Holiday Vacation Challenge #11 - Goodbye 2010

Today's challenge on the Stars & Stamps blog is to make a card saying Goodbye 2010.  The tough part for me was to include 10 or 20 elements.  Would you believe I managed to include 20 elements.
White base card, which doesn't count.
1. 1 green paper layer on base card
2. 4 pieces of silver glossy paper
3. 4 pieces of green designer paper with stars
4. 10 rhinestone stars
5. 1 sentiment stamped image
* Edit:  See the post for 1/1/11 for a revision on this.

I must say that for the most part I'm glad to see 2010 behind us.  We're all hoping that 2011 will bring better things.  We still have to look for the good things to celebrate.  They are there, but sometimes we forget to look for them.

OWH Holiday Vacation Challenge #10

Today's challenge on the Stars & Stamps blog is to make a card with all round components and the sentiment starts with R.  Background is made with a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Sentiment is an unmarked unmounted stamp.  Other components are cut out with Nestibilities.

Congratulations to Operation Write Home for obtaining a Registered Trademark on their name.

Snowy mountains

This is the view this morning from the street in front of my home.  We had clouds and rain yesterday, but it cleared overnight, leaving us cold and clear this morning.  We live 1/2 block from the park, with the mountains behind the park.  The snow level looks pretty low on the foothills.  Pretty view, but the snow can stay in the mountains.

OWH Missing You for kids challenge

The Stars & Stamps blog is having a challenge to make Missing You cards for kids this week.  The troops have requested them to send to their children.  Here's my entry for today.

This is a very old stamp (1993) from Rubber Stampede.  I colored it with Prismacolor pencils and framed it with pinked circle Nestibilities.  The miss you is a die from the Cuttlebug Love Language set.

OWH Vacation Challenge #9

Today's challenge on the Stars & Stamps blog is Anything but pink.

The Prismacolor pencils I used to color this image is Violet & Violet Blue.  I stamped it on cream cardstock.  I embossed the green Bazzill Bling with a Cuttlebug folder - Scrollwork.  The base card is also Bazzill Bling and will need a liner.

OWH Vacation Challenge #8

Today's challenge on the Stars & Stamps blog was to make a Missing You card.  The troops would like some cards to send to their children.  I spent most of the day creating a tutorial for these cards.

I started the process by stamping the card parts onto 4 colors of cardstock.

The next step was to cut out all these individual pieces.

Now, I had to glue Snoopy pilot's helmet and scarf onto his body.

The next step was to cover the white edges with a black marker.

Then, I glued the dog houses and Snoopy onto the blue layer that had been prestamped with part of the image.

 

I used the word die from The Cuttlebug Love Language set and cut out the words Miss You from red cardstock, then glued them all onto the cards.

I used some Art Impressions grass stamps to add some grass to bottom of the card.  The final step was to trim this blue layer to 4' X 5 1/4", the glue it to a white base card.

New embossing folder

Operation Write Home has a challenge to make something with a new toy you got for Christmas.  I don't know how to make a card with a iRobot Roomba.  It does clean the floors nicely however.

I've had this Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Scrollwork for a while, but I've never made a card with it.  I made this my challenge for today.  I found this old columbine stamp that fits the oval in the center, so I used it.  I cut the frames with Nestibilities Petite Ovals.  I colored the columbine with Prismacolor pencils.

3rd entry - All about the Boyz

This is another card for Operation Write Home's Challenge #6 - All about the boyz.  This could be very generic for many occasions, so I used no sentiment.  Once again I used paper piecing on the dog house, Snoopy, his scarf and his helmet.

OWH Vacation Challenge #6 - All about the boyz.

These are separate stamps that I used to create a scene of sorts.  Snoopy and the dog house are paper pieced.

Merry Christmas

 Tex loves Christmas! 

I hope that everyone is enjoying Christmas as much as my dog, Tex.

OWH Vacation Challenge #6

When I made this card, I was thinking 'cards for kids'.  Now, I see it's really Boys.  This may work for some boys, depending on who's sending it and age of boy.  I'll see what I can find for boys.

