Baby Tag - Blue and Yellow

Just a simple "baby" tag for a friend's shower gift. 

Tag details:

• Overall size is 3.5 x 1.75".
• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (blue), lemon tart (yellow), and gingham from the spring rain pattern pack.
• Dies are PTI tiny tags (star) and lower-case block alphabet.  (246)

Purple Flowers on Stems

I just really like this card.  It started with the flowers and stems on a lavender card base - less contrast than I wanted. Tried several other colors for the base, and this light yellow was best. 

At first I thought of a solid brown strip to ground the flowers.  It looked too heavy, but the scrap of book print was nice.  Added the circle sentiment (echoing the flower shapes) with brown-on-cream text font (echoing the book print paper). 

Then I could see it needed touches of the flower colors to look more cohesive.  Added the embroidery floss and bright yellow circle layer.  Love when it all works together like this.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) lemon tart (light yellow), summer sunrise (bright yellow), vintage cream, and patterned papers: Dearest Jane book print, bitty dot and leaf prints from simply chartreuse (green) pattern pack, and bitty dot and gingham prints from royal velvet (purple) pattern pack.  
• Dies are PTI super star border (flower centers), flower fusion #9, and flower fusion stem.
• Circles are EK Success punches, 1-1/4" and 1-1/2".
• Embroidery floss is DMC #471 (green) and #333 (purple).  
• Sentiment "Miss you" is computer-printed in brown ink with Century Schoolbook font, which resembles the patterned paper 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." (243)

Flowerpot with Butterflies

Flowerpot with butterflies - a sweet scene for springtime.  I like the mix of browns, pinks, and aquas with touches of cream and yellow.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) aqua mist (card base), harvest gold (yellow), berry sorbet (deep pink), canyon clay (orangey brown), kraft, sweet blush (pale pink), and rustic cream, with diamond-print paper from Pretty Pastels 8x8 paper pack.
•  Dies are PTI double-ended banners, fabulous frames, fruit fusion: melon, heart-2-heart #7, flower fusion #3, and heart-2-heart #9 (the wedding cake, upside-down as a flowerpot). 
• The butterflies are punched with a small EK Success punch.  
• I added flower stems with a Copic 0.3 sepia multiliner.  
• The dots and details are Copic markers, R35 for the scallop dots and flower edges, YR24 for the butterfly spots and edges, and E23 for the butterfly bodies, flowerpot shading, and flower centers
• The sentiment "Thinking of you" is computer-printed in pink ink with Lucida Handwriting folt.

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." (242)

Purple Flowers and Green Stripes

Stripes and curves and a bit of satiny ribbon.  The green striped paper and off-center flower placement add some playfulness to an otherwise formal layout.

I really like the light purple curved shapes on this card.  They are cut with a vase die, turned sideways.  I'm glad I thought of cutting my striped layer a bit narrower, so the curved shapes extend into the dark purple area.  

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source spruce (green ) - a discontinued color - and Papertrey Ink (PTI) lemon tart (yellow), winter wisteria (light purple), royal velvet (dark purple), and stripes from new leaf (green) pattern pack.  
• Yellow 3/8" satin ribbon from Ellen Hutson (not for sale, but a "thank you" enclosed with a purchase). 
• Dies are PTI mega gracious vases (light purple shapes) and PTI heart-2-heart #7 (dark purple flower and green leaflets).  
• Punches are an EK Success 1/2" flower punch (yellow flower) and a 1/4" hole punch (light purple flower center).
• Sentiment "Hello" is computer-printed in purple ink with Brush Script 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." (241)

Chevrons - Rainbow Colors

The recent Papertrey Ink Make It Monday #99 challenge, on Nichole Heady's Capture the Moment blog, calls for repeating elements in rainbow colors.   She thoughtfully provided six different rainbow combinations, which I know I'll find lots of use for.  Thanks, Nichole!

I chose chevrons for my repeating shape, and the deep colors of color scheme #3.  I was aiming for a bright, cheerful, and possibly masculine card.  I love the results and will make several more of these for Operation Write Home. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) fine linen (tan), summer sunrise (yellow), ripe avocado (green), pure poppy (red), orange zest, ocean tides (blue), and rustic white.
• Dies are PTI chevron stripes and the ribbon shape from fabulous frames.
• Embossing folder is Sizzix textured impressions - chevrons.
• Sentiment "Celebrate!" is computer-printed in red ink with Copperplate 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." (244)

Thanks with Red Bows

A crisp, simple card with stripes, bows, and dots.  I like the contrast of lines and curves, and the red, white, and blue color scheme with a bit of kraft. 

I really wanted to include the red bows, but struggled with where to place them.  Then I thought of an off-center sentiment.  Problem solved.

