Primarily Missing You

This month's ODBD Challenge is to use Primary Colors in making a card for Operation Write Home.  I really like the font style for this sentiment. Thought if I mounted it on a square that was a little askew, it would keep the card from looking too boxy.

Supplies Used:
Patterned Paper ~ My Stash
Blue Cardstock ~ Bazzill Basics
OWH Brave Limited Stamp Set ~ Simon Says Stamp
Onyx Black Versafine Pigment Ink ~ Tsukineko

OWH Red Friday Blog Hop

Operation Write Home is having a Red Friday Blog Hop to support our nation’s heroes with love from home!  I made a card using a sentiment from one of the fundraiser stamp sets OWH Brave.  This is the first time I tried the mirror image stamping technique.  I had to look thru the backside of the stamp to line up the die to cut it properly.  I think it came out pretty well.

I wanted to make the foxes look like they were in the woods, so I embossed the brown paper and popped up the tree trunks.  Be sure to check out the list of blogs on the hop for some inspiration.  Send in a few cards that meet the guidelines.

Supplies Used:
OWH Brave Limited Stamp Set ~ Simon Says Stamp
Joy to the Woods Stamp & Die Set ~ Lawn Fawn
Tuxedo Black Dye Ink ~ Memento
Versafine Pigment Ink ~ Tsukineko
T0  T2 ~ Copic Markers

Sending Love

I am joining in on the Operation Write Home November ODBD Challenge this month where the card is to feature a heart.

I used the flatten feature on my Cricut Explore along with my printer to get this sentiment label.  I popped it up over some fun May Arts ribbon to help make it stand out.

Let me know if you join in on the challenge.

Supplies Used:
Striped Ribbon ~ May Arts
Better Together Cartridge ~ Cricut
White Cardstock ~ Neenah

Cutting Edge Blog Hop

I'm participating in the Cutting Edge Blog Hop hosted by Pretty Pink Posh! They are so kind that they are letting me participate even though I don't have any of their dies, yet!

I used the Tri Square Craft Die in a little bit different way than it is laid out. Normally the squares are all in a line but I wanted the windows for the bears to look far apart.  My son just moved out on his own and I wish he weren't so far away!

I popped the bears' heads up a little so they would look a little 3 dimensional.

Supplies Used:
Tri Square Craft Die ~Simon Says Stamp
Circle Friends Stamp Set ~Simon Says Stamp
Die Inks ~Hero Arts
Patterned Paper ~My Mind's Eye
Red Cardstock ~Bazzill

Arden's Card

I have a friend named Arden. Even though she is only six years old, she has been making cards for quite some time with construction paper and markers.  I thought this challenge would be perfect for her.  Since it is a Simon Says Stamp Challenge, I brought over some Simon Says Stamps, inks, cardstock and colored pencils for her to try out.

  She had a design in mind before I even arrived.  She traced and cut out half a butterfly so that when the recipient opens it,

a whole butterfly is revealed!

She really liked using the different colored ink cubes and the various stamps to make the card come to life.  Keeping to the summer color scheme was part of her design as well.  She will be giving this card to her parents who were on a "Staycation".

Supplies Arden used:
Cardstock ~ Neenah
Thinking of You Stamp Set ~ Simon Says Stamp
Watt's Up Stamp Set ~ Simon Says Stamp
Pale Tomato Ink ~ Hero Arts
Tide Pool Ink ~ Hero Arts
Cornflower Ink ~ Hero Arts
Colored Pencils ~ Faber-Castell
Hole Punch  Construction Paper

I Dig You

I took Sandy Allnock's Copic Background Class.  Here is my first attempt at the technique.  I think I need to get a few lighter colors to make it a little more wispy.

I remembered to stamp the inside with a coordinating stamp for a little extra fun.

I thought this girl looked like me enjoying summer so I entered it in the
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge: A Mid-Summer's Challenge

Supplies Used:
May Arts Ribbon  Copic Markers  Hero Arts ink  There She Goes Stamps  DCWV paper

OWH Sketch #234

Every week Operation Write Home has a new Sketch Challenge.  I really like that they include the measurements.  You can follow it exactly or use it as an inspiration.

 

Here is my version.  I tried to follow the sketch and measurements exactly.  Using paper from the same 6 x 6 pad makes it easier to find coordinating colors and patterns.

Because there were so many layers, {8 + the card base!!}
I did not pop anything up.
Do you like to use sketches for your cards/layouts?

Supplies Used:
Flirty Frames Stamp Set ~Paper Smooches
Jewel Cardstock ~DCWV
Patterned Paper ~My Mind's Eye
Embossing Folder ~Cuttlebug
Charcoal Ink ~Hero Arts

Scarf Challenge

I made these cards for an Operation Write Home challenge.  Fun to have guidelines sometimes. Have been enjoying coloring these Paper Smooches frames lately so this challenge fit in nicely!

We were to make a card with tone on tone yellow and pink.  I embossed patterns that were similar to the stamped image.

If you decide to join in on this challenge, let me know!  I'd love to see what you create!

Supplies Used:
Flirty Frames Stamp Set & Dies ~ Paper Smooches
Musical Flourish Embossing Folder ~ Cuttlebug by Provo Craft
Baby's Breath Embossing Folder ~ Cuttlebug by Provo Craft
Mildred Now and Then Enamel Dots ~ My Mind's Eye
Onyx Black VersaFine Pigment Ink ~ Tsukineko
R24  R43  R46  Y19 ~ Copic Sketch Markers
Crop-a-Dile Corner Chomper ~ We R Memory Keepers
Colored Cardstock ~ DCWV
White Cardstock ~ Neenah

Thick & Thin Challenge Winners!

