Saturday, November 20, 2010

100+ Ways To Provide Cheer!

I am so happy to say I now have 100+ cards for the Wounded Soldiers Program!  I learned a couple of valuable lessons along the way as well- ALWAYS check to make sure you have the proper size envelope for the card sizes you are making AND when you do realize you don't have enough- BEFORE you go making a zillion envelopes, count to see how many you TRULY need!!!  I started to put the cards in the envelopes and realized the first one I picked up didn't fit the envelope in my hand (assuming it was my only type) so I spent the next hour or two making envelopes.  When I finished the last one I was SO happy- so I started stuffing cards again and realized, upon moving the cards that I had a full stack of envelopes that fit the cards I used :(  So, that was my hard learned lesson for the week, LOL  But, all's well that ends well- I have plenty of envelopes for another project later :)  I had printed out a beautiful digi stamp I had that said "Thank You HERO, You Make America Proud" (Sorry to say I do not recall where I got this one from) and my niece was sweet enough to spend the day coloring them to make them brighter!  She was here recovering from having her wisdom teeth removed earlier in the week, so I truly appreciate her assistance, along with my two older sons who also stepped in and assisted in stamping, embossing, cutting out labels with the Cuttlebug and so forth.  It was a true family project and one we are SO proud to be a part of!  It gives a warm fuzzy feeling for sure!  *Hugs*

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Thanksgiving Napkin Cards

My Grandmother needed two cards for her secret pals at church and she was going to go buy two <Gasp> so I told her I would make them for her.  She chose a simple picture on a napkin I had so I "thought' this would be a simple quick project- well, we know that wasn't to be, right?  LOL I could not find where I hid my Saran Wrap so I had to go purchase another box.  I was in the dollar store picking up a gift bag to wrap up My Grandmother's Birthday Present so I grabbed a roll of plastic wrap in there (here was my mistake).  I came home, separated the parts of the napkin, fired up the iron and set about adhering the napkin to my card stock.  Well, once it cooled, it just came right back off- WHAT???  The last time I did this it was super simple, what is going on?  THEN I saw it- "Microwave Safe" Oh No, that is not going to work!  So, off to Wally World I go to pick up non microwave safe plastic wrap- well, I had a choice of a massive size box of clear wrap or a normal box of new holiday colors in red!  I figured what the heck, you weren't going to see it, so I went with the red, LOL  Thankfully, it went without a hitch once I got home and fired up the iron again :)  I know the flower petals are folded but that is from my sticking it in the envelope and taking it back out to remember to take pictures, so I set them straight and held the envelope open enough to slide them in without folding them this time around :) They aren't super fancy but she wanted something simple and straight forward so I think they fill the bill!  I do hope and pray each of you gets to spend your Thanksgiving in the company of loved ones!  *Hugs*

Friday, November 12, 2010

Rolling Down the Hill Now!

Wow, I have now completed 50 cards for the wounded soldiers program!  That is more cards than I have ever made combined, LOL  I have really been enjoying myself though and to know it is for a good cause makes it even more fulfilling!!! Now, I know you know I had to have a mishap along the way and I did :(  Actually a couple of them, LOL (One was setting up the paper on the Cricut Mat- I failed to set the orientation properly and ended up with a green bird (sick???), Brown Leaves on the Holly Leaves (Poison that the bird eventually ate?) and well, you get the idea- scrapped that set and started over with paper in right direction :)  So, late last night I had a brain storm (usually the sign of danger approaching) and I decided to paint some of the Holly Leaves that I have embossed with the Cuttlebug, so I used my handy little H2O Pen and some Pearl Ex (sounds pretty innocent, doesn't it?) It wasn't- I made a massive mess, LOL I had drops of color all over the card and by the time I finished, I had tiny puddles on the leaves from where the pen was putting out too much water.  So, I was going to trash it but decided to fling the water off it into the sink first instead of it going in my trash can- when I did, it left these little splat lines across the card so I wiped them off and Oh Wow- it looked sorta neat to me, LOL So, I sat there and just smudged all around the card and in the end, it became my favorite card, LOL It is the brownish colored one with hints of green as well (Holly Leaves).  I believe I will sit down this weekend and do a few more just like it- maybe I will even get a few that aren't puddled, LOL  *Hugs*










Thursday, November 11, 2010

On a roll

I spent almost all day and only ended up with 12 cards to show for it, (The blue and white one is for another purpose,as they are too bulky to mail)  I have NO idea how some people can do 50 and more in a day- I must really be doing something wrong :)  All in all I am quite pleased and I figure if I do a few a day, then I can send a decent amount to the wounded soldiers in the hospital.  My way of saying thanks here at home!  I still need to put a greeting on the front but it gives an idea of what I've been up to. *Hugs*


Copic Helps Spread Some Holiday Cheer

I just love this idea, as so many are already involved in OWH but this is a little bit different as these brave men and women are already back home but not as they left!  If you feel up to sending a few cards, think of the warm feeling it may bring to someone suffering so much during the holidays! *Hugs* Please click on Copic below to see what you can do to spread some cheer as well!
Copic

Friday, November 5, 2010

Latest and Greatest Toy

Oh My, I was so blessed to have been chosen as the winner on Kandrews Blog for the Cri-Kit Embossing Bundle- WooHoo!!!  It arrived today and I had to set the housework aside for a few minutes (Sandy said it was OK, so it is her fault my house is so dusty right now).  Of course, my first embossed item was a snowman :)  But it was SO lightly embossed it barely showed up :(  I am a trooper if nothing else though, so I tried again, but this time with a wolf (FAR cry from a snowman, LOL) and I was a bit more pleased with the outcome.  I am not sure if I ever stated this, but I am awaiting a loaner Cricut to arrive from PC so that they can do some work on my Pink Baby.  I have never been fully satisfied with the way she cuts, as I have to cut on deepest setting and highest pressure to get a full cut on most items and it should not be this way they say.  So, I contacted them and after replacing the housing, no major difference so they said they would need to ship me a loaner and send mine to get a full check up.  SO, that may be partially why my embossing isn't super noticeable.  I know, on paper it isn't going to be as deep as with the Cuttlebug, but I have seen Penny's Paper Embossed and it is WAY more detailed than mine so I know I can get it better!  However, with that being said, here is a wolf I normally use for vinyl purposes but I just wanted to try it out embossed.  I played with my Cat's Eye Ink thingies and had fun letting some frustrations out, as the card base is actually a green color, LOL  I used some MS Sterling Embossing Powder to highlight the wolf, and of course here and there around it as well, but that part wasn't intentional- LOL *Hugs*

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Santa's Drawers

I started off today in a major funk, but slowly began to work myself out of it after receiving an email from Splitcoast Stampers.  I knew I "had" to try this adorable dresser drawer!  Mine is not near as cute as SplitCoast's but I am tickled as can be with it all the same.  I think if I made it a few times I would actually get it to work out without bulging areas and uneven drawers :) But, for a first time, I am actually pleased!  *Hugs*