SU Set Sail | Connie Stewart Flash Cards

At our January Stamp Club, we made a card using Connie Stewart's Flash Card measurements.  To learn more about this technique, go to YouTube and search "Connie Stewart Flash Card."  She has lots of videos!  Christi challenged us to make cards using this technique and bring them to the February Stamp Club.  Here is what I created using the Set Sail stamp set and Nautical Expedition DSP.

I'm submitting this one in the Operation Write Home February Boot Camp - Create a Strong Focal Point. By combining two stamps and the ribbon together, I've grouped items to create my focal point.  I also try to join in the challenge every Wednesday at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks blog called WOW Wednesday.  Just create anything you want and join in the fun - you can also win a prize just by commenting on the entries.  What are you waiting for?  Anything goes!

Card Supplies:
stamps - SU! Set Sail
punch - SU! hearts
patterned paper - SU! Nautical Expedition
card stock - SU! Cherry Cobbler
ink - SU! Cherry Cobbler
ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon

January SU Stamp Club Cards

Okay, I know it's almost the end of February and I'm just now posting my January SU! Stamp Club cards, BUT this was the first time I was able to schedule this post in keeping to my Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.  When I took a long-term sub job for a teacher on maternity leave from January through March, I started working ahead because I knew my crafting time would be limited.  No worries though - both cards are great any occasion cards!

Kids' Cards | Melonheadz Illustrating

I'm still working on my goal to make 20 kids' cards for Operation Write Home to honor the 20 angels who died in the Sandy Hook School Shooting.  I'm determined to meet my goal no matter how long it takes me, plus every card I create helps me to remember the innocent children who died that day.

So, here are cards #9 and #10.  I made these using nursery rhyme images created by Nikki of Melonheadz Illustrating.  For those of you who do not enjoy coloring images, you might be interested to know that I used pre-colored images.  Nikki has a wide selection of images, both pre-colored and outlines.  You will be seeing more of Nikki's nursery rhyme images in future kids' cards.

I also thought it would be fun to include the nursery rhyme on the inside of the card.  In my search for the words to the nursery rhymes (to make sure I got them correct), I found a very interesting website that explains the origins and references of many nursery rhymes.  Most are based on English history and monarchs.  Curious?  Go check it out yourself HERE.  I learned some very interesting stuff!

Don't forget about WOW Wednesday at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks blog.  You can play along with any paper creation your heart desires AND/OR leave comments on other participants' blogs for a chance to win a prize!

OWH VCMP - Glitz and Glam

This is the last challenge of the OWH Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party.  I'm really sad to see it end!  I love VCMPs because they get my mojo flowing and I can get inspired by everyone else's take on the challenge, too.  This weekend I created, but throughout the week and next weekend I plan to look at all the cards that everyone else made to get some great ideas.  And oh boy, did I need ideas for Glitz & Glam!  I'm not a "foo-foo" kind of girl so glitz and glam is difficult for me.  I made a flower from circle and scalloped circle punches and added some bling in the center - - that was the best I could do for now.  Maybe I'll come back during the week and add something better after being inspired by others' submissions.

The camera did something weird to the colors.  

The ric rac matches the card stock much better than it appears in this photo!

OWH VCMP - All White with 3 Layers

Oh my!  This is the next to the last challenge at the OWH Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party - I hate to see it coming to an end, but I love this challenge because I love white on white cards - especially for serious or elegant occasions.  Unfortunately, as I get older I have a need for more sympathy cards, so I made some white on white cards with 3 layers.  Hmmm, maybe I should have read the challenge more closely - my embellishments were supposed to be white as well.  Sorry!

Card Supplies:
sentiment stamp - Hero Arts With Deepest Sympathy
embossing folder - Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl
die - Spellbinders Labels Ten
flowers - Prima
ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon
bling - stash

OWH VCMP - Washi Tape

Wow, this OWH Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party is so much fun and is getting me to try all kinds of new things.  The 8th challenge is to use washi tape.  I've been reluctant to start the whole washi tape addiction because I have a paper addiction - it's unwise to have more than one serious addiction that consumes more space in your craft room than you have!  BUT, I did buy one roll that I thought would be very versatile - it's black with white polka dots.  One of my favorite color combos is black, white and red, so that's what I did for this card.  Hope you like it!

