Happy Retirement!

So, a little while ago I was commissioned (yes, requested to complete a project by a friend!) to create a scrapbook of memories for someone leaving a company after 30 years of service.  In this day and age, it is something to be able to stay in one place that long.  I made this card for the gentleman as a way of saying thanks for his kind words on my work and his generous compensation for my time and supplies.

I'm trying to get the photos of the layouts that I took edited so that I might post them here.  There's quite a few pages and I've been busy at work following my vacation and then father's day etc.  I'll see if I can get it done in the next couple of days.  I hope your summer is going smashingly and that all is good and right in your home.  We're enjoying the last few weeks before my daughter leaves for college.

Happy Birthday for My Man

I needed to make a birthday card for my hubby whose birthday is next month.  An extra day off is a perfect opportunity to let the creative juices flow.  I've even uploaded photos of cards from the scrapbook convention (my how time has flown).  I'm hoping to get to the blogging of those soon.  Additionally, Brandy forwarded a picture of a beautiful creation she made this weekend as well.  I'm telling you, creative juices baby!

This little card was inspired by the latest Mojo Monday sketch 295.  Given that round is just more feminine, I decided to go with the square look.  Additionally, since square envelopes are rare, I decided to alter the design and go rectangle.

I also decided to reach into the scrap pile and use up some of those scraps available to me.  This strip is quite old and there is little left, just the right fit for my card.


 I found a bunch of coordinating solids to fit the design.  Again, to make it a little more masculine I decided to forgo the flower and leaf motive.  Ms. Jessica over at Errant Scraps inspired the embellishment I finally decided on.  Her layout was just right and the rosette eye catcher fit perfectly- not to girly, not too plain and just the right depth for my design.  The pictures don't really capture the distressing done with my Vintage Photo and Faded Jeans Distress Ink.  The sentiment comes from my Titled Banners Sentiments stamp set.  The medallion is a 25 cent special in the bin at Michaels and the bird is from a Fiskars set, long stored in the Scrapbox.

I think I hit just the right note.  It will be a few weeks, but this one's ready and no rush will be needed.  He doesn't follow the blog, so it will still be a surprise.

Andie

Happy Father's Day- Early Peak

My grandparents were in town for a wedding celebration.  This is just one big excuse to celebrate Mother's Day (*late*) and Father's Day (*early*).  The way I look at it, celebrating at 43 years old with your grandparents is a good thing, no matter whether you've marked the right Hallmark day on the calendar or not!

This card was created using all scraps and the Mojo Monday Sketch- 293.  The striped patterned paper was a lonely 5 x 12 inch scrap that became the inspiration for the card.  I needed to make two versions (one for my dad and one for my grandpa) of the card, so I didn't have enough paper for any kind of layering.  The Mojo Monday sketch afforded the perfect use for small scraps.  Then it was a trip through the other paper scraps to find coordinating pieces of cardstock to embellish the remaining parts of the card.

The bow was a forgone conclusion- omit, omit, omit!  However, I'm very pleased with the final design, simple enough that my boys didn't immediately toss it away and nice enough to post on the blog- winner!  

The sentiment was printed on my printer and the circle distressed a little with some black Archival Ink.  I stamped the "enjoy" from one of my Fiskars cling stamp sets onto the paper that I embossed using my Scor-Pal.  I can't decide whether the "enjoy" is crooked or not.  Just when I've decided it is uniform I realize the stamp is probably crooked on purpose.  At least that's my story!

Even though I didn't get this post written (we've been celebrating, remember?!!), I did post the card over at Mojo Monday for their challenge.  For the design-challenged amongst us, check them out.  Their sketches are easy to follow and allow you enough input to make simple and/or complex cards with their designs.  Hey, if I can follow them then you can too!

Happy Father's Day

This card was made with scraps from the stash.  The scraps come from an old Basic Grey collection, Wisteria.  The card idea was scrap lifted from a Webster's Pages post with Father's Day card ideas. I really like how the colors play together to create a different, but satisfying look.

As my children are growing and becoming more and more independent, I find myself considering Father's Day in a new way. I am so glad for the fathers in my life. It is my great joy that my paternal grandfather is still with us. He is a source of conditional love in the best way. He expects from me. His expectations, though not short or small, are so good! I love my grandfather and, at least on Father's Day, I'm his baby (an old family joke!).

Then, there is my own father. He is a constant, even keel in my life. This lends itself to taking him for granted. However, his constancy evened out my inconstancy in the years before he handed off to Dan, my husband. I love my father and I am grateful for the time he has spent with me and the kids teaching them that same evenness.

I could go on and on, talking about my father-in-law (a real leader of the family), Dale (a good friend who we've watched give away his daughters to their husbands in love and confidence), and those gentlemen who help to guide my daughter though softball, band and more. But, I will stop with a short tribute to Dan, my husband. We've spent 19 married years together, fifteen of which he has spent being the best dad I know (and I have high standards). Dan stayed home and spent the most time raising the kids. This didn't result in a weak or submissive man. Nor did he shrink into passivity which can often happen. Dan has grown to be a strong leader who guides and teaches my kids in ways I couldn't imagine doing. He is able to joyfully tease and cajole both kids making them humble without breaking their spirits. I am so grateful to God for the gift of Dan as a dad. 

Happy Father's Day!

Andie

Alcohol Ink Graduation Cards

I made these two graduation cards for a couple of close friend's children who graduated this year. Cards made for boys are difficult for me. I am not a CAS designer, per se. As such, keeping it simple and useful for male subjects can be troublesome. I turned to my handy, dandy Creative Chemistry 101 class and created these alcohol agates as backgrounds. From there I simply used my Archival Ink and clear emboss powder to enhance the stamped images, making them pop off the page, but not in a showy or flashy way. I ended up using the left over alcohol ink on my blending tool to lightly change the color of the edge of these cream cardstock cards.  Some did bleed through, so I might not do that next time, but the effect was lovely.  These cards are extremely difficult to photograph (at least for me) in a way that accurately displays the final look. Even so, I like the final result. I hope the recipients do too (though I suspect they enjoy the gift inside to greater effect, don't you?).

Andie