Bloggers Challenge – Grads

Today's Bloggers Challenge theme is graduation cards or projects.  It is hard to believe the kids around here will be out of school next week.  Of course, high school graduation was last week.  We only had a couple grads in the family this year, and NO parties since they live some distance away!  I think this is the first year in AGES we haven't had at least ONE graduation party!

Well, originally I had another grad project done and ready to go for this week.  Do you think I can find it now to photograph it?  I don't know WHERE I put it!  I cleaned up all the scraps in my work area, and it must have been placed somewhere "safe".  When I find it, I'll share it with you…so frustrating!  I'm also in the midst of changing out my paper racks and redoing all my cardstock based on the new colors coming in.  It is there somewhere.

I think Owl Together Now works well for a non-traditional graduation card!  I got this set free for something…can't remember what now.  Although I haven't used this set a LOT, I definitely like some of the greetings in it, so it is another that will stay on my shelf.  Sometimes you just need those whimsical sayings!  Of course, I had to line up the owls on the branch stamped on Whisper White.  I watercolored them with Stampin' Write Markers and my AquaPainter, then cut them out and placed them.  I added a balloon that was cut out, too.  I wanted a little more greenery, so I stamped another branch and cut it out to place below the stamped one.  I used the My Way Punch and Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button (BOTH retiring accessories!)  I added some Linen Thread in the Corduroy Button to finish it off.

The base card is Certainly Celery cardstock and I used some of my retiring Flock Together Designer Paper in the background.  I added three strips of Not Quite Navy cardstock along the one side.  I didn't want to use a bow or ribbon since I wanted a more masculine feel to the card.  The Whisper White element was layered on Chocolate Chip cardstock.  Finally, I stamped Congrats from Fundamental Phrases in Not Quite Navy in the lower corner.

Don't forget to check out the Retiring Accessories, Stamp Sets and Decor Elements!  Click on the sidebar to see the PDF files.  Some GOOD sale prices available on accessories and pick up some of the retiring cardstock or ink refills before it is too late!  Click here to place an ONLINE ORDER!