Challenges:
OWH VCMP - Use Washi Tape
CAS-ual Fridays - Black and White with one other color

Card Supplies:
sentiment stamp - Hero Arts Essential Messages
washi tape - K & Co. Smash Tape

OWH VCMP - Caffeine Challenge

The fun continues at the OWH Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party!  The latest challenge is a caffeine challenge.  There is a tutorial from OWH linked up on how to make a shaped coffee cup card - it would be cute for a Starbucks gift card holder, BUT I didn't have the patience to try something new today.  There are lots of chores and work waiting for me today - LOL!

Instead I used a Hambo Stamps digi called Coffee Girl and used the brand new Stars & Stamps sketch #160.  This might be the first time I've ever posted a sketch card the same day the sketch was released (but I met the challenge I gave myself - and quickly, too!).  I did have to tweak the measurements on the sketch a bit - my strips were 7/8" wide so that I would have a bit of a border.  I also stopped matting the image at 3 x 4-1/4" so that more of the patterned paper would show.

OWH VCMP - Things with Wheels

Good Sunday morning to you!  The Operation Write Home Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party is starting its second day.  If you missed out yesterday, have no fear.  There is still plenty of time to play along.  The inlinkz on the hostesses' blogs will not close until February 25!  So go check it out, leave some comments for blog candy and have some fun.  Don't forget that the new Sunday sketch also posted this morning - can you incorporate the sketch into one of the VCMP challenges today?  I'm going to take that challenge and see what I can do!

The first challenge this morning is Things with Wheels.  I had this Doodle Pantry pre-colored image and sentiment already printed out and thought it would be perfect for this challenge.  Not only does it have wheels, but it makes a great kids' card as I continue to work toward my goal of 20 kids' cards!  This marks kids' card #8 if you've been keeping track.

This Doodle Pantry image is called Toy Truck Ants with my favorite mischievous ants!  Don't forget that if you use any Doodle Pantry image on a card you can enter the monthly Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge that ends February 24.  You will receive a set free just for playing along and be eligible to win a gift certificate to the store - we're all winners at the Doodle Pantry challenge!

Card Supplies:
image and sentiment - Doodle Pantry
card stock - SU! gumball green, pumpkin pie and close to cocoa
ribbon - SU! gumball green
embossing folder - Cuttlebug diamond plate (difficut to see in photo but it's under the ribbon)

OWH VCMP - Sketch 63

The final challenge for Saturday at the OWH Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party is to use Sketch #63 to disappear a 12 x 12 sheet of paper.  I didn't disappear a 12 x 12 sheet of paper yet because I wanted to combine this challenge with the monthly Our Daily Bread Designs challenge at OWH which is to make a card with fruit.  I thought this turned out pretty cute!  However, I will be digging into that HUGE stash of 12 x 12 paper I have to see how much of it I can make disappear.

Card Supplies:
stamp - Fiskars Fresh Fruit
card stock and ink - SU! Cherry Cobbler
embossing folder - Cuttlebug Heart Blocks

OWH VCMP - Things with Wings

The fourth challenge today at the OWH Presidents' Day Virtual Card Making Party is to make a card that has things with wings!  There were so many to choose from, but I thought I'd get a head start on Father's Day using a Doodle Pantry image that Laurie added color to this month.  I just love her pre-colored images - they save so much time!  This one is called Swimming Mallard and makes a very nice masculine card.

Don't forget that if you use a Doodle Pantry image, you can also enter the monthly Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge that closes on February 24.  You will get a free image just for playing along AND be entered to win a gift certificate.  Laurie has lots of freebies to get you started if you'd like to give it a try - she even has THINGS with WINGS!  :-)

Card Supplies:
image and sentiment - Doodle Pantry
embossing folder - Sizzix
oval and scalloped oval - Spellbinders
ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon
card stock - SU! gumball green, summer starfruit, brocade blue

OWH VCMP - Texture Omit

The third challenge at the OWH Presidents' Day Virtual Card Making Party involves something I've never tried before - texture omit.  I will have to admit that it wasn't easy and I certainly did not perfect this new technique.

