USA

 I recently won this fun stamp set and stencil by playing in the Allsorts challenge, and with July 4th almost upon us, it was time to make a card with my new goodies. The stamp set and stencil are both by AALL & Create. I used the red. white, and blue patriotic theme, except for the Statue of Liberty which was colored with shades of green Copics. I added a stitched die cut oval, circle, and rectangle to place the stamped images on, and added a few tiny die-cut stars from my snippets box to finish this card.

I'll share this with the following challenges:

The Allsorts Challenge Week #787 - Way to Grow or the A/G option

Just Us Girls Challenge#733 - A/G using a Stencil 

July 2024 Stencil Challenge - Use a Stencil *OPT Shades of Blue

NBUS Challenge #64 - Never Before Used Schtuff (stamps and stencil)

Colorful Options July 2024 - Flags -USA flags are red, white, and blue

My links are finally working again and all it took was a power outage to fix it. It looks like I was missing an update in trying to resolve that issue, but everything updated once the power was restored. Our power went off Saturday night at 11 and didn't come back on until after 7:30 the following morning, so I guess my computer needed that long rest 😏

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day whatever you do.

Carol

A Patriotic Celebration

 I thought I'd make a red, white, and blue card to celebrate either a birthday or July 4th. I have 2 friends who were born on July 4th, so this could work for both.

I started with a piece of pre-embossed cardstock from SSS with a beautiful woodgrain finish that I just love. I used random bits of assorted blue  cardstock and cut lots of mini stitched banners with a Lil Inker die. I assembled them side by side, then cut the whole piece with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die and placed it on a red card base that I also cut with a larger stitched rectangle die. I save all those tiny little negative bits in an old prescription container, so I pulled out lots of them in matching colors to decorate this, along with a Lil Inker Celebrate sentiment and called it done.

I'll share this with -

 the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - red/white and/or blue

also with -

Pixie's Snippets Playground challenge #406 - must use snippets

Thanks for the visit and my wish is for you to have an exceptional day!

Carol

A Red, White, and Blue Birthday

I have a friend who was born on July 4th, so I always make her a patriotic birthday card and this is one of those. I began with punched 1" squares of red and blue patterned papers and adhered them to a piece of white cardstock, then die-cut it with a Top Note die. This was placed on a white card base, and I added some balloons done with a MS punch, and pieces of assorted red, white, and blue twine to each one. The word "Happy" is from Simon Says Stamp "Oh Happy Day" dies, and the word "Birthday" was done with a Sweet n Sassy die.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - birthday cards to celebrate their 9th

Double D Challenges - use twine

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper challenge for April 2018 - use patterned paper

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day!

Carol

Play Ball!

I have a red, white, and blue card which is perfect for the July 4th holiday weekend here in the US. I used this cute House Mouse image, and colored him with Copics, then used SB square dies to cut the image panel out and mat with Navy. The background was done with a Stampendous square illusion background stamp with red ink on white cardstock. I added a Simon Says Stamp sentiment done in navy on white, and followed up with some random red, white, and blue stars. The red card base was cut with a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die.

I'm sharing this with the House-Mouse & Friends HMFMC#222 challenge which is "A day spent with friends." What's better than friends going to enjoy a good-old American baseball game?

Thanks for stopping by and I wish you all a great, safe weekend!

Carol

More Red, White, and Blue

With the 4th of July celebration nearing, I guess I'm in patriotic mode with my cards, so here's another red, white, & blue card. I used a Penny Black image, and layered it on 2 different SU! framelit die cuts. The striped panel was done with a SU! scalloped top tag punch, and the bottom blue tag was done with another SU! framelit die tag from the chalk talk set. The background was embossed with a Darice tiny stars ef, and I added some red, white, and blue twine to the top. The tiny stars were negatives from a SSS border die and I used them just to balance everything.

I'm sharing this at the Little Red Wagon challenge #345 which is "Tag, You're It" - add a tag to your project.

Have a fabulous day and thanks for stopping by once again!

