Our Daily Bread Designs October Challenge and Critters at the Dog Park!

I'm trying all kinds of new challenges this month.  Another new one is the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) monthly challenge.  October's challenge was to make the sentiment the main focus of the card.  I saw the sentiment I used on this card during the Operation Write Home World Cardmaking Day blog hop and had to get it.  It's by Stampabilities and is called Patriotic Subway Art.  I hope you like it. 

 

 

Just about everything on this card is from Stampin' Up.  This is somewhat strange as I'm a Close To My Heart demonstrator!  But that's okay.  I used Real Red and Not Quite Navy markers and paper.  The twine is also SU.  I embossed the navy cardstock with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and lightly sanded it.

 

 

I've been on an animal card making whirl this week.  I've had the Lawn Fawn Critters at the Dog Park for quite awhile.  Yesterday was the day to finally use it.  I'll tell you.  This card almost made me give up card making.  It's not that it was particularly difficult.  It's just that everything that could go wrong went wrong.  I had trouble with the brown dog die lining up with the stamped image. The "grass" gave me fits.  The sentiment didn't show up on the green paper.  That's why I added the banner.  I ruined several banners - once because of ink on my finger, another because I had the exclamation point upside down.  And on and on.  I'm so glad I really like the final product.  Yikes!

 



Supplies:

 

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up

Designer Paper :  My Mind's Eye Hootenanny from Michaels

Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Critters at the Dog Park

Embossing Folder:  Stampin' Up

Coloring:  Copics

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I really appreciate your comments.



Operation Write Home Challenge - Sketch #190

I have two completely different styles of cards for you today.  Here's today's sketch for Operation Write home:

I didn't follow the sketch very closely since my stamped image needed more of a rectangular focal point.  But here's what I came up with:

This will be an "Any Hero" card.  The card looks simple and it is.  But you'd think a tornado had passed through my house.  I must have dragged out every tool I own for this.  One of the most difficult parts was the mitering of the corners on the washi tape around the sentiment.  Then the part that really caused me problems was getting everything stuck down.  I had originally used a polka dot embossing folder for the background.  Nothing would stick.  Glue was seeping out everywhere!  So the polka dot went into the trash and I turned to my beloved ATG gun for some bonding time.

I used my Cricut Artbooking cartridge, chevron embossing folder, Tim Holtz embossing folder (cracked glass maybe?), star washi tape, Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments (CL582 - OWH Fundraiser), silver brads, Spellbinders rectangle dies, Cats Eye Lipstick Red chalk ink and Stampin' Up Night of Navy ink spot.  The card base is from Papertrey Ink.


I also made a sympathy card this weekend for a dear friend who lost her brother.  He'd been ill for quite a while.  Still, I don't think you're ever prepared for the death of a loved one.  My thoughts and prayers are with her.

This card was made almost entirely of Anna Griffin product.  The exception is the gunmetal grey textured metallic paper in the middle layer (DCWV).  I embossed this paper with Anna's Circle Grid folder.  It came out great!  I almost hated to cover it with the top layer. (I have Melody Lane to thank for this idea.)  I also used Stampin' Up pearls and corner punch.  I think my friend liked it.  What do you think?



Operation Write Home Challenge - Sketch #189

Today's card is for Operation Write Home's Sketch Challenge #189.  I love this sentiment from the Close To My Heart's National Stamping Month promo set, You Are My Happy.  It's only $10 with a $50 purchase and includes a full alphabet, a set of icons and a set of sentiments.  I used Anna Griffin papers except for the brown cardstock which is Bazzill.  I embossed the strip of Bazzill with Anna Griffin's Circular Grid embossing border folder.  The epoxy accent is also Anna's.  I thought this would make a nice card from a mom or dad to their teenage daughter.  I'm pleased with this card but think I got a little heavy-handed with the distressing.

 I LOVE my Sakura Stardust pen and use it all the time.  It was only after I finished the card that I wondered if this may violate the "NO GLITTER" rule.  Here's what the Sakura website says about the pen:  

Gelly Roll Stardust is a pigment-based archival quality ink and is indicated in each color name with the suffix "-STAR". Features include:

• A roller ball pen that is easy and comfortable to write with
• Archival quality ink – chemically stable, waterproof, and fade resistant. ( Except black sparkle. )
• No smears, feathers, or bleed-through on most papers and
• The glittery 'dust' is an inert, cosmetic grade, finely ground ingredient – which produces the reflective brilliance

In case you're not familiar with Operation Write Home's rule on glitter - it's actually visible with night vision goggles and can put the soldiers in harm's way.  I don't think I'll take a chance on it but won't make this mistake again.  I'm sorry, OWH!