GRAD Card...in Black and White

 I have a graduation card to share with you today...
but first, I'd like to take a moment to remember my Mom and Dad ..
Today would be their 70th Anniversary.
May 4th....(1947)...was their wedding day.

I've always loved their wedding photos...
They were married in my childhood parish church...
a beautiful church that looks like a small cathedral.

My Mom was...as my Dad always said ...a "knock-out" with "million dollar legs"
and  if you ask me...
My Dad was one handdddddsome guy.
I can see why I grew up hearing so many stories about how "all of the girls" had a crush on Frankie
and how all of the boys wanted to date "Kitty"

My Mom and Dad are no longer with us here..sharing in our daily lives...
But May 4th ...their anniversary...will always be the day to remember them as couple..

And now
on to card making..
I picked up a great Taylored Expressions die the other day...

and HAD to give it a try...ASAP

I also needed to crank out some very basic graduation cards...

So I paired the new GRAD die up with a hand stamped background print that I created 

with the Stamps of Life Graduation2Celebrate stamp set

and some black metallic card stock...

and I created a short stack of black and white GRAD(uation) cards.

I really love the Taylored Expressions Block Party-GRAD die.

In one pass through the Big Shot it die cut the card front

leaving the word GRAD intact...and giving the illusion of the card front being cut in two.

After I die cut the card ...

I cut the GRAD die a second time...using black metallic card stock

then cut (detached) the G R A D letters

and ran them through the XYRON 150 to make them into an adhesive backed "sticker"

I then positioned each letter over the G R A D that was cut into the card front.

I also used black metallic card stock for matting 

the upper and lower graduation cap/diploma print that I created with the stamp set.

I created 6 of this card...

and am happy to add them to my 2017 graduation card stash.

You can see the "cut-out" nicely in this photo.

(*To create the background pint...I simply stamped the gradient caps and diploma stamps onto a full sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 white card stock.)

I then  cut the newly created "print " into the side strips that I needed for this card.

I picked this GRAD die up on  whim...

I wasn't sure that I'd like it

But as it turned out...

I like it...A LOT

and I'm very glad that I now have it.

The possibilities are endless as to what can be created color-wise...and print wise...

so this die is a nice addition to my graduation die and stamp collection

One last thought:

Sometimes...

a card needs to be a major creation...

and sometimes...

basic is a very good thing.

In this case...

"basic" is a good thing!

Thanks for visiting my crafty and creative friends...

Have a wonderful day!

Michelle.