Carol

Red, White & Blue Patchwork Birthday

I have a friend who was born on the 4th of July, so every year I make her a patriotic card. She loves that she always gets fireworks and the day off to celebrate her special day! (lucky girl!) I started with a navy card base, and used a top note die to cut the red panel. I cut 1" squares of designer paper snippets and glued them onto a scrap piece of cardstock, then punched it using a SU! scalloped top tag punch. I die cut the white panel with a petite scalloped oval die by SB after using navy ink for the SNSS birthday sentiment. The balloons were done with a Martha Stewart punch, and I added some twine from the twinery. A red snippet of ribbon to the tag, and some assorted sequins finished this card.

I'm sharing this with the Snippets Playground #229 - which is to use snippets.

I'm also sharing it with the Happy Little Stampers May Anything Goes with Dies challenge. I used the SU! top note die, as well as the SB petite oval die.

Sunshine returned to PA today along with some much cooler weather and strong winds! I'll take it!!! That bright sun always makes me feel better than rain!

Thanks for stopping by and make it a great day!

Carol

A Hero's Thank You

This is one of several "any hero" thank-you cards I'm enclosing in my final box of cards heading to OWH before they close. I used a retired SU! image and sentiment for this, embossing the image on kraft with gold embossing powder. I drew lines around the Nestabilities Labels 2 die before cutting the image, and then colored with Copics. I put it on a dark green piece of cardstock, and punched 3 gold stars using a SU! mini star punch. The banner was done with SU! framelits and I drew around that with a fine black marker before cutting - just like the image panel. I don't anticipate being able to use this image too often after OWH closes, so I'm making cards to thank our heroes.

I'm sharing this with the OWH ODBD July challenge to make "thank-you" cards for our heroes.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Carol

Happy Birthday America!

I've had a life-long friend who celebrates her birthday on July 4th, and she loves that she was born on such a fun and festive day. What fun it must be to have fireworks and parades on your special day every year! I always make her some sort of red, white and blue card, and this is the one I made for her this year. I made another herringbone background with assorted patriotic strips of dsp. The sentiment was done with a "Morning Meadow" stamp set by SU! The stars were done with a larger Punch-a-bunch, and a smaller SU! punch. The centers were embellished with a red, white, and blue mini star on each, while the sentiment panel was cut with SB scalloped and regular petite ovals. I finished the outside edges of the card with a Lil Inker stitched rectangles die.

Happy Birthday to America and those who celebrate their birthday today! 

Make it a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Red, White, and Blue Love You

I have a card today that might be the last one going into my final OWH box of cards. With July 4th being just 2 days away, I'm in a very patriotic frame of mind and have made quite a few cards using red, white, and blue.

I used a sheet of Pebbles dsp for the background, and the strip of navy stars on the tag was the edge of the 12x12 dsp. I cut 3 feathers with a Memory Box wild feathers die, and tied them together with some red, white, and blue twisted twine. The tag was done with a SU! scalloped tag punch, and I added 2 mini star brads, along with some white satin ribbon. The red panel was done with a Lil Inker stitched diagonal die, and I added some random heart pieces from my doo-dad box. The sentiment was done with a SSS small "love you" die.

I'm entering this into the Memory Box Challenge #2 - use a MB stamp or die (I used Wild Feathers die) and use the colors red, white, and blue.

I'm also sharing this at the Snippets Playground #183 - use snippets

I'll have something else to share later on this afternoon, so stay tuned. Make it a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Patriotic Thinking of You

With the 4th of July just around the corner, I've been in patriotic mode, making lots of cards in red, white, and blue colors. For this I used a SU! framelit die for the large tag, a SU! scalloped top punch for the striped panel, and 2 more SU! framelit dies for the red and white panels. The sentiment is from LOTV, and I added a strip of light blue dsp diagonally, with 3 negatives from a SSS star border die. The embossed background is from Darice, and the bow was done with some divine twine from Whisker Graphics.

I'm entering this into the Shopping our Stash #208 challenge which is to use a button, a bauble, or a bow.

I'm also entering this into the Cards in Envy challenge which is red, white, and blue.

Last but not least, I'll enter this into the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge which is anything goes.

