Paper Wishes World Cardmaking Day Blog Hop!

If you are looking for the Operation Write Home blog hop please click here.

Welcome to the Paper Wishes  BLOG HOP - we are so glad you are here to help us celebrate World Card Making Day! Some card making day trivia for you:

• Today, card making is a worldwide hobby, especially popular in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• 1 in 6 U.S. households participates in making cards
• 86% of scrapbookers also create handmade cards
• 92% of paper crafters create cards more than any other type of project

Be sure to check out all the blogs in this blog hop, as well as visit the Paper Wishes message board  as there are tons of things going on there today, all sponsored by Paper Wishes, with loads and loads of great prize packages! You don’t want to miss a chance to win!

This blog hop gives you TWO ways to win!!!

First – leave a comment on ALL THE BLOGS and a random drawing will be done to choose the winner, who will get a prize package from Paper Wishes.

Second – play H.O.T.P. (Hot Off The Press) bingo with us.

• Visit each blogger on the blog hop to find their bingo square. (Make a note of the blog name for each square too!)
• Click on this link to find the official BINGO CARD. (If you aren’t a member of the Paper Wishes message board yet, you are not only missing loads of fun but you may need to register to access the bingo card!)
• To win, you will need to make a bingo (4 squares in a row, horizontal, vertical or diagonal) by doing what it shows in each square. There are some free squares; there are some where you just have to post something specific on the message board, and there are some that tell you to use something. Where it tells you to USE something, that means to make a project (any kind of papercrafting project – a card, an ATC, a bookmark, a tag, etc.) with the item listed in that square.
• When you have your BINGO ready, follow these directions:
  • Go to the Paper Wishes Message Board and click on “post reply” on THIS THREAD.
  • In your reply tell us the four squares you are using for your bingo.
  • Tell us the square number AND the name of the blog for any squares you are using that were mentioned on a blog.
  • Post the items for each square in your reply, including a picture of the project you made for any square with directions to USE something.
• We will randomly select a winner from all the correct bingo entries! Be sure that we have either your blog address or your email so that we know how to contact you if you are a winner!!!
• Your bingo must be posted to the Paper Wishes message board not later than midnight U.S. eastern time, Sunday, October 2nd to be eligible for the prize drawing!

The BINGO SQUARE FOR THIS BLOG IS: _08_

Here are all the participating blogs for this blog hop:

Nancy 

Penny     >>>>>>>> YOU ARE HERE!

Michelle 

Robin 

Patti 

Cheryl 

Sam 

So on with the fun – it doesn’t matter where you start the blog hop, just see where you are on the list above and make sure you visit them all and leave some sweetness behind!

Now that we've got the "business" end of the hop out of the way - here are some cards I have made using products from Paper Wishes.

The background was made by spraying white paper with Goosebumps and when dry rubbing orange ink all over it.  Very simple, but a great look; I stamped the image with Staz-on.  The papers and ribbon are from Paper Wishes.

I used many different Halloween papers to make the background weaving - it's amazing what you can do while watching tv!  The brad buddy is from the Paper Wishes Finished in a Flash Halloween set as are the brads and ribbon.  I had enough of the woven piece to make several cards - it's a pretty cool look.

This card used one of my very favorite PW supplies - the Color Me papers.  I simply cut the 12x12 sheet to size needed and sponged on Distress Inks by Ranger.  I finished it off with a mini collage and polka dot ribbon.  The colors are more vibrant in person. 

I love to read comments, so please take a moment to let me know what you think of my blog!  Enjoy the rest of the hop and don't forget to play along with all the great challenges on the Message Board today!

Your next stop carries you all the way to Ireland and the wonderfully talented Michelle!
I am having trouble getting links to work! Michelle's blog can be found at http://www.preciousthoughtscards.blogspot.com/

Smooch, Goosebumps and Halloween

Kind of eclectic title, but describes the cards I have to show you today. 

I used smooch on this card;  I put about an inch of water in a pie plate and dropped a few globs of the smooch colors into the water and used a toothpick to swirl them.  Then I put the paper in the water pushed it under and then took it out.  I love the marbled effect and each piece of paper I did was different.  It is hard to see in the photo, but there is also some light pink Smooch.  I also put the white flowers into the water - the jewels are already attached, I just wiped them off.  The paper flowers come from a punch.  Simple yet beautiful!

This card uses the new Goosebumps spray by Tsukineko.  I stamped the flowers with  Adirondack Watermelon then sprayed on the Goosebumps, when dry I rubbed it all over with more Watermelon and wiped it off - the spray is used like a resist.  The depth it gives to the card is wonderful.  I cut out another flower and popped it on the top left.

On to the Halloween part!  Making cards for Operation Write Home requires you to look at the calendar a little differently.  Halloween is due to the shipper's mid September; Thanksgiving the end of September and Christmas by Halloween.  In December I'll work on my Valentine's cards due by 12/31.  So, last week we topped out the weather at 100 degrees and the humidity made it very difficult to breathe due to asthma, so I stayed inside with my air conditioners!  I haven't started on the Christmas cards yet, but that's next after I get this box shipped out.

These last 2 cards have nothing to do with any of the above except I was using up more scraps.  I used a new 2 me embossing powder, Judikins Diamond Sparkles, on the butterfly and it is gorgeous.

So, I'll see you Friday with the next PaperCutz Challenge, until then keep cool and be creative!

Firecracker Designs Digi Stamp Guest Designer

If you are looking for the Paper Wishes blog hop, click here!

I was thrilled to be selected as a guest designer for Firecracker Designs by Pamela.  I will be working with a few of her digi stamps and will post a new design each Friday.  I am very sorry to hear she is closing her store, but life has a way of rearranging priorities.  Her close-out sale starts October 1 (today) and her last sale day will be mid-December.  I am doing digital stamps, but I have many of her rubber stamp sets and I enjoy using them!

  My first card uses Pumpkin Head which was a fun design to work with. 

I colored him with Copic markers and I am the first to admit, I am a beginner at coloring!  I wanted more of a playful rather than scary, so he is done in light colors.  I colored a second head and skull, cut them out and popped them for depth.  I also used P K Glitz glitter in the pumpkin's facial features and the skull's one eye.  I didn't do this yet, but I think before I mail this to one of my kids away at college I will use glossy accents on the glitter to keep it in one place (my boys never look at my blog, so I'm safe posting a picture. LOL).  The sentiments are part of the digi set; I printed them out tore them and edged them with metallic purple ink.

I love easel cards, they are easy to make and are a great presentation.  I ran the purple layer through my Big Shot using the Swiss Dots folder for texture, then added the zig zag paper (I've had it for at least a year and don't know who's it is - if you know, please leave a comment and I will add it) and the last layer is bright orange.  Some ribbon from WalMart finished it off.

I hope you like him!  I'll be back next week with a project using another of Pamela's wonderful images.