Since Thanksgiving comes at the end of November, many of us make a concerted effort to express our gratitude for a number of our blessings this month. Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday because it's not about presents and consumerism (as all of the others are), but it's about family and the aspects of our lives we hold most dear.
As Hurricane Sandy swept through the East Coast this weekend, many of us realized once again how blessed we are. This month, I'm going to channel that feeling of gratitude and abundant blessing into AnyHero cards for Operation Write Home.
I'm challenging myself to write one AnyHero card per day for the rest of the month. Will you join me? Leave a comment here letting me know you're in. I'm going to work on a great prize for people who report back at the end of the month and let us know how many AnyHero cards they were able to do this month (even if that number isn't 30).
So, leave a comment and get writing! Our heroes will appreciate knowing just how much they are valued!
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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.
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label challenge. Show all posts
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
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.
#2: Cherie- Use a recipe of 1 image, 2 patterned papers, and 3 words.
#3: Cindy- Use snowflakes but not on a Christmas card.
#4: Donna- "Triple Time" stamping
#5: Sandy- Cowboy card
#6: OWH/Linda - Follow the OWH Sketch #136 using a paper punch for the embellishments.
#7: Sybrina- Make an AnyHero Christmas card and a Christmas card for kids.
#8: Cherie- Make a sports-themed card.
#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.
#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.
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.
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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.
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Stamps: Studio G and Unity
Papers: DCWV printed cardstock
Punches: EK Success
Coloring: Copics
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#3: Cindy- Use snowflakes but not on a Christmas card.
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Stamps: Studio G
Papers: stash
Embellishment: JoAnn
Coloring: Copics
Embossing: Cuttlebug Snowflakes
Sketch: OWH 83 |
#4: Donna- "Triple Time" stamping
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Stamps: Unity
Tutorial: Triple Time Stamping
Papers: stash
Ribbon: stash
Ink: SU Pink Passion, Pixie Pink, Gable Green, Only Orange
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Stamps: Studio G
Papers: DCWV cardstock
Die: Cuttlebug
Punch: Fiskars
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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.
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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.
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Sticker: Deja Views
Papers: stash
Embossing: Darice Stars (small) and Cuttlebug Stars (large)
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#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.
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Stamps: Studio G and EK Success
Papers: Pebbles and stash
Punches: EK Success
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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!
------
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.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Unused, Unloved supplies
Who doesn't have craft supplies that have been sitting around for years and haven't been used? Only people who aren't true crafters, I suspect.
OWH posted a mid-week challenge which asked us to use supplies that have been hanging around for a while. Timing on this was perfect because I had just come across some supplies at my parents' house during the holidays that I'd been neglecting. Perfect for this challenge were some 8.5 x 11 papers with printed borders. I never did 8.5 x 11 scrapbooking, so I was always at a loss for how to use this paper. This paper dates back to 2003, so that tells you I've been struggling with it for 8 years! I also used a pre-cut border strip that I've used maybe 1 out of 20 in the pack. Again these were from 2003 or 2004. My last unused supply was a set of two punches that make a cupcake- I loved them when I bought them a few months ago, but never used them.
To make this card, I started by trimming off the right and left borders on my sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper. Then I cut two 5.25 inch pieces of what remained, one at the top and one at the bottom. I had a seam along the center of the card which I covered with the teal strip. The medallion used the cupcake punches that I just had to have when I was at Target.
While this card looks different than the ones I've been making lately, I think it's a pretty good use of supplies which I have ignored.
OWH posted a mid-week challenge which asked us to use supplies that have been hanging around for a while. Timing on this was perfect because I had just come across some supplies at my parents' house during the holidays that I'd been neglecting. Perfect for this challenge were some 8.5 x 11 papers with printed borders. I never did 8.5 x 11 scrapbooking, so I was always at a loss for how to use this paper. This paper dates back to 2003, so that tells you I've been struggling with it for 8 years! I also used a pre-cut border strip that I've used maybe 1 out of 20 in the pack. Again these were from 2003 or 2004. My last unused supply was a set of two punches that make a cupcake- I loved them when I bought them a few months ago, but never used them.
To make this card, I started by trimming off the right and left borders on my sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper. Then I cut two 5.25 inch pieces of what remained, one at the top and one at the bottom. I had a seam along the center of the card which I covered with the teal strip. The medallion used the cupcake punches that I just had to have when I was at Target.
While this card looks different than the ones I've been making lately, I think it's a pretty good use of supplies which I have ignored.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Starting 2011 with a goal!
I've been away from OWH's challenges for a while because I've been visiting family and wasn't near my supplies. It's a shame because Sandy came up with some great challenge themes and I had enough time to be crafty.
Over my Christmas vacation, I purchased lots of new crafting supplies (too many, to be honest). So, I'm going to set a goal for my OWH cards for 2011 in hopes of using these new supplies and not feeling guilty about my purchases. If I use them as intended, then I will be happy.