Have a great last day of June everyone, and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Hello Quilt Card

I love playing with this MFT stitched quilt die, so I've made a red, white, and blue card for my last OWH box. I added a G Studio sentiment heat-embossed with white ep, then added 2 punched flowers using a SU! boho blossoms punch, and a white mini brad in the center finished this card.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Cards in Envy - red, white, and blue

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes.

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

Carol

Patriotic Thank-You

Today I have 2 thank-you cards that are going into my final OWH box. I'm using a Tim Holtz "Old Glory" alterations die that I've cut in red, white, blue and embossed gold and then interchanged the pieces to represent the US flag. I added a snippet of red, white, and blue dsp to carry the theme, and added 3 punched stars to the blue field on the flag. The strip of vertical stars was done with a die included with the flag. I used a Lil Inker stitched rectangle die for the sentiment panel, and added a Hero Arts sentiment that I colored in with a red marker.

Here's a 2nd one using different snippets of dsp and a kraft card base instead of red. I also cut red stars for the vertical strip.

I'm entering these cards into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge - use your favorite technique and/or product
(my favorite technique is die cutting and swapping the die cut pieces within the die, and my favorite product is the Lil Inkers stitched rectangle dies.)

Little Red Wagon #294 - use stitching (machine, hand, faux, stickers, or rub ons)

Snippets Playground weeks #181 and 182 - must use snippets

Thanks for stopping by - wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!

Carol

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

Today America honors her fallen veterans who served our country and paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

My dad and my uncle were both Navy veterans, while my father-in-law served in the Army and my brother-in-law served as a proud Marine. They're all gone from our lives, but never forgotten. I never got to meet my husband's father, but I miss my dad, my uncle, and my brother-in-law all the time - especially on Memorial Day.

With the drawdown of our troops, the closing of OWH (Operation Write Home) will take place later this year, so I've been on a mission to fill my final box of cards and send them in by the deadline of August 1st. I'm using stamps and supplies that I've acquired through the years specifically intended for cards for our military and OWH. 

Today's card uses a stamped image from Heartfelt Creations that I borrowed from my friend Mary Anne some time ago. For some reason I hoarded it, probably because I liked it so much. (I worked in flag manufacturing for the better part of my life, so that may have something to do with it?) It's time to let it go now, and send it in for someone else to enjoy. I used a Hero Arts sentiment with a navy cardbase, and cut the panels with Lil Inker stitched rectangles and this was done. I'm going to miss making cards like this, but I thought it was ideal to post it on Memorial day, since I'm especially missing my heroes today.

Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you a great day of remembrance for your loved ones as well.

Carol

It's a Red, White, and Blue Weekend

 I couldn't think of a better time to post this patriotic love card than Memorial Day weekend. I used a fun die I found in my LSS called "Filling Die QD002 Two Hearts" designed by Nellie Snellen. I used snippets of dsp from my stash that have the colors of red, white and blue, and put this all on a royal blue textured card base. I die cut the letters with my Quickutz from matching dsp. This card will be going into my last box heading to OWH within the next few weeks, as they are accepting cards only until until August 1st. I think I'll make a few more of these today since they're quick and easy to put together.

I'm sharing this over at the Snippets Playground #178 & 179.

Memorial Day is a special day set aside to honor our armed forces who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom. To those who served, those who continue to serve, and those who gave their all; THANK YOU for all you do.

Thanks for stopping by, and make it a great day!

Carol

Finishing Strong for OWH Blog Hop

Operation Write Home, a charity that has supported heroes with handmade cards since 2007, will be closing later this year. All cards need to be sent in by August 1st, so I'm helping to get the word out by participating in the OWH Memorial Day blog hop.

To start at the beginning of the hop, just click the badge above.

I've made a thank-you card in honor of Memorial Day. I cut a MFT stitched quilt die 3 times, using red, blue, and white cardstock. I had fun switching the stitched quilt pieces to make different patterns and designs, and added a couple punched flowers and a navy star brad to the center. The sentiment is from MFP and was stamped with blue ink.

I had enough pieces left for a second card, so I just added different punched flowers and a mini star brad to the center.

