I'm Gonna Be A GMa!

Happy Sunday everyone.  Wow, it seems like a life time since I last blogged.  For many of you, you know I immersed myself in the fabulous work of Operation Write Home, a non-profit making greeting cards for our military heroes and their families.  OWH shuttered activities in August, so I found myself with time to get back into other activities (hiking, camping, kayaking, sewing, knitting).  Well, I couldn't stay away from card making.  My son and his beautiful wife are expecting their first child!  What a great way to get back into cards, I thought, I'll make Thank You cards for the kids to use when they start getting baby gifts.  So… onto the cards, I hope you enjoy!

Baby Feet:

Inspiration - Stamp With Jodie

Stamp- Stampabilities "Rylee's Footprint" (Hobby Lobby)

DP- Paper Studio

Baby Thank You:

Sketch:  Gone Scrappin and Mojo Monday 393

Digital Papers:  Sweet Baby Love (free dp downloads)

Sentiment:  Computer generated

Giraffe Thank You

DP:  Paper Studio 

Die:  Spellbinders Scalloped Circles

Sentiment Computer generated

A Million Thanks: OWH Sketch 258

Happy Monday everyone!  The day is sunny, no rain yet, the mosquitoes are in full force…!  A good day to make cards by a sunny window!  As most of you know, our beloved Operation Write Home is closing it's "doors" August 1.  Our heroes are coming home and we celebrate their sacrifice to our country.  We also thank our leaders at Operation Write Home for their tireless efforts to support our military heroes.  Thanks Sandy and crew!

With the closure, we have only two more fabulous sketches to go, this week's sketch is perfect for a celebration card.   Don't you just love all those banners?  So much, I added one more for color!  I have just a few more cards to make, to send off my final jammed-packed box of cards to OWH.  Bitter sweet, but it's been such a fun journey.  Well, off to finish a few more cards.  Have a great day, mosquito-free !

DP: Scraps

Sentiment:  computer adapted, inspiration, Create With TLC, 

Thank You: Our Daily Bread Designs July OWH Challenge

It's hard to believe that this is our last OWH ODBD challenge.  Such fantastic support by ODBD, sponsoring the cost of shipping two boxes of cards to our heroes.  A big thank you to ODBD for sponsoring our heroes.  Our final ODBD Challenge is to make a thank you card.  I love thank you cards the most, so needed especially as our heroes come home and wish to thank all those who supported them.  So, in honor of our heroes and their supporters, here's my last ODBD OWH challenge.

DP:  "Digitize" by Bazzill

Hex die cut:  Sizzix

Sentiment:  computer generated Print Shop 2

Give Thanks: OWH Sketch 256

Wow, I can't believe a month has come and gone since my last post.  I've been busy making the last of my duplicate cards for my very last OWH box.  August 1 is a day of celebrating our heroes return, but bitter sweet for the friends who have supported our heroes.  A big thank you to those at OWH who've mentored and lead us all these years.  Thank you!  Well, back to catching up…. Sketch 256 is just the perfect CAS card!

DP: scraps

Sentiment:  Print Shop 2 computer generated

Brads:  Paper Studio

Miss You: His & Hers

Hello everyone, I'm still catching up from my recent vacation to the northwest to attend my nephew's wedding.  So fun, and so different than Western Colorado!  It was so fun being away, but it's nice to be be back with my cards, especially so excited to have been chosen for Operation Write Home's May Mid-Month Throwdown Challenge to use the same sketch, but make a his and hers version.  Well, not to pass up a challenge, even my own, I finally got to join in.  I also am double dipping, capturing this month's Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge "Miss You" theme.

P.S.  I slipped a cutie photo of me with my adorable twin nieces, Sarah and Kate, taken during the wedding weekend!

Male Miss You

DP:  BoBunny "Double Dot"

         Paper Studio "Murphy's Square" 4.5"x 6.5"

Female Miss You
DP:  DCWV "the Everyday Essentials"
         Ki by Hampton Arts "Color Crush" 6x6
Sketch:  Mojo Monday 393
Sentiments: Computer generated with Print Shop 2
Embossing Folder:  Lifestyle Crafts "Woven"










Original Cards:  OWH February MMTD: Cards for Kids

God Bless The USA: OWH Sketch 255

Happy Sunday everyone.  I've been away on vacation a bit, thus I am bit behind with my crafting.  The latest sketch from Operation Write Home is just perfect for some pre-cut digi images I got while on vacation.  I make my card in honor of D-Day yesterday, remembering those who gave it all for our country, God Bless the USA.  Take care all!

