Japan- You're In Our Thoughts...

This card was made and submitted to the Use It Tuesday challenge blog. The challenge this week is related to recent world events:

"Make make a project using the color RED in honor of Japan. Remember to use something from your stash you have been hoarding and please tell us in your post or project description what that item (or items) is!

As an added twist...we are going to make a donation to the Red Cross based on the number of participants we have! If we get 1-25 players, we will donate $50; 26-50 players we will donate $75 and so on up to $400! So feel free to get the word out! We would love to make a great donation on behalf of our fellow crafters. :) "

This was such a worthwhile cause that I just HAD to play along! I don't have many Japanese-related items in my stash, however, I did find this beautiful Geisha online. It was a Japanese coloring page that I used as a digi-image.

The "Many Thanks" stamp is one that I've had for ages. The paper, of course, is from my hoarded paper stash. I thought it sort of looked like Cherry Blossoms. I've had it so long I don't even remember who made it. It's a simple card, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

If you'd like to participate in the Use It Tuesday challenge, you can visit their blog here.

I also submitted this card to the Crafts and Me Challenge #27- Anything Goes and Craft Your Passion Challenge # 50- Show Your Appreciation.

Stamps- Geisha digi-image, Many Thanks stamp- unknown
Cardstock- Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!), GP110 white, patterned paper- unknown
Ink- Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories- Cuttlebug, Nestabilities (oval and scalloped oval), Copic Markers, pop dots, pink stick-on gems (Bling IT by Basic Grey)

Hambo Hoedown- I Need A Hero! and Use It Tuesday

The following two cards were both made for the Use It Tuesday challenge- Pretty Paper. The challenge was to ::gasp!:: cut into the pretty patterned papers that we've been hoarding...well, I did it!!! Here are the cards I made using my beloved papers...

This week's Hambo Hoedown Challenge was to use this adorable Hero Bird digi-image AND a sketch. Here's what I came up with:

Cardstock used is SU's Chocoalte Chip, Old Olive, and Cherry Cobbler. The patterned paper is from the Guy Thing series by Close To My Heart. (I've had this paper like forever and didn't want to use it because I might not be able to get anymore!!) The adorable hero bird was printed onto GP110 white cardstock and colored with my Copic Markers. I sponged around the edge using Old Olive ink. The Cherry Cobbler panel was embossed in my Cuttlebug using the stars embossing folder. My cards was VERY loosely based on the sketch that they provided, but I think it still qualifies.

This next card was made for a friend's challenge. Amanda, one of my fellow Maryland Stampers, found this pretty flower basket freebie digi-image online from Karen's Doodles and challenged us to create a card using this digi. It's such a pretty image!! Here's what I made for that challenge:

Cardstock used is SU's Bashful Blue, Old Olive, and Cherry Cobbler. The patterned paper is from Basic Grey's Eskimo Kisses pack. (I have SO many Basic Grey paper packs. I love to finger through them and look at all of the pretty designs...not sure I actually like USING them!) :) The image was printed out on GP110 white cardstock and colored using Copic Markers. Small pieces of Old Olive twill ribbon and garnet-colored self-stick gems from Bling IT (Basic Grey) were added to the corners. I'm really happy with how this turned out. It's been fun seeing what the other girls have created using this image. Each one is so very different from the other! Thanks, Amanda, for a fun challenge!

If you came here looking for my Christmas Card of the week...sorry! With the weather slowly turning warmer, I've lost that Christmas spirit...hopefully I'll be able to get some more Christmas cards made soon!