Hello! I’m helping Operation Write Home observe Memorial Day this weekend by participating in their blog hop. We’re remembering the brave men and women who have given their all for our country and its freedom by sharing cards made for the purpose of sending to our military members stationed overseas so that they may write home to their loved ones. OWH also sends “AnyHero Mail”, which are cards of thanks and encouragement to our heroes working far from home.

I’ve created two cards for this blog hop. First off is an AnyHero card, which turned out to be a lesson in perspective for me. I ran through a lot of problems while creating it. I wanted to use a stamp from one of my stamp sets for the main image, but it turned out to be defective, so I had to use the digital version of the image instead. (Thank goodness for alternatives!) That actually was a good thing because then I was able to resize the image a bit larger than the stamp version – and when having to color around those tiny stars, it helps to have it larger! Then the red and blue panels didn’t seem to measure up correctly to the card base, so I had to do a lot of fine trimming with them. It was all pretty frustrating – but then I thought to myself, I really don’t have much reason to complain because I’m working on this in the comfort of my own home, without worry of being under attack from enemy forces, while a lot of our heroes are risking their lives in the heat of the desert far from their families and homes. The things that were annoying me are nothing compared to what our heroes go through on a daily basis. Pretty sobering perspective. Anyway, here’s the card. I used OWH Stars & Stamps sketch #40 for it.  Later I’ll write a note in it to one of our heroes, to thank him/her for the service he/she is giving our country.

Next is a thank you card that one of our heroes can send home.  I have a checklist of all the OWH Stars & Stamps sketches, and I’ve been trying to make at least one card for every sketch.  I dug way back in the archives to sketch #5 for this card.  It’s a very unusual card for me because there is no stamping on it!  The flower and the sentiment oval are both rub ons that coordinate with one of my Basic Grey paper pads.  Before I send the card to my OWH shipper, I’ll be sure to add a white liner sheet inside of it, since the cardstock base is kind of dark.  This will help make whatever is written inside be more easily read.

So, that’s it for today!  To see the rest of the blog hop participants’ creations, click on the OWH banner at the top of this post.  Thanks for stopping by!  All comments are read and appreciated.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and be sure to take some time to remember our heroes who have died in service in order to make our country and world a better place.

Supplies for the AnyHero card:
Digital Image: Patriotic Cocoa (Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps)
Sentiment Stamp: Patriotic Cocoa clear stamp set (SNSS)
Background Stamp: Background Basics (Stampin’ Up)
Cardstock: Brilliant Blue, Real Red (SU); Pure Luxury White (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: printer ink; Tuxedo Black (Memento); Brilliant Blue (SU)
Other: markers (Copic)

Supplies for the Thank You card:
Cardstock: Buckaroo Blue, Whisper White (Stampin’ Up); designer paper from Marjolaine 6″ x 6″ paper pad (Basic Grey)
Other: Marjolaine rub ons (Basic Grey)