Back to School Book Worm

Note to my email subscribers: You might have gotten two emails about this blog post. One from my old provider and one from the new. I'm sorry for the duplicate but I wanted to make sure the new sender was up and running properly before discontinuing the old. Thanks for your patience.

For this week's Back to School Challenge at The Kraft Journal, I chose to make an extra large card (5.25" x 8.25") for our grandson. A large tag was cut from Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock for the inside of the bag. A piece of white cardstock was layered on top and embellished with Notebook Grid Paper Tape. This tape was also used to made a hole reinforcement for the top of the tag. To make the reinforcement, I lined up two short strips of tape side-by-side on a piece of white cardstock. Using a small circle die, I die cut a circle and then punched a hole in the middle with my Crop-o-Dile. White Twill Tape was threaded through the hole and tied off with baker's twine.

After inserting the tag into a  Large Notebook Merchandise Bag, I wrapped Red , Brown Kraft  and Dark Green Baker's Twine around it. A button from my stash was added to the twine before tying it off in a knot. I then adhered the bag to a base of Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock. The top of the base was trimmed to match the shape of the bag. I matted the Copic colored image and a piece of a Vintage Dictionary Page on cardstock from my scrap basket and layered them on the bag front. More scrap cardstock was cut into fishtail banners to add to the top of the bag. The computer generated sentiment was added to a die cut banner and popped up over the baker's twine. The worm's glasses and the highlights on the apple were accented with a glaze pen. Our grandson's name was written with a Sharpie near the top of the bag.

Supplies in addition to those listed above:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), scraps from my scrap basket
Stamps: Digi Stamps 4Joy (Book Worm)
Copics: Worm (G03, 07, 09; Y13, 17), Hat (N3, 5, 7, 9; Y35), Apple (R22, 24, 27; E25), Books (#1 - B21, 23, 26; E40, 50; #2 - E000, 02, 07, 08, 09; #3 - BG72, 73, 78; E40, 50; #4 - $22, 24, 27, 29; N0, 1, 3; #5  E31, 33, 35, 37, 40, 50; #6 - Y000, 32; YG03, 05; G14; E31)
Tools/Embellishments: Sakura glaze pen, Crop-o-dile, Spellbinders die (Standard Circle Small), Simon Says Stamp die (Folded Banner)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Eureka Stamps Challenge #152 -  Washi tape
Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge Week 30 - Animal (of any type)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #257 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #273 - Anything Goes
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll play along in this week's Back to School challenge!!

Perseverance - Graduation

This month, Deedee's Digis is sponsoring the challenge at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog.  The theme this month is Perseverance.  Regular visitors to my blog know that I've really come to enjoy the Path of Positivity challenge and have even had the privilege of being a Guest Designer for them.  So I'm extra happy today to get to combine two things I really enjoy....Deedee's Digis and the Path of Positivity!

It's the time of year for graduations.  When I think of perseverance, graduating from school comes to mind. We personally know several graduates from all levels and types of schools this year...high school, home school, Christian school, college and even grad school. Each one has had to work hard to accomplish their work load and complete the course to earn their degree.  That takes perseverance. This shaker card will be going to one of those graduates.  I used a sentiment and one of the pre-colored images from the Congratulations Graduate set. 

For Non-EU Customers ONLY

For EU Customers ONLY

After matting the patterned paper, a circle die was used to make the shaker portion.  Star sequins are inside the shaker and provide accents on the card front. Two nesting circle dies were used to make a frame for the shaker window.  Several of these frames were stacked on top of each other for some added dimension.  A label die that reminds me of a book was used to mat the sentiment.  The mat for the sentiment panel was made by tracing the outside of the die on the cardstock and then hand cutting it.

