You Make Learning Fun

Here's my card for today's SCS featured stamper challenge. Since Neva was on the Clear and Simple Stamps design team with me a while back, I thought I'd use some CSS for my card.

I used images from the school-themed ABC123 and Teacher sets to make my version of Neva's back to school card. I kept the layout mostly the same and replicated the book, apple, and worm image from her card using the CSS images. I started by stamping the worm, masking it, then stamping the apple and repeating with the stack of books image. The images are colored with Copic markers. I cut the stack out and attached it to a notebook paper patterned paper panel, then stamped the sentiment underneath it. Like in Neva's card, I set brads at the corners of the image panel as a fun accent.

I used a piece of dotted paper from October Afternoon's Report Card collection to cover my kraft card base. I machine stitched around the edges of the panel for a finished look. Instead of a double layer of ribbon tied around the card, I ran a strip of solid brown cardstock across the cardfront and knotted a piece of twill ribbon around that. I paper pierced the edges of the brown strip, matching the paper's dotted pattern and incorporating the paper piercing that was included on Neva's original card.

With all that's going on around the US right now, and being a teacher myself, I feel like I've got to say it--if you feel so inclined, please thank your child's teacher for a job well done. Teaching is a tough gig! The thank you notes I've received from students and their parents are among the things I treasure the most. Right now, many states are gearing up for their state's high-stakes testing season, adding even more stress to what's already a challenging job. Teachers are taking a lot of heat right now for situations they aren't solely responsible for and it makes me so sad to think that this important profession might lose some of its best and brightest because they can't afford to continue in the job that they love. Okay, off my soapbox now . . .

Materials Used:

ABC123 and Teacher stamp sets, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, A Blanc Check, Kraft Like a Rockstar, Dare to Be a Diva Red, and Espresso Your Style cardstock, Copic markers, white brads (Clear and Simple Stamps); School Spirit designer paper (Crate Paper); Report Card 8 x 8 paper pad (October Afternoon); twill (Martha Stewart); ticket corner punch (Stampin' Up!); sewing machine