OWH MEMORIAL DAY Sketch BLOGHOP

Hello and welcome to Operation Write Home’s HUGE Memorial Day Sketch Bloghop!
I am very excited to be a part of this hop because OWH is my favorite organization.  I know our guys and gals who are in harms way have limited access to paper and pens, much less pretty cards to send home to their loved ones, so I love making cards for them to use.
The awesome team at OWH works hard organizing and packaging our cards, then they are boxed up and sent to our troops.  And, since my son is now a soldier, I have extra incentive for making these.  Honestly though, I love our troops and am proud to have a way to help make their days brighter.  If you have never heard of Operation Write Home, or never been to their site, just click here to check it out (after you see my card LOL).




I used OWH sketch #54 for my card and decided to go a little shabby today. If you want details about this card, please scroll down to the bottom of the post.

Thanks again for joining the OWH Memorial Day Sketch Bloghop.  I know you will want to see what everyone has in store for you so just click the image below to go back to the main page of the hop.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am always so happy to see that you have been to my blog. Please leave comments so I know you were here! PLEASE HELP ME GROW! If you are not a follower yet, would you please click follow?
hugs,

SUPPLIES
SIZE: 5.5 x 4.25

STAMPS: Rubber Stamp Tapestry Thinking of You Peg Stamp - Mini

PAPER: Stamp School heavy card stock, Prima DSP Madeline 6 x 6 paper stack

TOOLS: Big Shot; Spellbinders Standard Circles Large, Lacey Circles; Sewing machine; Tim Holtz Alterations On the Edge Dies – Brackets

INK: Stazon

ACCESSORIES: Really Reasonable Ribbon, Recollections flourish, Prima flower, Lace  

STAMP SCHOOL AND OWH MWTD

Happy Thursday everyone! I know I am going to get pretty busy soon as we prepare to go to our son’s graduation, so I’m not sure how many cards I will get posted before we go.  Yesterday, his Company had a 10 mile march that culminates in the Cold Steel Ceremony.  They had a huge bonfire and here is what his 1st Sergeant said about the ceremony: “During the ceremony we will explain exactly what it actually means to be an American Soldier..... the sacrifices of our fallen comrades and our accomplishments throughout history. They will remember this night for the rest of they're life.” Man! This morning, 1st Sergeant posted “They made it! Congratulations to our new Brothers in Arms! Sir, Delta Dawgs have met the standard and ready for graduation, Sir!” I couldn’t be more proud of my soldier!

Operation Write Home’s* Stars and Stamps Mid-Week Throw Down is to make patriotic cards, I think that is very fitting for me today and I was very happy making this AnyHero card that will go to a hero who is deployed somewhere in the world.

All paper is card stock from Craftwell and Recollections.  For the sentiment panel, I stamped the sentiment in black and used Brick Red and Broken China Distress Inks with a blending tool to add the color. This panel was then attached to a red panel and decorated with white seam binding.  The white panel is embossed with Cuttlebug’s Swiss Dots embossing folder and placed on a blue base panel.

The flower on the seam binding is homemade by me.

THIS CARD QUALIFIES FOR THESE CHALLENGES:

Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Mid-Week Throw Down: Patriotic 

Stamp School Geometry Class 5-09-12

I also made this card for:

Mynnette’s Spread the L-O-V-E challenge:

*Operation Write Home: Supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am always so happy to see that you have been to my blog. Please leave comments so I know you were here! PLEASE HELP ME GROW! If you are not a follower yet, would you please click follow?

hugs,

SUPPLIES
SIZE: 5.5 x 4.25

STAMPS: Soldier Calligraphy by Paper Inspirations, True Soldier by Stamper’s Best (OWH Fundraiser), Verve (stars inside card)

PAPER: Recollections, Craftwell

TOOLS: Blending tool

INK: Memento, Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Broken China, Brick Red

ACCESSORIES: Seam binding, Recollections red pearls, handmade crochet flower 

RRR AND STARS AND STAMPS

Hi friends! I was inspired by my on-line friend, Colleen, to share some pictures of my garden, so after the card, I have a few pictures to share if you are interested.

I originally started this card for Stamp School’s Geometry class, but did not get it finished before the end of April, so I decided on a different focal point and came up with this card.

This beautiful DSP is from 7Gypsies 6x6 Conservatory pack.  I love the delicate flowers and colors in this paper.  The purple and pink card stock is from Stamp School and the matching ribbon is from Really Reasonable Ribbon.  I embossed the pink panel with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and used a ZVA flourish across the bottom. The stamp is Flower Inspiration from Hampton Art.

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

Operation Write Home* Stars and Stamps challenge: Midweek Throwdown: Flowers

Really Reasonable Ribbon: Challenge #47 Mother's Day/Feminine with Ribbon.

I also made this card for:

Mynnette’s Spread the L-O-V-E challenge:

*Operation Write Home: Supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.

STAMPS: Hampton Art

PAPER: Stamp School card stock, 7Gypsies 6x6 Conservatory pack

TOOLS: Big Shot, Spellbinders Classic Squares LG, Cuttlebug embossing folder

INK: Stamp School Grape Jelly

ACCESSORIES: ZVA Creations flourish, Really Reasonable Ribbon, AC Moore flowers.

