Helping A Good Cause!

Just wanted to share two cards that I made for my Hero Arts Flickr Group challenge - called 90 Minute Scramble. Recently sweet Janet from our group hosted the challenge and all cards were to be donated to a very good cause called Operation Marshmallow and supports men and women in the military. Most of the cards go to veterans. Please check it out and if you can send in a card please do! Thanks so much.

There was a site for the Canadian military called "Cards For Canadian Soliders" but is not accepting cards now, due to the fact, that our troops are no longer overseas. Most have pulled out with only few groups remaining and to my knowledge the mission will be completed before the end of this year. If there is someone who knows of another group to send cards along to, like maybe recovering soliders, or Veterans please bye all means let me know and I will be in touch with them to see what their needs are for cards and then pass it along to others here. Thanks so much.

This card was made using the Florish Stamp from Hero Arts and was stamped with white kraft ink on dark purple cardstock. If I had my time back I would have embossed it white instead, because now the card looks more like a very pale white on a black background and it isn't!  Oh well, know I know for next time. Speaking of time, I only had 90 minutes to make both of these cards and the clock was ticking. Lol.

Now this card was made using the Classic Bloom stamp from Hero Arts as well and was stamped using black StazOn on mustard yellow Bazill cardstock. (It turned out much brighter than I had hoped for but oh well!) All flowers were then coloured with blue Tombo Marker and then shaded with my Staedtler Karat watercolor Pencils. Centers were coloured in with black maker and outer part of centers where coloured in with orange. For a more whimiscal touch I added white highlights to the flower petals with white Tombo gel pen. American Craft mocoa colour ribbon was tied around card front and the pearls added for a little charm.

The 90 Minute Scrambles are so challenging and even though I have only ever won one time, it is so fun and the ladies so nice, that winning never really matters! I have made such wonderful friends from this group of ladies that I feel extremely blessed. You should should try and play along on the next 90 Minute Scramble too.

Well I guess that you have seen that I am finally over 100 followers! Yay! I am so happy right now! I am gonna leave this Blog Candy going until our vacation time is over. We are getting ready to start our vacation time tomorrow and we cannot wait!  I just love taking road trips and short day trips. If you can share about this that would be great, but please let me know if your a new follower, or if you shared this on your blog. Don't worry, there will still be some other post, at least one or two. So please check back in okay! 

Thanks for being here today and I hope that you are inspired to share your creations with someone in your community or for a worthy cause. It really does mean so much to others to get a handmade card.  Until next time, have fun and God Bless!

Hugs

Dana

I'm Back!

Hi Everyone:
 

I trust that your all doing great and still enjoying your summer. I must admit that the break I took really did help my hand feel better. I guess all this love I have for cardmaking is wearing me out before my time! Lol. Just kidding! My son says, " Mom your falling apart sure!" Lol. It is so funny hearing him say that, just like a little old man! Such a sweetheart. Loves his Mama!  Now if I could get over this stupid Bronchitis then I would be back to normal. I know your wondering if normal is a part of my character. Lol. Now come on! I just love to have fun and have a good laugh! Life is too short to be down right! So just laugh and then laugh some more! 

Okay back to posting the cards that I made for my Guest Designer Gig over at Lily Pad. I have to say that I was soooo happy how they turned out. I had such heartfelt comments and encouragement. It really meant so much. The next cards are my favorites really. I love the vibrancy of the colours and how realistic the flowers look. You tell me what you think!

Card Supplies:

Markers: Tombo

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink – Ranger, Stampin’ Up

Cardstock: Bazzill, Recollections, Stampin’ Up

Stamps: Everyday Sayings CL342– Hero Arts

Pattern Paper: Mustard Moon, K & Company

Punches & Die Cuts: Lacy Punch – Martha Stewart, Classic Scalloped Circle – Spellbinders – Nestabilities

Rose Flower: Made with Sculpy 111 Clay and using molds from Mold Mice @ Esty ( This flower was from my Flickr Friend Janet! Thanks sweetie)

Instructions:

Old Vintage News Print paper was cut to size, distressed, adhered to black cardstock, and then to card base. Lacy border was punched from Kraft cardstock then added to card front. Cotton lace was then added to bottom portion of punched lace border and black ribbon added to the center and tied to the side.

Scalloped circles were then punched from pink cardstock and edges distressed with black ink. Lace Doilies were cut from pattern paper. All were distressed and layered on card front from biggest to smallest.

Molded flower was colored using Tombo pink markers and then shaded with black ink. This was then soften with a mop brush in a pouncing motion.  A darker shade of black was added to petal edges and around flower center. This flower was then added to the card front using Score Tape. To finish the card, the sentiment was stamped and matted then added to card along with pearls and corsage pin.

Card Supplies

Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks – Ranger, Stampin’ Up, StazOn

Cardstock: Recollections

Watercolor Paper: Canson 90lbs/185GSM

Stamps: Classic Bloom H5481, Old Letter Writing S4878, Hydrangea K5376,     Everyday Sayings CL342 – Hero Arts, Journal Spots – Autumn Leaves

Adhesives: Glossy Accents, Score Tape, Pop Dots, and Glue Dots

Markers: Tombo

Pencils: Staedtler

Instructions:

Scattered Straw, Peeled Paint, Broken China, and Vintage Photo distress inks were added to an acrylic block and then spritzed with water. Once inks bleed together and pooled in places, a piece of watercolor paper was placed over top. Once removed and blotted a little, it was heated with the embossing heat tool. Then text was added using Old Letter Writing stamp. Edges were distressed with Choc. Chip and adhered to a Kraft cardstock card base.

Journaling spot was stamped in Choc. Chip and cut in half to be used later. Wide coordinating ribbon was then tied around card. Journal spot was then added to the side of ribbon bow. Using the Classic Blossom stamp, two flowers were stamped with black StazOn on watercolor paper.

Each flower was colored with Tombo Yellow Marker and shaded with brown watercolor pencil. Center of flower was colored blue and shaded around with dark blue. To add depth and dimension to flower, the center was stamped again and colored. It was then cut out and layered over flower center using pop dots. The center was then covered with Glossy Accents to add shine but also to give a smooth surface to lay down white gel dots. This made the dots pop!  Top flower was then layered over the bottom flower. The bottom flower did not have any shading. This is one’s preference. Flower was then placed over top of journal spot using pop dots.

Leaves were made using just the leaf portion of the Hydrangea stamp.  Five leaves were stamped, cut, colored and adhered to the flower. Sentiment was stamped and added to flower along with corsage pin. To complete the card, pearls were added randomly.

This card was also submitted to the Hero Arts July monthly contest and I am praying & hoping that it helps me to win some new release stamps. Praying, crossing my fingers, legs, & toes! Lol. The new contest is up now as well. It is a goodie this time! But then again the contest are always amazing.  

Before I go I just want to share a bit of information with you regarding Hero Arts and their incentive program.



Check Out This Very Exciting News!



When you use Hero Arts stamps in your card makingand those card then become published in some crafting or cardmaking Magazine, then you will recieve a reward from Hero Arts. No better time to purchase Hero Arts stamps than now. You will be so happy that you did!

Okay that is it for this post, but there is one coming right after this one that will share some more Blog Candy. So please stay tuned!

Hugs & Blessings.

Dana