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Thursday, September 13, 2012

Hoo Loves You - An Operation Write Home Card

It's Sis from Paper, Craft, and Scissors with an Operation Write Home (OWH) card to share.  For those of you that may not be familiar with OWH, it is a wonderful way to share some crafty goodness with service members.  Crafted cards are collected and forwarded overseas for members to use and send to celebrate the holidays and the every days with their families and friends.  


The guidelines on OWH state that some dimension is okay (and loved) but not to go crazy with big buttons and embellishments.  So, here is my first OWH card with a total of one pop dot and six Viva Decor pearl pen dots.  I will be sharing the details with you and some insights into gaining dimension through color.

To start, cut an A2 card base (mine is khaki colored card stock) by cutting an 8.5" x 11" piece of card stock in half.  I like to cut this size by placing the long edge along the top of my guillotine cutter and cutting at 5.5 inch mark.  Fold the cut in half and while matching corners, crease with a bone folder. You get two card bases from one sheet of paper.  In this card, I wanted the dimension on the inner layer, so I used Cricut Craft Room (CCR) to cut a scalloped heart shaped window in the front of my card base. 

Before cutting the heart window with my Expression, I cut the patterned wood grain paper layer at 4" x 5.25".  I put good quality adhesive (like ScorPal tape) on my patterned paper.  As I planned to adhere the patterned paper to the card base and cut through both layers at the same time, I wanted to make sure to use a good quality adhesive to keep the papers together while cutting.  I edged the patterned paper with Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress Ink before adhering it to the card base.

Step 1 - Firmly adhere patterned paper layer to card base on the front right side of the A2 card base using the card crease line (on the left) as an alignment tool. 

Step 2 - Cut the heart window in your card base with adhered patterned paper layer.  Use CCR Basics and select the scalloped heart (2.5" wide x 2.75" tall).   Carefully line up the long edge of the card stock across the top edge of the mat.  The edge of your card should be flush at the 11" line.  The left edge of the card should be aligned to the left edge of the mat.  This screen shot shows the position for cutting on the right hand side (front) of a card that opens from the right.  Unless you have a super sticky mat, use painter's tape on all the edges of your card.  Remember, you are cutting through two layers (the card base and the patterned paper).  I cut my card on the Expression using medium pressure and a blade depth of six.  I selected 2 in the "number of times" drop down menu on the "Cut" menu.  After cutting and WITHOUT unloading the mat, I determined that it needed additional cuts (another two), and the cut easily popped out after that.  I added some dimension by shadowing the cut edge with Copic E55 Light Caramel.  The dark patterned layer with the darker shadowed edge around the heart adds some visual dimension.


Step 3 - Cut the interior heart in bright rose patterned paper.  Using a brighter interior color also builds visual dimension.  I cut the interior heart slightly larger at 2.625" x 2.875" tall so that the interior heart would easily cover the window heart cut.  Once cut, I used E55 to edge the heart.  To attach the interior heart in the right location, I opened the card (so the cut window was face down to my left) and placed the interior heart right side down on top of the window.  Holding the card and interior heart in place, I carefully picked up the card and looked at it from the front.  After adjusting the interior heart location and carefully laying the open card back down on a flat surface, I added small drops of Glossy Accents on the backside of the interior heart cut and then closed the card by turning the interior card page onto the back side of the heart so now the back of the card was facing me.  Press firmly adhere to adhere the back side of the heart to the interior page.

Step 4 -  Cut nine leaf spray cuts from Mother's Day Corsage at 1.2" x 1.3" tall.  Edge with Copic E55.  Cut 20 "daisy2" flowers from Flower Shoppe at approximately .65" tall.  Assemble 10 flowers by placing a small dot of Glossy Accents on top of the base layer and adding the second layer.  Try to keep the petals fanned out rather than directly on top of each other.

Step 5 - Cut the owl at 2" tall and all its layers from Everyday Pop-Up Cards.  Add shadows with Copic E55 and use Glossy Accents to add dimension to the eyes and beak.

Step 6 - Assemble the inner heart layer.  Arrange leaf sprays as you wish and determine owl location.  Add flowers.  To add dimension, attach owl with one pop dot under the head and glue the feet down.  Place one trimmed flower spray under the owl's feet.  Here is an close-up of the interior heart.  The leaf sprays extend past the heart's edge.  I used five sprays; I always cut extra when dealing with smaller cuts and make sure to take down the pressure and blade depth.  Multi-cut when necessary.


Step 7 - Print sentiment or stamp sentiment and attach.  This sentiment uses Birch Std at 36 point.  The edges were inked with Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress Ink.  Add one spray and two flowers.

Step 8 - Add ribbon or twine and tie a bow. 

Step 9 - Add flower centers with a Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Icy White.  Once dried, slightly curl flowers.

