Category Archives: Graduation Cards

Look Out World! Here Come the Graduates!

Look Out World: Here Come the Graduates Vintage Style Card with Gift Card Pocket

Hello, Friends! It’s June, and all across the US, young men and women are donning caps and gowns, marching solemnly across the stage, turning their tassels, and grasping their diplomas. Look out World! With this momentous occasion in mind, Petaloo is spending the coming week celebrating Dads & Grads! I dug into one of my favorite retired Graphic 45 collections to create this colorful graduation card with a hidden gift card pocket.

I just love this sentiment from Graphic 45’s retired Come Away With Me Collection. This soft and feminine 6″ x 6″ top fold card gets loads of gorgeous texture, color and dimension from these Penny Lane Sea Green Mini Wild Roses.

My bow cluster is created with Peony Delicate Stitched Satin, burlap string and 2 of the larger Mini Wild Roses. These come 7 to a pack, so I had enough left over to add as embellishments on the ends of luggage tags.

I don’t know about you, but I just love this combination of dots, stripes and florals!

Look Out World Hidden Gift Card Pocket

Although this looks like any other ordinary top fold card, if you remove that teeny tiny brown binder clip on top of the focal image….

…you’ll find a hidden gift card pocket inside. How fun is that? Here’s how to make it:

First, mat the focal image on a piece of brown cardstock that measures 4.25″ tall x 8.5″ long.
Next, score the paper on the long side at 3 1/8″ then again at 6.25″. You will have a 2.25″ piece on the right hand side of the scored paper.
Now, crease on all the score lines and fold the paper strip so that the small piece is on the inside.
Then, line the inside of the panel with designer paper.
Now, glue a contrasting pattern to the small flap and punch a thumb hole with a circle punch.
Next, use 1/8″ Scor-Tape on the top and bottom edge of the short piece.
Remove the liner and press in place. There’s your pocket!
Add a Pocket & Tag to the left hand side.
Now glue the focal image to the front “cover.”
Then add the chipboard piece to the lower left hand corner.
Finally, place adhesive in the center of the gift card holder and glue onto the card.

A Peek Inside

Turn a postcard into a pocket by gluing just the sides and bottom edges to the card. Fill the pocket with 2 tags cut from the 12×12 collection. These are great for holding small photos of the graduate. Photos of the graduation ceremony would also fit nicely into this pocket.

You could also write words of wisdom onto the tags for a real personal touch.

The bottom half of the card is decorated with more pretty papers. Then I created a little folio, tied it with ribbon and added it to the card. This is a great spot to tuck in senior pictures or other special memories from the happy day.

A Fond Farewell

The other reason I chose a travel themed collection for this card is a little bit sad. This is my last post as a member of the Petaloo Design Team. As you know, Petaloo is now owned by Floracraft, and the parent company has decided to close down the Petaloo blog and disband the design team.

Life is a journey with lots of destinations along the way. A little more than 2 years ago, I literally danced for joy when Cheryl, the owner of Petaloo, asked me to guest design for a month. At the end of the month, she asked me if I would like to stay on as a permanent designer. Would I? You betcha!

It has been such an honor to design with gorgeous Petaloo flowers, stick pins, and trims for the past 2+ years. Cheryl has been a dream to work for: supportive, kind and generous. My Petaloo teammates have been a joy to work with and I’ve been blessed to forge some friendships that will endure even after this gig is over.

You will continue to be able to purchase Petaloo flowers in retail shops and online in stores such as Scrapbook.com, JoAnn’s, and A Cherry on Top. Thank you so much for being on the journey with me.

All good things must come to an end, and I exit with a heart that is filled with gratitude for the wonderful experience I’ve had designing for Petaloo. As the sentiment on the post card in my project says, “The Best is Yet to Be!”

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope I’ve shared some tips and tricks that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Cheerio,

kathy

Have Courage, Set Sail & Dream High Nautical Themed Graduation Cards

Authentique Seafarer: Have Courage, Set Sail & Dream High Nautical Themed Graduation Cards

Hello, Friends! Do you feel the rustle of the silk robes and hear the whisper of parchment paper? Yes, people…it’s graduation season and all across the globe, young people are lining up to receive their hard earned diplomas. There will be tears and cheers, perhaps a few fears and loads of good wishes as friends and loved ones gather to send these grads out upon the Sea of Life. I’ve used Authentique’s Seafarer collection to create this trio of Have Courage, Set Sail & Dream High Nautical Themed Graduation cards.

Dream Higher Than the Sky Graduation Card

Masculine cards can be a challenge, but I found that this collection made them very easy to design. This 5″ x 7″ top fold card came together very quickly thanks to the wonderful designer paper and focal image.

I tied hemp string with a bowline hitch knot to amp up the nautical vibe, then suspended an antique brass sailing ship from it. Tim Holtz’ Ribbon Flags die makes wonderful little embellishments . Double matting the layers on red and navy cardstock gave everything a clean, crisp finish. A bow, a nautical button and a charm made by fussy cutting an image from a sheet of designer paper finish the front of this card nicely.