Another monochromatic card

While I had my supplies out, I put another card together.  This card is for the deployed troops, who are really my heroes.

Our rains ended yesterday and the birds made a beeline for the crabapples.  This tree was full of birds, but many of them were too fast to get good photos.  Mostly, the robins and warblers were the most active.  There were a few other varieties, but I couldn't get good IDs on them.
UPDATE:  This birds have been identified as Cedar Waxwings.  Thanks, Kelley.

As you can see by the photos, our blue sky has returned.  We haven't seen it for a week and it's really beautiful.  It lifts the spirits too.

Monochromatic card challenge

I made this card for Operation Write Home's Vacation Challenge #4 - Dramatic Monochromatic.  The words and outlines are silver, but don't show that in the scan.

Rain ending

It appears that our rain is ending.  River is receding and we have survived - just had a bit of standing water in the yard.  It's still cloudy, but the clouds are higher.

Flood update

It's still raining, but no flooding where I live.  Some homes in the area have not been so fortunate.  Our local newspaper, Mesquite Local News is good about keeping us informed.  I'm basically staying home and looking out the window.  Here's my front door with rain coming off the roof.

You can see the leaves piled near the house from the winds that preceded the rain.  It's too wet to clean them up now.  We also have water standing in the yard.  We don't have many gutters here in the desert, since we get little rain.  We have had 2" of rain this week and it's still coming down.  Our annual rainfall is about 6".

We are safe and in no danger at this time.  Hopefully this rain will end within 24 hours.

Another Make it Shine challenge card



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Photo



The Constitution was stamped on blue cardstock with white ink.  Vellum overlay has gold stars printed on vellum.  Red border is very sparkly red paper.  Flag is a sticker.





Update on flooding.  Our small town of Mesquite, Nevada is making the news with the flooding.  TV crews were (and probably still are) here in town filming as the waters rise.  The Virgin River will crest during the night.  Some neighborhoods are already flooded and the sandbag crews are active.  So far the water hasn't reached our home.  We're hoping it doesn't.  The rain will continue another 24 hours.







OWH Make it Shine challenge

What do I do during unpleasant weather - make cards.  I know I've been playing with vellum for a few days, but I just made this one for the OWH Vacation Challenge #3.  The bling comes from the metallic paper and the gems.  Techinque is the same as previously stated in Vellum Overlay.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

I know the desert can always use rain, but enough already!!!  It's been raining for several days with no end in sight.  We are officially in a Flood Warning, so we're watching it closely since we don't live far from the river.  The 2005 flood didn't reach this far, so we're hoping that we're safe this time.

The news broadcasts only talk about California, but Nevada and Utah are getting lots of rain also.

I'm trying to concentrate on preparations for Christmas.  Ornaments are handmade, mostly by me over the years.  Merry Christmas to all.  Happy Christmas for my European friends.

Still playing with vellum

Once I dug out my stash of vellum, I found I had more than I remembered.  This vellum has the printed flowers on it.  The scan doesn't show the shiny metallic layer above & below the vellum.  I may have to get out the camera tomorrow.  Too cloudy and rainy today.  The jewels are shiny too and match the metallic paper.  The flowers are made with a BossKut die, called Blossoms.

This photo shows different colors than the scanned version, but it is the same card.

One more Vellum Overlay card

This lacy border stamp is another old one by Alesa Baker that I had never used.  It works well with this technique.  I stamped it on the vellum with Memories black ink, then heat set it.  I colored on the back side with Marvy markers.  This mutes the colors a bit, but looks very nice.

Hero home for Christmas

My Marine grandson has arrived home for Christmas leave.  My only regret is that I won't be able to see him.  He's spending his time at home with his parents and friends in another area of the country.  I'm so happy that he is home for Christmas.

Another Vellum Overlay card

This is another design with the previous technique.  The ribbon and violets stamp is an Alesa Baker Design.  It is stamped on the vellum with Memories black ink and heat set.  It is colored on the back with Marvy markers and heat set. 

