OWH Memorial Day Weekend Hop

Good morning!! It's time for the Memorial Day Weekend Blog Hop for Operation Write Home! You should be coming here from
Sharon's blog.
If not, or if you get lost, head on back to the very beginning.

I've got a Heartfelt Creations card to share based on this card by Mona Pendleton.I thought it would translate beautifully using the Semper Augustus Tulips. The sentiment is from the Dutch Iris Oval precut set and the hummingbird is from the Springtime Medley Collection - the Angel Trumpet Flower, to be specific. The matching die makes it a snap to get a perfect cut every time.

Over the top, I stamped Unity's Worn Music in Vintage PhotoDistress Ink. As usual, when making cards for Operation Write Home, I've used Memory Box cardstock because of it's white reverse side, making it ideal for any writing conditions.

Copics used were YG13, YG23, RV14, RV17 and RV19.

Thanks so much for visiting me today! Next on the hop is the lovely and talented
Joanne!

PS - I almost forgot to mention! The spousal unit officially retired from the Air Force on 1 April after 24 years 4 months and 17 days.
I'm proud of him.

Grateful for Paper Maniac & ATU

Good morning. This is the card I posted over at Paper Maniac a couple days ago. I made it with All Things Unity challenge #31 in mind, and chose a couple stamps that I'd never used before - but which were also still in stock at Paper Maniac. I probably have a few too many of those, so I love this particular challenge!! It works for both previously unloved stamps *and* brand new goodies! At least, that's how I read it...it doesn't say how long a stamp has to have been in your stash. Right?

So anyway...I've had the set Simple Blessings since it was released, but I'd only used the leaves before. My friend, Nancy, is a member of My Time Made Easy's Pretty Pattern Sketch DT. She suggested I play along with Challenge #10, so I thought the larger leaf swirl would be perfect for the slanted lines in the sketch. And since Paper Maniac is closing (sniffle) several of us are making cards for Patti, the owner. I chose the Grateful for You sentiment because I am truly grateful for the opportunity she gave to me in giving me a place on the design team and I appreciate the faith she showed more than I can ever convey.I used Memory Box cardstock for the base, Crushed Olive Distress Ink and Oval Nestabilities.

Paper Maniac is Going Out of Business

I am very sad to finally add my post to say that Paper Maniac is closing its doors.


Products are flying off the shelves, so shop soon to get the best selection.

GIU Makeup Day 4ish

Hey guys. That fibro flare has me good and hard still, but I will finish out last week to give everyone their full opportunities to comment and win.

Today was my first day on the Creative Inspirations Paint blog, and since typing hurts, I'm going to cut/paste most of what I wrote over there.

This past week has been birthday central around my house, so I made a birthday card using a few Unity stamps. I thought I'd try painting directly onto my stamps and stamping with them, since I'd never used my paints that way before. As you can see, it worked out really well! It's definitely a different look, but I think it came out really cool, plus the shimmer is fantastic!

Deets:
Stamps: Unity - retired vine
Unity/Bella Blvd: Bella Trees & Sweet Celebration Birthday
Paint: Creative Inspirations Paints - Emerald, Evergreen
Cardstock: Memory Box, Neenah Classic Crest
Etc: embossing folder Swiss Dots

I especially love the look of the vine stamp down the left side of the card. I'm definitely going to be using this technique more often! I did learn that it works a lot better with a stamp that has more solid areas, rather than just outlines, such as the sentiment, but that did still work. I can hardly wait to try it with multiple colours!

Paper Maniac has all of their Unity stamps on sale for 40% off throughout the month of April. That's a fantastic steal! Great time to pick up one of the new Websters Pages kits or some Melody Ross....

Operation Write Home Bunny Hop

Quick note - for my EtsyInspired post, please check here. Thanks!!

If you started at the beginning of the Bunny Hop and have made it all the way through 133 other blogs, I thank you greatly for sticking with it! If you've just stumbled upon my blog (or you're a regular reader) and you're curious, or lost, head on back to the beginning at OWH Stars & Stamps. You should be coming here from Angela's blog, Midnight Crafting. If so, then you are definitely in the right spot!!

Important information first - there are a couple deadlines coming up. For Easter cards, it is March 18. For Mother's Day cards, the deadline is March 31. Those dates will be here before you know it, so get those cards in the mail! Our soldiers and their families are counting on all of us.

Have you guys seen the new Saturday Seminar Series? I missed the first one while I was sick, but the second seminar starts in a couple weeks and it looks like it's going to be extremely helpful for any of us who are interested in bettering our card design skills. You can still read the information from the first "lesson" here, and while some of it may seem very basic, I think it's always good to get a fresh perspective.

