Graduation season is here, bringing with it celebrations, milestones, and of course, the perfect opportunity for a little creative flair! For my daughter’s upcoming university graduation, I wanted to craft a meaningful and eye-catching graduation cap design that reflected her journey and the adventures ahead. The Trailblazer collection was the ideal choice for this project—full of soft hues, inspiring patterns, and a touch of wanderlust, it perfectly summed up her next steps into the future.

To start I printed some of the traveler’s notebook papers from the collection and pulled together an array of florals to frame the design. Using my Silhouette, I found a stack of books cut file to use as the main element of my design.

The first step was backing the book stack cut file with a mix of patterns and solid papers. I used a combination of pattern papers and solids from the collection and mixed and matched the colors to create a dynamic, textured effect, ensuring each book stood out. To customize the books, I use some small tile letter stickers to add the competencies that are the foundation of my daughter’s major.

With the layered book stack complete, I adhered it to the cardstock base that I had already cut to fit the top of the graduation cap. Surrounding the focal point, I arranged florals from the Trailblazer collection, letting them frame the design and create an elegant contrast against the black background.

The last step was to add the title and year at the bottom of the grad cap. I used a die from my stash to create the letters and one of the solid-colored papers from the collection. Once the tile was in place I finished off the décor with some sequins to add some texture and sparkle to the cap.

I’m absolutely thrilled with how this project came together! The Trailblazer collection was the perfect choice—its soft colors and adventurous aesthetic made every detail pop. If you have a graduation coming up, consider crafting a custom cap — it’s a great way to mark the occasion and send your graduate off in style.

Want to see this project come together? Check out the process video below!

Happy Crafting!