When a Door Closes....

Hi, everyone! Happy weekend!

So, today was a bittersweet day. I sent my last box of cards to Operation Write Home.

In addition to the cards I had made, I mailed over 60 Any Hero cards that were made by local children during an Arts in the Afternoon session at the public library. The theme of this summer's reading program has been Super Heroes. When our librarians learned that I make cards for our deployed troops, they suggested we have a card-making activity at the library.

Thanks so much, Cathy and Grace!

Opening Doors

With the closing of OWH, I've done some thinking about card-making and blogging. So, I've come to a couple of decisions.

• Starting today, I am going to focus on making cards for family, friends, and kids -- supporting the efforts of Send a Smile 4 Kids. Today's card is my first card SAS card.  :)
• Starting August 1, I will be blogging at Chapter Three. My Chapter Three is retirement. And, since beginning my Chapter Three, I have expanded my interests to areas other than card-making. So, "Cards 'N Things" will be one of several pages on my new blog. I sure hope my Scrappin' with Purpose and Cards by Sybrina friends check out my new Web home.

My Very First SAS4Kids Card

 

Today's card was inspired in part by the cards made by the children at our library. One of the kits I prepared was a patriotic pinwheel-like card. Since the current SAS4Kids Challenge is to make a brightly-colored card. Sounded like a perfect pinwheel opportunity to me! Then I found this wonderful tutorial.... and the rest is history.  :)

 

SU retired (garage-sale find) dp; Distress Ink core; Cardstock Warehouse white
SU word window and owl builder (for pinwheel center) punches
SU brad; computer-generated sentiment in Comic Sans
SU/Sizzix embossing folder
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Glue Dots; Recollections foam squares

 

According to the video, there was a Stampin' Up! pinwheel sizzlit a few years ago. Well, unfortunately that was before my SU days. So, I pieced together several pieces of retired SU paper and some solid cardstock. I then cut and scored a 2-inch square to create the pinwheel shown above.

 
Not only do I love the colors of the pinwheel, I'm thrilled that this is a penny slider card! And, following the tutorial, this card came together much quicker than I anticipated.  :)

I was amazed at how easy it was to make the slider channel using the Word Window punch three times. I actually punched the left and right sides first and then lined up the center punch to create the channel.

Next, foam square adhesives were used to mount the blue-on-white cardstock on the red base. As described in the tutorial, double layers of foam were used around the channel to allow for easier sliding.

In addition to the SAS4Kids challenge, think I'm going to link this card up to:

• the current Simon Says Stamp Monday Blog's Anything Goes challenge and
• the Shopping Our Stash Paper Piecing challenge (for the paper-pieced pinwheel).

Parting Thoughts

There are still a few days to enter the Cards in Envy Just Beachy challenge before a new challenge starts on Monday.

And, the Words 2 Scrap By Friend in Chocolate, which has a $20 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate up for grabs, is still going on.

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

Splish Splash

Hi, everyone! I'm here today with a card for today's Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge. It's just really hard to believe there's only one more sketch challenge after this one.

Doodle Pantry bath ants precolored image
Distress Ink and Core-dinations core papers; Cardstock Warehouse white; Stampin' Up! black
Sizzix/SU embossing folder; computer-generated sentiment
Really Reasonable Ribbon ribbons
circles: various punches, including SU owl builder, and Creative Memories circle cutting system
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Glue Dots; Zig 2-way pen; Recollections foam squares

Doodle Pantry bath ants sentiment
Distress Ink core paper; Cardstock Warehouse white

I feel as though I'm cheating a little bit -- well, quite a bit -- using a precolored image. But, I've loved these little bath ants from the moment I first saw them and just couldn't resist making a couple of cards featuring them. One card is going in my final OWH box and one is going for a card drive for a little girl in Michigan.

 

Parting Thoughts

Words 2 Scrap By  Our July W2SB words are A Friend with Chocolate. The DT came up with some fabulous cards. If you haven't yet stopped by, we hope you will come by to check out this month's challenge and then come back to link up a card or project.  There's a $20 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate that will be awarded to one talented crafter!

 

Cards in Envy   Since last Monday was the first Monday of the month, a new CIE challenge went live. The challenge for the next couple of weeks is to make an A2 card with a summer scene featuring the beach, ocean, or sea. Cards should be flat enough to be sent via USPS without any additional postage.

OWH   Think this little ant card may be the last "new" card for my box. I have some previously made cards that need a little triage before they go to Sandy. So, those cards will be my focus this week -- with a goal of mailing my cards next weekend.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Love and Missing You Cards

Hi, everyone! So happy to have spent some quality time in the menopause room these last few days -- making love and missing you cards for OWH.