Hubby and I kayaking the calm water of the Deschutes River in Bend, Oregon

Sketch: OWH 255

DP:  Background , We R Memory Keepers "Red White & Blue, Patriotic Alphabet"

Pre-printed die cut digi by Pebbles   

Star brads by Ki, Hampton Arts

A Big Thank You: OWH Memorial Day Blog Hop

A big hello to all card making friends.  A special day over at Operation Write Home, one very special Memorial Day Blog Hop to remember.  Operation Write Home, a charity that has supported heroes with handmade cards since 2007, will be closing later this year.  All cards need to be sent in by August 1st, so I'm helping to get the word out!  A bittersweet event, as I've enjoyed immensely making cards for our military Heroes, but… this means our Heroes are coming home!  I made my card in honor of our Heroes and to the all wonderful work of Operation Write Home.  Thank you! 

Blog Hop Link

Sentiment:  Create with TLC (a freebie she had a while back)

DP:  scraps

Embossing Folder:  Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots"

Brads:  Paper Studio

You Mean The World To Me: OWH #254

Happy weekend everyone!  How's the weather in your neck of the woods?  We have seen rain almost daily for 10 days, putting a damper on any outdoor activities, including planting my veggie garden.  So.. if I can't plant I might as well make cards.  Catching up a bit, last Saturdays' sketch challenge from Operation Write Home is great CAS card, with just the right amount of layering to keep me engaged and simple enough to get completed!  LOL!

Sketch:  Operation Write Home Sketch #254

DP:  American Crafts "Globe Trotter" (yellow and globes)

         Studio g "Paper Pack - blues" (houndstooth blue)

         DCWV "Everyday Essentials" (banner background)

Tiny Brads:  Recollections

Circle Dies:  Spellbinders Circles and Lifestyles Circles 

Sentiment:  computer generated

Congratulations Graduates

Best wishes to all those young graduates, moving onto the next phase of their lives!  A co-worker has a special friend who graduated from high school this week.  She asked me to make a special grad card in her honor.  I'd been collecting ideas on Pinterest, but had yet to make a grad card, so I gladly accepted the challenge.  Fun, time consuming, but very pleased in the end.  5 hours later, I don't think I'll mass produce this card, but I was honored to help a friend.  Cheers to graduating class of Grand Junction High School. Go Tigers!

Inspiration Card:  The Serendipitous Stamper blog spot;  her card was square, but I wanted to make mine 5x7.  Yikes!  A square card would have been easier, especially when doing the gown, using a square die to create the neckline.  No… I went rectangle and had to custom cut the angles for the neck! Next time… make a square card!

2015 Tag Board Die Cut:  Walmart graduation party supply section

Inside Sentiment:  Computer generated, inspiration from Greeting Card Messages. Great free on-line source for card sentiments!

Finishing Strong Blog Hop: A Push to the End

Hello fellow Operation Write Home card makers.  Today is a day of celebration with a bit of sadness.  Operation Write Home announced that, as our service members are drawing down, OWH is drawing down also.  The need for our cards is less as more and more Heroes return home.  More about the draw down and the end of the OWH mission can be found here.

To celebrate the homecoming, OWH is conducting a Memorial Day Weekend blog hop, Finishing Strong Bloghop, to spread the word about the last day to have your cards delivered to OWH Headquarters, August 1, 2015.  Please join us in this bittersweet celebration and participate in a fabulous day of sharing our cards, on a day celebrating our Heroes.  

Bloghop Sign Up:  Finishing Strong Blog Hop

Happy Birthday: OWH Sketch 253

Happy birthday everyone!  Well, happy birthday to my dad, who's birthday is this week.  My latest Operation Write Home card box is need of some birthday cards before it's full, so this week's sketch is just the perfect fit.   I've been trying to challenge myself to make masculine and feminine version of sketches, so here's my take!  Hope all is well, happy spring everyone!

Sketch:  Operation Write Home #253

DP:  My Mind's Eye "Hootenanny"

Border Punch:  ek

Spellbinders Scalloped Circles

World's Greatest Dad: OWH Sketch 252

Happy Saturday everyone!  It's sunny and calm here in Western Colorado, one cannot beat our little valley.  A quick card before going out to enjoy.  This week's sketch over at Operation Write Home is just perfect for a Dad card.  At OWH, we work 8-12 weeks in advance of a holiday, just so our leader Sandy can get the cards to our deployed Heroes and then they can send back in time to their loved ones.  Check OWH out if you've haven't done so, great work.  Well, onto the card and some sunshine!

