Trinity Paper Arts

FROM MWT TO MIA

2011-07-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

Oh my. I went from the Mid-week Throwdown for Operation Write Home to being "Missing in Action" with a one month absence. Sorry everyone! My husband's brother/MIL's son, Jerry, passed away very unexpectedly. We just returned home after a trip to Colorado to be with his wife and family. The toll it has taken on Mom is not describable, especially physically. Her ability to walk, which was pretty darn great at 95 years of age, has diminished considerably. I think that being home and back to her old routine and schedule will help a lot, but it will take quite a bit of time I think for her to recover. The funeral service was quite beautiful and I was reminded in a very positive way, how very precious each day is and that it is a gift. One lighter note - Jerry was a great cook and he and a team of people would cook a dinner for about 200 people every Wednesday night given at his church for anyone who wanted to come. He had just baked a huge batch of Peanut Butter Cookies and froze them for one of those dinners and it was one of the things served at his reception! How special to enjoy one last thing made by our dear Jerry. We miss you.

I am still going to need a bit of time before blogging and crafting again to get things back in order here and, as well, rest a little myself! Don't give up on me - I shall return.

This one is for you Jerry.

MWT, I LOVE YOU

2011-06-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

Hello, Here is a card I made for the Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown Challenge from the Stars and Stamps website. It is my favorite card to make for OWH as I always pray as I make these cards that a marriage will be made stronger.

The stamp set is from Gina K Designs called Branching Out; the embossing folder is Victorian Wallpaper by Stampin Up!; the border punch is from Martha Stewart; the cardstock is Sweet Corn from Gina K Designs; the rest is from my stash of stuff! I used the letterpress technique with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and the embossing folder and I put the tip of my Copic marker through the back of each hold on the belly band.

Hope your week is wonderful and I'll see you soon dear ones!

An Easy but Beautiful Card to CASE if You Wish

2011-06-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hello, my friends! I am working on some cards right now and this is a card that is simple, quick, and easy to make, but I thought turned out quite nice. The DP is from Linen Closet from DCWV; the ink is sage shadow from Stampin Up and is stamped directly to the card base; the border punch is from Martha Stewart; and the ribbon was on sale at 50 cents a spool from Michaels. The DP is cut to 4.25 x 3 inches then punched.

Just for fun, here is a picture of our puppy (8 months now) Charlie sitting in our MG. He loves to ride in it because the "windows" are always open!

I hope you are having a terrific week. Blessings and love,

OWH Sketch Challenge #73

2011-06-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and welcome today to my blog. This card is make for the Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge, shown here:

And here is my card:

The DP is K&Co Ancestry (I think); CS is Cranberry Tart from Gina K; the Spellbinder die is Parisian Accents and Petite Ovals; the rest is from my stash.

We are finally getting some warm weather so I am trying to spend a little time outside in the garden. I hope you will have a wonderful week filled with all good things! Blessings,

Craft It Forward Blog Hop

2011-06-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to my blog today. I am happy to participate in the Craft It Forward Blog Hop today on behalf of Operation Write Home. If you would like to start the Hop from the beginning, click here. This is a fun blog hop which invites you to make a card or two and donate them to an organization such as Operation Write Home. I know where mine is going!!!!

The card stock is from Gina K and is Lipstick Red and In the Navy; the embossing folder and the sentiment are Stampin Up; the die cut is Spellbinders; the rhinestones from my stash.

Happy Hopping! Blessings,

OWH MWT Using Green and Purple

2011-06-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown Challenge is for a card that is green and purple. Oddly enough, I have been working on a set of these cards for sometime now and the MWT was just the inspiration I needed to complete this project:

The paper is Gina K Ivory and Chocolate Kiss; the metallic green paper is by Curious Papers and is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. The image is by Gina K also and colored with Copics with some pearls from my stash. This is a very easy card to do.

I think these will make great cards for our heroes. Hope you are having a wonderful week. Blessings,

IT IS SNOWING TODAY and I am crafting! OWH Sketch Challenge 71

2011-05-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

IF YOU ARE ON THE OWH MEMORIAL DAY BLOG HOP, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE TO SEE MY ENTRY!

Who can believe that it would snow on Memorial Day weekend when we are supposed to be barbequing, but here is the picture taken from my craft area window earlier today! That "foggy, blurry" look is snow falling through the air! Can you believe it? At 5:30 this morning, I was outside in my robe taking down my hanging baskets of flowers and pulling in the flats of petunias to be planted this afternoon. Since that is not going to happen, it is time to craft!

Here is today's sketch:

and here is my card:

The flower is a digi stamp being offered as a Dollar Digi for $1.00 at Stretch and Bubbles. I colored it with Copics and used brown Liquid Applique in the center. It was a fun digi to work with, it was easy to do, and I feel like I ended up with a beautiful flower. The CS is Gina K Designs Sweet Corn, Cranberry Tart, and Black Onyx; the DP is from the Best of K&Co collection. The ribbon is from my stash.

Here's hoping you have a really wonderful week!

OWH Memorial Day Blog Hop

2011-05-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

WELCOME! So happy to have you visit! If you have come from Susan's blog, sbartist: painting in the dark, you are in the right place! If not, go to the badge above and click on it to go to the very beginning of our Operation Write Home Memorial Day Blog Hop.This day we remember with compassion those who have died serving their country and keeping us free.

I wanted this card I created to be special for the blog hop, so it is a little more "fussy" than I usually would design and make. Here are highlights: The metallic gold paper is "Good as Gold" from Gina K Designs. The embossed background is done with a Stampin Up embossing folder called Victorian Wallpaper. To give it very subtle shadows, I applied metallic gold ink to the inside of the folder with a brayer before running it through my Big Shot. The flowers are made from a Spellbinders die cut called "Posy" sold through Heartfelt Creations. The punched leaves are sprayed with pearl Glitter Mist. The sentiment is gold embossed using Just Rite's Hugs to You set. I think that about covers it, but if you have any questions, please feel free to email me!

Hope you are having fun!!! Next on our hop is the very talented
Lisa at Paper Grace Designs.

Blessings,

OWH Sketch #70

2011-05-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone! This Sunday's sketch challenge from OWH was a fun one. At first I pondered what I would use as a focal point and then I remembered I had purchased die cuts to make a big flower which I have been wanting to try for sometime.

Here is the sketch:

and here is my creation:

The DP is from DCWV's Linen Closet; the cardstock is Gina K Designs Turquoise Sea; the leaves cut with a Sissix die cut from unknown cardstock scrap; Spellbinder's Posy Patch dies from Heartfelt Creations; and some brads from my stash. I like that the flower has dimension, but will still go into an envelope and look good when it comes out of the envelope at its destination.

Here's wishing for a wonderful week for you. Don't forget the OWH MEMORIAL DAY BLOG HOP is next weekend! Blessings,

OWH MWT with Heart Song Designs

2011-05-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

My card today is for the Operation Write Home Mid-Week Throwdown sponsored by Heart Song Designs and my image is one of their new releases called Pansy Frame. They have soooo many terrific images to choose from! Click on the link above and go check it out.

The saying on the card comes from a rather dumb computer game I have been playing lately, but somehow it struck a chord with me and I thought it was a perfect for the Heart Song digi. The paper is Gina K Designs - Vibrant Violet and Lovely Lavender; the butterfly image is from the Wonderful Wings set by Stampin Up (You know how you pick up an old set and get hooked on it all over again!) and colored with Copics as is the digi image.

The weather has turned cold and stormy the past couple of days - we even had some snow yesterday! I am all ready to plant my flower boxes and hanging baskets, but I would ask how does one do that when it is still snowing? Well, at least I have everything ready to go - the soil is fertilized and loosened up after the winter. Come on Mother Nature!

Have a great one! Blessings and love,

My Dog Ate My Homework!

2011-05-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Having a puppy can be challenging at times. Charlie now is "house broken" and thanks be to God for that, but he still loves to jump onto my chair to get on top my desk and "explore" the many interesting and wonderful things that abound there. As a result, he has trained me to push my chair under the desk each time I get up. What I had not anticipated is he would figure out how to go under my desk, push my chair out and jump up on it and then onto my desk. Here is the result! My card from the OWH sketch challenge on Sunday is in ruin! But boy puppies will be boy puppies! He really does have a thing for paper - hmmmm - wonder where he got that from!

Not a great picture, but what does it matter?

Good thing he is soooo cute and I love him soooo much!

Hope your week is being wonderful! Blessings,

Congrats and Challenges

2011-05-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

First, my fond congratulations to Operation Write Home for sending its one millionth card to our deployed heroes. My congratulations also to all those who made cards and contributed them to OWH. If you haven't seen it yet, there is a really great video entitled "Thanks a Million" which gives one some perspective on how many cards that really is. Go HERE to see it. I am thankful to be a part of this in a miniscule way and I think Blessed Mother Theresa would approve!

I am also pleased to return to blogging and being more active with my passion of crafting with paper. Today, it is OWH's Sketch #69 and MFP's Speedy the Cat Friend's Challenge #55. For MFP's challenge, the card should be monochromatic blues.

Here is what the OWH sketch looks like:

And here is my card:

The color is washed out but hopefully you get the idea. The DP is from DCWV's Luxury stack. The butterfly is from Stampin Up's Wonderful Wing set and colored with Copics; the sentiment is from my computer on a Spellbinder's die cut. The ribbon is french blue Stampin Up grosgrain ribbon and the clear embellishment underneath the ribbon (don't know if you can see it) is from K & Company. The pearls and gold wire for the butterfly's antennae are from my stash.