My biggest problem was making the homemade embossing diffuser.  If I could have gotten that right, these cards may have turned out better!  I used two pieces of chipboard and still got a little bit of embossing where it was supposed to be omitted.  Then I tried a third piece of chipboard but then my embossing was not crisp and clean.  Hmmmmm...at least I tried, right?!

This was my first attempt, but you can't even see the embossing in the photo!

This was my second attempt.  After going back and looking at the sample card again, I realized that it was done on white card stock and then inked to make the embossing stand out more.

Card Supplies:

embossing folder - Cuttlebug swiss dots

stamp - Hero Arts Essential Messages

red ink - Tim Holtz Distress Inks fired brick

ribbon on both cards - Really Reasonable Ribbon

OWH VCMP - Critters for Kids

The second challenge of the day at the Operation Write Home Presidents' Day Virtual Card Making Party is called All Creatures Great and Small - make a kid's card with a critter.  Woohoo - this challenge will certainly help me as I make my way towards 20 kids cards.  This will be kids card number 7!

I decided to use a dinosaur sticker that has been lying on craft table for over a year now!  I bought these at Michael's for a birthday party for my daughter several years ago (she's a dinosaur expert) and thought if I left them out where I could see them that I might just use them up.  Today was the day to use at least one!  LOL

Card Supplies:
sticker - from Michael's
stamp - Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments
ribbon - Really Reasonable Ribbon
1-3/8" and 1-3/4" punches - Stampin' Up

OWH VCMP - Zig Zag Card

Welcome to the Operation Write Home Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party!  I love participating in these because the challenge themes really get my mojo flowing.

First up this weekend is a challenge to use Zig Zags or Chevrons on your card.  I knew I wanted to start out with my EK zig zag punch but wasn't sure where I wanted to go from there.  Hmmmm, different colors of cardstock, but which ones?  Colorlab.mycreateink.com to the rescue!  I have lots of Stampin' Up cardstock colors and wanted to use some I've never used before.  I used the "Surprise Me" feature on the Color Lab My Create Ink website until I found a color combo containing one of the less used colors I wanted to incorporate - Summer Starfruit.  I ended up with a very masculine color combo which helped to turn this card into a Father's Day card using a rubber stamp from My Sentiments Exactly.

Get Ready for the OWH Presidents' Day VCMP!

Have any plans for your 3-day weekend?  Why not take some time out to get inspired and create some cards for the troops with Operation Write Home's Presidents' Day Weekend Virtual Card Making Party?!  Every few hours from 8 AM - 8 PM Eastern time we will post a new challenge link to one of our hostesses' blogs to get your mojo flowing.  Each will have an inlinkz for you to play along.

Don't have a 3-day weekend?  No problem!  No one will be left out - you can still play along as each challenge will remain open until  February 25.

See you there!

Flaming Hot Ants | Doodle Pantry

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!  Today's card features Flaming Hot Ants from Doodle Pantry.  The pre-colored image, sentiment and digi paper all are included in the set along with the outline image, more sentiments and another digi paper for only $3 - you can't beat that for a deal!  I used Stampin' Up's large oval and large scalloped oval punches on the sentiment along with ribbon from the Really Reasonable Ribbon monthly club that matched perfectly with my paper.  Love the shimmer in the ribbon, too!

There is still time to play along in this month's Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge where all you have to do is create something using a Doodle Pantry image (freebies are available HERE to try).  Just for playing, you will receive a free digi image set and be eligible to win a gift certificate.  The deadline is February 24 so get a move on!

I'm also entering this in Cat's Creations WOW Wednesday Challenge.  All you have to do to win is link up a creation of any kind AND/OR comment on other people's submissions.  Several people have won just by commenting on MY blog!

Doodle Pantry Snow Birdie

Last year I used this Doodle Pantry image to make a set of cards I gave as a gift.  I used the photos from  those cards to make another set this year to use for thank you notes for Christmas gifts.  This Snow Birdie set comes with the pre-colored image I used along with the outline image, 3 sentiments and 4 coordinating digi papers.  The pre-colored image with the digi papers makes card making a snap!

