Truthfully, I didn't expect to get any challenges done this week. Aside from a busy schedule, Tracy and I have spent hours working out the details for our cross-country trip this summer and making reservations. But this afternoon I needed to make a retirement card for one of two friends who are retiring this month. The CPS 117 Sketch worked out perfectly.
Along with approximately 6,000 other students, Matt graduated from Cornell yesterday. It was a beautiful day, and Cornell had the event orchestrated to the minute. All the graduates file into the stadium by college. Following the remarks by the president and some songs from the glee club, each college is recognized, and then the graduates return to their respective colleges for diploma ceremonies. It was a great day, and we couldn't be more proud of all his accomplishments.
Matt received a B.S. in Plant Science, majoring in Plant Breeding and Genetics.
Here's the card I made for him, using my new stamps from Paper Trey Ink, lifted from Lisa Johnson's beautiful sample.
It's been a crazy week and I never would have gotten a card done for this challenge if the deadline hadn't been extended. I didn't vary Karen's sketch much and had a chance to use my Birds of a Feather stamps that arrived from Paper Trey yesterday.
Paper Trey patterned paper, cardstock, ink, and stamps.
I actually finished this a few weeks ago, but never posted it. Today is the day to post the monthly project on Davinie's blog so I quickly took a photo of it.
It's been a nice little project. When we were in Chicago this weekend I managed to find two more tags at Paper Source. I still need four more, but hopefully I'll find them on our road trip this summer. I have lots to share, but a ton of photos to edit first.
We're celebrating here with a brunch for my mother-in-law and will be joined by my sister-in-law and her family. For the first time ever neither Sarah or Matt will be here, but I'm feeling grateful rather than sad. The fact that I had one or both of them here for 25 years in a row is amazing, and for that I am grateful. I'm also grateful that they are both happy where they are (although a bit stressed since both are facing end of term papers, presentations, and exams.) Here's the card I made for my mother-in-law:
Yesterday I couldn't seem to get anything creative going, but today I finished three cards. The first is for the CPS 144. I liked this week's sketch and it gave me an opportunity to get some more practice with my Copic markers. I think I finally have mastered cutting and embossing with the Nestibilities dies on my Cuttlebug. I could never seem to get a deep enough embossing. Now I run it through twice and that seems to do it.
And a close-up:
Patterned paper by Crate Paper and Scenic Route; Lockhart stamp, Copic markers, Paper Trey Ink cardstock, Martha Stewart border punch.
The second challenge was the card*a*licious 21 challenge. The criteria were to use pink, brown, and some kind of scallop. I have a set of new Crate Paper Lillian papers and die cuts that were just perfect for this.
Crate Paper die cuts and border, Paper Trey Ink cardstock and stamp.
And finally a card for the Hero Arts Challenge which is also posted here.
Hero Arts stamp, Basic Grey Wisteria patterned paper, unknown "bling."
Shortly all the photos for Weeks 17 & 18 will be posted in the Photo-a-Day blog. I've spent a lot of time the last two weeks walking through Highland Park, and taking photos of spring bursting in our yard. I hope to get some more photos from the park posted here as well. Just need to resize them. Week 17: I finally refinished a printer's drawer we had in our garage, and Tracy hung it in my study for some of my stamps. This was vacation week for Tracy so we made some day trips to Corning to The Rockwell Museum of Western Art, to Buffalo to the Botanical Gardens, and to Ithaca to visit Matt. Here are the layouts; once again hybrid creations which seem to work really well for this project.
The photos are in a storyboard by "with love by mushy" at Little Dreamer Designs, the journaling card is from Elle's Studio at Etsy, and the fabric Thickers are by American Craft.
I used part of Template 73 by Lindsay Jane for this layout and some chipboard flowers from Sweetwater.
I've never participated in this challenge before, but the broken frame was intriguing so I gave it a try. A Sunday sketch done on Sunday!
My Mind's Eye patterned paper, Whipper Snapper stamp (flower pots), Savvy (Thank you), Paper Source ribbon
Every time I see this challenge I think I'll participate. Finally, on her 50th Challenge, I got the card done in time to post it. The "rules" were pretty strict this time. Five colors and only five colors: red, yellow, turquoise, white and brown. I ended up liking this combination a lot.
All the paper and stamps are from Paper Trey Ink.
Since it's National Scrapbooking Day my plan was to produce some layouts. It just didn't happen. I did, however, finish a card for Dawn's Raspberry Suite Challenge and realized when it was done that it also fulfilled the new sketch at Clean & Simple.
My Mind's Eye & Paper Trey Ink patterned paper; stamp by Inkadinkado, Nestabilities oval and scalloped oval dies, unknown velvet ribbon from stash.