OWH Sketch Challenge 217

I created an Any Hero Card for

Sketch Challenge 217 

at Operation Write Home

this week.

I'm ever so slowly getting cards made

 to send in for our heroes to write home on.

Since I make each of my own cards,

most all of which no two are alike,

it does take me a while to fill a large Priority mail box.

If you would like more information about this 

terrific organization that helps our heroes

keep in touch with home

as well as sends notes of thanks for their service, 

take a moment to read  more at 

http://operationwritehome.org/

(edited to add completed card photo, 

however I did not use the faux brads

due to a "manufacturing problem", ha ha ......)

I have some little stars to add to the corner

of the speckled white panel still.

They weren't quite dry yet and I was impatient,

wanting to get this post done ;)

"Weren't dry yet ?" you ask ?

Yes, I created faux brads by paper punching

small stars from card stock

then coated them with Crystal Effects

(clear dimensional "glue")

to create a faux brad. I do that often.

They are a bit less bulky for mailing

and I can make different colors, shapes

to coordinate with different projects. 

Real stitching across the top of the ribbon;

two layers of dry embossed images.

3D star is created by cutting out one of the embossed

star designs, lightly pinching in each point

then attaching with a generous dollop of hot glue

Stamp image is from A Muse Studio, Hero Mail

Kraft, Red, Navy, speckled card stocks

Navy marker

Cuttlebug stars embossing folder

Stripes embossing folder, Stampin' Up!

I used a marker to ink up

each word separately on the long, single line sentiment

so I could stamp it into three separate lines.

I still prefer red rubber, wood mounted rubber stamps,

but clear stamps sure do come in handy for this technique !

Make sure the stamp is totally clean

before stamping the next section or 

you can have "ghost" images

of the previously inked portions show up. 

That happens to me when I use

black ink on red rubber for some reason.

Even when I use stamp cleaner it still seems

to leave light images behind from other portions 

of the stamp at times. Try it on scrap paper first !

I've had this 2" wide piece of  navy blue "ribbon"

saved since two Christmases ago ! 

It was wrapped around a fleece blanket originally.

I knew that one day it would come in handy for

some crafty project.

I cut one of the Velcro ends off then 

trimmed the points on it to make the banner.

Thanks for looking =) 

Welcome Baby Card

Gosh, this is such an OLD card idea ! 

I made so many of these for new babies,

girls and boys both, 

over a dozen years ago when I first

discovered Stampin' Up!. 

It was my go to at the time when I only

had this stamp set (Cuddles and Tickles from Stampin' Up!)

for babies and limited supplies. Plus it is pretty easy to make !

The basic design will work with all kinds of stamp images

and for all sorts of occasions.

Thanks for looking =) 

Circle Punch Flower Face Card

Thinking of you.............

makes me smile!

A card I made for the 

Midweek Throwdown at

Operation Write Home

this week:

CIRCLES GALORE!

Stamp sets, all retired from Stampin' Up!:

Smile - smiley face

Smile Accessories- leaves

Trendy Trees - thinking of you

Garden Green, Baja Breeze and Basic Black inks

Fine Sharpie marker, black

aquapainter

sponge

home made cloud stencil

circle punches

corner rounder punch

dimensionals

Thanks for looking =)

OWH Sketch Challenge 216

Inspired by the sketch at 

Operation Write Home this week.

I'll give this card to a relative for Easter.

Super simple, inspired by the paper flowers with embossed edges

and the sketch.

Rubber stamp is an old image from Stampin' Up!

NEON !

I've had these neon card stocks for years

and just happened upon neon ribbon on clearance

at Target over the weekend.

I wasn't going to buy them,

I'm not a neon person (I didn't even like /wear neon in the 80's!)

but in the end decided it might be a good idea so I could 

put those card stocks to use. 

It's shockingly bright ! 

If you are on the lookout for the clearance ribbon,

FYI they are NOT 4 YARD spools, as the box states:

they are 4 FEET per spool! 

Just as well since I probably won't be using a lot of neon ribbon,

but it didn't make my bargain such a bargain after all. 

I need to make a couple masculine cards, too,

with this sketch !

Sketch Challenge at Operation Write Home this week

http://operationwritehome.org/sketch-challenge-216/

Pop Up Box Card

Here it is, my first pop up box card ! 

I'll admit, the creation of the box card part itself wasn't too difficult,

 the figuring out what I was going to put in it and how 

was what gave me trouble ;) 

Original Instructions

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/popupboxcard/

It has been altered to fit a standard A2 (4 3/8" x 5 3/4") envelope.

You'll need a 5 1/2"   x 8 1/2" piece of card stock,

scored at 2", 4", 6", 8" along the 8 1/2" side.

Flip it around to score in at 3" along the 5 1/2" side,
running the entire 8 1/2" length.

Use a border punch on the long edge that

will become the 2 1/2" tall flap
(the edge that has the multiple score marks).

Depending on the depth of design your 

punch makes, the flaps will be 2 1/4" or less.

Cut in along the score lines

of the 2  1/2" tall sections just up to the 

scored line you made at the 3" mark 

the length of the card stock piece.

These cuts will make the flaps 
(2" by approx. 2 1/4" if you punch the edge).

Remove the 1/2 " piece from this side,

but keep it on the side with the 3" tall sections.

