length. This creates the center opening and is also known as a gate fold. For the message, I grabbed "love you much" from Well Scripted, and the only "Happy Father's Day" stamp I own, from another retired set called All Year Cheer II.

I'd really like your feedback on this. Would this suit your card giving needs for dear ol' Dad this year?

Wedding Card

I haven't been to a wedding since last fall, and I don't see any on the horizon in the near future. Still, having a go-to layout for a unique wedding card in my repertoire is a necessity, so when I saw the free card template for this creation a few months ago on Lynn Pratt's blog, I filed it away. Yesterday I got around to giving it a trial run. I really like how it utilizes the Bride Specialty Paper and captures the elegance of this once in a lifetime event.

I followed the template for the most part, although I eliminated some panels that were to be added to the dress, and I decided to let the DSP speak for itself. The groom's tux also uses the DSP, and the single brad is silver.

I added my own interior, deploying Dazzling Diamonds judiciously on the swirl from Baroque Motifs. I think the "congratulations" stamp from Well-Scripted is perfect for this card, don't you?

Like I said, there are no weddings for us to attend this summer. What about you? What are your summer plans?

Sweet Scoops Sketch Challenge

I saw this sketch being used by various stampers whose work I like--Nancy Riley, Vicki Burdick, and Laura Fredrickson. It's the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 68 by Karen Giron, and I thought I'd see if I could use it with the Sweet Scoops stamp set that's new to the Summer Mini. There's inspiration abundant on the internet, and crafters are among the most generous people I know.

I started with a base of Pretty in Pink and layered Rose Red on it. Then I pulled out the Thoroughly Modern File Folders again and cut pieces from my scraps to create the layout. Love those and will miss them when they're gone!

I have a friend who doesn't like ice cream. I'm not sure how we're friends with this ginormous obstacle in our path, but we manage to get along somehow. The only ice cream she'll eat is called Blue Moon, made by Sherman's, an amazing ice cream maker in southwest Michigan. I know she'll smile when she opens this card, because she'll know which ice cream I'm evoking by my image. And it IS that blue, folks. I can't describe what it tastes like, but it's a little bit like cotton candy. I'm partial to Chocomania, but I'll have to just dream about it, since I'm 80 bazillion miles away from the source.

One detail stamp that's a great addition to this set is a small stamp that allows you to create the rippled effect that comes from the scoop. It makes it more realistic, even though it's BLUE!

Thanks for the sketch, Karen, and thanks for the beautiful samples, Nancy, Vicki, and Laura! Bring on summer!