Hope it's a hoot!

Hi there!  Well, I finally broke out the Stampin' Up! Owl punch and am so glad I did.  I bought this punch several months ago but after I received it I couldn't for the life of me remember why I thought I "needed" it.  So, I headed over to Split Coast Stampers and did some research...and found some inspiration.  Yeah!  If you have never been over there it is well worth the time.  Here is a link to their gallery page.  But WAIT!!!  Please read the rest of my post before you head over there because if you don't you'll never make it back.  LOL

The colors are very fall, which is great for the Operation Write Home schedule right now, and I think the card turned out to be pretty gender neutral and can actually span a pretty broad age spectrum too.  Gotta love that!  The card stock is Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, and Summer Sun.  I ran the RR through my Cuttlebug with an embossing folder and used my Nesties for the circle and scallop.  The patterned paper is from a stash of paper that was gifted to me by a Facebook friend.

The sentiment is from a Gina K Design set called Owl Always Love You which I have had for a few years but never use because I would have to color it (don't roll your eyes, I'm trying to get over my coloring phobia, I really am!)

Thanks for stopping by today!  I'd love if you would leave me some love below :)

Challenges:
Stampin' Sisters in Christ: Use any creature, great or small
Blogger's Challenge:  Embossing

S & S Midweek Throwdown - Water

This week's theme over at the S & S Midweek Throwdown is water.  I knew right away the exact stamp set to use - I had just received this set and I was ready to ink it up! 

This set is called Holy Carp and is made by Skipping Stones Design. I love this set and am certain you will be seeing more of it in the future!  That said, how did I do on the coloring?  I used Stampin' Up! water color pencils and a blender pen.  When I grow up I want to color with Copics.

Happy Stamping!

Because of You

This is my creation inspired by this week's Sketch Challenge #79 at the Stars and Stamps blog.  For such a straight forward sketch I sure seemed to struggle with it.  I think my problem was trying to force the use of patterned paper  that was just too harsh with this delicate embossing.  I like the look of the ribbon but wish it was wider.  At any rate it has turned out as a unisex design and that's always a good thing. 

It is difficult to tell from this photo but the card stock is Very Vanilla by Stampin' Up! layered with Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Chip.  The ribbon is also Chocolate Chip.  The sentiment is from a Verve set called Just For You.

Glad you stopped by today...happy stamping!

Challenges:
Stars and Stamps Blog:  Sketch #79

Cheryl's Unbelievable Blog Candy!

Have you seen the blog candy Cheryl is offering over at She Stamps?  It is unbelievably awesome!  The contest is good through July 31st so hurry on over and sign yourself up!

Dustin Pike and S&S Midweek Throwdown - Cards 4 Kids

It's been a few days, sorry, but I am determined to complete my Dustin Pike Week - and I saved my favorite for last.  I am tickled that this card fits right in with the Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown - Cards 4 Kids.  Is this not the perfect sentiment for this theme?  It' another wonderful FREEBIE from Create with TLC!  The image is also another FREEBIE from the Dustin Pike Blog.

Happy Stamping!

Challenges:

OWH Stars & Stamps: Cards 4 Kids

Dustin Pike - Cupcake Monkey

Welcome to Day #4 of my "Dustin Pike Week."  I have to say....I LOVE this image!  And the Glossy Accents added to his eyes and the cupcake sprinkles make it even more adorable to me!  This image is pre-colored and FREE on Dustin's blog - it also comes in black/white.  The sentiment is also FREE at Create with TLC.  The papers are Stampin' Up! as are the matching brads - sorry to say I think the paper is retired.  I used my Cuttlebug for the embossing and circle/scallop cutting.

This card will be sent to Operation Write Home, a wonderful non-profit organization that provides blank handmade cards for our deployed U.S. troops stationed all over the world.

Happy Stamping!

