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