It's blog hop day for Operation Write Home! The theme for this blog hop is spring, living in the desert we don't have major seasonal changes until the arrival of summer. From the beginning of November to the beginning of May our temperatures are very mild. Today the temperature here should be in the mid 70's, we begin planting our gardens the second week of February because the chance of having a "freeze" is past. I haven't seen snow here since 1989. I remember calling my boss that day to tell him I couldn't get from where I was to work because it was snowing and I just knew he was going to think I was crazy!
So anyway - butterflies are really popular right now and I can't seem to get enough of them. This butterfly is a Hero Arts digi stamp that I re sized, re colored to make it's outline nice and dark and printed it on Neenah super smooth white card stock. I used Tim Holtz distress inks and their sponge applicators to color the butterfly then applied SU Crystal Effects and black half pearls. It took a couple of days of the butterfly sitting on my desk to come up with a card to put it on. I looked through my stash of stamps and found the swirl from this Rhonna Farrar stamp set and thought it might be just the thing. I cut my Neenah white card stock to the size I needed and stamped, placed the butterfly with it and liked it! I thought more black half pearls would tie it all together and used a Verve stamp for the "you make me smile". Clean and simple isn't easy for me so I had to get used to it after I had the card together to be sure I was "done".
In my blog browsing not too long ago I came across the Operation Write Home blog and was truly inspired as I looked around. What a neat opportunity to bless other people with our gifts and talents. My dad was a WWII veteran and the 2nd anniversary of his death was a few days ago. I thought making cards for Operation Write Home would be a meaningful way to honor his service to our country and his memory. He always encouraged me in my artistic endeavors and for that I'm grateful. Below is a picture of my dad in Tokyo in 1946.
I've copied OWH's mission statement for you: OUR MISSION
Supporting our nation's armed forces by sending blank handmade greeting cards to write home on, as well as cards of gratitude to encourage them.
I hope you are as inspired as I am!
...and now I'd like to introduce our next blogger Melissa, enjoy!
87 comments:
Awesome picture of your dad :)
And WOW on that butterfly!! Oh my, anyone who says digi isn't the way to go just hasn't seen your butterfly. Beautiful, and the simplicity of the rest of the card really makes it stand out. Well done!!
Jan - what a beautiful card! I always forget about using those Rhonna Farrer swirls myself, I think I'm going to challenge myself to pull them out today and combine them with a butterfly - it works so well! Thank you so much for joining in the hop, and for your support of OWH!
Jan,
What a stunning card. I love butterflies and the way you set it off with the swirl stamp. Thank you for sharing your fathers pix. My dad was in WWII also.
ps, I love your little blinky for Mr. Brown. May I lift it?
What a beautiful card!! I really need to get on the band wagon with the Digi-stamps!
That pic of your dad is great!
Love the doodling on your card!
I love how simple this card is. I love the butterfly. You are right in saying butterflies are everywhere.
Jan your butterfly is absolutely gorgeous! What an elegant card...
Simply beautiful Jan! Love that gorgeous butterfly and the white really pops. :)
I love this card. It's so elegant. I love the butterflies in the subtle color.
My dad was career AF. His birthday was a few days ago, and I wrote an any hero card since I couldn't write to him.
Hugs and happy blog hopping!
Beautiful card! Love the butterfly!
Proof that simple can be stunning...
What a great card. I love that butterfly.
amazing butterfly!! So pretty/
Jan,
I love your card and isn't is ironic I moved from Phoenix to TN 6 years ago after retiring from the PD. Your right about Butterfies they are beautiful and you don't see many in Arizona.
God Bless you and your family,
Jeanine
What a wonderful way to honor your dad. Your butterfly is WONDERFUL!!
I love your card - it's perfect! Gives me a little inspiration to do something like that only with flowers. thanks! joanej in Calif.
Awesome picture of your dad!! I love your card that butterfly is gorgeous!
very pretty and very elegant
Wow~ I love your butterfly. Thanks for sharing how you did it and your dad's story and his photo.
