OWH Midweek Throwdown: The Nature of Christmas

It's Wednesday and that means a new midweek challenge from Operation Write Home.  This week's challenge is to create a card including something from nature that reminds you of the holidays i.e. deer, penguins, mistletoe etc...  Fun!  

A few weeks ago I received a sample from a child's magazine.  Well, my kids are young adults, and no grandchildren in the foreseeable future.  But... it did come with some cool stickers that I kept.  I've been meaning to make a few more kid cards, so when I read this week's challenge, I instantly thought of those stickers, a new snow embossing folder and a favorite OWH sketch.  Wow, it came together so fast... maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket!  Well, anyway, happy hump day.  

CS:  Bazill

Embossing Folders and Brads:  Paper Studio 

Stickers:  Highlights children's magazine

Sketch:  OWH #175

Keys to My Heart - OWH Sketch #193

Happy Monday everyone.  I seem to have a pattern developing, Monday postings!  Sunday was so busy between seeing the fall colors and watching our Denver Broncos win in fabulous Manning style!
This week's sketch challenge over at Operation Write Home featured several beautiful cards by Velda at Oldstamper Musings. 

The sketch is great for some of those bigger print card papers that sometimes is hard to use.   Being short of time (don't we all), I played with some papers and digis I created that was already on my card table.  I'm really a fan of strong value contrasts, so I loved how the card initially went together.  However, after I trialled the sentiment, it looked like an island, all alone.  So I played a bit, adding two ribbon strips alongside.  Mo better, as my kids used to say.  The funny thing was, if I had just gone to my stash of bigger print papers, as the designer did, I probably would have been happier sooner!  Oh well, live and keeping learning!  Best wishes for a great week.

DP:  Stripe - Graphic 45 "Old Curiosity Shoppe"

        Background - Recollections

Ribbon:   Ribbon Boutique

Twine: We R Memory Keepers

Sentiment and Pic:  Print Shop 2

World Card Making Day Blog

Woohoo!  The great folks over at Operation Write Home are sponsoring a huge blog hop to celebrate World Card Making Day.  Operation Write Home is a non-profit that takes our handmade greeting cards and sends them along to deployed troops, so they in turn can write a note and send back to their loved ones.

The rules of this blog hop is to make a thank you card using one of the many OWH sketches as inspiration.  One of my favorite, easy to duplicate is Sketch #170.  When I want to make multiples, just like this week's Midweek Throwdown Multiple Challenge, I grab #170!  I love the sentiment too, as I could use it as a Hero card or send it blank for our heroes to use.

I am so grateful for the work of OWH, as it is one more way I can say thank you to the thousands of military heroes who serve and protect the American way!  I say a particular thank you to my son, who is dedicating his life to providing health care to serve our active duty and military veterans.   Best wishes to all, hope you enjoy the hop, I know I will!

DP:  Authentique "Pride" 6x6 

Sentiment:  Computer Generated

Brads:  Paper Studio

Hello - Sketch #192

Hello everyone.  I don't know about you, but now that it's fall time still is flying by.  Somehow the weekends are just as busy as the summer, which means Sunday's sketch gets posted on Monday.  Better late and quality, than never!  At any rate, now for today's sketch over at Operation Write Home.  Once again, I fell in love with the latest sketch.  So easy to pull out coordinating prints from those 6x6 pads, especially since the sketch has such great value contrasts.  I just love it, and I hope some lucky family member will too.  Best wishes for a great week.

DP:  Ki by Hampton Arts "Berry Blast"

Twine:  Memory Keepers

Tiny Brads:  Paper Studio

Sentiment:  computer generated

Love Is Spoken Here - OWH Sketch 191

Happy Sunday everyone, I hope it's a start of a great week for all.  Today celebrates the first day of fall, and boy did the rain come with a vengeance!  We cooled down into the low 50's by dinner time, just perfect for the first pot of beef stew of the season.  Yumm!

Back to the task at hand.  Today's Operation Write Home sketch is one of those sketches that just hit me like a hammer, wow, so fun to pull out a few of those 6x6 pads and make a professional card in no time.  I really enjoyed today's card, and can see this being a go to sketch for the future.   I love the ability to use so many of my rectangular stamps and digis in this sketch too.  In addition to the OWH sponsor stamp companies, I'm a big fan of Create with TLC.  They offer a daily freebie digi, along with their other fabulous digis, so many are perfect for OWH cards.  Check them out!

DP:  My Mind's Eye 6x6 "Blush"

Digi: Create With TLC

Twine:  Recollections

Baby Brads: Paper Studio

Operation Write Home Sketch #190

Hello everyone, hope it's a good Monday for all.  This week's sketch at Operation Write Home looked so easy, then I over thought it!  I kept trying to add more details, and wasted a whole lot of time!  Finally, I gave in and went simple!  Being an Army mom, I rarely make any other service-related cards, however, when I saw this anchor dp, I knew I was destined for a few Navy cards.  The dps and the brads really match well in person, my camera flash seemed to make the colors all goofy.  At any rate, I'm happy, who knows, maybe  I'll try Marines next!  Have a great week.

DP:  Echo Park "Scoot"

        Memory Keepers "Red, White & Blue"

        Family Stories "Anchored"

Sentiment:  Create With TLC

Operation Write Home Birthday Bash 2013

Wow!  OWH is celebrating another birthday all month long.  One of the many celebrations include a fundraiser tutorial Card Class, in which for a small fee, we were  given select clear stamps and some yummy ribbon.  

On the big day, Sandy and her team uploaded all sorts of teaching techniques including step by step coloring videos for the chosen stamps.  I'm not a colorer by nature, so I tend to shy away from stamps.  I thought what a great way to practice, in the comfort of my own home, no pressure!  After watching the video a couple of times, I dove right in.  I'm pleased with my first attempt, and I definitely would do more of these card classes in the future.  It's not too late to sign up for the tutorial, free of charge.  Come on, join the fun!

DP:  Echo Park "All About A Boy"

Stamp:  My Favorite Things

Ribbon:  Bella! Ribbonz

Tiny Brads:  Recollections