OWH Sketch Challenge #205

This is the card I made for the OWH Sketch Challenge #205.  Click on the highlighted  text which will take you to the Operation Write Home blog  so you can view all the cards made for this challenge. 

 Below is the sketch that we used for this challenge:

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today. I hope you will check back on New Years Day as I will be taking part in the OWH Top 13 Of 2013 Blog Hop.

How Did I Forget This Guy?

Today I'm going through my picture files, getting ready to do a review of my favorite cards for 2013 and realized that I forgot to do a blog post on one of my favorite cards. I made about six duplicates of this card and included them with the last box that I mailed out to Operation Write Home in September.

A few weeks ago, I logged on to the Operation Write Home Facebook Page and the card being featured that day was my "Moose You" card. I guess he deserves to have his very own blog post even though I forgot him.
This card was made using  a  retired "Stampin Up" stamp.

Merry Christmas

I would like to wish my family and friends a very  "Merry Christmas".

This year for Christmas we gave packages  of our favorite snack mix to our neighbors and friends.

 The recipe was given to me by my sister-in-law and today I'll share it with you.

Enjoy

Midweek Throwdown Love Cards For Kids

This is the card I made for the Operation Write Home "Midweek Throwdown Challenge" The theme this week is to make love cards that servicemen can send home for their kids.

I've had this digital image in my files for quite a while. I think it is from Dustin Pike's Doodle Dragon Studios.
As usual I used colored pencils and gamsol to color the image. Scraps of paper and Bakers Twine was from my stash.  The Chevron Stripe embossing folder was used for the background.

I hope this cute little monkey will make some little kid smile. He sure makes me smile!

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.
Kathy

OWH Sketch Challenge #203

Today I'm sharing two cards. This first card is my entry in the Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge #203.

 

This darling little puppy is a digi image. I used colored pencils and gamsol to blend the colors.
 I colored two images and then fussy cut one. I layered it using foam squares.
 The Spellbinder circle die was used to cut both circles.
 The sentiment is from Paper Smooches.
The papers are all from my scraps so I can't identify them.

This card used the same little puppy digi and the Operation Write Home Sketch #201.  An argyle embossing folder was used for the base of the card and a digital printed sentiment was used.
The puppy image is a digital freebie from Alley Way Stamps.

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit my blog today.
Kathy

A New Christmas Card

A couple of weeks ago I posted a "Butterfly Card" that was a favorite of mine. Using that card as inspiration I made a few Christmas Cards for family. 

This is my "Cardinal Card."

I sponged the cloud background with distress ink. The white layer is a birch tree embossing folder by Darice. The oval was cut with a Spellbinder die and sponged with more clouds. The cardinal is a Stampin Up stamp that I colored with colored pencils and blended with baby oil.

This is a tri-fold card

The background was sponged with even more clouds. The birch trees are a Impression Obsession die and the red cardinals were also from that die. The  "Memory Box, Deer Trio Die" was also used.

This card will be entered in the
Simon Says Challenge - Let It Snow 

This Weeks Midweek Challenge for OWH

The midweek challenge over on the  OWH's "Stars and Stamps Blog" is to make  " General Love -Themed Cards". Cards that could be sent to family and friends all year long.

I just finished making this card and I think it will work for this challenge.
Papers are from Hampton Arts Bright Geo 6"x6" paper pad
digi print, colored pencils,gamsol for blending
Bakers Twine
Stampin Up sentiment stamp

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today. Have a great day!
Kathy

Could Have Been, Should Have Been, Would Have Been

The title of this post pretty much sums up my attempt at making a card for the Operation Write Home, Sketch Challenge #202.

My card could have been just like the sketch, but the image that I used  for the focal point should have been smaller and then I would have been able to place the sentiment  just like in the sketch. 

Those are my excuses and I'm sticking to them.
 

 

Our Daily Bread Designs Challenge - December

Our Daily Bread Designs sponsors this monthly challenge for Operation Write Home. ODBD will pay the shipping costs for one box of cards to be sent to our deployed heroes if 25 cards are entered in the challenge and will pay the cost of two boxes of cards to be sent if 50 cards are entered.

The challenge  for December is to create  "It's All About Him" - Masculine Themed cards

 This is the card I made for the challenge and these are the supplies that I used to make the card.

The stamp is from Lizzie Anne Designs- American Art Stamp LAD-441
B&J's Inkredible Pigment Ink - Terra Cotta
Zing Clear Embossing Powder
Kraft and Hunter Green card stock
The designer paper used  to make this card was a gift from a friend and  she said it had been hiding in a box under her bed for a long long time.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog.  Comments are always welcome.
Kathy

One More Heart Card

I had time to make one more Valentine/Love card this morning.

 Papers were from my stash and I picked up the Bakers Twine when I was shopping at Walmart last week.
The digital print was done using colored pencils and blended with baby oil. I used foam to pop the heart and the sentiment.

