CONGRATS OWH AND THANK YOU JOANN

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

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!!!

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

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

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

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"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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!