Operation Write Home Challenge

Happy Wednesday! Thanks for all the well wishes, I am feeling MUCH more like myself today! Yahoo! What better way to get up and moving again, then to get a little creativity going? I was super excited when I saw a comment, left here on my blog, from Teresa Kline about a sketch challenge she was hosting over on the Stars and Stamps website. Not only is it a fun sketch but it is a "sketch with a purpose". The added challenge is to make some holiday cards (based on the sketch below) for deployed soldiers to send home to their loved ones through Operation Write Home. (Click on the links to learn more.)

I couldn't wait to get started creating some cards to send off. I really enjoy creating holiday cards with "non-traditional" holiday colors, I don't really know why. Maybe somewhere in my youth I had traumatic experiences of being dressed up in little red and green outfits every Christmas...maybe it was something else, who knows? I vaguely remember the outfits though, hmmm! Anyway, I went with Rich Razzleberry, Not Quite Navy, Basic Black and Brushed Silver for my combo because I thought the colors together created a very elegant look. I heat embossed both the sentiment and the snowflake image in silver to add some pop without using glitter (which is not allowed on cards for OWH). 


I really liked the simplicity of the sketch so I wanted to dress it up with a couple of simple accents. I used an embossing folder on the silver cardstock, a brad in the center of the snowflake and some silver stretch cord with some tiny beads securely knotted in. I'm not sure if the beads are okay to send or not, I will have to check on that. If not, I will whip up the rest of the cards without them, because the silver cord is still a great accent on it's own. :) 

Supply List:

(all supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted)

Stamps: Four the Holidays (sentiment), Snow Burst (retired)

Ink: Versa-Mark

Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Not Quite Navy, Basic Black and Brushed Silver cardstock

Accessories: snowflake embossing folder (non-SU!), Ticket Corner punch, Scallop Edge Border punch, Circle Scissor tool for 2" Razzleberry circle, 1 3/4" circle punch, 2 3/8" scalloped circle punch, silver embossing powder, jewel brad (non- SU!), beads (non-SU!)


Have a great day! 
Happy Stamping,