Calling all my crafty friends!

Hello ladies! I know it's a lot to ask for but I need 30 minutes of your time and just a smidgen of energy to help support our troops for the holiday season! PLEASE READ ON...

Earlier this year I started participating with OperationWriteHome. This is a group that supports our troops by sending handmade, blank greeting cards for our heroes to write home on as well as cards of thanks and encouragement. It's not like they can run to Walgreens to pick up a birthday card for their child or a "missing you" card for their spouse/partner back home. :)

Even though I've never served and no one close to me is currently serving overseas, I still feel a deep connection to the families of our troops. Many of the men in my family have served in the military. My father, step-father, step-brother, best friend Tammy and husband of best friend Jo have or are serving in the Navy and of course David served in the Marines. OohRah! hehe

All right ladies... Time to get to the point! I know some of you are very crafty women. Many of you don't make handmade cards but are crafty in other ways like scrapbooking, digital art, sewing or knitting. I also know that your creativity can transverse mediums. I know most of you have kids so you don't have a lot of time but our heroes need your help and the kids can help too!

I'm challenging you to find 30 minutes and make at least one card for our heroes overseas. I'd love for you to make more, but one is the minimum to enter. Now, as in every good contest, there needs to be a prize... this challenge is so important to me I'm offering TWO prizes! A handmade, custom piece of jewelry. Your choice: earrings or bracelet! One prize goes to the gal who sends me the most handmade, blank holiday theme greeting cards; the other prize will be for my favorite card of the lot. Now even the ladies who make only one card have a chance at a prize too! No excuses please!

ALL skill levels of crafters are welcome to send in A2(4.25"x5.5") size cards. So no one can use the excuse that they aren't a good enough crafter! HA! They also love to get pictures and letters from children so it's something you and the kids can do together. :) There are only 4 requirements for sending handmade cards to our heroes. Don't forget to check the cardmaking tips blog.

The deadline for the challenge is October 24th, 2009. I need to ship the cards to the OWH distribution point by Monday, October 26th to make their November 1st mailing deadline.

Please consider taking 30 minutes from your hectic day to sit down with your kids and help support our troops. It can be very simple and fun, plus it's another great thing to do as a family. The cards can be as simple as you like and the kids can draw pictures, write a letter to a hero or make their own cards for the heroes. Just think how happy some little kid is going to be after receiving a birthday card from their mom or dad serving overseas.

Please email me to let me know if you plan on participating!

Happy crafting,

Christina

Happy Holidays for our heroes - Mini blog-hop!

Ok, this is the very first time I've ever participated in a blog hop and I'm really excited. The bloghop is for CardsforHeroes, a special group of people that collect and send handmade blank greeting cards to our heroes serving overseas. I thought it was a great idea because if you've ever traveled overseas you know how hard it is to find things printed in English. Plus our heroes overseas don't really have time to try to run to a Walgreens to pick up a birthday card for their children or a anniversary card for their spouse/partner.

{If you are visiting this blog before August 15th please make sure to stop back on Saturday for some holiday card making inspiration}

Now that school has started and fall is in the air it's time to starting making fall and winter holiday cards. I've been experimenting with different mediums lately and thought of a great embellishment for a Christmas card. I took a stamped outline of a Christmas tree and I colored it in with watercolor pencils. After I wet the pencil and let it dry I went back and stamped ornaments and lights on the tree. When I cut it out I left a bit of a white border to give it a sticker look. I think it came out great!

I really enjoy making the cards for our heroes. I've known many people in the service. Most of my uncles were in one branch of their service or another. My father, step-father, step-brother and best friend Tammy all served in the Navy. My boyfriend David served in the Marines. I'm blessed that he's home for good! But I feel very deeply for all the families who still have loved ones overseas. So I started working with CardsforHeros to bring a little piece of home to our heroes.

If you're a crafter there's still time to get involved. C4H is always in need of greeting cards and this time of year in special need of holiday cards. If you'd like to participate you have till November 1st to get your holiday cards to a distribution point. All levels of crafters are welcome to send in cards. Please check this link to get more information about the types and sizes of cards needed. And please make sure to take a minute and check out the blogshop, there's a lot of great talent out there and it might inspire you to help the cause!

Happy crafting,

Christina

First set of cards for CFH

I had so much fun playing in the craft room this weekend and making cards for CardsforHeroes.org! My first set of cards are 'missing you' and 'love you' cards. CFH says these are some of the cards they need most. I came up with several designs and ended up making 9 cards total. Here are my 4 favorite...

I found another organization that I'm even more excited to work with, Operation Circle Care. This group puts together care packages for Pagan and Wiccan troops serving overseas. I'm really excited about donating my cards and possibly other spiritual items to them. You can read more about this on my Pagan craft blog, The Pagan Crafter.

Well, I have a lot of cards to make. My next project for Cards for Heroes is 'Happy Birthday' cards and a special card to thank a hero for their continued sacrifice. I'll post a pic or two of the new cards when I get done.

Happy crafting!
Christina

http://www.cardsforheroes.org
http://www.circlesanctuary.org/ministries/military/operationcirclecare.html