Dusting off the Ol' Blog for the OWH Memorial Day Bloghop

Long time, no blog. I can't believe how long it's been!

Again this year, Operation Write Home (formerly Cards for Heroes) is having a Memorial Bloghop. It was so much fun last year, that I jumped at the chance to do it again. If you are joining in the middle of the hop, click here to go to OWH's Stars and Stripes blog and start at the beginning. While you are there, check out some of their awesome tutorials and challenges. Just what I need when I'm feeling uninspired. Also check out their website. I just love, love, love what this organization does!

So, here it is!......here is the card that I made for this year's bloghop. The "requirement" was a red, white, and blue missing you card. Amazingly, I had no suitable "missing you" stamp in my whole collection! I decided that thinking of you was close enough (and I had several of those stamps).

This card was made almost exactly like the inspiration card. I wish I could remember where I found it. The background was stamped with VersaMark ink on kraft paper and heat embossed with clear powder. The dotted star and sentiment were stamped with Palette hybrid ink in Starry Night. I cut out the inside of a few stars and mounted it on red paper with foam tape. The ribbon and tiny safety pin were in my stash. Not a bad project, especially for someone who doesn't like to heat emboss much. All the stamps are Hero Arts. All the paper is from Marco's Paper. If you like my card, be sure to leave a comment. I love the feedback!

A big, huge THANK YOU for the men and women of our military - past and present. Our country wouldn't be such a great place to live without them.

The next stop on the bloghop is Tereza's blog, My Treasured Creations. She makes some really pretty vintage cards.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend.

August 31 - The End

Well, I did it! I actually made 31 unique cards in August. I made multiples of several of them, and have a few to finish assembling to wrap it all up. I used up some of my stuff. I broke out some new stamps, as well as some old ones that have been in the drawer for a while - but never used. I even bought some new stamps this month (but am saving them for holiday cards!). Some days it was a chore. Some days it was not. Overall, it was lots of fun. Time to celebrate!

August 30 - Back in the saddle

This morning I spent a hour or so clearing my craft table of all of the things from the bridal shower favors - beads, ribbon, paper, etc. Making the favors for the shower turned into a much more time consuming project than I expected, and I procrastinated - as usual. I hope that all of the glue was dry before people started taking them home!

For today's card, I decided to make another Christmas card. I really like the set of stamps that I used for the August 16 card, and I had a couple of the sentiments left that I had stamped 2 weeks ago. The design for this card was inspired by a Father's Day card that I saw on Splitcoast. Of course, I have a huge stack of Christmas papers from last year that have hardly been touched.

August 29 - Birthday blah

This card needs something. The inspiration for it came from something I saw on the internet, but I used brighter colored paper. I might add glitter to the next one I make like this.

August 28 - Happy Everything

I embossed this purple paper a couple of weeks ago, and ended up not using it at the time. This card turned out okay, but it's nothing spectacular. I do like embossing and sanding on the white core cardstock - it's such a neat effect.

August 27 - More glitter

I admit it, I have a bunch of card bases cut and scored and some of them even have the sentiment already stamped on. This was one of them. The good thing about this is that it takes almost no time to put a card together and there are no stamps to clean. I like this assembly line approach. Plus, using up some of my pre-stamped card bases means I don't have to use them to make anymore of those ugly lime green cards from August 14. I like this one so much better. Maybe it's the glitter paper - it's hard to see in the photo, but the patterned paper on this card is more glitter paper.

August 26 - Birthday Wishes

I planned on making and posting this card yesterday, my actual birthday, but it didn't work out that way.

I found the idea for this card several months ago on Splitcoaststampers, and had to immediately run out to get some glitter paper (because that is actually something I didn't have). I am now the proud owner of LOTS of glitter paper. It was fun to use the Stickles too. Apparently, I am a sucker for sparkly things. What else explains the huge stack of glitter paper and 20 different colors of Stickles?

August 25 - Last class project

This card was the last one from last week's class. It was just a simple stamp and color card - much more my speed than the other technique-heavy cards. (even though they were fun and pretty to make). It's not a bad card, but it's nothing special.

August 24 - Paper flowers

This card used the same water/perfect pearl mixture as the butterfly card from Saturday. Unfortunately, it curled up the paper, which really bummed me out because it was really pretty. The flowers are some larger paper flowers that I happen to have several of in my collection. To make the flowers on this card, 3 paper flowers were cut and folded. I definitely plan to make some other cards similar to this.

