December already?

Well, I see I've been VERY bad at keeping my blog updated this past couple of months.  I guess it's partly because Grant has been using my camera for a photography class he took this term, which is nearly over, and partly because fall and Christmas approaching have kept me busy.  OK...and the ooh shiny thing.  LOL

I did get a new camera this weekend.  With Pete and Grant egging me on (OK, it didn't take too much convincing), we went to Best Buys and got me a new digital camera.  It's small and compact and easy to use and it's RED, like our new Scion we bought ourselves last month.  Well, that isn't the real reason I bought it, but it's a bonus.  This is a Samsung SMART CAMERA with WiFi connectivity, 10x zoom lens, 24 mm Ultra Wide Angle and 16.2 megapixels.  I intend to upload pics more often now.  I love the other camera, but it is very big and kind of hard for me to handle.  (I'm a delicate flower, don't ya know?)

Now, on to cards...

I will post some cards I've made this fall that have gone on to OWH and some to friends and try to catch up.  Then, with paperwork (can we still call it that in this digital age?) out of the way, I can hit my craft table and get going on my Christmas cards.  I have some made already, but lots more to do because I LOVE sending Christmas cards.  I know most do not send them anymore, but I still love the tradition of writing out folks addresses and putting stamps on envelopes and taking them to the post office and sending them on their way in those blue old fashioned post boxes.  I'm not as ADD as that actress in that movie with the guy* (her name and the movie name escapes me right now) that put her Christmas cards in the box one at a time and then checked the pull down flap after each one to see that it did indeed go into the box, but I do enjoy that act of shoving them in the box.  :)

These are some we made at an OWH party this fall that went into a box for Sandy.  

And these are ones I made.  Most of the design ideas come from OWH sketches and some just come from my musings after looking at the OWH site, the OWH blogs, the FB page, numerous magazines and just ideas from my other card making buddies.  We love to CASE (copy and share everything).

One of my many Any Hero designs.

I computer generated the sentiment for this one.

DP - We R Memory Keepers/Passport Stamp/Mail Cancellation

DP - Red Petite Prints/Doodlebug Design, Inc.

CS - Brown mat SU Chocolate Chip

Card base - stash

Sentiment - Computer generated

CS - CTMH Vinyard Berry

Ink - CTMH Vinyard Berry

DP - Gingham CTMH Vinyard Berry

DP - Flowered paper from my stash

Stamp - Letters CTMH "Pen Pals"

Stamp - Paper Smooches - Circle of Honor OWH fund raising set.

DP and CS from my stash.

CS - stash

Sentiment - CTMH "One of a Kind"

Ribbon - CTMH

Heart is from some gift tags in my stash

Sentiment - Hero Arts "This is Big"

CS - stash

Ink - SU Tangerine Tango

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Peeled Paint

The following 4 cards are ones I made at Tracy Nolta's card making classes.  She is a SU demonstrator and has one class a month.  It's fun, stamping, socializing and getting new card ideas!

These are Any Hero cards I made that were shared with my other besties at OWH card making meetings at Ellen's and East Woods Presbyterian Church and Emeritus Senior Living.  And most of them have been written in and sent on their way to the troops to bring cheer and a shout out from Vancouver, WA.  We <3 our troops.

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay tuned for more Christmas soon.  

*Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail.

Fall begins!

Well, it's been a busy September.  Birthdays, card parties, clean out the shed projects. Phew.  I thought I'd post some of my latest cards to share some of my crafty projects that have been keeping me sane.  :)

But first, here's one of Hel enjoying the last few sunny days of summer while I gather my thoughts...

OK, let's get back to cards...


September is the month we celebrate OWH's birthday because this is the month OWH was awarded Non-Profit status  in 2009.  So we have been having all kinds of fun on the OWH FB page, Sandy Allnock's blog and OWH TV on YouTube.  Our local group of friends have been having lots of fun with card making parties here in the Vancouver area too.

