A little something for myself

I've been trying to use up some of my fabric stash, sort of taking a break from making greeting cards. I've made a few pillows as gifts, a t-shirt quilt from my father's old t-shirts and most recently, a purse.
The pattern is from The Stitching Scientist (ok, so this Blogsy app won't put the link there, but you can find her at http://thestitchingscientist.com/2014/05/oval-messenger-bag-with-free-pattern.html) and was uber easy to follow. The fabric is from the Joel Dewberry Ginseng collection that you can see online at http://www.joeldewberry.com/pages/ginseng-spice. That's all for now. It's Saturday morning and time to head out on a quest to find clearanced flowers and plants looking for a good home! Ta ta for now!

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Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge #220

This week's OWH sketch challenge was fun because it didn't require any special measurements, just pretty much eyeballing everything. Today I received a thank you note on an OWH card from a Lieutenant Colonel in Ft Leonardwood, Missouri. It was absolutely the MOST perfect timing because that was my father's first official active duty station in the late 50's where he served as an Army Drill Sergeant. He retired after 21 years and I had the distinct pleasure of serving with him for a couple of those years in Germany. I'll be making a memorial post for him as soon as I'm up to it. He took his last breath on Saturday, April 12th and we're still in the midst of preparing for his memorial service. Making cards has always been very therapeutic for me and certainly helped me get through this day! Please keep my mom in your prayers. They were both living in the same nursing home and she slips in and out of alzheimers, but is aware of his death. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Until I can get myself together enough to do a memorial post, here are a few pictures of my father.

With Mom wearing showing their support for the military troops.

Dad (on left) in Vietnam

Dad in his khakis

Dad at Ft Leonardwood

My Volksmarch hero!

My daughter's hero!

Dad and I

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Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown

A Father's Day card for the Operation Write Home (OWH) Midweek throwdown. I love the texture from the wallpaper sample that is made out of some kind of straw.

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Operation Write Home Cards

I have three cards to share with you today. I just mailed a big box of cards to Operation Write Home and have already gotten started on the next box. Every so often I decide to join a challenge or two and today I did three. The first is from their Midweek Throwdown Challenge which was to use purple and yellow. I love those two colors together, so this was really quite fun. I had saved a piece of purple shimmery paper from a wedding invitation that was just too pretty to throw away. Unfortunately my husband didn't realize I was saving it for a card and used it to write some notes. AAACKKKK!!!! Luckily there was enough clear space around the edges that I could cover his writing with some awesome yellow handmade paper left over from another project. Add a few flowers and hand stamp the word "sister" and Voila! Here ya go:

Next comes a card with a sad note connected to it. I didn't know her, but one of the Operation Write Home fellow cardmakers passed away last week and in her honor they asked us to copy (CASE) one of her designs.

The last one is today's sketch challenge #118.

 

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OWH Sketch Midweek Throwdown

This card is being entered in the Operation Write Home (OWH) midweek throwdown which is asking us to use circles in our design. I've had these stamped and die cut images for a very long time and finally got around to coloring them. I don't know the name of the stamp set because they belong to someone else, but I know they are Stampin Up and probably retired by now.

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Congratulations WSU Shockers for being UNBEATABLE!!!

I don't talk about my younger days much on this blog, but I'm am just overflowing with pride tonight as the Wichita State Shocker basketball team continued their winning streak by beating Drake 83-54. Hmm I just realized the significance of those numbers and without giving it away will just say that they represent birth years. Anyway, just wanted to share this proud moment with anyone who might be reading this blog. Oh, and why am I so proud? Because I graduated from college at WSU a long time ago. GO SHOCKERS!!!

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OWH Sketch Challenge #211

While continuing my own challenge to use up the majority of my excess stash of cardmaking supplies I often come across the opportunity to participate in a challenge. Most of the cards that I make are destined for soldiers serving overseas via the awesome group called Operation Write Home. They issue challenges every week and this Sunday their sketch challenge is to follow the sketch below. You can join the challenge to at their blog.

Here's my card using paper from my stash and a digital sentiment that I created.

OWH Cards for kids

I've been busy filling another large flat rate box with greeting cards for Operation Write Home (OWH). This week's challenge is to make cards for kids. I had a few stamped images (borrowed from a friend ages ago, but thing the little girl is a Penny Black stamp) and some digis that seemed to fit the bill. Here are two of the cards that I made. Oh the paper behind the little girl is printed to look like denim jeans. The sunshine stamp is from Stampin Up!

Red and Black Cards

I've been keeping busy making cards for Operation Write Home and Split Coast Stampers Cards for a Cause. I'm still convinced that the paper has parties in the middle of the night and just keeps reproducing because no matter how many cards I make (we're talking HUNDREDS!) the piles of paper don't get any smaller. It's been fun and it's for a great couple of causes. Here's two that I made recently that are my favorites. I love the contract between the red and black.

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Red and Black Cards

I've been keeping busy making cards for Operation Write Home and Split Coast Stampers Cards for a Cause. I'm still convinced that the paper has parties in the middle of the night and just keeps reproducing because no matter how many cards I make the piles of paper don't get any smaller. It's been fun and it's for a great couple of causes. Here's two that I made recently.

Most of the paper is from my stash. The punches are all Stampin Up!