Card of the Day - Con-Grad-ulations!

Hello and welcome back! Today's card is to celebrate a cousin who just earned her SECOND Master's degree!

Her school's colors are maroon and gold, and she earned her degree in education, which in the world of academic regalia, is a light blue hood.

I've used this "congratulations" stamp set before but this time it really gave me some trouble. I started out by heat embossing the outline, then doing the first set of letters with full strength Merry Merlot. I used my Stamparatus to help line everything up but the stickiness of the stamp pulled my paper ever so slightly out of whack. So I tried again. The second time was better, but when I went to stamp the second set of letters (Merry Merlot stamped off once), I had forgotten to move the stamp on the plate from the first attempt. After I cleaned it with my shammy it was still wet so some of the wet ink transferred to the cardstock before I stamped it. It's most noticeable on the "g" and the second "n" but not enough for a third try. It just looks "artistic" now!

The blue ribbon was created with the Blue Ribbon stamp set, along with a retired die and punch. 

This slimline card was inspired by the challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy stamping!

--Cindi

Supplies used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamp sets - Amazing Congratulations, Blue Ribbon, Here's A Card

Paper - Very Vanilla Thick Cardstock; Very Vanilla and Merry Merlot Cardstock; Gold Foil Paper

Ink - Versamark, Merry Merlot, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories - Gold Embossing Powder

Tools - Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits, Layering Circles Dies, 2-3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, Classic Label Punch, Heat Tool, Stamparatus, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Stampin' Dimensionals

SIP 150 - It's graduation time!

Hello and welcome back! Today I've got a graduation card for you. 

 One of our younger cousins just graduated earlier this month from the University of Toledo, so I tried to match the school colors as closely as I could using only Stampin' Up! products. I've created this card using the double z-fold technique. The punched graduation cap idea came from Wendy Lee's blog HERE. I'm trying to use up some of my old retired DSP so it came in handy for this card.

Here are a couple of close up shots.

This card is for the fancy fold challenge this week at Stamp Ink Paper. Too bad I missed out last week on the Dads & Grads challenge! 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day!

--Cindi



Supplies used (all Stampin' Up!):

Stamp sets - Amazing Congratulations, Bravo (retired)
Paper - Dapper Denim, Basic Black,  and Whisper White Cardstock, Regals DSP Stack (retired)
Ink - Dapper Denim, Crushed Curry, Daffodil Delight
Accessories - Neutrals Brads (retired), DMC pearl cotton #5 (for tassel)
Tools - Big Shot, Large Numbers Framelits, 1-3/8" square punch (retired), Large oval punch (retired), Paper-Piercing Tool, Mini Stampin' Dimensionals, SNAIL, Mini Glue Dots

Special cards for special people!

Hello and welcome back! I've got a couple of cards today that are not for challenges. A friend of my son got married last week. They've known each other since elementary school, and he is a very sweet and thoughtful young man. I sent this card to him and his new wife.

In the photos I saw on Facebook of the wedding, the bridesmaids were wearing dresses that were a dusty plum color, so I thought this would be the perfect color combination for this card. The base, stamping, and ribbon are Perfect Plum and the layer is Smoky Slate. I added a doily for interest and stamped on that as well.

The other card I sent out today is for my niece who just passed the test to become a Registered Nurse. She has worked so hard to get there, and even had a baby in the middle of her studies last summer! This is what I made for her.

I loved this stamp set as soon as I saw it in the new Occasions Catalog, and it will be so much easier to use when I get my new Stamparatus! I used Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, and Soft Sky for the stamping, and the card base is Early Espresso. Here's the inside:

I found this punch owl idea on Pinterest and just had to use it! 

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day! 

--Cindi



Supplies used - wedding card:

Stamp set - For the New Two (retired)
Paper - Perfect Plum and Smoky Slate Cardstock
Ink - Perfect Plum
Accessories - Delicate Lace Doilies, Perfect Plum 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon (retired)
Tools - SNAIL

Supplies used - congratulations card:

Stamp set - Amazing Congratulations
Paper - Early Espresso, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Real Red, and Basic Black Cardstock
Ink - Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Soft Sky
Accessories - Pool Party 1/4" Cotton Ribbon (retired)
Tools - Big Shot, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Owl Builder Punch (retired), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (retired), SNAIL, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Fine-Tip Glue Pen