Thanks for coming by and again congratulations to all who help make the one millionth card possible! Blessings on your week!

Outside of the Box . . .

2011-03-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a century (or it seems) since I last posted, but sometimes life just gets in the way of my paper crafting. Some really wonderful things have happened - purchasing a Cricut being one of them. I have started the journey to learn how to really get the most from my machine by reading a lot and playing some with it. Hopefully, I will be able to take my creativity and creations to the next level!

Another thing I have been working on is making boxes of cards to give as gifts as I have several occasions coming up which this will make a perfect gift. I forgot to photograph the first one I made but here is another of the boxes I am making:

The base of the box is made from Stampin' Up cardstock, which I am pretty sure is Orchid Opulence. The lid of the box is from Gina K cardstock called Wine with Everything. It is a very rich, rich burgundy color which I just love. The flowers are made from Spellbinders dies from Heartfelt Creations (I love their stamps!!) from their Posy Patch Precut Collection . There is a stamp that fits the die perfectly, but I chose not to use it this time. They are made from a light-weight, white cardstock and colored with a Merlot Derwent Inktense pencil. This is another new acquisition for me and I cannot begin to tell you how dramatic the results are when you add water to the pigment laid down on the paper with these pencils. I also brushed them with a bit of Egyptian Gold Pearlx mica powder. The centers of the flowers are gold beads from my stash which do not have a hole in them. The leaves are made from an olive green quilling paper left over from my daughter's wedding. The stamp and sentiment are from JustRite stamps newest release and they are just FAB, especially for use for Operation Write Home cards. The coloring of the sentiment is done with Copic markers. The box will fit 6 cards and envelopes even if they have a lot of dimension. If you want the information on making the box, it can be found here: Split Coast Stampers. It is a very easy box to make especially if you have a Score-Pal.

Hope you are having a creative and fun week. It is nice to go outside and not feel like we are at the North Pole! Blessings,

Missed . . .

2011-02-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

I had a few minutes to play and felt it might be WAY past time to do the Sketch Challenge, so this is what the creative self came up with. I am so thankful there are some glimmers of spring here on the mountain - the buds on the lilacs and the silver maples are getting huge like they are ready to burst forth, although I know they have a couple of months yet.

I don't know where the image, which is colored with Copics, is from (so what else is new). The DP is from best of K & Company (my favorite right now); the cardstock is Cranberry Tart by Gina K, the sentiment is colored with a Copic marker used in the daisy so it would match, the punch is a Martha Stewart; and the ribbon and blue pearls are from my stash.

Hope you enjoy your visit here to my blog. If you haven't yet, scroll down to see the cuteness exude from your screen! Blessings,

WE HAVE A NEW BABY . . .

2011-01-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

I have been so missing-in-action lately, but I have been having lots of fun. I would like you to meet the newest member of our family - Charlie. Charlie is three months old and has a French Bulldog Daddy and an English Bulldog Mommie. His coat is a handsome brindle and he is such a cute little fur-baby with his pushed-in face. He is teething right now so he must be watched every minute. He has several teething toys, but he still likes things he definitely shouldn't chew on. He is so inquisitive and loves to examine things for a minute then run and pounce on them with all four legs in the air. I think he will make a great Frisbee dog! Here is our new baby:

I hope you enjoyed meeting Charlie and I hope you have a very crafty day! Blessings,

OWH MID-WEEK THROWDOWN

2011-01-18T23:13:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to my blog everyone! I am so pleased to have made this card for Operation Write Home's Midweek Throwdown challenge. I love cards that are white on white with a pop of color and this card is no exception.

The stamp is a new one for me from Heartfelt Creations and this has turned out to be a very versatile stamp set and one of my favorites. It is the Hydrangea/Posy Branch set. I have noticed there are several companies that are making stamps that are compatible with Spellbinders dies and Heartfelt Creations is one of them which I think is "a good thing" as Martha would say. The paper is White and Vibrant Violet Pure Luxury cardstock from Gina K. I did the coloring with Copic markers and used a Cuttlebug embossing plate for the background. The die cut is Spellbinders and the sentiment is Stampin' Up (I don't know what set it is from as I purchased it as an individual stamp from eBay for less than a dollar, but it is from 1992.) The ink is also from SU and is called Lavender Lace; the pearls on the sentiment are from my stash.

Hope you all enjoy the card as much as I enjoyed making it! Feel free to leave me a comment if you like the card! Blessings,

CROSS CARD

2011-01-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to make this card for a very long time as I have had the die cuts for months. The card was made, along with a dozen more, for friends who have a Christian band called "One in Him". They lead the music for the Christian Hot Rod Association's Sunday morning worship services each time there is a meet. This involves a lot of traveling and getting to know folks from all over the United States. I wanted to somehow help out with their ministry and this is where I was led. I think it will make a very nice note card to send with a word of inspiration, encouragement, or thanks. What do you think?

It is a very quick card to make as the dies can be cut with one pass and there is no stamping or coloring! The dies are from Spellbinders; the DP is from the Best of K&Company; the cardstock is Ivory from GinaK; and the embossing folder is from Cuttlebug. I did gently sand the DP to have the embossing show up nicely.

Please come back and visit again! Blessings,

FAREWELL . . . and there is a card in here somewhere!!!

2010-12-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

Farewell to 2010 and a welcome to 2011!

It has been a good year for the Fox family. The only real downside was the loss of our beloved fur-person Brigit in November. She was a sweet, funny, stubborn, wonderful friend and we love and miss her so much.

Here are some pictures taken at church at Christmas of my DH Chuck and Mom, my special 94-year-old MIL.

This year Chuck learned to play the guitar and as he is the Cantor at church, he can now sing and play the guitar which comes in handy when both of the keyboard players are not available. While he has a musical background (he was a concert trumpet player in his younger days), his progress at playing has been quite remarkable to me. He is also training for his second California Coast Classic this coming September. This is a bicycle tour from the San Francisco Pier to the Santa Monica Pier over 8 days and 500 miles to raise money for the Arthritis Foundation. He will make this ride just after his 70th birthday!!!

Mom crocheted over 2,000 afghan squares this year for Warm Up America! along with 10 or 12 complete afghans and wheelchair lap blankets. These go to disaster stricken areas, battered women's shelters, homeless, etc. Mom has crafted most of her life and we have so many lovely things around the house that she made. She is an inspiration to me that I might continue to do God's work regardless of my age and maybe even through my passion of paper crafting.

As for me, my most important accomplishment was creating over 850 cards for Operation Write Home. Many of them are posted on my blog which I started in February of this year. I have made many new friends and increased my stamping knowledge (and stash) by leaps and bounds! I underwent a total hip replacement due to osteoarthritis and have a hip that is as good and functional as when I was a teenager. This has allowed me to begin walking in a serious way and so far I have lost 25 pounds!

All in all it has been a great year for us!

Now for what will be my final cards for the year. I made several of these as I do almost all of my cards. It was a fun card to make and I just loved the DP which came from the Best of K Collection. The stamp is from Cherry Blossom by Flourishes. The ink color is More Mustard and the sentiment from Sincere Situations is by Stampin' Up.

I thank all of you for your continual support and inspiration. A special thanks to Sandy of Operation Write Home and her team who work so hard for our heroes and to create a fun, informative, and inspirational environment for all of us stampers.

And last, but certainly not least, I wish for all of you great peace and joy in this coming year.

ALL ABOUT THE BOYZ

2010-12-25T18:31:00.000-08:00

So glad the Holiday Vacation Challenge #6 at OWH was extended until Sunday evening. Kudos to Eric Dull for his darling digi. I had some time this afternoon and wanted to play, so here goes:

I especially love this image because when our beloved French Bulldog Brigit was alive, we would put her Doggles (dog goggles) on her and she would jump in the child's trailer behind Chuck's bicycle and we would all go for a ride! She absolutely loved riding and feeling the air and smelling the smells, but her eyes were protected by the Doggles so they didn't water. She looked so, so cute in them and everyone who saw her would always have this wonderful smile on their face!

Hope all of you are having a wonderful and blessed Christmas day! Blessings,

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

2010-12-24T07:31:00.001-08:00

Our family wishes for you the blessings of this Holy Night when the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated! God is with us.

Louise , Chuck and Mom

VALENTINE BLAST CARD

2010-12-23T10:40:00.000-08:00

When I looked at the design of this card, I didn't know if I liked it or not as it seemed to "blast" my eyes with red and white, but Mom and my DH Chuck both quickly said they liked it. Now they don't say that about all of my cards in the initial design stage, so I do trust them.

It is a very quick and easy card to make as there is no stamping or Copics involved - just a Martha Stewart paper punch, a Spellbinder die set, some Gina K paper and some ribbon. I did the sentiment on the computer and printed it in red.

I am not sure if I can post twice for the Midweek Throwdown, but I will give it a try. Have a wonderful week and a blessed Christmas everyone.

WILL YOU BE MINE?

2010-12-22T11:25:00.000-08:00

I am happy to see the Midweek Throwdown from Operation Write Home is a Valentine card as that is what I am working on right now! Good timing Jan!

