You Crack Me Up!

I have a couple of cards for you today. Both is stamped with the same image, but totally different layouts. First, I need to tell you about the first sketch, and how I came about using it. As you know, the last couple of months I have been participating in various sketch challenges. Now, I don't do any one exclusively, I just pick and choose the ones I like. This last Saturday, a friend sent me a link to a blog hop hosted by Operation Write Home. I have to tell you more about Operation Write Home, but first let me finish about the sketch challenge. So, going throughout the different blogs, there was one that was giving away blog "candy"(stamping stuff), if you participated in her sketch challenge. The idea was she would email you a sketch, and then you would email your finished card to her. Well, I was intrigued. Not necessarily about the "candy" but could I take the challenge to complete a sketch I had never seen. So, this time I would not have the opportunity to pick and choose. I did it! Following is the sketch she sent me and my card ...

It is kinda hard to tell in the photo above but, there is 3 separate panels at 2 1/4 x 1 1/2" each. Which caused some initial fretting, because that meant that I needed very small images to fit into the rectangles. I have quite a number of new clear stamps from various companies and looking through the possibilities, I came across these adorable chicks that I knew would be perfect in the rectangles. I do need to tell you that I think I was supposed to wait to show you my creation, when the sketch was posted on her blog, but I wasn't sure when that would be - so I am warning you - you might see this card again at a later date.

I did change one thing in her layout which was to move the middle panels up slightly so I could fit my sentiment in at the bottom of the card. Inside, I think, a perfect sentiment would be "I am so lucky to have a friend like you!" I loved the little chick paper I used but was unhappy that so little showed. That of course, led me to create another card with the leftover pieces of this cute chick paper. I went with a layout I have done before that I love. This time I put this chicks on one single panel together. I love the way it came out ...

I love how on both cards I paper pieced the little eggshells with the matching paper. This stamp set came with other sentiments and so I made a third card with the same stamp set, this time with different colors and another sentiment. But you will have to come back tomorrow to see it!

Recipe Both Cards:

Paper -Both cards - 6 x6 pad from Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety Line, Cardstock Yellow, White for card #1 and Cardstock Orange, White, Yellow, Black for card #2
Stamps - Clear stamp set by Jillibean Soup
Ink -Versafine Black, Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol
Dies/Punches -Card #1 -Oval Nestiblities, Card #2 - Labels 8, Circle & Scallop Circle Nestiblities
Other -Card #1 Orange Pearls from Queen & Co. Card #2 Ribbon from May Arts, Yellow Brad from Imaginese (I cut the brad shank off with my Tim Holtz scissors!)

You must check out the Operation Write Home website. These people collect and distribute handmade cards to our troops overseas. I was very impressed with their operation. They also have a couple of blogs associated directly with the site. And that is not counting all the blogs that participated in the blog hop last weekend. To get you started, check out these ...
http://www.operationwritehome.org
http://www.owhstarsandstripes.org
http://www.acolourfulworld.blogspot.com
I think a group of us are going to start doing cards for them. Let me know if you would like to participate.

See ya tomorrow with that 3rd Little Chick card! Happy Stamping!
Tina