Swap Round 2 Month 2

MY TURN!!!! I had the fun of designing this month's kit!!

did I take a photo of the kit? oh heck no! why would I do that? sheesh!! (sorry!) but here is a list of the items included:

the first card used the My Favorite Things stamps from the Operation Write Home fundraiser and is based on Sketch #165. please note how I used the nifty idea from the OWH Stamp Surgery tutorial on this poor bunny's ears! I added the purple heart brad to the kit contents.

it seemed weird to find a muted color combination amongst all those bright colors....but that is what happened with this next card. I just loved the blue, lilac, and peach colors and wanted to stick with them. I used a grey pen to outline everything to make it a bit more subtle than black would have been and added some alphabet stickers from a different Basic Grey line. I think this is my favorite card from the kit......which, if you know me, is odd. I like 'em bright!

at the other end of the spectrum, I am the most disappointed in this card. I had such high hopes for that awesome Jenni Bowlin journaling block die cut! but I just couldn't get it to do anything! (wonder if the other girls had better luck??) I enjoyed making my fun bow but even that couldn't save this poor doomed card! have you read "Like Water for Chocolate"? the food tastes like how the girl feels when she is cooking it. I really hope my frustration and disappointment are not sent along with this card.

similar to the blue and peach card, I loved this paper and after being so frustrated with the previous card, I just kinda threw this one together. I think the pretty little flowers (which I added to the kit) add a simple sophistication to the card. and aren't pink and orange all the rage these days? funny since this paper collection is 5 years old?!?!

after completing my cards I realized I had yet to use one of my favorite patterns in the kit. I had wanted to do a sunburst patterned card and was saving it for that. I figured I could use leftover strips to make it.....but then didn't. so I went to one of my favorite OWH sketches #154 and put together a couple more cards in time to mail out before the Mother's Day deadline! I added the big flowers and the brads for the lefthand card.

now go see what the other ladies did with my kit!!

Arlyn:

scrapperal.blogspot.com

Katie:
http://www.2craftykaties.blogspot.com/

Peggy:
http://myviewfromthebleachers.blogspot.com/

Wendy:
http://shesgonecrafty.blogspot.com/

Laurie:
http://www.scrapsfromthebeach.com/

A few more cards....

I had noticed a mention over at Operation Write Home about some digital images for each of the states. As California seems to be the largest contributor of cards I figured there would be a California digi. There was! But they aren't available on the site anymore. Thankfully, Paula was awesome enough to send them to me.

This card was my first attempt at using watercolor pencils and my blending pen (it has been many many years). Not perfect.....and not as bright as the poppies seem to be this year. But I am thankful that she shared the image with me. I want to play with it and resize it to be more versatile!

Products used:
Scenic Route Paper
Bazzill Basic brads
SU! watercolor pencils

this card was for a co-workers baby shower. the fact that it is done at all is a miracle! I had one night after a long busy business trip to complete it. I think it came out rather nice. (if I say so myself! lol!) the giraffe was based on a couple coloring pages I found online. instead of cutting out spots, I used a heart punch. I outlined the giraffe in dark brown and used grey for the rest of the card to help him stand out......like the googlie eyes didn't already do that! lol!

Products used:

Basic Grey papers and sticker

Spellbinder die

unknown felt brad

This last card was for a friend's son who is battling (and winning against) cancer. I wanted it rough and tumble boy. I scraplifted a card from the Operation Write Home featured card maker Tanya B. obviously I am a keen fan of threes! Also got to use my new stamps from Studio2le and conversation bubble punch!

Products used:
Piggy Tales paper

Junkitz

Studio 2le stamp

Another sympathy card......

despite the obvious reasons for disliking making these cards..... I never know what to say!

based on the Operation Write Home Sketch #162, this card is a sympathy card but I didn't want it to be all dark. I hope the pink doesn't make it too light and cheerful.

Products used:

SEI
Prima flowers
Lasting Impressions brads
2 different QK alphas
border punch

March crop weekend

lucky for me (and my scrap goals) I started off the month of March with a 2 days crop. theoretically 24 hours of scrap time........so actually about 18?? I got there late, I left early, I took happy hour and brunch breaks. you get the idea. but I had a great time with old friends and made some new ones too!!

6th GRADE

made from a Scrapdango kit and based on one of their sample layouts. I'll add the teacher's name to the "notes" block......once I remember what it was.

 

and with the leftovers.....this lovely card!

 

with the same kit, I made this layout for the older boy, same year. I figured they would look nice next to each other.  this one started as a scraplift from a sample but ended up nothing like it.

 

and another card using the scraps and a sticker from the kit.

another kit from Scrapdango. has only taken me more than year to start using them, but it is nice to have the coordinated papers and embellishments!

and a super quick card with a border sticker and paper scraps.

 

a 5K I did with R on Valentine's Day. we didn't go as crazy as some people but did sport a little holiday spirit. I covered up some of the design on this patterned cardstock and trimmed the edge so I could mat it on the red to make it stand out more. I will journal in the spot underneath the heart.

 

ended up using a Heidi Swap ghost arrow and slicing it in half behind the heart. this card is a great example of creating a focal point on your card (just look at that huge heart highlighting the phrase!) that they taught us about in Operation Write Home's Focal Point Boot Camp.

 

and I saw this die cut on the sheet and couldn't resist another card. a quick but fun feeling card. I hope it is sent to someone special!

this page is from this month's Close to My Heart class. it started as a 2 pager but I didn't need both pages because I love these photos with these colors. these are the last photos of Nana with me and the boys. 

 

so of course I made a Mother's Day card with the extras from the page I didn't use!

 

the other CTMH kit which I also made into a one pager. poor Tessa is so old and grey! I never noticed it at the time but now it is so obvious.

and of course a card with the leftovers!

Layouts: 6

Cards:
OWH: 7 (plus 12 more made by wonderful ladies at the crop)

PURCHASING (mostly done at the crop weekend)
1 cardstock
10 patterned paper
4 QK dies
2 8x8 pads of paper
2 12x12paper packs
4 sets of stickers
1 set of flair 
1 roll washi tape
1 package of wood veneers
1 embossing template

6 sets Junkitz alphabetz
3 stamp sets

USAGE (excluding the CTMH page kits since I didn’t include them as purchases)
cardstock: 11
patterned paper: 7
3D alphas: 16
brads: 25
flowers: 3
alpha stickers: 14
stickers: 8
rub-ons: 1
die cut alphas: 3
punches: 8
misc: 12
ink: 6
pens: 1

Scrap Accountability - Month 2

so I really need to slow down on the purchasing. with that said, I seem to be buying non-consumables so that gives me some level of comfort......or a good excuse! lol! I also have a rew "enroute" purchases that will have to be counted in March.

 Layouts: 4

Cards:
OWH 25

PURCHASING
4 QK alphas
10 QK dies
5 "other" dies
2 embossing templates
2 dimensional adhesives
2 stamp sets
1 rub-on set

USAGE
cardstock: 12 (because i don't count the card bases)
patterned paper: 24
3D alphas: 21
buttons: 6
brads: 53 (wowee!)
flowers: 15
ribbon: 3
alpha stickers: 12
stickers: 2
rub-ons: 1
die cut alphas: 7
die cut shapes: 14 (see.....I am getting good use out of those QK and other die purchases!)
punches: 20
misc: 15
ink: 9
pens: 5