Cards for OPERATION WRITE HOME (OWH)

Happy Sunday everyone. Hope you're all enjoying your weekend.

Recently, I've been searching for an organization that accepts handmade cards to send to our troops overseas so they can send cards home to their loved ones. Coincidentally, I discovered Operations Write Home (OWH) on Cyndi's blog a few days ago. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. OWH is obviously very well established and they already sent out their 1,000,000th card (yes, 1 million). How amazing is that?

If you'd like to support our troops in a fun and creative way, click here for details. Need ideas? Click on the "Get Involved" tab, then click on "resources." They list a bunch of ideas and tutorials. Before you start making your cards, please be sure to read the guidelines thoroughly. I think this is also an excellent way to maximize the use of your rubber stamps. Plus, you can make cards at your convenience and pace, then mail them directly to the "shipper" closest to your state. Let's get creative, make a difference, and put a smile on someone's face. Our cards will certainly touch the recipient's heart.

For starters, here are a few cards I finished this morning....

Recipe:

Bouquet Birgitta by CC Designs

Copic markers

Punches by Martha Stewart

"You Are Special" stamp by Hooks, Lines & Inkers (an olidie but goodie)

"Sending You a Great Big Hug" stamp by Stampendous

"Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday" stamp by Viva Las Vegasstamps

"Thinking of You" stamp by Close to My Heart

Let's also take a moment this Memorial Day weekend to remember our fallen heros who served our nation.

Thanks for stopping by and have a FABULOUS weekend.

Hello Kitty Vegas Shaker Card

Following the fun Shaker Card class I took this past Saturday from Debi and Island Scrapbooking, I was so eager make a card.

With two things in mind, I came up with this Hello Kitty Vegas Shaker card. First, this is my entry from this week's Lollipop Challenge. The theme is Bling so I added some pearls to the shaker. I'm really enjoying the weekly challenges A LOT!!! Hop over to their blog for the deets.
You could get lucky like I did. I won last week.

Second, I'm sending the card to my friend who's going to Vegas in a few weeks. I'm gonna surprise her and I hope she likes it.

The shaker is filled with micro beads that I won from Jenny's candy. The multi-colored beads matched so perfectly with the Colorbox DP. I also added some gold and heart sequins, and a little plastic $100 bill. Love that "Good Luck in Vegas" stamp too. I'm not too crazy about frogs but this one is kinda cute. LOL. Oh, don't mind the upside down $100 bill. I tried to get it to turn around but couldn't. Oh well, maybe while it's enroute thru the mail, it'll turn around. Ha-ha.

Take a peek inside the card. I made a little envelope using DP by Martha Stewart.

When my friend opens the envelope, she'll find a gold Good Luck frog. Hope I can rub off some good luck onto her as I've been quite lucky recently. Hope she hits the BIG ONE....cha-CHING!!!

Thanks for stopping by and Have a Scrap Happy Day.

Oriental Shaker Card

I've been wanting to learn how to make the Shaker Card. When Island Scrapbooking posted the class several weeks ago for a session this past Saturday I couldn't sign up since I didn't know what time my son would be coming back from Oahu.....had to pick him up at the airport. Well, by the time we booked his reservation, I thought the class was definitely full so didn't call.

Oh joy, I got lucky. When I stopped by that morning to buy a few things, Debi said there was a cancellation so I happily hopped in. Thanks again Debi for such a FUN class.

Yesterday, I started making another card and will post it within the next couple of days.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a "scrap happy" day. :-)

BRAK from Jenny

Oh boy, today was a GRRRREAT day!!! I received some totally awesome b/d goodies from Jenny. Come check 'em out.

Isn't this the sweetest card?
Here's the gift bag Jenny made. The flower on the bag is made with the same DP as the card.....NICE!!!

Got some pretty blue and pink pearls, and pink rhinestones, colors that I didn't have, so these are great!!! Also, a cute cupcake stamp set.

I've been dying to get my hands on these cherry blossom flowers. When I saw them, my eyes popped and I was like, 'OH WOW, WOW, WOW' !!!!

Thanks a million Jenny for making my b/d so special.

"Thank You Teacher" Challenge

Oh joy! I'm glad I didn't sell my apple stamp because it came in handy for this week's Lollipop Crafts Challenge....."an apple for the teacher" is what I had in mind. I had no stamps with a teacher sentiment so I did a google search for some quotes and found a couple. Yay!!!

There's still time to enter so hop over to Lollipop Crafts for the deets. Deadline is Saturday, 5/21 at 8:00 p.m. (PST).

Happy Friday and hope you have a "scrap happy" weekend.

Three Japanese Girls

Yay, it's Hump Day tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the weekend and going to Island Scrapbooking. Haven't been there for about 3 weeks and getting "withdrawals." LOL.

Below is the card I sent to Colleen for the Secret Sister Swap for May. I'm happy she liked it. She also asked where the stamps were from. Well, actually, I got it from Jenny's blog candy along with the micro beads and other goodies. If you enlarge the picture, you can see the beads on the kimono. Boy, when they say "micro" they mean micro. I think I have some in my carpet too. Hee-hee...no problem....the vacuum will suck 'em up. They're really neat!!! I love it.




