Jenni Bowlin Red/Black Collection and Creative Corner Unite

Good evening - a quick post tonight - I have had this card made all week and forgot to post it.

October is a full month of birthdays for me and maybe everyone will get this card - I love how it turned out.  It is just under a 6 inch square.  I had just gotten this Jenni Bowlen collection and when I saw the challenge at Creative Corner - I knew this paper would work perfectly.  The challenge is numbers.  Well I have numbers. 

Inside the sentiment will say - Happy Birthday - remember it is just a number.

Come back Saturday to see what I made for the Operation Write Home blog hop.  Candy also.

World Card Making Day - October 1, 2011

Lots of great fun going on this week end - October 1 is World Card Making Day - Paper Crafts is having a big blog hop that day and also my personal favorite

Operation Write Home

is also having a blog hop - stop by their card blog - Stars and Stamps on Saturday morning and start clicking.  Lots of great inspiration.



Another Fall card

 I am using a new sentiment stamp from Hero Arts - it is one of three in a set - I have already gotten my use out of the first sentiment "Just Saying Hello" - and I think this one will be a new favorite for Operation Write Home cards.  I love this new patterned paper from Hobby Lobby also. 

Thanks for stopping by.

DCWV and Oldie Moldie Monday

Today is Oldie Moldie Monday so I have this pad from Die Cuts With a View - it is the small pad so the paper size is perfect for making cards.  I did pick up some big sheets of the solid blue, solid green and a stripe to complement the papers in the pad.  I made a total of 5 cards this morning using the pad - I will share the other two later in the week.  I think these will be great cards for Opeation Write Home.  Doesn't that little skunk look like he is ready to give hugs?  The "Big hugs" is a favorite Hero Arts Stamp.  Great sentiment for Operation Write Home.  The other two sentiments are stickers from SRM Stickers. 

Everyone enjoy your day - too bad we have to go back to work.

Heros Arts - Just Saying Hello

Good afternoon - Brewers and Packers play this afternoon - luckily the Packers play "da Bears" at 3 something so can watch the Brewers - or listen to the Brewers play.  I listen to TV lots - how about you - do you sit and watch or do you listen.  I do need to get some housework done also - the sheets are washed - so I need to go make my bed.

Today's card is for Operation Write Home - need to get a box in the mail this week so finishing up fallish cards.  This did start at the sketch on OWH's card blog Stars and Stamps but I took a detour from the sketch.  This sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts and it is fast becoming a favorite for my OWH cards.  Sometimes you just want to say HELLO. 

Oldie Moldie Monday cards are already made - I was on a role - I got five made using the same stack of paper.  I find that is the easiest way for me to make multiple cards is to just grab a grouping of paper and then add some sentiments and embellishments. 

Everyone have a wonderful day.

Fall cards and Operation Write Home card challenges

Sharing a couple more fall cards I made for Operation Write Home - although that Leaf one may stay with me - I think it would be a great fall card for one of my children.  Both of these could be cards for challenges celebrating Operation Write Home's birthday.  Ribbon usage, use of a digital image and the challenge at Michelle's Scrap - Anything Goes.  Since I have already entered the other two challenges - I will enter it at Michelle's.  Thank you Michelle for support OWH. 

The big leaf is painted with distress inks and pearl ex water mixed in.  I love how it turned out.  It looks like it came off the oak trees in my front lawn.  I added some great May Arts ribon and cut apart an SRM sticker for the sentiment.

The digital image - I believe - was designed by one of the OWH crew - but I don't have notes on the image - I will run into it again so I will know.  I love the leaf brad I had in supplies - perfect finishing touch for that empty corner. 

This paper is more of the fall pad I got last night at Hobby Lobby.  Love that they are adding more paper collections in their supplies. 

Have a wonderful evening.

Gel-a-Tins Operation Write Home Challenge

gel-a-tin (sorry I don't have the special markings in your name) is sponsoring a sketch challenge for Operation Write Home.  It is wonderful when OWH gets support from the companies in the business we so happily support.  It is a fun sketch.  I just wanted a general fall card.  Tonight I went to Hobby Lobby - had a cold this week - so have not been out anywhere - well they had paper 50% off so I had to buy a few pieces and some pads - shame on me.  But isn't this lovely fall paper and it is a very nice weight also.  It is Hobby Lobby's brand also.  Like I needed more paper but a girl has to feed her addiction.

The sentiment stamp is a $1 stamp from Michael's - a good sentiment for OWH cards.  The leaf stamp is an old Hero Arts.

Everyone have a wonderful evening - come back tomorrow to see the other two cards I made with the same papers.

