Operation Write Home card project

I recently joined the group Operation Write Home on Facebook. It is so inspiring to see what amazing cards others make to send to our troops (to send back home to their loved ones).  Below are a few pictures of my very first All Occasion batch of cards. The paper on the front is folded over about an inch at the top, there is a matching message inside and I embellished with puffy paper flowers. I will send these to a volunteer shipper in Kansas where they get counted, inspected, sorted and then they are sent on to Afghanistan.  I hope to get started on a Christmas batch at the next Michael's crop night .. the shipping deadline is October 30.

Here are instructions for the puffy paper flowers (go down to the middle of the post).
Thanks for dropping by!

-Molly

Matchbook Note Pads w/ Puffy Flower Covers

Here we go, a blast from the past making matchbook note pads. I used a Me & My Big Ideas paper pad (Sunshine). I applied distress ink to the cover, especially on the white cut edges and folds, and I like to use slick/shiny brochure paper for my notes. Here are two variations:

I found the easy template at this fabulous blog and here are instructions for the puffy paper flowers (go down to the middle of the post).

Enjoy!

-Molly

Making Puffy Paper Flowers

There was a day when a print and fold greeting card was not necessary but very much appreciated by the recipient. Then two holes were punched at the top and ribbon was added. Embellishing! In this day and time, with a gazillion craft supplies available along with die cut machines and card kits, a personalized handmade card has no limits. I do own some border punches and a few Coluzzle templates, but I am old-fashioned and still prefer to give handmade versus machine made cards.

I first picked a simple graphic and printed twice, on plain paper and cardstock.

I added a personal greeting on the cardstock copy, tore the edges with a ruler and used a Scor-Pal to score a half-inch horizontal/vertical grid.

I used antique linen Ranger Distress Ink on the raised grid and torn edges. One version is to add a little bling to the flower centers and a bit of glitter pen.

Another version is to add quilled flowers to the card.

One of my favorite techniques is to make puffy paper flowers. I cut out the three flowers from the plain paper copy. (It's best to trim slightly bigger than the print.)

I place the cut flowers upside down on a piece of thick craft foam and burnish with the round end of a marker. Next I burnish around the edges with the ball of an embossing tool. The finished flower will be in a bowl shape. Turn the flower over and press in the center to shape. I glued the centers of the puffy flowers to the card as shown, and added a gloss accent to the centers.

Sadly, I cannot draw or paint but I can trace and color inside the lines with glitter pens :)
Here is my final handmade card.

Thanks for visiting!

-Molly