Operation Write Home

I am currently making cards for Operation Write Home, which sends blank handmade cards to deployed servicemen and women. OWH is an amazing organization that ships thousands of cards each month to our nation's Heroes so they have something to write home on. Please check out the tag on the sidebar for more information on this inspiring mission. Please join me in supporting our men and women who sacrifice for us all.



Thursday, February 28, 2013

CASE the CASE

Now this was kind of fun!  Barb, over at Paper Therapy Ponderings, was doing a CASE challenge and came up with this card.  I thought I could CASE her CASE and came up with all of these and a few more (that were not the CASE but I was inspired). :)  


These have the sentiment stamped right onto the base which is very unusual for me.  I was so pleased that I made more good ones than bad!


The flowers are more of the K&Co. heavy cardstock borders and embellishments.  I seem to have bought up a bunch that were on clearance so they will be showing up quite a bit until I can make a dent in this purchase.  I added Dimensional Magic to the flowers for a little extra shine.

 
Thanks, Barb, for the inspiration!  Into the OWH box they go!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Oldie Moldie Monday - Sticker Sentiments



Ha!  I am actually posting these on the right day!  Wonders never cease.  These 3 were made with some terrific stickers.  The first 2 being cardstock sticks that are nice and sturdy. 

They are about 5 years old!  I was trying to remember when I bought them and dang!  It must have been that long ago.  I found them in a box my sister had held for me.  The nice black dots on the patterned paper were done with Enamel Accents, way cool.

And this 3rd card was made with a regular sticker so I mounted it on the white to make it more sturdy.  Yay! to getting some things out from the bottom of the box and into the daylight for some lovin'.   These are all headed into the OWH box that might make it out this week.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

OWH Design Bootcamp - Get To The Point 2

I am reviewing the information for this Bootcamp class and looking at the samples vs the type of cards I tend to make, it seems that my focal points so far are the sentiment.  Hm?  I notice as well that I like tactile embellishments more than colored images..... hm?  Off to try another one!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

OWH Design Bootcamp - Get To The Point


OWH Design Bootcamp for this month focuses on making the strong focal point.  I have to admit that sometimes my cards look a bit like a collage so this is a good exercise for me.  For this card I used OWH Sketch #156 and this lovely large sentiment from Stampabilities.

Monday, February 18, 2013

VCMP Challenge #9 - All White/Cream 3 layers

Challenge #9 is hosted by Sharon and is looking for an all white/and or cream card with at least 3 layers.  The sentiment is a free digi from Create with TLC.  I made the "wings" to the sentiment by using a Martha Stewart corner punch.

VCMP Challenge #10 - Glitz and Glam

The name of this challenge is Glitz and Glam Without Glitter hosted by Kaylee.  Notice the part about Without Glitter?  That is because we want to keep our Heroes safe and little twinklies that might get on their clothes could make them visible in the dark.  BUT! This glitter is fused into the paper and coated with a clear smooth surface so nothing can rub off or escape.  The green leaves and red flower centerpiece are velvet to help make this card feel a bit more special.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

VCMP Challenge #3 - Selective Embossing

Wow!  Was this a challenge???  I think so!  Hosted by Beth L., who gave wonderful instructions on how to do this by the way, mine was a bit of trial and error.  Here is a note, I used cardboard from a packing box and they have air pockets that once run through the Big Kick, was not the same thickness as it started out.  After several tries and it just kept getting worse so I took the "flops" and glued them to the cardboard for the added thickness it needed. 

The folder is from The Paper Studio, the stamp is Paper Inspirations and the ribbon is Offray.

VCMP Challenge #4 - Things with Wings

 

My previous post was a butterfly so now I guess it is time for birds!  I didn't know that first card would be a 3-fer.  hahaha!  This challenge is #4 on the list (no, I haven't gotten to #3 yet) and is hosted by Yvonne  over at PenguinPapers.  These are K&Co. 3-d embellishments and the ribbon is a lovely velvet.
This last one doesn't have things with wings but it is a lovely heavy cardstock embellishment that just went terrific with the paper.  A BONUS card!

VCMP Feb 2013 - Challenge 1 & 2

I LOVE these Virtual Carmaking Parties that OWH puts on a few times a year!  These are so much fun that I am hopeful to be able to host a card challenge in the future.  The first challenge is from Erika and is looking for zig zags or chevrons.  WHELL!  I searched high and low in all my stuff and had to admit I have no chevron stamps, no chevron punches, no chevron embellishments and no chevron paper.  How the heck did that happen??? 

So off I go to my big box craft store, which is merely an outpost not a full fledged store to see what I could find.  Um, Nothing!!  How very sad. On the way home I remembered some yummy May Arts chevron ribbon.  I am saaaaved!  How lucky for me that this card also fulfills challenge #2 hosted by Misty and she was looking for animals.  I didn't plan it to be a double and I'm not getting out of making more cards, fear not!  I have enough of this butterfly and medallion (K&Co.) to make 3 more. 

Friday, February 15, 2013

ODBD February Challenge - Fruit


The folks at Our Daily Bread Designs offer up a challenge to the OWH cardmakers each month.  There are 2 random draw prizes from ODBD and the prize for OWH is having 2 boxes' shipping cost paid for during that month if 50 cardmakers respond to the challenge.  Here is mine for this month.  The pears were cut with the Cricut (getting warmed up for their challenge), the yellow one being slightly popped and who would think that "using up" something could be exciting? 
 
I used up the last of the black and silver ribbon and the last of the silver sentiment stickers.  YAY!  The goal of course for this year is to USE IT UP.  No gathering dust, no forgotten and unloved supplies.  And it means more cards for our Heroes!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

It's Valentine's Day!



Good morning!  Here is some love to start the day!  The paper is embossed with a tiny bit of sealed glitter and is from DCWV, the Mariposa matstack.  One sheet made both of these lovely cards.  The love sentiment was cut with the Cricut.

Isn't this paper yummy?
 
The butterfly on this one is a 3-D embellishment from K&Co. that I tacked the wings down so they wouldn't get caught on the envelopes but it still have some dimension to the card.

No sentiment necessary!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

MWT - Cards 4 Kids

Does this look familiar?  It might if you have seen some of my cards from a year ago.  The Midweek Throwdown is Cards 4 Kids.  I don't have many stamps for children's cards but I do have Mickey and his friends!  I CASE'd my own cards from last year to make a pile of these happy looking guys/gals.

The squares of the "gang" were all lightly popped for a little interest.
 
I found 3 sheets of 12x12 stars in my stash so that will make 27 cards! Yay!