Looks like that this week's Mojo Monday sketch really got my mojo going! The current Shopping our Stash challenge is Gingham Style. Since one of the DT cards uses the same embossing folder, I'm going to link up this missing YOU card for that challenge, too.   :)

DCWV la crème stack; Stampin' Up! core neutral; Craft Smith hot buy card sets
Winnie & Walter big, bold sentiment words, heat embossed in Distress Ink black soot
EK hole punch; Martha Stewart button punch and Sizzix button die
Sizzix/SU embossing folder; SU linen thread
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Zig 2-way glue pen; Glue Dots; Ranger multi medium, Recollections foam squares
inking in DI vintage photo with Ranger blending tool

That DCWV paper was a gift from a friend at work.  (Thanks again, Marcie!) It is such a classic and elegant pack that I thought it would be perfect for a few masculine OWH cards.

Turns out I liked the card above so much I decided to add a little red and make a few masculine love cards. Think these will bring a few smiles to their recipients.  :)

DCWV la crème stack; Stampin' Up! and Recollections black; SU cherry cordial
Winnie & Walter big, bold die
EK hole punch; SU heart and owl builder punches; Paper Smooches heart die
Creative Memories square punch
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Zig 2-way glue pen

Parting Thoughts

Words 2 Scrap By  Our July W2SB words are A Friend with Chocolate. The DT came up with some fabulous cards. Hope you will stop by to check out this month's challenge and then come back to link up a card or project.  There's a $20 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate that will be awarded to one talented crafter!

Cards in Envy   Since Monday was the first Monday of the month, a new CIE challenge went live. The challenge for the next couple of weeks is to make an A2 card with a summer scene featuring the beach, ocean, or sea. Cards should be flat enough to be sent via USPS without any additional postage.

OWH   Hoping to get back to my OWH box tomorrow or Friday. So many cards to make, so little time before the August 1 deadline.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!


 

missing YOU

Hi, everyone! Hope the week is going well.

Have you seen this week's Mojo Monday sketch? It's one of those that's a little more embellished than one of my typical cards. So, I challenged myself to make some missing you cards for my final #finishstrong OWH box.

Kaiser hippy girl; Distress Ink core paper
sentiment: Winnie & Walter big, bold, stamp sets; heat embossed in Distress Ink victorian velvet
Stampin' Up! petite petals punch and stamp set
punches: SU small flower and owl builder (for tiny circles)
Spellbinders nestabilities scallop die; Marvy circle punch
Sizzix embossing folder; stash sequin
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Zig 2-way glue pen; Scrapbook Adhesives foam squares

I love the oldie-but-goodie papers I used on these two cards. They are from a Kaiser 6" by 6" pad of paper that was used in one of the very first card-making classes I ever took. Sadly, Pizzazz It! is no more, but my memories -- and some papers -- still remain.  :)

Parting Thoughts

Words 2 Scrap By  Our July W2SB words are A Friend with Chocolate. The DT came up with some fabulous cards. Hope you will stop by to check out this month's challenge and then come back to link up a card or project.  There's a $20 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate that will be awarded to one talented crafter!

Cards in Envy   Since yesterday was the first Monday of the month, a new CIE challenge went live. The challenge for the next couple of weeks is to make an A2 card with a summer scene featuring the beach, ocean, or sea. Cards should be flat enough to be sent via USPS without any additional postage.

OWH   Hoping to get back to my OWH box later today. So many cards to make, so little time before the August 1 deadline... Maybe I'll use the Mojo Monday sketch to make a few more missing you cards.

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

CIE Just Beachy

Hi, everyone! This is the first Monday of a new month which means it's time for a new Cards in Envy challenge. Our CIE challenge for the next two weeks is to make summer cards that feature the beach, ocean or sea. 

Lucky for me, I have a stamp set and some great 6" by 6" paper that are absolutely perfect for this challenge. I just adore this Lawn Fawn stamp set and these Fancy Pants papers.   :)





Fancy Pants beach bum
Lawn Fawn life is good images and sentiment in Distress Ink black soot and walnut stain
Stampin' Up! on film framelits; Paper Smooches waves dies
SU owl builder punch (for crab's eyes); stash sequins
inking in DI various inks with Ranger blending tool
adhesives: ATG Scotch; Glue Dots; Zig 2-way glue pen
crabs and starfish embellished with Glossy Accents
technique: fussy cutting for crab, starfish, and banner

computer generated inside sentiment

I love the card shown above, but it took a while to get here. "Eureka" moments included changing the film color from black to red and changing the ratio of sky to sea from 1:1 to 2:1.  I hope the photo captures the cheerfulness of these colors because this card really feels so bright and happy -- much like a day on the beach.  :) 

Hope you will all join us for this summertime beach challenge!

