Monday, February 18, 2013

Operation Write Home's Virtual Card Making Party!

what's more appropriate for President's weekend than a blog hop to make cards for Operation Write Home? two days with a total of 10 card challenges.....and for those not super speedy, they even give you until February 25th to get them posted!

Erika was the first stop and she asked you to use zig zags (ric rac, chevrons, whatever) on your card. I am not a huge fan of a lot of zig zags but found a way to tame them down enough for me. One Father's Day card down!

 
 Products used:

My Minds Eye
Martha Stewart punch
Sizzix die
Lasting Impressions button

Misty challenged us to use "creatures great and small" on our cards at the second stop. OWH had mentioned needing more boy birthday cards so I thought I might try making a "cool" birthday card......of course using a penguin! I was going for black & white & red but a few other colors made their way into the mix.

Products used:

SEI Holiday Hoopla
QK die
Jillibean Soup alphabets
Queen & Co brads

The third stop was originally an utter failure for me. Beth had this really amazing challenge to only emboss part of a card to leave room for stamping or something else. I had a really cool idea about leaving an oval in the middle unembossed and adding an oversized fleur de lis. It didn't work. I didn't have what she used so tried to mock it up on my own. After the second attempt I decided to just make a card and move on.
Products used:

My Minds Eye
Cuttlebug embossing template
QK Die

THEN.......while I slept my subconscious kicked in and figured it out for me! I had been going about it BACKWARDS!!! so this morning after donating blood and running a ridiculous amount of errands, I came home and DID IT!!!  The problem was I was trying to use the whole folder!!
Here is what I did:
I cut 2 pieces of chipboard approximately 4.25 x 5.5.
Then I took a big Sizzix heart die and cut hearts out of the same spots on both pieces of chipboard (did them separately).
I adhered the pieces together.
 I cut a piece of paper to emboss and lined it up against one side of the embossing template (the side the pushes out to emboss.
Then I layered (in this order) the A pad, B pad, my chipboard shim that I made, the paper, the embossing template, then the other B pad.
Ran that through the Cuttlebug and PRESTO!!!

Here is a close up since you can't see the LACK of embossing well in the whole card photo!

 

Products used:

SEI
Cuttlebug embossing template
American Crafts rub-ons and stickers
Doodlebug brads

I was happy to see one I knew I could easily complete from Yvonne at the 4th stop! She challenged us to make a card including something with wings. I'll be honest, it took a lot to not make a card with a bat on it! But instead I used a My Sketch World card sketch and made a nice Mother's Day card with butterflies on it. Not sure how many mothers would want a card with a bat on it anyway!
Products used:

SEI
Heidi Swapp ghost shape
Making Memories paint
embossing template
punches

The last challenge for Saturday came from Leslie. Her challenge was two-fold: first, use the OWH sketch she chose, and second, use an entire 12x12 piece of paper to make a total of 6 cards! Sweet! I can do that! I changed things up a little bit so I couldn't have 6 completely the same cards.

Products used:

Gin X
Sizzix
Queen & Co brads and plastic shapes
Doodlebug flowers
Prima flowers
American Craft felt

Sunday morning, Linda was our 6th challenge. She told us to use things with wheels. Somehow I thought this would be perfect with this week's OWH Sketch #160. I think I actually made the opposite of the sketch! But, if I hadn't started thinking about that sketch I am not sure what I would have done for this challenge since I don't have a lot of car things.
Products used:

Gin X
QK

The next challenge was from Jen and oh so timely! She asked us to caffeinate our card by using something caffeine related like a stamp or die. Luckily for me, during one of my recent purchasing binges I picked up a cute coffee cup QK die. I wish it were a bit bigger, but it worked nicely with OWH Sketch #159


Products used:

GCD Studios
Spellbinders
QK die
misc ribbon

Challenge 8 came from Jacque. She asked us to use washi tape on a card. Um, I don't own any washi tape! That came in to vogue post LM and I haven't really seen the allure! Luckily, though, Arlyn had sent me some. Other than liking that it adheres to things, I still don't see why anyone would go crazy over it......you know, like I did with ribbon! lol!

 

I am not sure this card is going to OWH. I tried really hard to get glitter to come off the card base but it didn't. I think it has been coated but am still debating. 

Products used:
 
DCWV card base
doily
washi tape
QK
Prima 
Bazzill brads

Of course after I do a wedding card, a challenge to use all white/cream comes up from Sharon! But I really had fun with it and used a whole lot of textures. Maybe I'll make another for an upcoming wedding?
 