Challenges:

Clear It Out: Anything Goes

Everybody-Art Challenge: Dots

Critter Challenge: Birthday Cards to Yourself

Make It Monday: Anything Goes

Dustin Pike - A Piece of Cake

Hi there!  Today is Day 3 of my "Dustin Pike Week."  This piece of cake is FREE on Dustin Pike's blog and comes either precolored (my fav) or black/white for you Copic lovers out there.  The sentiment is also FREE from Paulette over at Create with TLC blog.  The polka dots are printed on acetate and came in a clearance paper pack from Stampin' Up! It doesn't show up in the photo but the acetate is really cool.


In response to Sherry's question below:  Great question Sherry! Acetate, which is really a thin sheet of clear plastic, has a naturally clingy quality so I didn't see the need to attach it around every edge like I would card stock.  Instead I cut the acetate to the exact size of the card base, attached the image and sentiment, then used my ATG to apply adhesive on the back of the acetate under the image/sentiment then applied it to the card base.  By doing this the acetate is permanently attached but the adhesive is not visible.  I suppose in other applications brads or eyelets would work too.
Happy Stamping!

Challenges:
Cupcake Craftroom: Polka Dots
Inspire Me Fridays: Anything Goes
Fab 'n' Funky: Food

Doodle Pantry Challenge #14

If you are a follower of my blog you are sure to know that my personal preference is pre-colored digis and Doodle Pantry has a very nice selection of them.  However....this isn't one of them!  This is actually  FREEBIE available on their site paired with another sentiment from (where else?) Create with TLC.  I colored this adorable bird with Stampin' Up! markers and added some Glossy Accents to the beak and feet.  This is a square card that is 4.25" so it will still fit into an A2 sized envy.  The patterned paper is from my scrap bin.

As always, this card will be added to my next box for Operation Write Home, a wonderful non-profit organization that provides blank handmade cards for our deployed U.S. Troops to keep in touch with home.

Happy Stamping!
Challenges:
Doodle Pantry Digital Doodles: Use any Doodle Pantry Image
Paper Play Challenges: Things With Wings
By the Cute and Girly: Things With Wings
The Craft Garden: Use a Bird
The Paper Shelter: For the Birds

Dustin Pike - Something to Smile About Tomorrow

Day 2 of "Dustin Pike Week" here at Stamping With a Mission.  This adorable little monster is FREE on Dustin Pike's Blog and you can download it precolored or in black/white to color yourself.  The sentiment is from Create With TLC and is also a FREEBIE.  I really like how versitile this card is - boy or girl, birthday or not, etc.

As always, this card will be added to my next box for Operation Write Home, a wonderful non-profit organization that provides blank handmade cards for our deployed U.S. Troops to keep in touch with home.

Happy Stamping!

Challenges:
Tuesday Throwdown: Fun in the Sun
Ladybugs Crafts Ink Challengeblog: Summer Birthday
Crafty Creations: Boyz to Men
A Gem of a Challenge: Let's Hear it For the Boys

Dustin Pike - Happy Birthday Giraffe

Hi there!  Thanks for stoping by my blog today.  This week I will be posting  a different card every day using the wonderful FREE images of Dustin Pike.  I love all of Dustin's characters but favor those that have been pre-colored and especially those that are free on his blog.  Dustin's online store is called Doodle Dragon Studios and is loaded with adorable images at great prices.  This particular image is the current FREEBIE at the online store.

As always, this card will be added to my next box for Operation Write Home, a wonderful non-profit organization that provides blank handmade cards for our US Troops to keep in touch with home. 

Happy Stamping!

Challenges:
Birthday Sundaes: Anything Goes
Dustin Pike: Animals Rule
Tiffany Doodles: All Creatures Great and Small
Cardmadfairy's Digital Days: Include an Animal
Wags 'n Whiskers: Birthday
Penny's Paper-Crafty: Happy Birthday

Birthday Sundaes - A Summery Color Challenge

This week's challenge over at Birthday Sundaes is to make a card using orange, green and white - summery colors that I have taken some liberty with and turned them into fall colors for Operation Write Home.  Since we are always a few months ahead of the seasons July is time for fall cards and Christmas is right around the corner, too.  I have to admit, I liked the way this turned out so much I made another half dozen or so.