We started out on Labor Day, Sept. 2nd, with a party at East Woods Presbyterian Church, and made a great bunch of cards.  Then continuing the fun...we had a gathering the next day at Emeritus Senior Living.  At this meeting we helped a few residents decorate a Fall bulletin board for their center and had the use of tons of fun stuff provided by the center.  Esther then added pictures of the residents to it afterwards.  It turned out pretty nice.

(This is a pic of Mary and I at the last group meeting at Emeritus, but she had this same great smile on when we were crafting the bulletin board too.)

And Esther found a friend:

The following week, we had our evening gathering on the 10th (Happy Birthday Pete), at Ellen's house and put together kits.  Here are a couple I brought.  I'm slowly getting into Fall and Christmas cards...

Then we drove into Portland on the 14th for a party that was put on by a Portland card maker, Angel Koch.  She had arranged for us to use a meeting room at the Hollywood Branch of Multnomah County library and she had brought over 500 cards to be put together.  There were two young girls happily writing out Any Hero letters when we arrived.  They had wandered into the meeting room by mistake, but took to OWH like ducks to water.  They put together cards, then wrote out letters to the troops.  They were 11 and 12 years old, I believe Angel said, and they wrote jokes and nice notes and did a great job on the cards.  They were there for at least 2 hours!  Thank you Sharon and Ming Ma.  Such cuties.

We had such fun that I told Angel I would love for her to come with us on the following Monday at East Woods.   We were expecting, Sandy Allnock to join us and this would be a great opportunity for Angel to meet her face to face.  Angel wasn't going to have a way to get up to Vancouver, so I told her I'd drive down and pick her up.  She lives just across the river and it was no problem going to get her.   The more the merrier, right?

 Our OWH Fearless Leader, Sandy Allnock, drove down from Federal Way, WA so this was a very special group meeting.  Woo Hoo!  We had cookies and brownies, door prizes, and lots of card kits to put together.  And Sandy took some video that she then incorporated into her OWH TV show.  We had a blast.

We always have door prizes at some point during our meetings, so to help with this Sandy brought down big zip lock bags of card stock, design paper, stickers and embellishments that had been parceled out into themes to contribute.  She had a Hugh Garage Sale last month and a lot of this stuff hadn't sold.  She figured we would put it to good use!  I brought home one stuffed with baseball/softball/sports type stuff and let me tell you, I will be able to make tons of cards with this stuff!  Thanks Sandy.



The following are some of the card kits I took to this group meeting:

CTMH - One of a Kind - Sentiment

Impression Obsession - birds on clothes line image "Hang in There" by Alesa Baker Designs

CS - stash

Baker's twine - hand stitched between the clothes pins and birds feet

 Brads - stash

There was a call on the blog and FB for more masculine cards, so I've done several sets of sports theme cards.  I have a stack of paper with sports stuff that I've been trying to work my way through.  And I am getting tired of the brown and red.  I will dig into that sports package of goodies Sandy provided as a door prize for next year as most of it is baseball theme.  Can't wait.

Sandy had asked us last month what kinds of cards men would pick to send to other men, so I've been trying to make some totally with out froo-froo things on them like lacy ribbons and cutesie things.  Hopefully, these cards will get chosen by some of the troops.

OWH Sketch #78

CTMH cream card stock

SU Soft Suede card stock (mat for tank strip)

A Fistful of Stamps - tank image (this is a great company for military and patriotic stamps)

All Night Media - "Many Tanks" sentiment stamp

Sentiment - CTMH Rustic Alphabet

DP - That great sports stack

Ribbon - May Arts

Kraft paper - stash

(Snap is a football term, right?)

Stampendous - Alphabet stamps

CS/DP - stash

CTMH - Pepperwood ink

Michael's - ribbon

Brads - stash

And here are some Christmasy/winter ones I've been making this month.  I still don't have the urge to make Christmas cards yet.  Sometimes the call for seasonal cards two months ahead of time finds me way behind schedule...or missing it altogether.  Maybe I should just stick with missing you and love you themes.  Safer that way.

I used my Cuttle Bug to emboss the white background.