May Arts Ribbon and Operation Write Home

May Arts  - say that to any cardmaker or scrapbooker and all of a sudden you see their eyes light up, they start drooling - it is a common ailment of people who enjoy working with Ribbon - especially May Arts Ribbon - it is so lovely.  They partnered with Operation Write Home for a challenge - you can find that challenge at this link. 

I had worked with this beautiful grouping of Holiday papers from Simple Stories and it was still on the design table (much nicer description than the messy table I create on) and I knew I had just restocked my supply of this particular May Arts ribbon - beautiful dark red color with a suede finish to it - works great for holiday cards.  I also bought more dark brown.  I found a sentiment and everything in the 6 x 6 pad - all I added was the kraft card base, ribbon and the black base for the stripe inset. 

I have lots of May Arts ribbon but I always want more.  I also love their twine - I buy that in 20 yard lots.  Easy to add to an OWH card because it adds so much but not too much thickness.  You do have to be careful when making cards for OWH that you don't make them too bulky for our Heroes to mail home.  The majority of my personal cards need special mailing because of the huge bows I tie but for OWH I attempt to keep the bulk to a minimum.

Everyone enjoy their evening.

Digi Images and Basic Grey Unite

I am posting a card I made for the Operation Write Home birthday celebration - the challenge was to use a digi image.  This is a favorite for making Operation Write Home cards.  Such an easy way for a Hero to send some love home to a loved one.  I have no notes on where I got this image but I beliee it may may been designed by one of the OWH people.

Everyone have a great day.

Faux Letterpress Technique

A quick post today - I wanted to share a couple cards I made using the Faux Letterpress Technique.  I am taking an onlien class - Inspiration Showcase with Jennifer McGuire.  I am learning so much - and will take another class sometime like this - I already have 80 some pages of printed material from the class with beautiful examples. 

With this technique you ink of one side of your embossing folder and run it through your machine.  Clean your embossing folder.  Ink the other side and run it through the machine.  You could just do one piece of the embossed paper on a card but I chose on these two cards to cut the pieces and then was able to make two cards.  I thought they turned out fallish looking with the leaves and goldish ink.  This sentiment from Hero Arts has become a favorite for cards for Operation Write Home - sometimes it is not a special occasion - you just want to say Hello. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Resist Mini Cards

2.75 x 3.75

4 x 4

CAS-usal Friday has a challenge for mini cards this week.  These are pretty clean and simple cards for me.  I placed the sizes of each card above them.

I am trying to do some more of my resist techniques from the online class I am taking.  I am having so much fun - playing.  The first card is Color Blend Stamping and Distress ink Watercoloring. Instead of white embossing - I used dark brown because I wanted to make the leaf look fall like.  I just colored with different distress inks sprayed with pearlized water.  In real life - it has such a pretty sheen to it.  Added a SRM Sticker in which I just used the Hello.  The cream string was colored with distress ink also. 

The second card is using paint on your stamp and stamping it on cardstock - after it dries - rub distress inks around it.  At first I did not like it but after a day or two I made it into a  card and was very pleased.

Oh and by the way - it is oldie moldie Monday - and this is a  6 x 6 pad of Basic Grey - I have had for awhile - I don't think it has been in the collection that long but it sure made some cute cards - I actually made another card from the same paper - come back later in the week to see that one.

Simple Stories - 25 Days of Christmas

This is a card I made this week for one of the challenges on Stars and Stamps (Operation Write Home's card blog) celebrating OWH's birthday.  The challenge was to use Red and Kraft and Black or Blue.  I chose red, kraft and black.

This is a new paper grouping for Christmas 2011 from Simple Stories - 25 Days of Christmas.  I found the 6 x 6 pad of it.  I have fallen in love with their collections.  I just bought a new 6 x 6 pad yesterday of another collection.  I want to find some big sheets of that houndstooth paper - yummy. 

Everyone have a great day.  I am working on cards using the techniques I am learning in my online class - come back tomorrow to see a couple mini cards using a couple different techniques I learned.  Very happy with the results.

Hero Arts and Canvas Resist

Good morning - wanted to share this card I made.  I am taking an online class from Inspiration Showcase with Jennifer McGuire.  I am having so much fun - trying things I would not normally do - so this is good for me - plus I am getting some cards made for some upcoming and belated birthdays.