Once again I do not have the artist who this digital image came from. I am so much better at this now than I was when I first began using "digis". The title is Love Buds so if anyone knows, I will be appreciative if you would leave a comment. The sentiment is printed on the computer at the same time as the digital image, which makes it a very easy - and I think - clean and simple card which could be sent to a spouse or a child. I colored everything with Copics. After the card was photographed, I decided to add coloring to the red hearts with a Red Star Gelly Roll by Sakura. It really gives it a nice pop! Sorry I didn't have the time to re-photograph the card.

I wish you sweet blessings this week and I hope you have a little time to catch a breath and look at all the beauty around us this holiday season!

A SPECIAL DAY

2010-12-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

What a special day this is - and why you ask? - because it is the one we are living now! It is Sunday, so it must be time for the Sketch Challenge from OWH.

Here is the sketch:

And here is my card:

It is not my most favorite card, and I admit that it seemed that every time I turned around something was just not right with the card or an element had disappeared altogether! (The sentiment got attached to my Score Pal which I had put down by my chair - who would think to look for it stuck to the back of my Score Pal? I finally found it after 5 minutes of hunting for it when I went to get something out of a drawer it was leaning against!) My DH Chuck always says each time I can't find something that Martha Stewart must have taken it! She gets accused a lot in this house!

The DP is K & Company and the leaves and flowers I cut from the same paper. The card base is pink, the belly band is Burgundy; and the sentiment is green cardstock made from the Beaded Oval Spellbinder die. The gold beads are from my stash.

Blessings to you all,

CONGRATS OWH AND THANK YOU JOANN

2010-12-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

We did it! OWH won the $25,000 prize from Joann.com. Can you imagine the additional possibilities that are available now to serve our heroes and our country? Congratulations to Operation Write Home and a HUGE THANK YOU to Joann Fabric and Crafts!

I made this thank you card for Joann:

The DP is from Far East by DCWV; the cardstock is Cranberry Tart and Moonlit Fog from Gina K; the ribbon is Offrey; the paper punch is Martha Stewart; the die cut is beaded ovals from Spellbinders; and the rhinestones are bulk from eBay.

I can't help but think of the possibilities of what might be done in our world by the simple actions by a group of creative individuals like you joining together for good! I find it both intriguing and exciting!

OWH MID-WEEK THROWDOWN

2010-12-08T10:50:00.000-08:00

Happy day and thanks for stopping by today. Here is a very easy and quick card to make - and you could use any shaped die cut you might like or have. Now I know you have seen this card layout a thousand times before but I especially liked the effect of the ribbon, which is what our challenge is all about today.

The DP is DCWV; cardstock is Gina K In the Navy and Sweet Corn; I used a Martha Stewart edge punch and Offray ribbon. The die cut is Spellbinders Beaded Ovals, and the sentiment stamp is Sincere Salutations by Stampin Up.

Thanks again for coming by. I would love to hear your comments! Blessings,

A POST TODAY - YEA!!!

2010-12-05T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hello my friends. I am soooooooo happy I am able to make a post today! I am feeling much, much better and I have so much more energy these days. So I got up and thought I would try out this morning's OWH Stars and Stamps challenge before we leave for church.

Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:

The stamp is by Heartfelt Creations - I received my first stamps from Heartfelt for my birthday and I absolutely love them, especially those which have matching Spellbinders dies! I have ordered several of their stamps now and love, love, love all of them. Their website is www.heartfeltcreations.us. Just yummy! The designer paper is from K & Company. Along with all the Heartfelt stamps, my DH Chuck purchased a 380 page paper pack entitled the "Best of K & Company" which is such a fun present. The papers are all fabulous and I will be able to make lots and lots and lots of cards for OWH with this 2 inch tall stack of fab papers. The card stock is from Gina K (Little Boy Blue and Sweet Corn) and Stampin Up (Not Quite Navy). Then, of course, the flowers are colored with my Copic markers (I also received 10 new markers and refills from DH - great birthday huh?)

This was a really fun challenge and I am so happy to be back on my blog. Have a wonderful and blessed week.

Dear Friends and Family

2010-11-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

I wanted to leave word for you so that you might know I will not be posting on my blog until probably after the first of the year. I will be undergoing some medical tests and with the holidays coming up, I think my time will be fairly consumed. I don't want to sound mysterious about the medical stuff, but I have been having some tests done and so far everything is negative. But whatever it is, it can be fairly debilitating some days. It does seem as though we are diagnosing the condition by elimination - whatever is left when the tests are done is what I will have! LOL Mentally I am taking all of this in stride and plan to use the time when I am not able to sit and work at my craft table to look at new techniques on the web and explore new possibilities with paper!

Whatever takes place, I am blessed to have a wonderful husband to care for me and love me like no other could. I am also blessed with a wonderful support system including all of you who read my blog - and I thank you.

I wish all of you a blessed holiday season and most especially a Christmas filled with the peace and love of God. Blessings and love to all of you.

OWH MID-WEEK THROWDOWN

2010-10-27T08:31:00.000-07:00

I made these cards for the Operation Write Home's Midweek Throwdown. I know it is hard to believe, but the deadline for Christmas cards is upon us as October 31st is only just a few days away! Here are a couple of very simple cards to make!

and

They are very easy cards to make and you are welcomed to CASE (Copy and Share Everything) them in any way you would like. I used the same papers on both cards - Gina K's Red Lipstick and Fresh Asparagus. The tree stamp is from Stampin Up from the Lovely as a Tree set. The dies are all from Spellbinders and the background is from a Cuttlebug embossing folder called Snowflake. The ribbon is from Michaels which I just purchased very inexpensively on sale - it a beautiful red and green metallic and adds so much to the cards.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you will enjoy looking around a bit. Blessings,

ALWAYS

2010-10-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

Great topic for this week's Midweek Throwdown Challenge and Cindy has given us some truly lovely examples for inspiration. These are absolutely my favorite kinds of cards to make, so I am feeling right at home with this challenge!

The colors are a little departure from my norm - but I really like the card and think it will be a good masculine card for a male hero to send to his wife. The background and sentiment paper are Smoky Slate and Sweet Corn by Gina K. The Smoky Slate is not quite as dark as the picture would have you believe and in retrospect, I would dry emboss the Smoky Slate to give it some dimension. The DP behind the beautiful digi from Stamping Boutique is from my scrap drawer, but I remember it came from Wal-Mart. The ribbon and pearls are from my stash.

As I write this, they are bringing the mine workers in Chile up from the abyss. I am so thankful for their safe return to their family and friends and I pray for them, as perhaps the hardest part of this journey for them is yet to come! Blessings and joy,

"loved"

2010-10-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

It is such a wonderful day filled with a gentle rain that is needed so very much! We live at the top of the Grape Vine just off of Interstate 5 and if you head north and drive down the mountains about 10 miles, you will be at the beginning of the Central Valley which is where a large amount of the food is grown for the U.S.A. The immediate area near our home is largely cotton, carrots, table grapes, almonds, pistachios, onions, and garlic, so as you can imagine, rain is critical in this area.

Here is a card I made using the view from the window at my crafting area as an inspiration. It has gray accents because it is overcast and yet all the flowers are still very much in bloom, especially my petunias in the front planter which were especially spectacular this year!

I used a digi, but from an unknown origin (It's one of my weaknesses - I find a digi I really like and get so excited to create with it, that I don't properly note where it came from). The papers are DCWV Near East and Gina K's Moonlit Fog. I used Spellbinders dies, Copic markers (of course), and ribbon and half pearls from my stash.

I like it as it is a simple, clean design just perfect for use by Operation Write Home for our deployed soldiers. I hope you are having a joy-filled day! Blessings to you all,

CELEBRATING WORLD CARD-MAKING DAY

2010-10-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Thanks for coming by in celebration of World Card-making Day. I wanted to offer a card for the fun of it - because I think everyday should be a card-making day! This card will go to Operation Write Home for one of our heroes to write in and send home to a loved one.

It is a super easy card to make and one can use any materials or color combination. I hope you will CASE (copy and share everything) this card using whatever materials you have on hand and donate your card to OWH for one of our brave heroes.

Blessings on your day!

FOR THE GIRLS

2010-09-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

This week's Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown Challenge is to create a card our heroes can send home to their female loved one, be it wife, daughter, mother, etc. I have to admit this was easy for me as the majority of the cards I make are for husband/wife heroes to send to their spouse. If anything that can be done to enhance communication between husband and wife during their separation, it is a "very good thing" as Martha would say. Thank you Heidi-Mari for the beautiful sample you provided for this challenge. I also enjoyed reading about you and your family.

This card was taken from a Stamp TV feature called Bleached Leaves, so it is not an original idea, but I must say I am so very pleased with the results. The stamp I used was from a vintage Stampin Up set called Fantastic Foliage. The papers are Gina K: Wine with Everything, Pumpkin Spice, Black Onyx, and Sweet Corn. The sentiment is also from Stampin Up and the ribbon is from my stash. I used Twinkling H20s and mica powders to give the leaves their color and dimension.

Hope you are having a blessed week!

MORE LOVE FOR OWH's SKETCH #36

2010-09-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Another week has passed - wow! I think I am beginning to understand what "they" mean when they say the older one gets, the faster time goes by. We had to make several trips to the doctor for my 94-year-old MIL (tests, etc.), which takes up the entire day as we live in a small community and have to drive more than an hour one way to go to the "big city". . . AND if one is in the big city, of course they must go out for late lunch/early dinner. I was also able to quickly stop by Michaels for a big sale on ribbon and pick up some great deals in colors for fall and Christmas.