And some other general themes:

Sketch - variation of OWH B24

CS - stash

DP - K&I Memories - Glitter Paper - Birds

CTMH - Sentiment "One of a Kind" set

And, my favorite that I'm taking to the next group:

You may not be able to see it, but the white pieces are shiny.  I can't remember who gave me this paper, but I have a few precious pieces left.  I typed the sentiment on the flag.  Yes, I still have an honest to goodness manual typewriter.  The yellow card stock is really garishly bright yellow, but I think works great with the black and red.  The sentiment is CTMH from the Play It Safe set.  CTMH - Holiday Red ink.  And the Crime Scene tape is from Scotch Tape that I picked up from Powell's Book Store.  I HAD to have it.

I gave the first one to my sweetie as a belated birthday card.  I got a kiss.

Steaming right along...challenge #2. Homage to Operation Write Home...OWH, get it?

This is my take on challenge #2...

O = Over the hill (and through the woods).
W = White, wreathe, warm window light.
H = Home, Hero Arts, Right at Home.

Ahhh, the light from the windows just makes me feel warm and cozy in that quiet snow fall, don't you feel it?

I'm loving this VCMP.  But I'm off now to make cards with my besties at East Woods Presbyterian Church.  Look for pics later of our cards and happy faces!

Thanks for visiting.

Labor Day VCMP on Operation Write Home this weekend and here's my take on #1.

The challenge was here:  http://brujahrose.blogspot.com/2013/08/labor-day-weekend-vcmp.html, and this is my take on it.   I hope I can get to making more than one new card this weekend!

CS and DP from my stash.  The stamps are from SU, Six Sided Sampler and matching punch.  Who can take the time to cut out all those hexagons?  :)

Oh, and Cuttle Bug for the embossed white panel.

Using a digi I've had for ages...and a stamp set that hadn't seen any ink yet.

I've been trying to go through my supplies and trying to use things that haven't seen the light of day (or ink) yet and explore more OWH Sketches.  I found a digi in my box of "images" that I had printed out, but never got around to coloring or using on a card.  I think the size of "Cal, the California Cow" by Michelle Perkett Studios just intimidated me.  But I colored him up, cut him out, then matted him and put him on a tropical background and I think it worked out just fine.  I think he's so cute and now I'm sorry I used all 8 images I printed out.  I may have to print out some more and make them for next year.  I am afraid, this late in the summer, it's probably past time for summer images.  We are coming up on fall, winter and Christmas themes now so we can get them to our shippers.

One of the OWH card makers mentioned that the cards we make are full of love every step of the way.  Just think about it... the cards are made with love with our hands...then they are  sent to the shipper who handles them with love...then they are sent to the troops who pick out the card they love, write in them with love and send them home to loved ones who open them with love and read and re-read them with love...it just boggles the mind.  Just thinking about all the loving hands that have touched these cards every step of the way....YOU KNOW THEY ARE FULL OF LOVE.   I thought that was a pretty wonderful way to think about what I do.  Another Thank You for Sandy thinking up Operation Write Home.  <3




Anyway, here is Cal:

OWH Sketch #B22 (my variation)
DP - CTMH
Glossy Accents - sunglass lenses  (It's pretty subtle and I'm sorry it doesn't really show in the pic but, I know it's there.)
"Cal" the cow digi (2010) - Michelle Perkett Studio





And OWH can always use general themes like "missing you" and "love you", so here is one using a stamp set by Lawn Fawn that hadn't seen ink yet!  Virgin Acrylic!

OWH Sketch #29
DP Authentique
I believe the salmon pink card stock behind the postcard is CTMH, and it was stamped with the cancellation image from the Lawn Fawn set.
Sentiment and postcard - Lawn Fawn "You've Got Mail"
Memento ink - Tuxedo Black



Now, go out there and have a wonderful, creative day.  If you make cards too, I hope there is some inspiration here.  It always gives me inspiration to look at other peoples card shares too.  Thanks for stopping by.

Some more masculine cards...

Three cards that would be good for male recipients and a thank you.  I put these together for a card party yesterday at East Woods Presbyterian Church.  We had 9 ladies and we put together 311 cards and wrote several Any Hero letters too.  Enough to stuff a box to send to Sandy at OWH.  Woo Hoo!

