Class of 2013

Hey friends!  I hope you're having a great weekend so far.  I've had a little bit of stamping time today, and boy am I rusty!

I wasted an incredible amount of cardstock making this.  The first version I made was perfect, until I smudged it with a blue fingerprint.  The next few attempts, I couldn't get the numbers lined up.  But I finally succeeded and managed to keep this one clean!

I made this card for our neighbors' daughter, who is graduating from high school this weekend.  The school colors are royal blue and white, and I was pretty limited in what I could use since the only royal blue item in my craft room was this ink from ColorBox.

The stripes on the base are from Avery Elle's Knotty.  I used Papertrey Ink's For the Graduate to add the graduation cap and "class of", masking the hat before stamping the border.  I also added texture to the die cut layer with the Linen & Canvas impression plate.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (For the Graduate), Avery Elle (Knotty)

Ink:  ColorBox (Royal Blue)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (By the Numbers dies), Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

We're off to my daughter's softball playoff game this afternoon, and as much as I'm rooting for her team, I'm secretly looking forward to the end of the season and a bit more time to breathe.  LOL!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

My true north

Hi there friends.  We're halfway through another week, and I will certainly be glad to put this one behind me.

Most of you probably know that I work as a lab technician at the same college where my husband is a professor.  I started there almost two years ago, and it has been the perfect job for me for many reasons.

Unfortunately, our college has had to make a number of staffing cuts in the past year, and I learned last Friday that my position will no longer exist as of July 1.  It didn't come as a total surprise, but I'm still struggling to come to terms with the finality of the decision.

I'm trying to stay positive and focus on all of the projects around the house that I've been anxious to tackle, and I'd like to think I'll be able to spend more time in my craft room.  But I definitely feel as if I'm at a crossroads, especially since my son will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, and I had not envisioned being home once my kids were in school full time.

What does all of this have to do with my card today?  Well, this one is for my hubby.  Needless to say the events of the past week have been hard on him, especially since he will continue to work with the people who ultimately made this decision.

I just love this saying from the Knotty stamp set by Avery Elle.  My guy is my true north, without a doubt, and I know he'll help me find my way again.

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Not Quite Navy), WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  Avery Elle (Knotty), Papertrey Ink (Faux Ribbon)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Not Quite Navy, Real Red)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (Insert It 3 x 4 Insert die), Spellbinders (circle die)

Thanks so much for letting me share my news with you today.  I promise to have a much more upbeat post with a fun and "fabulous" card very soon.  Stay tuned!