Summer vs. Christmas Cards For 2 Challenges

While getting cards ready to send out this week I took some time out to participate in some challenges.

I just love this little gal from Hambo Stamps.  I colored her using water color pencils. The sentiment was stamped on vellum and attached with colored staples.  

This card is being used for a couple of OWH challenges.  The card challenge sponsored by The Hambo Hoedown blog.  Their challenge asks that you use one of their images and isn't she cute?  And the challenges sponsored by Tuesday Throwdown and by Sassy Studio Designs.  These two challenges are looking for either missing you or thinking of you cards.  Be sure to check out the sponsors sites.  Besides being wonderful by supporting OWH they have wonderful products and amazing ideas.

Following is a Christmas card based on OWH Sketch # 88 Challenge.  You can find a copy of the sketch here.   I chose to mount each piece with a solid color and used a ribbon and brad on the square to mimic a present.  For the sentiment I used foam mounting tape to give it some dimension.  Since the card uses red card stock I quarter folded, trimmed and attached a piece of Christmas letter head inside.  I thought that it would be nice for our soliders to have some extra room to write home on.  It easily folds out to a full sheet of paper while still staying safely secured.  

 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  

I just love all of your wonderful comments.  

Have a wonderful evening!

More OWH Card Challenges

 I am still working on getting a box of cards ready to send out the first of next week to Operation Write Home.  As usual the Stars and Stamps blog is keeping us busy with lots of challenges and ideas.

The following cards use paper and sentiments form an all-in-one Paper-craft Kit from Cloud9 Design along with paper from the Recollections All Seasons Paper Pad.  The red ribbon is also from the Paper-craft Kit.  I wish there was more of it because the bow worked out so well with it.  The white ribbon is Sheerly Yours by Offray and has been my go to ribbon lately.  I will definitely need to stock up on this as it seems to go with most anything.  I also like that it is light weight and not bulky.

This one is for the try something round on your card challenge.  It is being sponsored by Robin's Fetish Digital Stamps and More.  Head on over there and take a look.  There are a lot of great items and ideas.  Currently they have a Fall Sale going on with 35% off until September 30th.  So hurry on over there and don't miss a chance at a  great bargain. 

Since I am trying to add some Christmas Cards to the box going out next week, I chose to do another Christmas card.  This one is for the challenge hosted by Michelle's Scrapbooking and more in honor of OWH.  The theme is anything you like and ends Sept 27th.  This is a great site with a lot of amazing items, ideas and challenges. 

This next card is for the Birthday Bash - Case Charlsie S., Napa CA.  Make sure to stop by and see all the wonderful cards she has shared.  My favorite part of this card is the ribbon.  For being so small it looks so luxurious.  The fork method was used.  You can find many tutorials on line.  Here is one on the OWH website.  It is super easy once you get the hang of it.   

This last card is for the  “Sweet Treats” theme challenge at the Stars & Stamps blog.  The digital image is from Sliekje's Digi Stamps.  She has so many cute images and is a wonderful artist.  Go ahead and take a look.  Please make sure to leave a comment, if you download a stamp, and to follow her terms of use.  I printed the image on water color paper and then used colored pencils.  I was able to get 6 images on the page.  Cut to size they are easily stored in a index card file for later use.  The die cut is by My Minds Eye.  I am not sure about the flowered paper and card stock as I pulled it out of my scrap pile.

Thank you for stopping by to take a look.  Have a wonderful day!

Pinks & Greens....Lovely!

I am still having fun with cards for OWH and the challenges found on their Stars & Stamps Blog.  I am working hard to get a bunch of cards together to go out the first of next week.  Yea, this will be my first and definitely not my last.  What a great group to support.  

This first card is not anything like I had imagined.  However, I must admit that this is probably one of my favorites.  It could be used as a non-traditional Christmas card or a love themed card.  It fits well with the "Tie Christmas up in a bow" challenge sponsored by May Arts.  They are a ribbon wholesaler.  If you like ribbon, and who doesn't, make sure to check their website out.  There is a ton of gorgeous ribbon to be had.

I couldn't find anything that I liked to go with the background. Then I found the sweet hearts stickers from Frances Meyer, Inc. and they were perfect.  Next, how to mount them.  Directly on the flower printed vellum didn't work as the stickers were clear and the print overpowered them.  The sentiment is one I created on a clear/white paper and have been using on Christmas cards.  It went well with the hearts and mounted on a piece of silver card stock they really seemed to work well together.  The background paper is by Making memories - Pink Small Dots.  The vellum is from Daisy D's -  Sweet Dreams Tulips.  Then it is all tied up with a white ribbon. 

These next two cards are based on the OWH sketch challenge #87.  Be sure to hop on over there and check it out too.  There are a lot of great ideas posted.  

I used the silver card stock again to mount the patterned paper.  The patterned paper is from Recollections and is in their All Seasons Paper Pad. I like to use these because it is so much easier to color coordinate as it is already done for you.  Then I used a turquoise ink from Page Craft with the sentiment stamp by Katie & Co. designed for g.  This was found in the dollar bin at my local Michaels store.  These too were tied up with a white ribbon.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and take a look.  