This card used paper from My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose and Echo Park's Hello Summer.  Using 6" x 6" paper pad is a great way to keep scale and color in your card creations.

Cricut Info & Supplies Used:

Designed By:  Sis Patterson

Cricut Machine Used:  Expression (with Cricut Craft Room)

Cricut Cartridges Used:  Mother's Day Corsage, Flower Shoppe, and Everyday Pop-Up Cards

Other Supplies Used:  My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose and Echo Park's Hello Summer. Papertrey Ink Rustic Twine.  Viva Decor Pearl Pen in Icy White.  Copic E55 (Light Caramel).  Tim Holtz Wild Honey Distress Ink.

44 comments:

  1. Aw, how adorable!!! You did an amazing job on this card!

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  2. Sis!!! This is adorable! I love the little owl looking through the window, the dimensional leaves and flowers, the faux bois paper, the printed sentiment.... not to mention the sweet generosity of the project itself! Perfect instructions too!

    As always, your masterful ways with pattern are delightful! Great colors and fun imagery-- total "Sis Patterson" hallmarks!

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  3. I know I love this card!! Your owl is absolutely adorable. Thank you for sharing your card making process. Think it might rub off on me?

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  4. Thanks, Sis, for your detailed instructions. LOVE the owl peeking out from the heart shaped hole in his tree! :) Christine

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  5. What a wonderful card! I love the little owl peeking out through the window. Thanks for the great instructions too.

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  6. Love this card! Thanks for the detailed instructions..... I'm going to try this technique today!

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  7. That is so stinkin' cute! I adore your card. Love the woodgrain and the little owl. Great job! :)

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  8. WOW Sis...I just LOVE this card. It is so cute ! I bet the service men and women will just want to tuck this under their pillow instead of sending it off :)

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  9. You have created a beautiful card Sis! Thank you for the great tutorial as well. I had no idea that sweet owl is on the Every Day Pop Up Cards! I really love all the details, it is perfect in every way!

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  10. Your card is beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial too.

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  11. Super super cute. I love it. Great choice of paper and embelishments. Love making cards for OWH.. What a wonderful card and the person getting this will be thrilled!!!!!

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  12. Its fabulous...always LOVE your work!

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  13. This is cute! Love that the little owl is peeking out of the heart-shaped hole :-)

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  14. How adorable is that?!?! That little owl peeking out makes me want to open the card! He is just the sweetest little thing! Love it!!

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  16. Whoo makes the cutest cards ever?! Too stinking cute, Sis. Great card for a great cause. Maybe it will end up in the hands of hubby who will mail it to me. lol. A girl can hope!

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  17. I love this adorable card with the cute owl peeking out of the window -- so many wonderful details!! Great instructions too!!

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  18. Love each detail and the colors on this sweet card.

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  19. Terrific card. Great details - love the way the owl is peeking out. Super easy to follow tutorial too.

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  20. I love this card and all of the attention to detail is amazing.

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  21. This is such a cute card! Love how the patterned paper makes him look like he's really peeking out of a heart-shaped hole in a real tree!

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  22. Love this card, it screams home...love all the details!

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  23. OMG, this card is fantastic. Who ever recieves this to send to their loved one is going to so appreciate all your hard work and talent. TFS

    Donna C.
    goCricutgo

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  24. Beautiful card. The lucky recipient will be so happy to be able to give this card to a loved one. You are an inspiration. Thank you so much for helping out our service members.

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  25. What a beautiful card - TFS

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  26. I so love the way the owl looks like he is poking his head out of the window!

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  27. Adorable card. Someone will be thrilled to be able to send this to a loved one. You've brightened several peoples day with your card.

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  28. Absolutely great card Sis and a wonderful cause! Your instructions are perfect! Love the little owl peeking out!

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  29. Awesome card...& I LOVE that owl!!! Thanks for sharing!

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  30. Such an amazing card. I love everything about it! TFS

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  31. Love your owl! The patterned papers you picked are perfect and I love how he is peeking out. TFS

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  32. Amazing card! What serviceman or servicewoman would not love to receive this card?! One can only imagine the smile on their face!

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  33. The owl is great and I love the papers! Thanks for sharing this with us!
    Julie

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  34. Love the patterns and colors of the papers you choose...that owl is super cute too!

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  35. I love the papers you used, and the little owl he's so cute. I have that cart and I didn't know he was on it. I must go make something with him now :)

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  36. So adorable,Sis! Thank you for the tip on cutting small pieces. I am going to try it out. The heart shaped hole for the owl is inspired.

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  37. LOVE this owl! The woodgrain paper is so perfect, and I have to say I love your other paper choices as well (and have some!) Thanks so much for sharing this little guy--someone will be so please to use this over at OWH. :)

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  38. Such an sweet card! That little owl is adorable. Going to look him up now!

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