Inspiration Ink

Cards Mailed to Operation Write Home

This afternoon, I mailed another big box full of cards to Operation Write Home.  Maria Flashman, one of my Club Members, donated a huge bag full of the cards.  Thanks, Maria!  Others are ones I made up from leftover camp/class supplies or are samples featuring retiring products.  Here's what got sent:

• 83 birthday cards
• 69 generic cards
• 49 cards for holidays (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Valentine's Day, etc.)
• 37 miss you/thinking of you/friendship/hello cards
• 35 thank you cards
• 22 get well/sympathy/encouragement cards
• 14 love/wedding/anniversary cards
• 8 congratulations/graduation cards
• 5 cards specifically for Mom or Dad
• 3 new baby cards

They still need more cards though!  So, I'm still accepting donations.  I'll have a box to accept donated cards at all of my events or you can just drop them by or mail them to me at any time.  Just remember the basic rules - absolutely no glitter, no handwritten messages anywhere on the card, must be handmade, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" size much preferred, and put liner of plain white paper inside cards with dark card stock bases. 

Operation Write Home is a charity project that provides handmade cards to our military service members who are deployed so they can write home.  They accept donations of handmade cards, package them up with envelopes, and send them to the troops so they can choose the card they need to send a message home. 

If you want to learn more about Operation Write Home and get some more tips on the types of cards they need most, why glitter is bad, why they only accept handmade cards, how to donate money to them, etc., please check out their website at Operation Write Home.

Thank you for helping support our heroes!

More Operation Write Home Cards Mailed

I mailed another big box full of cards to Operation Write Home today.  Some of the cards were donated by my customers or fellow Demonstrators.  Others are ones I made up from leftover camp/class supplies or old samples.  Here's what got sent:

• 92 generic/friendship/thinking of you cards
• 52 birthday cards
• 27 thank you cards
• 24 love/miss you/anniversary cards
• 13 get well cards
• 13 Christmas cards
• 10 congratulations/graduation cards
• 6 wedding cards
• 4 Valentine cards
• 4 cards for other holidays (St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Father's Day, etc.)
• 3 sympathy cards
• 2 new baby cards

They still need more cards though!  So, I'm still accepting donations.  I'll have a box to accept donated cards at all of my events or you can just drop them by or mail them to me at any time.  Just remember the basic rules - absolutely no glitter, must be handmade, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" size much preferred, and put liner of plain white paper inside cards with dark card stock bases. 

Operation Write Home is a charity project that provides handmade cards to our military service members who are deployed so they can write home.  They accept donations of handmade cards, package them up with envelopes, and send them to the troops so they can choose the card they need to send a message home. 

If you want to learn more about Operation Write Home and get some more tips on the types of cards they need most, why glitter is bad, why they only accept handmade cards, how to donate money to them, etc., please check out their website at Operation Write Home.

Thank you for helping support our heroes!

Operation Write Home Cards Mailed

Today I am mailing a huge box full of cards to Operation Write Home.  Many of these cards were donated by my customers or fellow Demonstrators and others are ones I made using old samples or leftover supplies from events.  Here's what got sent:

• 93 birthday cards
• 57 friendship/thinking of you cards
• 52 generic cards
• 46 thank you cards
• 46 love/miss you/anniversary cards
• 24 Christmas cards
• 21 cards for other holidays (Valentine's, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc.)
• 20 congratulations cards
• 13 get well cards
• 4 new baby cards
• 3 miscellaneous cards (retirement, remember when)
• 2 sympathy cards

They still need more cards though!  So, I'm still accepting donations.  I'll have a box to accept donated cards at all of my events or you can just drop them by or mail them to me at any time.  Just remember the basic rules - absolutely no glitter, must be handmade, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" size much preferred, and put liner of plain white paper inside cards with dark card stock bases. 

Operation Write Home is a charity project that provides handmade cards to our military service members who are deployed so they can write home.  They accept donations of handmade cards, package them up with envelopes, and send them to the troops so they can choose the card they need to send a message home. 

I also sent them a $20 donation to help pay for the cost of shipping all the cards to the troops.  I also included a handwritten thank you note addressed to "Dear Hero" thanking them for the service and sacrifice they and their families give to our country.

The organization is really in need of donations right now to help pay for the cost of the envelopes they provide for the cards and the cost of shipping the cards overseas.  So, even if you can't donate cards for the troops, please consider donating some money to Operation Write Home so they can keep this important charity going.

If you want to learn more about Operation Write Home and get some more tips on the types of cards they need most, why glitter is bad, why they only accept handmade cards, how to donate money to them, etc., please check out their website at Operation Write Home.