Here is another view with the shaker pieces mid-shake.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Creativity Inc. (gray), Papertrey Ink (image and sentiment panels), Georgia Pacific (card base and interior panel), The Paper Temptress (acetate)
Patterned Paper:  Recollections
Stamps: Deedee's Digis (Congratulations Graduate)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders dies (Standard Circles Large, Labels 7), V's Sweet Ideas sequins (Holographic Stars 5mm), Stickles (Star Dust), Darice fun foam, Multi-Medium Matte

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:
Craft Your Passion Challenge #260 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #371 - Use a Sentiment
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #244 - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today.  I hope you'll have time this month to play along in the Perseverance themed challenge at the Path of Positivity blog.  You will have a chance to win a $25 gift code to the Deedee's Digis store if you do!!

10 Years Ago Today

 Today's post is a bit more personal than usual but it does contain a card. :)

Ten years ago today, we celebrated our son's graduation from high school.  We were a homeschooling family so when a child graduates from high school, it is not only their accomplishment but a family one as well.  Ian put a lot of hard work into his schooling and in spite of some obstacles finished well.  It's hard to believe that he's been out of school for 10 years already.  What an eventful decade it has been!!  He went away to college for a year, we moved, he got a good full-time job and has had several promotions, he met his wife and married her, and they have had a son.

We wanted to celebrate with him how thankful we are for how he's allowed the Lord to work in his life over these 10 years and how proud we are of him.  So, I made him a card (of course!) and we gave him a small gift.  A couple weeks after his graduation, we celebrated by going on a fishing trip to Ely.  He's with his dad doing the same thing now.

I made his card in the colors he chose as "his" school colors (red, white and black).  The diamond shape and stripes remind me of all the years he spent playing baseball.  Sports have always been a big part of his life. The image on the front was heat embossed.  A few brads and some faux stitching finish it off.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red), Recollections (black)
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (Quilting Bee)
Ink:  Versamark
Stamps:  Gina K Designs (Masculine Tags)
Tools/Embellishments: brads (Making Memories), Stampendous Opaque White embossing powder, Spellbinders (Classic Diamonds, Labels 22), Uni-ball Signo white gel pen, Staedtler fine tip black marker

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Clear it Out Challenge - Father's Day or Masculine using some stars
Inky Chicks Challenge #30 - Use metal Embellishment
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stand By Your Man (Masculine cards)
Fab 'n Funky Challenge #219 - Father's Day or For the Men in your Life


Thanks for stopping by.  Come back in a couple hours for my Word Art Wednesday post.

A Drop of Ink....

I have another "Back to School" card to share with you today.  Now, this card does not specifically have the words "Back to School" on it but it was sent to a grad student for that purpose.  :)  It also has a lot of school-themed elements...books, pencils, pens, and owls.  Owls just seem like an "education" bird to me.  I also used my favorite "Back to School" paper - Basic Grey's Oxford collection.

I saw this cool fold on this German lady's blog.  As you know I love fancy folds and just had to give this one a try.  I converted her measurements to inches and made my interior folded piece 7"x7".  The card base is a standard 4.25" x 5.5" card.  I used good cardstock for the interior and added matting & patterned paper.  While I like the look, it does mean the card ends up quite thick when folded up and it definitely will not go flat.  I mailed it (with extra postage of course) in a envelope for a 5"x7" card.

I have had this box of "Proverbs to Go" by K & Company for years.  I was looking through it recently and found this great quote.  Since the card is going to a writer in grad school, I thought it so appropriate.  Writers have such a unique tool to influence so many people by what they write.  It can be both a reminder and an encouragement.

On one of the recent challenges at Word Art Wednesday, May Pack posted a card that had a book embellishment on the front that she had made.  You can see her book embellishment here.  I loved it and had to try it out for myself.  I had some tissue-paper script paper that I used for the book's pages.  A piece of cardstock made the cover and some leather thread tied up the book. A Stampin' Up! owl punch adds to the school theme.  I added red Stickles to the heart and a black pen for his pupils.

I used a Spellbinders Owl die for my interior image and stamped two of the sentiments from the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Across the Miles set on him. I used the eyes and heart from the Stampin' Up! punch for his eyes and drew his nose and outlined him with a white gel pen.  I left the bottom square blank so that I could write a message.

