Thanks a Bunch

Hi, everyone! Hope your week is off to a great start.

I'm here today with a card that was a year in the making. LOL! It is a card that we were supposed to make in one of our Simon Says Stamp CREATE 2014 classes. Unfortunately, it we didn't have time for it... and it has remained untouched. Untouched, that is, until now!

Simon Says Stamp stencil; ??? resist paper
Hero Arts sentiment in Distress Ink black soot
Studio G glitter; sequin; Stampin' Up! brad
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Recollections foam squares

This gorgeous background was created by placing stencil over a sheet of resist, applying pink glitter, removing the stencil, and applying green glitter.

For those who make cards for Operation Write Home, please note that glitter is a huge no-no! The menopause room is a no-glitter zone about 99.9% of the time. I made an exception for this card and then did a major glitter-removal scrub down. BTW, Swiffer cloths are great for getting rid of glitter. Thanks to Jennifer McGuire for that hint.  :)


I some changes to this CREATE card kit. First of all, I went with pink and green glitter instead of the suggested gray and turquoise. More significantly, I mounted my glittered piece on black to better pop the colors. After doing that, I decided to mount my banner on black, too. Finally, I added a black brad to the center of the flower to tie all of the elements together.


And, since I'm rather stamp-challenged, I'm thrilled with how well this sentiment turned out. I was prepared to create another banner/panel, but actually stamped a pretty good image the first time. Woot! Woot!  :)


Think I'm going to link this up the following challenges:

• Cards In Envy's Spring is in the Air spring-color challenge,
• Simon Says Stamp's pastel-color challenge, in spite of the colors photographing a little darker than they actually are, on its Monday Challenge blog
• Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes Challenge on its Wednesday Challenge blog, and
• Simon Says Stamp's Work-It-Wednesday Challenge for March 2015.

Parting Thoughts

April Challenge
April 1 - April 21

Our April Words 2 Scrap By challenge. Hope you will join in the fun.

See you tomorrow with my W2SB card. Until then, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

A Two-for-One Sketch!!!

Hi, everyone!

Don't you just love the CAS style of this week's OWH Sketch?! I loved it so much that it inspired two cards.  :)

Card 1: You Add COLOR

 

I recently ordered some fabulous MFT stamps and dies. They are so fabulous that I used them right away to make the television cards in my two previous posts. But, I decided that the "COLOR" sentiment in the stamp would work really well with this OWH sketch.

 

Stampin' Up! white core; Recollections black; watercolor paper; Distress Ink scattered straw
MFT stay tuned stamp set; various Distress Inks, applied with Ranger blending tool
Cuttlebug swiss dot embossing folder; SU owl builder punch for bottom left circle
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Zots glue dots; Recollections foam squares

 

Rectangle inked to create
strips on front of card.

Love those Distress-Inked strips on the front! To create them, I inked up a rectangle of watercolor paper, as shown to the right. I started with mustard seed in the middle, going up with mowed lawn and salty ocean, and then going down with spiced marmalade and fired brick. After inking the rectangle, I cut the three strips and mounted them on black cardstock so that these pretty colors would pop off the card.

 

To carry the color theme to the inside of the card, I inked up the edge of a rectangle of watercolor paper. I then mounted it as the layer between two black cardstock rectangles, as shown above. Finally, a piece of white paper was added for one of OWH heroes to write a note home.

 

After doing all of this, I realized I could have just added a inked strip to the left side of the card's interior. Live and learn!

 

 

 I'm going to link up this card to the following challenges:

• the current Shopping Our Stash rainbow challenge,
• the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes blog challenge,
• and the Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday blog challenge.

 

 

Card 2: U.S.A.

Of course, what's an OWH sketch without an Any Hero card?!

Here's today's sketch-inspired Any Hero card. Thought these ribbons were too pretty to not be a part of this card's focal point. Just wish I would've placed them a little closer together. This was the first sketch card I made, so I kind of messed up on that part. Thinking our heroes won't mind quite as much as I do.   :)



Stampin' Up! white core; Bazzil admiral; Distress Ink antique linen
Unity stamp sentiment, from ragged ol' flag stamp set, heat embossed in Zing copper powder
Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbon
??? corner rounder (for tiny stars) Recollections foam adhesive

Parting Thoughts

April Challenge
April 1 - April 21

There's a new Words 2 Scrap By challenge starting up on April 1. Hope you will join us for a challenge celebrating spring, Earth Day, and Arbor Day.  :)

Short and sweet today. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

You Add COLOR To My Life

Hi, everyone!

