Snow Day #10

I had the wrong title on yesterday's post.  That was actually snow day #9 and today is #10.  I cannot remember a year when we've had so many days off nor a year with as many snow storms as this one.  We have had years with more total snowfall.  This year, we're just getting it in little frequent bursts.

For March, the ODBD challenge is to make a thank you card.  I'm especially grateful to them this month as I won last month's $25 gift certificate.  I have my eye on a moose stamp set and a few others.

I had this stamp and paper collection out yesterday to make some western cards, so I just used the scraps that were left to make a thank you card.  I hadn't made a sunburst (actually called "starburst" on the blog, oops!) card for a while and I had forgotten just how fun they are.  I might whip up a few more of them today.

Happy Crafting!
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Cards shipped to OWH in 2014: 21
Cards shipped to OWH in 2013: 829 blank and 301 AnyHero
Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 1284 blank and 218 AnyHero
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

Part 2 of February Swap

I took a few minutes to make the next two kits from the February swap into cards. 

The bear card is my ODBD challenge card for March.  The challenge is to make a card with scallops.   I don't have a full complement of Copic colors, but when I have the opportunity, I try to practice shading.  I'm especially lacking in browns, so this poor bear is just one color all over.  His hat, however, was where I tried shading.  I need some more markers because I think the hat came out OK and it would be awesome if the whole image was shaded. 

Ann's Kit (I think this is a MFT stamp set)

Jen's kit reminded me so much of her style.  I really admire card makers who have a distinct style.  You can look at their work and know that it's theirs.  I tried to channel Jen's style while I made these cards. 

Jen's kit #1

Jen's kit #2

Mary's kit and my own kits are left, so you'll see those another day.  Don't forget to go post a card with scallops for the March ODBD challenge!
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Cards shipped to OWH in 2013: 340 blank and 140 AnyHero (as of 1/7/13)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 1284 blank and 218 AnyHero
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

ODBD February Challenge- Fruit

Each month, Our Daily Bread Designs sponsors a challenge on OWH's blog.  When 50 card makers link up cards with that month's theme, ODBD pays for two boxes of cards to be shipped to our heroes.  Aren't they generous?

This month, the challenge is fruit.  I didn't have to think twice about what I would do.  I bought these scratch and sniff stickers at Target a year or so ago and made several cards.  I also mounted the rest of the stickers but I didn't make them all into cards.  I went right to my box of unfinished projects, cut some card stock, and put this card together for the challenge. 

This is also another example of a monochromatic card from the Boot Camp lesson on color posted in January. 

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Cards shipped to OWH in 2013: 340 blank and 140 AnyHero (as of 1/7/13)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 1284 blank and 218 AnyHero
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

Dry Embossing- January ODBD Challenge

January's ODBD challenge is to use dry embossing.  I used the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder on the background and used some brown cardstock that came pre-embossed with stripes when I made this love card.

Each month, ODBD sponsors the cost of shipping two boxes of cards to our heroes if we are able to post 50 cards meeting the monthly challenge.  Please support Our Daily Bread Designs as they are so generous in their support of our heroes.  I recently got my first sets of stamps from them and I can tell you the stamps are high quality cling mounted (purple!) rubber and the shipping was prompt.  :)

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Cards shipped to OWH in 2013: None thus far, but I will be mailing a box of 300+ blank and 140 AnyHero notes this week!
Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 1284 blank and 218 AnyHero (as of 10/9)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

Getting back in the card making groove

November came and went and I made very few cards.  I am getting back in the swing of things now that I've crafted all of my Christmas cards, too.  Yesterday, I made some thank you cards using some new-to-me SU items I bought from a coworker and tonight I decided to pull out yet another color of ink I hadn't played with before, Orchid Opulence (now retired).

I snagged an Inkadinkado stamp set for myself at TJMaxx today when I was picking out some Christmas presents.  I liked the balloon and this sentiment was one I knew I would use a lot for OWH.  The quotation marks are all wrong, though.  I think I'll trim them off with my scissors since they make no sense! 

