I took a step away from holiday cards to create a special card for a new graduate. My husband’s cousin just graduated with a Master’s in Science in Nursing. This is a huge achievement, especially when you have a family, full-time job, and are not as young as you used to be.
I used the Sizzix Framelits Drop-ins Horizontal dies for this card. The owl was created with the SU Owl Builder Punch, retired. The cardbase is Early Expresso from SU, along with the background dotted DSP. It is from the Neutral collection, also retired. I purchase a lot of retired cardstock and Designer Series Paper from the clearance rack from SU. The Kraft cardstock is Gina K Designs. The red is from a scrap pile, probably GKD though.
I used one stamp inside, Massive Messages, from Gina K Designs. The ink has a shadow because I began stamping with Early Expresso ink spot and it was getting quite dried out, so I switched to Expresso Truffle from Memento. I guess the paper shifted a bit, in my MISTI, so I got this nice shadow. I like it, so I left it alone.
This card is being entered in the Global Design Project:
Stamp Buddies 
Very nice! She will love it!
Thank You! I think she will definitely love it.
Super card. She’ll love it. That’s quite a accomplishment. Love that owl builder. I’ve kicked myself for not ordering it. It was so popular and versatile I can’t believe they retired it.
I am amazed how fast popular items retire. I may have to use this a lot more, now that I have used it. I think she will be surprised and run to show her mother, who will immediately text my husband. Thanks!
Your drop shadow is very cool and now maybe hard to recreate. She is going to be so happy you though of her.
I don’t think I could recreate that shadow again if I tried. I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks!
I love this and it is a great card for a new graduate. At first I thought you hadn’t included it in a challenge and was going to suggest you do, but then I saw at the bottom that you had entered.
I decided to place the challenge at the end, just in case I found another that it met. I am enjoying finding challenges that don’t require anything special items from specific companies. Thanks for looking!
Super cute and congratulations to the recipient.
Thanks! It is such a major accomplishment so I had to get to work on something special.
This is so sweet, she’ll love it. Love those penguin eyes.
Thanks Gerry!
This is a wonderful card and I imagine she will be thoroughly encouraged by it. Having her accomplishment recognized by someone else will be very encouraging.