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.



Friday, March 29, 2013

12x12 = 6x6 Christmas One Card Wonder - Whew!


That title is a mouthful!  What really happened is I found a 12x12 sheet of very busy Christmas cardstock in my stash.  The pattern was such that I could cut it down to 6x6 and go from there.  This picture is the 6x6 version.


It was not a paper I could see using over the whole card so I thought I would give the One Card Wonder idea a try.  I found a template from which I made the first 6 cards.


 I had an unopened package of K&Co. Christmas embellishments that were just crying out to be used and off I went.  There were 23 embellishments in the pack so I had to make 2 of my own to complete the 25 cards made from ONE 12x12 sheet of paper! 


Ok, let me tell you that was nuts.  But I did keep with a few of my pledges to use up what I have, if I open it use it and to get a jump start on the Christmas cards. 

 
This last pic is of one of the embellishments I had to make when I ran out.  And NO leftover patterned paper!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

CAS on Sunday

This is my version of CAS.  Really nice embossed paper + K&Co. shiny, heavy cardstock border.  I looked at it for days thinking it just couldn't be that simple.  It needed more embellishing.  But after a week of looking at it........... I like it just the way it is!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

New Life for Scraps

Here are a few that I made using scraps.  Some days are all about cleaning up the odd little baggies or piles of paper. 
I made stamped a bunch of bases ahead of time and when I'm not working on sketches or challenges these work well for the leftovers.
This is a little bit more collage-ish.  The butterfly is a 3-d element with nice silver accents.  Off to go clean up some more!
 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

OWH Bootcamp - Any Way You Slice It

Paula's wonderful Design Bootcamp class this month is on Composition and the Rule of Thirds.  She gives amazing explanations of these design techniques and I am learning quite a bit.  Here are a few of my attempts to find the "thirds."
And this one is a little CAS that lets the paper do most of the work.
 
Thanks, Paula for the great class!
 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Mother's Day 2013

I made 2 of these for OWH last night.  It is funny that Paula brought up the discussion of those $1 bin buys.  The flourish under the sentiment was a very recent purchase of Martha Stewart chipboard die-cuts that were on clearance for $1.49.  With 42 pieces in the package I'm sure I will get my money's worth even if I don't use them all.  I have started a box of papers, stickers and embellishments that I will be donating probably to the women's shelter because I know they take children in there as well and this goodie box might be a moment of creativity to help in a time of struggle.  So, for at $1.49 even if I only used a few and donated the rest it wasn't an awful investment.

I know this card is a bit bright but you should see it in person.  I'm in a flowery-bling mood for the Mom's!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

OWH Midweek Throwdown and Sketch #24

The OWH Stars and Stamps blog MWT challenge is to use blue and green.  There is an additional challenge in adding orange to the mix as well.  I just couldn't find a place to put the orange.  This is also using Sketch #24 that according to my list I hadn't done. Check!  And into the box for OWH.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

OWH Sketch #158 - Mother's Day

On to some more Mother's Day cards.  They have to be in to my shipper by the end of the month so these go in the mail this week. 

This is also OWH Sketch #158. 

The bird is a 3-d K&Co embellishment and the gold glitter swirls are also a sticker from Forever In Time.  All glittery areas have been sealed with Dimensional Magic.

Christmas in March

How about a few Christmas cards for the box to be sent out at the end of the summer.  That is a die cut backing to a Cricut cut snowflake with a vellum snowflake sticker and some bling. 

This is my first card made with (what do you call those?) banners/flags.  I like the shiny gold band for a little holiday sparkle.

Masculine Thinking of You

I know there is always a shortage of masculine cards and with Father's Day coming I thought that these could be "Dad" cards or birthday cards.  The antique motorcycle image is a free digi from Digital Two for Tuesday.


This second one is kind of like a Tux with the shiny black lapels.  I am so please to be able to stamp the sentiment directly onto the base without making a bunch of mistakes.  Whew!  I made a few of each card for the OWH box.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Oldie Moldie Monday

I am so pleased with this Oldie.  I found this die cut in one of those boxes with misc embellishments in it.  It is from Imaginations.  And the pink paper is pretty old too and I have no idea who the maker is.  Just a little bit of bling and the white ribbon to mimic what might be her laces.  I lined the inside edge of the card with the matching paper to show off the scalloped lace on the front.  This one is headed for the OWH box!

OWH Sketch Challenge #163

I am on time! The link for the sketch is here.  Isn't it funny how when you look at a sketch it can go one of two ways?  1: Yes!  I can do that!  Or 2: hmmm? Got to work on this idea.....  I realize the Yes! moments can been few and far between so I am excited to post this within 24 hours of it going up on the OWH blog.  Oh, and yes, got to get started on some of those Dad cards too.  :)

Thursday, March 7, 2013

ODBD March Challenge - Scallops

Our Daily Bread Designs challenge for March is to use scallops.  When I made this card I didn't have anything scallopy.  I thought this frame looked scallop-ish.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Midweek Throwdown - Tic Tac Toe

Here is the link to this week's MWT at OWH Stars and Stamps blog.  My card for the tic-tac-toe includes embossing, blue and ribbon.  I made these during the week while waiting.  I apologize if they are not the best I have done but,



it has been a tough 2 weeks as it was decided by my baby sister that she was too worn out to continue any further treatments in her 5 year long battle against breast cancer.  Yesterday afternoon she went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  She was the person I learned scrapbooking with which eventually lead to my cardmaking.  She was a contributor to OWH as she believed strongly in what we are doing.  She was always upbeat and cheerful right to the end.  I love her dearly!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

From the Heart - OWH Sketch #91

I was going through my "to be posted file" and found this one!  It looks like I never posted it.  I know I don't always do the sketches on time or in order so this one is no different.  I liked this sketch and had made about 20 of these and actually cut out more panels from other papers for future cards.  (Those must be for days when my mo-jo really gets stuck!)  This stamp is JRL Designs.

Birthday Tags

And now, in the category of "No-new-papers-were-harmed" we have the Birthday Tags!  These were scrap fronts that I finished off. 

 
 The swirly things were cut on the Cricut and the pink ribbon is a yummy velvet.