This card is done using the Canvas Resist Technique.  I did not have any sheets of the sticky back canvas so I do have just regular canvas bought at the fabric store.  I tore the size I needed to fit my stamp.  The tearing gives it such a nice homespun look.  I rather like this and think it would be a beautiful piece of artwork also.  You ink your stamp with Versamark and stamp on your fabric and then emboss it with white embossing ink.  After that you press your distress ink over the entire piece of fabric.  You can mist it with a Perfect Pearl Powder and water mix to make the ink go into the fibers of the canvas better.  You then wipe off the embossed areas with a damp cloth.  Such a pretty effect and the colors are varied even though you used the same distress ink. 

I am going to enter this card at Lily Pad Cards because they have a Resist challenge going on - they must have planned it around my taking of the class.

Now I am still working on Day 1 of the class - we are up to Day 6.  I am so behind.

Everyone have a very creative day.

Traditional Resist Technique

I want to share a card I made in the class I am taking online Inspiration Showcase with Jennifer McGuire.  Such fun - but I am still working on cards from the first two lessons - but I have been happy with what I have accomplished so far.    This card is "Traditional Resist Technique" - I stamped with Versamark on glossy paper, let it dry and then rubbed a distress ink over it.  I did the same technique on the sentiment.  I couldn't find any paper to match the blue - so I made my own by rubbing the distress ink on the size square I needed.  The image is pop dotted .  A bow and a few pearls were added to the front of the card. 

I am going to enter this card in the resist challenge on Lily Pad cards.

It rained today and I did not get a picture taken of the card I made in which I embossed on canvas - come back in the next couple days to see that and other cards using resist.

Have a good evening.

Bo Bunny Sketch Challenge for Operation Write Home

BoBunny is sponsoring a sketch challenge for Operation Write Home.  You can find the challenge at this link.  It was a fun sketch because it had so many layers and I love layers - a one layer card - what is that - naked - some people can make a one layer card and it is beautiful - but not me.  So all these layers  were wonderful for me to play with.

I had recently purchased the 6 x 6 pad of BoBunny Father Christmas Collection.  The image and sentiment were also in the package.  I did reverse where the sentiment was.  I could have very easily put the bow on the other side but I did not.

Thank you BoBunny for sponsoring this sketch and supporting Operation Write Home in their efforts to keep our heros in touch with families and friends at home.  I know BoBunny paper always brings a smile to my face.

Hero Arts, May Arts, Teresa Collins

This is my second card doing resist stamping - I am taking an online class - Inspiration Showcase taught by Jennifer McGuire.  I am learning lots - I wish I could just stay home every day and play but MaMa has to work to buy new stamping supplies. 

This particular technique is Patterned Paper Trapped Embossed Resist - you stamp your design on pattern paper (I had this great paper with just the word WISH on it - of course you think birthday).  You heat emboss with clear embossing powder and then rub distress ink over the image.  Wipe the ink off the stamped image.  It has the look of fall to it - perfect for a fall birthday.  I made the flower using two Hero Art flower stamps.  I first stamped the flower with distress ink and then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  Cut them out and layered them.  I had that great brad which was the perfect center for my flower.  I added the May Arts Ribbon with a little twine across the top.

I think I will enter this at Lily Pad because they have a challenge for the month of September for resist techniques - I am sure I will be making a few more resist cards this month.  I know I will be making a few more of these cards.  They will make great cards for Operation Write Home also - I will just use a smaller brad for the flower center.

Well I need to do dishes before I can play.

My Mind's Eye and Hero Arts

Blogger has not been playing nice - tried to schedule this post for today last night - did not work, tried to do it this morning - did not work - finally it worked.

This is actually a card I did for a week end virtual cardmaking party for Operation Write Home - this is a CAS card - well it is CAS to me - clean and simple.  The design on the the 2 sheets of this paper in the 6 x 6 pad worked great for this card.  I know it will bring smiles to someone.

Off the Hobby Lobby to get a new VersaMark pad.  Mine are pretty old and disgusting looking. 

Oldie Moldie Monday and Basic Grey

Today is Oldie Moldie Monday - time to show some love for some older paper in your supplies.  I have had this Basic Grey 6 x 6 pad since it came out (I need to have all of them) and I don't think I have used it at all.  I wanted to make a thank you card for my aunt. 

The card started out as the sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping - of course - I took a turn - hopefully it was a good turn.  CAS-usal Fridays is to do some paper piecing.  I pieced the flowers and then also pieced the center of the flowers.  Since the card was not for Operation Write Home I used some Stickles (no glitter on OWH cards - we put our soldiers lives in danger).

Moda Fabrics makes this same paper line in fabric - I saw it today on their blog - so pretty.  My first love was fabric and sewing.

Dig into your supplies and make a card (cards) out of your older supplies.