Tonight, hubby and I went out on "a date." He really wanted to eat at a Prime Rib buffet. Ha, here in Hilo on a Tuesday night? Uh-uh, no such thing. So we decided on a restaurant with a sushi bar. There were a few to choose from. I won't mention the name of the restaurant because we were disappointed that the sushi bar was closed on Tuesday's. Though I suggested we go somewhere else, he said, "Ah, we're here already. Let's just eat here." Wrong move. The dish he ordered wasn't so great. Poor thing.

This is what I had for dinner. In the foreground to the left is the misoyaki butterfish.....a little bit "charred." To the right is grilled teriyaki chicken. Pretty good. I gave my sashime to my hubby as he loves sashime and I like my food cooked. He said he'll put the sashime on his rice and make his own sushi. Hee-hee.....clever.

We topped it off with dessert at Yogurtland. Aw shucks, no coconut flavor this week....my favorite. Oh, that's OK, I really enjoyed the Taro, Arctic Vanilla, and Dutch Chocolate with granola topping. Ahhhh, hit the spot.

Hope you all have a fabulous Wednesday. :-)

Maria's Treat Box

Hope you're all enjoying the weekend. My afternoon was spent cleaning up my craft area. Who would ever think that rubber stamping would be such a messy hobby? Doesn't matter....I wouldn't give it up for anything. TOO MUCH FUN!!!

Last night I made this treat box from a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers and decided to use Cupcake Birgitta (again). This is one of my favorite images from CC Designs. I stamped just the top cupcake from the stack and cut them out to stick onto the sentiments.
Hmmmm, what should I make next????

"More Than One Fold" Challenge

I've been wanting to make this card for a while and what perfect timing....Lollipop Crafts Challenge #38 for this week is called "More Than One Fold." I have tons of paper....stacks that is....and none are printed on two sides so I was like...oh ohhhh. But I found this DP on my paper tray...whew!

This card has at least 5 folds and the pockets are perfect for tags. The monkey and flower stamps are by CC Design....so cute. Hmmmm, can't remember where I got the "friend" stamp from, possibly at the Island Scrapbooking garage sale.

If you'd like to join in on the fun challenge, hop over to Lollipop Crafts blog for the details.

FCE Craft Fair

Hope you're all enjoying your Mother's Day and feeling like a queen.

Yesterday was our FCE (Family and Community Education) Fair. I was planning to post this last night but ended up feeling like a tired zombie. LOL. I think we did really well with all of the crafty items and deeeelicious baked goodies. Sorry, my camera was running out of memory so I didn't get to take a photo of all the baked goods, food items, and some of the other craft items. We also sold Spam Musubi, Somen Salad, Edamame Rice, Sekihan, Barazushi, mochi, brownies, Chinese Pretzels, and more.

Below are a few acrylic photo frame Post It note holders with a motivational quote that I made.

Here are a a few of the leis Ella made. She makes such pretty ones in a nice assortment of colors.


Jenny made some pretty hand made cards.

She also made these pretty mini photo albums. Looks like the flowers on the top to are made with felt. The bottom one has crocheted flowers. Nice yah?

Cindy filled these mini paint containers with items such as a mini nail file, Post Its, etc.

Jenny made these pretty teacups using the Sizzix die (saw the die at Ben Franklin after the fair) and filled them with candy. Cute idea.

Check out this adorable photo frame Jenny decorated. I bought a red one for "omiyage" for my brother-in-laws family. They have two little girls so this is just PERFECT.

Ella made several of these bunnies made with towels and tucked in a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer in the back. So cute.

Ella's daughter painted these plastic containers. Also, fill them with little goodies. This one has little individually wrapped cookies from Costco. I tried those cookies before and they are deeeelicious.

Here are two pictures of our club gals.

I made these two french fry containers last week for my 2 little nieces on Oahu but needed to fill them with something. When I saw these little pkgs. of cookies, I thought, 'oh perfect' and bought a couple. And they did fit perfectly. YAY!!!

I also wanted to use this cute little cat stamp they got for me last Christmas. They know Aunty Karen LOVES rubber stamps. :-)

And finally, here's one of the filled french fry container, wrapped in a cello bag

In one of my previous posts is a photo of the hanafuda clothes pin note holders. I'm so glad all 19 pkgs. sold out. YAY.

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Hugs,

Karen

A Recipe Challenge

Hope you're all enjoying some sun....unlike here, it's been raining "cats and dogs."

I really want to say how proud I am about our troops everywhere, and of the courageous task the SEALS pulled over the weekend. OMG, I'm so IMPRESSED. THANK YOU to all the men and women in our military force.

Well, last night I spent my time trying a little bit of this and a little bit of that and came up with this for the Lollipop Challenge. I really love the Cupcake Birgitta stamp...she's so cute.

If you'd like to have some fun with the challenge, hop on over to Lollipop Crafts for the deets.

Enjoy your day/night.....need to watch Am. Idol tonight. Hope James will be safe. :-)

RAK from Char

Happy Sunday!!!! Hope you're all having a nice and relaxing day. I spent the morning baking a batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies....just love the smell of cookies baking in the oven.

I was so awed with the RAK from Char. Her late mom drew these pictures in the 70's when she took Sumie painting. Aren't they BEAUTIFUL!!!! The colors, shading, and details are absolutely stunning. I really don't want to use them....they're just too pretty.....still finding myself looking at each one of them and admiring her mom's amazing talent. THANK YOU CHAR!!!!