Mixed Bunch Hybrid Retirement Card

I was going to use one of my many cards already made to give as a retirement card. As I was looking for a sentiment to put inside, I came across this one and knew I had to make a new card:

May your biggest need in retirement be a calendar because you have so many retirement activities to pursue.

I knew immediately I was going to make a fresh card using a calendar somehow.

This finished card is 4.75" x 6".

I decided to use My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! to make the calendar and the greeting on the front. The calendar is a 5.5" x 6.5" page, reduced in size to about 4.25" x 5.5" . The greeting is made with the Word Play digital stamp set in Regal Rose ink, portions of it covered with square punches filled with Whisper White. The word RETIREMENT is simply a text box and text.

I cut the tag that the greeting is on by hand with scissors.

I used an ink pen to write the events on the calendar days and circle the dates. 

I wanted to add thin black lines on the striped ribbon, but the Sharpie marker bled into the fibers a bit making it look sloppy. I didn't take the time to try to draw on another piece of ribbon then immediately heat set it to see if that would work, I needed to get it done since the party was in a couple of hours ! This was quickly turning into a 5 hour card, geesh. I probably should have just picked another sentiment, a simple "Congratulations" would have worked, and used one of my pre-made cards. Better yet, I should have looked for sentiments sooner than the day of the party so I would not have been rushed to make the new card to fit the sentiment I wanted to use ;) 

After looking at the completed project when photographing it to write this post, I wish I would have used a smaller butterfly attached near the flower rather than the larger one on the opposite side. Not the first time, nor will it be the last, for me to rethink what I made when it is finished. 

I stamped the inside of the card and made a matching envelope with the Mixed Bunch stamp set and classic inks from Stampin' Up!.

All supplies, unless noted otherwise, are from Stampin' Up!

card stock:

Whisper White

Regal Rose

Basic Black

Barely Banana

Certainly Celery (not really, but it looks almost like it)

ink:

Rose Romance

So Saffron marker for butterfly

inkjet printer

stamps:

Mixed bunch with coordinating paper punch

Beautiful Wings embossing die

Striped ribbon, unknown manufacturer

glitter glue

Thanks for looking =)