I would  like to give credit to the digi designer but I didn't keep that in my files. If it's you please let me know. 

Thanks for stopping by today. Love to get comments and new followers.

Midweek Challenge - Valentine or Love Cards

This week the  Operation Write Home "Midweek Challenge" on the Stars & Stamps Blog is:
Make a Valentine.
 These are two of the cards I made:

 The Spellbinders die is a new one in my collection  and I love the name, "Vines Of Passion".
The background for this card  is a combination of two embossing folders.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today. I hope you like the cards and I do hope you'll stop back again soon.
Kathy

I Love Butterflies

 I found the "Most Beautiful Butterfly Card" on Pinterest.

 Rachel Tessman , who blogs at, Stamp Your Art Out , has the full  step by step instructions  for making  the butterfly card and she also has a video on her blog. You can see them by clicking HERE.

I just had to copy her card but I made a couple of changes

As you can see, I made multiples  of this card because each of my sisters will receive this card for their birthdays this year.

I know you are asking "Where Is The Butterfly?" I didn't have a small butterfly stamp for the front  of the card so I decided to leave it off. 

I think the butterfly on the inside of the card is just awesome!

Thanks for visiting my blog today.
 I love to get comments and hope you'll consider following my blog.

Mid-Week Throwdown Challenge

The Mid-week Throwdown Challenge, over at Operation Write Home, is to make a white on  white card.

This is the card I made for the challenge

Months ago  I  won this Penny Black butterfly die when I left a comment on their blog. This is the first time it's been used but I think it is beautiful and I  cut out a dozen  more so they will be all ready and  in my file when I want to make multiples of this card.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm wishing all my friends and family a very 

"Happy Thanksgiving"

 or 

"Happy Turkey Day"

Can you see the owl?

Bring On The Sunshine

We've had three inches of rain over the last three days. Unusual for the desert.

Hope my card will bring on the sunshine.

I've been  trying to use up some of my paper scraps so I made this star burst pattern for the background.
I found a great video demonstrating this technique and you can watch the video here.

The sunshine and the sentiment are free digital images from Paper Smooches (did I say I love their stamps?) and can be found here. Of course I used my favorite color pencil and baby oil technique for coloring the sun. I then fussy cut the image and popped it by using foam squares.

Why Do I Love Owls?

I think it must be their eyes. Those great big eyes that are so expressive. It could also be the fact that their exaggerated features are just too darn funny!

That must be why I love using owls on greeting cards.

This card was made using a free digital image from Paper Smooches. Their stamps are so cute and I love the   fonts that they use in their sentiments. They seem to add just an extra touch of humor to the card.

The image was colored with pencils and blended with baby oil. The embossing folder is  Birch Trees by Darice. The oval was made using the Spellbinders Oval die set. I used foam squares to pop the owl image.

Thanks  for visiting my blog today. I love getting comments.
Kathy

So Sweet!

Isn't this little girl just the sweetest little thing?

The stamp used on this card  is from Hero Arts. The image was colored with colored pencils. The image was cut out using the Spellbinders Oval die and the accent border is also a Spellbinders die.  The embossing folder is from Darice.

This card and six more just like it are going in the box to be sent to Operation Write Home. I sure hope that this little girl will put a big smile on the face of the little girl who receives it.

Hope you have a great day. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you come back to visit my blog again soon.
Kathy

Catching Up On The OWH Sketch Challenges

I love the Operation Write Home Sketch Challenges but I've really fallen behind on completing the cards for each challenge. Now it's time to catch up on those that I've missed.

 This is the card I created for Challenge #199.

For the card base I used an embossing folder that I received as a gift from my sister a couple of years ago. The 3 white stamps were cut using the die that came with my Cuttlebug. The hearts were cut using the smallest heart die from the Spellbinders heart set. The letters were cut using the Hero Arts alphabet dies.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.   Comments are always welcome.
Kathy

I Used About A Pound

I just put the finishing touches on this little baptism afghan.   This is a TV watching (or TV sleeping)  project. It is an incredibly easy pattern.  Just crochet a chain the length you desire. I think I chained about 130 stitches and then it is all double crochet til the  blanket is finished. You can edge it any way you desire.  I did a bobble type border and a picot edge. This afghan used an entire skein of, Lion Brand  Pound Of Love yarn.

Now it's back to the card making. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog  today.
Kathy

Fast Forward to Valentine's Day

I'm working hard to get some cute kid type cards and Valentines finished so I can mail a box full   of Valentine's cards to Operation Write Home by December 31.

This is one of the cards that I made  in a few different colors.

 

This is my favorite Stampin Up embossing folder. Love the tulip border. I've had the "with love" sentiment embossing  folder for a very long time but this is the first time I've used it. 

The digital image was colored using colored pencils. I blended the colors with baby oil. This is the first time I've used a white gel pen to make highlights on the little bear and her wings.