Parting Thoughts

Words 2 Scrap By   I also hope you will join us at Words 2 Scrap By for our July Friends-with-Chocolate challenge. A $20 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate will be awarded to one lucky crafter!

Finishing Strong with OWH   So, I have about nine more days to get as many cards to Operation Write Home as I can. As you probably know, August 1 is the deadline for getting cards to Sandy. Since my package needs to get from Ohio to Washington, I want to give it plenty of time to make the trip.

Think that's it for today. Have a great week!

Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

Thanks for Helping Out at Home

Hi, everyone! Hope it's been a wonderful holiday weekend for you and your loved ones.

I'm here with a thank you card for this month's OWH Our Daily Bread Design challenge.

Bo Bunny Liberty; various solid cardstocks
OWH Hero Arts sentiment, heat embossed with Versamark and Zing copper powder
Stampin' Up! star and owl builder (for tiny circles) punches

Don't know if you remember this Hero Arts OWH stamp set. Thought I needed to make a few cards with this specific stamp for my last box to Sandy. And I still love that Bo Bunny collection!

Gotta make sure to get my cards to Sandy in time to make the August 1 Finish Strong deadline.  :)

 

Parting Thoughts

There's a new friend-with-chocolate challenge going on at Words 2 Scrap By -- with a $20 Simon Says Stamp gift certificate up for grabs!

And, a new Cards in Envy challenge goes live tomorrow.

I'll be back tomorrow with a CIE card.  Until then, thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!

W2SB #19: A Friend with Chocolate

Hi, everyone! It's time for another Words 2 Scrap By challenge! And, it's a challenge that all of us chocolate lovers are sure to enjoy.   :)

Before I get to the inspiration behind this challenge and my card, I'd like to thank everyone who played along with our It's a Man's World challenge. We were thrilled to see so many amazing cards and projects! And, while I'm at it, let me give a huge shout out to Annie for hosting such a fun challenge and offering such a generous prize.  :)

The Story Behind our July W2SB Challenge

There seem to be several Chocolate Days interspersed throughout the calendar year. For this month's challenge, we have chosen to celebrate the July 7 Chocolate Day. And, when I think of crafting to a chocolate theme, that adorable Inkadinkado kid quote "All You Need in Life is a Friend with Chocolate" comes to mind.

This little kid quote always reminds me of my friend Susan. Susan and I started out as colleagues who ate lunch together during our high school lunch period. During one of the lunches, Susan described the less-than-pleasant day she was having. When I went back to my room, I remembered that I had one of those fundraising candy bars in my desk. At the next class change, I went to deliver this bit of chocolate to Susan. When I gave the candy bar to Susan, her response was, "Is this still good?" -- to which I replied, "I didn't know chocolate could go bad. I don't think I've ever had chocolate last long enough for that to be a problem." As it turns out, Susan thought the candy bar was left over from a sale at the beginning of the school year while it had been purchased just recently during a fundraiser for a neighborhood school. More importantly, we both had a huge laugh about the situation and became the best of friends. So, when I hear the words A Friend with Chocolate, I think of Susan.  :)

My Friend-with-Chocolate Card

Unfortunately, I don't have that adorable Inkadinkado stamp. Guess that means a little computer word processing is in order. Since this birthday card is going to a friend who works in a school, I chose to include little Sophie's name and age.   :)

Debbie Mumm (for JoAnn's) baby girl; DCWV sweet matstack
stash blue cardstock; Core-dinations chocolate lover brown; Distress Ink core
stash Sandylion pastry stickers; Mark Richards gem
Stampin' Up bow punch
computer-generated sentiment, inspired by Inkadinkado kid quote
adhesives: Scotch ATG; Glue Dots

Prizes, Anyone?

How about another opportunity to win $20 to Simon Says Stamp?! In addition to our W2SB Winner's Badge and a Guest I-Teamer spot, we will award an SSS gift certificate to one talented crafter. Hope you all will have a chance to play along with our friend-with-chocolate challenge.  :)

Parting Thoughts

Think I'm going to link my chocolate-y card up to the current Shopping Our Stash bauble, button, and bow challenge. It for sure has one big bow -- and maybe three baubles, if those little chocolate pastries count. :)

There's still time to play along with our Cards in Envy Just Beachy challenge.  We'd love for you to join us for this fun challenge.

Helped organize and facilitate an Any Hero card-making event on Monday. Will try and share more about this on Friday.

Think that's it for now. Thanks for stopping and happy scrappin'!