Any Hero Christmas

I love today's theme!  Christmas cards FOR the heroes.  Yay!  The challenge is being sponsored by Inspired Stamps who are giving away stamps sets to 2 lucky winners!  Go on over and say hi!

Another Tuesday Throwdown!

I just couldn't help making another one!  I'm sure our guys and gals are doing a lot of "Thinking of You."  This one is more holiday-ish, not quite Christmas-y ..... hm?  The center frame thing was made with glueing the paper to a light piece of cardboard so it has some nice dimension and wasn't just a piece of paper.  It feels rather sturdy this way, too.

Tuesday Throwdown

The Tuesday Throwdown is being sponsored by (HA!) Tuesday Throwdown.  That is soooo cute!  Anyway, the challenge is to make Thinking of You cards.  I just love this image by Melonheadz Illustrating.   This is the first time I have ever used one and to me it is just perfect!

Birthday Bash-Sassy Studio Designs

Here is my holiday "Missing You" for the challenge sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs.  We are so appreciative of all the sponsors who are helping to celebrate Operation Write Home's Birthday Bash all month long.

You Are So Loved

A minor deviation from making the cards for the OWH Birthday Bash.  I was clearing up scraps and trying to make tidy when I just had to stop and make this card.  It just jumped up and said, "don't toss me!"  Now looking at it I am glad I didn't.

Sketch Challenge #87

It is still OWH's Birthday Bash celebration and this one is for sketch #87.  I am not usually good at the sketches but I figure if I just stay at it, it will become easier.  I did like how this one came out.

More Birthday Bash - Robin's Fetish

Robin's Fetish is sponsoring one of the challenges for the OWH Birthday Bash.  The challenge is to make a card using something round.  I really like these round stamps and should use them more often as they are NOT fussy to cut out!

May Arts Challenge!

This card somehow works for 2 challenges for this month's OWH Birthday Bash!  2 fer's are a good thing when trying to keep up with all the challenges!  This is going to be for the May Arts Challenge to use ribbon on a Christmas card and for Ciara's Dog Challenge.  And who better to grace the front of the card than Ciara herself.

OWH - Birthday Bash - Anything Goes!

This "Anything Goes" challenge is sponsored by Michelle's Scrapbooking and More.  There are some wonderfully inspiring cards to view over there!  The center embellishment is a 3-D sticker and the sentiment stamp is from the $1.50 bin at Michael's.

Utah State Digi Challenge

Sandy made another state digi and this one is for Utah.  I don't have the Nestabilities dies so I just went with the framed version and colored it with markers, pencil and chalk.  These state digi's she does are wonderful!

OWH Birthday Bash - Case Bev T. Challenge

The featured cardmaker this week was Bev T. from San Francisco, CA.  She had some very nice cards and the challenge was to CASE Bev T.  I copied her design of 3 using these architectural style flowers.  I raised them with 3-D foam for dimension.

OWH Birthday Bash - Digi Challenge

This challenge is sponsored by the Digi Doodle Shop.  The challenge didn't require any particular digi and I chose this one that is a freebie over at Create with TLC.  Both blogs/shops have lots to offer so hop on over and check them out.  Both are supporters of Operation Write Home and we thank you.

Birthday Bash Color Challenge - Paper and Such

This color challenge is sponsored by Paper and Such in which they chose 3 colors for us to use to make any kind of card.  The colors were red, kraft and blue (or black).  After I pulled out the 3 colors the idea for this card came together very quickly.  And the bells were made by me...... the leaves and the berries are velvet and made by me as well.

1+1+1= Fun! Challenge

This challenge hosted by The Chatty Stamper is to use one chipboard, one button and one tag.  I don't normally use tags or chipboard so this was good for me to do.  I recently got some tags made at a Micheal's on a Cricut and I had also gotten a package of pre-decorated chipboard.  Once I found the right parts all I had to do was some penstitching and I was done!

Cold Temps, Warm Heart

Oh, I love this penguin!  He just looks cold and missing someone.  This challenge is hosted by Theresa at Playing With Pictures and Paper. 

Splish! Splash!

Oh! This was a great challenge!  Hosted by Michelle at Wanna Stamp, this one is to do a primarily black and white card with a splash of color.  I really liked this challenge and honestly will have to do more of these.  I have made 6 of these and look to finding other papers to do this with.  Thank you Michelle!

A Bug's Life

The Midweek Throwdown is a challenge for us to use bugs.  I don't have any bug stamps so I made these two with bug punches.

Daddy's Child!

This challenge hosted by Tami at Tami's Craft Connection.  It is a card for a child, girl or boy.  I like the "Cars" characters so this one was a joy to make.

Keep it Clean (CAS) Challenge

More of the VCMP challenges!  This one is hosted by Jen at The Sparkle Within.  It is for a CAS (clean and simple) card.  I like making these as a break from all the ones that take so much mo-jo.  Plus I can make several of these at one time without a whole lot of fuss.

Autumn Patriots!

Ok, OWH challenge #20 for the month and #10 for the VCMP is a color challenge.  Tanya at Tinkerin In Ink gave us 4 colors to work with, the blue, the dark brown, the darker terra cotta color and cream or off white.  Here is my take on it.

OWH VCMP - Think O-W-H!

This challenge is hosted by Patricia at Thinking of Inking.  The card is to have elements that are represented by the letters O-W-H.  For mine it has O for Organza ribbon, W for the white snowflakes and H is for the HoHoHo paper and the Hope sentiment.  Yay!

VCMP Challenge #9 - Sketch #86

This challenge is all about the Heroes we make these cards for at Operation Write Home.  Sandy challenged us to make Any Hero cards using sketch #86 (and to make lots of them!)  Here is my version for Heroes who make us proud and keep us safe.  Anyone know of a good source of USA/Patriotic paper?  Where I live it is in very limited supply. 

