Graduation time is upon us, and you no doubt know someone close to you who is getting ready to graduate from Grade School, High School or College! You won’t want to forget to send them a card, so while you are thinking about it, why not make one! You can even customize the card embellishing or theme to match the graduate’s school colors or year, or you can create one for a general purpose, as I have done by making mine with girly colors for any female graduate.
For my card I have used the following supplies-
- Core’dinations Spotted Cardstock 6×6″ Large Tillie Dot
- Core’dination’s Core Essentials Cardstock Collection 4.25 x 5.5″ Brights
- Core’dinations Sissix & Tim Holtz Cut & Emboss Series Kraft Core 4.25 x 5.5″
- K & Company 12×12 Designer Brights Paper Pad
- Provo Craft Cricut Cartridge – Pop Up Cards
- Cricut Expression 2
- Sanford Sharpie Marker 5 pc. set Fine Tip
- Thern O Web Foam Mounting Adhesive Squares
You can find images fitting for a graduation card on practically any Cricut cartridge. I chose to use the Pop Up Cards Cricut cartridge here. Even though I did not utilize the “POP UP” features for my card, I was still able to diecut some cute imagery with the owl and grad cap, as well as the perfect phrasing to match! I even quickly cut out the scalloped edge card base from this cartridge.
To make this card, I first cut out the scalloped card base from pink dotted patterned paper using the card creative feature on page 36 of the Pop Up Cards handbook. I cut this out at 7″. After folding the card with the scallop edge along the bottom of the card, I cut out a panel of green patterned paper, inked the edges in black and then adhered the panel to the card front.
Now for the wise lil’ owl… I cut the bottom <OWL> found on pg. 30 of the handbook from black cardstock at 4″. Using the pink polka dot patterned paper, I cut out the top layer of the owl <Owl-s>, also at 4″. Adhere the two owl pieces together with foam adhesive squares. Next, use the Layer 1 creative feature, also on pg. 30 to cut out the owl’s features from yellow patterned paper and adhere the layers to the owl. I used smaller pieces of foam dimensional adhesive for applying the nose and claws.
I then cut out the grad cap found on pg. 43 of the handbook. First cut out the bottom layer, <GradCap> from yellow cardstock at 2.5″ and the top cap layer, <GrdCap-s>, from black spotted cardstock, also at 2.5″. I’ve also cut out the tassel from yellow cardstock using the Layer 1 creative feature. Apply the black layer of the cap to the yellow bottom layer, using foam adhesive on the upper portion. Now, insert the tassle through the slit of the upper part of the cap.
Finally you are ready to create the card’s sentiment. You will first need to use the Phrase creative feature from pp. 30 of the handbook and cut out the bottom layer of the phrase from black/kraft cardstock and the top layer from yellow cardstock. These are cut at 1.5″. Adhere the phrase to the card and finish card design by hand printing the “Happy Graduation!” beneath the diecut phrase with a black Sharpie marker.
Happy Graduation greetings and felicitations to all!!
More Project Ideas
Scrapbooking has been one of Andrea’s biggest obsessions since 1997 and she has recently caught the card making and home décor bugs, too! When Andrea’s not busy being crafty, she can be found working part-time as a substitute Preschool teacher, shopping at craft and antique shops, and collecting Old World stoneware and unique pieces of jewelry. Visit Andrea’s personal blog at: imlivinonscraps.blogspot.com
Hi Ruth! Thanks for the input… we will definitely keep that in mind. Remember, you can always use an Exacto or other craft knife to cut out shapes and letters like those you see in these inspirational posts. (I don’t have a die cutting machine myself, so I rely heavily on my Exacto.)
It will definitely take longer to do the cutting by hand, though–and you’ll get a more even result if you can trace something onto the back of the paper to use as a cutting template. I sometimes print out the wording that I want in the correct size, or sketch out a shape on plain paper to trace, to make life easier. Hope that helps!
Hi Ruth!
There are several tutorials on how to make an owl using simple shapes and craft punches if you have them. Here is one example from Fiskars http://www2.fiskars.com/search/content/?SearchText=owl&tab=projects)
I do not own a Cricut either, but I still find inspiration from these types of projects–either duplicating it in a creative way, or from the colors used, or the layout composition.
Don’t get hung up on the project “requiring” a machine! 🙂
It seems like all the how tos lately require expensive machines like cricut etc. There are still some of us out there that cannot afford these gadgets….. Remember us in your instructions…..
This is just adorable! I love owls!