Sketch: OWH 252

Sentiment: Handmade By Paula (Just love her stuff!)

DP:  Paper Studio "Ninth Street" 

Dies:  QuicKutz "Nesting Pinking Circles",  Spellbinders Large Circles - used the 2 3/8" circle,  and  ek 2 1/4" punch

Mini Brads:  Recollections

Like You A Lottle: OWH Sketch 251 & ODBD Challenge

Happy Friday everyone! Well I'm all caught up (at least where I want to be) with the latest of Operation Write Home's Sketches.  I just love this sketch, simple, straightforward and a great for guy papers.  I'm also counting it for the latest Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge 

I'm also excited to showcase a blogger who shares her talents, designing freebie sentiments.  Check out Ginger's House Blog.  She has some really fun sayings, Like U A Lottle is so darn cute!

Another fun paper design I've become so "into" is graph paper or ledger type designs for background prints.  I'm finding it popping up more and more in dp, so easy to cut and especially easy to line up vertical and horizontal mattings.  Easy Peasy!

Well, off to do a little more garden clean up.  Have a great weekend everyone.

Sentiment: Ginger's House Blogspot

DP:  Paper Studio "Murphy's Square" 4.5" x 6.5"

        Pebbles "Basics" 6x6, perfect small scale backgrounds

Brads:  Recollections

RED Friday: Remember Everyone Deployed

Hi all, it's RED Friday, Remember Everyone Deployed.  Each and every day I'm so honored to make cards for Heroes.  If you haven't checked out Operation Write Home, it's so uplifting, join us.  Here's a another card to share, thanking our Heroes.  Hope you enjoy!

Operation Write Home Challenges:  Our Daily Bread Designs: Sentiments

                                                          Mid-Month Throwdown: Red, White and Blue

DP:  Authentique "Pride" 6x6

         DCWV "Everyday Essentials"  (great backgrounds-love the ledger look)

Die:  Spellbinders "Grommet Tags" - one of each color, then split the red and blue in half lengthwise to    mat. I then punched a small blue circle to add matting the ends.

Sentiment:  computer generated

Mom: OWH Sketch Challenge 250

Happy Friday everyone! It's been so long since I've blogged, I've almost been in withdrawals.  The warmer weather has everything growing crazy and I still haven't cleaned the gardens from the fall!  Yikes!  Well, I've kept up with the latest from Operation Write Home just haven't posted.  The background is actually a very pretty light green that coordinates well with the mats, but sure didn't photo well, oh well.!

Sketch:  OWH 250

OWH Sketch Challenge #249

Happy Monday everyone!  I've become a big fan of Dearie Dolls Digis and this week's sketch at Operation Write Home  just calls to use one of these great kid digis!  Lots of layers, my "fav", and lots of bright colors… so fun!  Here's to spreading smiles on little faces!

Digi:  Free Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps
Sketch:  Operation Write Home 249
Yellow DP: TPC Studio "Summertime Beach Stripe" double sided
Reds - scrap box
Sentiment:  computer generated

February Mid-Month Throwdown OWH - Cards for Kids

Happy Sunday everyone, is it snowing in your neck of the woods?  It is here in Western Colorado, although very mild compared to the East.  Our prayers go out to everyone buried in snow.  What a better way to wait out the snow than to make cards.  It's time for the Mid-Month Throwdown Challenge over at Operation Write Home.  Kristie challenges us to make cards for kids.  I was so excited, because I had two really cute digis from Free Dearie Dolls Digi Stamps sitting on my craft table waiting to be used!.  If you haven't discovered Mary Ellen's talent, you're in for a treat.  Such great talent and so many wonderful digis to chose from.  So… onto my cards, stay warm everyone, have fun!

Dearie Dolls Cowboy

Dearie Dolls Cowgirl

DP:  Scrap bin

Brads:  Recollections

Twine:  We R Memory Keepers

Dearie Dolls blog

Our Daily Bread Designs February OWH Challenge

Hi everyone, happy February!  Another month, and another challenge from Operation Write Home, this time it's the monthly Our Daily Bread Design Challenge.  ODBD offers up shipping costs for two boxes of cards sent to our Heroes.  All we have to do is make and link up 50 different cards from 50 different card makers, like me!  Easy Peasy!

