Any Hero cards...

I just made four of these pretty darn quick for the OWH Midweek Throwdown.  The challenge is to make an Any Hero card WITH a flag on it.  The stamp and sentiment are by A-muse Studio and the set is called "Let Freedom Ring"...

 

I wrote and colored 23 Any Hero notes a week and a half ago while with the Taxman (we were there for over six hours but came out unscathed).  I've slowly been making card fronts for them to add to my next box to OWH.  All my notes are the same in this batch which is why I wrote so many while with him... no thinking was involved.

 

 The starburst in the upper left is an odd size, which is okay for Any Hero mail... thank goodness.  The starburst in the upper right and lower left is where you leave a little of the background paper showing betweeen each burst.  Pretty darn cool effect!  I had seen something like it, a 12"x 12" version, and wanted to do it in my Project Life album.  It took my Math genius husband to explain to me what I was seeing.  After he explained it, my lightbulb went on...

 

Thank God for genius husbands... :)

SO, what did I do with them?

I'm talking about all those "Any Hero" fronts I made for the OWH Bloghop...

see original post HERE

 

This was the process used with the students in Zack's Communication class at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University just before the semester ended this year.  Each student who was "persuaded" (LOL), took one of these.  Back when we were doing this for the high school two years ago, my husband (then fiancé) took the suggested "Coloring pages for older kids" sheet off the OWH website and shrunk it down so we got four to a page.  Now, he's updated it to include a "landscape" layout for those cards I make that are landscape...

 

 Zack brought back to me all these notes...

 

 

 I trimmed them, stamped my email and colored them in...

 

 

Then I adhered them to the backs of the fronts I had made...

 

"Backs of the fronts", isn't that a riot?  Anyway, yes, it is alot of work but to me it is worth every second I spend on the whole process.  Some of these will be around forever and I want the appreciation of the students and myself to always be evident for our Heroes' sacrifice...



It's Bloghop time!!

Happy Memorial Day!
Join me as we honor those who have fought for our freedoms...

All of my cards in this post will be used as fronts for "Any Hero" notes that I have to forward to OWH during this month of Military Appreciation.  This first set of cards is using paper from a 12" x 12" pad called "Americana" that I acquired at a Yard Sale for a mere $2.  Talk about score!  All the sheets were still in it and in perfect condition...

This second set of cards are ones I CASEd many moons ago, when Zack ran his campaign to have every student at Marblehead High School write an "Any Hero" note.  I loved it so much, I've made it many, many times since then.  I don't know where the digi is from so if anyone can fill me in, I'd be grateful...
Update:  Click HERE for the link to the digi, thank you Elsie B.

And of course, what's a Blog Hop without the trusty old Scrappy Background and Starburst.  This last set of cards used only scraps from my "Any Hero" box.  That includes previously stamped images, stickers and digis.  Once again, if you know where the "Star Spangled happiness... " digi is from, please enlighten me... :)

SO, why so many "Any Hero" fronts?  One of Zack's final assignments in his Communications class at Embry-Riddle this past semester was to give a Persuasive Argument.  Zack choose to persuade his audience on why they should write a note of encouragement to a deployed hero.  Three quarters of his class obliged.  Sandy, if you're reading this, you would have beamed.  Zack showed me the link of the "argument" and I could not be prouder!  It overwhelms me to know my passion is his passion...

Have a safe and Happy Memorial Day!  Enjoy your time... and remember our heroes, past and present.  To get back to the beginning of the Blog Hop, click HERE


Four weeks ago...

 

 

Four weeks ago today, I had the pleasure of meeting with a group of Marblehead High School students who wanted to learn about and make cards for the troops. I set up a couple different stations and they assembled cards from some kits I had made up.  One of the stations had paper, embellishments, pens, markers and stickers and they made and wrote their own Any Hero notes.  One of the young ladies asked me what an Any Hero note was.  While I explained it (btw... something I have explained many, many times before to countless people), I got so choked up and had tears in my eyes that I couldn't speak.  I shared this story with my fellow cardmakers on the Operation Write Home facebook page and someone pointed out that I may have become so choked up because many of our heroes are not much older than the students I was teaching.  I think she was right...

 

Altogether, they assembled 41 cards and made and wrote 14 Any Hero notes.  And I just know, they won't soon forget what we did on that day... :)

 



Every heart beats true...

 

Another Midweek Throwdown and it's right up my alley!  A color challenge (red, white and blue) AND an "Any Hero" card.  I finally got to use a stamp set that I've had for a few weeks.  My last shipment to Operation Write Home for 2012 went out on Monday with the FINAL twenty-six cards from the students at Marblehead High School.  I'm free and clear!!  Until Zack decides to do this again in the Spring...

 

Products used...

• Neenah Desert storm and Recollections red paper
• Let Freedom Ring stamp set from Amuse Studio
• White Gel Pen
• Tim Holtz' Barn Door, Faded Jeans and Black Soot inks
• Button from the zillions I have
• Bead Cording

Number 710...

This is one of the very first cards I admired that had been designed by my mentor, Barb.  I was in such awe!  While I visited her in California (now over two years ago... yikes! ), she taught me in person how to do this.  The one on the left is the one we did in her studio back then.  The one on the right is my current attempt with supplies I have now.  The flag is from the Close to My Heart set called Vintage USA and was one of the first things I asked for that Christmas.  My fiancé had a difficult time finding it, as it was discontinued.  However, if you know Ernie, you know he'd die trying.  Fortunately, he didn't die and I got the set for Christmas... :)

Since I only have twelve of the 710 Any Hero card fronts left to make for the notes from the students at Marblehead High School, I thought THIS card would be most appropriate!  You can see the original post HERE about Zack's campaign...