Boy, I sure was excited that I had recently added those amazing MFT Stay Tuned stamps and Television dies to my stash to make a birthday card for my nephew. It seems that there is a sentiment in this stamp set that works perfectly for the current Shopping Our Stash rainbow challenge.



Stampin' Up! core black; Fancy Pants etcetera dp
MFT stay tuned stamps and television dies; various Distress Inks
Sizzix embossing folder; SU owl builder and EK hole punches (for circles)
 adhesives: Scotch ARG runner; Zots glue dots; Zig 2-way glue pen

I just love these stamps and dies! And, by making a second card, I just reduced the cost of my nephew's birthday card by half. LOL... because I'm one of those delusional crafters who thought I could save money making my own greeting cards.  :)

Again, my thanks to Kelly Griglione who first gave me the idea to make a little chest/stand in this post at Notable Nest. Genius!

I went with this Fancy Pants paper collection because the colors are a wonderful collection of neutrals -- perfect for the "COLOR" part of the sentiment to pop. (Just wish the sentiment photographed as well as it looks in person!)

To ink up the sentiment, I used small sticky notes to mask off the words that would be inked in black. Next, I used sticky notes to mask and uncover the letters in "COLOR" -- one letter at a time. Then, I removed the remaining post-its to ink up the remaining words in black -- being careful to avoid getting black on the colored letters.

Finally, I chose the grid-patterned ivory paper for the card background. I embossed it to give it more of a wallpaper kind of feel.

In addition to the SOS challenge, I'm going to link this up for the current Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes and Work It Wednesday blog challenges.  :)

Parting Thoughts

Really looking forward to more basketball this weekend. The regional final games are usually terrific!

A new Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge goes live on Saturday, and a new Words 2 Scrap By Challenge goes live next Wednesday. Hope to see you at both of these.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Stay Tuned...

Okay, hubby's not asking for the laptop yet. So, I'm going to try to sneak in one other post.  :)

Today's Card

This card if for a nephew's birthday. Teen boys are kind of tough to please when it comes to cards. (Think they're most concerned about what's inside the card.)

But, when I saw these stamps and dies from MFT.... Well, they seemed full of potential -- even for teenage boys.  :)

Glitz sunshine in my soul dp; Stampin' Up! early espresso and light gray; Recollections white
Distress Inks (walnut stain for sentiment; vintage photo, antique linen, black soot for inking)
MFT stay tuned stamps and television dies
adhesives: Scotch ATG runner; Zig 2-way glue pen
 

My thanks to Kelly Griglione who first gave me the idea to make a little chest/stand in this post at Notable Nest.  Genius and CASE-worthy! I added background paper that had a wallpaper feel, going with a blue stripe that looked a tad more manly than a floral print. In addition, I chose to not center the antenna so the look wouldn't be quite so symmetrical. I then stamped a little(second generation) image in the top-right corner to "ground" the card, so to speak.  :)

Think this is another pad of paper from my stamp club friend. Thanks again, Mary Anne!


Darnell at djkardkreations is sponsoring her fourth Never-Before-Used-Schtuff challenge. Well, these stamps and dies and fresh-out-of-the-package, brand-spankin' new. So, I'm linking up this card to her site.  :)

Parting Thoughts

Speaking of challenges, Words 2 Scrap By will be launching a new challenge on April 1. Hope you will stop by to check it out and play along.

Hearing hubby coming down the stairs. Time for him to log in and me to log off.  :)

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Hopping Your Wish Comes True

Hi, everyone!

Confession time: I'm pretty happy with today's card. It feels so much trendier and funkier than my typical cards. Even the sequins seem okay, and I NEVER know where to place those.  :)

It turns out my two bestest friends in the entire world have birthdays on April 4 and 6. So, I actually ended up making two of these.

Fancy Pants beach bum paper; Stampin' Up! white core paper
Paper Smooches royal cuteness stamp set and balloon die
SU baker's twine; stash sequins
adhesives: Scotch ATG runner; glue dots; Glossy Accents

My thanks to a stamp club friend and former work colleague for this fab designer paper. She gave me quite a stash after cleaning out her craft room. Thanks, Mary Anne!


Speaking of BFFs, I feel like Darnell at djkardkreations is a good friend. (But that's pretty funny because she has thousands of them.) She's certainly been a good friend to Words 2 Scrap By.

Well, Darnell is celebrating her fourth Never-Before-Used-Schtuff challenge. Since I used an NBUS-stitch die and an NBUS-frog stamp, I'm linking this up to Darnell's challenge.