Thank you for helping support our heroes!

More Operation Write Home Cards at UMBC

I went to UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore County) again yesterday evening to help the NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary) with a campus-wide service project.  We made the three cards below for them to donate to Operation Write Home to be sent to our troops.  Enjoy!

Uses Plane & Simple Clear-Mount Set and Sanded background stamp plus Clear-Mount Block B, Clear-Mount Block G, Old Olive Card Stock, Baja Breeze Card Stock, Not Quite Navy Card Stock, Very Vanilla Card Stock, Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' Pad, Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad, Not Quite Navy Classic Stampin' Pad, Crop-A-Dile, Metallic Eyelets, Linen Thread, Old Olive 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Modern Label Extra-Large Punch, Word Window Large Punch, and Stampin' Dimensionals.

Uses Sincere Salutations Set plus Pumpkin Pie Card Stock, Tempting Turquoise Card Stock, Rich Razzleberry Card Stock, Rich Razzleberry Classic Stampin' Pad, Square Ice Rhinestone Brads, Paper-Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Multipurpose Platform, Standard Cutting Pads, Elegant Bouquet Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, and 2-Way Glue Pen.

Uses Four Frames Set and Clearly for You Set plus Perfect Plum Card Stock, Rose Red Card Stock, Very Vanilla Card Stock, Perfect Plum Classic Stampin' Pad, Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad, Basic Pearls Jewels, Very Vanilla 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Decorative Label Extra-Large Punch, 1-3/4" x 7/8" Oval Large Punch, 1-3/8" x 5/8" Oval Small Punch, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Multipurpose Platform, Standard Cutting Pads, Elegant Lines Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Sticky Strip, and Stampin' Dimensionals.

If you'd like to learn more about Operation Write Home, please click here.

Operation Write Home Cards Mailed

I just mailed a huge box full of cards to Operation Write Home.  Many of these cards were donated by my customers and others are ones I made using old samples or leftover supplies from events.  Here's what got sent:

• 92 birthday cards
• 52 friendship/thinking of you cards
• 44 generic cards
• 27 thank you cards
• 21 love/wedding/anniversary cards
• 13 Christmas cards
• 12 congratulations cards
• 12 get well cards
• 12 Mother's Day cards
• 8 new baby cards
• 5 Valentine cards
• 5 Thanksgiving cards
• 2 St. Patrick's Day cards
• 2 Easter cards
• 2 miss you cards
• 2 Halloween cards
• 1 Father's Day card

They still need more cards though!  So, I'm still accepting donations.  I'll have a box to accept donated cards at all of my events or you can just drop them by or mail them to me at any time.  Just remember the basic rules - absolutely no glitter, must be handmade, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" size much preferred, and put liner of plain white paper inside cards with dark card stock bases. 

Operation Write Home is a charity project that provides handmade cards to our military service members who are deployed so they can write home.  They accept donations of handmade cards, package them up with envelopes, and send them to the troops so they can choose the card they need to send a message home. 

If you want to learn more about Operation Write Home and get some more tips on the types of cards they need most, why glitter is bad, why they only accept handmade cards, etc., please check out their website at Operation Write Home.

Thank you for helping support our heroes!

Operation Write Home Cards with 30 Hour Famine

My younger son is part of the Honors College at Stevenson University.  This year, their faculty advisor issued a $20 Challenge to the incoming Honors College students.  She gave them each $20 and challenged them to use that $20 to make as big a difference as they could in the world.  They could work individually or pool their money and other resources.

Sean got together with some of his friends to run a 30 Hour Famine powered by World Vision.  The Famine was held Feb. 25 and 26 at the college.  Participants fasted for 30 hours while performing other service projects.  They all collected donations which will be sent to World Vision to distribute in Honduras to fight hunger there.

One of the additional service projects they decided to offer was making cards to donate to the Operation Write Home project which sends homemade greeting cards to our troops so the soldiers can use the cards to write home to their families.  Sean asked if I would help them with this project and, of course, I said yes!  Here are the cards I designed for the participants to make.  Enjoy!

Uses Extreme Surfboard and Party Hearty Sets plus Marina Mist Card Stock, Bashful Blue Card Stock, Whisper White Card Stock, Jet Black StazOn Ink Pad, Marina Mist Classic Stampin' Pad, Bashful Blue Classic Stampin' Pad, Stamping Sponges, Brayer, 3/16" Corner Small Punch, Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, Paper-Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Multipurpose Platform, Standard Texturz Impressions Pad, Standard Texturz Silicone Rubber, and Texture Plates Kit #4 Texturz Plates.