Looking out the window from my crafting table, the deciduous trees have turned beautiful shades of yellow, orange, purple, and caramel. They are dotted in with the pine trees and the view is stunning. My heart leaps with joy at the thought of winter and snow coming!

Here is this week's sketch:

And here is my card:

It was a simple card to make and I will probably make more of them. I am really enjoying this image from the Stamping Boutique, one of our dear sponsors for the Birthday Bash. Lots of great digi images there! I colored the image with Copics and used "At You Spica" for the flower centers , the bands on the watering can, and highlights. The papers are DCWV Near East and Gina K's Everything with Wine and Sweet Corn. The stamp is a vintage Stampin Up stamp from 1992 I Love You Mini set, stamped with Baroque Burgundy ink.

Here's hoping you have a wonderful week!

Blessings and love,

I STILL LOVE YOU - HONEST

2010-09-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

I have been SO negligent posting my blog the last couple of weeks as the Fox family has been very busy recently and, as well, we did take a few serendipitous days away to play! Here is a card I created with a stamp set I "stole" from eBay.

The stamp set is God's Beauty by Stampin Up. The DP is from the Luxury Stack by DCWV. I colored the flowers and leaves with Copics and then used Crystal Lacquer on the flowers. The cute mini buttons that are the center of the flowers and the gold bands are from my stash; the belly band was done with a Martha Stewart edger punch. I am making several of these to send to Operation Write Home. This flower looks great as a single flower or by stacking a couple of them on top of one another. It is a quick and easy card to make and I hope that as many people as possible with CASE it (copy and share everything) and send the cards to OWH! Blessings and joy in your week.

3 CARD CHALLENGE

2010-09-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

I just came across a 3 Card Challenge along with a couple of really cute FREE digi images on Yolanda's blog Imagine. Make. Share.! So here I am to post some cards I worked on yesterday to go into my OWH box. Please go on over and see the wonderful post on Yolanda's blog!

I am so into Fall colors and themes right now and I am enamored with Gina K's Pumpkin Spice paper; the color is soooo rich. I have had this ribbon, which matches perfectly, for a long time that I purchased not because I loved it, but because it was too great a deal to pass up.

Recipe:
Stamps: Beautiful Blossoms (JustRite); Thinking of You (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Pumpkin Spice, Sweet Corn, Black Onyx (Gina K)
Ink: Assorted Copics, Close to Cocoa (Stampin' Up)
Ribbon: Stash

Still wishing you a wonderful Labor Day and many blessings in your week.

HUGS AND KISSES

2010-09-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

This week's Stars and Stripes Weekly Sketch Challenge #34 provided us with another fun card to create. It was especially fun for me as I used our own Sandy's wonderful free digi image from Ciara's Family Challenge. I think I may be getting better at coloring images of people and animals as I do more and more of them and Sandy makes it irresistible with these adorable images! Thanks also to Cathy for her inspiration card. And I promise, I started coloring this image several days ago and didn't copy from Carol at Our Little Inspirations (although it wouldn't have been the first time I have cased one of her beautiful cards). I guess great minds just think alike!

THE Sketch:
MY Card:

Stamp: Free digi from Stars and Stamps Blog; hugs and kisses (Stampin' UP)
Ink: Copics; Close to Cocoa (Stampin' Up)
Paper: Indian Summer (DCWV); Faith (The Paper Studios) Lipstick Red (Gina K)
Accessories: Heart Brad (Stash)

Hoping you have a blessed week and a wonderful Labor Day!

PUPPY MAIL

2010-08-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun doing this image for the Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge this week! This image I learned about from my friend Carol at Our Little Inspirations. She is very creative and one of my favorite card artists! The digi was offered as a freebie from Sliejke Digi Stamps where you will find many terrific digis all available for free as the artist enjoys sharing her "God-given talents" as she describes it. There is so much to see both on Carol's and Sliejke's website!

The Sketch:

My Card:
Isn't this digi image just absolutely adorable? I usually go for the florals, but since the day I saw the card that Carol created, I have wanted to make a card using "Puppy Mail"! I colored the image with Copics and put a border of Everything with Wine followed by a Sweet Corn embossed strip (both by Gina K). The DP is from DCWV's Far East Stack. The half pearls are from my stash.

I didn't post last week as I was on jury duty - a very long and interesting week. As well, having to drive off the mountain for an hour one way into the 105 degree heat was the worst torture possible for me. But I lived through it and my service is completed, so I am happy and am looking forward to a relaxing and cooler week coming up!

I hope and pray that you, too, will have a wonderful week. Blessings,

LOVE THIS IMAGE

2010-08-21T10:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you for stopping by my blog! Many of you have probably seen this Digi Doodle image before, but I am relatively new to the Digi Doodle Shop. This image was so much fun to color and the florals are right up my alley, so I thought I would enter this card into Digi Doodle Shop's weekly challenge! I have purchased several of their images and you will be seeing them soon!

I have also entered this card in the Fab 'n' Funky Challenge! They would like to see flowers for their challenge this week, and I thought this card should certainly qualify.

Ultimately this card and several more just like it will be sent blank to our deployed soldiers so that they may send them to their husbands and wives or other friends and family through Operation Write Home. Hundreds of stampers across the United States send cards to our heroes through OWH to keep the lines of communication flowing among those they care for. If you are a card maker and have never been to the OWH website, I enthusiastically recommend it. You may also want to visit their stamper's blog, Stars and Stamps! Who wouldn't want to receive such a beautiful flower arrangement!

Card details:
Stamp: Cone Flower and Vase Digi by Digi Doodle Shop
Paper: DP is from Latte and Naturals by DCWV; Lavender cardstock is Lovely Lavender by Gina K; Base is Solar White (Neenah)
Sentiment: Miss You... (Stampin' Up retired)
Accessories: Spellbinder Dies; Lavender Half Pearls from stash; Copic Markers

I hope you have a blessed week!

HELLO

2010-08-15T18:21:00.000-07:00

It is time for the Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge #30. I have fallen in love with this digi entitled Calliopsis from Digi Doodle (They are offering 15% off during August!). I originally saw it on Karen Howard's Blog, Feline Creative, and instantly was enamored with it. I know you will be seeing it again from me in the not too distant future!

Here is the Sketch:

And here is my card:

The Fall colors are very inspirational for me and this card was a lot of fun to make. I am making additional cards to put in my box to Operation Write Home. Hey, I wonder if, since I bought my electric Big Shot from Jo-Ann's, if any card I make with a Spellbinder die or a Cuttlebug folder qualifies the card for the Craft for a Cause contest. Hmmmm......

Digi: Calliopsis (Digi Doodles)
Sentiment: Stampin' Up (1992)
Paper: DP is Natural Stack (DCWV); CS is Cranberry Tart and Sweet Corn (Gina K)
Ink: Creamy Caramel (Stampin' Up)
Copic Markers: YG93, YG95, Y02, Y06,Y08, E31
Ribbon: Wal-Mart
Other: Spellbinder dies, Martha Stewart punch

I'VE FALL-EN AND I CAN'T GET UP

2010-08-12T08:11:00.001-07:00

I had to participate in the S&S Midweek Throwdown because it represents a day I have been waiting for! Making cards for Fall - and now I don't know if I shall stamp anything but cards for Fall going forward! It is absolutely my very most favorite season! It represents the coming of cooler weather - and that is very important as I do not at all do well in hot weather. It seems to just literally suck all of the energy from me.

I love this image - it was free from Dover Publishing. If you go to their website here and scroll all the way to the very bottom, you will see Free Samples. Click on that and enter your email address and you will receive an email every other week or so with samples. Many of the images they offer are quite suitable to use as digis. I colored this image with Copics and mounted it on Gina K papers of Pumpkin Spice (smallest square), Sweet Corn, and Chocolate Kiss. The DP is from Naturals by DCWV.

It was a fun card to make and plan to do several of these for my OWH box. Blessings to all of you; hope you are having a wonderful week.

A BOUQUET FOR YOU

2010-08-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday! It must be Sunday as I attended church today and there is a sketch challenge on the Stars and Stamps blog! My favorite day of the week for both reasons!!

Here is my card:

And here is the sketch:
I am a little disappointed at the photo, I just couldn't get a good shot of the flowers which are prettier and much more vibrant in person then they are in this picture. But after taking over 10 photos, I decided to choose the best one and hope that you will get the idea!

The card is made using
Paper: Lipstick Red, Midnight Fog, Slate Grey (all by Gina K) ; DP is Linen Closet (DCWV)
Digi Image: Free from Dover Publishing Sampler (I think); Sentiment is computer-generated
Ink: Copics
Red Pearls: Purchased in bulk on eBay

Hope to see you again soon and thanks for your visit!

OH, THIS IS SOOOOO HEAVY!

2010-08-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Another fun day of crafting today! What a blessing that I could spend time stamping and that you came by to see what I did!!

We had another birthday in the family - my older brother, who lives in Louisiana. I really enjoyed coloring this image with Copics - it is the Birthday Bear image from our very own Stars and Stamps free digi collection (look for the blue "S&S Free Digis" button on the right side of the page near the top). The DP is from DCWV Linen Closet. There is a sentiment on this card but it is on the inside since the image really communicates without any words what the card is about. It is a great card for a child, but it fits my brother well and I think he will enjoy it as he is very tall just like the cake. I wonder what I did before Spellbinder dies came along, and I have a joke with my DH Chuck that each time I use my electric Big Shot I say, "Have I thanked you today for agreeing that an electric die cut machine was worth the extra investment?" Indeed, it is for me, as I usually do make multiples of each card I post and send them to OWH!