Now it is time for:

AROUND MY HOUSE!

I said earlier that my on-line friend, Colleen, inspired me to share my garden with you.  In addition to her fantastic card blog (Dietrich Designs) she has a photo blog called bleu hydrangea.  She posted her wonderful garden pictures on bleu hydrangea and now I am sharing mine here.

This is our shady front porch with Miss Joy taking a little rest.  The red hydrangea is a new hybrid that is a true red and is heat tolerant.  It is just beautiful!

The deer always eat my azaleas, so I potted one and placed it by the front door.

Coming down the front steps on the left, I have pretty lenten roses.  They are not showy but they have flowers almost year round.  It is so nice to see flowers in the winter.

The right side of the steps has more lenten roses and tree peonies (that have already bloomed).  I added a new lenten rose in the back of the new caladiums.

Across the sidewalk from the caladiums I planted knockout roses under the redbud tree and added a few annuals on the far side.

This is a close up of my hardy orchids. Again, not showy flowers but they are so sweet and delicate I just love them.

These are my regular peonies that are almost finished blooming.  They are on the side as we move towards the back of the house.

Opposite the peonies is this pretty plant.  You can’t see the purple flowers all that well but they are so pretty.  I don’t know what this plant is, but would love for someone to tell me if you know.

And this is where I will stop; the garden gate covered in Carolina Jasmine leads to the back yard and garden.  I hope you enjoyed the garden tour!

Thank you so much for stopping by! I am always so happy to see that you have been to my blog. Please leave comments so I know you were here! PLEASE HELP ME GROW! If you are not a follower yet, would you please click follow?

hugs,

 

YOU’RE ALWAYS ON MY MIND

Happy Sunday to all my blogging friends. I hope your weekend is going well and you are getting revived for the week to come.  I have been crafting, a lot, and have lots of cards to share.  This one is for Stamp School’s color challenge and of course will be going in my next Operation Write Home* box of cards. I used to wonder what I would do with all of the cards I make, but not any more! I have to work hard to get cards made fast enough to get them sent out.  I love making them for OWH though.  I really enjoy knowing my card will be used by one of our troops to touch bases with home.  And I know how terribly important those notes are.  If you have never made cards for OWH, why don’t  you pop over to their site and check it out?

At Stamp School, the color challenge is to make a card using Cotton Candy, Gumdrop Green and Limeade. Don’t you just love this color combo?  I just winged the layout; no sketch challenge for this baby!

I love this Verve sentiment, and because this is going to OWH I thought the sentiment very appropriate.  The hummingbird and flower are from my old stamp stash.

This border is from a Martha Stewart border punch. The ribbon flowers are from AC Moore.

I used a flat bow on this card as I am still trying to minimize bulk.

NOW FOR THE CHALLENGES:

Art Room Color Challenge 3-19-12

F4A109 Three or More

I also made this card for:
Mynnette’s Spread the L-O-V-E challenge since this will be sent to our troops and will make it’s way home to a friend or loved one.

*Operation Write Home: Supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I am always so happy to see that you have been to my blog. Please leave comments so I know you were here! PLEASE HELP ME GROW! If you are not a follower yet, would you please click follow?
hugs,


STAMPS

• Verve – Always on My Mind set

PAPER – Craftwell card stock, K&Co Life’s Journey, Stamp School card stock
TOOLS

• Big Shot
• Cuttlebug embossing folder
• Spellbinder Fleur de Lis Rectangles
• Martha Stewart border punch

INK – Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Stazon
ACCESSORIES

RRR ribbon

Green pearls

AC Moore flowers

AC Moore flourish 

ARE YOU READY FOR SCHOOL?

Stamp School that is!!!! 

Hi to all my blog friends! I’m so happy you stopped by today.  Today, it is time for Geometry Class 3-14-12 and I decided to play around with a little coloring. 

This cute image, sentiment and papers come from Doodle Pantry. And yes, I even colored the little birdie.  Still not my favorite thing to do but I thought I should keep stepping outside my comfort zone and experiment with different styles. 


I do really enjoy the digital papers. They are fun and easy to use and coordinate so well with the graphics.
NOW FOR THOSE CHALLENGES:
This card is going into:
Stamp School Geometry Class 3-14-12

I also made this card for:
Mynnette’s Spread the L-O-V-E challenge since this will be sent to our troops and will make it’s way home to a friend or loved one.

This card will also be sent to:
*Operation Write Home: Supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I am always so happy to see that you have been to my blog. Please leave comments so I know you were here! PLEASE HELP ME GROW! If you are not a follower yet, would you please click follow?
hugs,


STAMPS

• Doodle Pantry

PAPER – Craftwell card stock; Doodle Pantry digital card stock
TOOLS

• Big Shot
• Spellbinders
• Lacey Circles
• Presto Punch Ovals
• Fiskars Threading Water Border Punch

ACCESSORIES

White ribbon

Buttons from stash

Flowers from stash

Blue rhinestones