Kraft with Red, Cream, and Blue - Heart U

Simple and direct in colors, shapes, and sentiment.   The layers and embossed textures give it some nice dimension.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink kraft, blueberry sky (medium blue), vintage cream, pure poppy (red), and enchanted evening (dark blue).
• I used a square punch to notch the end of the banner, which is embossed with Tim Holtz stripes embossing folder.  
• Everything else is the same as my yellow "heart U" card posted here.

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."  (129)

Yellow and Yellow-Orange with Avocado

No blues or pinks, no hearts or lace.  Just a sunny, bright "hello" with cheerful shapes and patterns.   I made my chevron-patterned paper by airbrushing with Copic markers. 

This is not at all the card I set out to make, which unfortunately was bland and boring.  So I tried many different base colors, embossing folders, twine and no twine, bigger sunny shapes, busier sentiments.  After cleaning up the mess, I'm happy with my finished card. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink lemon tart (light yellow), summer sunrise (yellow-orange), and ripe avocado (green card base).
• The chevron pattern is airbrushed with Copic markers Y19 and Y38 on lemon tart card stock, using Crafter's Workshop 6x6 chevron template (stencil).
• Twine is marigold (new name for lemondrop) by The Twinery.  Love their twine colors and sampler packs. 
• The little stars are punched with a Fiskars 1/4" hand punch.  The sentiment circle is punched with a 1-3/4" EK Success circle punch.
• The die is the largest of the three notched flowers by Papertrey Ink.  The die cut is popped up over the twine with foam tape.
•  The sentiment "Hello" is computer-printed in green ink with American Typewriter font, bold, expanded character spacing.

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." (214)

Blue Banners with Bow

Another monochromatic card with blues and white.  Based on last Friday's Clean and Simple Stamping sketch, FTL 213.  Thank you, Natasha, for a very interesting sketch!  I really like the little bow and the short banner on top of the sentiment label, with longer banners underneath it.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Papertrey Ink spring rain (light blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), and enchanted evening pattern pack (dark blue prints).
• Bow punch is by Martha Stewart.  Banner ends are notched with a square punch.
• Dies are Spellbinders labels one (2nd and 3rd smallest sizes).
• Sentiment "Missing you ..." is computer-printed in blue ink with Monotype Corsiva font, expanded character spacing.

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." (212)

Blue and White Thank You

Blues and white, curves and angles.  Inspired by Nichole Heady's blue menorah card (the 8th project in her post, a little more than halfway down the page.)  

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Papertrey Ink enchanted evening (dark blue), blueberry sky (medium blue), spring rain (light blue), and prints from pattern packs in blueberry sky (stripes) and enchanted evening (bitty dots).  
• Dies are Papertrey Ink buttoned up #1 and #2 and eyelet lace. 
• Buttons are threaded with white DMC embroidery floss.
• Banners are notched with square punch.
• Sentiment "Thank You" is computer-printed in blue ink with darker blue outline using Hobo Std 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." (210)

Nine Red Hearts

A new version of one of my cards, posted here, from last February.  Funny that it was a green, non-Valentine's card in February, and now it's become a red, Valentine-ish card in October.  Making cards for Operation Write Home will skew the calendar like that! 

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Papertrey Ink pure poppy (red) with several prints from the pure poppy pattern pack.  
• Punch is a 1" EK Success heart punch.
• Twine is by We R Memory Keepers. 
• Sentiment "Love You!" is computer-printed in red ink with Hobo Std font, bold.

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." (132)

Aqua and Teal Hello

A simple note card with diamond patterns and ovals.  Several shades of aqua and teal.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink: aqua mist (light aqua), ocean tides (dark teal), and patterned paper from Pretty Pastels.   
• Dies are Papertrey Ink fillable frames #10 (ocean tides) and framed out #8 (aqua mist).
• Embossing folder is Lifestyle Crafts diamonds and dots. 
• The sentiment "Hello" is computer-printed in teal ink with American Typewriter font (bold, expanded spacing).  In real life, it's a good match for the ocean tides color.  

