MMSC26

This is my submission for Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge 26

I was asked by one of the foster grandmas at work to create a retirement card for the Foster Grandparent/Volunteer Services Coordinator. I am tight with the foster grandparents. They "hang out" right outside of my office and the room down the hall. Mary Claire, the coordinator, often comes down to check on the grandparents. I have gotten to know both Mary Claire and the grandparents over the 10 years I have worked at the center and I just adore them! Grandma Virginia asked me to create a card for Mary Claire's retirement party. She gave me designer's choice as she said she likes all of my cards (I thought that was really sweet!). I knew I would use this sketch challenge, but I didn't have a stamp set in mind or a theme.

School ended early today so I rounded up the kids and we went to Michael's. I looked through the 12 x 12 paper and saw this paper there. The card was starting to form in my mind now. Since I saw the butterflies on the paper I knew the Clear Dollar Stamps set Beautiful Butterflies would work perfectly for it. I also bought the charm and the rub-ons, but wasn't quite sure how they would fit on the card.

I started with a 6 x 6 card so that there would be more room on the inside for people to sign their names. I have to say, a-hem! Midnight Madness people that I am not fond of the cone shaped elements you put in the sketch (and a few sketches ago). I have a hard time making that shape! It took me forever to figure out how that was going to work, but I got it.

I eventually downsized the card to 5 x 5 because there was too much empty space on the card with the 6 x 6 size.

The butterfly is colored with copic markers. I put the rub-ons on the ribbon (I thought that was quite clever!). I then cut the glitter part of out the glitter paper to make the bottom two strips and adhered the butterfly charm on top. Unfortunately, the glitter paper in the three panel cone elements can't be seen. The inside of the card has another rub-on butterfly and the sentiment, "congratulations".

The final thing I did was make a matching envelope using The Enveloper. It took me awhile to figure out what size to cut the paper and what score line to use as this sized envelope is not included in the directions. For my own information, because I am sure I will forget, I used a 8.5 square piece of paper and I scored each side at "E".

Stamps: Beautiful Butterflies by Clear Dollar Stamps

Ink: Memento tuxedo black

coloring medium: copic markers: red, orange, yellow

paper: designer paper from Michael's , solid paper from Michael's

accessories: rub ons, charm, cuttlebug folder

Thanks for looking!