The Flowers stamp is an old unmounted stamp of unknown origin and is stamped on white cardstock with Memories black ink.  Edges of vellum are folded to the back of white cardstock and adhered with double stick tape.  With this technique, the adhesive does not show through the vellum because it's on the back of the white layer.

This is mounted on the purple, then onto the yellow base card.  Thinking of You stamp is by DeNami and stamped with Pallette French Lilac ink.

Vellum Overlay

This is my favorite way to use vellum.  The flag and Statue of Liberty are stamped on vellum with a dye ink - Memories black.  Stamp the Constitution on white cardstock with Memories blue ink.  Heat set the ink on both pieces with heat gun to avoid smearing.  Trim the white cardstock to 3" X 5 1/2".  Trim vellum to 4" X 5 1/2".   

Lay the vellum over the white cardstock, with border on top & bottom.  Score the vellum so that it covers the white cardstock and fold vellum to the back.  Apply double stick tape to top & bottom of back side of white cardstock (with Constitution).

Cut red cardstock 4" X 5 1/2".  Add adhesive to edges of vellum/cardstock layer and place on top of red cardstock, with top and bottom showing.  Mount overlay to blue cardstock.

This design can be used with other images, but this is one that I have used.  Enjoy.

Happy Birthday

Today is my hubby's birthday.  This is the card I made for him.

For a martini lover

Inside of card

Thank you, Jo-Anns

This is the card I made for Jo-Ann's to thank them for the prize money.

We did it!!!

Yippee!!!  The results are in an Operation Write Home won 2nd place in the Joann's Craft for a Cause contest.  Thank you for all votes you gave us.  The $25,000 will really help keep this project going.  Thank you Joann's!

We also succeeded in the Archway Special Mission cookie challenge.  The challenge was to make and send in 4000 Valentines to our shippers by Dec. 1.  Archway Cookies will send 4000 cookies to our deployed heros.  We more than doubled that amount and sent in over 8000 Valentines.  They will all be used to send love to their friends and families.

I'm so proud of Operation Write Home.  If you would like to help the cause, you can make cards for the troops like I do.  Another way to help is to send donations to keep the boxes of cards moving.  It takes a lot of postage to mail all these cards that the volunteers make.

Embossing fun

My friend offered to take me along on her trip to the big city on Saturday.  It had been a long time since I'd visited an actual craft store.  I didn't find much that I could afford to buy, but I did pick up some Core'dinations cardstock from the chocolate collection.  I had use the black version before, but I thought the browns might be more to my liking.  With this cardstock, I used Cuttlebug embossing folders, then sanded the brown side to allow the colored core to show through.

 

 

I made multiples of these cards to send to Operation Write Home.  This time of card can be used for the troops to send to a variety of friends and family.

Card for a man

I find that I tend to make most cards for women and have to give some extra thought to creating cards for men.  I frequently resort to humor for men.  Here's one I just made.

The Ziggy stamp is an old one from Stampendous - Jump for Java.  The center stamp is by Serendipity and the Great Birthday stamp is by Hero Arts.  The borders are cut from patterned paper.

This card folds flat to fit an A2 envelope.  Cardstock is cut
5 1/2" X 12" and scored at 2", 4", 8" & 10".  It is then cut 1" from top & bottom between the score lines at 2" & 10".  The folds are made in opposite directions in the center panel and the borders.  The front panel extends to second fold, but is only glued in the center part on the right side.
 * * *
Today is the last day you can vote in the Joann's Craft for a Cause contest.  The winner will be announced on Dec. 7.  I'm voting daily for Operation Write Home.  They can really use these funds for postage to mail boxes of cards to our troops.

Still playing with punches

When I create a design for a card, I play with it and make a few variations.  Here's some that I have made.

I used the Prima flowers for the larger one, then used a tiny punch for smaller center flower.  Those tiny brads in the center of the flowers are very delicate for these old fingers to control.  The lattice chain seems to show up better without the background paper.

Don't forget, there are still a couple more days to vote for Operation Write Home in the Joann's Craft for a Cause contest.  This $50,000 will go a long ways to pay postage for mailing packages of cards to the troops.  You can only vote once every 24 hours and this contest ends on Dec. 4.