Off to School !

I decided to do a card for a "Back to School" challenge. I don't have kids, but I do have an adorable little Niece who just turned five and will be starting school in September. I have a  Fancy Pants 6x6 paper pad that has really cute papers and a Cuttlebug die called Apple & Books, so this was an easy card to get started.

This deceptively simple card actually took quite a bit of time to do,mostly because I think everything needs a bit of shine. I used a Sakura Clear Glaze pen that doesn't show in a photo, but really makes a difference in person. I used it to accent a few of the pencils and highlight the sentiment and the diecut book covers.
I dug out a bunch of MME stamps which I don't use enough, they are the most fabulous collections of useful bits and pieces. the date stamp, the numbers and the tab are all MME.
The apple is covered with Diamond Glaze, and the tab and the photo corner are clear heat embossed, the little gold stars are also heat embossed. The only bit of patterned paper that wasn't from that FP pad is the piece of graph patterned paper that I distress inked, stamped and punched with a MS border punch.
This was my first school themed card ever and I hope my Niece likes it!
Here are the challenges I'm entering :
Simon Says Stamp  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/83/
DL Art Thankful Thursday Challenge #116 http://dianamlarson.blogspot.ca/2013/08/dlart-thankful-thursday-challenge-116.html