Welcome to CardSwaps Blog Hop!

There are some awesome things going on over at CardSwaps this week! Challenges and games will be posted February 8-11, 2012. You will have until February 14, 2012 to get your projects posted to the appropriate thread. If you've never participated before please don't worry. There are many members, myself included, that will be around to offer support and encouragement. You will find out all you need to know in the forum. So.... AFTER the hop... you will be taken to the crop and I do hope you join in. I know this is a long post but there is a prize on the line for the hoppers and you don't want to miss anything. Please.... read all my ramblings... don't skip ahead!!

The blog hop "theme" goes with the crop title "Winter Warm Up". All of us blog hop hostesses were given a lot of creative license. The type of project, sentiment, and style were all left open. The only requirement was that the completed item has to make you smile and bring warm, fuzzy feelings to the cold, cold Winter months.

When I think about it, I have one special way to warm up during the Winter. Maybe I've been out shoveling snow, going to the store, or running errands. Sometimes I'll be enjoying myself visiting family or friends and discover, when it's time to come home, we're having a snow storm. It's cold, cold, cold outside but I know when I get in my home I can make a creamy, yummy cup of hot cocoa, put on some music and curl up in my favorite chair. Why does this make me feel warm and fuzzy? Because it reminds me of when I was little and my mom always had a cup of hot cocoa waiting for me. And, my friends, thinking of my mom always makes me smile.

So in honor of my mom, hot cocoa and feeling warm and fuzzy... here's my card.

Most of my card is paper pieced using paper from my stash. The "wallpaper" is one piece and I used another piece to print the girl and chair image on. I printed the image a second time on white cardstock and used my Prismacolor colored pencils and gamsol to color just the girl. Then I cut her out and adhered her to the chair. I used foam tape the pop the chair out and give it dimension. The image is by Sara Sherlock at Folded Paper & Printed Pixels  [I'm so sorry that I got this wrong. The girl in the chair image is from Sassy Studio Designs thank you Sara for catching my mistake.]   For the "floor" I used a scrap piece of brown cardstock and the wood grain embossing folder by Sizzix. The lamp is an image by Bird at BirdsCards . I printed it on white cardstock, colored it with my Copics, cute it out and adhered it behind the chair arm. The "baseboard" is white cardstock. The mini picture is also from my stash and I've had it, and others, so long I can't remember. It came from Artful Illusions but all of their links are not working properly right now.

Now for what you've been waiting for.... the game for hoppers... You will be collecting a letter at each blog you visit. Hostesses will also be able to play along because they don't know any letters except their own. The last hostess in the blog hop will direct you to the thread in the forum where you can find all the details you need to enter the drawing. All hoppers collecting all the letters, unscrambling the word or phrase, entering the game by following the directions in the forum, and leaving feedback on EVERY blog they visit WILL be entered into a random drawing held on February 15, 2012. ONE lucky hopper will have their name drawn and will win a prize!! You will have lots of fun and find lots of inspiration... so visit every blog and collect all the letters. Your only hints are: it's a phrase and it's a way papercrafters warm up.

OK... You should have arrived here from the fabulous Laura's blog. If you're just joining in then please go to the beginning at CardMaker's blog to start the hop and collect your first letter.

My letter is:    W

The next stop on your hop today is Jane's blog and I know you're in for a treat! I love Jane's projects and admire her talent! Her project is sure to make you warm and fuzzy.

The list of hoppers, in case you get lost.

CardMaker  http://www.cardmakermagazine.com/blog/?p=1256
Lora  http://lorabrinkman.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
SusieQ  http://lilbitofme-susan.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-you-are-on-cardswaps-winter.html
Laura  http://ljjonescircus.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-with-cardmaker-magazine.html
Marlene  http://marlenescubbyholecreations.blogspot.com/2012/02/welcome-to-cardswaps-blog-hop.html  *you are here*
Jane  http://jane-notsuchaplainjane.blogspot.com/2012/02//welcome-to-winter-warm-up-crop.html
Golda  http://goldapete.wordpress.com/2012/08/winter-warm-up-blog-hop/
Angelina  http://angel-artdesign.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
Tina  http://tina-craftingkewpie.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-crop.html
Judy (PrairieWildflower)  http://prairiewildflowerpapercrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
Ivanka  http://ivankascardstudio.blogspot.com/2012/02/cardmaker-winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html
Teresa (WingsNThings)  http://tickellexpressions.blogspot.com/2012/02/card-swaps-winter-warm-up-crop-and-blog.html
Ana  http://anaggarciam.blogspot.com/2012/02/winter-warm-up-blog-hop.html