Parting Thoughts

Speaking of challenges, Words 2 Scrap By will be launching a new challenge on April 1. Hope you will stop by to check it out and play along. 

I have birthday card for my nephew that I hope to post later today. Alas, woe is me, I've gotta share the laptop with hubby.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Ragged Ol' Flag

Hi, everyone! Hope the weekend is going well.

Is anybody else on basketball overload? I absolutely love the NCAA tournament, but even I had to take a crafting break. Okay, a crafting-while-listening-to-the-games break. Does that count?

Ragged Ol' Flag

A couple of weeks ago, Unity Stamps released this gorgeous stamp set and partnered with Operation Write Home for a new-release blog hop.

Unfortunately, logistics issues during my island get-away prevented me from joining in the hop. But, I couldn't wait to ink up these beautiful stamps when arriving back home. Oh my gosh, these stamps are going to make such wonderful Any Hero cards!

And, the current Operation Write Home Mid-Month Red-White-and-Blue Challenge is the perfect opportunity to do just that. The triple-fold card that Sandy posted for the Unity/OWH blog hop inspired the tri-fold card shown below. :)

Front of Card
watercolor paper; Bo Bunny liberty; Bazzil admiral
Ragged Ol' Flag Unity image in Distress Ink fired brick and chipped sapphire (misted with water)
Ragged Ol' Flag Unity sentiment heat embossed in American Crafts Zing copper powder
Stampin' Up! banner die; ??? corner rounder (for tiny heat-embossed stars)
inking in DI chipped sapphire and vintage photo with Ranger blending tool
adhesives: ATG runner; Recollections foam squares; micro Glue Dots; Zig 2-way glue pen

Middle Flap
watercolor paper; Bo Bunny liberty; Bazzil admiral; DI fired brick
Ragged Ol' Flag Unity sentiment in Distress Ink walnut stain
??? corner rounder (for tiny heat-embossed stars)
inking in DI vintage photo with Ranger blending tool
adhesives: ATG runner; micro Glue Dots; Zig 2-way glue pen

Inside of Card (for handwritten Any Hero note)
watercolor paper; Bo Bunny liberty; Bazzil admiral; DI fired brick; Cardstock Warehouse white
Stampin' Up! banner punch of copper-heat-embossed paper

The flag image on the front card was created by misting the inked-up stamp before stamping on watercolor paper, cut out, and adhered with foam squares. The U.S.A. strip was also applied with foam squares. This double layer of foam squares would be too thick for OWH cards that our deployed troops mail back to the States. However, it is just fine for Any Hero cards.  :)

Our uber-talented crafting and blogging friend Darnell just launched NBUS Challenge #4! (Congrats, Darnell, on this remarkable milestone.) Going to link up this card for her challenge.

Parting Thoughts

Going to an OWH card-making gathering this afternoon. Guess my favorite NCAA teams will have to carry on without me.  :)

Enjoy your Sunday. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

thanks so much....

... for the AWESOME blog candy!

Today's cards are being sent to Catherine of Scrapbook & Cards Today and Kim of Paper Smooches fame for an amazing prize package of PS stamp sets and dies. Thanks so much, Catherine and Kim!

Stampin' Up! paper
Paper Smooches stamps (graceful beauties, just a note) in Distress Inks
stash (Mark Richards?) crystals; EK corner rounder

Distress Ink worn lipstick; Recollections black; Cardstock Warehouse white
Paper Smooches stamps (graceful beauties) in Distress Inks
Stampin' Up! baker's twine; white sequins
SU owl-builder punch (for tiny heart)

This first card is a little out of my comfort zone. It's a little more CAS than my typical cards. What do you think -- too simple?

Well, I'm going to take the plunge and link it up to the following challenges. Heck, if I've stepped out of my zone, I might as my dive into the pool... right?!

• Cards In Envy's Spring-is-in-the-Air Challenge
• Simon Says Stamp's Lions-and-Lambs Monday Blog Challenge
• Simon Says Stamp's Pinterest-Inspiration-Spring Challenge, with inspiration coming from the colors found in the hat photo in the top left corner of the board

Parting Thoughts

Well, if you're a college basketball fan, it's Christmas in March! Count me in! Yep, I'm watching the Spartans and the Bulldogs as I type. Hope it's a great dance for your favorite team.  :)

Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

Tomorrow is the deadline to link up a card for our March Words 2 Scrap By challenge. This month's words are weather-related: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb. Our challenge hostess Annie is offering up a $15 prize. Hope you can find a little time to play along.