Please feel free to leave a comment below if you would like. I always enjoy reading them! Blessings on your day,

TREE OF LIFE STILL IN MY BRAIN

2010-08-01T19:03:00.001-07:00

Hello and thanks checking out my newest creation. I saw this week's Stars and Stripes sketch and Holley's beautiful cards and just had to give it a go.

The sketch:
I still have Paulette's "Tree of Life image" from Create with TLC going in my head, so I decided to use it. Somehow, I just can't put this image on anything but an oval - guess it is the oval framing on the digi image. The card base is Gina K Sweet Corn, the belly band is Gina K Cranberry Tart, the strips are DCWV's Linen Closet. I used a direct to ink technique with Distress embossing ink around the outside of the belly band and embossed the Stampin Up sentiment and the belly band with Stampin UP Gold embossing powder. The Tree of Life image is colored with Copics and the I used a tiny bit of at you Spica in the center of each flower. I really like the way the colors came together. I am making a couple dozen of these for our heroes because they are so fun to make.

Hope you are enjoying the summer - it has been unusually hot - high 80s and low 90s here in the mountains. That won't seem hot to many of you living in places that rise to over 100 degrees, but for our mile-high mountains, we are wilting! Blessings in all you do!

Happy Birthday to Our Daughter Kimberly

2010-07-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I made for our daughter, Kimberly. She and her husband recently purchased a new house with a little bit of land, which she affectionately calls "the farm". She even has a John Deere tractor to go with it and so far, she has chickens and bees - - E I E I O! I can honestly say I have never seen her happier and that brings such enormous, inexpressible joy to my heart.

The card is from an old, discontinued (1999) Stampin Up set called Times and Seasons. I stamped it with Distress Vintage Photo Ink (I am always so surprised how well this ink works with Copics!). I used so many Copic markers I lost track of the colors, but I didn't have "John Deere" green so I laid down G07 Nile Green under BG49 Duck Blue, which worked pretty well. I embossed the sentiment from Flourishes "Happy Birthday" set using Distress Emboss Ink and Judi-kins Metallic Bronze powder. The papers are DP Basic Grey Kioshi and Gina K Asparagus Green and Sweet Corn. I used a very small amount of Diamond Stickles on the center of the sunflowers. I sponged the sky and earth with SU Ballet Blue and SU Sage Green. It was a really fun card to make as it took me out of my usual box a bit.

A Little Asian Influence

2010-07-19T11:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Thanks for coming by to see my card for the Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge #26! Here is the sketch:

And here is my card:

I fell in love with the FREE digi "Tree of Life" image I found on Paulette's "Create with TLC" website (http://createwithtlc-createwithtlc.blogspot.com). She is a big fan and sponsor of OWH and if you haven't visited her site, you are in for a very special treat. She offers some really beautiful images - some of which are freebies! She is very generous with her gifts and talents!

This card has a bit of an Asian feel I think. The image is colored with Copics. The sentiment is from Stampin Up More Great Greetings using Distress Ink Vintage Photo ink. The DP is from DCWV's Far East and Luxury Stack (belly band). The trim on top the belly band is a peel off and the bottom is punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

I really enjoyed participating in the Sketch Challenge again. Hope you have a really great week! Blessings and love,

MISS YOU AND MISSING YOU!

2010-07-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, I was so surprised to look at how long it was since I had last posted! My apologies everyone and I have missed you! I think finally I am over the sore throat/cold/flu thing I had and, believe it or not, I am now walking almost all the time without even a cane! This is a great victory for me!!

I wanted to try to do something a little different and a card with a somewhat masculine bent. This is what I came up with. The flower and leaf is from Stampin' Up's set God's Beauty. The sentiment is unknown. DP is from Natural by DCWV and the card stock is Gina K Red Rocket and Chocolate Kiss. You will notice from the photograph that the flower is shiny. I covered it with Liquid Glaze and put a rhinestone in the middle for a little bling. The Liquid Glaze really makes the flower POP!

I hope you enjoyed the card! Thanks for coming by! Blessings,

A SPECIAL CARD FOR A SPECIAL COUPLE

2010-06-26T08:52:00.001-07:00

Here is an anniversary card I made for some very special friends - some of you know Stampin Sher (Smiles for everyone!) and perhaps even her husband, PC (Prince Charming) as she has nicknamed him. They have been married twenty years now - my how time flies by when you are having fun and are in love!

Happy Anniversary you two!

Paper: Indian Summer Fall Stack (DCWV) for ocean; Bashful blue (Stampin UP) for sky inked with Ballet Blue to make clouds; 80# Solar White (Neenah) for land and lighthouse.
Stamp: A Guiding Light (Flourishes.org); Sentiment was done on the computer.
Ink: Copics
Accessories: Diamond Dust (Stickles); Gelly Roll (Sakura)

SIMPLE IS BETTER. . . AT LEAST TODAY

2010-06-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

Good, beautiful day!! I feel like it is such a beautiful day and I hope you are feeling that too. Slowly but surely I am getting back in the swing - I am completely off the walker and on the cane and my recovery is going very well. I think I was so excited about being more mobile (I can walk with the cane and still have a free hand to carry something), I really overdid it the first part of the week. So the solution to that is to do nothing but sit and stamp for a couple of days! Too bad!

The inspiration for this card is the Cuttlebug embossing folder I just purchased, which suits my style of stamping very well. The embossing all the way around the card really pulls your eye to the image in the center, which is the focal point for the card. It is such a simple card and this Stampin' Up image from 1999 is fun to color with my Copics.

Thanks for coming by! I hope to return to more frequent postings and more participation in the OWH Stars and Stamps Challenges from here on out!

Blessings,

NOW THIS IS EXCITING!

2010-06-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

I just saw the most exciting thing! It is a badge (look to your right) saying OWH is having an Independence Day Blog Tour on July 2nd. I find this very exciting as I missed the last one due having surgery and I WAS still in mourning from missing it! I think for this one, I am going to have to offer some serious blog candy! So stayed tuned for more information coming your way!!! Blessings to all.
Oh, I am so excited!

I can't wait!

Gotta find some really sensational blog candy for this one!

This is gonna be fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MISS YOU

2010-06-13T14:16:00.001-07:00

TaDuhh! My first card since surgery! The sketch is great, but I can't say that I am much enamored with the card, but I am hoping it will be a catalyst to perhaps get my mojo working again! It seems like it has been a long, dry spell.

Here is Brittany's very nice sketch:
My family and I are pleased with how my rehabilitation is coming along and I have an appointment with my surgeon later this week. Hopefully I won't have to sleep on my back anymore! Slowly I am leaving the walker behind and maneuver around the house on a cane. But most important of all, I am pain free from the osteoarthritis in my hip! Thanks be to God!

THANK YOU SO MUCH AND POST SURGERY

2010-06-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU to everyone who participated and hopped to support our troops during the Operation Write Home Memorial Day Bloghop. I have to admit to you that on the day of the Bloghop, I was in a hospital on a machine pushing the button to administer more Morphine after having had a total hip replacement the day before the Bloghop. The hospital (which is brand new) did not have Wifi and it is probably just as well as who knows what my comments might have said in my stupor! I am so pleased that I had 117 comments which is 234 cards to make for Operation Write Home! I did receive my desire to have more comments this bloghop, as I received 1 more than last time!!!! So as part of my therapy and recovery, I have some cards to make for Operation Write Home. Thanks be to God!

I am doing very well but my posting may be more infrequent as it takes longer to do everything and I am limited to the amount of time I can sit with my leg down before it starts to swell. But as time goes on I feel stronger and better, so I hope to be back to normal soon. God bless you all.

HEROES, PROTECTORS, AND BRAVE HEARTS

2010-05-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

If you arrived here from the Smiles for Everyone! blog by Stampin Sher then you are at the right place. I have known Stampin Sher over 20 years, and her blog name really does reflect who she is - a great person with an infectious smile and - she is that special person who started me stamping!

If you arrived here from anywhere else, you may wish to go here to the Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps website to get all the information and begin the Memorial Day Bloghop from the beginning.

Thank you for spending a few moments with me on my blog and please do feel free to leave a comment. For each comment, I will make and donate two (2) cards to OWH for our heroes. I did complete the 232 cards representing the fabulous 116 comments you left at the Spring Blog Hop and am hoping and praying for a new record of at least 125 comments or 250 cards pledged! The reality is I had a total hip replacement yesterday (Friday, the 28th and will be in the hospital over the Memorial Day weekend, (but through the use of modern technology, I can still post for today) and the one thing I will be able to do during my 4-6 week recovery period is make cards. YES! As long as I can craft paper, I am a happy camper.

My Father-in-law, Rolleston Fox (below) was a Navy CB (Construction Battalion) during World War II. The CeeBee's are always the first soldiers to land on foreign soil and would make things ready for the rest of the troops who would follow creating roads, bridges, camps, etc.

My father, Harry Salzman, was not permitted to join the service as they discovered he had a punctured eardrum. When I first heard this story, I asked why that would prevent him from enlisting. The answer: nerve gas was commonly used on the battlefield and while a gas mask prevented the nerve gas from getting into the respiratory system through the nose and mouth, the gas would flow through the puncture in the eardrum and into the soldier’s system resulting in death. My father was heartbroken he could not enlist and decided he would move from New York to California to work in the shipyards. Good thing too, because that’s where my Mom was! I wish I could include a picture of Daddy, but sadly there are none that I know of from that time in his life. Daddy is, above all people, my biggest hero!