August 23 - Alcohol Ink

The background of this card was stamped and embossed white on glossy white paper. I used 3 different colors of alcohol ink on a blending tool and stomped the background on. It has a really neat effect. Alcohol inks are messy! I'm not a huge fan of heat embossing (because I'm no good at it), so I can't see myself running out to stock up on alcohol inks to make more cards like this. I did win a bottle as a door prize, so we'll see.... I also put copper alcohol ink on the back of this clear button. It took forever to dry, and made a huge mess when I tried to assemble the card. I guess I was not patient enough.

August 22 - Watercolor paper

This card was made from watercolor paper. The butterfly was inked with 3 different colors of distress ink and then misted with a water/perfect pearl mixture. The background stamp was done the same way. The stamped images have a bit of pearly sheen to them that you can't see in the photograph. The card was cut using Spellbinders dies. I have them, but have not taken them out of the package yet. I guess I have an idea what to do with them now.

August 21 - Sticky backed canvas

This card was made using sticky backed canvas. The butterfly was stamped and embossed with white embossing powder. Blue distress ink was rubbed on using an ink blending tool. Other people in the class used different colors - red, orange, green, or some combination of the colors. The card was embossed with one of the new Cuttlebug folders. I can't wait to see the new folders in person. I really like how this came out, but I can't see myself stocking up on sticky backed canvas anytime soon.

August 20 - Class Project #1

Holy moly, that class was intense! We used all kinds of materials that I've never touched before - sticky backed canvas, alcohol ink, perfect pearls, etc. It was lots of fun, but I was completely exhausted when I got home! I finished up the final touches on all 6 cards this evening. Here is the first one.



On this card, we used a cling stamp (which I LOVE and will become part of my collection very soon) and stamped with VersaMark ink. Then we brushed it with Perfect Pearls and misted it with water to set. It was a very simple process, and really turned out really pretty. It's tough to get a decent photo with the pearlescent front. The center part (under the pearled flowers) is what opens on this card. The brown background was run through the Cuttlebug, sanded, and then the dots were colored blue with a marker.

August 19 - Another favorite

I really, really like how this card came together. It's definitely one of my favorites of all of the ones I've made so far. I played with lots of toys to make it - the Cuttlebug, ribbon, stickles, sanded white core cardstock, a new stamp, etc.! I made 4 of this card, but I think I'll be making many more!

Tonight I am taking a class taught by Jennifer McGuire. I wish I had a quarter of the talent and creativity that she does. I am really looking forward to it - even if it does mean a drive to Cincinnati and a really long day. I should have a bunch of new cards when I get home!

August 17 - Lots of love

This is another one with the Love You Much stamp. It's hard to see in the photo, but I embossed the black with one of the Cuttlebug borders. I'm glad to use up some of this ribbon. It came as part of a set, and I had no idea what to do with it.

August 16 - Halfway there!

Yes, it is nearly 90 degrees today. I know this because my computer tells me so - not because I have stepped foot outside. I hate this hot and humid weather. What better way to 'celebrate' the weather than to make Christmas cards! I bought this stamp set last year just after Christmas, so this is the first time I've used it. Luckily I found these cute felt poinsettas last week and had a piece of the ribbon and rhinestone brads in my collection.

Happy holidays!

August 15 - Sending Happy Thoughts

I have been wanting to make this card for a while. I used a cute little Hero Arts stamp set that I've had for a while to stamp the flowers, then colored them in with pencil. You can't see it in the photo, but I also put diamond stickles in the centers of the flowers for a little sparkle.

August 14 - Snoozefest

I don't like this card. I have a whole stack of unfinished cards just like it - made with the same papers. It seems too plain to me, but I don't know what else to do with it. I debated about what ribbon to use, and the sheer lime polka dots (what was I thinking when I bought that?) seemed to match the best. I still don't like it.

August 13 - Love you much

This stamp is from one of my newer SU! sets and made its debut on this card. I also used the coordinating punch to punch out the 3 hearts at the bottom. Overall, I'm happy with this card although I think if Love was colored in with orange, I'd like it better. The red pencil looks a little pink.

August 12 - More Love

I got the inspiration for this card from Splitcoaststampers, and used the same stamp that I used on yesterday's card. I don't normally make square cards, but I had this card base already cut from when I was experimenting with the bridal shower invitations. It turns out that my inspiration card was also square, and so it ended up being almost identical. The inspiration card uses burgandy ribbon, but I didn't have any of that so I used this scrap of velvet rick rack instead. I like it.