Shopping Our (my) Stash #222

I found another blog to follow and participate when time permits and this one is SOS (Shopping Our Stash) and this week is #222.

The challenge is/was to use something from your oldest birthday supply. I have to admit that birthday cards are not something I make on a regular basis, a few.  But awhile back I participate is a challenge that pointed me to a company called Hambo Stamps and for some reason this group of pigs made me smile. So I bought it...... and never made a card until this challenge.

I want to say for anyone that notices, that the image is cut out... I did NOT cut that out by hand.  I bought a Cameo and have been playing around with using it to cut out stamped images. My vision is that I will be able to reacquaint myself with stamps that I love and always want to have a die, but one was not made.   So it was fun to practice with this image and see how this machine can change my card making.

Another thing...... I realized that I didn't really have a sentiment to go with this.... so I found one that "sorta" worked if you imply that the pigs are big... or something like that.  So maybe that is what I'm missing (sentiment) with this stamp and that is why I never pulled it out.

Anyone have a sentiment they would use for these stamp?

So check out the SOS blog/challenge here

Have a great week!! 


Joanie

Inspired by a Song

I have found a new challenge blog and hope to play along with them.  It's called Cards In Envy.  You can find information about their blog/challenges here

The current challenge is to make a card inspired by a song...... so here's my card's story....

The Eagles were a very popular band in my teenage years and the song that inspired this card.....it may be a stretch.....

So if you haven't figured it out.. the song is "Witchy Woman".  I don't think the song is about witches, I think it was meant that the woman was more of a seductress.... but the word witch was in it... so I ran with it. 

I wish I could remember where the stamp came from, but all the paper is Stampin Up! 

Looking forward to see everyone's card and the song that inspired it! 


Have a blessed day! 


Joanie

Send a Smile 4 Kids Challenge

This is my first time participating in this challenge. I took a short break after OWH ceased operation. I reorganized and cleaned my craft room. I have joined some new groups on Facebook including Stamping Enablers, trust me join that group and you will want everything! We just spent Labor Day weekend on a big debate.... the Brother Scan and Cut... to buy or not... and of course HSN had a special ..... I did NOT buy... yet..

So Send A Smile 4 Kids is the first organization I'm going to send cards to, you can find information about them here.  They have a challenge going on now to make a Halloween card (kid appropriate).  So here is my submission for the challenge and you can find the details on the challenge here

I don't remember where this stamp came from, the paper is all Stampin Up! 

Looking forward to working with this organization!! 

Have a blessed day! 

Joanie

It's over......

I sent my last box of cards to Sandy and now I am taking some time to reorganize my craft room so I can begin my next journey of cardmaking.

One of the groups I belong to on Facebook mentioned Send a Smile 4 Kids.  An OWH'er is going to help that organization so I figured what better way to continue on this crafting journey.

So I am removing the OWH references on this blog and start to revamp it for the next stage. It's long over due, but as all the OWH people know you get in the zone to make those deadlines and other things take a back seat.

Hope everyone finds what they are looking for after OWH.   For the moment, I believe I have found my place, but will always keep an open mind for others.  I have a ton of supplies that need to be shared with the world.

Stay tuned..


Joanie

ODBD and Sketch #257

Today's post is for two challenges, the July ODBD (the final one <sniff,sniff>) and Sketch #257.

ODBD was to create a thank you card and thanks to Adele (#6), I dusted off my Lawn Fawn stamp set that she used as dug out my Stampin Up banner punch.

and my second card is for Sketch #257, here are the details of the sketch

and my submission a Christmas card!  Christmas in July!

I continue to spend as much time as possible filling up my last large flat rate box (need to maximize the cost) for OWH.  I sure hope there is a way for us to access some of the great resources like the sketches.  I love  having the measurements for them, there are few challenges that do that.

Have a great week! 

Joanie

OWH Sketch #256

Another sketch challenge from OWH!! Woot, woot!

Here are the details of the challenge

and my card, decided to dig out a few Christmas supplies and try to "finish strong with a few holiday cards.  I'm starting to panic thinking of trying to get cards done for the deadline.  I'm planning on taking a day or two of work in July to be able to fill a large flat rate box.

Until next time!

Hope everyone has a great week!!

Joanie 

OWH ODBD Challenge and a Sketch!!!

June's ODBD challenge can be found here to make a "missing you card".  I decided to make this card for this challenge and the OWH Sketch #255 found here


Here are the sketch details

So here is my card

This is "Freckles" from My Favorite Things.

I have been so busy trying to "Finish Strong" as well as work, HOA work etc....... this summer is going to fly by......

I hope everyone is spending time making cards for this last push.  I think Sandy is going to be overwhelmed with what we are going to send her!!  Or maybe she won't!

Enjoy your week!


Joanie

OWH Finishing Strong Memorial Day Bloghop 2015!

All good things come to an end, but I have to say this one makes me a little sad. I don't remember how I learned about OWH (Operation Write Home), but I did.