I know I have written about this before, but those who support our troops, however they do that, could be called our modern day Rosie the Riveters. And to all who support our soldiers through Operation Write Home or any other way that you might find, I salute you too!

Now I have the extreme pleasure of directing you to a person I consider "a heroine, a friend, and very talented artist". Sandy, our fearless leader from Operation Write Home can be found here at her blog A Colourful World . I am sure you will enjoy her blog very much!

Card recipe: I did all of the words with the computer, printing them in red and navy blue on Neenah solar white cardstock. The other papers are from Gina K in Rocket Red and In the Navy. The lace edges are done with a paper edger by Martha Stewart. On the white punched strip, I have poked my red and blue Copic markers through the holes from the back side. The holographic strip and red heart brads are from my stash.

SEALED WITH A KISS (SWAK)

2010-05-16T16:50:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy spending a Sunday afternoon making a card for the Stars and Stripes Sketch Challenges!
Here is Lora's sketch:
This card was a real departure from the colors I usually use. I found 2 half sheets of the base card stock in some of my stuff. I am pretty sure it is Stampin Up Taken with Teal and instantly wanted to do something with it. It is a retired color now - what a shame! I combined it with some of my new DCWV Linen Closet DP. Yum, yum!

Also, I wanted to remind everyone who might read this about Operation Write Home's Memorial Day Bloghop on May 29. If you would like more information, simply click on the Badge at the top right-hand side of my blog page. Blessings and thank you for spending a bit of your time on my blog.

Stamps: Unknown (PSX); SWAK (Great Greetings Stampin UP)
Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Linen Closet (DCWV) Taken with Teal (Stampin Up)
Ink: Taken with Teal (Stampin Up); C1, R32, Y08, Y06, RV25, R24, YG05, B00, B23,
Yellow At You Spica

OWH Sketch Challenge #16

2010-05-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hi and thanks for stopping by. I haven't had the opportunity to participate in a sketch challenge in some time, so I am very happy to have a card to offer this morning. Thanks Vieve for such a great starting point and inspiration!
The sketch:
I just purchased some DP titled Linen Closet by DCWV (although one can hardly see the example used) and I am quite enamored with the entire collection. Many of you will recognize the digi image that Fred, She Said donated to S&S just before our Spring Bloghop. By the way, if you haven't signed up for the Memorial Day Blog Hop at the end of this month, just go to the top right hand side of my blog and click - viola, you will be taken to OWH's Bloghop sign-up page. I can't tell you in words how much I enjoyed the last one and how much I am looking forward to the upcoming one!

Stamp: Tulip Digi Stamp (Fred, She Said)
Paper: DP is Linen Closet; Kraft Card Stock (Stampin' Up), Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Forest Green (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Ribbon (Wal-Mart), Corner Rounding Punch

A FLOWER FOR YOU. . .

2010-05-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I found this navy blue card so appealing. It is my first card using buttons - yes, I resisted using buttons on a card as long as I could. . .

There is something about buttons I don't like. I don't know what it is and even after really thinking about it, I am still not sure why. I wonder if I am resistant because it is yet another embellishment to have a collection of! I will have to have different sizes, different colors, different shapes, etc. To me, there is nothing worse than wanting to use a certain embellishment and can't because I don't have just the perfect one to use. That was my greatest frustration too, when I started stamping. I would get this great idea and not be able to implement it; haven't we all experienced that one? Then I have to wonder if the card is so appealing to me because it has a new element I've not used before. Life is filled with wonderful mysteries!

Stamps: Beautiful Blossoms (JustRite)
Paper: Near East (DCWV) In the Navy (Gina K)
Ink: YG05, Y02, Y06, Y08, YG93, YG95, B23, B00
Accessories: Buttons, Oval Die (Spellbinder); Opaline String (Stash)

WHEW - COMPLETED: 232-CARD CHALLENGE FROM SPRING BREAK BLOG HOP

2010-05-03T14:01:00.001-07:00

I completed my Spring Break Blog Hop Challenge of making two cards for each comment left by all of you on my blog. That was 116 comments for a total of 232 cards, AND I finished just in time for the Memorial Day Blog Hop at the end of this month!

The Spring Break Blog Hop was my first and I am very much looking forward to Memorial Day! Who knows what you might find as a challenge this time! Here is a not so great picture of all of them on a towel on the living room floor! I realized after I started this that it was not a good position for my hip, so I sort of put them down there, took the picture, and asked my husband to pick them up. He is so good to me!

Have a great week filled with good things. Blessings,

I'VE BEEN THINKING OF YOU. . .

2010-05-01T11:34:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking of all of you, especially those who visit my blog regularly, as I have not posted in several days. I have been under the weather, and as well, I am trying to get things ready for a total hip replacement which will be done on the 28th of this month, God willing! I know I am!

I really like this simple card. You may not be able to see the detail, but the DP has an Asian bent, which I really like, both in design and colors. The flower is pre-made from Gina K (I always feel like I am cheating when I use pre-made flowers, but I wasn't feeling well) and the leaves are little scrap pieces from using the Spellbinders Fleur De Lis template. These little pieces make the most perfect embossed leaves and you get many of them each time you use the die. If you are not cutting green paper, Copic Markers come in very handy!

Stamps: Thinking of You (Stampin Up);
Paper: Classic Crest (Neenah), Far East (DCWV), Fresh Asparagus (Gina K);
Ink: Mellow Moss (Stampin Up), R59 on flower (Copic);
Accessories: Spellbinder dies, bulk half pearls

THREE WONDERFUL WORDS TO HEAR

2010-04-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

First, please let me indulge: Happy Birthday Sheri!
Sheri (Stampin Sher) is a very old friend (no, not in age, but in the number of years I have known her - shame on you!) and a wonderful person! She is that special person who involved me in rubber stamping some twenty odd years ago!

Here is a picture of a card I made for our deployed heroes. I made quite a few of the same card to send to Operation Write Home (operationwritehome.net). It is a very easy card to make, as you can see, and I used my favorite sentiment! What can be better than to have someone who you treasure and miss to say "I love you!"

I recently purchased this Just-Rite stamp (there are four in the set) and have really enjoyed coloring with my Copic Markers.

I hope you enjoy. Please do leave a comment - I very much enjoy reading them!

Stamps: Beautiful Blossoms (Just Rite)
Paper: Life's Journey (K&Company) Cranberry Tart (Gina K),
Ink: R24, R29, R59, RV25, YG93, YG95 (Copic), Baroque Burgundy (Stampin Up)
Accessories: Ribbon - Simply Sheer ME Burgundy (Offray), Brass Nail Heads (my stash)

GOT KUSUDAMA?

2010-04-20T16:16:00.001-07:00

I have been seeing the Japanese art of paper folding called Kusudama quite a bit lately. The word Kusudama is taken from two Japanese words kusuri which means Medicine and tama which means Ball or Medicine Ball. Originally the medicine balls were sewed or woven together and used for incense or herbs. They may or may not have some sort of decoration hanging from the bottom.

I almost always try something like this when I see it. It is my passion for paper I guess. This is the first one I did. I have done one other one, but gave it to my neighbor Paul across the street who is Korean and does origami as a hobby. We trade gifts of our paper art with each other - the last being a large, graceful origami swan he had given to me. I do find these very relaxing to make and think they will make great gifts!

My next step is to order some red foil paper to see if these might be great Christmas gifts. I will let you know how that turns out when the paper arrives. Each Kusudama takes 63 square pieces of paper. The one in the picture is made from simple, green copy paper cut to 3x3 inch squares with pearls in the center of each flower. The larger the square the larger the Kusudama. Putting Kusudama in any search engine on the internet will give you quite a number of videos and/or instructions with pictures to make one. There are also many different flower styles that can be used which changes the look of the "Medicine Ball."

I hope you enjoyed this post. If you would like to leave any feedback or have questions, please leave me a comment. Blessings,

IT IS A SIMPLE NOTECARD . . .

2010-04-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

I was thinking this morning that this is a simple and quick notecard for those of us who make them, but it may end up being something so special to the person receiving it. I think this came out of reading the April 15th post in the OWH Homefront Blog (http://www.owhhomefrontblog.org) which in part read, "One thing we do know is that twice, we've received a note from a family member, telling us that one of our cards was the final piece of communication they had with their loved one's handwriting." Anyone who has lost someone they love, can relate so well to this statement! I keep my Dad's keys from 1978 in the stamping drawer on my desk that I go into most often.

And this is a very simple notecard. It is a new image (for me) that came from The Digi Shack. I very much like digital stamps - they are so versatile because they can be sized to precisely fit the your die cut or the area of your design you want to place it in. The only minor drawback is if you want to put the image on a die-cut - then you must print it first and then cut it out, which is a much more labor intensive process than stamping a die cut with my stamp positioning tool - the Stamp-a-ma-jig. If you have never seen one, Stamp TV (http://stamptv.ning.com/video/how-to-use-it-the-stampamajig) has a really great tutorial by Gina K which will allow you to see the many benefits of using one.

I don't have a card recipe for you today, because I made this from odds n ends, i.e., the olive green paper is leftover from my daughter's wedding, and I have had the corner "Peel Offs" for so long who knows where I got them.

