Today, we honor our veterans–past and present–who have secured the freedom and liberties we are blessed with, and salute the service members who stand ready to defend them still.
We also pause to thank our heroes’ loved ones. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said ‘The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.’
A parent who instilled love of freedom and country in their child. . . a spouse who holds down the homefront. . . a young one who prays every night that daddy or mommy be kept safe–and come home soon. . . in letting their hero go, and waiting faithfully for their return, all of these have given their very heart to their country, and to each of us. God bless you, and God bless your hero, your heart.
Welcome to Stop #72 on the Operation Write Home 2010 Memorial Day Blog Hop!
If you’re hopping in order, you’ve just been admiring Brenda’s creations at Brenda’s Stamping Corner. What nice, detailed instructions she gave for CASE-ing all those great patriotic projects!
Here at InkPaperStamps, we have a fun twist on a ‘missing you’ card. We also have a tip for new OWH cardmakers regarding glitter. Finally, InkPaperStamps is offering a chance to win some blog candy!
First, the card. (And dude, you MUST click on the pictures to see the full fine-ness of this card up close and personal–click again to zoom in further.)
Our heroes and the ones they love could exchange ‘missing you’ cards daily and still not capture the depth of longing in their heart.
But when the hero is coming home–whether at the end of their tour of duty or for well-deserved leave–that longing begins to give way to excitement, joy and anticipation.
I designed this matchbook card for a stateside wife (or husband) to send right before their hero returns.
Look closely and you’ll see that this matchbook card is, in fact, a depiction of a matchbook. See the black strip at the base of the card? Strike plate.
And gracing its cover is a diecut transformed into a firecracker–surely representing the tremendous happiness bursting in their hearts.
So what’s inside?
ooOOoo, matches. . . . . . . got a suggestion for a sentiment, anyone?
And don’t be afraid to get creative. With the right sentiment, this card can become a birthday card (Hi Gia–hope you get lots of cards at the RESQ46 challenge!), a card of encouragement or something appropriate for many more occasions.
Now, the tip.
If you’re new to making cards for OWH, you may not be aware that glitter from cards can be a big problem for our heroes. Check out this message from Operation Write Home to see why.
Personally, I never use glitter on cards for OWH–except for this one.
Come back to InkPaperStamps next week, and I’ll share with you *why* I made an exception for *this* card. I’ll also go through the five steps I took to eliminate glitter flakes.
Finally, the blog candy: the Of the Earth stamp set (which includes Emerson’s quotation), currently only available from Stampin’ Up to hostesses with at least $150 in sales at their workshop.
You may submit up to five entries in this giveaway, one for each of these:
- Commenting. (leaving a comment below with a suggested sentiment for inside the matchbook card, if you please.)
- Serving. (being or having served as a member of the United States armed services)
- Supporting. (being a loved one of a service member or veteran)
- Participating. (making some glitter-free cards for Operation Write Home)
- Subscribing. (being a subscriber to InkPaperStamps’ free updates)
***For each applicable item, submit a separate entry by clicking here.***
Winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted by 11:59 pm (CT) Monday, May 31. Terms and conditions apply.
Now it’s time to continue on the hop–next stop: JessicaLynnOriginal, where Jessica Lynn has used her considerable talent to benefit worthy causes including Tennessee flood relief (through the Red Cross), the USO and now Operation Write Home.
Thanks for visiting InkPaperStamps–hope you’ll come back again soon!
In addition to the OWH 2010 Memorial Day Blog Hop, this project played in the following challenges:
- DCBC178 – color challenge
- Freshly Brewed #4 - color challenge
- RESQ46 – red white & blue birthday
- SSDS (May 29) – color challenge
- SSNOTIME141 – colors of your country’s flag
- STAMPINB60 – patriotic card
Dude I totally clicked on the images to see them bigger. NICE JOB!!! Thanks for sharing! You are awesome!
Cute cards.
Great cards, really like the little match book. How about “we’re a perfect match”? Or “you light my fire”? or “to spark the celebration” (good for birthday’s and leave) I’d keep going, but still have a lot of hopping to do!
R/
Fun ideas!
Wow! Great cards! How about “You light up my life”?
Love this matchbox card, great idea!!!