Okay, I'm done being a blabberpuss. You came to see a card and maybe to think about some blog candy, right? I originally posted this to the Paper Maniac blog just over a week ago, and hadn't posted it here yet. The main image uses Heartfelt Creations stamps, which I coloured with Copic markers. I think it would work for either Easter or Mother's Day.
Yes, I did mention blog candy. I'll be giving away the {ippity} set Sing a New Song to one lucky commenter. I may have an extra Unity Itty Bitty to throw in there as well. I'll take comments until after class on Wednesday (noon, Eastern), after which time I'll let Random.org choose a winner.By the way, I've been very fortunate. I've been an Air Force wife for almost 20 years. My husband enlisted while I was still a senior in high school, and we didn't marry until he had already served for several years. His retirement will be official on 1 April - and, although he has served just over 24 years, because of his specific job he has never been deployed. We are lucky. Incredibly lucky. The children and I know it.

There are those who have not been so fortunate, and I thank each and every one of you for the sacrifices you have made. I also thank those of you who care enough to continue send cards and write letters and to do all that you do for the many families who are affected.

Your next stop on the hop is the OWH Homefront. Thanks again for stopping by my blog!!

EtsyInspired #127 - Claylicious

Good morning everyone! It's time to be EtsyInspired! This week, our fabulous shop is Claylicious, a great shop full of functional and decorative pottery, and just for our amazing players, it's 10% off this week with the code "INSPIRED" at checkout! One winner will even win this darling little inspire owl! I wish it could be me!

Our sponsor this week is Your Next Stamp!

Your Next Stamp offers a unique variety of fun and whimsical rubber stamps for every occasion! Their signature lines include Fhiona and Friends, Heather Collections, Dale Designs and the humorous Franfou Collection. Stamps are produced with top quality rubber, which are then mounted onto cling foam, trimmed and are ready to use with any clear block!

Pretty cool, eh?

Before I get to my card, here are a few of my favourite pieces from Claylicious.
As much as I liked those, as soon as I saw this sweet little plate, I knew I had to use butterflies.

Not only did I have to use butterflies, but I had the absolute perfect stamp! I pulled out my Memory Box Butterfly Twig and Happy Spring stamps, some Memory Box DP, some pretty May Arts ruffly yellow gingham ribbon, and this is what I came up with.
In addition to the items mentioned above, I also used Memory Box cardstock in Dill, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Spellbinders In Spades Borderabilities, yellow Prismatics, SU ribbon (lt. green) and some mystery bling. The sketch is CPS #205 and the colours are from gkdfeb11gs.

Thanks for stopping by today! I always love the feedback I get from everyone. Be sure to check out the rest of the DT, listed below, for some amazing inspiration, then hop on over to Claylicious, find an item or items to be inspired by, and create! For full deets, and to link up your project, visit the EtsyInspired blog!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Thank you all very, very much for your sweet wishes over this past week.

Angi
Ann Cox - February Guest DT!!
Ashley
De
Emily B.
Jackie
Joy
Kerry
Ruby
Savannah
Sherry
Virginia
EtsyInspired Blog (LINK YOUR PROJECTS HERE!)

Braving FWF

Hey everyone. I'm sorry I'm so late today. I'm still pretty sick, but I really didn't want to miss a FWF Friday. I had these made in my head yesterday, but couldn't get across to anyone all the stuff I needed in order to make them - or rather, exactly where the supplies were. That's the problem with having no voice and with running out of air when you try to do anything yourself. Oh well. It'll get better.

So, All Things Unity is finishing up the "Use your favourite stamp(s)" challenge. I just love the Brave Girl Boots set, and the boots are my favourite stamp from the set, so I knew I needed to use them. I needed to go easy, due to circumstances, and I had this thought of an ATC. I wanted to do some emboss resist with Distress Inks. It just seemed fitting.
Supplies used:
Distress Inks: Black Soot, Fired Brick, Faded Jeans, Vintage Photo, Tumbled Glass, Bundled Sage, Aged Mahogany, Embossing Ink
Stamps: Unity Brave Girl Boots, Just My Type
Etc: October Afternoon alphabet stickers, Ink blending tool, Taylored Expressions Choice Snow White

FWF - Feb 11 2011

Hey Peeps. We're still in hack city around here. That's one of the things about some big families - once something starts to make the rounds, it usually goes around a few times before it's all done. No big deal, really, just a minor annoyance in the greater scheme of things. When it causes me to miss Hip Hop, though...that's really pushing it!

For FWF, I have a super CAS card pulling my sentiment from the Unity/Samantha Walker set Swirling Snow and layering it onto some Jillibean Soup paper. You can pick up both at Paper Maniac. The sketch is Clean & Simple Sunday Challenge #5.
For a full list of this week's participants, check out the Unity blog.