A Dahlia for Retirement

There is a long-time employee retiring from our department at the end of the week. I already made my personal card from me to her here but now my department has asked me to make a card for all of us to sign.  They don't usually ask for cards like this - but in this case, she is all about her dahlias and they knew I could find a way to add a dahlia to the card.

This is a 5x7 card. That's not my normal size so I struggled a bit but I needed space on the inside for 16 people to sign it.  It probably needed to be bigger but they'll just have to write small!

I did have to go shopping for the requested dahlia and I found this gorgeous die from Gina K which, had I noticed it earlier, would already have been in my collection.  I don't know much about dahlias so I googled images.  Apparently the most common is a red, but I saw yellow ones with orange centers and they were just so cheerful that I used that color scheme for the card.

I had different butterflies in mind but I could not find my favorites. That frustrates me so much because I believe I am hyper-organized, or maybe it's just I love the act of getting organized. They were definitely not with my other butterflies. I even flipped through my entire stash of flower dies in case they were misfiled there - nope.  They are misfiled somewhere (hopefully not accidentally in the garbage can at some point in the past) and I hope they turn up.  So I'm not totally in love with what I used - but I wanted it to be more graphic than realistic and I wanted them to have a die for the body so I could add a bit of black - and this is what I had.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Waffle Flower Happy Retirement and dies

Dies: Gina K Designs Dahlia Flower Cover Plate, Birch Press Simple Butterfly Contour Layers

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight and Crumb Cake

Other: Gina K Designs Lattice Embossing Folder

Freshly Made Sketches: Happy Retirement

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jen Mitchell and here’s what I did with it!

 

I have a workmate who announced she was retiring three years ago.  Not that in 2021, she said she'd be retiring in 2024 - but that she was actually retiring in 2021.  She had a calendar in her office on which she crossed off each day. Well one thing happened after another, both at work and in her life situation and it's now 2024 and she has announced that she is retiring in May.  This time I believe her. 

Her retirement plan is actually working a little "farm" which they bought about three years ago. They sell their local produce to various restaurants in the area and she raises prize-winning dahlias. I don't have anything farm-related in my stash and I don't have dahlias but I do have these cheerful little Nordic flowers. They have such a happy look, I thought they would be perfect for retirement.

The colors took me the longest to pick but that's fairly normal for me. I started with my comfort-zone colors of flamingo, mango and daffodil but it was a little "cutesy" for my future farmer. I just kept switching out colors until it felt like my friend. I had so many flowers in so many colors all over my desk, I couldn't even tell you at this point what the colors are that I ended up with! I do sometimes wonder why I obsess over each and every card.  I know my friend would have appreciated any version I made. But luckily I do like the process and I just keep going until it feels right.

FYI: The tall flower pot is actually taller. I trimmed a strip off the top and bottom of it to fit this 4 1/4" square card. Without the trimming, it would fit nicely on a taller card.  Also, there are smaller flowers in the flower set which I used on this card. 

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Big Balloon Sentiments

Dies: Poppystamps Nordic Flower Pots and Stems, Nordic Flower Heads, Nordic Butterfly Trio

CAS Colours & Sketches: Happy Retirement

I recently purchased a "retirement" stamp set in preparation for a couple of retirements in my office...next year.  But a third person just surprised us with a retirement before Thanksgiving.  I have very mixed emotions about this.  She's 68 and has been looking forward to retirement for the three years that I've worked there.  (Her new bosses will be her grandchildren!)  My heart is happy for her.  However, I'm her backup and now I'm going into the busy Christmas season with my job and her job.  The rest of me is already stressed out.

Mixed emotions or not - I don't let any office occasion go by without a card!


For this lady, I needed clean and simple - she's a no-frills person.  And while I wanted it to be feminine, I didn't want pastel.  So I was thrilled with the colors at CAS Colours & Challenges.  I pulled out my old Stampin' Up patterned paper and put them behind a new-to-me trio of flowers.  I think it's just right for her!!

(And I really am thrilled for her.)

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Waffle Flower Happy Retirement
Dies: Waffle Flower Happy Retirement dies, Memory Box Stitched Tulips, Mama Elephant Femme Frames
Paper: Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz and Rich Razzleberry cardstock, the older Rich Razzleberry and Blushing Bride designer series paper
Other: Honey Bee Stamps Black Gem Stickers

Happy Retirement with an Autumn Leaf

I had grays and yellows and reds, and autumn leaves on my mind from yesterday's card - so when I started thinking about a retirement card that I needed to make - I went the same direction!