I've thought for a while about my goal and I decided that an average of 1 card per day is a reasonable goal. I might do more than this, especially during the summer and if we have any snow in the next few months. I won't do a card every day- my schedule doesn't allow it, but I'll do a few cards a couple of times per week. In addition to these 365 cards I've promised, I will be hosting a card party later this month. If it is well received, I'll host a few others this year.
Looking forward to being crafty in 2011!
Over my Christmas vacation, I purchased lots of new crafting supplies (too many, to be honest). So, I'm going to set a goal for my OWH cards for 2011 in hopes of using these new supplies and not feeling guilty about my purchases. If I use them as intended, then I will be happy.
I've thought for a while about my goal and I decided that an average of 1 card per day is a reasonable goal. I might do more than this, especially during the summer and if we have any snow in the next few months. I won't do a card every day- my schedule doesn't allow it, but I'll do a few cards a couple of times per week. In addition to these 365 cards I've promised, I will be hosting a card party later this month. If it is well received, I'll host a few others this year.
Looking forward to being crafty in 2011!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Holiday Challenge #2 - Winter paper
This challenge was hard for me because I don't have a big stash of holiday paper and I had almost no scraps to choose from! As a scrapbooker, I also feel like it's too early to clean out holiday items because we haven't even taken the holiday pictures yet!
My first card just didn't seem to come together right. I tried a masking technique where I made a paper snowflake and inked over it. That part turned out OK and I will try it again on another card in other colors for a stained glass effect. I just don't think it looks right all together, but here it is. I wish I had inked and embossed the sentiment in white or silver. I thought the black would be a nice contrast, but it looks out of place.
My other card did have some heidi grace Christmas paper with mistletoe, birds, and pears. I used my circle punch and Cuttlebug for "thanks" and a piece of Offray ribbon to tie it together. Simpler and more successful than the first card, I think.
My first card just didn't seem to come together right. I tried a masking technique where I made a paper snowflake and inked over it. That part turned out OK and I will try it again on another card in other colors for a stained glass effect. I just don't think it looks right all together, but here it is. I wish I had inked and embossed the sentiment in white or silver. I thought the black would be a nice contrast, but it looks out of place.
My other card did have some heidi grace Christmas paper with mistletoe, birds, and pears. I used my circle punch and Cuttlebug for "thanks" and a piece of Offray ribbon to tie it together. Simpler and more successful than the first card, I think.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
First Spinner Card
I read a tutorial on the Stars and Stamps blog about making a spinner card and was intimidated. Then, today Sandy posted the first OWH Christmas break challenge and asked us to use a tutorial that we hadn't tried before. I hadn't done any of them (after all, I just learned about OWH this month) and this one seemed cool.
I didn't intend to copy their design exactly, but it's fairly similar. I incorporated another tutorial into the same card: using vellum.
Materials included:
Paper: black cardstock, heart vellum, pomegranate shimmer cardstock
Ink: pixie pink, pink passion, basic black, and versamark inks
Stamps: heart from Dollar Tree, "Love" by Inkadoo, sentiment by Studio G.
Other: silver embossing powder, foam mounting squares
I was SO rockin' the card making mojo this weekend that I decided to see if there was another tutorial I could tackle. I found a much simpler tutorial on an accordian/zig-zag fold card.
I changed it up a little bit by punching along the fold where the "thanks" stamp is (mostly because it wouldn't fit right without a tweak).
I was happy to use some materials that I hadn't given much time before, namely SU's Riveting set and paper flowers.
Materials:
Papers: robin cardstock from DCWV, green cardstock from heidi grace, pale blue cardstock, patterned paper from Making Memories
Inks: Tempting Turquoise
Stamps: SU Riveting
Other: Paper flowers from Making Memories, brads from Dollar Tree, border punch by Martha Stewart, clear embossing powder
Can't wait to see what other challenges bring! I'm enjoying using my supplies that don't always see the light of day because my family occassions don't always include everything I have stamps for.
I didn't intend to copy their design exactly, but it's fairly similar. I incorporated another tutorial into the same card: using vellum.
Materials included:Paper: black cardstock, heart vellum, pomegranate shimmer cardstock
Ink: pixie pink, pink passion, basic black, and versamark inks
Stamps: heart from Dollar Tree, "Love" by Inkadoo, sentiment by Studio G.
Other: silver embossing powder, foam mounting squares
I was SO rockin' the card making mojo this weekend that I decided to see if there was another tutorial I could tackle. I found a much simpler tutorial on an accordian/zig-zag fold card.
I changed it up a little bit by punching along the fold where the "thanks" stamp is (mostly because it wouldn't fit right without a tweak).
I was happy to use some materials that I hadn't given much time before, namely SU's Riveting set and paper flowers.
Materials:
Papers: robin cardstock from DCWV, green cardstock from heidi grace, pale blue cardstock, patterned paper from Making Memories
Inks: Tempting Turquoise
Stamps: SU Riveting
Other: Paper flowers from Making Memories, brads from Dollar Tree, border punch by Martha Stewart, clear embossing powder
Can't wait to see what other challenges bring! I'm enjoying using my supplies that don't always see the light of day because my family occassions don't always include everything I have stamps for.
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