Stamps: Inkadinkado (balloon, sentiment, and flower) and American Crafts (clouds)

Gems: TPC Studios
Flowers: Making Memories and Hero Arts
Brad: Making Memories

I'm going to enter this card into December's ODBD challenge which asks us to use flowers on our cards.  This looks springy to me!  Our Daily Bread Designs is so generous to offer to pay for shipping for two boxes each month as long as we link up cards from 50 different card makers.  Can you help this month? 


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Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 1284 blank and 218 AnyHero (as of 10/9)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

Pamela's World of Scrap/ODBD October

I just learned about Pamela's World of Scrap and her wonderful sketches from OWHer Robin today.   There are five great sketches posted and we're challenged to use them for World Card Making Day.  Ok, here I go!

Sketch #1:

 

Sketch #2 (I love this sketch!):

 

This card also qualifies for October's Our Daily Bread Designs challenge on the Operation Write Home blog.  As always, 50 or more cards posted with the monthly theme will cause ODBD to donate the funds to ship two boxes of cards to our heroes.  That donation is always important, but especially so at this time of year when Christmas cards are flying overseas at a steady pace.  Please go over to the OWH blog to link up your card featuring circles.  

 

When I get a chance to try the other three sketches that Pamela shared, I'll add to this post.  :)

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Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 928 blank and 215 AnyHero (as of 6/26)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

VCMP Cards - Labor Day 2012

OWH organized a virtual card making party this weekend and I was lucky enough to be one of the hostesses.  There were 10 challenges in all, split evenly over Saturday and Sunday.

Here are the cards I made for each of the challenges.  I had a house guest on Saturday and Sunday, so I fit these in this afternoon after she left. 

#1: ODBD- Use a scripture sentiment.  Please note that I sealed in the glitter using Glossy Accents so it won't pose a hazard to our heroes. 

Stamps: Studio G

Papers: DCWV cardstock

Nesties: Labels 5

Embossing: Darice Stripes

Brads: stash

#2: Cherie- Use a recipe of 1 image, 2 patterned papers, and 3 words.

Stamps: Studio G and Unity

Papers: DCWV printed cardstock

Punches: EK Success

Coloring: Copics

#3: Cindy- Use snowflakes but not on a Christmas card.

Stamps: Studio G

Papers: stash

Embellishment: JoAnn

Coloring: Copics

Embossing: Cuttlebug Snowflakes

Sketch: OWH 83

#4: Donna- "Triple Time" stamping

Stamps: Unity

Tutorial: Triple Time Stamping

Papers: stash

Ribbon: stash

Ink: SU Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Gable Green, Only Orange

 #5: Sandy- Cowboy card

Stamps: Studio G

Papers: DCWV cardstock

Die: Cuttlebug

Punch: Fiskars

 #6: OWH/Linda - Follow the OWH Sketch #136 using a paper punch for the embellishments.

Stamps: Studio G

Papers: stash

Punch: Marvy

Washi: Target paper tape (green, yellow, and blue packs)

Sketch: OWH #136

 #7: Sybrina- Make an AnyHero Christmas card and a Christmas card for kids.

Stamps: Studio G and SU

Papers: DCWV cardstock, K&Co, stash

Nesties: Circles

Coloring: Copics

Embossing: Snowflakes

Ribbons: Target, stash

#8: Cherie- Make a sports-themed card.

Sticker: Deja Views

Papers: stash

Embossing: Darice Stars (small) and Cuttlebug Stars (large)

#9: Shannon- Use a tool you haven't used in a long time. My unloved tool was a combo stamp/punch from EK Success.  It's a pain to use because you have to put the stamp into the punch, ink it, punch, and then take it apart if you want to make a second one.  I haven't used it very often (if at all) with the stamps that came with it. 

Stamps: Studio G and EK Success

Papers: Pebbles and stash

Punches: EK Success

#10: Me- Make a card that represents your state.  Scroll down to my last post to see my samples and post a card there to qualify for blog candy!