Just recently I saw some cards on Pinterest using this leaf and I immediately ordered it.  Here's the blog post that Pinterest linked to.  Aren't those cards wonderful?  I used the same stained glass type of idea with my card but I went with fall colors.  I backed the whole thing with a smoky gray to give it an elegance and plopped a few sequins on it to give it some autumn frost. I did try to add a bit of creativity to it.  I adhered the center of the leaf and then curved up the edges. To keep the colored pieces in those sections, I adhered some vellum on the back of those leaves.  

Did you notice that yesterday and today, I added some "staging" to my cards?  I have fought this kicking and screaming because I already obsess over each and every card, I just don't have time to obsess over the decorations!!  But someone (sorry, I can't remember who - but thank you if it's you!) recently said that they like the staged decorations because it helps the camera focus.  Darned if they weren't right!!  It's like the camera had something to grab on to - because I spent significantly less time taking and playing with these photos. I'm sure this is all mental - but it worked for me - so I ran right to Hobby Lobby and got all kinds of fun staging supplies!!
SUPPLY LIST
I had to go way back in time for a retirement sentiment.  (I have a great sarcastic set from Taylored Expressions - Clocked Out Grumplings - but sarcasm didn't work on this one.)  This sentiment is a wood Stampabilities sentiment that's easily a decade old.  NOTE TO STAMP DESIGNERS - all of those happy sets with a "happy" die and coordinating words - why not add "retirement"!!

Technique Tuesday Garden Leaves	MFT Blueprints 13 Die	PTI Smokey Shadow Ink	PTI Smokey Shadow CS
PTI Terracotta Tile CS	PTI Green Parakeet	PTI Bright Buttercup CS	PPP 6 mm Sparkling Clear Sequins

InLinkz.com

Taylored Expressions Sneak Peek 3: Graduation to Retirement

It's day 3 of sneak peeks for the April release from Taylored Expressions!!  I have a new Grumpling today!!  My cards are going to go from a graduation card to a grumpy retiree!  (My grad card is nice, but check out the other designers because there are some grumpy grads too!)

Be sure to check out all of the other designers starting on the Taylored Expressions blog because there is just too much for one designer to show off in just a few days.
All the products that I have used are linked at the bottom, but remember that new products aren't available until Thursday, April 7, 7 a.m. PST.

Taylored Expressions is celebrating Release Week with some fabulous giveaways! Visit the TE blog to answer Taylor's Question of the Day for a chance to win a prize from the latest release!

Little Bits - Hat's Off

I like this Little Bits - Hat's Off die. It's the perfect size to plop on the new Congrats Script die.  Or you could do a bunch of them and have the hats flying in the air. They are just a great little accent. 

I kept this a simple card - it's going to be my go-to grad card this year because it's so easy to change up the colors as needed. This color scheme is for the school at which my husband coaches lacrosse. He routinely comes to me at the last minute and needs a bunch of graduation cards for this seniors. Now I have a head start with the design!!

(Be sure to keep scrolling past this product list because I also have a "grumpy" card to show you. And remember that links to new products will not work until tomorrow.)

Little Bits - Hats Off	Congrats Script	Stitched Circle Stacklets	Banner Stacklets 1
Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	Premium Cardstock - Oreo	Premium Cardstock - Jelly Donut	Premium Cardstock - Metallic Neutrals
TE Sequins - Wedding

InLinkz.com

Clocked Out Grumplings
How many of you are addicted to the Grumplings series??  Yeah, me too!!  This release has two smaller Grumplings sets - Grad Grumplings and Clocked Out Grumplings which I am using here. 

That grumpy guy sitting his comfy chair is darn cute. I added some colorful indoor scenery from last month's release. I wanted to keep it colorful to emphasize his brown and gray outlook!  The sentiments in the set are fabulous. I used this one because it fit the card. My favorite of all is the one that says "Retirement...goodbye crap...hello nap"!

The background is just a scrap of light gray cardstock. I love the way bright colors pop!

Clocked Out Grumpling Stamp & Die Combo	Build a Scene - Window	Build a Scene - Nursery	Stitched Rectangle Stacklets
TE 6x6 Paper Pack - Rainbow Brights	Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	Premium Cardstock - Salt Water Taffy	Premium Cardstock - Lemon Meringue
Premium Cardstock - Cherry Pop	Premium Cardstock - Cookie Monster	VersaMark - Watermark Stamp Pad	Zing! Embossing Powder - White Opaque

InLinkz.com

Tomorrow is release day!  Don't forget to answer the questions on the TE blog for a chance to win prizes. And then check back tomorrow to see if what you've won!