Mother's Day Cards for Operation Write Home

Hi -  Today's cards are based on the sketch challenge from Operation Write Home.  I made a few more Mother's Day cards to finish packing my box. 

Here is the sketch:

Here are my cards.  This first one uses paper from We R Memory Keepers and Bazzill, prima flowers, a Quickutz die for the leaves and some soft twine.  These are not my go-to colors, but I like how it turned out. 

This one uses paper from We R Memory Keepers and Chatterbox and the same soft twine.   I love how this paper shines.  :)

Thought for the day:  "Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk."   - Doug Larson

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Anchors Away...

Hi!  More inspiration from the Online Card Class and from my Mom.  :)  I was talking with my mom this morning and she said she wanted a card with an anchor on it for one of her friends.   I love when she does this  because it gives me yet another starting point!  So, for this first card, I used a new technique I learned from my CAS3 class as well as sketch rs#106 from Retro Sketches.   

This second card uses some patterned paper I had leftover.  I love the colors on this paper so it's been sitting on my desk waiting for a special card!   I am having fun using this anchor stamp and die set from Hero Arts.  It was an exclusive set for Archivers' which makes me a bit sad, but I do love it!

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Thought for the day:  "People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously.  This is how character is built."  - Eleanor Roosevelt

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!

Masculine Masking

Hi - I am still learning new techniques with the Online Card Class - CAS3.  However, I am learning that the CAS style is still a struggle for me, LOL!  

I LOVE the technques I'm learning and will definitely be using them but I might just be including them in cards that are more my style.  :)  This card uses masking to create the plaid, a REALLY fun technique!  The stamp/die cut are from Hero Arts and it is inlaid into the card creating one layer.  I love how flat I am learning to make my cards, it works well for mailing, which is what I usually have to do and it also works well for Operation Write Home!   I tried to make this a truly one layer card, but for me it needed the definition of the brown cardstock around the outside.   I really wanted to add more, like a fish-tailed banner with a sentiment across the bottom, but I kept it CAS.....at least for now.  :)

I am enjoying the class tremendously and will definitely look more closely at future classes.  :)

Thought for the day:  "There's not a lot of traffic when you go the extra mile. "  - unknown

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!

Clean and Simple Card Class

Hi  Today is day 4 of the Clean and Simple Card class.  My 3 cards today are a mix of the techniques we have been learning.  

Operation Write Home is requesting Mother's Day cards right now and my box is almost ready to go so I decided to add some Mother's Day cards to it. 

The first one uses masking and stamp layering techniques.  Many of my supplies are in our storage unit, so I was worried that I didn't have a floral set that I could build on.  But, I found this one which is an old Heidi Grace set.   I used chalk inks and added some pearl pen to finish.  This truly is a one layer card, which is definitely not a strong style for me, so I was really excited with how it turned out. 

This one is made with the same supplies, and is also a truly one layer card.  :)

After I made the one above, I decided that I wanted to see how it would look with a bit of detail around the masked portion,  so I created an inlaid die cut to keep it as one layer.  I did ink around the die cut with a bit of blue ink before I put it back in it's place, but I do think I like this one a bit better.  

This class is so much fun and I really am learning a lot of good stuff!

Thought for the day:
"The true test of character is...how we behave when we don't know what to do."    -  John Holt

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Die Cut Inlays

Hi!  I am taking my first Online Card Class.  The one I am taking is Clean and Simple 3.  I have trouble with the Clean and Simple style, but I really do love it.  Today was the first day of class and below are my 'homework' assignements.  I used a technique called die cut inlay.   

I really like how this one turned out, but I do want to play around with more and add some detail like some faux stitching or doodling around the hearts.  For this one however, I kept it clean and simple.  :)

This one was actually my first attempt, but it didn't have enough color in it for me.  The inlaid stars are cut with fantasy fiber so they sparkle.  I added some stars stamped with Versamark ink and did some faux stitching around the stars.   I will write a note to a hero in this one and include it in my box for Operation Write Home. 

I can't wait to play along again tomorrow!

Thought for the day:  

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!

Backgrounds

 Hi!  I have two cards for today that I had a lot of  fun making the backgrounds for.  I almost always use patterned paper on my cards, but neither of today's cards have it.   That counts as an additional challenge, right?  ;)

The first card is for the Words to Scrap By challenge.  The challenge is based on inspiration from some chosen movie quotes.  The one I used is "The stuff that dreams are made of."  from the Maltese Falcon. My background was originally going to be different because I watched a fun technique video from Jennifer McGuire, however, the technique didn't work so well with the stamps I chose.  I did like it before misting though, so I used it that way.   At first I wasn't sure this was going to be a good card to send to OWH, but I would have definitely sent it to my teenage daughter so I am going to include it in my OWH box.

My second card was made for the SplitCoastStampers Ways to Use It challenge to use green.  I really wanted to use my bubbles stencil, so I created the background with it and then used Prima flowers to make a four leaf clover.  I LOVE being able to use flowers because....well......I have entirely too many of them. There, I said it out loud!  Let me know if you have some creative ways to use more flowers, I have plenty.

Thought for the day: "Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power. "   - Shirley MacLaine

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!!

Happy Mom's Day

Hi!  Does it feel a little early to be thinking about Mother's Day cards?  Operation Write Home's midweek throwdown challenge is getting us started thinking about them.  Since the cards have to have time to be sent to OWH, then overseas and then back home, we really have to think ahead.  I'm so glad that OWH reminds us of these deadlines.  I usually don't make specific holiday cards because if something comes up and I can't mail my boxes in time, the seasonal cards are too late.  But, I have a box that I'm finishing up so I figured I can get a few Mother's Day cards in there.  :)  I used the sketch from SplitCoastStampers sketch challenge for today, and here is my card. 

Many of my crafting supplies are in our storage building right now, so I didn't have the Mother's Day stamp I was looking for.  But, happily I have this set, which I have never used before today, bonus for me!  :)  I love bright colors, so I love these papers!

Thought for the day:  I love Eeyore!!  :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!

Thank You and Turquoise

Hi -  I have some exciting news to share today.  Operation Write Home contacted me about using a card that I made as a sketch for today's sketch challenge.  Oh my goodness!!  I am very excited to be a part of this organization!  Here is a link to the sketch challenge.  I will be making cards with the sketch but the ones I am sharing today are for two other OWH challenges. 

The first one is for the Our Daily Bread Designs monthly challenge.  For every 25 cards linked to the post, ODBD will pay the shipping for one box of cards overseas, up to two boxes.  The theme is thank you.  I have been working with these papers as you will see in the card below as well.  They are from the We R Memory Keepers Happy Campers collection.  The tag that 'thank you' is stamped is from Me and My Big Ideas I think.  I added a metal turn, a bit of twill and some doodling. 

  

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This card is for last week's Midweek Throwdown, to use turquoise.  I've had this card in my head since last Wednesday, but haven't had the chance to finish it, until now.  :)

Again the paper is from the We R Memory Keepers Happy Campers Collection and the tag is from Me and My Big Ideas.   I colored the inside of the sentiment with Copics and dotted with white souffle pen, then I added some ribbon and star sequins.  I think I really am getting into this sequin trend.

Thought for the day:

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great day!