A non card challenge at CardSwaps:

Welcome back peeps! This week's member challenge was hosted my Elaine. We were to decorate a candle with whatever we wanted. Elaine's sample candle was done by stamping on tissue paper and then, by using a heat gun, transfering the image to the candle.

I  always wanted to try this technique be never got around to it. My first try was using Memento black ink and using tissue paper from Walgreens. Unfortunately the ink wanted to bleed causing a blurred image. For my second attempt I used the same in but the tissue paper was from "The Dollar Tree" and only cost $1 a package. It has a shiny and dull side and stamping on the dull side worked best. For my black dots around the bottom I used my black Pearl Pen by Viva.

Please stop over at CardSwaps here and see all the beautiful candles the ladies have made using different mediums. You can also go to Dawn Griffins' YouTube video here for the tissue paper technique I used.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed your visit!

A special card for my mom:

Hi peeps... Today I have a couple of things to share with you. The first thing is a Change of Address card for my mom.

I used the new Hero Arts stamp set "Right at Home" that was designed in collaboration with Operation Write Home. I made 2 dozen of these cards using scraps of patterned paper for the houses. I also used 2 pieces of scrap of green patterned paper, per card, for the grass. The tops were torn, higher on one side and lower on the other, for some dimension and I also inked the torn edges with green. The fence and cloud were stamped on scraps of white cardstock and cut out. I printed New Address on the cloud and used dimensional tape to pop it up from the card. The blue for the sky.... you guessed it, scraps of different colors of blue cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed yourself!

OWH Sketch Challenge #104

So far this year I'm doing good with my goal of participating each week in the challenges at two of my most favorite blogs, which are: Operation Write Home (or OWH for short) and CardSwaps over at CardMaker Magazine.

O.K., O.K..... we're only 3 weeks into the new year but hey... it's a start. Right? Absolutely!!

I really, really like the sketch this week at OWH! In fact I had 2 themes in mind and couldn't decide which one the do so I did the only logical thing - make cards using both themes. Hey it works for me! Here's what I made:

The top one is an 'Any Hero' card for CardSwaps. Lora Brinkman heads up the project to send the cards we make for the Troops to send home. I believe she sends them to OWH shipper Kris... but I'm not sure. The minimum requirement is 6 cards and 2 any hero mail, but you can send as many as you want. I know it doesn't sound like a lot but when my cards are added to all the others from members at CardSwaps it can add up to one really nice box. The stars are cut from a sheet of DP, made by The Paper Studio, from Hobby Lobby and adhered to the white squares. I criss-crossed my twine and made the tripple bow on my Bow-Easy. For the pennant I used the Die-Namics Mini Wavy Pennant set from My Favorite Things .

The bottom card is an extra Valentine card I will need. I used DP from a 6x6 paper pad called Love Me from My Mind's Eye. I inked the edges of my squares with Ranger Ink's Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and added hearts made from scrap cardstock to the 2 end squares. I bought the pink lace, made by May Arts, quite a while ago 'cause it was pretty but I've had trouble finding paper that it really goes with nicely. I discovered it goes perfectly with this paper pad. The stick pin is just one that I made... because I like them. Since this card will be hand delivered I don't have to worry about mailing it.

I'll be back later today to post my challenge card for CardSwaps but for now I'll say "Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed your visit."

1 Card for 2 Challenges!

Hello Friends - gosh it's been a whole week since I posted anything. I knew it would be a busy week because this is the week Mom moved into her Assisted Living apartment. She's moved in, adjusting nicely, so now I can go back to playing with paper and ink! heeheehee. Without further ado... my card.