This month's challenge is to make a card using animals.  Quite a while ago I had bought some really cute digis from Doodle Pantry.  I love digis, easy to use and so easy to size to your project.  Here's my entry, last I looked we were more than half way to the 50 card challenge, and it's only February 11th!  Any day making a card is a good day!  Take care y'all!

DP:  "Argyle" by Ki Memories (Hampton Arts) 6x6
Cat Digi: Doodle Pantry "With Heart"
Sentiment:  Computer generated with Paper Studio2
Tiny Brads:  Recollections

CASE Challenge #1

Happy Monday everyone!  As a card maker, I'm always looking for inspiration, and believe me, I "pin" a lot.  I've been thinking, why pin if I never use?  So I thought, let's start a mini-series of CASE (copy and share/steal everything), create one card like the CASE card and then change the papers up for a different look.  I find that even though it's a CASE, it's still a challenge to find the right papers!  LOL!  Well, at any rate, onto my first CASE challenge of 2015.

I'm a big fan of the work of Paula over at Handmade by Paula.  She is a graphic designer who shares her color talents and also gives us some digi art to use in our cards.  I love to use her Miss You digis, bold, pleasing, and easy to use.

My Version

CASE from Paula

My Original Challenge Card

Sketch OWH 219

Thank You

DP:  Paper Studio "Tiny Polka" single sheet

        Paper Studio "Ninth Street" 4.5x6.5 pack

Tiny Brads:  Recollections

Sentiment: Computer generated

Love You Miss You

DP:  Black: My Minds Eye "Everyday Basics" 6x6

        Red: American Crafts "Studio Calico-Darling Dear" collection 

Brads:  Paper Studio

Sentiment: Handmade by Paula

OWH #247

Happy Sunday everyone, I can't believe I actually created a challenge card and posted in the same weekend!  I sort of lost my posting mojo, back in the swing of it again!  This week's sketch courtesy of Operation Write Home, uses an oval shape, which I don't use very often.  Since OWH works at least two months ahead of the need, I thought this sketch would be perfect for Mothers Day cards.  I turned the sketch to accommodate the digi sentiment better.  Hope you have a great week, it was a bit warmer here in Western CO, 39 in the sun!

DP:  Paper Studio scraps

Sentiment:  Handmade by Paula freebie digi

Flowers:  Recollections

Die:  Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals and Ovals

Operation Write Home Sketch 246

Too many ideas and not enough time, do you feel that way too?  Well, definitely not enough time to post the great sketches and cards from the latest OWH Sketch challenges.  So … without further delay! I really love the simplicity of this sketch;  really works well with those diagonal stripes that are so funky to work with.  Also such a nice masculine CAS card too.

Sketch: OWH 246

Paper:  Recollections Basics

Circles:  Spellbinders Circles 

Thank You Hero: Our Daily Bread Design Challenge

Hello everyone, another weekend gone and another chance to make a few cards.  I've been really engaged in cleaning my craft room, so I definitely felt I deserved some crafty time as a reward!  This month's Our Daily Bread Design Challenge is to make a thank you card for our service heroes.  ODBD donates shipping dollars for up to two flat rate shipping boxes if 50 of us card makers participate in the monthly challenge.  What an easy fun way to earn shipping and have a good excuse to make cards!

Well, on to the fun part.  I combined the challenge with a recent Operation Write Home sketch, and I also got a little CASE inspiration from a fellow card maker, Sabrina.  Her card was just perfect to get my mojo going! I know our Heroes will love it!

DP:  Authentique "Pride" 6x6

        MME "Lost & Found"

Sentiment:  Computer generated with Paper Studio 2

Punches:  Circles - Fiskars and Recollections; Star- Ki

Sentiment banner:  I don't have a true banner die, but I used a hexagon die to cut the banner tails, makes  a wider, shorter angle than a right angle/square die on point.

Miss You: OWH Sketch 245

Happy Monday everyone, hope you had a great weekend! I'm catching up organizing my craft room and my computer desk.  Am I the only one who makes a bigger mess when organizing?  The end result was great, but now I have "leftovers" thrown in the spare bedroom!  LOL!  Well, I've managed a few minutes for cards, trying to catch up on OWH sketches.  Well, off to another project, take care!

DP: My Minds Eye "Quite Contrary - Jack & Jill"  6x6

       BoBunny "Back to Basics"

Sentiment:  computer generated

Die:  Spellbinders Scalloped Circles and Large Circles

Brads:  Recollections