Round Rainbow Card

Today's "Round R" challenge on the Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps blog is to "make a card with, if possible, all circular elements - and things starting with the letter R." Given my love for circle punches and bright colors, it was a short step for me to think of a "round rainbow" with a rainbow sentiment. Added January 29: As much as I liked my idea for this, I wasn't really happy with the finished card. So I revised it for the first Stars and Stamps "Saturday Seminar - Creating a Focal Point." To see my Before and After post, click here.

I used 7 sizes of circle punches (3/4" to 2-1/4") including two scalloped circles. The colors are in ROYGBIV rainbow sequence. The card stock colors (all Papertrey Ink, except as noted) are pure poppy, orange zest, harvest gold, new leaf, Hawaiian shores, azure (Hero Arts), and plum pudding, on a base layer of Paper Source frost luxe (textured light gray). I printed the sentiment "Wishing you a rainbow of happiness" on my computer, using "Marker Felt" outline font.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (047a)

Pinwheel Card - Aqua with Yellow

I had fun making this card, my first pinwheel, with the help of a very easy-to-follow pinwheel tutorial from Sheryl's Crafting Corner. Thank you, Sheryl!

The card stock is Paper Source peacock (dark turquoise) and Papertrey Ink lemon tart (yellow), Hawaiian shores (medium aqua), and aqua mist (light aqua base layer.) I drew the stripes on the yellow squares with Copic markers B01 and B05. The sentiment "Celebrate!" is computer-printed with dark turquoise ink in "Lucida Calligraphy" font.

Inspired by today's "Anything but Pink" challenge for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (046a)

Button Dots Card - Blue with Brown

Blue and brown dots. Faux buttons. Embroidery floss.

I drew the 1/2" dots with Copic multiliner, using my plastic circles template, and added some dots and lines for the three light blue "buttons." The dots, the lines under the sentiment, and the embroidery floss are all colored with B41, B45, and YR14 Copic marker. The floss is an "off brand," not my favorite DMC, so it looks a bit dull and rough, which actually works well on this card.

The white cardstock is Neenah, and the blue is Papertrey Ink blueberry sky, including the 3/4" faux button at the top. The sentiment "Thinking of you" is computer-printed with "Lucida Handwriting" font.

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (045)

Three Heart Card - Dark Blue with Yellow

Another simple design. Three punched hearts on a vertical line.

The card stock is Papertrey Ink harvest gold (yellow) and enchanted evening (dark blue - darker and not so blue-green in real life) on a white card base. The 1" heart punch is EK Success. My vertical line was drawn with cobalt Copic multiliner.

The sentiment "love" is computer-printed in dark blue ink with Helvetica font (small caps). The "o" is two PowerPoint heart shapes nested together. Click here for another card with the heart-shaped "o."

An anniversary card for my brother and sister-in-law. And then I made a few more for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." (044)

Two Dot Card - Turquoise and Light Green

I was planning a fancier card. But as I was working on it, I found myself drawn to this very simple version.

The card stock is Paper Source peacock (turquoise) and Papertrey Ink spring moss (light green) on a white card base. The sentiment "thinking of you" is computer-printed with "Lucida Handwriting" font in turquoise ink. The EK Success circle punches are 1-3/4" and 1-1/4" scalloped. (043)

Created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them."

Brown and Orange Scallops Card

Scallops and circles on rectangles. I like this one a lot. In real life, the colors go well together. My photo isn't very good, but the scan was worse.

My layout is based on Clean and Simple Stamping's card sketch 121. The card stock is Papertrey Ink kraft (card base) and dark chocolate (dark brown) with Paper Source papaya (soft orange). The concentric circle pattern - the same one I used in this post - was colored with Copic markers and punched out with a 1-1/2" circle punch. The dark brown outer circle is EK Success 2" scalloped circle punch. I used my Fiskars "cloud" scissors for the bottom scallops. The sentiment "Hello" is computer-printed in brown ink with Lucida Calligraphy font. (042)

Like most of my cards, this was created for Operation Write Home (OWH), "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them." OWH just reached a milestone of 750,000 cards shipped to our deployed troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations. There were 250,000 just from August-December! I'm happy to have a (very small) part in the accomplishment. And in this Advent season of peace, praying for a time when it's no longer needed.

Blue Stripe Flower Card

I made this card to send to the Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores headquarters, to thank them for their wonderful "Craft for a Cause" donation to the Operation Write Home organization. Most of my cards are created for Operation Write Home, "supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them."

Added February 10, 2011 : Although I liked this card, I wanted to see if I could make it better. So I revised it for the first Stars and Stamps "Saturday Seminar - Creating a Focal Point." To see my Before and After post, click here.

My layout is based on Clean and Simple Stamping's card sketch 120. I drew the striped paper using Copic markers B01, B14, B24, B26, B45, B63, and BG45 and sky blue Copic multiliner on white Neenah card stock. The rest of the card stock is Paper Source lake (medium blue) on a white card base.

The 1/4" twill ribbon is colored with BG45. The large outer paper flower is colored with B000, B63, and Custom color B2000. The inner flower is colored with BG45 and BV000. The center gem is colored with BG49. The sentiment "thanks" is computer-printed in dark blue ink using Lucida Calligraphy font. (041a)

Christmas Card 2010

This year, my husband asked me to make our Christmas cards with one of my drawings. It's a Nativity scene from my 2008 Advent calendar. The handwritten caption at the bottom of the drawing is "Unto us a child is born" from Isaiah 9:6. The card is computer-printed on Neenah card stock. (040)
Added December 4, 2011: Click here for my 2011 card.

During the Advent season, you're invited to visit my other (drawing) blog "Mostly Markers" for my daily Advent calendar drawings. It's an activity that I really enjoy. The 2010 calendar post also includes links to my 2008 and 2009 calendars, as well as my blank calendar template in case you'd like to use it.