Graduation card for Monkey Challenge #111

I have a large, extended family, so it seems as if someone is graduating from high school just about every year. I had no graduation cards on hand, so I was more than ready to make one using the A La Card Monkey Challenge #111: Graduation + Sketch.

Here's the whole card. I used a piece of Patio Party dsp, along with a Brights Button, linen thread, and Midnight Muse and Summer Starfruit inks. I hand cut the graduation cap and then ran it through the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. For the bottom, I got the curve from the Curly Label Punch. The tassel was made by cutting 1/8" Basic Black taffeta ribbon (for the string) and Basic Black dotted scallop ribbon for the tassel. The "congratulations" is from the Curly Cute stamp set.

Here's the sketch that you can follow. You don't have to make a graduation card. It can be whatever you need!

Stamps: Curly Cute;

Ink: Summer Starfruit; Midnight Muse;

Paper: Patio Party dsp, Midnight Muse, Raspberry Ripple, and Whisper White card stocks;

Accessories: Curly Label Punch, dimensionals, 1/8" Basic Black and Baja Breeze ribbons; Basic Black scallop dotted ribbon; Neutral brads; Brights button; sponge dauber, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Scallop Border Punch.

Hello, Doily thank you card

I received this card in the mail from Stampin' Up! Special Events team. They all signed it. Inside it says: We struck gold... by having you join us on our expedition to Alaska! We thank you for the commitment and hard work that made this trip possible and invite you to continue your efforts in the coming year! We look forward to seeing you in the Walt Disney World Resort in 2012!"

Isn't it pretty? It uses the new Hello, Doily background stamp with 5/8" Pretty in Pink satin ribbon. I love how the ribbon goes under the strip in the middle and is knotted in the middle of the design. The sentiment is from Curly Cute.

I'm not earning the trip to Disney World by choice. I talked about it with Eric and we decided we're saving for a 2-week trip to Greece next summer instead. I'd rather do that! I was an exchange student for a year there, and we can stay with my host sister and her family (big savings!). The Stampin' Up! land trip to Hawaii a few years ago was spendy for us to take the kids, which we did, so we knew Disney World would be costly too.

That said, I can't wait to see what the Stampin' Up! incentive trip is for this coming year! There's a shorter, 3-day getaway vacation being offered for the first time too. Two choices for something to work toward!

Sketch Challenge with Contempo Christmas...

I enjoyed using a sketch to create this card. The idea for this card started with the Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set. I wanted to use the penguin, but after spotting some Baja Breeze paper with glittery red dots in the Candy Cane Christmas dsp pack, I chose the reindeer so I could add a shiny red nose to go along with all the other dots on this card. (A little FYI here - did you know you can color Stampin' Up!'s rhinestone jewels with Sharpies? I'd suggest not coloring it when the rhinestone is on your card.)

The tree is from Contempo Christmas, stamped with all three colors on this card - Baja Breeze, Real Red and Crumb Cake. The greeting is from Curly Cute. I used several punches - the 1" and 1-1/4" circles for the reindeer layers, and the Scallop Edge Border Punch in Crumb Cake.

Stamps: Contempo Christmas, Curly Cute, Jolly Bingo Bits;
Ink: Baja Breeze, Real Red, and Crumb Cake;
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Candy Cane Christmas dsp;
Accessories: 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Clear Circle die, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, glimmer brad, rhinestones, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Artistic Etchings in Marina Mist...

This stamp-a-stack card uses Baroque Motifs and Curly Cute on a Top Note, as well as the the crown from Artistic Etchings - all stamped in Marina Mist.

My favorite part of the card is the Basic Rhinestone Jewels on the crown. These rhinestones are so sparkly!

Stamps: Artistic Etchings (118517 wood, 120573 clear), Baroque Motifs (113490), Curly Cute (117014 wood, 120510 clear);

Ink: Marina Mist pad (119668);

Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Marina Mist (119682), Bashful Blue (105120);

Accessories: 1-3/8" Circle Punch (119860), 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (119854), Top Note die (113463), Basic Rhinestone Jewels (119246).

Butterfly Prints thank-you cards...

Thank you Donna for an excellent workshop!

As a gift for Donna, I made up these 3" x 3" thank-you notes.

They use the Butterfly Prints and Curly Cute stamp sets, as well as a 1-1/2" x 3" piece of Pear Pizzazz dsp from the In Color Pad.

These notes were tucked into one side of a 3" x 6" envelope that had been sealed with the side cut open. In the other side were four envelopes. There was a stamped and punched out butterfly on the front, along with foliage and a bow of 3/8" white taffeta.

Stamps: Butterfly Prints (121049 wood, 120738 clear), Curly Cute (117014 wood, 120510 clear);
Ink: Rich Razzleberry pad (115658), Pacific Point pad (111837), Melon Mambo pad (115656), and Peach Parfait pad (119783);
Paper: Whisper White (100730), In Color Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack (117158)