I'm not a "real blogger", I created this to participate in challenges and other blog hops for OWH. Along the way I have met some great people and very talented card makers.  They have inspired me and sometimes intimidated me.

I have always been patriotic, I love our country despite some of the issues we hear about day to day. My dad and brother served in the military and just recently with my mother's passing did I realize perhaps the impact my cards may have had.

My mother kept every letter that she and dad wrote back and forth during WWII. I imagined the excitement they must have had when they opened the letter and seeing the other's handwriting. I was a little embarrassed by some of the things I read, but I realized how much they loved and must have missed each other.  I even found a letter that my brother wrote to me when he was in Korea, he was 18 and I was 6.  I don't remember that letter but it is something I will treasure and I am thankful that my mother did keep these items. I have high hopes that one of my cards will someday be found in someones "stash" of stuff and they will read what their parent wrote to the other and feel the love they felt for each other.

With that being said......it is with bittersweet feelings, I must post this.....

Operation Write Home, a charity that has supported heroes with handmade cards since 2007, will be closing later this year. All cards need to be sent in by August 1st, so I’m helping to get the word out 

This will be the last Memorial Day blog hop and it makes me sad!! Don't get me wrong I'm happy that the troops are coming home and the need for the cards has dwindled, but my stash of craft items grew and I continued to make cards for OWH.  I hope to find another cause that I can show my creative side.

The challenge was to create a red, white and blue card for any of the the themes (love, missing you,birthday or a Anyhero card.  So in staying with the theme of "Finishing Strong" I wanted to do all of them.

My first one is the Anyhero card:

The birthday card:

The thank you card: 

The miss you card:

Last but not least love:

It has been an honor to be associated with this organization and I will miss some of the usual card makers.  I hope to spend the next month or so filling up my final box to OWH.  I also plan on making sure that I follow,bookmark,friend etc all of you that I have come in contact with.

I also want to make sure that I update my listing of sketches.  I use those sketches so much in my card making and I would hate to "loose" that link.  So I don't know about you, but I'm going to be very, very busy.

I have spent a little time trying to find another organization that accepts cards.  I found one on splitcoaststampers.com  (click on the link to go to the thread).  They have a cause each month and this one is for a church.  They also appear to be looking for organizations, so maybe we can help them with groups that we know.

So on a positive note..... I'm happy that I:

Found this organization and could help
Had the funds to continue to support my card making for this organization and make cash donations
Met some amazing people/card makers (especially Sandy)
Learned new things/techniques from all of you
can dig out my glitter and start playing once the OWH cards have been packed and sent.  <grin>

And in honor of Memorial Day



Gerda Steiner Designs May Challenge

This card submission is for the Gerda Steiner Design Challenge for the month of May.  I used OWH (Operation Write Home) sketch #98.  I love these sketches because they have measurements! I am so challenged with coming up with card layouts.  I see great cards and sometimes I wish that they would put the measurements because photos can be deceiving on how big the card is, how big the strip of paper is etc.... etc.

You can find the sketch layout plus many, many more here


The skunk is very cute and I paired him up this paper from My Mind's Eye (Indie Chic - Nutmeg). I'm sure this 6x6 was something I bought from Michael's when it was on clearance.   I used my "nesties" and the sentiment is from Stampin Up! set Lots of Thoughts. This was pretty easy to put together so I'll spend this rainy Sunday putting a few more of these in my shoe box that will go to OWH in June.

So here is the card!

Have a fabulous week!

Joanie

Happy May!!! ODBD Challenge

OWH has a fabulous sponsor, ODBD (Our Daily Bread Designs) for monthly challenges. If we "meet" the challenge they will sponsor/pay for shipping two boxes to our heroes.   Last month it seems we just made our challenge so hopefully we can do better the month of May. 

This month the challenge is embossing. I have a LOT of embossing folders and I don't use them enough.  I went to Joann's a few days ago and they had some Cuttlebug and Darice folders on clearance for $2.97.  I couldn't resist.... I hoped I didn't have these at home, but thought if I did, I'm sure I could find a good home for them. 

So with that being said, here is my submission for the challenge.  I used a folder from "Paper Studio" from Hobby Lobby and for you OWH "peeps", you will recognize the stamp set because it is the set "All the Time" a percentage of the sales from this set went to OWH.  A win/win in my opinion. 

Have a great week!  

Joanie 

April ODBD

Every month ODBD sponsors a challenge to make 50 cards. If OWH card makers meet that challenge ODBD will sponsor two boxes of cards for our trips!  Isn't that amazing!!  What a great way to thank our heroes.

This month we were asked to make masculine cards, and this is my entry for this months challenge.

It's a little hard to read, but the sentiment says "Howdy-Hoe"... get it???  

I got this set awhile back at Michael's at 50% off and you can find it on-line here  It's from Art Impressions and called His and Hers Gardening. 

A very simple card. 