Many thanks for visiting my blog today. Hope you like my cards. I love getting comments.
Kathy

Cards For Christmas

Some of the first stamps that I bought, way back when, were stamps that I thought I could use for Christmas cards. I have a good size collection of stamps with snow covered trees, villages, and covered bridges.

I added a window die to my collection this year, but it just isn't large enough to really show all the scenery on my winter scene stamps. I found this great technique for making a "Window Card". 

Dawn from Dawn's Stamping Studio has a video and instructions for making this window card HERE
This card needed very little coloring. I used a little blue chalk for the sky and you can see the sparkle from the Stickles that I applied to the snowy roof tops , trees and snowbanks.

Made one card without the window sill.

Hope you have a great day and thanks for visiting my blog today.
Kathy

A Coffee Cup Card

In our family November is a "BIG" birthday month. I always have lots of cards in inventory, but when it comes to family birthdays....... I always try to make a special card just for that person.

 This is the card I made for one of those November birthdays. He likes his coffee!

I used the coffee cup card tutorial on the "Operation Write Home" tutorial page. Click HERE if you would like to see how this card was made. I did make a slight adjustment by attaching a gift card to the insert. Worked great!

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Hope you will visit again soon.

She Has A Job & Does It Well

It doesn't matter what I'm working on...... ChiChi always manages to be there right in the middle of everything. She's is often referred as "Quality Control".

Before we left Minnesota I bought three, 14 ounce skeins of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the color "Aran". There are 744 yards of yarn in each skein. I used my favorite afghan pattern again but I made a couple of modifications.  I added more rows of double crochet. Just finished the afghan this week and as soon as I draped it over the chair to take this picture....old Quality Control jumped right up in the chair  and started to get comfortable.

Here she is giving her approval to  the new kitchen chair cushions that I made. It looks like they passed the "Nap Test."

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Hope you have a nice day and stop back again soon.
Kathy

A Little More Organized

My friend showed me her birthday card organizer and  I was so impressed that I went right home and made one for myself.

I used 6" x 9"  Manila envelopes, made a word document to use for addresses and name and birth dates, and I had a three ring binder all ready to use  for this project.

All I have to do to stay organized is list the names and birth dates for each month then enter each persons mailing address on the address sheet. Place the card that I've made for that person in the Manila envelope and record the date that I mailed the card.

Sounds so easy!
  I'm glad you stopped by today and hope you'll visit again soon. Have a great day!

A "Class" Card

Each month I attend a card making class which is put on by my good friend and neighbor, "Millie". She designs all the cards that we make and assembles all of the kits that she provides for each class. She gave me permission to post pictures of her class cards.

This is one of my favorites from class this month:

Thanks for stopping by today. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think of my cards. Have a great day!

It's Still An Owl

I thought this little witch was a cute way to use the "Stampin Up Owl Punch".

I

My collection of stamps doesn't contain any Halloween sentiment stamps so I printed the  "Happy Halloween"  using my computer. The chevron embossing folder was placed so the top two thirds of the card was embossed.

Thanks for stopping by to visit my blog today. Hope you'll leave a comment.

A Card For Halloween

 This is the first time I've sent out Halloween cards. These are more like Happy Halloween & Thank You cards.  Found a card on Pinterest using the Stampin Up Owl punch to make a ghost so here is my card using that idea as inspiration.

I'll be back to show you another  Halloween card later this week. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will leave a comment.

My Favorite Little Owl

My neighbor brought me a cute "owl" card. She knows that I'm always looking for ways to use my owl punch. I  very quickly made a copy of her card and found it was a lot harder to assemble than I thought it would be.

I've never seen an easel card quite like this one.  I usually try to find a video or a tutorial giving instructions for a project like this but so far I haven't been able to find one.

Below is a side view of the card which shows the easel support for the owl image and the support for the base of the card card.

Thanks for visiting my blog today. If you liked my card today please leave me a comment.

More From The Wetlands Set

Just a quick post today.

 I would love to make cards today but the sewing machine is sitting on the kitchen table and before I can serve another meal there are four cushion covers that I have to  finish sewing.

This is another one of the "very masculine" cards that I made using the "Wetlands" stamp set from Stampin Up.

 You probably thought I wouldn't have any pictures of shore birds to show today  as I live on the prairie.  This is a............Killdeer also known as a Plover and considered to be a shore bird.

I've never seen them drink water from a birdbath but he liked my rhubarb leaf bird bath.

This was the first time I ever saw a baby Killdeer.

Trying Out My New Stamps

We've only been back in Arizona for a week so I haven't had time to do much crafting. Yesterday I made a couple of cards using a new stamp set, "Wetlands" from Stampin Up. Love it!

The base of the card is Kraft. Second layer is Coredinations and I used a distressed stripe embossing folder. I used a sanding block to get that rough look to it and then distressed the edges. The goose was stamped with Distress Ink "Aged Mahogany".  For the sky I used Distress Ink  "Broken China" and for the grass I used Distress Ink  "Peeled Paint".

The day before we left Minnesota this is the view from my family room window.