Take The Scenic Route!

This was a toughie!  It is hosted by Sheila at 2 Paw Prints.  The idea is to make a scene with 3 different stamps.  Ok, we are back to this stamping thing.  You will see why I am not so good at doing cards with stamps.  I did use 3 though.  The background, the horses (that I cut out, eeeek!) and the bird.  I really don't have stamps that make scenes......... good challenge, Sheila!

Non-Traditional Valentine!

Next up, is the Non-Traditional Valentine challenge hosted by Dixie.  Whew!  A challenge that didn't fry my mo-jo. 

Piece of Birthday!

This is challenge #6 for the Virtual Card Making Party at OWH Stars & Stamps.  It is called Piece of Birthday and is being hosted by Elizabeth at Visions of Paper.  It is supposed to be masculine paper piecing.  I barely stamp.... paper piecing is not in my bag of tricks.  But here I punched the shaped for the corner elements and pieced them..... does that count? 

Falling For You!

Here is more from the OWH Stars and Stamps Virtual Card Making Party.  This challenge is called Falling For You and is being hosted by Sybrina at Scrapping With Purpose.  I chose the fall theme for my Falling For You.  I love the jeweled falling leaves that I just picked up from Michael's and just had to use them!

Pick A Number! Sketch #37

I had to take a break from the challenges to paint another coat on the bathroom, so I am a bit behind.  I made this one last night for the Pick A Number challenge hosted by Julie.  I admit I am not so good at doing cards from sketches but I can get the general idea onto the card.  This one is very simple.  The patterned paper is the theme and the long leafy thing is a sticker that I added Dimension Magic to to seal the little bit of glitter and to give it "dimension." 

Unique Christmas!

Challenge #3 is called Unique Christmas and the sample made by Barb at Paper Therapy Ponderings.  She made a wonderful card in red, white and blue and the challenge is to use non-traditional colors.  I chose yellow and purple to go with the blue and green.  Eek! Lots of colors.  The picture doesn't really show the center of the snowflake is yellow under the purple........ hm?  Searching for the right amount of light.......  I liked this challenge and it was a great break from painting the bathroom!

Celebrating Nature!

Challenge #2 for today is Celebrating Nature! and is being hosted by Stamping With A Mission.  I needed to make a card that showed nature.  I am not very good at stamping and coloring so here is my stretch.  I am lucky in that I have this amazing stamp.  It was colored with pencils and chalk and LOOK!  I used brads! Yay!

Garanimals!

Today at OWH Stars and Stamps blog they are having a virtual cardmaking party to celebrate their birthday month.  They are posting challenges every 2 hours with links to the blog hosting the challenge.  This is going to be a fun day to play and make cards for our Heroes.  Kicking off the party is Linda at It Was Here A Minute Ago (cute name huh?).  Her challenge is called Garanimals and it is to make a child's card with animals.  I guess I don't have too many animals so I used Loony Tunes animals.  I hope it makes them smile!

I'm So Grateful Challenge!

I love how this one came together!  2 bits of scraps + 1 rak + 1 stamp + 1 ribbon.  So quick and easy I wish I had more of those scraps.  I will see what I have in other colors and maybe I can make a few more of these.

Dimensional Lattice Card Challenge

This one was hard for me in the sense that I don't have any nestabilites or accesss to them.  I did have a small frame that was cut out on a cricut at Michael's.  I know it loses some of the lovely impact, but I tried to get the idea and technique across.

Birthday Bash Autumn Challenge

This one is for the Autumn Challenge at OWH Stars and Stamps.  I think it looks like Autumn.  Maybe not traditional pumpkins, but it feels like Autumn to me!

Birthday Bash Day 5, Free Digi

Our wonderful leader Sandy, at OWH, makes these digis for us to use to make the cards for our nation's Heroes.  This one she just made and she will hold a random drawing for someone's state to be the next one that she makes a digi for.  Which state should I chose if my number is drawn???  Lobbying is now open!  LOL!

Birthday Bash Sketch #85

Sketch #85 on the Stars and Stamps blog is being sponsored by K'nK Designs in celebration of OWH Birthday month.  I like this one...... definitely making more!  Thank you K'nK Designs  for celebrating with us!

Eyelets (or Brads) Challenge

The next challenge in this month long celebration is: "We R Keeping an Eye on You!" being sponsored by We R Memory Keepers.  The idea is to use "eye"lets.  Well, my experience with eyelets left a mashed piece of paper and a very flat eyelet. Hm?  I did have these nice tree brads though.  I like them so much I might just have to use them all up making cards for Operation Write Home's Birthday Bash!!! Yay!  I also posted this on Inspired Stamps for the "Missing You" Challenge.  I think our troops need lots of this theme for sure.

The gold frame is heat embossed so it shines nicely without the use of glitter.  And the HoHoHo paper just speaks to missing someone during that season.  Do you think it works?

Miss You - Love You Challenge

This challenge is for Love You or Miss You cards.  It is being sponsored by Inspired Stamps.  This card is for the fall season, sharing the love.  I guess next I should do a Miss You card as well since I am still stumped by the eyelet challenge...... the last eyelet I tried to set tore the paper and mashed the eyelet.  Not so good.  Maybe this time I will use a smaller hammer....:)  But, THIS card is about the Love!

OWH CASE the Cardmaker - Ardeth from Arizona

Yay!   We are celebrating Operation Write Home's Birthday month and one of the first challenges for the month is to CASE the Cardmaker.  I know this is not an exact CASE but I was sure inspired by Ardeth and this is what I came up with.  The rose border is a fabric ribbon I have had 4-EVER.  I used all the ribbon and made 15 cards!!! YAY!  Thanks Ardeth!