And welcome to the Paper Spa - a place where I hope you can relax for a bit with your favorite beverage, ink and stamps!
Today Operation Write Home is hosting a bloghop. If you have been hopping along, then I am glad you have made it this far, however, if you have found yourself here through another 'door' then might I suggest you go back and start at the
beginning? I will be here waiting for your return.
Hello again - glad you made it back! :) While you were 'gone' I made a card with the bloghop theme - "Think Spring" -
What do you think?
I used a DP from Stampin' Up that has So Saffron, Cameo Coral, Kiwi Kiss, and some other of SU's wonderful colors. I layered the DP on So Saffron cardstock. I used soft sky stitched ribbon and then layered panels with an image from the 'Simply Spring' set. I used my oval nesties to cut the sentiment shape and layered this on a scallop cut of the DP. This was then mounted with dimensionals over the panels.
When I think of Spring - I always think Yellow - but I didn't want to go too bright this time and I so wanted to use this DP - the So Saffron fit perfectly. I added the turquoise rhinestones for just the right finish.
As you probably know by now, OWH is an organization that sends hand-made cards to our troops over seas so they can send them home to loved ones. I have been involved with OWH for a couple of years now and recently the shipment of cards hit closer to home when my best friend's son-in-law was out to sea with the US Navy. A box of cards from OWH was sent to the ship he was on and he was able to choose a few cards to send home to his new bride and his mother-in-law. He shared the box of cards with the guys on the ship and they were thrilled to have them.
The shipments of cards to the troops happens throughout the year and cards of all sort are appreciated.
April 1 is the deadline for getting Mother's Day cards to OWH - so if you are interested in getting involved visit their
website to get all the information. You will find much inspiration on the website, from video's of the troops telling how much they appreciate the cards, to letters that are written to the troops from 1st and 2nd graders thanking them for their sacrifice. There are tutorials on ways to make your cards fun - such as a recent tutorial on how to make leaves using a crimper. Take time at the end of the hop to really scroll around the website - and remember, our troops truly do appreciate these acts of love no matter how simple.
Now, on you go to
Donna's blog -
where you will find even more inspiration.
Oh, and if you leave a comment with an
email address there just might be some blog candy at the end of this hop, but you have to leave an
email to get a chance for the mystery surprise. :)
Enjoy the rest of the hop and thank you for stopping by, I hope you had a relaxing time at the spa today - I know I have enjoyed the visit with you.
~Paula~
It is interesting how changing the background colors or sentiment, adding a few buttons or ribbon can make the same cardstock/DP take on a different look altogether (see my previous post)
I cut the strips about 3/4" wide and layered them on Only Orange cardstock. I trimmed this up a bit added the orange sheer ribbon and then added the panel to a white card. I took a bit more of the orange cardstock, stamped the sentiment (from Sweet Impressions), then mounted this on white and popped it off the card. The original sketch had the sentiment vertical down the center - but that just didn't work for this card. However, it DID work for this next card. 
With this one, I cut the srips the same width, however I spaced them out a little more. I used the 'Flowers for You' DP from SU mounting the panel on one of SU's purple cardstock - not sure which one it is - Lavendar Lace?? Maybe - I only had one sheet of whatever it is anyway. ~smile~ I used the vertical Happy Mother's Day from Sweet Impressions. While making this card, I ran out of my adhesive and wanted to finish the card before running out to get more adhesive - so I ran it through my xyron machine. When I took the clear plastic film off - it pulled some of the paper away with it - so I ended up with a slight 'distressed' look on the middle piece - I was a bit bummed, but then thought it looked fairly decent, so rather than tossing the card - I just kept it! 
I love the Rich Razzleberry In Color from Stampin' Up - it is my favorite of the new colors introduced this year, so I jumped on getting that one as soon as it came out - along with the DP that features it - 'Cottage Wall'. I just may have to get another package of that before the color goes away forever. Anyway, back to the card. The sketch was from a crafter that contributes to OWH but doesn't have a blog yet. It is another simple sketch that can be used in so many different ways. I chose the Cottage Wall DP as my background and then added a strip of the Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon - another must have from this years catalog. I cut the scallop circle out of Rich Razzleberry using my nestibilities and then stamped - again in Rich Razzleberry - the image from the Happy Harmony SU set. The Sentiment is from a clear stamp set that I bought at a local stamp store. I mounted this with pop dots and added a couple rhinestones to finish it off. It is a nice monochromatic color scheme and I am sure you will be seeing alot more of this one as I post other cards I have made.
Seongsook is the creator of this very simple sketch that can be used in so many ways. I chose to keep mine simple and on this first card, I started out with Taken with Teal and ran it through my CB using the stylized flowers folder. I then cut a strip of DP from the 'Flowers For You' collection. I cut the square out of my white cardstock and backed it with Kiwi Kiss, and stamped my sentiment in tempting turquoise (I don't have the taken with teal stamp pad - yet!)I also used a flourish stamp and stamped that in the background in kiwi kiss. I mounted the square with foam, added the sheer ribbon and prima flowers with a rhinestone and that gave it the finishing touch. 
This second card was made in much the same way - using Stampin' Up cardstock once again - this time another piece of the DP - Flowers for You and mounting it on Tempting Turquoise. My square is stamped with some clear stamps from 7 gypsies and Rhinestones added for that bling affect. I added the bow - and then mounted all to a piece of Lavendar Lace Cardstock that had a corner punched using the Martha Stewart Deco Fan punch set. I really enjoyed making these two cards, as well as more that I will be posting here - so don't go too far.
What do you think?
I used Pacific Point and Kiwi Kiss from SU for the color combination. I have had this DP from SU for awhile - it is called 'Walk in the Park'. I am not even sure why I bought it as I am not all that thrilled with it - but it certainly did set off this card. I recently got some new flowers and then yesterday I picked up some more smaller ones and they were the perfect touch to this simple card. Naomi liked it and I hope her friend does as well.
On this first one I used the retired Wonderful Words set that I was gifted from someone on the Splitcoast Stampers site - I love the script of the words. I also used Eastern Influences and added a few rhinestones that I received in a recent order from Flowers to Flourishes.
Also using the Rich Razzleberry/Old Olive blend of colors and the designer paper - Cottage Wall. I added a few rhinestones under the sentiment - from the Simply Sent 'Friendship Shapes' set. The Rich Razzleberry Dots grosgrain ribbon gave it the final touch.
but wasn't chosen :( - at least not THIS time around! So, still working my hands (and fingers) to the bone - but heard about this NEW company - checked out the product and decided it was a GOOD thing. 