Blessings on your day. I'm off to take care of the day's "must do" activities so I can get back to stamping for my heros!

ARE YOU A "MODERN DAY ROSIE THE RIVETER"?

2010-04-13T09:14:00.000-07:00

I hope as I write this blog entry that all who read it will feel in their heart the "spirit" of what I am writing. My husband, Chuck, and I take care of his Mom who was born in 1916 (she will be 94 in June)! In talking to her about what life was like during World War II, I found out that while Pop (her husband of 70 years when he passed away) was overseas fighting, she was an honest to goodness "Rosie the Riveter"! She felt that it was important, that it was her duty, to do what could be done to support the war effort, her husband, and all the soldiers who were giving their lives for freedom and our way of life! Some things do not change no matter how much time passes - today we are at war and there are still soldiers who are giving their lives to protect our way of life!

I know realistically I can't be a Rosie the Riveter the way Mom was, so I asked myself what I could do to make a real difference in this war and in the lives of those who are fighting! My answer was making cards for Operation Write Home. It doesn't have to be something so big it is worthy of the national news - it just has to make a difference in one person's life. About six weeks after I had sent my first cards to OWH, I received an email from a hero in Afghanistan thanking me for my card (my name and email were on the back). He explained that his wife was having their first child in about three weeks and how much it meant to him to have a beautiful card to send to her since he would not be present for the delivery. I can only imagine how she might treasure the card that came from her husband - maybe she might keep it so that when her child asked about where Daddy was when he/she was born, Mom would go to that treasure box that every woman has, and remove the card for her child to see. I have not received any communication from a soldier or family member since. I think I was just intended to have the realization that, yes, it does matter and it does make a difference!

Perhaps the person that will receive the most joy is the card-maker herself. I know I have received enjoyment and made new friends by participating in ways that I am able with OWH.

I hope that you might make a few minutes to make a few cards between now and May 10th to enter for the Make Somebody's Day Challenge! Oh, that we all might receive joy (and blog candy) from being a "Modern Day Rosie the Riveter". Just click on the icon above and to the right for all the details. Wishing you all blessings,

CASED CARD FROM CAROL L

2010-04-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a card I cased from Carol L (http://ourlittleinspirations.blogspot.com/) who also designed our Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge this week. This was a fun card to make and they are a part of my 232 cards challenge cards from the Spring Break Blog Hop! I was pleased with how it turned out and the picture doesn't do it justice!

I was able to give the card a little sparkle by using Copic's At You Spica "Twinkling Like Stars" in the flower centers. The paper is from a new paper pack I just purchased - Kioshi by Basic Grey. I liked every sheet in the paper pack (which is unusual for me!).

Blessings and thanks for stopping by!

Paper: Kioshi (Basic Grey), Mellow Moss (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Mellow Moss (Stampin' Up)
Accessories: Ribbon - Mellow Moss (Stampin' Up); Lattice Borderabilities (Spellbinders); Half Pearls (Bulk from Ebay)

Birthday Card for a Friend

2010-04-08T08:53:00.001-07:00

Welcome to a new day! I am vertical and able to take nourishment - that means it is a wonderful day full of surprises. Here is a card I made for a girlfriend's birthday. It is made using Flower Soft which I love, but is not at all practical for using on OWH cards. By the time it went to see Sandy in Washington, was shipped to far off places where our deployed heroes are, and then back to some far off destination in the states, it would be road-kill! Or should I say mail-kill! But it really does offer a lot of beauty and dimension for someone who is close enough to hand deliver the card to.

I wish you joy in your day, time for making cards, and lots of supplies to stimulate your creativity. Blessings,

A Grey and Burgundy Father's Day Greeting

2010-04-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

A splendid spring day to you all! I hope the flowers are blooming both in your hearts and in your yards! Here is a quick and simple Father's Day card I made a couple of weeks ago. The design originated from the beautiful silk ribbon I found it in a closeout bin at Joann Fabric and was able to purchase a spool of 100 yards for less than $2.00. What a steal!

I have completed half of the challenge cards from our Spring Break blog hop now! And what I realize is that my surgery for a total hip replacement is scheduled for May 28 which means I will still be in the hospital when the Memorial Day Blog Hop takes place! But - I have a plan. I will have the post ready before I leave for the hospital and then I'll have a laptop to use in the hospital! Fortunately, it is a brand new facility and has WiFi in all the patient rooms. I don't think the tray table will provide enough room to stamp so what would I do with myself (although images ready to color and my Copics should work)? Please note: I do already know I am crazy! But can you think of a better, more pleasant and fun way of passing the time in a hospital bed than blog hopping the OWH Memorial Day Blog Hop? I know I can't!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Stampin' Up
Paper: DP is Designer Basics (Wal-Mart), GinaK
Ink: Baroque Burgundy (SU) Cool Grey #1 (Copic)

He Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!

2010-04-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to one and all.

VARIATIONS ON A THEME

2010-03-27T13:07:00.001-07:00

When I designed this card, I couldn't decide which I liked better - the darker or the lighter designer paper. I asked Mom what she thought and she liked the darker. I asked Chuck what he thought and he liked the darker. Since I couldn't decide which I liked best, I made 12 of each. Just one of life's many compromises. Which one do you like best?

My progress in coming along for the 232 cards I pledged at the Spring Break Bloghop! I have about 80 cards done so far. But I realize that I haven't participated in the challenges and that is one of my favorite things. So I will probably slow down a bit on making cards and participate more in the challenges on the Stars and Stamps blog.

Lighter card:

Darker card:

Thanks for stopping by - as always I appreciate that you share some of your precious day with me.

Stamp: The Digi Shack, Sentiment is from my computer

Die Cuts: Spellbinders

Paper: Mixed Media Pack at Wal-Mart; Blush Pink by Papertrey

Ink: Copic

Accessories: Offray Ribbon

Thank You Everyone! 232 Cards to Make!

2010-03-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

I wish to thank everyone who commented on my blog during the OWH Spring Break Blog Hop! I had 116 wonderful comments which means that I will happily make 230 cards for Operation Write Home and our heroes. A special thanks to Sandy and the team for making it possible to have so much fun!

Blessings to you all and thank you so much,

Here's How to Make 2 Cards in Less Than 3 Minutes

2010-03-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Operation Write Home Spring Break Blog Hop 2010. If you arrived here from Amy Catalogna's blog, Greetings, after starting from the OWH Stars and Stamps Blog, then you are in the right place!! If not, you may wish to start at the Stars and Stamps Blog to get ALL of the details on the hop!!

I have very high hopes for this card! I pray it will leave the man, woman, or child who receives it with a feeling of hope, a feeling of spring, a feeling of new life! Well, maybe I have gotten a little carried away – but I do know this – the person who receives this card, or any OWH card, will know that their deployed hero is thinking of them whether they are in Afghanistan, Iraq, or another place far from home. Our heroes will know that we support them as they make many known and unknown sacrifices in their lives for us.

Now, as the title of my post indicates, here is a little known secret of how YOU can make two cards in less than three minutes. Simply go to the end of this post and for each comment left in the Comments Section, I will make two cards for OWH. I so enjoy reading your comments and I am hoping that if almost everyone leaves a comment, I might have to make around 200 cards!

Next, please hop on over to Joscie’s blog, OHScrap! and thank you so much for coming by. Don't forget to leave your comment! Enjoy the hop! Blessings,

Card Recipe: The card created for today’s hop uses a digital image that was donated to the Stars and Stamps Blog compliments of Fred, She Said Digital Designs for the Stars and Stamps Tulip Trio Tutorial. I added the sentiment to the image on my computer, printed it, and colored it using Copic Markers (RV21, RV23, RV25, YG93, YG95, and C1). I used a stamp from Wonderful Wings by Stampin Up for the butterfly and colored it with Copic’s V12 and V15. (PLEASE NOTE: The butterfly has glitter on it, which cannot be sent unless one covers it with something such as Crystal 3D effects so that the glitter cannot come off the card. (Glitter can make heroes visible at night.) The paper is Solar White (Neenah), Plum Pudding, Lavender Moon (Papertrey Ink). I used pink grosgrain ribbon by Offray, half pearls purchased in bulk from eBay, and die cuts by Spellbinders.

2010-03-18T18:05:00.001-07:00

Oh what a beautiful spring day it has been! Perfect temperatures and sunshine. I was able to dig in a couple of the planter boxes today to get the soil ready for what is to come. Some gardening and some stamping - two of my favorite activities! This card is based on a sketch challenge we had not too long ago. I have made quite a few of these with various colors of Iris. It is a fun card to make!

Thanks for stopping by. I really enjoy reading your comments!

Blessings,

Stamp: Spring Floral (Gina K); Sentiment (Computer)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah); Best Occasions (Wal-Mart)

Ink: V12, V15, YG93, YG95, C1

Accessories: die cuts (Spellbinder); butterfly (Anita's Art Stamps)

S&S Sketch Challenge #8

2010-03-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and thanks for spending a few minutes of your day here! I had a lot of fun making this card - it was easy and a good sketch for someone who is just starting out. You can not distinguish easily from the photo, but the purple cardstock is embossed and the lavendar is debossed. I thought the look was interesting and really stands out when you see the card in person. I don't recall where I got this image - it was on my computer and is very easy to size, print, and color by using a Word document. I also enjoyed using my Copic markers on this image as it lends itself well to shading. Shirley, thank you for the sketch.