Happy Stamping!

Challenges:
Birthday Sundaes: A Summary Color Challenge (orange, green, white)
One Stitch at a Time: Anything Goes
Make it Monday: Anything Goes

Happy Blogaversary Sandy! Post #3

And here is my 3rd post for Sandy's blogaversary challenge.  :) 

I printed this image and sentiment nearly two weeks ago when I was trying to decide what to do for my sample card for my Play on Words challenge during the OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party.  The image is from  PC Crafter  and the sentiment is from Create with TLC.

Challenges:
It's a Coloruful World: Unisex or Masculine
Here Come The Boys: Sport (must be for boys/men)
Dutch Dare: Summer Fun

Happy Blogaversary Sandy! Post #2

And here is my 2nd entry for Sandy's Blogaversary Celebration Challenge!  Does it look familiar?  It is a total CASE of a card that Sandy made last weekend during our OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party!  I hope she will get a kick out of it - and a smile of course!  I will be making another 5 for my next OWH box :)  Thanks for the inspiration Sandy!

Challenges:
It's a Coloruful World: Unisex or Masculine
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenge:  Get Punchy
Inspire Me Fridays: Anyting Goes
Art Impressions Stamps: Use Something From Your Stash
Forever Friends: Stripes (& must include and animal)
Paper Crafting Journey: For Him

Happy Blogaversary Sandy!

This weekend marks the 4th Blogaversary for Sandy, the President and Founder of Operation Write Home, at It's a Colorful World.  Congratulations Sandy - your blog is an inspiration to many of us and one I personally check it out nearly every day. 

To celebrate Sandy is throwing a virtual party on her blog with an invitation to post unisex or masculine cards - and there's CANDY!  Yippee!  And not just any candy....but  a whole box (medium flat rate no less!) fillllled with goodies!  I can only image what that will contain so of course I am ALL over it!  She will be picking a random winner from all of the participants who link up before the end of the weekend.  However....I noticed that she didn't set a limit to the number of entries (hee hee hee!)

So, here is my first entry Sandy!

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - Easy as 1,2,3

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party Challenge #9 was hosted by Patricia at Thinking of Inking.  The name of the challenge is "Easy as 1, 2, 3" and I loved the way she presented it.  She made a great point that some challenges can be intimidating so she wanted to keep her challenge simple - use 1 piece of designer paper, 2 images, and have 3 or more words in your sentiment.  I chose to use these two images from Designed 2 Delight and the sentiment is from Create with TLC.

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - Foody or Fruity Fourth

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party challenge #12 was hosted by Sarah over at Sarah's Stamping and Stuff to make a card highlighting food or fruit as your focal image.  I chose to use this wonderful free digi from Paula S. (thanks Paula!)that has been in my "to do" pile for a few months now.  I actually like this one so much that I have it hanging in my office.

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - Color Me Crazy

The OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party continues with challenge #14 by Tammy at My Craft Central called Color Me Crazy to create a card using nontraditional colors in your focal image.  I chose to stamp my image onto colored card stock and then cut it out.  The dp is Stampin' Up! and the stamps are from Gina K Designs.

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - All About Animals

I'm back!  I was out of town for the Fourth but am back today and continuing to "work" my way through the OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party challenges -  although not in order.  This card is what I lovingly call a "twofer" meaning that it meets two different challenges at the same time. 

The VCP challenge #16 was given by Trish at Mouse Print Creations to make a card using an animal image.  I already had this image in mind for the S & S Midweek Throwdown Challenge - Autumn/Fall so I put the two challenges together and am happy with the result.



OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - PLAY ON WORDS

Welcome fellow OWH card makers!  I am very honored and excited to host this challenge today.  My husband is the King of Puns and after 25 years together I find myself coming up with quite a few puns of my own and I thought it would be fun to see the funny side of our card making community.

