Cleaning off my desk

It's Friday and I have a messy craft desk, so I thought I'd make a few quick cards with the scraps.
 

I started with some Stampin' Up solid cardstock for the base of the cards, then used some scraps from a DCWV stack to cut out this adorable little birdhouse at 4" from the Cindy Loo cricut cartridge, and stamped a few images from a Stampin' Up stamp set with chocolate brown ink.

For the next two cards, I used the other two pieces of Stampin' Up solid cardstock for the base, and more scraps from a DCWV stack to cut these little fish from the Creat a Critter cricut cartridge.  The fish bowl on the left was cut at 4" and the little fish was cut at 2"; the fish at the right was cut at 3".  They just need a sentiment and they're ready to go in the box of cards for Operation Write Home.  Now my desk is clean and there are four more cards for the OWH box.  Enjoy your weekend!

Operation Write Home

As the weather this week in New Jersey continued to boil, I spent lots of time in my craft room working on a box of cards for Operation Write Home.  Last weekend I participated in their blog tour and visited over one hundred wonderful blogs and saw some fabulous cards by incredibly creative crafters.  After reading more about Operation Write Home, I committed myself to making at least 50 cards for them to send to servicemen and women over seas.  Now my thoughts turned to the kind of cards to make - a nice assortment would be good, nothing with glitter (not allowed), all A2 size (preferred size), this would be fun.  And as luck would have it, I had just received a card making refill kit from Creating Keepsakes that had enough supplies to make 50 assorted cards.  So every day this week I spent a few hours putting together these cards and I have to tell 'ya, I'm very impressed with this card making kit and think I'm going to order another one.  The price of the kit was reduced to $15 which comes out to 30 cents per card and all I needed was adhesive - all the cardstock, embellies, cards and envelopes are included and bagged separately for each card. 

I should be finished making the rest of the cards by Monday, then off they'll go to be sorted and sent to troops stationed over seas.  If you're a card maker, please consider making some cards or a donation to this wonderful organization.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

What inspires you when it's too hot to do anything?

New Jersey is in it's first heat wave of the summer and the temperature hit 101 degrees in Central Jersey today.  My grass is brown and crunchy, my flowers are so limp and thirsty.  Only the little brown birds are having a ball playing in the water fountain in my flower bed, so that was my inspiration for today.

This first card was made using kraft cardstock for the base and scraps of DCWV solid cardstock for the flowers and butterflies, and two ribbon scraps from Paper Tray Ink.  The sentiment is from Unity Stamp Co.

The second card also used kraft cardstock for the base and scraps from DCWV.  The ribbon is a scrap from Martha Stewart and the embellies are from Stampin' Up.  The bird stamp and sentiment are both from Unity Stamp Co.  As you can see, all the brown was inspired by my crunchy grass.  I hope it's a bit cooler where you are!

Freedom isn't free...

We've all heard the saying that freedom isn't free. So this holiday weekend as America celebrates it's 234th year of independence, fly your flag, enjoy your freedom and give thanks to those who gave it to us in the past and preserve it for us today.

This cute little birthday card was stamped using a House Mouse stamp and colored with Copic Markers. It will be added to a pile of cards I've been making for Operation Write Home that you can read about here.  Go here to see some great creations on their blog hop this weekend, and please consider making some homemade cards or a donation to this great cause.  Enjoy your weekend, and God Bless America!