Have a wonderful and peaceful evening!

OWH Birthday Bash Color Challenge & A Bugs Life Cards

What a wonderful day here.  Not too hot or too cold.  The sun is shining through the soft fluffy clouds that are scattered across the brilliantly blue sky.  I just love this time of year.  Wherever you might be, I hope that God has blessed you with a beautiful and wonderful day too.

I just wanted to quickly share with you a couple more of the cards that I have created using the challenges found on the  OWH Stars & Stamps blog.  If you haven't been over there lately, please take a moment to stop on by.  As usual, there is a lot going on and I am sure you will find something that catches your fancy.

The first card I created was for the Birthday Bash Color Challenge sponsored by Paper and Such.  Stop on by and take a look.  There are a lot of really cool ideas.  Their challenge was to use kraft, red, and black or blue.  

I tend to use what is at hand.  And since the Recollections All Seasons paper pad is out I chose it.  It worked well with this challenge.  When I purchased the pad, my intent was to use it to complete some Christmas cards for the OWH organization.  I love the classic look of these papers.  

I created the sentiment using Microsoft Publisher for Mac and printed it out on vellum.  I like doing this because I can just copy, paste and then easily print out a whole sheet of sentiments to use.  Any that are left over are trimmed to size and filed away for later use.

The second challenge was A Bugs Life theme.  I spent a lot of time looking through my stash, and apparently I don't like bugs.  There was hardly one to be found.  

I did find this cute pink dragon fly that I have had in my stash for a while now.  It was on a sheet of black alphabet stickers.  Unfortunately I have no idea who they are made by as there is nothing on the page, front or back. 

The flower paper is by the Paper Patch.  A sheet of Black - small dots on white and a sheet of Black - tri dot is from Making Memories.   Again, I have had them in my stash forever.  The nice thing about acid and lignin free paper is it does it's job and does not yellow or fade.  

And last but not least, a clean white ribbon to add a little flair to the card.  I really like the way it finished the card.  

Thanks for stopping by to visit.  Have a wonderful weekend!

My Submission for OWH - Birthday Bash 2011: Sketch #85

The Birthday celebrations continue on over at the  OWH Stars & Stamps blog.  This challenge was to create a card using Sketch #85.   

I am enjoying all of the challenges.  Better yet, I am getting lots of ideas and my pile of cards is growing.  I will be able to send off a shipment before long.  Be sure to check out the web site - Operation Write Home - if you are interested in finding out more on what you can do to support them.

My card base is kraft cardstock from the Paper Studio.  I was able to use a 40% off coupon at my local Hobby Lobby.  You can't get any better than that.  I really like the look of the kraft paper, however I am not thrilled with how my other papers are  adhering to it.  I will keep looking for an adhesive that works better than the ones I have tried.  

The patterned paper is by K&Company - Brenda Walton's Around the World specialty paper pack. I really like the colors and how the papers go together so well.

The sentiment stamp I found at my local Michaels and is by g studio.  The light house is one of my mother's from when she was making stamps...Hopefully when I go to visit next month I can raid some more.  Since I colored the stamp with water color pencils and a Marvy Blender pen I chose to use water color paper.  The paper doesn't peel up as much as regular cardstock does.  

Thanks for stopping by and looking.  Have a wonderful day and an amazing weekend!

Stars & Stamps VCMP Weekend

What a fun weekend for Operation Write Home.  To celebrate their birthday, on the Stars & Stamps Blog they held a virtual card making party that lasted all weekend long.  A total of 16 challenges presented, with a new one being hosted every 2 hours on a different blog.  Go check it out.  There are a ton of great ideas!  Click here to go to their post with all of the great challenges going on this month to celebrate their Birthday---

Happy Birthday Operation Write Home!!

This party was fantastic and generated a lot of ideas.  I am sure that there well be a ton of great cards pouring in shortly for the soldiers to send home to their families. 

I haven't been able to get through all of the challenges, but here are a few that I have been able to complete so far.  

Most of the patterned paper is from the Recollections All Seasons paper pad which I picked up, using a 40% off coupon, at my local Michaels store.  The ribbons and card stock were in my stash at home.  Water color pencils and paper were used with the stamps.  The vellum sentiment was printed on my Hp photo printer and created using Microsoft PowerPoint.

I apologize for using my scanner rather than a camera.  It tends to leave the cards and embellishments so flat. 

VCMP #1: Garanimals

Hosted by: Linda @ It was here a minute ago
Create a card for a child with an animal on it.

VCMP #2: Celebrating Nature
Hosted by: Lisa @ Stamping with a Mission
Create a card using some element of nature as the focal point.

VCMP #3: Unique Christmas

Hosted by: Paper Therapy Ponderings
Create a unique Christmas card..using non-traditional colors.

VCMP #5: Falling for You

Hosted by: Sybrina @ Scrapping with a Purpose
Create a card using the phrase "Falling for You"

Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a WONDERFUL day!