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.