Don't forget to play along in the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge before February 24.  You will receive a free digi set just for playing along AND be entered to win a gift certificate!

Birthday Candle Card

We made a card like this at my SU! Stamp Club with Christi Beck.  I liked it so much that I bought the punch I needed to be able to make the flames so I could duplicate the card again!  To see the original card, go HERE.  All of the supplies are from Stampin' Up except the ribbon which perfectly matches the SU! Pool Party paper - it's from my monthly ribbon club with Really Reasonable Ribbon.

I'm entering this card in the Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown Challenge from January 30 to make birthday cards.  The shippers are in need of birthday cards, so if you have the time and the mojo, make a few so our soldiers can wish their friends and family Happy Birthday even though they can't be there to celebrate with them!

My friend Sandy T. started a challenge on her personal blog called Sandy's Crafty Creations!  The monthly challenges are Anything Goes with a Twist.  This month's twist is to make it a birthday card, so here's my entry!

Heart Sheep | Doodle Pantry

It's WOW Wednesday at Cat's Creations Scrapbooks.  Remember: You can create a project of your choice and post it OR just comment on participants' blogs for a chance to win a prize.

I'm back again with another card that went into my Operation Write Home box back in December.  This one uses the Doodle Pantry set Heart Sheep.  I used the pre-colored image and sentiment from the set along with paper from the Hearts A Flutter digi paper pack.  Does it put you in the mood for Valentine's Day?  It makes me happy and hopefully made both the sender (a deployed military person) and the recipient (a loved one) happy, too!

Don't forget to play along at WOW Wednesday and at the Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge - both are near and dear to my heart!

Triple Time with Paper Not Stamps

Some of you may recall that during an Operation Write Home Virtual Card Making Party in September, Donna Inks LA shared with us the Triple Time Stamping Technique.  We all had great fun making our own Triple Time Stamping cards to play along - HERE is mine!

My friend Jan Hunnicutt shared on her blog the same type of technique but WITH PAPER instead of stamps!  What a fabulous idea for a way to use up some of the scraps that I've wrangled!  I got busy right away and just look how many cards I made!

Many of these also qualify as monochromatic cards for the OWH Design Bootcamp - ABCs of Color (Basic Color Theory).  If you missed out on the OWH Design Bootcamp, it's not too late to go check it out HERE!  There will be a new "class" every month.

Stamps by Studio 112 (Kids' Card #6 of 20)

Stamps by Studio G

Stamps by Hero Arts - Year Round Sentiments

Stamps by SEI - Windsor set

Doodle Pantry February New Releases

Today is an exciting day - it's time for the Doodle Pantry February Releases!  Laurie has some of her fun characters playing all kinds of sports.  The birdie is playing baseball and the ants are creating their mischief on a hockey puck!  If animal characters aren't your style, there is an old-fashioned phonograph, a realistic dolphin and cute quirky frogs (this month's free with purchase set).  This month Doodle Pantry released a Love Star which is about the third in a series of seasonal stars (there's also an Autumn Star and a Winter Star).  I chose to use the Love Star outline image for my release day card.

My friend Christi Beck did a post on watercoloring techniques, so I thought I would try it with the Love Star.  I wasn't happy with how the coloring turned out, but I did like the card design so I thought I'd share it, too.  I made the fancy corners with my Ornamental Irons 2 Cricut cartridge.  Haven't dusted off the Cricut machine in quite some time.  I'll have to make it more accessible so I can use it more!

Don't forget to participate in this month's Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge which begins today at noon and ends on February 24.  Just for playing along, you will receive Phonograph set free AND be entered to win a gift certificate to spend in the Doodle Pantry online store.

On a sadder note, I'm going to take a little hiatus from the Doodle Pantry Design Team at the end of this month, but I may be back in August/September depending on what life has in store for me.  I have absolutely LOVED working with Laurie (a fellow Texan) and the other ladies on the design team.  I have made some great cyber friends and been inspired by them all!  The silver lining - I can now take part in the monthly challenges!  LOL