The Write Stuff Card

Hello again,
This is my second post today!  I wanted to share this card that I was able to contribute to Paper Crafts' July/August 2012 issue...

:o)
This card actually doesn't appear in the printed issue -- it's part of the additional content that you'll find in the digital issue.  If you subscribe to Paper Crafts' digital issues, you get to view the issues early, and you get to see additional projects.  Neat, eh?  If you're already a print subscriber, you can get free digital access here!

On another note, I have to say that I am seriously the cheesiest dork I know because, after making this card, I could not stop singing that dang NKOTB song.  Is there a way to erase a song from one's memory?!

My current mission is to make a lot of cards for Operation Write Home.  They're experiencing a shortage of cards right now, folks, so if any of you can help, I'm sure they would appreciate it!  

I've been trying to 'adjust' some of my card making habits while making OWH cards.  For one, I need to make more A2-sized cards.  Most of the cards I make are not a standard size, and that won't work for OWH.  I also tend to make a lot of top-fold tall cards [like the one shown above], but I need to make more cards with the fold along the long side so that the card designs will show better in the boxes that OWH sends out [see more about card tucking in the video here].  I think the trickiest thing for me is to ease up on the dimensional adhesive.  That's TOUGH for me, folks! ;o)  I like to say, "There's no such thing as too many foam squares", "Everything looks better with foam squares", and "When in doubt -- put a foam square on it". :D  This will not work for OWH. :o|  Some dimension is okay, but they're not looking for cards that are super-chunky with a heap of layers.

That's enough from me today!  Until next time! 

Chocolate Chip Cookies on a Card

Hello there,
Here to share a card that I was able to contribute to Paper Crafts' special issue Stamp It! Cards, Vol. 9!

:o)
This was my personal favourite of the cards I contributed to this issue -- I had so much fun putting it together!  I made the 'dish' with two circles cut from white cardstock.  I used a smaller circle die to cut the centre out of one of the circles and then adhered the cardstock ring to the full circle.  I thought that would give it more of a dish look. :o)  The chocolate chip cookies were stamped onto patterned paper and fussy cut.  Both patterned papers I used are from October Afternoon, and the fun stamps are from Skipping Stones Design.  This card was actually the card I mentioned in this post and was my first attempt at this sketch I drew:

The card didn't make it into Card Creations 10, but I had to try re-submitting it to Stamp It! :D 

Another card comin' up soon!

Cakewalk Birthday Card with OWH Sketch #129

It's been quite a while since I last participated in a challenge, so I thought it would be fun to try my hand at this week's sketch challenge from Operation Write Home.  I also thought it would be a good way to finally get a box of cards started to send in to OWH!  
Here's the card I made...

:o)
I used paper and die-cuts from October Afternoon's Cakewalk.  What a cute collection -- I love all of the animals in it and the candy colours!  There's even an image in the collection of animals making cards -- I mean, how adorable can you get? :D

Here is Operation Write Home's sketch #129 if you'd like to play along in the sketch challenge:

Have a crafty weekend!

Just My Type Card with OA 9 to 5

I really love the 9 to 5 collection from October Afternoon.  I was a long-time fan of office supplies before I started making cards, and now that I make cards, I'm instantly drawn to office-themed supplies.  I really like OA's products, so when they came out with the 9 to 5 collection, all I could think was, "Dream come true!"  I think I made 4 projects the day the kit arrived in the mail.  
Here's a card using some paper, die-cuts, a label and brads from the collection...

I submitted this card to PC's January/February call, but it didn't get picked.  To be honest, I can't tell if this card has a little too much going on, but I had a lot of fun putting it together, and I like it. :o)

Sorry I'm late to post the winner of the PS stamp set!  The winner is Houses Built of Cards.  Congratulations!!  I'll be e.mailing you shortly for your address!

Thank you again to those who have inquired about craft supplies!  I'm so moved by the amount that has been raised for Rolling Dog Farm so far!

