Brown Honeycomb with Aqua and Melon Prints

I like all the the patterns and colors together on this card.  The faint stamped dotted lines go well with the hand-lettered style sentiment stamp.

Card details:

• Card stock is Stampin' Up soft suede (medium brown), Papertrey Ink (PTI) fine linen (light tan), and gingham and bitty dot prints from PTI aqua mist and melon berry pattern packs.
• I used Copic marker E87 on the inner edge of the bitty dot strip.  Though it looks like I left a slight gap between the bitty dot and gingham strips, it's just a nice visual effect of the marker edging.  
• Die is from My Favorite Things layered labels (retired).
• Embossing folder is Darice honeycomb.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thinking of you, stamped with PTI melon berry ink cube. The dotted lines are the outer two lines of the three journaling lines from PTI limitless layers: labels, stamped with PTI classic kraft ink cube. 

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." (466)

Light Green with Blue and Yellow

My card began with the color scheme of the patterned paper.  I chose the shape of the sentiment strip to go with the hexagons.  And then three sets of stripes: vertical in the paper, horizontal and diagonal in the embossed details.  Very simple and serene.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring moss (light green), harvest gold, enchanted evening (dark blue), and stamper's select white.  The print is from from Echo Park PB&J 6x6" paper pad. 
• Embossing folder is Darice diagonal stripe background.
• Die is from PTI photo finish strips.
• The sentiment "missing you today" is from PTI framed out #10, stamped with PTI enchanted evening ink cube.

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." (462)

Raspberry and Blue Floral with Yellow

A special birthday card with a floral print, raspberry lace, and lots of dots.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring rain (light blue), raspberry fizz, and harvest gold,  the bitty dots print from PTI blueberry sky (medium blue) pattern pack, and a floral print from Pink Paislee pen pals 6x6" pad.
• Embossing folder is Cuttlebug swiss dots.  I embossed only the right side of the A2 card front. 
• Dies are Memory Box charlotte lace (retired) and PTI wonderful words: birthday.  I cut the word twice and layered it for a "raspberry shadow" effect.
• The sentiment "happy" is from PTI communique sentiments, stamped with Ranger picked raspberry mini distress ink pad.

(436)

Aqua and Teal Thanks

A card for Operation Write Home's May "embossing" challenge, sponsored by Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD).  I used the debossed side of the aqua card stock for this simple layout.  My plaid embossing echoes the square pattern elements in the sentiment panel.   The pattern also has curves to go with the script "thanks" die cut.  Thanks again to ODBD for the ongoing support of OWH and our deployed troops!

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source peacock (teal), Papertrey Ink (PTI) aqua mist, and a print from Echo Park "all about a boy" 6x6" pad.  In real life, the colors work well together.
• I edged the print with BG49 Copic marker.
• Embossing folder is Darice plaid.
• Die is My Favorite Things many thanks.

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." (469)

Graduation Cards - Blue, White, and Gold

Celebrating two graduations in our family this week, with a pair of cards in blue, white, and gold.  I cut the cap and numbers in white, then blue, and swapped the pieces to inlay both cards.  The gold inlaid tassel and embossed texture add interest to these very simple designs.

Many thanks to Kay at Clever Someday for all her great electronic cutting tips and for sharing her free graduation cutting file!  Her file also includes "Class of" words, which I didn't use.

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah solar white and Paper Source curry (gold) and royal blue.
• Silhouette Cameo cutting file is from Clever Someday, as discussed above. 
• Embossing folders are Cuttlebug d'vine swirls (top card) and Darice stars asst [assorted] (bottom card).
• Bottom corners are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 1/2" corner chomper. 