OWH Sketch #61

Card stock - CTMH

DP - My Mind's Eye, Cowabunga "Oh So Very Cool"

Ink - CTMH Desert Sand

Sentiment - Stampin' Up "For the Birds" 

OWH Sketch #123

Card stock - CTMH

DP - Fancy Pants Designs "Little Sport"

Baseball hat cut out - Cross-My-Heart scrapbook embellishment

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Sentiment - CTMH "Home Run" 

OWH Sketch #171

DP and Card stock from my 

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Sentiment - CTMH "Life's a Jungle"

Card stock and DP from my stash

Ink - SU Pacific Point

Sentiment - SU "Just Believe"

(I'm just loving using different sketches for card ideas.)

ODBD challenge. 50 or more a month and they sponsor shipping for a box of OWH cards! "Like!"

I posted this one last month, but this challenge was for any card with stitching on it so I think this fits the bill.

Sketches and challenges...

I've been meaning to enter some challenges and today I think I will do just that!

There was a MWT (Midweek throw down) on OWH of Masculine cards, so I whipped out a few.  Taking a sketch, or a theme or just matching papers gives me such inspiration.  Well, I'm having a blast anyway.  LOL  I hope you like them and let me know if there is a particular thing you really, really like, or a technique you love, or a paper, or color...because you know I will be using it for inspiration.  :)  Thanks for visiting.

This one is made with great masculine papers I had in a huge stack, but have lost the cover, so I don't remember who makes it.  It's nearly gone now.  *

OWH Sketch #02

Sentiment - CTMH "Sweet Talk"

Bakers twine and tag was from my stash

Ink - CTMH Pepperwood

OWH Sketch #04

Card stock from my stash

DP - KI Memories - Cody Playbook

Ribbon - American Crafts

Sentiment - TPC Studio "Reel Me In"

Ink - CTMH Pepperwood

OWH Sketch #12

Card stock from CTMH

Blue marbled paper from Blick Art Materials (Used to be Art Media)

Ink - Blues from CTMH, Black from Memento

Sea Theme stamps - Stampin' Up "Open Sea"

Sentiment - Inkadinkado "Travel Time"

Card stock - CTMH

Embossed with Cuttle Bug folder

Fabric paper (with little houses) -

DP - KI Memories Jack & Abby Neighbors, Self Adhesive Cloth "paper'

Sentiment - Hero Arts "Right at Home"

---

These are card kits I made for our card parties at Ellen's house, or at East Woods Presbyterian Church.  We have another one on Monday, so I've been busy making some to take.

This darling little butterfly is a scrapbook cut out that came in a box of goodies Sandy sent home with me in May for our stamp group when I stopped by to drop off a box of cards for OWH.  I have a bunch of topiary bushes and flowers and kids baseball caps from that box too that are turning into cards too.  Thanks Sandy for the largesse.

OWH Sketch #01

Cart stock - my stash

Butterfly - MM's Designs  

Ink - CTMH Peach Whip

Memento - Black

This one I made with kids in mind and another cut out scrapbook embellishment (race car) from Sandy's box of goodies.  I had the chipboard popsicle and figured since it was summer now, it wouldn't hurt.  Stay cool!

Sentiment is from Penny Black and card stock and DP were in my stash.

I'm a little sad that it doesn't show it better in this picture, but the sheet of "paper" in the typewriter is a separate one cut out and slid in behind the typewriter bale and then popped up at the top with a little piece of dimensional tape.  I learned on a typewriter much like this, so it takes me back to high school and our lovely soft spoken teacher Miss Peterson.  Ahh, thanks for the memories Hero Arts stamps.  

OWH Sketch #01

Card stock and DP - Stampin' Up

Memento - Black ink

Tim Holtz - Tea Dye

Typewriter - Hero Arts "Thanks"

Sentiment - Hero Arts  "My Type"

* I found the info on the masculine paper I used on this one.  It's by DCWV "The GUY" Stack.  So many wonderful MAN pages to play with.  I'll be posting some more soon because I'm using up more of it.