This is my first card using some new linen-textured card stock from Ellen Hutson (one of my favorite stores on line).  It's lovely and thick with a very nice finish, and it printed beautifully for me.  Thanks, Ellen!

Card details:

• Card stock is Ellen Hutson white linen and Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red), enchanted evening (blue), kraft, and polka dots from the blueberry sky pattern pack.
• Dies are My Favorite Things layered label dies (kraft), PTI party poppers (red bows), and PTI fabulous frames (white). 
• Sentiment "Thanks" is computer printed in blue ink with Apple Chancery 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." (239)

Layered Flowers - Diagonal

I don't use many diagonal layouts, but this one works well with my large flowers.  Lining up the sentiment is important for the card to look nice.  Some of the color contrast was lost in my picture, but in real life, it's a bright and happy card.
 
Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) limeade ice (light green card base), simply chartreuse (medium green layer and flower centers), and patterned papers from the orange zest, summer sunrise (yellow), and raspberry fizz (pink) pattern packs. 
• The layer under the flowers is embossed with Sizzix Textured Impressions chevrons.
• Dies are PTI Beautiful Blooms II #3 (large and medium flowers).  
• The flower centers are punched with a 5/16" circle punch.  My usual 1/4" hole punch didn't look quite large enough for this flower.
• The sentiment "Sending you smiles ... across the miles" is computer-printed in green ink with Harrington font, bold, expanded 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." (240)

Red Birds and Tree Stump

One of my favorite cards to make is one with a little scene on it.  Here's a cheerful scene with red birds, a tree stump, grass, and a sunny sky, all on a kraft tag with a little black frame and black-and-white patterned background.  A bit of embossing adds a tree-bark texture to the stump.

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red), new leaf (green), harvest gold (yellow), kraft, and true black.  Note: the gray border is background, not part of the card.
• My homemade patterned paper is computer-printed.  It's repeating text lines of periods and asterisks in Papyrus font. 
•  The dies are My Favorite Things fresh cut grass and PTI tag sale #7 (3-piece tag with frame), heart-2-heart #9 (birds), ad sense (sun), and party poppers (used for the tree stump).
• I used a black Copic multiliner to add dots for the birds' eyes.
• The tree stump is textured with Tim Holtz Sizzix stripes embossing folder.
• Twine is maraschino (red) by The Twinery.

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." (237)

Pink with Brown Script Pattern

Pink with brown and cream, dots, swirly lines, and a bit of embroidery floss.  I like the patterned papers with the flowery sentiment font. 

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) sweet blush (pink) and dark chocolate (brown) with patterned papers from dearest Jane and in bloom.
• Die is PTI framed out #7.  Embossing folder is Darice dot point.
• Embroidery floss is DMC 225.
• Sentiment "Hello" is computer-printed in brown ink with Edwardian Script ITC font (expanded spacing, "H" in larger font 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." (238)

You're the Best - #1 Ribbon

It's 1/1/13, a good day for that big number 1 on my card today!   Happy colors - red, white, and blue on bright yellow - and a happy sentiment.  

I wanted to try the PTI "faith and hope" die for decorative ribbon tails, using just the bottom portion.  Then the fancy circle from "snowflake flurries" (also by PTI) made me think of a prize ribbon.  As often happens with my card making, one thing led to another, and I like the end result.

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white, Hero Arts azure (deep blue), and Papertrey Ink (PTI) blueberry sky (medium blue), pure poppy (red), and harvest gold (yellow). 
• Dies are PTI block alphabet numbers, faith and hope, and snowflake flurries.  I also used a 1-1/4" plain circle punch by EK Success. 
• Embossing folder is Tim Holtz Sizzix stripes.
• Sentiment "You're the best!" is computer-printed in Courier font with 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." (236)

Favorite Cards from 2012 - OWH Blog Hop

Here are my ten favorites from the cards I made in 2012 for Operation Write Home.  A perfect theme for New Year's Day blog hopping.  I enjoyed looking back to select my favorites, and I know I'll be inspired by other OWH card makers' favorites on their blogs!

I'd love to receive your comments or questions on my cards.  You can click on a picture to enlarge it, and for card details, you can click on the caption below each picture.  To return to the OWH New Year's Top Ten blog hop, click here.   Happy 2013 to all, and thanks for visiting!

   

       Vase with Maple Branches      Yellow and Aqua with Bird and Flowers

  

Blue Birds with Grass and Sky                  Springtime Scene with Pine Trees         

  

     Geranium Card with Button Stripes                   Heart Stems                          

            Note: If the geranium card appears blurry,
                click on the picture to see it better.

  

Pinwheel with Stars                                      Purple Flowers on Green

             Three Daffodils                                   Flower Vase with Orange and Teal

Like most of my cards, these were 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."