Have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Thanks!

Hi, everyone! Can you believe that Operation Write Home posted Sketch #250 today?! Wow -- that's a lot of sketches. 

Sounds like a perfect excuse to post an Any Hero card.  :)

OWH Sketch #250
We R Memory Keepers red, white & blue; Bazzil watermelon; American Crafts teal; Core-dinations white
TPC Studio sentiment in Distress Ink black soot on Recollections white
Creative Memories circle cutting system
Marvy and Paper Shaper circle punches; Martha Stewart star punch
Stampin' Up! owl builder punch for tiniest circle
Recollections foam square adhesives

The red/white/blue star embellishment is adhered with a double layer of foam adhesives. Since this is an Any Hero card, it is perfectly fine. However, for "regular" Operation Write Home cards -- aka the cards troops mail home to their loved ones, cards should not be any thicker than one layer of foam adhesive.

Parting Thoughts

Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

There is an in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb weather-related challenge going on at Words 2 Scrap By. Annie is hosting this month and if offering a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life for our winning entry. Cards can be linked up until March 21, and we hope you will join us.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

 

Missing You

Hi, everyone! Not sure what your weather was like today, but ours was a rainy, rainy day -- a perfect day for an afternoon nap, followed by some card making.

Looking through my next Operation Write Home batch of cards, I'm seeing lots of Earth tones -- including lots of dad cards. Today's card is one of a set of Earth-toned Missing You cards.

Stampin' Up core neutral (cream, tan, and black) paper; Core-dinations brown
TPC Studio sentiment in StazOn jet black
SU owl builder and small heart punch; EK hole punch
Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbon; SU brad

I actually love the clean look of this card. And, I was surprised that these miss-you cards came together as quickly as they did.

Kind of missing my die-cut tree branch. But, this will have to do.  :)

I'm going to link this card up to the SSS Wednesday Blog Challenge to incorporate things that fly.

 

Parting Thoughts

Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

There is an in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb weather-related challenge going on at Words 2 Scrap By. Annie is hosting this month and if offering a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life for our winning entry. Cards can be linked up until March 21, and we hope you will join us.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

B is for...

The cards below are going to Operation Write Home and feature a couple of adorable Paper Smooches bees.

Distress Ink fired brick; Stampin' Up! neutral (black and gray); bargain-store white
Paper Smooches bee mine images and sentiment in DI black soot
SU owl builder punch (for tiny hearts)
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Zig glue dots

Still working with my limited tool box that is without die cut and embossing tools. So, I'm using paper to create contrast. Even though these cards aren't quite as textural and dimensional as my typical cards, I think they turned out okay. Seriously, how can you help but smile when Paper Smooches critters are around?!

There are actually five of these little bee cards ready to go to OWH. Since I didn't have enough fired brick paper with me to use as the background for all of these, I used it as an accent on a few of the cards.

I'm going to link this card up to several Simon Says Stamp Challenges:

• The SSS Monday Blog B-is-for... Challenge.
• The SSS Wednesday Blog Challenge to incorporate things that fly.

Parting Thoughts

If you're interested in adding some patriotic stamps to you stash, don't forget to check out last Thursday's Unity/OWH blog hop. Please click here to go to the start of the hop. And, our thanks to Unity for their generous support of OWH! I know I can't wait to ink up these new stamps.  :)

There's also still time to link up a card for OWH Sketch #249. Last week's sketch comes with a great opportunity to win Doodle Pantry goodies.  You have until midnight tomorrow EST to qualify for the DP prize.  :)

Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

There is an in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb weather-related challenge going on at Words 2 Scrap By. Annie is hosting this month and if offering a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life for our winning entry. Hope you will join us.

And, I'd like to welcome Lisa to the blog. From the looks of things, Lisa's big on stamping, challenges... and couponing. Lisa, if you have a blog or gallery of your own,  please let me know so I can share the link.  :)

Enjoy the rest of your week. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

HAPPY birthday to you

Happy weekend! Hope it's off to a great start.

Today's card is for the March Our Daily Bread Design challenge at Operation Write Home to make a card featuring a sentiment. Perfect timing for this birthday card.  :)

Tim Holtz idealogy collage; Stampin' Up! neutral (black) cardstock
Winnie & Walter big, bold, happy in Distress Ink walnut stain
SU owl-builder punch (for circles)

I'm literally here on an island -- a very nice island, but an island nonetheless -- with limited supplies. There is no Big Shot in my tool box here. Nor are there embossing folders, powders, or pastes. There are carefully selected neutral cardstocks, stamp sets, inks, paper pads, a trimmer, tape, punches, and a few embellishments.