Because I created the card base with a 1/8″ spine, I was able to add two pockets to the interior. The smaller pocket is made with one of the 3×4 images from the cut apart page. It’s just the right size to hold a gift card.

The larger pocket on the bottom of the card holds a 4.25″ x 6″ folio that is the perfect spot for those keepsake graduation photos. A decorated belly band and a few more ribbon flags dress the folio up nicely.

Set Sail Nautical Themed Graduation Card

What could provide a more perfect graduation metaphor than this image of a ship, its sails full-blown and ready to meet life’s challenges full on?

I used a star shaped die to create the accent on this card, then topped it with an Idea-ology metal compass coin, a muse token and wooden anchor.

More bowline knotted hemp string and a pretty white sea gull complete the front of the card.

This 5″ x 7″ top fold card has a 1/8″ spine to accommodate the inner pockets.

The top pocket holds a little tag/bookmark. Write your best wishes on the back of the tag and tuck into the pocket. Interactive cards like this are always a hit!

The large bottom pocket contains another folio that I decorated with images from the paper collection.

The folio contains a gift card pocket, and room for a graduation photo.

Have Courage Graduation Card

The sentiment on this 7″ x 5″ Have Courage card is just perfect for graduation. I turned the card base on its side to accommodate this large sentiment panel. Then I added banner flags, machine stitching, knotted hemp string and some nautical charms to complete the card front.

The interior contains a gift card pocket that is just the right size for a little chocolate treat. Good wishes can be written on the journaling card. The sentiment strip reads’ It’s out there at sea that you are really yourself.”

While these nautical themed graduation cards are not your typical graduation cards, the strong masculine images, classic color palette and wonderful sentiments make them stand out from the crowd, just like the proud graduates who are setting sail on new adventures.

I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Cheerio

kathy

Accomplished Graduation Mini Album Tutorial

Accomplished Graduation Mini Album Tutorial for Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts

Hello, Friends! I’m honored to be guest designing at Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts! I love to work with these gorgeous chippies, and I’ll be featured on the GSL Blog each Wednesday this month. It’s graduation time once again, so I thought I’d kick things off with a little Graduation Mini Album Tutorial that I made with Authentique’s Accomplished collection and some wonderful chipboard accents from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.

Supply List for 6″ x 6″ Graduation Mini Album Tutorial

Graduation Shape Set
10 Words Set
Steampunk Lightbulb Set
Authentique 6″ x 6″ Accomplished pad and chipboard elements
Black Chalkboard Paint
Picket Fence Distress Paint
Marcasite Embossing Enamel
Sanding tool
3 sheets of 12×12 kraft cardstock
circle punch (3/8″)
Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Corner Shaping Tool (I used Crop-a-Dile corner rounder and Deco)
Tammy Tutterow Waterfall 2 die
Prima Tassels
White Delicate Stitched Satin Ribbon
Ivory Burlap String
Black Argyle Print Grosgrain Ribbon
Button from your stash
Scoring tool, glue, Scor-Tape or adhesive of your choice.

Accomplished Graduation Mini Album Tutorial

This tutorial will focus on the construction of the mini album base and on the treatment of the chipboard. You can build this base for any occasion or theme. You can use these photos as guides to help you decorate your mini.

Begin by cutting 2 strips of kraft cardstock to measure 6″ tall x 12″ long. You will need 3 of these strips. Lay the long strips side by side, overlapping on the 6″ side and glue or tape them together by overlapping the edges 1/4. Keep the edges straight .

Once the glue has dried, score at 6. Fold and crease. Score again 5.75″ from the first score line. Score and crease. Score again 5.75″ from that crease. Score one final time 6″ from that crease. Trim the excess and set aside to use inside the album.

Accordion fold, and then glue the 2 5.75″ sections together along the sides and bottom to form a pocket. Now you will have a mini album with 3 pages and one large pocket in the center.

Paint all the chipboard black. While the silhouette of the graduate and the Hats Off sentiment are still wet, sprinkle with Marcasite Embossing Enamel and heat emboss. Tap the edges with Picket Fence Distress Ink.

If you plan to add a ribbon closure to your mini album, do so before you decorate the cover. Just run a strip of Scor-tape around the center of the album from front to back. Peel off the backing and add your ribbon, being sure to leave enough overhang to create a bow.

Accomplished Graduation Mini Album Tutorial: Creating the Inner pages

Create the pocket page this way:

Line the album base with the paper of your choice. Shape the corners with a Crop-a-Dile if desired.
Cut a 3.5″ tall x 5″ wide piece of designer paper. Score 1/2″ in on sides and bottom. Bevel the edges. Fold in. Use a circle punch to cut a thumbhole. Glue the flaps onto the mini album base.
Cut three 4″ wide x 4.5″ tall rectangles from kraft cardstock. Shape the edges with a Crop-a-dile. Punch a hole in the top. Add a small O ring, ribbon and tassel to create a tag mini in the pocket.
Top this page with the key that you’ve painted black. Lightly sand the edges to add a little distressing.