Here is the sketch:

Stamp: Digi (unknown); Sentiment (computer generated)

Paper: Lavendar Moon, Plum Pudding (Papertrey Ink); Solar White (Neenah)

Ink: G21, G24, YG93, YG95, V12, V15
Accessories: Embossing Folder D'vine Swirls (Cuttlebug); Ribbon Kendra White (Offray); Labels 4 (Spellbinders)

S&S Sketch Challenge #7

2010-03-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

Greetings to all of you and thanks so much for dropping by! Since we have almost 6" of new snow and it is still snowing, no church this morning! We never take my MIL, who is almost 94, out in the snow and ice. We are afraid that Mom might injure herself and since she is in such good health and gets around quite well with a cane, it hardly seems worth the risk.

So, this is what I did this morning. . .

Paper: Latte Stack (DCWV)

Accessories: Adhesive Tags (Stiko)

Thank you Erica P. for the great sketch:

Blessings on your day! Louise

Stars and Stamps Sketch Challenge #6

2010-03-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

Here is another fun challenge brought to us by Stars and Stamps and Velda who designed our layout. I was surprised when I looked at the card and got the illusion that the designer paper was cut away rather than the oval flower being placed on top of square paper. It was a simple and quick, but fun, card to make. In retrospect, the bow is too large for the card, but it was already stuck down – and I wish I had every card I have ruined by trying to tweak it after it was completed – Sandy, Kris, and Dixie would each need an extra person to help them for a week!!! (LOL)

Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:

Stamps: Floral Digi (Fred She Said), Sentiment was done on computer

Paper: Latte Stack (DCWV), Solar White (Neenah)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), V12, V15, G24 (Copic)

Accessories: Ribbon (unknown)

Thank you for coming by – I hope you had as much fun seeing the card as I did making it. Please feel free to leave a comment - I am always happy to read them.

OWH Stars and Stamps Hambo's Wee Henry Challenge

2010-02-27T12:04:00.001-08:00

I am in a mad rush this morning, but I just had to post my Wee Henry Father's Day card. One of the reason's I love the Stars and Stamps Challenges so much is that it challenges me to do things I would not ordinarily do(I know, I've said this before). This is my first time to color a face with Copic markers - and it is as hard as I thought it might be for Henry's face to look as good as other faces I have seen - but the "first time" is done and I realize what I need is slightly different colors and a LOT of practice. I also used my brads that have screw heads, which I just love for a masculine card. I have had them forever and can't remember where I got them.

Hope all of you have a wonderful weekend and thank you for coming to visit! Blessings

Stamps: Wee Henry Fishing (free Hambo digi) - Thank you Hambo, Sentiment was done on computer.

Paper: Indian Summer Fall Stack (DCWV), Pure Luxury Chocolate Kiss (GinaK), Solar White (Neenah)

Ink: Vintage Photo (Distress Ink/Ranger), Various colors (Copic)

Accessories: Brads (unknown)

Spring Floral card for Operation Write Home

2010-02-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. I am so happy with the card I created today. I was in a "blue funk" which usually doesn't lend itself to creativity, but today I was pleasantly surprised. Perhaps it is because I allowed myself to use the most special "stash" of paper my husband and I purchased during our last visit to Kelly Paper. It is Curious Translucents paper in Kiwi Iridenscents. A little on the expensive side, but just the most gorgeous paper one could ask for. By far, the picture does not do it justice. Yes, I am an addict - I wish there was such a thing as PA - Paper Anonymous because I would love to meet a group of people who would help to enable me!

I am making multiples of this one as most of the work is die cuts and so it is an easy card to make. Since we will have snow all day tomorrow, this will be a great project to work on! What do you think?

Stamps: Spring Florals (GinaK), sentiment (SU)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), B23, B00, YG93 (Copic)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Navy Blue ?? (Kelly Paper), Kiwi Iridescents (Curious)

Accessories: Labels 8, Renaissance Hearts Pendant (Spellbinders), Birds and Swirls Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

Ribbon: No Name (Wal-Mart) on sale

Birthday Card for Our Niece

2010-02-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a birthday card I created for our niece, Tanya. I do have to say I enjoyed using glitter as a change of pace! I don't think you can tell, but the card is quite dimensional as the butterfly and the flowers are put on with dimensional glue dots and the ribbon is very thick because of the pearls woven into it so I will have to put it in a mailer to send it to her. The butterfly is encrusted with Stickles! I hope you enjoy seeing it as much as I did making it!

Stamps: Butterfly from Wonderful Wings (Stampin Up); Sentiment (Our Daily Bread), Flowers (Technique Tuesday)

Ink: Butterfly embossed with Metallic Copper (Judikins), Butterfly BV02, BV04 and flowers C01, R11, Y08, Heavenly White (Twinkling H2Os)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Grey Speckled (Kelly Paper)

Accessories: Star Dust Glitter (Stickles), Braidnpearl Ribbon (Offray)

Operation Write Home S&S Challenge #4

2010-02-15T11:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Kathy R. for the great sketch! Today it will reach 70 degrees with patches of snow still on the ground so I had my head firmly implanted (no pun intended) in Spring and thinking about the gardens. Here is the result:

Stamps: Hello Spring (Stampin'Up) (discontinued)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Pretty in Pink (SU), Y02, Y08, RV25, Rv23, YG03 (Copic)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Luxury Stack (DCWV)

Ribbon: No Name (Wal-Mart) on sale

Some quilling for my daughter's wedding

2010-02-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

As I had indicated earlier this week, here are some of the items I made for my daughter's wedding. Everything is made of either 1/4" or 1/8" wide strips of pearlized paper that are 24" long. All of the flowers and leaves are handmade and the bells are made from the paper as well. The colors for the wedding were olive and ivory and I can honestly say I never got tired of working with these colors. I hope you enjoy viewing my quilling and please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

This was the topper for the wedding cake.

These are the small votives. I made 65 of these!

This is the memorial candle for some very special people in the kid's lives.This is the large votive. It stood 13 inches tall and I made 20 of these.

OWH Technique Challenge #1

2010-02-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

First, let me say that I did not follow the rules for the challenge exactly, as I did color 1/2 of my image a bit with Copic Markers. They say it is better to ask forgiveness later than permission before - how does that go? I was happy with the results and I hope it will make a great card for our soldiers. I have 12 of them made so far.

Stamps: Day & Night (Rubbernecker), Sentiment done on the computer

Paper: Designer Paper: Best Occasions (Wal-Mart), Solar White (Neenah)

Accessories: Lace (Wal-Mart), Detail Gold Embossing Powder (Stampin'Up)

OWH Stars and Stamps Tri-fold Shutter Card

2010-02-06T11:44:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to do a tri-fold shutter card for the many years I have been stamping and never have. Guess I have been afraid of it. But, Thanks to Marcy K's fab instructions on the S&S blog (http://www.owhstarsandstamps.org/), I thought I would give it a try. WOW! I did it!! It is not nearly so hard as it looks - mostly cutting the paper to piece on the card and all of us know how to do that especially when all the measurements are provided for us at the end of the S&S blog post!

Stamps: Elegant Flowers (GinaK), Sentiment (Stampin' Up)

Paper: Card base is Chocolate Kiss (GinaK), DCWV Latte

Ink: Copic: Lavender Lace (SU)

Accessories: Ribbon: Leaf Ribbon (Papertrey Ink)

Mother's Day Card Design #1

2010-02-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

Mother’s Day will be here before we know it and I hope that everyone saw Sandy’s blog post that the original deadline posted needed to be moved up to April 1. Mother’s Day is a special holiday for me. Living with my husband, Chuck, and I is my very special 93-year-old MIL whom I treasure and love. We are both crafters – she crochets afghans and afghan squares every day for Warm Up America! which distributes them to battered women’s shelters, victims of natural disasters, etc.

I have to admit with this card, I am really happy to have an electric Big Shot!

Stamps: Aster Digi Stamp (Fred She Said), Sentiment (Stampin' Up)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Cranberry Tart (GinaK), Designer (K&Company)

Ink: Copic: RV21, RV23, RV25, YG93, YG95, Y08, Baroque Burgandy (SU)

Dies: Spellbinders

Accessories: Ribbon: Joanne steel 100 yards for $2.50, white Liquid Applique for flower center then colored with the Copic Y08

Stars and Strips Spring Challenge #1

2010-02-04T15:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a challenge from the Stars and Stamps blog which is part of Operation Write Home. Our color challenge inspiration image is this pretty little Easter dress! We were to make a card using these colors. I love this dress because it reminds me of one of my favorite Easter dresses as a child!

Color Challenge #1: Spring!

The colors were a challenge for me because I tend to lean toward jewel tones. In my craft supplies, the only things I had in these colors were strips of quilling paper. So here you are – a quilled card. If you are not familiar with quilling and would like to see more, check back on my blog next week as I am going to load some of the pictures of items I did for my daughter’s wedding.

Operation Write Home (OWH)

2010-02-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

I started this blog in order to be able to post some of the cards I have crafted for Operation Write Home, an organization near and dear to my heart. Many of our parents and grandparents went to work in factories during the last couple of wars to support the country and troops. Things have changed, but I still like to feel like I might participate to support those who are fighting to preserve our freedom and way of life. Operation Write Home is the way I have found. You can find out more more about OWH by going to www.operationwritehome.org. I can tell you that this organization is filled with wonderful people and talented crafters.

Here are a couple of the cards I didn't forget to photograph:

I would love to have feedback!