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Taylor VanBruggen has the greatest blog and every Friday she issues a "Cupcake Challenge". This is my take on it for this week. It's not QUITE right because I used a square image and not a rectangular one, but I stayed pretty close to the rest of the sketch. It's also not a very "cute" card, but I really like how it turned out.
I doubled up on the dimensionals so the focal point stands up a little higher. I sponged all the white cardstock with Creamy Caramel to make it look aged. I used the D'Vine Swirls Cuttlebug Folder, but you really can't tell in the picture. I was trying to get a picture of that when I got this "dimensional" shot, but I think I forgot to focus on the embossing---just believe me--it's there. The recipe is below, so if you don't want to read my blah, blah, blah, just skip down to that! Anyway, I know this set is an ancient Stampin' Up! set, but I'm a music teacher---I have to have some music sets!

I made this card for the Upper School Choral Director at school. She's leaving this year to pursue a new career. She has had a HUGE impact on my daughters and myself over the years. She's been at Trinity since it's inception and has filled ALL sorts of roles. That's what happens in a new place--everyone just pitches in and does whatever is necessary to make it work. I have worked very closely with her these last two years since I have been back at Trinity and I was affectionately known as her "choir slave" for years before that. (I just volunteered to help her---I said "affectionately"). She's much more than a colleague, she is a friend and I am so sad to see her go. She's not moving away and I know she'll still be active in the activities of the school as she is able, but she won't be there motivating our students to love singing, love each other and love this great God that we serve. She will be missed.

I have only had occasion to use this stamp set a few times---and I know at least 2 of them have been for her, but she won't care---the sentiment says a lot, "Where words fail, music speaks."--I'm going to type up the words to Irish Blessing and put them on the inside. Our students (current and alumni) sing an arrangement of this song at every graduation and it's lovely. It says what I want to say to her.

Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May rain fall softly on your fields.
Until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. Amen

Enjoy your Sunday!
Kathleen
ETA: I'm not sure what's up with the strange things on my blog today, so please forgive me and this novice will try to figure it out so it doesn't happen again!
Recipe:
Stamps:Musical Manuscript
Ink: Black Stazon, Creamy Caramel
Paper: Black & Whisper White SU Cardstock, Basic Grey-Scarlet Letter, both Pious & Rapture.
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Square Scallop, Slot Punch, Hole punch, Black brads (SU!), Black organdy ribbon from Michael's, Sponge