Simple Graduation Cards

Last week, when I was frantically trying to come up with graduation cards for our group to make at church cardmaking, I put together these very simple cards...



I love the look of a rainbow of sentiments. Paper Smooches sentiments are so fun - they work perfectly for the rainbow! 

 Here's the masculine version...

   

The next card has nothing particularly unique or fun about it...except the sentiment. I want to give that sentiment a little more attention in the future because it's beautiful - but for now I just plopped it on a basic black and white grad card.

 

The sentiment is actually from Verve Breast Cancer set - but I think it works perfectly for graduation cards!

I need to get a few more grad cards up to the church card racks soon - but at least there's something there!!

I Spy Birthday Wishes

This is my second post today.  If you are looking for the

Splitcoast Color Challenge...it's just a short scroll down!

I love this week's sketch at iSpy Sketches!  It allowed me to add some very bright colors - while still staying clean and fresh!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Wishing You
• Paper: Stampin' Up Melon Mambo CS and dsp, Lucky Limeade dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Melon Mambo and Lucky Limeade
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Chartreuse button, Cuttlebug embossing folder, The Twinery Pink Sorbet, misc gem

Sympathy Vases in Neutrals

I am still having fun being a guest designer for the Splitcoast Color Challenge.  This week was a bit of a challenge as the colors are ALL neutrals: Whisper White, Sahara Sand and Basic Gray.  I am really looking forward to seeing what everybody comes up with.  My church card ministry has a need for sympathy cards and these colors were perfect.

If you are an avid reader of my blog, my teenage son says to tell you that I will be AFK through this week.  Sadly...I know what that means.  Even more sadly, I learned what it meant from my family's favorite TV show - Big Bang Theory!!  AFK means Away From Keyboard.  I am heading out of town to be with a friend going through chemo.  She lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota - deep enough in the hills that I will only have sporadic internet access.  I do have a couple of posts scheduled while I am gone - but I likely won't be reading or commenting on any of YOUR blogs!  I look forward to a full day of reading when I am back!!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Gracious Vases, Simply Stamped sentiment
• Paper: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand CS and dsp, Basic Gray
• Ink: Stampin' UP Sahara Sand and Basic Gray
• Accessories: Ranger Glossy Accents covered with a pinch of fine glitter, misc white ribbon

Butterfly Blessings

As soon as I saw the Splitcoast CAS Challenge which was a sketch, I immediately envisioned using this butterfly.  He is so bright and cheerful, and my plan this morning was to make a card for our church secretary.  There are normally two secretaries but one is out recovering from surgery.  Her duties have been spread around a number of us volunteers.  Can you imagine being the remaining secretary, trying to keep us all informed and then putting together the various pieces that we are doing?  Church secretary would be a virtually impossible job on a good day!

But when I pulled the butterfly out, he was facing the wrong way.  I didn't want him staring off the card so I simply flipped the sketch!

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Treasured
• Paper: Stampin' Up Pool Party
• Ink: Memento black and copics
• Accessories: Smooch Pearlized Top Coat, Nestabilities circle and scallop circle, American Crafts ribbon, Stampin' Up embossing folder

Opposites Attract with CAS-ual Fridays

This week's challenge at CAS-ual Fridays is to opposite, or complementary, colors on the color wheel.  I love blues/aquas and oranges together so this was a "must-play" challenge for me.

I also decided that I had better start using the various supplies that I had purchased and the various techniques that I had learned on a recent Tim Holtz  class from Online Card Classes.  I adore his techniques - the amazing colors - but I am not a vintage/grungy person.  I wish I could be better at it - I love it when I see it - but I cannot create a single thing that I like.  So I am challenging myself to use the techniques (and all the supplies that I purchased!) on simpler cards.

What do you think?...




This technique is to stamp with an archival ink, preferably very bright, and then sponge over with a distress ink.  The two inks repel so the orange stays vivid.  Tim Holtz did an example with about 4 vivid colors in vintage patterns and then he sponged with one of his famous browns - it was swoon-worthy!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Beautiful Butterflies
• Paper: Stampin' Up Tempting Turquoise, Ranger Glossy White
• Ink: Ranger Archival Ink Venetian Orange, Distress Inks in Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans, Stampin' Up Tempting Turquoise
• Accessories: Papertrey Beautiful Butterflies die, Aqua Mist button

Joyful Hearts Hummingbird

Today, over on the Sweet 'n Sassy blog, the design team is taking a look at some of the "older" sets.  I had signed up to do a card for this week's set - Joyful Heart - I love hummingbirds and this set has a gorgeous hummingbird image along with beautiful scripture that works with the image.

I almost immediately regretted signing up for this particular set.  I thought that the set deserved to be showcased by artists with amazing coloring ability.  (I do the basics - and I am just vain enough to believe that I do the "basics" well - but I am NOT an artist!)  As I thought about it - I realized that are only a true few artists out there and the rest of us need other options for creating beautiful cards.  (If you want to see a few true artists, check out the blog link above for three beautifully colored cards.)

I decided to keep the image very simple - and add my colors in the background...




You can see the stunning detail in the image, but I think the card is still rich and cheerful, even though the hummingbird itself is neutral.
I used the current sketch from the sweetest thing but flipped it sideways:

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Joyful Heart
• Paper: Stampin' Up More Mustard, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Confetti Tan, Very Vanilla
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Antique Ivory Embossing Powder, More Mustard and Cherry buttons, lattice embossing folder and Cherry Cobbler seam binding; Martha Stewart leaf punch

You Are Beary Special, Mom!

The vast majority of my cardmaking is for our church card-ministry and my very favorite time of year is Mother's Day.  We have three racks of cards for sale (by donation) and before Mother's Day, we remind everybody that ANY donation is welcome.  This means that our sweet young ones can pick out a card for their mothers and drop their pennies into the donation box.  It is utterly charming!

I made this card thinking that these little charmers would find this a perfect card for their mothers...




I used a simple little Rhubarb set from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps called Thoughtful Rhubarb.  I added a dot of black enamel accents to the eyes to give them a sparkle!  
The layout comes from Freshly Made Sketches:

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Thoughtful Rhubarb
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Fine Linen, Melon Berry, Simply Chartreuse
• Ink: Memento brown and copics
• Accessories: Sweet 'n Sassy Heart Scallop Border die, PTI Chartreuse ribbon, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Wilton Doily