 Thanks to everyone who looked at all the blog posts, commented and linked their own cards for the challenges!

Congratulations to Kristie Marcotte and Irene {pwhalersfan} !!!

You are the winners of the Thick & Thin May Arts Ribbon!!!
{As soon as I get your address, I'll get you your goodies!}
You can reach me at byannette at rocketmail dot com

4th of July VCMP Challenges

 Here are some cards I made for the Operation Write Home VCMP

#1 His & Hers

4th of July VCMP

Welcome to the Operation Write Home 4th of July Weekend Virtual Card Making Party!

I hope you can join me and the other hostesses as we bring some card challenges for you to make and show. You have until next Sunday, July 13th to add your card. Check out the OWH Blog: Stars and Stamps for links to the other blogs.

I have a Thick & Thin Challenge for you.
Make a Thick AnyHero card with a message written inside by you and then a Thin version that a hero can write in and mail home.

AnyHero cards can be crazy thick since they are given to the heroes in the boxes!

AnyHero cards can also be any size or shape so I like to make top folding "hot dog" ones.

Thick only for AnyHero card

Thin for Hero to send home

The Thin card needs to be flat so it is easy for the Hero to send home.

What's a Party without a Giveaway???
Since you will be making two cards, I have two prizes!!

I have some Thick May Arts ribbon for one of  the InLinkz participants and some Thin May Arts ribbon for another of the InLinkz participants so you can replenish your supplies!

Add your cards by copying your url from your blog or photo sharing account.

An InLinkz Link-up

Virtual Card Making Party coming!

What's a VCMP?  

It's an online event with challenges all weekend long, a new one every few hours...and they're hosted on lots of blogs! {I'll be one of those blogs!!}

Operation Write Home's blog, Stars & Stamps will have all the links.

I'll update as soon as I have more information.

Try to participate...there may be prizes!

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless Babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save

Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory
Sins curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand
Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand

Songwriters
Donald Koch/Andrew Craig

Link Love

Diane from CraftyPod and Tammy from daisy yellow art like to share creative ideas and projects.  They have invited others to share 5 posts that Inspired Us to Try Something New.

Diane's article on How to turn a Soda Can into a Spring Brooch inspired me to make a wreath.  

Her mom, Pam from Gingerbread Snowflakes has inspired me to try things like felting and challenged me to make garden markers.  She is always working on something fun!

Sandy Allnock, founder of Operation Write Home has inspired me to learn to color with Copic Markers.

Monika from  I Love it All has inspired me to use an old Reader's Digest book to make a "1st Year Journal".

 

Renee from I came, I saw, I created has inspired me to make a "Welcome to the Area" booklet.

Thank You ladies for being such crafty inspirations!

She said YES !!!

Love is friendship set to music ~E. Joseph Crossman

Our son met a girl while in the music program in college. Their friendship grew and we all fell in love with her.  He asked her to marry him today and she said YES!

I made this card to let her know how happy we are that she will be joining our family.

This is the first paper piecing I've done along with coloring.  Can you see that her dress, arm and his sleeve are layered?  Really liked being able to use patterned paper along with coloring.

Supplies Used:
Cutting the Rug by Mo Manning ~Stamping Bella
Patterned Paper from February 2014 Card Kit ~Simon Says Stamp
Polka Dot Page Embossing Folder ~Provo Craft
Kraft Cardstock ~Bazzill
White Cardstock ~Neenah
Tuxedo Black Dye Ink ~Memento
B95 BV25 E11,23,25,29,42,50 R29 RV00 T28 YG61 ~Copic Sketch Markers

Color & Sunshine

Happy Saturday!
Thought I'd share a few cards I made with the new Simon Says Stamp March 2014 Card Kit.

I especially like the swirly words in this stamp set Color and Sunshine.  I like the way they look when you combine them with the plain font phrases.

Here is the first design I came up with.  I wanted to use the sequins so I made the rest of the card more plain.  Then wondered how clouds would look embossed so I made the card at the top of the post.

Really liked the example Laurie Willison made with the word sunshine over the sun stamp so I made my own version.

Wondered what it would look like triple stamping the sun.  Used yellow, orange and red rotating the stamp a little each time to see more rays.

Supplies Used:
March 2014 Card Kit ~Simon Says Stamp
D'vine Swirls Embossing Folder ~Provo Craft
Talk Bubbles Die  ~Simon Says Stamp
Quiet Morning Cube Inks ~Hero Arts
Summer Splash Cube Inks ~Hero Arts
Charcoal Twine ~The Twinery

Thinking of You

Hey There ~I have been thinking about you and missed posting here.
I have been making cards, just haven't posted them.


 I subscribe to the Simon says Stamp monthly card kits. One of the really neat things about their subscription is that you get to choose which kits to get.

 I wasn't 100% sure if I wanted the February 2014 Thinking of You kit with this stamp set. I really liked the "You Are" "missed" "loved" & "Thinking of You" words included along with the dots and leaf frond; thinking they would be really great for Operation Write Home cards.

Yes, you guessed it... I got it.

 Thought you might like to see a few cards with this set.

Tried an ombre effect with my Copic markers and words as a background.

 

Liked how that looked, so tried another.

Had several black rectangles with holes punched in my stash pile. Thought it would showoff the snake and be a good place to use the little letters that come in the kit!

 

You Are my main squeeze is a fun and unexpected sentiment for a Love card.

Do you subscribe to any monthly kits?
If so, which one(s)?  And what is your favorite part of the kit?