Finishing Strong Blog Hop

I am joining Operation Write Home in their Finishing Strong Blog Hop this Memorial Day Weekend. Click HERE to start hopping!
"Operation Write Home, a charity that has supported heroes with handmade cards since 2007, will be closing later this year. All cards need to be sent in by August 1st, so I’m helping to get the word out!”

I really like the fun Flying By stamp set from Lawn Fawn so I made a card with Red, White & Blue paper airplanes.  A card like this could be used as a Love Card, my favorite or a Missing You card.

I popped up the airplanes with some foam tape and embossed the die cut cloud to add a little texture.

Hope you can hop with us!
Leave a comment on this post and you might win my giveaway.
{Shown in the previous post}

Supplies Used:
Flying By Stamp Set ~ Lawn Fawn
Pride Paper ~ Authentique
Space Embossing Folder ~ Cricut Cuttlebug
Onyx Black Pigment Ink ~ Versafine
Tumbled Glass Distress Ink ~ Ranger
Stormy Dark Blue Cardstock ~ Bazzill Basics
Watercolor Paper

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

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

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

Zebra Love

If you ever need help coming up with a card design, Operation Write Home is the place to go.  They have great sketches, challenges and tutorials.

This is the sketch for this week.  I normally turn the sketches horizontally so they are easier to see when in an OWH box but I had this zebra and thought it would work with the measurements.

OWH also works with great companies like Our Daily Bread Designs for challenges. This is my entry for their 'Valentine/Love' card.

Supplies Used:
Zoo Crew Stamps ~ Paper Smooches
Tuxedo Black Ink ~ Memento
Grapefruit Cardstock ~ American Crafts
Black Cardstock ~ Bazzill Basics
White Cardstock ~ Neenah Paper
Zebra Stripe Animal Prints Embossing Folder ~ Cuttlebug

Travel Journal

I have found I really like making journals out of old Readers Digest books.  This one's spine was cracked so I had to cut it apart and add rings.

I wanted to make a journal for some foreign relatives visiting Washington DC with us a few weeks ago.

My mom had found these long lost French relatives a while back.  I thought the "French Country" paper collection would be perfect.

The pattern design dictates what kind of page it will be...folded or a made into a pocket.

Places to write and add a picture, receipt or ticket stub attached with washi tape.

Hidden places to write

I did add in another collection of papers to mix it up a little.

I used some of the pages from the Readers Digest book as a base for a pocket page with a little flap.

Chicken Wire Embossing Folder pattern on the pocket

 

A little ribbon accent.

I added some plain pages for sketching.

 

I really had fun making this journal and the relatives appreciated receiving it.