Holy Cow!

I made this card for my brother-in-law's 96th birthday.  The stamps on front of card are by Embossing Arts Co., 1999.  I think the company is long out of business.  I stamped the cow on white cardstock and cut it out and mounted it on the blue marble paper.  I used a gold Pilot pen for the halo and Twinkling H2O for the wings.  The 'you're how old?' stamp is by Art Impressions.  Happy Birthday stamp is unmounted with no label.

Correction:  I just learned that the stamps from Embossing Arts are still available through I Brake For Stamps.  Great news since they had great stamps.

OWH Muscle card challenge

Since I challenged myself to get a box mailed to Operation Write Home for the Muscle Card Challenge, I'm getting a box ready to mail.  They need to be half masculine or Father's Day and half other cards.  I managed to make 11 cards in each category this month.  This is my final 'other' card.

I inked the inside of the front half my Cuttlebug 'Musical Flourish' embossing folder, then inserted a piece of white cardstock and ran the folder through the Big Shot.  The raised areas remain white and the background is colored my the Adirondak Pesto ink.  This embossed piece was trimmed and mounted on a card base of DCWV textured cardstock.  Tip: This dark colored card base will need a lighter colored liner, so our heroes have a place to write their message.

I stamped the Hero Arts sentiment with the same pesto ink on white cardstock.  I cut it out with a Spellbinders classic oval Nestibility.  The frame is cut from same cardstock as card base with a lacy oval Nestie.  Tip:  When using these dies with small openings, it is best to place waxed paper between die and cardstock when running through the die cut machine.  This makes the small cut-out pieces easier to remove.

To finish off my box to OWH, I always include at least one any hero card.  These cards have a written message to thank the troups for keeping us free.  We are so proud of all of them.  The cards don't need to be patriotic, but this one is made with my new Starry Sky punch by Martha Stewart.

The red & white stripes are from a Mat Stack from DCWV.  The sentiment is from a new set of Hero Mail stamps that I won from OWH, made by Amuse Studio.

I need to write a personal message inside this card, then tuck them all into envelopes and pack for mailing to my shipper at Operation Write Home.  They need to be in her possession by April 30, so she can pack them into boxes and mail them to our deployed troups.  They need time to write in the cards and mail them to their loved ones at home.

Working on challenge

About a month ago, I began an effort to submit some cards to OWH for the Muscle Card Challenge.  Those cards are due to the shipper in one week.  I haven't done too well.  I started with masculine cards, but needed to make an equal number of other cards to complete the challenge.  I've been working on them this weekend.

I made several more similar to the card in the previous post:

I've also made some cards using my new Martha Stewart 'punch all over the page'.  This is the Crochet Flower Pattern.

I punched the Crochet Pattern punch on a small piece of cardstock, then cut it out with a scalloped square Nestibility.  I cut out the big square with the next larger size of Nestibility for a background and frame.  I embossed the background with my new Cuttlebug Rebecca embossing folder.  It's hard to see the embossing in the photo.  Click on the photo to see if it shows better.

This is the same Crochet Flower punch cut from the center of the magenta layer.  I mounted it on a pink cardstock.  The frame is cut with 2 square Nesties and glued around the punched out design.  The punched pink strip is cut with a Martha Stewart 'Infinite Loops Trim' edger punch.  The sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp with Memento Rose Bud ink.  I added some bling to make it sparkle.

Now, I need to make a few more cards so I can get these in the mail.



Thinking of You

I had the opportunity to accompany a friend to a nearby city for a doctor visit and shopping.  It had been about 10 months since I had been in a craft store.  Of course I found some new toys for my cardmaking.  I purchased this Punch around the Page set by Martha Stewart.  It is called Swirling Lace.  I had to make a nice feminine card to go into the box for OWH.  The Muscle Card Challenge card is due at shippers in one week.  I must hurry and get some more made.

The sentiment is a stamp by Hero Arts and is cut out with a Labels 3 Nestibility die.  The background paper is by Recollections and the ribbon by Offray.  The cardstock came from my stash, which is no longer labeled.

Fluttering by to say Hi

I'm still struggling for mojo.  I'm hoping to get more creative one of these days.  This butterfly is a two part die from QuicKutz, the punch is by EK Success and the paper is by Basic Grey.  The sentiment is unmounted with no label.

I'm enjoying the warm sunny weather.  Here's one of my 3 palm trees that are in bloom.



Butterfly friends

This is a two-part butterfly die by QuicKutz.  I cut the solid piece from orange cardstock and cut the open butterfly from black cardstock.  This is labor intensive because all the little open bits need to be removed and then the 2 pieces glued together with Tombow Multi liquid glue.  It needs to be carefully lined up.  I made the sentiment with a Hero Arts stamp and cut frame with Nestibilities.

The background was made by adding ink to back inside of Cuttlebug folder, then embossing the white cardstock so the embossed areas remain white and the debossed areas are colored by the ink.  I learned this technique from Stamp TV. 

I have a box of backgrounds that were made long ago.  I like to practice making them after I learn a new technique.  It's good to keep these because they may work well in a future project.  I could never remember all these techniques unless I practice them soon after learning about them. 

Playing with birds

I made one more card from the Basic Grey papers I used yesterday.  I used a Corner Adorner punch to create decorative slots in the corners of the cranberry cardstock.  To create the narrow frame for the Labels 2 Nestie, I cut both pieces with the same die, then trimmed green paper on the embossing line.  You have to do this while your hands are steady.  I did the same with the sentiment.  Good sharp scissors are your friend in both cases.

Just for You

I made this card with printed paper by Basic Grey.  The bird die & sentiment frame are by Sizzix and the bird frame is by Spellbinders.  The sentiment is by Hero Arts.

Progress

I'm having problems getting back on track for making cards.  It took several days, but I did complete 8 cards of OWH.

I've been working on getting my craft room functional.  Here's some photos to show my progress.

View of west wall from doorway.
Tall table in front with Big Shot - standing work surface.

Storage behind door - north wall.

Northwest corner of room
Paper, ink, dies, ribbon, xyrons.