Keeping it simple

When I'm not paper crafting or reading my Kindle or playing with the grandsons (not necessarily in that order) I teach high school math. I was telling another teacher recently about the OWH (Operation Write Home) organization and we discussed starting a card making club at school. We also are considering a faculty/staff night once a month to make cards.

Since the students probably won't have access to a lot of supplies, I will be providing from my stash. Thus came the thought: I need some examples on how to make a very nice card without all the expensive embellishments. So here is one of my simpler examples:

Three papers (both plaids are from Paper Pizzazz), 5 brads (4 gold, one leaf) and a sentiment cut out of dark green vinyl on the Cricut. 

I hope we get a good response from the staff and from the students. Especially from the students: true crafting spirits creating quality cards. I know the talent is in the school, just have to tap it. 

It's Fall

School has started so my crafting time is limited. I have made a couple of dozen cards in the last few weeks. This one is one of my favorites.

The quilt rack image is from DigiDoodles. Of course this card is going in the box for OWH.

Two for OWH

Two cards (among many more) made for Operation Write Home Challenges. Our Daily Bread Designs August Challenge is a "Masculine" card. I had just pulled several more masculine type papers when I read about this challenge. By submitting a (one only) card to this challenge you can help defray the cost of shipping the OWH cards to our troops.

The other card is for this week's OWH Sketch Challenge. I flip flopped the two accent strips and didn't mat the one and I added a sentiment. But the sketch is supposed to be a starting point, right? 

Both cards used die cuts from Cricut cartridges "George" and "Beyond Birthdays". I like to make my die cuts out of self adhesive vinyl in black or dark green. The papers and brads were from my stash drawer of scraps and opened packs.

Thanks a Bushel

The Squigglefly Challenge #30 is Speak to Me. I used the inside/out images Thanks a Bushel by Chesney Young colored with Copic markers. The background paper is DCWV (fall Mat stack). The mat for the sentiment is a leafy patterned paper from ProvoCraft and is anchored to the card with four star mini-brads. I added a red and a green apple brad and small gold pearls.

Sketch Challenge in Autumn

The new OWH (Operation Write Home)'s sketch challenge works purrfectly with some fall papers. Even though the thermometer reads over 100 degrees, it is time to start on those fall cards for our military personnel.

The papers are all from DCWV the Fall matstack from two or three years ago. I like using the 4.5 x 6.5 mat stacks for card making. They are just slightly larger than the card face so there is little waste. I hate cutting into a 12 x 12 sheet when I need just a card front or even smaller piece of paper. The leaf sparkle stickers are Sticko (I believe). Thinking of You was cut from dark green vinyl using the Cricut George cartridge. There are also 7 small gold round brads.

Paper Piercing

I am sliding in under the deadline for this week's Squigglefly Challenge to use paper piercing (not piecing). I had to get to our lake house to find one of my piercing stencils. I have at least 8 of them but could only find one.

I used the Squigglefly image Back to School Bear by Diana Carubia. The gold metallic foil paper is from WorldWin Papers. It is quite thick and works well for piercing. I chose to pierce from the back to make a raised pattern. Some people prefer to do it from the front and use the holes.

It is difficult to photograph the metallic paper. It reflects so well that hands, camera, tabletop, etc are all seen.

Our oldest grandson is starting kindergarten this fall. Even though he is more of a Super Heroes kinda kid, I think I will send him this card to mark the important day.

Triangles

I saw this design in an email newsletter News from Around the Planet. I added the thin strips of silver between the pieces. I cut 1/8 inch strips from a 12 x 12 sheet of adhesive backed shiny paper. It is available in a variety of colors including silver, blue, green and orange. The image is from Bugaboo and colored with Copic markers.