I Wuv You Dog

Unfortunately, I've read more really sad news.  A few hours ago, I checked in on the Rolling Dog Farm blog and read that Sparky passed on Friday.  This is heartbreaking.  He was treated so badly and made to live in such horrible conditions before he arrived at the farm, and then he finally caught a lucky break and got to go to a place where he was loved and taken care of.  And he only got to live there for less than three months.  That just isn't right.  I don't get it...why life can't be fairer to them.   

To me, any card with an animal on it is my favourite kind, so I wanted to post this one that I made recently... 

This sweet little guy featured on the die-cut actually looks a lot like Briggs, the dog I mentioned meeting in this post. 

Hello Flower Card

Here's a card I made a long, long time ago...probably almost two years ago!  

I submitted this card to a few different publication calls and think it might be time to, well, stop.  Sometimes I wonder if the folks at PC are sick of seeing my re-submissions!  I originally made this card to submit to one of their 'Color Play' features.  I miss PC's Color Play, don't you?  The big ol' flower there was cut using my Cricut [which I should try to use more often].

Something Special to Share -- and a Giveaway

Howdy, folks!
Paper Smooches releases their newest set called "Buckaroo" soon, and I am here today to help promote this sweet set!  This is the ninth stamp set from their "Kismet collection".  This stamp set will be available to purchase at midnight on July 14th.  You will be able to find it HERE! 

Here's the card I made to share with you today...

:o)
This card was some serious fun to make.  I used 5 stamps from the new set -- that adorable smiley face is included in the set!  How cute would a smiling cactus be, eh?  The images and the cute sentiment were coloured with pencil crayons, then I fussy cut and attached them with my can't-craft-without-'em foam squares.  I made the little tab for the smiley face out of a small strip of canvas.  That awesome denim paper is from October Afternoon, and I hand-stitched it with embroidery floss.
These stamp images are a lot of fun to colour, and it's nice to make a masculine card that's also fun & cute -- this stamp set is great for that!

I have one "Buckaroo" stamp set to give away to one lucky person!  You have until midnight on July 15th to leave a comment [I have Comment Moderation turned on, so your comment will not appear right away].  I will post the winner here on Monday, July 16th! 

For more chances to win, please visit:
Paper Smooches Blog
Jen del Muro
 
Hope you got a smile here today, and have a crafty weekend! :D

Craft Supply Sale Update for RDF

Hello folks,
My apologies for not getting the rest of the supplies listed by Wednesday as promised -- I finally finished listing supplies a few minutes ago.  I decided to let go of a lot more stuff than I thought I would, and my motivation for that came after reading the sad news about sweet Pip earlier this week.  Made me cry to see his sweet little face there and read about what happened.  I really wish he had more time to live at the farm.  I was also deeply saddened to read that Samantha, Libby, Cedar and Goldie had also passed on this year, in addition to Avery, who I had mentioned in a previous post.  They do not always post when one of the animals has passed on, so this year, I had only known of Avery's passing in February, which was heartbreaking to read.  I just wish I could do more for RDF than just make a donation.

I'm off to give Humble a hug now.

In an Effort to Help

I'm starting to list supplies for sale...you can check out the sale HERE!

As with past sales, the entire selling price from each item that sells [not including shipping charges] will be donated to Rolling Dog Farm!

You can keep up with everything that's going on at the farm by reading their blog [my favourite blog of all blogs!].  A lot has happened there over the last six months or so...

They welcomed Wilbur, Billy, Max, Penny, Bugsy, Sparky and Pip!

Katie and Spencer were adopted, and so was Owen!

Sweet Avery passed away. Avery had been through some unbelievably terrible things in his life before he arrived at Rolling Dog Farm. I wish he had gotten to live at the farm, where he was surrounded by love and understanding, for a lot longer.

One of the many truly wondrous and amazing things that has happened at Rolling Dog Farm was that they were able to give Max his sight back. Can you imagine what that was like for him? :o)

The pictures in this post remind me of how I hug Humble. That is real love right there, folks. It's easy to see why I want to help them.