That will be the tab to adhere the box together.

Fold along all score lines.

Fold into the box shape 

(there is no bottom)

and adhere the small 1/2" wide piece

to the inside of the last 3" tall section.

You'll see that in the bottom right hand
portion of the box in the photo below.

Cut two strips of card stock 2 1/2 ",

score in 1/4" at each short end.

Z Fold and adhere the 1/4" tabs to the inside of the box.

These create the sections inside

the box to attach your embellishments to.
They are noted in the photo above.

Cut smaller pieces of decorative paper
or card stocks to decorate the flaps if you'd like.
Add other dimensional embellishments,
tags, etc to make a fun, layered card for display.

Make sure that all of the embellishments you use

do not go beyond the top or sides of the card

if you want it to fit in a smaller A2 size envelope

when it is folded. 

Folding it flat to mail

Supplies used:

Teal, pink and white card stocks

Confetti Cupcake, Happy Birthday, Greetings 
and Riveting stamp sets

all retired long ago from Stampin' Up!

Cupcakes Stampin' Around wheel

Happy Birthday Stampin' Around wheel
tiny alphabet from Technique Tuesday

various classic inks and markers from Stampin' Up!

aquapainter to color in the little cupcakes

Gold and Silver Signo gel pens

wide chisel edge black Sharpie marker
Stampin' dimensionals

scallop edge border punch, Stampin' Up!
triple layer flower punch, Stampin' Up!
circle punch

  Thanks for looking =) 

Rustic Prairie Digital Kit

Lovin' this new kit 

Rustic Prairie 

by

Loni at GraceBlossoms4U

Here are a couple of digi scrap pages

I made with the kit as a member of her

creative team. 

The first uses a template for the challenge at

Scraps-N-Pieces.com

that I used as a sketch .

Thanks for looking =)

Early Signs of Spring

Amazing what happens in just a couple days time

when the temps jump to the mid sixties !

Walking out to the mailbox yesterday I noticed: 

Buds on the maple tree

Sap dripping from the maple tree

Daffodils sprouting

Winter isn't ready to give up yet

OWH Sketch Challenge 215

The new sketch at Operation Write Home this week 

is another fun one to use up scraps !

I have oodles of colored paper clips 

I bought so long ago.....

I'm glad I remembered them today

to add to these cards along with 

a scrap of ribbon for a fun detail !

"Happy Birthday" is a rubber stamp image

from the set Wacky Wishes by

Stampin' Up!

that I colored with water based markers.

Be sure to give your rubber stamp

a good "huff" of warm breath

before stamping onto your card stock

to moisten the inks that may have 

dried up a bit while coloring all

the portions of your stamp. 

5/21/2014 EDITED TO ADD:

Here is a link to a tutorial:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/inkingwithmarkers/

You want to use water based markers so the ink will be removed from the rubber and onto the paper since it stays "wet" on the rubber. The ink from permanent markers would dry and stay on the rubber. I'd recommend testing any markers you have if you are unsure of them, maybe on a small portion of a not so well loved stamp. Try Stazon stamp cleaner if the ink dried on the stamp. 

Papers are from an old Die Cuts With A View paper stack.

TIP: Often times I use a large chisel point 

permanent black marker

to draw along the edges of 

card stock and papers

to create faux black background layers.

Take your time and keep a tiny

portion of the chisel point off of the 

edge of the card stock onto a 

scrap piece of paper to help

make straight lines. 

I am right handed so I 

keep the far right edge of the

chisel off of the edge of the card stock,

drawing the lines downward toward me

with the left part of the marker tip.  

The chisel point should be 

horizontal to your vertical paper. 

Be sure to hold it steady,

keeping the wide chisel point on the

card stock or paper edge to make the

thick line / faux card stock layer.

You will want to test a scrap of the paper

first to make sure it has good coverage

before attempting it on your actual project.
Make sure the marker is good and "juicy" too
so it makes a solid, dark line. 

Thanks for looking =) 

Skunk!

There is a first time for everything: this is the closest I've ever been to a live skunk, it was right outside my kitchen door the other night !!!!!! I've never seen one this close to the house and any that I have seen were dead on the road far away. I do get a whiff of them once in a great while, but know that their scent can travel quite far. I hope it doesn't become a regular "visitor".

Mom Card

The Midweek Throwdown at

Operation Write Home

was to make Mother's Day cards.

I used purple white core card stocks from Lasting Impressions,

stamped then hand cut out letters from pink card stock ,

paper flower, purple ribbon  

and torn "sueded" paper (instructions below).

The adorable plaid paper flower was a gift from a pen pal -

it came in a wonderful assortment of paper flowers !

It's easy to make "sueded paper" / "faux mulberry paper":

Use a heavy weight card stock then crinkle it up enough

 to break down the fibers so you can pull the front and back

apart, creating two layers where one side has the fibers showing.

I used a crimper tool, running the card stock through numerous times

and at different angles. Once I see the gap forming along the edge

of the card stock between the front and back, I stop and pull it apart. 

I then crinkle them up to get rid of the ridges made by the crimper.

Sometimes, as in this sample, after unfolding I will go back over it 

with a bone folder to remove some of the harsh crinkles. 

Thanks for looking =)