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." (211)

Blue Gingham with Doily

More of the lacy "love" theme.   This card has a bit of a country patchwork look, with gingham and polka dot prints and a sweet doily.  Not my usual style, but I really like it.  It was inspired by this card on Melissa Bickford's Just Dandy blog.  Thanks for your beautiful card and all your inspiration, Melissa!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink blueberry sky (medium blue card base), enchanted evening (dark blue), spring rain (light blue), gingham print from blueberry sky pattern pack, and polka dots from enchanted evening pattern pack. 
• The doily is from Ellen Hutson's small doilies pack.  (Discontinued)
• The dies are Papertrey Ink heart-2-heart #3, upper case block alphabet, and pinking shears border.  
• The tiny light blue heart is punched with a Fiskars 1/4" heart punch.
• The top line of the sentiment "sending you all my" is computer-printed with American Typewriter font in blue ink.

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." (209)

Gray with Pink - Hearts and Swirls

Continuing with yesterday's romantic theme.   Gray swirly patterns and embossing with pink hearts.   In real life, the grays are darker, and it has a bit more drama.  I like the patterned paper's leafy swirls echoed in the embossed background. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink hibiscus burst (medium pink), raspberry fizz (dark pink), stamper's select white, smokey shadow (dark gray), and the leaves print from the smokey shadow pattern pack.   
• Dies are Papertrey Ink double-ended banner (smaller of 2 dies) and Spellbinders classic hearts (2 smallest size dies).  
• Embossing folder is Cuttlebug d'vine swirls.
• The tiny 3rd heart is punched out of the middle (medium pink) heart with a Fiskars 1/4" heart punch.  I filled in the hole with Ranger glossy accents, to make it shiny.    
• Technique: The punched heart needs to be straight and centered, side-to-side, to look nice.  To make it easier, I draw a pencil line through the center (top to bottom) on the back of the medium-sized heart die cut, and line up the punch on it.  Also I look to be sure the die cut is evenly placed in the punch before punching.
• The sentiment "Love you" is computer-printed in pink ink with "Lucida Calligraphy" 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." (170)

Heart with Lace - Red, Black, and White

Working on my next box of cards for Operation Write Home.  When I fill up the box, it will be time for Valentine cards, and it's always time for "love" themes.   This romantic card combines flowers, lace, and a heart with dramatic red, black and white colors. 

Card details:

• Card stock is  Papertrey Ink true black, pure poppy (red), and In Bloom patterned paper (black and white), on a stamper's select white card base.   Note: the gray is background, not part of the card.
• Dies are Memory Box Charlotte border (lace) and Spellbinders classic hearts (2nd smallest size).

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." (208)

Two Purple Patterned Cards

Two cards using the same colors and patterns.  On both cards, the sentiment provides a strong visual element.  I used a simple layout with plenty of contrast to stand out from the busy, small patterns.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink lavender moon (light purple), plum pudding (dark purple), vintage cream, and guide lines 6x6 patterned paper. 
• Dies are Papertrey Ink limitless layers squares (lacy square - top card) and Savvy Stamps hello (bottom card).  The limitless layers set includes a 2-1/4" square die, but I cut a 2-1/8" square (with my paper trimmer) to show more of the lacy purple border.  
• The top card's corners, including the bottom corners of the base layer, are rounded with 1/4" corner chomper. 
• Sentiment on top card "With All My Love" is computer-printed in purple ink with Edwardian Script ITC font (bold, expanded spacing).  
• The four tiny holes on the top card's sentiment layer are punched with a 1/16" hole punch.  

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." (206, 207)

Pink Circles and Stripes with Heart

My pink and white card is for the October challenge sponsored by Our Daily Bread Designs (thank you, ODBD!) to benefit Operation Write Home.  This month's challenge theme is to "use circles on your card."  I used several sizes of circles - a large scalloped circle behind the heart, small circles on the floral patterned paper and the accent on the heart, and tiny circles (dots) in the patterned paper and Swiss dots embossing.  My layout was inspired by a sketch from the OWH Stars and Stamps blog.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink stamper's select white, sweet blush (light pink), berry sorbet (dark pink), and several papers from Pink Patterns 6x6 pad.  In real life, the pinks all look very nice together!  Note: the gray is background, not part of the card.
• The heart is cut with the 2nd-smallest die from Spellbinders classic hearts.  
• The scalloped circle is punched with a 2" EK Success punch.  The accent dot is punched with a 1/4" hole punch.
• The pale pink layer is embossed with Cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder.
• Corners are rounded with 1/4" Corner Chomper.

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." (203)