A Pinkish Graduation Celebration

I'm checking in to share with you pictures from the graduation celebration for my daughter.  First up is this tiny treat bag.  I purchased these treat bags and then used the same stamping technique as I used on the invitations to decorate the paper bags.  Inside is some Smarties candies - because Katie is such a smarty pants!

Pink is Katie's signature color, so there was much pink in the decorations and the presents. I used my Clean Color watercolor markers to color some black and white wrapping paper as decoration.  Inside - a pink baseball cap and the pink gift contained some rare coins -from the year she was born and this year she graduates.

Pink is not her school color, but her favorite color, so table cloths and decorations in various shades.

The paper products from Paper Eskimo were a splurge for me - I usually go on the cheap for these kinds of disposable products.  However, perfect for the theme and matched the invitations.

I handmade and decorated the cake (can't you tell!).  Inside - strawberry box cake with dark pink sprinkles mixed into the cake batter before baking to make her own pink "funfetti" cake.  Some homemade buttercream frosting finished the look.

We had the food catered from a local Mexican food restaurant.  Keepin' it simple for the graduate.  Everyone had a blast, though you can never spend enough time with the partygoers.  I suppose this might be one of my last big parties for my kids as we'll have an empty nest soon.  It was worth it!

A Flying High Card Set

Today is the day that my daughter graduates from high school - my last child in high school.  It is a momentous day - I'm so proud of her and exited for her next steps.  I saved this post to share with you because the card I made especially for her is included in this set.

I clear embossed the balloons onto some Bristol paper and colored them with my Zig Clean Color watercolor markers.  Easy and simple.

The sentiment on the outside is a stamp I bought months ago for this occasion and have been waiting to use - this card design was in my mind for a while.

The sentiment on the inside - simple and encouraging.  I can almost literally see her take flight!  It is a very happy graduation.

This pink card is for my Katie.  Pink is her signature color as they say.  So much so that her band director nicknamed her "Pinky".  I'm sure she'll understand the inside wink and find the card loving and caring.

Well, tonight is the big ceremony.  I'm off to get some last minute stuff done and to prepare for the main event.  I hope your celebrations (if you are having them) are joyful.

I'm going to enter these cards in the following challenges:

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge Week 284/285 Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge Simon Says Anything Goes

Birthday Wishes

So, Brandy's birthday is in March.  I'm such a bad friend - or we're so busy with trips out of town for work, etc. - that we just recently got together to celebrate her birthday.  I had saved this card and the post showing the card off because Brandy checks in on my projects and I didn't want her to see this ahead of time.

Here's the details on the card:

• The frames were die cut using my Our Daily Bread Designs Vintage Borders dies.  I used coordinating patterned paper so that all the papers go together.
• The flowers were mad from white cardstock stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa ink and edged with pink ink only at the tips.  I wet the cardstock before shaping and used the stylus to get this cool shape - love it!
• The leaves were stamped with Chartreuse Papertrey Ink onto white cardstock and then I sponged more green onto the leaves after.  They were shaped with dry paper.  
• Various white and pink cardstock die cuts fill in the background - most from my Our Daily Bread Designs Leaves and Branches dies.
• Patterned paper butterfly die cut using my Prickly Pear Mini Butterflies die.  

On the inside - a simple sentiment and a pretty little butterfly cut from coordinating patterned paper.  I'm over the moon how this turned out for my bestie.  Along with a small token of my esteem and though we were late to celebrate, I'm hoping she knows how very special she is.

We're right in the middle of celebrating and anticipating the graduation ceremony Wednesday this week.  My crafting time is now focused on packing for our vacation.  I intend to take some leisure watercolor projects with me on the trip - something to keep my hands busy in the early morning when I'm awake before anyone else.  I've a few photos of cards made that need to post, so I'm going to fill blank spaces this week with trying to post those and prepare to leave.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

SSS Little Critters because my card contains butterflies

Word Art Wednesday's Challenge 284/285: Anything Goes

and the new to me Creative Stamp Challenge Challenge 14: Flowers

A Tea Caddy Gift

I'm interrupting all this graduation madness to share with you a quick gift I made for my mother on Mother's Day.  She's a big tea drinker and I thought it might be useful to have a decorated tea caddy.  The mdf board box was purchased at the CK scrapbook convention last year and the papers are from the stash.

The flowers were cut from coordinating patterned paper.  I didn't expect them to work out so well, but they are perfect for the box.  I used my Vintage Floret dies to cut the flower bases and then shaped them using the classic rose technique outlined by Heartfelt Creations.  The added dimension doesn't matter - it enhances the final result immensely.

A flip top lid for easy loading along with some sponged ink to finish the look and we're done.  I'm super pleased with how this turned out and my mother loved it!

Star Struck Set of Cards

Another set of cards for the graduates.  I used the paper pad that Brandy gifted me to celebrate National Scrapbook day - there was a lot of black and gold.  I needed a simple design to create multiples and this fit the bill - I was able to quickly die cut the stars in bunches so that I could match the background paper for feel, etc.

On the inside of each card - a simple quote to express the sentiment of the day.  I decided to frame the insides with coordinating background papers rather than leave them plain black and white.  I'm pleased, though this is a departure for me.

All in all I think there are five of these cards that I made.  Each has a slightly different feel and quite a few can be for those gentlemen graduates.  I'm pleased and almost done with my graduation cards.  I found a set of photos from a project I made for mother's day and so I'm going to try to get those edited and posted soon.  I'm working on finishing my daughter's graduation card and will have to wait to share that until she's seen it.

I hope your May is going well - it feels almost over and it just begun.