School colors...

 

I spent two weeks at the end of August getting Zack set-up and acclimated at his college, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL.  He asked that I make him a few thank you cards to send to various people for the gifts and scholarships he received.  He asked that I use the colors of his high school; red and black AND the colors of his college; blue and gold.  The first challenge of the Virtual Card Making Party this past weekend with Operation Write Home just seemed to tie in so well with his request.  I even thought they were semi-masculine.  I hope he likes them.  These will go in his first Care package from home...



Christmas in August

 

I looked at the calendar and thought, "I've got plenty of time..." until I remembered we're leaving Saturday to take Zack off to college.  When I return, it'll be September... yikes!  No time, no time, no time.  So here is my contribution to the Make Five Christmas Cards a Month challenge. CASE'd from a card I saw on Pinterest, I made seven of these...

Supplies used...

• Patterned Paper from the K&Company 12" x 12" Susan Winget pad
• Stampin' Up Old Olive and Very Vanilla Paper
• Recollections Speckled Red Paper
• Chipboard Greetings from K&Company Christmas Cheer Chipbox
• Two tone ribbon
• Dimensionals

First shipment from New Jersey

 

Of course she had to help!  That's what Wuzya's do...

 

Other than the five Christmas Cards from the previous post, the rest of these were made in Massachusetts before moving.  As I'm organizing my studio, I collected random cards from this stash here or that stash there and got them ready for my first shipment from New Jersey.



Back in the saddle for Christmas...

 

 

I missed May and June for the "Make Five Christmas Cards a Month" Challenge due to the major events I had going on in my life.  I was going to blow off July too and use the excuse that I'm just not ready since the month was quickly escaping me anyway.  SO, I'm proud that the "Just do it!" attitude took over this afternoon... GO MOJO!!!

 

Supplies used...

• Patterned Paper from the K&Company 12" x 12" Yuletide pad
• Neenah Desert Storm Background Paper
• Chipboard Greetings from K&Company Christmas Cheer Chipbox
• Lace and Metallic Ribbon
• Dimensionals

Organizing stamps...

 

Since moving to New Jersey and my new studio, I have been diligently working hard to get it set up as my sanctuary.  I was so delighted with this organization idea, I just had to share.  Back in my sardine can in Massachusetts, I had wanted something where I could "see" my wood stamps.  Space restraints made that impossible and they lived in a box, under my bed. 

And as we all know... outta sight, outta mind!

 

While shopping for something else at Loew's I spotted this expandable Shelf Organizer.  I did a double take as my mind was spinning and the wheels were turning.  It's wider than a spice organizer (I think it's meant for cans in your pantry), the depth of the shelf is 3.6".  Perfect, perfect, perfect to store many stamps on one shelf!

 

Because this shelf is in a cabinet with a glass door, I wanted to raise it up about two inches, so it could be seen when the door is closed.  I got one of the many empty moving boxes and cut a perfect sized base.  I even used my score tool to make the edges crisp for when I folded it over!  I then covered it with a pretty wrapping paper I found in the attic...

 

I am so delighted with this!  But the true test will be, does seeing it actually get these stamps used?  Only time will tell!  And I'll put my money on "YES!" ...

Card Therapy...

 

Almost three months since a post!  Yikes!  Where does the time go?

 

The beginning of June marked my marriage to Ernie, my son Zack's graduation from high school and my move to New Jersey.  By the way, all in the same weekend!  I have been buried in boxes ever since...

 

Finally uncovered enough supplies to do something... so here's the beginning of my wedding thank you cards.  I can't even begin to tell you how wicked awesome that was!

 



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... :)