(467)

Flowers in Black with Copic Colors

Something different for me today - flower clusters, stamped in black, with Copic coloring around the flowers and sentiment.  The pink and black card base adds a touch of modern, but still a romantic feeling overall.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) soft stone (pale gray), berry sorbet (pink), and the bitty dots print from PTI true black pattern pack.
• The sentiment "Love You Forever" is from PTI think big favorites #11 and the flowers are from PTI mini blooms.  All stamped with Memento tuxedo black ink. 
• Copic marker colors are R32 (Love You and rose buds), R35 (Forever and large open roses), Y19 (flower centers and dot flowers), BG45 (tiny flowers), YG05 (fern leaves), and G46 (3-lobe leaves).  I softened the edges a bit with "0" colorless blender.  
• The gray panel corners and bottom card front corners are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 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." (468)

Red, White, and Blue Love, for Operation Write Home Blog Hop

Today I have two things to share: a simple card and an important message.  First, the message.  Operation Write Home, a charity that has supported heroes with handmade cards since 2007, will be closing later this year.  All cards need to be sent in by August 1st!  So, along with many other bloggers on our Memorial Day weekend hop, I’m helping to get the word out!

My card has a mix of curves and straight lines, lots of Red White and Blue, and a shiny accent heart.  The white oval makes a strong focal point with the Love word.

For the past five years, I've loved creating handmade cards for our deployed service men and women to write home on. A big thank you goes to Operation Write Home for making it possible for many of us crafters to express our gratitude to our heroes in this heartfelt way.  Please click HERE to see everyone's blog hop postings!

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red), enchanted evening (dark blue), stamper's select white, and a striped print from Pink Paislee pen pals 6x6" paper pad.
• Note: the gray is background, not part of the card.
• Embossing folder is Darice diagonal stripe on the red panel. It looks nice in real life, but it's not so easy to see in the picture.
• Dies are PTI limitless layers: 2-1/4" ovals and Impression Obsession love.
• Bottom corners are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 1/2" corner chomper.
• The small red heart is inlaid into the Love die cut, and covered with Glossy Accents.

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." (464)

Brown Dotted Trees

A color change for an earlier design, a pair of cards in blue.  I like the same design with these browns too.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) vintage cream and the bitty dots print from PTI canyon clay (orangey brown) and dark chocolate (deep brown) pattern packs.
• Dies are PTI mighty oak and sketched shapes.
• The sentiment "thinking of you" is from PTI keep it simple: thank you, stamped with PTI dark chocolate ink cube.

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." (407)

Multicolor Congrats Flower

A happy card for a friend completing her master's degree.  A flower with "congrats" petals and a butterfly.

Card details:

• Card stock is My Favorite Things lemon drop (yellow), Paper Source grape (purple), and Papertrey Ink (PTI) spring moss (light green), new leaf (deep green), dark chocolate (brown), tropical teal, hibiscus burst (medium pink), Hawaiian shores (turquoise), orange zest, and raspberry fizz (deep pink).
• Dies are PTI wonderful words: congrats, ad sense (yellow flower shape), and flower fusion stem.  Brown flower center is an old 1/4" hole punch.
• Butterfly is an EK Success punch.  I snipped an extra brown layer for the body and antennae.
• I used glossy accents for the flower center, leaf veins, and butterfly to add some shine and dimension. 
• Embossing folder is Sizzix retro cirque (retiring).

(463)

Bright Thank You with Chevrons and Stars

Bright colors with strong shapes and patterns.  It certainly sends a clear message!

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source peacock (teal), Papertrey Ink (PTI) harvest gold (yellow), pure poppy (red), and vintage cream, and a multicolored chevron print from Echo Park "all about a boy" 6x6" paper pad.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI keep it simple: thank you, stamped with PTI pure poppy ink cube. 
• The banners are notched by hand. 
• The trio of small stars is punched with Fiskars 1/4" hand punch.
• Embossing folder is Darice stars asst. [assorted] 

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." (460)

Burgundy Love Heart with Blue

A variety of patterns add visual texture to my muted red, white, and blue color scheme.  The background heart is printed with lots of "love" words and phrases to reinforce the big script word.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) scarlet jewel (burgundy), a tiny words print from Pink Paislee pen pals 6x6" pad,  and damask and polka dot prints from PTI spring rain (light blue) and scarlet jewel pattern packs.
• The die set is My Favorite Things transform-ables heart full of love.
• Corners (top and bottom right) are rounded with Crop-a-Dile 1/2" 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." (461)

Grassy Landscape with Sun

A beautiful landscape, created with stamps and Copic markers.  I enjoyed using them together to make the landscape.