So, I asked myself how can I pop a sentiment without my go-to heat-embossing trick. And, then I thought of Sandy's recent tip to use contrast. Eureka! I decided to use a much lighter strip of paper behind this really bold sentiment. By George, I think this works!

In addition to linking this up to the ODBD challenge, I'm also going to link it up at Seize the Birthday. This is a new challenge blog to me, and there is currently a masculine theme going on at STB. Sounds like a great fit for this little card.

Parting Thoughts

In case you haven't heard, there is a Unity/OWH blog hop going on to celebrate a new set of Unity patriotic stamps. Please click here to go to the start of the hop. And, our thanks to Unity for their generous support of OWH! I know I can't wait to ink up these new stamps.  :)

There's also still time to link up a card for OWH Sketch #249. Last week's sketch comes with a great opportunity to win Doodle Pantry goodies.  :)

Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

And, we have an in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb weather-related Words 2 Scrap By challenge. Annie is hosting this month and if offering a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life for our winning entry. Hope you will join us.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

thanks so much... to Unity Stamps

Hi, everyone! In case you haven't heard, there is a Unity/OWH blog hop going on to celebrate a new set of Unity patriotic stamps. Please click here to go to the start of the hop.

Our thanks to Unity for their generous support of OWH! I know I can't wait to ink up these new stamps.  :)

Today's Card

So, it seems pretty appropriate that I would have a patriotic card to share with you today.  :)

Bo Bunny Liberty; Recollections white; Bazzil admiral and watermelon; Stampin' Up! neutral
Paper Smooches (graceful beauties) sentiment in Distress Ink vintage photo
punches: EK circle, Paper Studio star, SU owl builder 

As you can see, I used the same basic layout as with yesterday's cards. While I love this Bo Bunny collection, I've struggled with ways to use this particular paper. It seems to work well with this layout.

Parting Thoughts

Hoping everyone will play along with our in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb weather-related Words 2 Scrap By challenge. Annie is hosting this month and if offering a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life for our winning entry.

Have a great Friday! Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

thanks so much

Okay, I'm officially Earth-toned out after making all those dad cards. So, I decided to make some thank you cards for Operation Write Home using the bright and cheery palette of MME's breeze paper pad.   :)


First, I made a guy/gender-neutral version.

MME breeze; Recollections black; Stampin' Up! neutral (gray)
Paper Smooches sentiment from Graceful Beauties stamp set in Distress Ink black soot
punches: Martha Stewart button; Marvy circle; SU owl builder (for small circle)
SU basic gray baker's twine; inking in DI black soot with Ranger blending tool
 

Then, I made an all girl version.

MME breeze; Recollections black; Stampin' Up! neutral (gray)
stamps: Paper Smooches sentiment from Graceful Beauties; SU petite petals
SU petite petals; SU brad; SU white baker's twine
stamping (and inking with Ranger blending tool) in DI black soot 

Love this Paper Smooches sentiment. Also really like the simplicity -- and versatility -- of the layout and the way the sentiment strip pops against the pattern paper with the contrast created by using the black and gray strips.

• Linking up the first version to the current Cards In Envy anything-with-a-bow challenge.
• Linking up the second version to the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge blog's special lady/girlie challenge.

Parting Thoughts

March Challenge
Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

Next up, more thank you cards -- using the same layout, but with patriotic papers.

Hoping everyone will play along with our in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb weather-related Words 2 Scrap By challenge. Annie is hosting this month and if offering a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life for our winning entry.

Hats Off to You, Dad!

Hi, everyone! Yep, another Guy-Greetings-stamp-set dad card for Operation Write Home. Surprise, surprise!  :)

Hats Off To You!

 

Today's card was inspired by a Mojo Monday sketch and a Simon Says Stamp challenge to use green.

Tim Holtz idealogy collage; Recollections black
Stampin' Up! guy greetings stamp set in Distress Ink black soot
Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbon
punches: Marvy and EK circle; SU owl builder; Creative Memories corner rounder
Recollections foam square adhesive
 

I'd be pretty pleased with this card if I had made it in the menopause room with my fully-stocked toy box. Given that I hit the road with some basic Earth-tone-colored papers, and a fraction of my punches/stamps/materials/tools/etc., I'm even more pleased.   :)

I'm pleased enough that I'm going to make a few more of these for my OWH-Dad box of cards. I'm really happy with the way that the elements on the vertical strip make for such a strong focal point. And, if a dad card can have a "cute" ribbon, I think that's exactly what this card has.

