Showing posts with label Operation Write Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Operation Write Home. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Operation Write Home Card #2


Operation Write Home Cards
Curtsey Boutique

This is the second card I will be teaching Thursday night at my church for our Operation Write Home service project.  Once more I did two versions of the card to figure out what I liked best. I ended up choosing the card on the left with the white card stock base.
Operation Write Home Card #2
Curtsey Boutique

As most of these cards will make it into the hands of guys, I wanted to do something that a guy might actually pick out in the store and I love that the gray in these pattern papers "boys" up the cards a bit. I also wanted something that would appeal to soldiers of a variety of denominations without offending anyone - hopefully I hit the mark.

The card is pretty simple by necessity as we have to make so many on a budget. I think the baker's twine wrapped in these vintage buttons I found at the Thrift Store is a nice dressy touch for just a few pennies. I got over 500 of the red buttons for $5.00 - a super find as buttons can be pricy.  I've once again used my Swiss Dots embossing folder and pulled out the details with a bit of inking.

If you are interested in learning more about Operation Write Home click here.

Have a lovely day,

CarrieAnne


Monday, December 3, 2012

Operation Write Home Christmas Card #1

Operation Write Home Card #1
Curtsey Boutique
 If you've followed the blog at all you know I'm a great admirer of solider focused charities. This week I'll be teaching a class for women in my church and we'll be making 100 cards for Operation Write Home. As a former Army wife - I LOVE the founding principle of this organization. Sending handmade cards to soliders that they can than send home to their loved ones.

I went with two different card designs - here is the first. (I made two versions and settled on the one with the yellow star.)  I'll be sharing the second design with you on Wednesday.

I'm loving felt die cuts on all my projects lately - such pretty texture and dimension. This holly embossing folder is one of my favorites as well.

If you'd like to put your cards in the hands of our heroes visit the Operation Write Home site HERE

Have a lovely day,

CarrieAnne




Thursday, April 5, 2012

Miss Arts, Operation Write Home and a Deployment Digital Freebie

Curtsey Boutique Deployment Project Life sized Journaling Card

My husband and I were military sweethearts. We meet while we were both ROTC cadets at the University of Dayton. To my parents dismay we were engaged only after a few short months. After 12 years of marriage they've gotten used to him and we've pretty much proved that love at first sight can be a lasting thing. 

With both of us being active duty military our first years of marriage were mostly spent apart. September 11th, the War in Iraq and other domestic deployments had us passing like to ships in Battle Dress Uniforms that weren't even sailing on the same night. 

To say the least military charities are close to my heart. When Alyssa from Miss Art's approached me about doing a post on Operation Write Home and Miss Art's Papercrafting School's support of it I couldn't have been more excited.

Here is the Skinny:

Operation Write Home:

A charity that serves our armed forces by sending them blank handmade greeting cards they can use to write home on. It also provides the soldiers with cards of gratitude and encouragement.

Why this charity is so AMAZING:

In March 2011, they passed the 1 million card mark and crafters like us helped them do it!

How Miss Art's is Getting Involved:

Each Tuesday, visit the Miss Art's blog to view the tutorial. Then join designers Karen Hanson, Alyssa McGrew, Tina McDonald, and Jodi Baune in creating cards to donate to Operation Write Home. Cards will be collected at the Miss Art's office, then forwarded as a group to the Operation Write Home distribution center.

The first tutorial, giveaway rules, and instructions for creating and sending in cards can be found HERE

Miss Art's Paper Crafting School Operation Write Home Tutorial Project #1


How Helping Other's can Help You:

Besides that warm fuzzy feeling you'll get for doing something nice for a complete stranger, Miss Art's will be giving a free April Kit for every card you send them for Operation Write Home.

Where to get More Information:

Operation Write Home Link HERE

Miss Art's Paper Crafting School Link HERE

Miss Art's Papercrafting School Operation Write Home Giveaway

I have a shoebox full of letters in the bottom of my closet. Notes that we sent to each other over those first years of constant separation. Some of them have sprinkles of desert dust on them, a few are smeared with mud, but all of them are witnessses of a great romance.  They mean more to me than just about anything else I own.  Even years later, I don't like to discuss my feelings about being separated from my husband during deployments. So, I haven't yet used the journaling card at the top of this post, but it is free to all those who would like to use it. 

I am excited to help others build up their own shoeboxes and hope you too will be encouraged to give back to our soldiers.

Create with love,

CarrieAnne