A Tag Challenge

I like using tags on my cards, but this challenge gave me some trouble because I'm not so great matching 3 different papers.  I managed to do it once, and I turned the sketch on its side.

Yesterday, I was making some cards for kids and I hadn't put away this cute little tricycle stamp from Picture Show yet.  I found some scraps with bicycles and wheels and card number two was born.

I'm really tired of making Valentines, but still had some nice scraps leftover and so I decided to use them up. 

I still need to make a few more cards to fill my box for Operation Write Home.  Valentines are due at the end of December and I like to get my holiday cards in about 3 weeks ahead of time, so I'd better get back to work!  Thanks for looking!  ~Nancy F.

Operation Write Home - Sketch 147

This week's sketch is awesome!  I love it!  I plan on using it for everything I do the rest of the week - what a great sketch for using up pretty scraps!  This first one is a cheater - I needed a quick Thanksgiving card.  I was going to cut the wheat into individual pieces, but thought, why bother, I'll just use my artistic license.....

After I had that out of the way, I started to seriously get into this sketch.

It's a little odd, working on Valentines for the heroes at the same time I'm making my own Christmas cards.

 

I realized I was using up a lot of Christmas scraps so I tried to totally switch out of that mode and went for my last project, which celebrates the Sailor being home for the holiday.  

Welcome home, Audrey!

Thanks for looking!  ~Nancy F.

For Veterans' Day - Sketch 146

To honor Veterans' Day, I decided to make all hero cards for this week's sketch.

I'll force my friends and family to write in them so that I can fill my next box of cards for Operation Write Home.  ~Nancy F.

Sketch 145

I decided to take Sketch 145 and use it for Our Daily Bread Designs' challenge to make cards with unused tools.  Our Daily Bread will donate postage to Operation Write Home each month as long as we meet their quota of cards according to their monthly challenges.  Please think about posting a card to their blog for this good cause!   For my first card, I used my crimper, even though I did use this about a month ago, for the same type of challenge over at Kim's blog, I've still probably only used that tool these two times in at least two years.

For my second card, I used a stamp that I've never used.  I think I should have put another layer around the sentiment.  It looks like something is missing.

For my third card, I used some paper from a pack that Hurricane Sandy tried to soak.  Some water ran down the inside of a window and made it through to my stack of unused paper.  I also used my grommet tool, which I used to play with all the time.  Lately, it's been sitting in a drawer.

 This last card was just an afterthought.  I bought the window die at a show in April, and when I came home,
I immediately cut out 4 or 5 of them and set them aside...... until today, that is!  I'll send this one to my friend, the crazy cat lady.   She knows who she is..........

~Nancy F.

Waiting for Sandy and Sketch 144

Here comes Sketch 144, along with Hurricane Sandy, right behind!  I used up some images I had stamped from a previous week's sketch and then glued on the monkey buttons.  These cards are way too thick to send in the mail, so I'll have to save them for something else.

Then I found some scraps of music papers and this drum sticker and starting playing around and came up with this.

And the finale came from my drawer where I keep my silly stamps.  I bought this one in a stamp store in York, Pa.  I was so sorry to find out that it closed last fall.  It was the most awesome stamp store I've ever been to.

~Nancy F.

OWH - Sketch 143

I found this cute paper in my stash and tried to make the sentiment look like it was in a cloud.  Not sure if that was very successful......

I am also in need of some hero cards, and thought this would be a good way to use some of my red,white and blue ribbon.  I would have tried to do some more cards for the sketch, but I ended up spending most of my morning working on my own Christmas cards.  

Unfortunately, this image turned into a tedious project, so it's looking like only one of my relatives is going to be getting this card.......everyone else will get something a little less involved......shhhhhhh....don't tell them!

~Nancy F.

Sketch 142 and a nice day!

Sketch 142 was one of those I had to really think about first.   It took me awhile to come up with something.  This is NOT how they looked in my head....  When I stamp, I always do at least 3 of an image, so now you can tell how many attempts went into the trash by how many cards get posted.  lol

I wasn't really thrilled with how these came out, so I started digging through my drawer of stamped stuff and found an image leftover from a few weeks ago.  I could make Halloween cards forever.

The next card is from a stamp I bought in April at a show, it's by Rubbernecker.   I love their stuff.  I stamped it multiple times in a row and embossed with white embossing powder.  When I went outside to take the photos for the post, I realized that it had become a warm and beautiful day and decided it was as good a time as any to pull up the rest of the wilted flowers that got hit by Friday night's frost.

Thanks for checking in!  ~Nancy F.

OWH - Sketch 141 and some others

I hope everyone was productive for World Card Making Day!
Here are my results from Sketch 141.

I had these images pre-colored, but the light shading didn't really show up on the photos.

