2011 Rules

Good Morning Everyone!
Just a quick post, I want to share with all of you my first Design Team project.  Carolyn asked me to do 4 or 5 graduation cards, and then gave me several sheets of patterned paper, some stickers, ribbon, and a few extra embellishments....this is what I came up with.

This first one is a tag card. I used one of the pattern papers and folded it into the pocket, lucky for me it was a double sided paper and therefore I didn't need to worry about making a second layer, the stripes were already there. 

For the pull-out tag, I used a black card stock as the base then added a square of white card stock so that you could write your message to the Graduate.  For the top of the tag, I punched a small white square to give the hole some re-enforcement, then once I had the hole punched I also attached an eyelet to give it a finished look.  I tied a piece of tulle through the hole to soften the look a bit and then using a strip of pattern paper and one of the word stickers, I made a paper tag embellishment and attached it with a couple of jump rings.

The final outcome, I added one of the chip board stickers to the front of the pocket and on it a message to the Graduate, a quote I believe.  Each card I created had one of these quote chip board stickers.

For this card I started with the window cut-out, then added the double eyelet holes @ the top & the bottom of the cut-out that suspend the chip board sticker quote in the window.  For that, I matted the sticker on pattern paper then punched the double holes, added eyelets, then used jump rings to attach the whole piece.

For the inside I matted a piece of patterned paper with white card stock, then added a band of silver ribbon around the top of the white piece and put a word sticker in the middle of it leaving the bottom half of it blank to write a personal message to the Graduate.  

Here is a close up of how I hung the cut-out in the window, I really like how this one came out, quite unique.

On this card I was curious about an idea I had seen several years back and thought to try it.  I am very happy that I was able to make it work.  The entire base is one piece and the cut-out is done with a craft knife. The way the piece is folded is how the cut-out is able to set out apart from the rest of the card, very cool.

Here is a side view of what it looks like.  On the one side of the cut-out I did a double mat of white card stock & pattern paper, on the top I added one of the chip board quotes.  The black brads in the 4 corners give it the finishing touch.

On the opposite side of the cut-out I did a triple mat, white card stock, pattern paper, then white card stock again.  Along the top of the white card stock I added a piece of border sticker and left the rest of it blank for a personal message.

Card #4: This one is more traditional in it's overall appearance.  I used white card stock as the base, did an overlay of pattern paper (just on the front), and using repositionable adhesive I cut out the window from both pieces @ the same time so that they would be identical.

I added a twist, in between the layer of card stock & pattern paper (after I cut out the window), I sandwiched a wide silver ribbon in between them.  Unfortunately it is hard to see.  My lack of know-how when it comes to taking really good photos shows unmercifully in many of my blog posts, forgive me.

This photo shows the wide silver ribbon a little better if you look close enough.  On top of the ribbon, centered in the middle of the window, I added the chip board sticker quote.  On the inside I decided to spice it up a bit with a black card stock mat to write your message on, plus it helps that silver ribbon really stand out.

For card #5 I did a tri-fold card that sits up on it's self.......did that make sense?  I'm sure there is a name for this type of card I just don't know what it is, so bear with me.

For the entire base of the card I used black card stock and scored it @ 4 inches from both ends(my base was 12" by 4"). For the front of it I added a piece of tan card stock to trim out the pattern paper piece so that it wouldn't get lost in the black background; then topped that pattern piece off with the chip board sticker quote.  On the inside middle section I added another piece of the same pattern paper and topped it off with one of the border stickers that says, "congratulations".

For the inside bottom section I added another piece of the tan card stock, trimmed it off @ the top with another of the word border stickers, then added the half back pearls in all 4 corners leaving the center of the page for a personal note to the Graduate.  In this picture I was able to capture just how this card stands up on it's self, the half back pearls act as a stopper so that the top section can fold down on to it and remain in place.

Now looking into the card, you'll see even more of the tone on tone in the pattern paper, and the white goes so well, now that you can see the card as a whole.  I finished trimming around the middle of the inside with the same border sticker and then made a faux piece of school notebook paper to write a personal message on.  

That chip board sticker quote....well we just couldn't call this card done without it, so there I added it to the bottom right corner of the notebook paper.  It adds a nice touch.
So these are the 6 cards I came up with and I have to admit, although the design ideas came quickly enough (my background started in card making), the construction was quite challenging.  I am use to scrappin' with lots of tools & even more product, so to be limited as far as what I 'can' use....well that's hard for me.  In my scrap booking, I really don't like having 'rules' and although I understand the need for them in this 'role', it does challenge me and well I suppose that was the whole idea so..... so far so good!!!
Well folks that's all I have for you today hope you have liked what you've seen.  Feel free anytime to leave me a comment, I'd be happy to hear from you.  Up next is the Grad Book I did for my 2nd creative project, hoping to have it posted within the next couple of days, thanks for stopping by and come again....anytime!
just B ......