I participate in OWH by making cards…how about this for a sentiment “you light my fire”.
Very nice…a love the match book. I have subscribed to your blog. My husband is Active Duty Army and is currently deployed to Afghanistan. And I am committing to making one card per comment left on my blog during this hop to send to OWH. Thank you for supporting our troops!
~Courtney~
Great matchbook- you are right- looks better in the close up photo- wow-too cool! How about you light up my life, or Keep the fire burning…! Great Blog Hop!
Very cute idea!!!
That’s such a neat idea. Love it!
Your card is beautiful! I agree with the You Light Up My Life sentiment. It goes perfectly with the matches.
Wow, I have to say, your first card is so rich and intense, it really gets the point accross (as does the matchbook). Perfectly wonderful cards that will be treasured by the folks who give and get them.
Cute idea. I like the suggestion made above…”we’re the perfect match”
How about “You always light my fire”… Great card!
The Fire Still Burns; Burning for you, or eachother – for anniversary; Very cute card!
great card
u lite my fire or just light my fire or my heart burns for you
Awesome card! my suggestion is How do I love thee, let me count the ways, and then on each match…the sender can put a thought or reason.(put a little instruction sheet inside)
I did the separate form.
I am subscribing
I do make and will continue to make glitter free cards for OWH
my husband is a veteran, as was my dad(RIP), my late BIL, my late uncle, my stepson, and my oldest daughter’s S/O is currently a soldier. my youngest daughter has a friend that was in for 6 years…navy.
Good luck to everyone. Thank you for all you do, and the opportunity to win blog candy.
Susan
(78 on the list)
I like “You’re the Light of My Life”. Or “You Fire Me Up”. Awesome card!
Of course I zoomed in on the cards. How did you do the edges of the layers? Doesn’t really look like a scissor but doesn’t look torn, either. I’m married to a retired Air Force air traffic controller who served 27 years. His son is closing in on his 20 year mark, as well. Proud of both of them. Sentiments might include: “can’t wait”, “miss you”, all the cliches, I guess.
I can see using “You set my heart on FIRE” with these!
I have 3 brothers who all serve and have been called overseas multiple times. Thankfully, they’re all home now.
What a great idea and nice card. Thanks for sharing. My sentiment will be “Light up your side….”
cute card! thanks for sharing.
Hmmmm. How about, can’t wait to spark things up. Or, you are my perfect match.
Great card thanks so much for the chance to win
Great card. Thanks for sharing.
Linda D.
How ’bout “I burn for you always”? Fuh-ab-u-lusss card BTW. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Thanks for the tips on creating small cards. I must have gotten lost or clicked on something, but I left a comment for your match card somewhere else LOL.
How about,
You make me light up with joy!
or
Did I strike it rich when I met you!
Carmen L
cal8007 at aol dot com
What a totally cute idea! As for sentiments how about, “You light my fire!” I could totally see me giving my DH a card like this before he returns from Iraq! Thanks for the inspiration!
How about, “Good for a candle light dinner,”on each match.
I come from a family of people who have served. My grandfather WWI,father WWII, brother VN, aunt WWII, father-in-law WWII, and Korea. I remember every night my brother was in Danang I prayed he was OK and he came home safe and sound.
I am about to retire from teaching and I want to learn more about OWH. I have a lot of cards I can send them. I just need to check the glitter thing out.
Thanks for all you do for the people who keep us safe.
How about “You light my heart on fire”
Thanks for sharing your pretty cards. So much inspiration there. Also for being apart of OWH, of which I belong, is such a worth while thing to do, that I hope more get on the band wagon. Thanks for being apart of OWH
That is an absolutely amazing card!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Happy Memorial Day!
God Bless our Soldiers & their families!
~Ola
okj83 at live dot com
Great cards! And you do need to look at them close up to see how great they are.
What a clever card. Thank you so much for honoring our HERO’s with your time and efforts.
I didn’t know about this blog hop. I got a chance to look around. Very cool! Thanks for sharing!
I never did get through all of the blogs on the OWH hop, but I’m glad that I found this! Your card is amazing! So creative!
Love the design on the front of the card, and the matches and strike plate are just too cool. Thanks for sharing!!