Beautiful Balloons You Did It Mortarboard

Supplies needed:

Project Recipe:

1. Cut cardstock and specialty paper pieces to the following sizes using a Paper Trimmer:
   - card from Basic White Thick Cardstock at 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" and scored at 4-1/4"
   - 4" x 5-1/4" from Basic Black Cardstock
   - 3-7/8" x 5-1/8" from Basic White Cardstock
   - 1-3/4" x 5-1/8" from Basic Black Cardstock
   - 1" x 5-1/8" from Basic White Cardstock
   - 1" x 5-1/8" of all-over confetti design from Gold Celebrations 12" x 12" Specialty Designer Series Paper
   - 1-3/4" square from Basic Black Cardstock
   - 1-1/2" square from Basic Black Cardstock
   - 3/4" x 1-3/4" from Distressed Gold 12" x 12" Specialty Paper

2. Rub the Embossing Buddy included in the Embossing Additions Tool Kit all over the 3-7/8" x 5-1/8" white rectangle.

3. As you are ready to stamp using the Beautiful Balloons Set, place the cardstock on the Stampin' Pierce Mat. Using the mat will help you get a cleaner image each time you stamp.

4. Mount the "You did it!" or "Yay You!" sentiment from the Beautiful Balloons Set on Block A. Ink it up with the VersaMark Ink Pad. Stamp it in the lower right corner of the horizontal white rectangle about 1/2" from the bottom and right edges.

5. Lay the VersaMark stamped rectangle in the center of the Powder Pal included in the Embossing Additions Tool Kit. Sprinkle on some gold powder from the Metallics Stampin' Emboss Powders so it covers the entire image. Tap off excess powder. Return the excess powder to the container to use again later.

6. Heat the powder with the Heat Tool on the highest setting until it is completely melted (shiny and smooth).

   Tip: Use the Crafting Tweezers included in the Embossing Additions Tool Kit to hold the cardstock while you are heating it so you don't burn your fingers.

7. Pick out the long, solid die with lines across it from the Beautiful Balloons Dies. Put it on top of the 1-3/4" x 5-1/8" Basic Black strip on a platform on your Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine so it is close to one long edge. Run through the machine.

8. Use Paper Snips Scissors to cut the long edge of the bottom of the die cut black strip to make it fringe.

9. Adhere the strip of confetti Gold Celebrations Specialty Designer Series Paper to the top of the white strip so the gold confetti pattern shows by putting a 1-1/2" strip of Stampin' Seal in the center of the white strip starting about 1" from the left edge.

10. Adhere the layered confetti specialty paper/white strip to the top of the fringed black strip so about 1/16" of black shows along the top edge and the fringe is poking out from the bottom edge.

11. Adhere the layered, fringed strip to the top of the heat embossed white rectangle so it is about 3/4" from the top and the left and right edges are even.

12. Adhere the heat embossed and layered white rectangle to the center of the 4" x 5-1/4" black rectangle and then to the front of the Basic White Thick card.

13. Unlock the Double Oval Punch. Hold the punch upside down so you can see the punching area. Slide one edge of the 1-1/2" black square into the punch and get it centered in the top of the scalloped oval punching area so you'll just punch a little of the edge. Punch

14. Adhere the scalloped edge punched square to the back of the 1-3/4" black square so the 1-3/4" black square is a diamond and a little of the scalloped punch edge shows along the bottom making a mortarboard graduation cap.

15. Pick out the solid tassel die from the Beautiful Balloons Dies. Put it on top of the small rectangle of Distressed Gold Specialty Paper on a platform on your Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine. Run through the machine. Use the Take Your Pick to remove the pieces.

16. Use a small dot of Multipurpose Liquid Glue or Fine-Tip Glue Pen to adhere the tassel cut out to the top of the mortarboard punch art so the tassel sticks off to the right side.

17. Place the mortarboard punch art on top of the Stampin' Pierce Mat. Use the paper-piercing tool on the Take Your Pick to poke a hole through the whole cap in the center of the cap/top of the tassel.

18. Pick out a large, black, square brad from the Round & Square Brads.

19. Insert the prongs of the brad through the hole and flatten them on the back side of the mortarboard punch art.

20. Use dimensionals from the Black Stampin' Dimensionals Combo Pack to adhere the mortarboard punch art to the front of the card as shown so it is centered over the fringed strip and covers the Stampin' Seal holding the confetti strip in place.

21. Use the mini spatula on the Take Your Pick to carefully peel up 1 large and 2 small Basic Black dots from a sheet of Classic Matte Dots making sure that you get the adhesive backings as well. Adhere them to the card front around the sentiment as shown.