I'm trying really hard not to use Christmas stamps because I know I'll never get a box
filled in time to send to Caro, so I'm sticking with just winter stuff.

Nothing finishes out a blog post like monkeys..............

~Nancy F.

OWH - Sketch 139

It's a beautiful fall day here in the Lehigh Valley area of Penna.  I'll putter around the garden a little while I wait for some friends to come over.  We'll be making cards for Operation Write Home, of course!

Here's what Sketch 139 inspired me to do.  This is what popped into my head immediately when I saw the sketch.  Isn't it strange how that happens?  Or is it just me...................lol!
~Nancy F.

OWH Midweek Throwdown

Since I'm home from work and waiting for the DirecTV repairman (he was scheduled for noon and it's almost 3), I've got plenty of time to make a card for the midweek throwdown.  I stole this sketch from Pam, I really like it.

I liked it so much, I made a second.  I'll be writing in these and sending them off in my next box to Caro.

~Nancy F.

Labor Day - Bonus Sketch

Day Two - VCMP!!!!

Sketch #136 starts off day two of the Virtual Card Making Party for Operation Write Home.  I made these two cards for my neighbor, who is constantly fattening me up with her baked goods.

Challenge No. 7 was for Christmas cards - one for a child and one for a hero.

For No. 8, Cherie asked for a sports theme.  I only found a swimming stamp and then I remembered a set of sports stickers that I found on sale at Big Lots last year.

My next challenge was to use a neglected tool.  This was funny, because it was also discussed on another blog that I follow, Stampin' With The Oldies.  I chose my trusty old crimper.  When I first got it, I couldn't put it down.

For our last challenge, we were asked to make a card that represents the state we live in.   This card doesn't really represent my state, but it's all I could come up with.

Aftermath of two day virtual card making................
Looks like day three will be the big cleanup.

Labor Day - OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - Woo hoo!

The first challenge is from Our Daily Bread designs, who regularly donates postage money to Operation Write Home.  I have been wanting to try the triple stamp technique ever since Cherie and her friends showed it to me at the big OWH card making bash last week.  I used Kim's Stampin' Up fall leaves stamps and I love how these turned out.  I'll be making more and this technique is really fun!

The second challenge is a recipe - image, patterned paper and words.  Easy peasy!  The stamp is from Snake Oil Sam and I stamped it multiple times, then cut out of few and put them on pop dots.  I made a bunch of these kits for last week but ended up bringing them home.  The other Cardaholics and I are planning on getting together in a few weeks to finish putting together all our kits that were left over and hopefully that will take care of coloring in Pennsylvania on the OWH Birthday party map. 

Third challenge!  Snowflakes but  no Christmas!  Did I mention how much I love doing these blog hops just because I am constantly reminded of stuff I have that I don't use?  This is one of those stamps.  I wish I had remembered to write the company on the back, but I didn't.

The fourth challenge turned out to be triple stamping, and I thought, woo hoo, I get a little break.  Well, I went outside to sit on the porch and read a magazine.  I glanced up and noticed a huge spider web attached to one of my hanging plants and a porch post, and the rest is history.  I used a spellbinders die set and had to fussy cut the silver layer myself.  The worst part of this project was that I decided to heat emboss the silver spider web and it was tough to pick up the pieces without messing up the image.

I really wrastled with the fifth challenge!  I reckon it's coz I couldn't find any horse or western rubber anywhere in my corrall!  I got me some swell Dustin Pike digis awhile back and so here ya go, pardners!

And that's it for me for the night!  Thanks for looking in!
~Nancy F.

Operation Write Home - Sketch 135 ......and some other stuff.......

Here's my take on Sketch 135 - I used papers I bought at Big Lots, some spellbinders dies and a Martha Stewart stamp.  I know these aren't appropriate to send to Caro, but I needed to play with my Halloween stuff!

This has been a really great weekend.  The Lehigh Valley Cardaholics held a card making party on Saturday and 14 people attended!  It turned out great, in spite of us not really knowing what we were doing as far as planning.  There were travelers from Gilbertsville and Spring City, Pa. and other parts unknown and we're so happy they decided to make the trip!  (if anyone is in witness protection or wants their photo pulled off the blog - let me know...)

Any guesses on how many cards are in those boxes?  Did you say 755? 

Not to mention these Any Hero cards....  I'll be consolidating the two smaller boxes into one larger one and mailing it all off to Caro tomorrow.  All tucked and sorted too!

There were some questions about some of the "stuff" yesterday and as I put things away this morning, I found some answers.

And here's a link to Picture Show stamps, which is the company that I just couldn't get off the tip of my tongue.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pictureshow

Many, many, many, many, many thanks to everyone who helped make yesterday a success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~Nancy F.