Last month I participated in this challenge and random.org picked ME as a winner.  I received a gift certificate, which I have already redeemed. 

Stay tuned and I will make a card with what a received from them. 

BTW, you can shop with them buy clicking here 

Have a great week!  

Joanie 

OWH Sketch #252

Once again, it's been a little while since I have been able to participate in a sketch challenge.

Here is the sketch

and my contribution to the other lovely cards

Is there a shelf life for the enamel accents? I had a tough time getting them to come out and then when they did they weren't white.  I used them on the head band band and the heart for dimension. So I ended up turning the bottle upside down for awhile and then turned it back and did that a couple of times. I think it finally got mixed up a little better.

A big THANK YOU to random.org <grin> for picking me to win the March ODBD gift certificate.  I was so excited and I can tell you..... I already used it! I will use it soon and point what I received with it.

Thanks to ODBD for all you do for OWH!!

Enjoy the week!  Spring has sprung. I mowed the yard for the first time on Saturday!


Joanie

March ODBD Challenge AND CSSC #2

My card today is two-fold.  I enjoy challenges but have to find a way to organize them in a way that I can  make them "double-duty".

So this is my card:

 

 

This is for OWH ODBD challenge (details here) and The Crooked Stamper Challenge (details here)

 

The cardstock is Darice, the designer paper is 6x6 pad called Summer Fresh from Simple Stories

 

The sentiment is from My Favorite Things Vertical Greetings and the small flower is a stamp set from Hero Arts Bold Pop Designs.

 

 

Have a great week!!! 

 

 

Joanie

 



OWH Sketch #249 & Craft Hoarders Anonymous February Challenge

It's time for another OWH Sketch challenge.  This card did not come out as expected and I should have not used pattern paper as the back drop but oh well. I'm going to blame it on the snow..... we had about 6 -7 inches of the stuff and I spent a good portion of the day digging out.

So here is the card sketch from OWH

and my submission

I just did not plan very well for this.... the little banner hearts are going in opposite directions and just way too busy.  I may try to redo this at some point.....

I'm also submitting this for the Craft Hoarders Anonymous February Challenge (yes, I know it's March). The details are here


Hope everyone stays safe, warm and dry!! 

March came in like a lion in Indiana..... spring is coming!!

Two challenges in one!!

This post is for one card that will count for two challenges (so-to-speak).  The first one is for OWH (Operation Write Home) and the ODBD February challenge, information regarding this challenge can be found here.  Basically we needed to have a "critter" on the card, mine is a bunny.

This is a digital stamp called "Nerdy Bunny". You can find it at Gerda Steiner designs lots of fun images there, please check it out!!  And this card is also for the February challenge at Gerda Steiner designs.....

I hope everyone is doing well and keeping warm, safe and dry.... can't believe February is 1/2 over... spring is just around the corner and I'm ready.

Until next time! 

OWH Sketch #247

First I have to apologize for the coloring on this card.  I had tear duct surgery and recovering from that, but am terribly bored and needed to do something.  My vision is a little distorted because of the stitches...... more than what I thought.  As I tell my friends, my eye/nose modeling career is now over.

So on with the sketch and card.

This is the sketch

and this is my card

The base is Sage Shadow (retired from Stampin Up!) and the designer paper is MME (My Minds Eye) 6x6 pad called Sunshine.  I bought it quite awhile ago on clearance at Michael's.

The sentiment (always) is a retired Stampin Up! set as well called "Small Script".   I can't remember where I got the image but it is a rubber stamp and not a digital image.

Anyway.... have a great week!  

OWH January ODBD Challenge

Where did this month go?  I can't believe it is the 27th of January already.  I was looking at the OWH blog and realized that I had not contributed to the challenge this month for ODBD.

You can find the information here


And here is my submission

The sheep image is Whipper Snapper you can find it here .  The sentiment is from Impression Obsession and you can find it here.  The paper is either from Michael's, Hobby Lobby, or JoAnn's.  I have had it awhile.

Hopefully everyone gets busy and makes sure that we make the 50 cards to get the boxes shipped for OWH.

Happy crafting and for those of you that are having snow/wind etc... stay warm and safe.


Till next time..


Joanie

Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge and OWH Challenge

Trying to kill two birds with one stone during this weeks post.

During a blog hop over the New Year I found an interesting challenge you can find the details for the month of January here

Here is my card for this challenge:

So based on the details I did the following: 
Color Medium: Ink (Stampin Up! Summer Sun and Sage Shadow, both retired)
Fiber: White fiber from $1 at Michael's
Technique: Stamps (Stampin Up! Cheery Chat)
Texture: Dry Embossing (embossing folder)
Embellishment: Brad (Stampin Up!)

The paper is Summer Sun a retired color from Stampin Up! for the base and the pattern paper is My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose "Hatties Papers" it is a 6x6 pad.

and it also works for the OWH January Mid-Month Challenge which is a thank you card!

Hope everyone has a good week!