What a beautiful card and the butterfly is gorgeous! Was reading your "about me" and my husband custom built my table and shelves for my craft room too, LOL!
Great way to use a flourish, beautiful!
Beautiful card. The butterfly is fantastic!
So beautiful! Thank you for the inspiration and instructions.
hiscreation2@hotmail.com
Stunning card! I'm on a butterfly kick right now, so it really caught my eye!
It takes effort to make such a simple design work nicely... your butterfly is beautiful!
WOW! I am so impressed with that butterfly! You are really creative and definitely shows in that card! Thank you for showcasing your talents!
Yes! What a neat opportunity to bless other people with our gifts and talents. The person that gets that butterfly card will be blessed indeed. Just amazing!
Stunning card! i love that you combined a distress ink colored butterfly on such a simple background. It's really amazing. I need to visit around your blog now :)
your card is beautiful I love the soft colors and white space
That's an amazing butterfly! Thanks for sharing the picture of your dad.
jeanne706 at yahoo dot com
Loving your butterfly!!! Those distress inks are really great aren't they??? Thanks for sharing the picture of your dad and thanks for supporting OWH!
Very special card. That butterfly is amazing.
Amazing card! As soon as I saw your card I thought "where'd she get that sticker!" And to learn that it's not a sticker - WOW!
As a military wife I just want to say thank you for sharing your time and talent to help those who are away from their families feel a bit closer. Much, much appreciated.
Wonderful picture of you Dad. I love your card! The butterfly is beautifully colored!
love your card.. simple and oh so cute! love your card design!
Thanks for sharing your story. Amazing card!
What a beautiful card! It's great that you have military photos of your dad!!
Jann, I am with everyone else on the butterfly. It is exquisite! The design of your card really makes it stand out. I am sure your Daddy is smiling from the joy you bring to others. Blessings, Louise
So elegant and just gorgeous! That flourish stamp is perfect! Thanks for sharing your story too-what a nice way of honoring your father's memory.
Jan,
What a great card. I am enjoying all the blogs today.
Awww...what a terrific picture of your dad! Our dads were the greatest generation!
Love your digi butterfly. I too can't get enough of butterflies!
The butterfly is gorgeous! I am going to have to check out Hero Arts!
Your card is a knock out! I love how you combined the clean and simple look with the perfectly detailed butterfly. Inspiring!
I love this card and that butterfly is breath-taking!
I appreciate your dad's service.
The butterfly looks so real. This is a great card. I like the simplicity and clean lines of this card. Thanks so much for sharing.
Your card is simple and clean. I love it. It gets right to the point!
The colors are beautiful too. I know the butterfly took a lot of work and it shows.
Thank you for participating in the OWH Blog Hop.
Sher
Oh how lovely, your butterfly is stunning!!
It's so special that you're supporting OWH in honor of your dad, Jan.
Your card is beautiful! I like how you used the flourish with the butterfly. Looks great!
The way that you colored the butterfly is amazing. Really stunning!
Your butterfly card is breathtakingly beautiful!! I love the simple elegance of the card with that striking butterfly! Absolutely fabulous! Keep on doing what you're doing!!
Stunning card!
LOVE the butterfly and what a great picture of your dad. Thanks for suppporting OWH from a fellow blogger!
I love the classic beauty of your card.
WOW and WOW some more! CAS may not be easy for you, but you do it PERFECTLY! This card is just right!
R/
Fantastic card! That butterfly is incredible! TFS.
WOW what a great card! I too live in Arizona! I loved the story about not seeing snow here :) Wouldnt that be a hoot!
Jan, your card is beautiful. I love the simplicity of it with the emphasis on the butterfly.
My dad like yours was a WWII veteran. Growing up we spent summer vacations attending army reunions. Soldiers make friends for life and beyond. I think I jumped on the OWH bandwagon for the same reason. Thanks for paricipatiing.
I love the simplicity of your card and the coloring on your butterfly is perfect. TFS
That butterfly is AMAZING. beautiful job!