To play along with this challenge create a card using a "sentiment" that uses ordinary words in an extraordinary way.  For example, "be" can be changed to "bee" and used with a bee image. Or maybe you can substitute a word with another word that has a completely different meaning when used in another context.  If you don't have any stamps that fit into this category I suggest you check out Paulette's blog - Create With TLC -where you will find tons of FREE digital sentiments (aka Word Art.)  Be sure to leave Paulette some words of gratitude if you find something you can use.

The sentiment was FREE from Create With TLC (of course!) The cow was also FREE from PC Crafter.

There were actually several phrases that I considered using with this image (anything with a reference to "back" or "hips"  or "udder" were all great candidates to me) but I settled on this one because I really didn't want to bring any more attention to the cow's hind quarters (doesn't she have the sweetest eyes?)

So, now it's YOUR turn!  Go get your funny on...and link your creation using the linky tool below.  When you do you will automatically be entered in the contest with OWH for a very special prize. 

Have fun....and go with whatever Play on Words that "mooooves" you!

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - What Does Freedom Mean to You?

This card is for Carol's challenge over at Our Little Inspirations to make a card that represents FREEDOM to you.  I chose this beautiful eagle clip art that I found online (just by googling eagle images.)  I colored his eye and beak (very lightly) with SU watercolor pencil and then highlighted the eye with Glossy Accents.

The photo is too washed out (sorry) to show the layer of gold card stock behind the eagle but it really does dress up the card - and I just noticed that it makes the card ARMY colors :)

I have covered two challenges with this card because I used this week's Sketch Challenge #76!

Footnote:

I am honored and tickled that this card has been chosen to win an embroidered Operation Write Home badge - even if is was by random.org!  And I really am excited that it was for two challenges so this week's Sketch Challenge has been promoted again.  :)

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - Tie a Yellow Ribbon

The third challenge was given by Tanya at Tinkerin In Ink with Tanya - it is actually a color challenge using these colors: Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Peach Parfait (of which I had none) and Early Espresso (which I substituted with Chocolate Chip.)  The background paper was on clearance at JoAnn's and the digi was a freebie - sorry I can't remember the origins, if you know tell me and I will update this post and add a link.

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - There's Something Fishy Going On

The second challenge today for the OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party was presented by Sheila over at 2 Paw Prints to make a card that has a fishbowl.  She made a BIG fishbowl with her Cricuit - which I don't have - and mine is tiny in comparison but it works...right?  The stamp is form Stampin' Up set called Lettle Hellos (2003.)  The background paper is actually a printed sheet of vellum (also SU) adhered to white card stock with Glossy Accents - which surprisingly is almost invisible.

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party - Camo Challenge

And we're off...!  The first challange today is CAMO.  I didn't have any camo paper (and have looked, believe me) but I remembered this great digi that I had downloaded a few months ago from Dee Dee's Digis.  Unfortunately Dee Dee is taking a hiatis from her online business and I was unable to procure a link to share.

I colored the digi with Stampin' Up! watercolor pencils and softened the white card stock by sponging on some Creamy Caramel ink - the colors are much stronger in real life than in this photo, but you get the idea. 

Onward to the next challenge - to join in just head over to the Stars and Stamps blog.  There's no time limit to join in on the fun!

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party! Check it out!

Have you heard?!?  I am sooooo verrrrryyy excited!!! 

"What is it?" you ask.  Well let me tell ya - it the start of something BIG that you are going to love!  It is and INTERACTIVE Bloghop.  For this event we will be creating while we hop!  All day Saturday and all day Sunday new challenges will be posted at designated blogs and rather than just "oohhhing and ahhhing" then leaving some love we will actually be creating our own cards based on the challenge presented and then sharing them right on that same blog.  Oh, and there will be prizes!

I am looking forward to the challenges (16 in total - one right here on MY blog *smile*) to turbo charge my mojo and to seeing all of the creations that come from them.  Not going to be available this weekend?  No worries....the blog links will stay on the Stars and Stamps blog for you to utilize anytime. 

See you there!