 

Products used:

2 different Bazzill whites
2 embossing templates
Spellbinder die
Queen & Co mini brads
misc lace

The final blog hop challenge came from Kaylee. She challenged us to use glitz & glam without glitter (remember, no glitter on OWH cards as it endangers the Heros!). A My Sketch World card sketch and four rhinestones later, I was done with the weekend's challenges!

 

Products used:

unknown patterned papers
Doodlebug rhinestones
Spellbinder die
Prima flower

Thanks for checking out all my cards! There is still plenty of time to hop along and make cards!

and to keep me honest................

LAYOUTS: 2
CARDS:
OWH: 18

PURCHASING:
4 "other" dies
2 embossing templates
2 dimensional adhesives (pop dots, framing tape)

USAGE:
cardstock: 4
patterned paper: 11
buttons: 1
brads: 17
flowers: 5
ribbon: 2
alphabet stickers: 9
stickers: 2
rub-ons: 1
die cut alphas: 1
die cut shapes: 12
punches: 8
misc embellishments: 12
ink: 4
pens: 1

10 comments:

Leslie Hanna said...

Wow, where do I begin. I still can't get over that people have done ALL the challenges already.

1. I applaud your stick-to-it-iveness on the selective embossing, and I'm glad you finished your first card anyway. And you finally got it! I didn't. I'm going to use my real diffusers, because I'm that lazy.

2. You should have used a bat. Make it not Halloween. Now THERE's a challenge. heh heh But those papers on the Mother's Day card are GORJUS!

3. I LOVE the cards you made for my 12x12 challenge! So pretty!

4. After I stopped collecting ribbon I moved on to collecting washi tape. It's my new addiction. Don't go there if you have the collecting gene. Just ... don't.

5. I cannot do white-on-white. I suk at Wedding cards. Yours is fabulous.

6. I love the pink + orange + red in your last card.

Okay, I'm done.

Jen M said...

Nice job on all of these! Thanks for playing in my caffeine challenge!

Erika said...

Congrats on doing every VCMP challenge! Your cards are wonderful and I love the chevrons you used on your first card. It was a nice color combination. You're a very crafty lady! Thanks for playing along in my challenge!

Desert Rose Stamper said...

Susan -- Congrats on completing all the challenges. I am still working on the last one - Glitz & Glam- hope to get that finished and posted soon. You have a wonderful group of cards.

Zig Zag card -- I really like how you linked the plaid with the zig zag -- great colors too.

Creatures G & S - Such a cute penguin - I like how you made his match the strip behind him.

Texture omit - your determination paid off - your 2nd card is sweet although the one before is nice - I like the plaid in the fleur de lis.

Wings - Very nice Mother's Day card -- I like how you placed the butterfly on the sentiment.

Disappearing act - Great job on all your cards - I like how you made each one a bit different.

Wheels - Love all the vehicles - and the primary colors -- someone will enjoy receiving this card.

Caffeine - love the colors in this card -- such a cute coffee cup die -- the sentiment is just perfect.

Washi Tape - Nice job with the tape -- I like the color combo you used on this card.

All White/Cream - Great job on the challenge. Very elegant with the fleur de lis ef -- layered with the polka dot ef. I like how you placed the scalloped square.

Glitz & Glam - very nice card -- bright an cheerful. I like the rhinestone for the center of the flower. Adds a nice touch of Glam and Glitz.

Thanks for participating in all the challenges.

Sharon S.

Linda said...

All 10 challenge in one post...you are uber brave...that said you made some awesome cards...my faves are #1, #5, #9, and of course #6! I had that base paper in the first...so yummy! Love the primary colors in the "wheels" card, so cheerful...that will go super fast! Thanks for playing in the Things with Wheels challenge!

Misty said...

WOW. You rocked this VCMP! And of course a sweet penguin for my challenge. I don't have washi, and used electrical tape instead..lol. The embossing challenge, I almost threw the cuttlebug out the door! But, I got it after several tries.

Thanks for playing along with my part of OWH VCMP.

Hummer Hugs,
Misty
http://deliteful-gifts.blogspot.com/
hummingbird204 at comcast dot net

Unknown said...

I love ALL your cards...I cannot wait to try your technique. Not sure what the day holds yet, but when I get a card done I will post. thanks for the tip

Kaylee Snyder said...

Oh my goodness, you've been a very busy gal. Wonderful job. I love your crafting style (you've got a new follower ;-)

Thanks for joining my challenge. I love the pearls and the bright colors.

Donna said...

Wonderful cards, Susan! You've been very busy! I am glad that you tried out the washi tape challenge. I really like the way you used it. I also agree that anything you can do with washi you could also do with paper or ribbon. I think it's ease of use makes it attractive to people. Maybe it's a fad. Thanks for playing along with my washi tape challenge. Good luck in the drawing!

scrapper al said...

Impressive! All the cards looks great.