Cards for the Kiddos

I finally have another full box of cards to send to Send A Smile 4 Kids, an organization dedicated to collecting and distributing handmade cards to children who are inpatient at Children’s Hospitals. They accept handmade kids’ cards for holidays, birthdays, and everyday cheer.  You might have seen the Sesame Street cards previously on my blog, but they go over so well with the little kids that I made more.

Cookie Monster

Elmo

Oscar

Big Bird

I try to find card patterns that are gender neutral, thereby being more useful to the organization, and this time I made some for older kids too.

Bat Signal

Minion

I hope they fulfill the goal of making a child smile even while sick in the hospital.  Have a great weekend!

Sheltering Tree Cards

These are some of the cards I made at last month’s weekend craft retreat.  My friend Ronda added Stampin’ Up’s Sheltering Tree set to our stash, and it is great for making cards for Send a Smile 4 Kids. This organization collects and distributes handmade cards for children who are inpatient at Children’s Hospitals around the country and in Canada.

Sheltering Tree with bicycle

Sheltering Tree window pane

Sheltering Tree Bicycle

The stamp images are gender neutral, which makes the cards that much more versatile, and I enjoy the painterly effect of the leaves, grass, and clouds.  Also, even though I did not watercolor paint these, I’m counting them as half a point for today’s World Watercolor Group prompt of bicycle.  😛

 

 

Happy Birthday, Buddy! #WorldWatercolorMonth

Yesterday was my son’s birthday so of course I wanted to make a special card for him.  He enjoys our city’s sports teams, even when they aren’t having a greatest season.  I did a quick sketch and decided to watercolor it, but because I had no reference photo I maybe got just a little lost along the way.  However, I’m sure he will love it almost as much as he loves baseball, football, hockey, basketball, and now soccer.  Happy birthday, Buddy!

 

World Watercolor Month has only a week left. Time flies when we’re having fun!  Remember, we are raising awareness for the Dreaming Zebra Foundation and the Art Room Aid project sponsored by Dick Blick with hopes of bringing art supplies and teaching to children who otherwise would not have exposure to the enriching world of art. Please consider a donation today!

World Watercolor Month 2016

 

 

 

Creative Weekend

A few weekends ago I spent a terrific, creative weekend with some friends at a local B&B.  We spent the weekend working on various projects like scrapbooking, card making, needle work, etc.  I focused on making encouragement and birthday cards to be donated to a local hospital chaplain as well as Send a Smile 4 Kids.

Cheering You On

I used up a set of coordinating patterned paper from Stampin Up along with some great stamps from to make these cards.

You’re Doing Great

You Got This

You are Tougher

Don’t Be Afraid

I so enjoy making cards and hope they will help uplift each person who receives one.

Celebrate with Balloons

Birthday Balloons

How wonderful it is to spend time with creative friends – we help each other with ideas, share all our “toys,” and simply relax in the ease of our friendships.  Thanks, ladies, for such a pleasant, productive, renewing weekend!

Supplies:  My Creative Time Stamps, You Matter; Simon Says Stamps, Cheering You On; Lawn Fawn, Scripty Sayings; Stampin Up, Best Year Ever paper.

Welcome, Lainey

Today’s tiny watercolor is a card front in honor of a tiny baby – my new niece, Lainey!   It’s been a while since we had a little one to cuddle and hold, and we’ve enjoyed getting to know her these past few weeks.  She looks so much like my brother did when he was a baby, which brings back great memories, and she is truly a treasure to our family.

Baby Card for Lainey

I think it was best said by Winnie the Pooh:  “If I am thinking correctly, a new baby is probably, undoubtedly the grandest gift that could ever be.”  Indeed!

Changing Gears – Slowly but Surely – AND Halloween

Happy Saturday to you!  As I stated in my previous post, OWH declared Mission Accomplished so I have been focusing on making cards for SAS4Kids. Before I started with that, I decided to do some reorganization of my craft space and storage, which took a bit of time but felt good to finish. However, I am a very messy crafter and my work space still looks chaotic, but I know where everything is.

I just sent my first box of cards out to SAS4Kids and it included some Halloween cards, which are new for me. I never really made any for OWH but had stamps accumulated along the way including hand-me-downs from Julie and loaners from Marie (thanks, Julie and Marie!), so I spent some time coordinating those with paper colors, Stickles, patterned paper, sequins, etc.

Halloween Card, Witchy Kitty

Halloween Card, Stickled Stars Kitty

Halloween Card, Smell My Feet

I tried to make them sweet or silly rather than scary but figured older kids would want something a little edgier, but this is just about as edgy as I get for Halloween.

Halloween Card, Bats and Spider Web

The spider web is heat embossed which gives it a raised texture and I thought it turned out pretty cool.

Heat embossed spider web

I know Halloween is still a ways off but the cards are due in by October 1 in order to be distributed to the hospitals.  I had fun making them but don’t want to rush these last few days of summer, and I hope you have time to enjoy the sunshine a little more before we have to break out the sweaters and jackets.

Disney Cards

Mickey and Minnie have brought many smiles to kids (and adults!) around the world and I hope these cards will, too.  One of my friends, Linda, let me borrow her Disney Cricut cartridge and I have been taking full advantage of it. Below are a few of the designs and I am still working on a couple more.

Mickey Miss You Card

Minnie Miss You Card

 

Minnie Love You Card

 

Mickey Love You Card

Happy Day Card

I found the Disney washi tape used on the first four cards at JoAnn’s in the clearance section – what a score!

Julie, did I do okay? 🙂 Have a Happy Day!!