This card is going to be linked up for the following challenges:

• the current Mojo Monday Sketch challenge,
• the current Cards In Envy challenge to use a ribbon,
• the current Monday Simon Says Stamp challenge to use green,
• the current Wednesday Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge, and
• the current Work-it-Wednesday Simon Says Stamp challenge.

Parting Thoughts

March Challenge
Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

The March weather-inspired Words 2 Scrap By challenge went live on Sunday. This month, our hostess Annie is offering off a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life to one talented crafter. Hope you will join us for our in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb inspired challenge.   :)

This week's Unity blog hop will be a special one for Operation Write Homers. Be sure to check in with Unity DT at 11 Central Time on March 5!

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

World's Greatest Dad!

Hi, everyone! I'm back with another Operation Write Home card for a hero's dad.   :)

 

World's Greatest Dad

 

Okay, can you tell I'm head over heels in love with this Stampin' Up! Guy Greetings stamp set? I've been waiting for a guy set like this one for a long, long time!

Echo Park times & seasons 2; Recollections black; Core'dinations brown; Crate Paper rose garden (cream)
Stampin' Up! guy greetings stamp set in Distress Ink black soot
Ribbon Boutique jute mustache ribbon
adhesives: Scotch ATG, Recollections foam squares, Zots glue dots
inking in Distress Ink vintage photo with Ranger blending tool

Just a little sentiment to allow

lots of room for our troops

to write home.

The card above was actually inspired by handlebar mustaches. I first found this ribbon a while ago and just couldn't pass it up. Then, I came across a paper pad that had a couple pieces of this adorable man-inspired paper. Finally, when I saw this handle-bar-mustached muscle man image in this SU set, I knew exactly which paper and ribbon to use.  :)

Turns out putting this pattern paper, decorative ribbon, and stamped image together was the easy part. After that, there was a lot of trial and error getting just the right combination of solid papers and inks. I wanted the bluish paper to soften and pop the mustached elements at the same time -- if that makes sense. It wasn't until I added the black panel behind the middle strip that I felt like everything had come together -- using Leslie's fab CSSC1!

This card is going to be linked to the following challenges:

• the current Cards In Envy challenge to use a ribbon, and
• the current Wednesday Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge.

Parting Thoughts

March Challenge
Mar. 1 - Mar. 21

The March weather-inspired Words 2 Scrap By challenge went live on Sunday. This month, our hostess Annie is offering off a $15 gift certificate to Stamps of Life to one talented crafter. Hope you will join us for our in-like-a-lion-out-like-a-lamb inspired challenge.   :)

This week's Unity blog hop will be a special one for Operation Write Homers. Be sure to check in with Unity DT at 11 Central Time on March 5!

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Words to Scrap By Challenge #15

Hi, everyone! I am excited about this month's Words 2 Scrap By challenge for two reasons.

• First of all, this month's words truly resonate: In like a lion, out like a lamb. Something tells me that I'm not the only one who will be happy for this winter's lion to lose its roar.   :)
• Secondly, I'm thrilled that Annie is back to host this month's challenge. I was excited when I heard she had decided to go with a weather-inspired direction.

After my initial excitement wore off, I was faced with the dilemma of what to do. I wanted a card that conveyed the joy that comes when the first rays of sunshine break through the typically gray skies of Ohio winters. But, I also wanted a card that would convey a more general feeling of hope and happiness that could be sent to Operation Write Home.

Stampin' Up! core (neutrals)
Tim Holtz stencil in spiced marmalade, applied with Ranger blending tool
SU cupcake builder punch (for clouds)
Cuttlebug and Sizzix embossing folders; stash sequins
adhesives: Scothc ATG, Recollections foam squares, Zots glue dots

Stampin' Up! core (neutrals); Recollections white
Tim Holtz stencil in scattered straw, applied with Ranger blending tool
Stampin' Up! See Ya Later sentiment in black soot
 

I won't bore you with the details of multiple less-successful attempts. I will say that I am pretty darn happy with the final results -- especially those cute little clouds (aka cupcake toppers) on the front of the card.   :)

Close-Up of Clouds

 

Parting Thoughts

Thanks to Annie for a great challenge. Our W2SB link will be open until March 21. Hope you will play along. 

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!