What a Hop!!

I was completely overwhelmed with the Memorial Day Blog Hop.  It was incredible!  Not only did I get ALOT of love on my post... wow!! But I saw SO MANY incredible things on all the other blogs I hopped to.  It took me three days to visit everyone and there is no doubt in my mind that I'll be visiting them again and again...

One of the blogs I visited, The Efficient Crafter, had this tutorial on "Assembly Line Cardmaking" that just blew me away!  The whole ride home from New Jersey to Massachusetts, I was cutting in my head; thinking of zillions of combinations while I was driving.  So, the first thing I did this morning was this...

Is that cool, or what!!  I did have to replace the third middle piece with a navy blue piece because I couldn't figure out how to get the sentiment to show up on the patterned paper.  In the tutorial, she turns that piece around and stamps on the back but the back of my paper was a stark white color and I didn't think it went with the cream color of the patterned paper.  It certainly gives me "food for thought" for the next time around.

And the next time around was... this afternoon! ...lol

This was one of the combinations that was running thru my head on the drive home.  This is SO festive to me.  I really, really like this tutorial and will definitely use it again...

Memorial Day "Sketch" Blog Hop...

Welcome, welcome, welcome!  This is my first ever Blog Hop... woo hoo!!  My life has been so full of many "firsts" since I got involved with OWH... :) 

So this card is my take on Sketch #90.  The card itself will be the front to an "Any Hero" note from the students at Marblehead High School.  My son Zack, a Junior at MHS, ran a campaign at the beginning of March to get every student to write a note to a hero who is deployed.  The principal extended their homeroom one Monday so they could write and we received 710 notes.  Since then, we've colored in the notes (which were plain, see this post below) and made card fronts for them.  As you can see on the sidebar, we've completed and sent 462 to the shippers at OWH. I love coming up with new fronts for the cards so if one day someone collects all 710 back, they'll see such an eclectic collection... (I know... a weird thought, eh?)

The "shimmery" stamps are from a package of stars that are meant to be table confetti (found at Hobby Lobby) and adhered with glue dots.  The paper is from a Scrapbooking Page Kit (also from Hobby Lobby), the sentiment is from a sticker set by Momenta (found at Michaels) and the ribbon is from Wal-mart.  It's apparent that I get around in collecting "stuff" to make cards with, wouldn't you say?  ...lol

Another Midweek Throwdown Entry...

This weeks Midweek Throwdown over on the Stars and Stamps blog is to make something Patriotic.  Considering I've been living and breathing Patriotic cards since February... you just KNOW I had to make an entry.  These two cards are CASE'd from two wonderful ladies that have helped Zack and I with our "Any Hero" project from the students at MHS by sending us card fronts and coloring in notes.  I still need to CASE one from Susan in New Jersey but for now, there's just these two. The first is CASE'd from Krystil in North Carolina and the second is CASE'd from Sherry in Ohio.  I've met so many wonderful people thru the facebook page of OWH and I just wanted to say a public "Thank-you ladies!  You're the bestest!"...

Scrappy Backgrounds...

I was just about to pack it in for the night when I saw the Tuesday Tutorial over on the Stars and Stamps blog.  As we say here in Boston, "That is wicked awesome!!"  I just had to try it.  I am IN LOVE with this technique.  Goodbye scrap pile!  Hello awesome background paper...

woo hoo!!

OWH Sketch #2...

I'm really trying to have a wide variety of card fronts on our "Any Hero" cards that are being sent to Operation Write Home from the MHS students.  The middle piece is a dimensional sticker from a set called "Fourth of July" made by me & my BIG ideas.  This is Sketch #2 on the Stars and Stamps blog of OWH.  And this red paper... OMG!  I LOVE it!  It is on sale this week at Michael's 5 for $1.00... I bought tons!  I love that it's textured and has black flecks in it.  It will be so versatile in many of my projects.  SO, another sketch I can take off my list...

Found my copics... well, not that they were missing or anything!

I haven't used my copics since Christmas (bad, bad girl!) and it's the middle of April.  Someone please explain how time is getting so far away from me?  My hand kept shaking and caused me to go outside the lines in a few places.  I know, I know, more practice... :)  Anyone who uses copics regularly and has any suggestions, please share... I am forever in learning mode!  Both stamps are from Art Gone Wild!

LOVE this new stamp...

I purchased this stamp set at my favorite LSS, Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA yesterday.  Came home and made ten.  Then this morning I awoke and made another ten.  The set, of which I've only used this stamp so far, is from Art Gone Wild!  It's called "Stars & Stripes Sayings".  I love it's simplicity.  I love the font, I love that the stamps are clear and I can see exactly where I'm stamping and of course, I love what it says...

Back to the "Any Hero" cards...

Working on some more of the "Any Hero" card fronts for the 710 MHS notes

we received on March 5th.

Ut oh... I'm running out of February!

My son and I have taken on a project to have every student at Marblehead High School sign an "Any Hero" card for OWH.  The projected date for signing is March 5th.  I've made 37 so far using the above designs.  Any card designs YOU'd like to share will be greatly appreciated... :)  Only 963 to go... yikes!!!

Thinking "Any Hero" cards...

Did you ever have one of those nights where a million worries are going thru your head?  And since I couldn't sleep, I got up and made cards.  This is using Sketch #108 from the Stars and Stripes section of the OWH website...