 I'm really going to miss making cards for OWH; but at the same time, I'm happy knowing that more of our servicemen and women are back home with their families, and are able to express what they're feeling in person, instead of in a greeting card. I'm grateful for having had the opportunity to support OWH for so many years; and knowing how many lives have been touched with a hand-made card have enriched my life in many ways. Thanks OWH!

Happy Memorial Day to all of our wonderful military, and thanks for serving!

Carol

Happy Independence Day America!

Happy July 4th America! Today we celebrate our independence with fireworks, picnics, barbecues and parades. I made a couple more patriotic cards using little pictures I cut from a very old snippet of designer paper. This one has a little couple with a polka dot background, so I kept with the theme and used a matching polka dot dsp for the bottom piece. I used another picture of a patchwork heart, cut from another snippet of dsp. I added some red, white & blue twine, a few punched stars, a few sequin stars, and finished this off with an A Muse sentiment.

I went a bit overboard with this one and made a couple flag poles, adding mini banners done with a SU! banner punch and stamp set. I used lots of snippets, along with another image cut from the same dsp as above, adding shreds of cardstock twirled around a knitting needle to look like streamers. The flag pole tops were done with a SU! mini ornament punch on gold-embossed snippets of cardstock, and all the tiny stars were leftovers from previous die-cutting projects. The background dsp is also from SU!

To all of my American friends who celebrate, I wish you a very safe & happy July 4th weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!
Carol

America, Land of the Free

I made this card (along with a couple more) from scraps and snippets in my over-flowing bin of leftovers. The focal image was actually cut from a scrap of designer paper, and I framed it using more scraps. The background was done with 4 strips of coordinating blue, white, & red designer papers and the card base was done with Bazzill textured cs in a slate blue color. I cut the star with a Sizzix die, and strung some gold cording around it, adding some punched and die-cut stars from my little bottles of tiny embellishments. The sentiment is from A Muse.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

OWH midweek throwdown - to make any hero cards with a flag.

Snippets Playground #131 - must use snippets.

Shopping our Stash #158 - use red, white, & blue.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you're enjoying a wonderful week!

Carol

OWH weekly challenges

I have a picture-heavy post for today that includes the OWH challenges for the week. This card is for today's OWH Stars and Stamps sketch challenge #229. It all began with the border panel on the left that was sitting on my desk. I built the card around that one snippet of paper, and carried through with the star theme on the entire card.

This was made for the OWH Flag Day challenge yesterday, and I'm sorry it's coming the day AFTER flag day, but after a week of solid rainy, gloomy weather, the sun came out yesterday and the last place I wanted to be was indoors making cards! I finished this last night using left over snippets of Bo Bunny Liberty dsp, along with a Tim Holtz Sizzix flag die. The background paper is from SU! (R) and I added some left-over stars (from a die-cut border) to the field of the flag. I added another little red star to the sentiment to dot the "i." I liked the way this turned out, so I made a 2nd one...

This was a piece of dsp from the same SU! dsp pack as above, only this time I used a map image, and tried to center the US image beneath the flag. Instead of a sentiment, I added some punched red, white, & blue stars. I used the same BoBunny Liberty pack of dsp to create the flag, reversing the red & white colors from the flag above. The field of flowers was hand-cut from a snippet of the same dsp.

The mid-week throwdown was to make a card with a kite. I used snippets from a left-over Cosmo Cricket paper pad along with some green card stock and green crochet thread to create the "tails." The sentiment is from Hero Arts and I added a gold Candi dot to the center of the flag, because I forgot to add the brad before sticking it down to the card base! (duh)

I'm also entering these cards into the Snippets Playground 129 as each one of them contains Snippets of one kind or another!

Thanks for hanging in for this long post, and I wish all the dads out there a very happy father's day! I hope you're all surrounded by loved ones that make your day special!

Have an awesome day!

Carol

Let Freedom Ring!

Happy Independence Day America!

Thank you to all of our heroes past and present who fought, and continue to fight for our freedom and independence.

God bless America!

I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp challenge to make a patriotic card.