Use the Tammy Tutterow Waterfall 2 die to create a 3 page waterfall feature on the right hand page. Top the cover with the painted silhouette of the girl graduate. Sand lightly to distress. Add sentiment stickers
Cut photo mounts to fit inside the center pocket. Clip together with a gold binder clip. Add ribbon and burlap string. Tuck into pocket.

I cut little banner flags from scraps and added them to the upper left hand corner. Here’s a close up of the waterfall page.

Graduation Mini Album Tutorial: Flip Page Feature.

The next page contains a flip feature. Think of it as being a waterfall page on its side. Here’s how to proceed.

Line the album base page with designer paper of your choice.
Cut 2 rectangles of designer paper to measure 3.5″ wide x 5.5″ tall. Score on the left hand side at 1/2″ to form the hinge for the waterfall.
Cut 2 rectangles of kraft paper to measure 3.5″ x 5.5″. Score at 1/2″.
Alternate designer papers with kraft papers to form the flip feature.
Add painted graduation cap to the front page. (I distressed lightly with sand paper.)
Add circle punch outs to form tabs on the flip pages, as seen in the photos.

Turn the page, and add the painted/distressed key on the left. Add one of the circle punch outs to the right hand page to form a tab.

I used the lightbulb from the Steampunk Lightbulb kit because it complemented the lightbulb paper and sentiments in the Accomplished papers so very well. I love the texture the distressing adds to the chipboard.

I used a white Sharpie Painty pen to add the writing to the chipboard diploma, then tied with a ribbon.

Here’s a good look at the final flip page combined with the back inside cover. I used the word “Dream” from the 10 Words Chipboard set. The female grad silhouette was painted, distressed and added to the far edge of the final page.

As you can see, this is not a complicated construction, but it has lots of room for journaling, photos, mementoes and more. It’s a great place to capture your graduation party memories, and it would be fun to have guests write words of congratulations on the blank kraft pages.

There’s even room for journaling or a large photo on the back cover.

I hope I’ve shared some fun ideas with you in this graduation mini album tutorial. The chipboard elements really brought this album to life, and they were so easy to prepare. I’d love to hear from you if you decide to make one of these albums yourself!

Thanks to Gina at Gypsy Soul for inviting me to play with her pretty chippies today!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Petaloo/Authentique Blog Hop

Petaloo/Authentique Blog Hop: Summer is Coming!

Hello, Friends! Hope you are having a wonderful day! I have a couple of fun projects featured over on the Petaloo Blog today as part of their Petaloo/Authentique BlogHop. The theme for the hop is “Summer is Coming,” and once again, I worked with Authentique’s gorgeous “Explore” collection and my favorite tea-stained Darjeeling flowers from Petaloo. (Of course I love them! They are tea stained, after all!) With summer on the way, my mind turned toward a gift ensemble for the graduate who plans to travel. I’ll share some sneaky peeks of both the mini album and the card here, and if you’d like to see more, you can pop on over to the Petaloo Blog where you will find more details, and the opportunity to win some fabulous prize packages, too!

Don’t you just love these flowers and papers? Me, tooooo!

The exciting thing is that Petaloo is giving away Authentique/Petaloo DT packages to FOUR lucky winners! So pop on over to the Petaloo BLOG, say hello and enter to win!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

An Altered Tray for a Proper Gentleman

An Altered Tray for a Proper Gentleman: Using Ribbon to Alter a Printer’s Tray

Hello, Ribbon Lovers!

June is such a busy month: there’s Father’s Day, loads of weddings and of course, graduation! That proud moment when a young person walks up (or down) the aisle to receive a hard won diploma…well, that’s one of the top moments in life! I’ve been very busy in the studio creating a ton of graduation themed projects. This one, an altered tray for a Proper Gentleman, was made for a young man who just graduated with a minor in Drama. Take a peeky:

I am finding so many great uses for the new Canvas Color Band Ribbon! It ties great bows, of course, but it is also the perfect width to use when covering the face of a printer’s tray! How nifty is that!

I applied 1/2″ Scor-Tape along the vertical sides of the tray, then pressed my Black Canvas Color Band Ribbon down to really seal it in place. Then I did the horizontal sides in the same way. The corners are finished off with Tim’s metal corners.

Don’t you just love the texture this ribbon adds? I do! (And it comes in a rainbow of colors! Woo-hoo!) The papers I used to line my tray are from Graphic 45’s A Proper Gentleman.

Because the recipient of this tray minored in drama, I’ve incorporated elements to pick up on that theme. Stars are always good on masculine projects, and they fit the theme here very well. The quote used here is from G45’s Kraft Reflections. I matted it with both black and gold to really make it pop. I also threaded the canvas ribbon through my tags and stapled them in place with my teeny tiny stapler.

This large graduation cap and tassel were matted onto gold linen cardstock. The gold looks so good with the blues and reds. And that crisp black and cream ribbon adds great texture and pattern to the project.

I also used the ribbon to add a border to my papers.

And here you can really see how it makes that little tag stand out!

Using ribbon to alter a tray like this is so much easier than using paint or ink! And I love the way it looks, don’t you?

Huge congrats to all the grads out there….and mom and dad, too! Give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kathy by Design

Handcrafted Paper Art for All Occasions

Category Archives: Graduation Cards