Operation Write Home

Art Impressions is excited to host a blog challenge benefiting Operation Write Home. If you haven't heard of this great organization, they send blank handmade greeting cards to U.S. troops overseas so they can write home to their family and loved ones. 

Art Impressions wants to encourage you to create for our troops and will be giving away a $20 coupon code to the winner this week! We urge all participants to include the OWH link on their blog post and send their submissions to OWH (East coast, West coast and Midwest shippers HERE) or to Art Impressions so we can forward them.

Here is the card I designed for this fabulous organization benefiting our overseas troops.

Here are the guidelines provided by OWH:

1. No Glitter - It is a safety hazard for our heroes. Read more.

2. A2 Sized Cards Only - 4.25" x 5.5" for easier shipping. Read more.

3. Line Dark Cards with Light Cardstock - If a pencil won't show up, add a lighter sheet inside. Read more.

4. Limit Multiples - No more than 100 cards. Read more. 

5. Any Quantity is okay - One, a bunch, or a box full; however we need quality, not quantity. Read more.

6. SOME lumpiness is okay - Our heroes don't have to pay for letter mail, but that doesn't mean we can go wild with layering and embellishments. 

7. DO NOT hand write sentiments - Neither outside or inside. Read more.

8. Use quality supplies - Computer paper, foams, itty bitty stickers and glue sticks don't holdup to the rigors of the battlefront. It's okay to make fewer cards with better supplies - every card counts!

9. Card Themes - Remember who's sending these: adults. No cards to Daddy, no "wish you were here," or party invitations; no explicit images or sentiments. 

10. Absolutely no store-bought - Neither complete cards, NOR cards repurposing parts of them. It endangers our trademark. Read more.

I hope that you will take the time to participate in this worthwhile cause. Your creations will be greatly appreciated, by everyone. 

Thanks 

Warm and Fuzzy Easter

Welcome to Wednesday!!

Since Easter is Sunday, I thought I'd inspire you with one more Easter card.

Here is Anthonie. Isn't he a darling bunny!!??!! I used my own glitter eggs that I made a while back and have just been waiting to be used. Easy to make and you can make them using any color of card stock. I colored Anthonie and his basket with colored pencils and shaded with gamsol.

Supplies used:
Art Impressions stamps from Anthonie Set UM4119 
Prismacolor Pencils - Copenhagen Blue, Pale Vermilion, Grass Green, Lilac, Carmine Red, Sunburst Yellow, Orange, Magenta, Apple Green, Aquamarine
Ink Pads - Distress Inks Gathered Twigs, Chipped Sapphire
Card stock - White, designer CS, Blue CS
Glitter
Ribbon
Dimensional Foam

Tomorrow I will have a new card for the Art Impressions weekly challenge, so I am looking forward to seeing you again.

Have a great day.

Spring has Sprung

Hi Everyone
Since it's Thursday it's time to check out the Art Impressions Weekly challenge. This weeks theme is Spring Has Sprung. A few weeks ago the theme was Watercolor and ever since, I've been working on a project and this came to be. It really reminded me of spring and I decided to submit this card for this weeks theme, Spring has Sprung, since the window box is abloom with flowers.

I had finished this card had the photo taken and was editing it and I just thought it needed something so I added a bow and rephotographed the card and edited it. That helped finish it off. That brick background... it was an experiment that was I testing and it turned out pretty good. Also, one other tip, for those of you who use the Memento markers, they work extremely well for the Art Impressions watercolor technique.I figured they would since they are water based. So, no need to buy a different brand if that is all you have in your stash. On the window, I used the Memento Rich Cocoa marker and I am so pleased with the outcome.

Supplies Used:
Art Impressions Stamps - J3379 Watercolor Window, BB2061 Sm. Vine, AA3384 Tiny Vine, AA1366 Leaves, AA3017 Daisy Bunch
Markers - Marvy #83Bitterscotch,  96 Jungle Green, 15 Olive Green, 12 Grey, Memento Rich Cocoa
Cardstock - Orange, Dark Brown
Ribbon

Orange and colors in that family are the colors that you will be seeing frequently since Pantone has intro'd  Tangerine Tango as the color of the year. So you will be seeing oranges of all different hues in a lot of areas, fashion, home decor and crafting too.

Try to enter a card in the Art Impressions weekly challenge, you could be the next winner. Thanks for stopping in today.

Easter message

Welcome to Wednesday!!!

Do you believe it, this month is almost over and we are less than two weeks away from Easter!! I am so amazed at how fast time is going. Speaking of Easter, I have another Easter card for you. I love Easter lilies and I decided that I had to use this stamp for this Easter card, although I could use it after Easter as well.

OK check out that trellis looking light pink accent behind the lily, I made it using a Martha Stewart border punch. Yep I did and coming soon will be a pictorial how to. That darker pink panel was made using a Spellbinder M-bossibilities folder. That was one of the goodies that I won from Spellbinders back in January. I have to tell you that those folders are AWESOME.What a great idea, embossing designs on both sides of the folder. duh!!

Supplies used:
Art Impressions Stamps - Easter Lilies  L4022, Easter Message  F1420
Spellbinders Die - Crown Ovals S4-303
Spellbinders M-bossibilities folder - Nobility ES-002
Ink- India Ink Black, Fresco Florentine Rose
Copic Markers- BV00, Y17, G21
Paper/Cardstock - Green cs, designer papers
Pearls

Thanks for stopping in today. I will be back tomorrow with my design based on the Art Impressions Weekly Challenge. Hope to see you then.