OWH Saturday Seminars #1: Focal points!

By sheer coincidence I had made this card a few days before the first OWH Saturday Seminar, in which Paula teaches us about creating a strong focal point. I wasn't thrilled with this card; although not completely awful, it struck me as rather ho-hum (although I had fun using my new Martha Stewart border punch, lol). After reading Paula's seminar lesson, I can see the problem is this card lacks a strong focal point. The eye doesn't know whether to travel to the flower, the sentiment, or the half pearls! So I made it my BEFORE card:


For my AFTER card, I used the same card base color and PP, but I changed the border lace to white because I thought the contrast is better. For the focal point, I decided to use the technique Paula discusses of grouping several images together, and I chose to make the focal point off center on the card. The cutout shapes are in a package from K&Co. that I found at Target. I'm much happier with this card.
Where is your eye drawn to on this card:

Thanks for stopping by! If you'd like to know more about Operation Write Home and take part in the Saturday Seminars, go to www.operationwritehome.org and join in the fun!

OWH Midweek Throwdown: Cards for Kids

I made this card with one of Sliekje's cute free digis at www.sliekje.blogspot.com. I colored it with Marvy LePlume markers and the DP is by Suzy Ultman for K&Company. Recollections brads from Michael's and I made the sentiment in Word.
Thanks for stopping by!

Free new digi: Easter Bunny Artist!

I hope you like my Easter Bunny Artist! You're welcome to use him to make cards (especially lots of cards for the OWH Spring Thaw Challenge)! To use my digi, click on it once to open it, then right click to Save. I'm still learning the technical aspects of digis so my name didn't make it onto this digi, but if you use it and post it to your blog I'd appreciate you mentioning me!
Here's a card I made with my digi:

In case you're wondering, the PPs are called The Goods by American Crafts (purchased at AC Moore); photo corners by Heidi Grace; Recollections brad. I colored my digi with Marvy LePlume markers and a touch of Prismacolor pencil. He's actually wearing a purple artist smock, altho it may look blue in the photo.
Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have fun playing with my new digi!

OWH Sketch Challenge #53

I decided to make an Easter card to get in the swing of the OWH Spring Thaw Challenge! Here are card deets:
PP: DCWV The Luxury Stack; SU ledger paper
Rabbit: Inkadinkado rubber stamp (I didn't mean to cut his nose off)
Sentiment: Inkadinkado clear stamp
Butterfly: Rubber Stampede "Little Butterfly"
Inks: Sepia Archival and Memento Dew Drop "Rose Bud"
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week!

Just for fun: baby boy card

"Emma Swinging" and a masculine card

Two cards I made for Operation Write Home. I can never get my images to post in the order I want, grr. Anyway, my sis gave me the stamp set that includes jeep, helicopter, fire engine, etc..great for guys big and little. I chose kind of Army green colors so a soldier Mom or Dad could send it home to their son. I thought the tags kind of looked like dog tags. The ef is from Cuttlebug. The "Emma Swinging" stamp is from Whimsy Stamps. I love it. I colored her with Prismacolor pencils. I love paper flowers w/ brads and it was fun to layer colors that match the image and the paper.

The missing sketch? OWH #34

A quick and simple card I made following Sketch 34, using a flower and sentiment that were part of a mini paper pad that came with a card magazine. I punched them out and attached a brad to the flower.

OWH Sketch Challenge #52

I saw this big comfy chair image in a card magazine, I think, and just had to have it! I "upholstered" it by stamping it onto the PP and cutting it out. The circle is the other side of the PP.
Deets:
Cosmo Cricket "Something New" two-sided PP
DCWV "The Luxury Stack"
Doodlebug Design Inc. Crushed Velvet Brads
Eat Cake Graphics rubber stamp
Sentiment of unknown origin; faux stitching; button from stash; kraft paper card base
It's a dual sketch challenge this week because Sketch #34 was skipped over. So I hope to post another card asap. Thanks for stopping by!

"For the Brave" stamp from Eat Cake Graphics

I really like this new stamp I ordered from Eat Cake Graphics. I had a little trouble inking it evenly since it's so big. I decided to only color the flags so the stamp itself would stand out, at least this time. I'll probably color it next time I use it. It's just so perfect for the AnyHero letters OWH sends to soldiers! You can also get the image on a t-shirt.
I think this would look cute with fireworks-type PP in the background; will have to get some!
Here's the link to the "For the Brave" stamp; I purchased it unmounted.
http://eatcakegraphics.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_24&products_id=1360

OWH Midweek Throwdown: Unloved/Unused Supplies!

I bought this package of shiny chipboard shapes a while ago and never been sure if I liked them or what to do with them!

As I looked at them tonight, I thought it was kind of fun that they put "Laugh Out Loud" among those flowers and flourishy shapes. Well, if not one of my favorites, it's still one more card for OWH. It will probably be an AnyHero card, because it's kind of chubby.

See you soon!

OWH Sketch #51/ My first paper quilting

Not long after I started making cards (June '10) someone posted a link to a video on CardzTV.com about "card quilting". I saved it in my Favorites and just now got around to trying it. Making the quilt square was fun -- the hardest part was picking out the papers. It's a good project for little scraps. I distressed the paper edges with Ranger Ink and put a CB'd strip in the background. I didn't want to cover up the quilt square, so I tucked the circle element underneath. I thought the sentimen went well with being warm and cozy under a quilt!
My quilt square and matting aren't exactly square, oh well! It was fun --the closest I've ever come to real quilting, lol! I'm glad I could use it for OWH Sketch 51!
I hope that "quilting" video is still up on CardzTV; it's been a while. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!
Here is the link to the CardzTV video: http://cardztv.blogspot.com/2010/08/paper-quilting.html

OWH Midweek Throwdown: Shipper's Choice

"Thinking of You" cards is the OWH MWT Shipper's Choice theme. These papers are from my scrap stash; it really helped me to sort out my scraps as was discussed at the OWH Facebook page! I don't know who made these papers (sorry) but here are the other deets:
Bird stamp: Inkadinkado
Flower stamp: The Paper Source
Sentiment stamp: Stampendous
Flower button: Stampin' Up
Ink: Stampin' Up Artichoke
Ribbon, beading twine
Have a great weekend!

Willow Springs Elementary 2nd graders make AnyHero Letters!

Today I visited Willow Springs Elementary here in Northern Virginia to visit Mrs. Frazier's 2nd grade. My visit had a dual purpose: to read them my children's book (which is about a lady who makes cards) and to make Any Hero letters with them. The kids had a great time and were so creative with their writing and coloring! I will be sending their letters to Dixie in my next box. Here's one example of the kids' creativity:

OWH Sketch #50

I was going for a masculine card and I hope this works! The PPs are from DCWV's The Green Stack. The border punch is my newest acquisition from a trip to Michael's yesterday with coupon in hand. I love this punch. Thanks for the coupon Yolanda!! I also picked up a little box of Recollections brads in sweet colors.