Card Details

Size:  4.25 x 5.5

Paper:  Basic Grey

Image Stamp:  Art Declassified

Sentiment Stamp:  Hero Arts

May Arts Twine

Stickles



Unity Stamps and My Mind's Eye

This si another card for Operation Write Home's virtual cardmaking party - it was the first challenge - garanimals i na card for a child - I love this little doggy - he is from Unity Stamps - you would have seen him on my card that was in October issue of Craft's n Things - Crafting For a Cause.  This challenge can be found here.

Bananas for You

Operation Write Home is having a virtual cardmaking party this week end.  One of the challenges is a "non traditional valentine card" - well this is pretty non traditional when it comes to Valentines - it could actually be used all year - and it will be put into my next box.  This challenge was hosted by Dixie.

The paper is Die Cuts With a View and unfortunately there were just a couple sheets with this big image on it - but of course - I do have lots of monkey stamps.

Everyone have a wonderful day.  A day of catch up on things around the house and in cardmaking - come back tomorrow to see my Oldie Moldie Monday card.

Unique Christmas - Non Traditional Colors

Welcome to my portion of the week end fun celebrating Operation Write Home's birthday.

Your challenge (should you decide to accept it) is to make a unique Christmas card which means - to use non traditional colors.

Since we are Operation Write Home - I decided to make a Red, White and Blue Christmas card. I know that this image will bring a smile to someone's face when they receive this card from a loved one serving overseas.

So please make a holiday card using non traditional colors - how about some orange, how about some purple, how about some hot pink - you know you can do it. I am excited to see your cards - please link them below.

Today is a Good Day

I needed a card for Tuesday morning so Monday night I quickly threw this one together - not sure if the stamp goes with the paper but the sentiment sold it to me.  My assistant came back to work - yeah - so I welcomed her back with this  card.

The paper is by Echo Park.  Ribbon from my supplies.  Brads by American Crafts and the stamp is an Inkadinkado that I bought for $1.

Stampendous and My Mind's Eye

I wanted to send my Mom a card to cheer her up after her visit to the hospital last week.  I dug through my pile of colored images and thought this image would make her smile.  The bird just needed to be colored a different shade of blue - it needed to be tealish - and I was able to use a Copic Marker and change the color to match the colors in my patterned paper.

This is a  beautiful collection from My Mind's Eye.  The sentiment stamp I got at Michaels for a little over a $1 and there were 3 stamps in the set.  I will get lots of mileage out of that sentiment for my Operation Write Home cards.  This image is a great one for OWH cards.

Everyone have a wonderful evening.

Sad story - cardmaker's daughter has a birthday today - and did she get a card from hre mother - no - I am so behind in my personal card making.

Happy Labor Day

Yes - it is Monday - time to dig into some of your oldie moldie paper and make some beautiful cards.  I have three cards to share today using a grouping from American Crafts.  Love the fall colors in this grouping so it called for fallish cards.  Today's weather definately feels like fall - I have the windows and doors open letting in the fresh air - of course - it was  challenge taking the pictures of the cards - it was quick - get the shot before it blows off the mount.  

Today I am attempting to catch up on challenges for Opeartion Write Home's birthday bash which lasts all month long. 

Day 2, CASE Ardeth T, 



Day 4 -Miss You - Love You! Sponsored by Inspired Stamps



Day 3...We R Keeping an Eye on You!



The sentiment stamp is from Hero Arts.  The Pumpking is a $1 stamp from Michael's.  Miss You stamp is Stampabilities.  Eyelets are by Karen Foster.  Many of the elements are pop dotted to add some dimension to the card.  Dot stamp is by Hero Arts.

Everyone enjoy your Labor Day - 35 years ago on Labor Day I gave birth to my youngest daughter - a true labor of love.

OWH Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge

Sorry I did not disappear - My Mom was having a health issue so I have either been at the hospital, at work or at her house after she was released on Friday afternoon.  Hopefully she will bounce back from this bump in the road.  Some bumps are very difficult at the age of 92.

My card is based on sketch #85 from Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps - the digital image was supplied by K'nk Designs.  This little bear called out to be paper pieced and so I did.  I pop dotted the image to add a little depth to the card.  The sentiment was also supplied by K'nk Designs.  The paper is a very old collection from We R Memory Keepers.

I hope you get a chance to stop over and try this challenge. 

In fact, the entire month of September we are having a birthday party on OWH and every day there is something fun to do.  Next week end will be a virtual cardmaking party. 

Everyone enjoy your evening - early to bed for me - so I was sleeping lightly listening for Mom and some idiot fax kept dialing my Mom's telephone every two hours starting at 10 last night and the last call was at 6 this morning - luckily she is hard of hearing.