The card will stand up on its own and folds up well.  I waited until I had the folded square completely done before cutting off the points that stuck over the card edge.  Next time I think I'll cut them off before doing all the decorating. This card fold has a cool look but really isn't hard.  If you have any questions about it, leave me a comment below and I'll try to help.

Supplies:
Cardstock  Bazzill, Recollection
Patterned Paper:  Basic Grey (Oxford), Recollections (Script Tissue-Paper)
Ink:  VersaFine (Vintage Sepia)
Stamps:  Sweet 'n Sassy (Across the Miles)
Tools/Embellishments:  Creative Memories fine point black pen, Sharpie Ultra Fine Point brown pen, Uni-Ball Signo white pen, thread (Silver Creek Leather Co.), brads (American Crafts), sticker behind owl on front (Basic Grey Oxford), Stickles (Christmas Red), Spellbinders (Owls), Stampin' Up! Owl punch, Proverbs to Go (K & Company)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Terrifically Thrilling Thursday - Roll 'em (3-Die or punch, 4-Kraft paper, 2-border)
Basic Grey Challenge #101 - Back to School/Good Luck
Aud Sentiments #88 - Any Sentiment
Milk Coffee Challenge - Back to School
Shopping Our Stash #117 - Back to School
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Back to School
Inky Chicks #12 - Stiching - Real or Faux

Thanks for stopping by to visit today.  

Back to School

It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  This week's focus verse is Isaiah 40:31, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  I think it's an appropriate "Back to School" verse, especially for college students.  With a grad student in the family, we have college on the brain.  :)  School, college or otherwise, sometimes is an endurance contest.  Those students {and teachers :) } who are able to wait on the Lord and let Him work things out, are able to endure to the end because the Lord will renew their strength.

This week's card has a lot of distressing and inking on it. I actually pulled out my distressing tool.  I used to use it all the time but lately it's not been out of its pocket. If I had it to do over, I would have used a lighter ink  - I think it's a bit dark but I'll have to live with it on this one.  I colored the student with Copics and fussy cut him. He is actually part of a digi set that was generously provided to the Word Art Wednesday Design Team by Jellypark.  They are one of our sponsors this week.  Be sure to check them out - they have so many adorable digis. I used a Basic Grey layered sticker on my focus panel. But where's this week's focus verse you ask?  Glad you asked.  :)

I did quite a bit of interior decorating on this card and used the verse on the interior.  Again, I did some sponging (and again I'm wishing it was a lighter ink).  In keeping with the school theme and because it's a Bible verse, I die cut the verse with a book shaped die.  I traced around the outside of the die and hand cut the mat.

I really like this ruler paper.  I think it's perfect for back to school type projects and/or masculine cards.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollections
Patterned Paper:  Crate Paper (Farmhouse 6x6 pad)
Ink:  Memento (Espresso Truffle)
Stamps:  WordArt by Karen, Jellypark (Let's Fly Away)
Copics:  E00, 07, 11, 25, 29, 31, 35, 37, 50; B000, 26, 39; R20, 27, 29; 100
Tools/Embellishments:  Creative Memories fine point black pen, Uni-Ball Signo white pen, Offray ribbon, Basic Grey Oxford Pop-Up, DMC Floss (ecru), buttons from my stash, Spellbinders (Deckeled Rectangle Small, Labels 7), Heidi Swapp Edge Distresser

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Really Reasonable Ribbon #79 - Back to School + ribbon
Wags 'n Whiskers #111 - Back to School
Crafty Ribbons #59 - Back to School
Crazy 4 Challenges #201 (C4C201) - Buttons and bows
2 Sisters Challenge #159 - Sketch
Milk Coffee Challenge - Back to School
Shopping Our Stash #117 - School or Office/Workplace
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - Back to School
Inky Chicks Challenge #12 - Stitching (Real or Faux)
Just Us Girls #204 - Distressing

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope your week is going well and that you'll have time to share your newest project(s) with us at Word Art Wednesday.