I was actually able to make one card that will qualify in two challenges over at Operation Write Home

The first challenge is their weekly sketch challenge #103. I love their sketches because there's no guesswork on measurements... they give them on the design. Here's this weeks:

The second challenge is the January ODBD Challenge. This month is a recipe challenge: Use THREE patterned papers on your card!

You have until February 3rd at midnight to get your card linked up before the February challenge is posted on the 4th. And the prize? ODBD is offering TWO generous $25 gift certificates for prizes!

Bonus prize for our heroes:

Our Daily Bread Designs will be making a shipping donation based on the number of cards in the InLinkz (only one entry per person!) - ODBD will sponsor one large box of cards for every 25 cards linked to the challenge post, with a maximum of 2 boxes per month. So be sure to pop over to OWH and see what everyone has linked. While you're at it, make a card and link is up and be sure to tell all your friends to come and enter the challenge too!

Well peeps I gotta run. Hope you enjoyed your visit and "Thanks" for stoppin by!







Having fun with Challenges -

Good morning eveyone! I've been noticing a lot of bloggers are making a New Year's Resolution to use more supplies from their stash before buying anything new. The more I think about it the more I like the idea and I've decided to try and do the same thing myself. Why? I buy things because I love the color, because it's sooo pretty, and because it speaks to me. What's the problem? I have a bad habit of hoarding my supplies because if I use it then I won't have it anymore. There... I've said it!

Today I'm going to show you some challenges I've just completed over at CardSwaps. And yes... I was a good girl and used material from my stash except for one stamp. It's new but I bought it with Christmas gift money and... it was on sale at almost half off.

This card is for this week's Member Challenge over at CardSwaps. It's a Funky Fold Card Challenge using the Double Dutch Fold and you can check out the challenge for yourself here.

This is the front of my card and I used my new stamp for the top portion. I know... it looks like DP but it's not, it's really a stamp. Impression Obsession makes it and it's one of their cover-a-card stamps called Ornate Floral. The Friends stamp is from the Vintage Vogue set by SU. The bottom portion is held together by a bellyband made of cardstock. The black & white paper is from my stash as is the red, white, and black cardstock.

Here's a look at the inside of my card.

The top portion opens up and the bottom portion opens out. Pretty cool huh? The bonus is it was super easy to make. I placed another piece of my DP across the bottom so it ties in with the front. The sentiment is a digi I've had by Ann Vento of Raindrop Echo Designs. Check it out here at Whimsy Design Studio.

My second set of cards if for CardMaker Challenge Corner at CardSwaps. This week's challenge is called 'There's A Card For That'. You can check out the challenge here The idea is to have some blank cards on hand that you can go to for a last minute card. Add a sentiment on the front... write a note inside and... voila your good to go.

I was really good because everything on these cards is from my stash. I've had the papers so long I don't remember who makes them or where I got them. The floral stamp is by Great Impressions #H184 stamped on white cardstock with Rangers 'Victorian Velvet' Distress Ink. The bicycle is Bicycle from Art Impressions is stamped on cream cardstock with Rich Cocoa by Mememto.

Well I guess I should be going. I hope you've enjoyed yourself and 'Thanks' for stopping by!

OWH - Sketch Challenge #102

Hi peeps! Has everyone recovered from their New Year's festivities? I have... but then I didn't do anything festive. HeeHeeHee!

This week over at OWH - Stars & Stamps is a new sketch challenge. Boy do I love the simplicity of the design and my card only took a short time. I needed some masculine 'Thank You' cards for some of the menfolk in the family. Once I saw this sketch I knew I had my card design AND a way to use some gorgeous brown plaid paper I simply love. I hope you like it.

Recipe:
Card base - cream cardstock from Hobby Lobby
Brown Plaid DP - Glitz Design [a new company to me]
Green Dot circle - Brown stripes - scraps from my stash
Thank You stamped on cream in Rich Cocoa by Memento.
[sorry - I got the stamp at a yard sale and don't know who makes it]

Thanks for stopping by... hope you enjoyed your visit!