Thanks to Allison for organizing the party and to all of the hostesses for coming up with great challenges.  I wish we could do these every month- they always inspire me to make cards I might have otherwise not thought of!   

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Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 928 blank and 215 AnyHero (as of 6/26)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

A little paradise

When I was cleaning up my craft room last week, I found these pieces and scraps and put them together into a simple card.  The image is a cardstock sticker with stitching.

Because of the plaid paper, torn paper, and color scheme, I'm going to link this card up to the OWH ODBD August challenge which is to make masculine cards.  I need to get this one in the mail pronto since it has a summer image. 

Thanks, as always, to ODBD for sponsoring a monthly OWH challenge.  It's been close to a year since the challenges started and we've always managed to post at least 50 cards.  Each month we post 50 cards, ODBD dontates enough money to cover shipping two boxes of cards overseas.  So generous!  And as an extra bonus for the cardmakers, they give out two $25 gift certificates to their online store.  I was lucky enough to win one for August, so I will have to hop over and pick out some stamps soon.  It will be hard to choose, but I know I want some scripture stamps.
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Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 928 blank and 215 AnyHero (as of 6/26)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

ODBD June Challenge- Shaped cards

When I saw the newest ODBD Challenge on the OWH Stars and Stamps blog, I immediately thought of my nesties.  Then I thought most people would do something with nesties and I wanted to switch it up.   I just used my paper trimmer and some punches to make this card.  Last month, we barely got the 50 cards posted that we need to get ODBD to pay for two boxes of shipping.  They're so generous to offer, but we as cardmakers have to live up to our end of the bargain.  I though I'd made a card with simple tools to prove it can be done just in case anyone is hesitant to play along without a die cut machine.  :)

I started with a folded A2 cardbase.  I cut 1/2" off the bottom to make room for the pom pom.  Next, I marked 1" from the bottom on each side and the midpoint of the top (2 1/8" from either side).  Then I cut the card to make a party hat shape.  I cut patterned paper to fit the hat, pieced together a crazy brim from scraps, and added a decoration to the top made from various paper punches and a brad.  Then, I stamped the sentiment, though I would have been wise to have done so much earlier.  Ribbon was a finishing touch. 

Note: The black really is even on both sides, but the way it's standing open for the picture, the back of the card shows through and makes the layering look uneven.  Sorry about that! 
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Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: 620 blank and 200 AnyHero (as of 4/24)
Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695
Check out OWH at www.operationwritehome.org to learn more about its mission and how to get involved.

ODBD January Challenge- 3 patterned papers

Each month, Our Daily Bread Designs hosts a challenge on OWH Stars and Stamps and offers up two generous prizes for cardmakers as well as sponsoring up to two large flat-rate boxes' shipping costs.


For January, they've challenged us to use three patterned papers on our card. To make it simple, I grabbed a mat stack from KI Memories called Paisley Parade. I based it all of OWH sketch #48. The chipboard letters are from Martha Stewart, the embossed heart is a Sizzix folder and a Marvy Punch. Items were set off with a pale blue Bazzill cardstock.

Please join us so (and early this month, if possible) so we can get two boxes of shipping sponsored. We need entries from 50 different people to make it happen. :)

Cards shipped to OWH in 2012: none thus far, but my box is filling up nicely!Cards shipped to OWH in 2011: 1695

Love challenge for "Our Daily Bread"

The great stamp company Our Daily Bread has teamed up with OWH to start offering a monthly challenge. If the OWH cardmakers can link up at least 50 cards for the challenge, they'll cover shipping for two boxes of cards. What a nice way to show OWH support!

This month's theme is love or Valentine's Day cards. I used paper from the Perfomance Matstack. I'm really loving this paper for romantic cards. It's very rich and mature, so I think it will appeal to husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, and fiances who are looking for something to send home. The stamp is by SU and the ribbon by Offray.

Cards shipped to OWH (as of 10/20/11): 1642