I love that card as well as the very Large butterfly on your first post of it. I've been bookmarking and will have to come back and check out that Jennifer McGuire video.
What a beautiful card! This is truly like your saying says at the top of your blog...except I'm sure you'll want to send the best to the soldiers like I do! I forgot that HA also has digis. I must check it out!
What a gorgeous card! I love Hero Arts and you did such a fabulous job embellishing that wonderful butterfly! Thanks for sharing a photo of your dad.
Your card is absolutely gorgeous.....thank you for sharing your card and your story about your father....I just lost mine last year....may God bless you and your family....
Beautiful card!!!! I love that butterfly, it's gorgeous!!
I'm in AZ as well and you're right, the weather has been gorgeous the past couple of days!!!
As a military spouse and someone new to OWH, I thank you for taking part in this awesome blog hop and in OWH!
you did a fantastic job with the inking of that butterfly!!! Beautiful!
I'm loving butterflies too and yours is such a clean card.
I love your card & that butterfly just makes it pop!!!
I'm telling everyone on the hop how excited I am to find OWH.... I can't wait to start making my cards to send off.
Thanks for Sharing!
xoxo
Ola
okj83 at live dot com
What a lovely card - your butterfly is magnificent - that paired with the simplicity of the card is perfect! Thank you for sharing your OWH story.
Stunning card! Simple and elegant design. Have you visited the Hero Arts Blog & Flickr Group? Hope you'll join us!
WOW... I love love love this card.. So clean and simple.. but sooooooooooooooooo stunning.. JUST LOVE it!!
Hugs x
Beautiful card - I love the use of the whitespace on it to shift the focus to that awesome butterfly!
Talk about a dazzling creation...this is definitely it!! I love the gorgeous butterfly and the way it *pops* off the white background!! Simply gorgeous!!!
Hugs!
Carolyn
Your card is gorgeous.. Simplicity at its finest! :)
Stunning card! It's elegant in its simplicity!
Your card is beautiful! Thanks for sharing your fathers picture and supporting OWH! I appreciate you stopping by my blog during the hop and leaving your kind words. Good luck in my OWH giveaway!
you mentioned your grandmothers postcards... I have another giveaway of ephemera going on until 3/31 you may want to enter here:
http://dreamingofcastles.blogspot.com/2010/03/ephemera-giveaway.html
I have such a hard time with clean and simple in my own stamping, but love when I see others do it. This is BEAUTIFUL!
Fantastic card! What a gorgeous butterfly... and not in your typical bright colors! LOVE it!
Hello! Beautiful card!! I made a butterfly card for my OWH Blog Hop sample as well - you're right, butterflies are 'hot' right now! :) I love how you stamped the swirl - I have so many swirl stamps and never thought to use one for this so I'm definitley going to remember to do it now! :) You do 'clean and simple' really well, although I know what you mean about deciding whether or not you're done. You've got a great blog and I look forward to visiting you here again!
Cheers, from Vancouver, BC
Stunning butterfly thanks for sharing in the hop
I LOVE that butterfly! So fabulous! Great picture of your dad! TFS!
Lovely card, and I sooo want to join this fine organization now that i know about it...My dad also served in WWII, hubby is a vet step son, late uncle, late BIL, and both my girls had BF's that were military men. One is still active, and has served 3 tours over in the middle east.
I am now a follower of yours,
Susan
Such a beautiful card! I love the white background- You rocked C&S!!!! Love the butterfly!
Terrific Butterlfy and awesome picture of your Dad. Thanks for sharing your talent and your support of OWH. Hugs, Loni (Stop #55)
What a wonderful card! Just beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Pamela B.
That butterfly is simply beautiful :) I love it! Thank you for sharing that photo of your dad - what a neat treasure that is. :)
LOVE that photo of your dad. and I adore this card you made! How clever to use the swirlie stamp for the butterfly. I think I might actually own that stamp. Mind if I steal your idea? :)
Corinna
www.myscrapbooklife.com
Thank you for sharing your Dad with us. They are such special people. I still miss mine too.
(((((HUGS)))))
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