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) stamper's select white, classic kraft, orange zest, and ocean tides (muted teal).
• Die is Poppystamps lattice edge.
• Embossing folder is Tim Holtz stripes (retiring).
• The sentiment "miss you" is from PTI peaceful garden, stamped with PTI dark chocolate (brown) ink cube. 
• Stamps for the scene are from PTI peaceful garden (two tall grass and leaflet stamps) and boy basics: simple circles (for the sun), using PTI ink cubes in harvest gold (yellow), orange zest, new leaf (bright green), and ripe avocado (dark yellow-green). 
• The scene's background is (top to bottom) Copic marker BG53 airbrushed, E43 airbrushed, and E43 rough line with chisel tip.  For the sky, the BG 53 is airbrushed all the way across, from the top of the green grass to the top of the sun (which I masked with a 1" punched circle), though in the image it looks incomplete.

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." (459)

Blue, White, and Gold Stars on Red

A starry and bright card.  I like the stars twisting a bit, rather than layering evenly.  The embossed background adds a starburst effect. 

Edited October 21, 2016 to add: I wanted to use this design for a birthday card with the sentiment on the inside, so I replaced "thank you" with a strip of stars.  See below for the result, which I like even more than the original.  (The die is from Papertrey Ink super star borders.)

Card details:

• Card stock is Papertrey Ink (PTI) pure poppy (red), stamper's select white, enchanted evening (dark blue), and sun shimmer (yellow-gold).
• Dies are PTI seeing stars (three sizes) and photo finish strips.
• The red dot is inlaid into the gold.  I used an old 1/4" hole punch to cut it. 
• Embossing folder is the sun ray folder from Lifestyle Crafts/ WeRMemoryKeepers stripe set.
• The sentiment "thank you" is from PTI keep it simple: thank you, stamped with PTI enchanted evening ink cube.

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." (458)

Pink Flowers with Vines

A vine with three sweet flowers, climbing on a garden trellis.  The "love" sentiment is tucked under a leafy branch.

Card details:

• Card stock is My Favorite Things cotton candy (medium pink), Papertrey Ink (PTI) classic kraft and hibiscus burst (deep pink), polka dot and damask prints from PTI spring moss (light green) and ripe avocado (dark green) pattern packs, book print from PTI dearest Jane collection, and a pink print from PTI pretty pastels 8x8" pad. 
• Dies are Elizabeth Craft love, PTI rustic wreath, PTI take three, and the medium and small size PTI beautiful blooms II #3.  
• I used a very old 1/4" hole punch for the flower centers. 

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." (457)

Orange and Teal Chevrons on Aqua Honeycomb

Bold and energetic with a mix of patterns.  The dark brown Copic marker edging adds definition, as well as an extra touch of brown to tie the colors together.

Card details:

• Card stock is Paper Source pool (aqua), Papertrey Ink (PTI) dark chocolate (brown), and several papers from Echo Park "all about a boy" 6x6" pad.
• Embossing folder is Darice honeycomb.  I used the debossed side of the card stock.
• Die is My Favorite Things many thanks.
• Orange, chevron, and aqua prints are edged with Copic marker E29.

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." (456)

Leafy Branch with Variegated Greens

Really a lovely card with varied shades of green.  I die cut the leaves, colored them roughly (dabbing/ swiping in patches) with Copic markers, and then laid them back into the negative cut.

Card details:

• Card stock is Neenah baronial ivory (very pale yellow), Papertrey Ink (PTI) pinefeather (dark green), and a print from the Authentique free bird 6x6" collection. 
• Dies are Elizabeth Craft thanks and Savvy Stamps tall branches with leaves.
• Copic colors are BG93, YG95, G46, and YG21. 
• The bottom corners of the card base and all corners of the leaf panel 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." (455)