Step It Up to Graduation with Step It Up: Layering

Oh my goodness! I know so many young people that are graduating from school this spring. A niece, a nephew, a cousin, my son's good friend, AND my daughter, who is getting her master's degree! Lots of cardmaking!


This week's Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday #62 gave me just the inspiration I needed! Betsy Veldman shows us how to start with a simple stamped card like the one above and then step it up by adding your choices of color, stamps and/or dies.


To the stamped card, I added stars by punching and gluing small stars in black and red. I added the bigger stars by cutting apart the PTI Super Star Borders dies. I raised the larger solid stars up a bit by gluing with mounting tape.


Finally, using more mounting tape, I glued the base to a longer card and added die cut letters.


For my niece, I used the same basic design for the first and second layers. I changed the colors to match her school colors. For the final layer I added an embossed scalloped layer under the book stamp that I cut out and glued with mounting tape. I stamped "Congratulations" on another layer and put that over the embossed layer. I even added some glitter to the mounted stars. Thanks Betsy, for the inspiration!
To see some inspiration for your own cards go to:
http://nicholeheady.typepad.com/capture_the_moment/2012/04/make-it-monday-62.html


Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink-All Booked Up, Studio g-Graduation, Stampibilities-The Paper Studio
Dies: Super Star Borders Die
Inks: Versafine-Onyx Black, Color Box-Fireberry
Punches: EK scallop punch, star punch
Cuttlebug Moroccan Screen embossing folder, glitter glue

English Roses

Paper roses spun from pages of a discarded library book. Edges inked with the color scarlet.

Pretty enough to adorn a gift for a college graduate receiving a degree in English/Writing...Summa Cum Laude.

Busy May Days

This can be a busy time of year...graduations, mother's day, weddings...and if there are birthdays...it can be as crazy as the Christmas rush. I've been especially busy this year. I have the priviledge of knowing many special people that are graduating from school. A very special person that we know is graduating from medical school. Talk about a celebration! I just wanted to give this person a small token to say, "We're so proud."

I covered the gift in black paper and used a unique brown, cream and black sewing trim to wrap around it. A medical person reminds me of a wise old owl. Not only do you have to remember a lot of information...many times you have to have the wisdom and understanding to know just what to do with that knowledge that you have worked so hard to possess. So, I used an owl stamp, scanned and printed an image of the brain...conservative colors of brown, white, and black cardstock to make a card that would congratulate the medical school graduate.

This Sunday is Mother's Day. I searched through my stamps and decided to use this special stamp of a lady busy at a writing desk. I originally bought this stamp for my daughter to celebrate her ability to write. As I looked through my stamps I realized this stamp reminded me of my mother as well. My mother is part of the greatest generation and so she loves to do something not many do these days...write letters. My mother's favorite color is pink and she also loves roses so I used pink cardstock, punched out flower shapes, stamped the paper edges, folded, glued and added lace.

A Mother's Day card that looks just like Mom. Thank you Mom for being so special. How are you celebrating these May days?