You're a Treasure

Hi, everyone! Tonight, I'm here with a card featuring an adorable parrot from Paper Smooches' new Ahoy Me Hearty stamp set.

My card was inspired by the current Operation Write Home Our Daily Bread animal challenge. The challenge is to make a card featuring an animal.

 

Paper Smooches ahoy me hearty stamp set
Distress Ink core paper; Stampin' Up! (cream) neutral core
Paper Smooches quotables dies
Stampin' Up! owl builder punch to punch out coins
images and sentiments stamped in Distress Ink black soot
parrot hat, eye, and front sentiment heat embossed with Zing clear powder
adhesives: Scotch ATG, Recollection foam squares, Zots glue dots
tool: Staedtler bendable ruler; techniques: fussy cutting and paper piecing

paper-piecing close-up

I just adore this stamp set. When I first saw that parrot, Distress Ink colors immediately came to mind. And, I really think this guy came out just as I had hoped. (Actually, I had planned on making a few more of these tomorrow for my OWH box. LOL! With all that fussy cutting and paper piecing, I don't think that's going to happen.)

Since this little guy is headed to Operation Write Home -- and maybe eventually to a hero's little boy -- I added a little interest to the inside while leaving lots of room for a note home.

In addition to linking this little guy up to the OWH ODBD animal challenge, I'm also linking it up to:

• the Paper Smooches Guest Designer search and
• the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday bright-and-beautiful challenge.

Parting Thoughts



February Challenge
Feb. 1 - Feb. 21

The Words 2 Scrap By challenge is underway. This month's challenge to craft something different than your usual card/project is inspired by a few lines of dialogue in the Bill Murray Groundhog Day movie.

Have a wonderful Sunday. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Some Bunny Loves Me

Hi, everyone!

A rare weekday post for me. Took a quick break from Father's Day cards to revisit a paper-pieced bunny from a while ago for two challenges:

• Shopping Our Stash's challenge to make a card featuring paper piecing and
• CAS-ual Friday's challenge to make a project featuring ovals.

Stampin' Up! dp; Distress Ink core weathered wood and vintage photo; ??? beige
SU oval and owl punches
Creative Memories circle and oval cutting system; Maevy circle punch
edges sponged in Distress Ink vintage photo
Zig chocolate pen; adhesives: Recollection foam and Glossy Accents
Inside Sentiment: Some Bunny Loves Me

Hoping this little non-Easter bunny card will bring a big smile to the face of one a little one when he/she receives it from an Operation Write Home mom/dad.

As always, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Fishing You a Happy Day! -- UPDATED

Hi, everyone!

February 3 Update: A special welcome if you are visiting from Elizabeth's Coloring Page Tuesdays. Elizabeth was so kind to permit me a little creative license to use her image for a kiddie Operation Write Home card. Imagine my surprise when she told me she was going to feature these little fish on her site. Please see below for details about our collaboration and the making of this little card. Thanks, Elizabeth, for your support and this unexpected recognition!

I'm really making a concerted effort to make more masculine and kiddie cards this year for Operation Write Home. So, I thought I'd look for some inspiration from one of Elizabeth O. Dulemba's coloring pages. And, after some serious fussy cutting and paper piecing, the card below was born.

Distress Ink core paper: Glossy Accents
computer-generated sentiment (Mistral)
AC paper trimmer (for wavy effect)
EK hole punch

Elizabeth is a huge fan and supporter of OWH, and I had used one of Elizabeth's images before for a couple of OWH birthday cards a few years ago.   All she asks in return is that her work be credited. Information can be found at her Angel Policy.

When I decided to make a card with her Storytime Fishes image, there were a few changes I wanted to make. So, I e-mailed Elizabeth, asking if I could: 1) delete the book and coral to make room for my sentiment and 2) move her copyright information a little to the right and up from its original location.

Thanks, Elizabeth, for being so supportive of my vision of this little card. I'm sure it will bring a smile to the face of one of our hero's little ones.  :)

As for card-making details...

• After playing around with the image, I printed it on five different sheets of Distress Ink core paper (blue, red, yellow, and two shades of brown).
• After some serious fussy cutting and paper piecing, the little fish really started taking shape.
• I really like the shine of the Glossy Accents -- kind of gives the fish a wet look.
• And, I love the way the two fish seem to be looking out at the recipient and down at the sentiment -- and how the one left fish even seems to be waving. 
• The only thing I'm not thrilled with are the three tiny circles in the top right corner. I really felt the card needed something to balance it out, but I did not want to put any tiny brads or gems on a card for a little one. So, three little brown/tan circles it was.

Think I'm these little guys need to swim right over to the OWH Midweek Throwdown challenge to make cards 4 kids.   :)

Parting Thoughts

Elizabeth is one talented lady. If you haven't visited her page before and you like coloring images for kid cards, I recommend that you pay her a visit at dulemba.com.   :)

As for visiting, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!