Uses Three Little Words Set plus Pear Pizzazz Card Stock, So Saffron Card Stock, Garden Green Card Stock, More Mustard Card Stock, Very Vanilla Card Stock, Build-A-Bear Workshop Pawsitively Prints II Designer Series Paper, Garden Green Classic Stampin Pad, Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad, Blender Pens, Crimper, Square Fire Rhinestone Brads, Paper-Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, and Stampin' Dimensionals.

Uses Heard from the Heart Set plus Real Red Card Stock, Basic Black Card Stock, Brights Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack, Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, 1-3/4" Circle Extra-Large Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Large Punch, Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, and Mini Glue Dots.

If you'd like to learn more about the 30 Hour Famine, please click here.

If you'd like to learn more about Operation Write Home, please click here.

Operation Write Home Cards with NRHH

My older son is very involved in the NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary) society at his college.  This group likes to do a service project every so often.  Brett remembered the Operation Write Home project that I send cards to so they can then send the cards to our soldiers overseas so the soldiers can write home.  He asked me if I'd help the NRHH make cards to donate to Operation Write Home.  Of course I said I would help!  Here are the cards I designed for the society members to make.  Enjoy!

Uses Punch Bunch Sale-A-Bration Set plus More Mustard Card Stock, Night of Navy Card Stock, Cajun Craze Card Stock, Very Vanilla Card Stock, Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad, More Mustard Classic Stampin' Pad, Two-Step Owl Extra-Large Punch, Scallop Square Extra-Large Punch, Two-Step Bird Extra-Large Punch, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Standard Cutting Pads, 3-1/2" Circle Originals Die, 2-Way Glue Pen, Stampin' Dimensionals, and googly eyes.

Uses Clearly for You Set and En Francais background stamp plus Crumb Cake Card Stock, Baja Breeze Card Stock, Soft Suede Card Stock, Very Vanilla Card Stock, Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper, Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad, Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad, Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' Pad, Scallop Edge Border Punch, 3/16" Corner Small Punch, 2" x 1-3/8" Oval Extra-Large Punch, and Baja Breeze 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon.

Uses Extreme Guitar Set and Something to Celebrate Hostess Level 2 Clear-Mount Set plus Clear-Mount Block G, Basic Black Card Stock, Real Red Card Stock, Whisper White Card Stock, Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad, Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad, Sponge Daubers, Star Extra-Large Punch, 5/16" Neutrals Jumbo Brads, Paper-Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine, Multipurpose Platform, Standard Cutting Pads, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, and Stampin' Dimensionals.

If you'd like to learn more about Operation Write Home, please click here.

Operation Write Home Update

Thanks to some of my generous customers and some old cards I had laying around, I was able to send a big box full of cards to Operation Write Home this afternoon.  Here's what got sent:

• 1 get well card
• 1 sorry card
• 1 Mother's Day card
• 1 Father's Day card
• 8 friendship/thinking of you cards
• 6 congratulations cards
• 3 graduation cards
• 8 thank you cards
• 9 fall cards
• 20 Christmas cards
• 46 birthday cards
• 24 generic cards

They still need more cards though!  So, I'm still accepting donations.  I'll have a box to accept donated cards at all of my events or you can just drop them by or mail them to me at any time.  Just remember the basic rules - absolutely no glitter, must be handmade, 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" size much preferred, and put liner of plain white paper inside cards with dark card stock bases.  At this point, please no Halloween, Thanksgiving, or fall cards, the deadline to mail those is either past or soon will be.  Christmas cards can still be accepted as long as I have time to ship them on by October 30.

Operation Write Home is a charity project that provides handmade cards to our military service members who are deployed so they can write home.  They accept donations of handmade cards, package them up with envelopes, and send them to the troops so they can choose the card they need to send a message home. 

If you want to learn more about Operation Write Home and get some more tips on the types of cards they need most, why glitter is bad, why they only accept handmade cards, etc., please check out their website at Operation Write Home.

Thank you for helping support our heroes!

Operation Write Home

I just learned about this wonderful project and want to do what I can to help them. 

Operation Write Home is a charity project that provides handmade cards to our military service members who are deployed so they can write home.  As of September 6, 2010, they have donated 541,032 cards!  But, they still need more!  They accept donations of handmade cards, package them up with envelopes, and send them to the troops so they can choose the card they need to send a message home.

I'm going to box up some old cards I have laying around to send them and will start adding more cards to the box as I go.  I'll also be happy to accept any cards you would like to donate and will send them along with mine.  I'll have a box to accept donated cards at all of my events or you can just drop them by or mail them to me at any time.  A special "Operation Write Home" project will also be available at some events where you can make the card and leave it for me to send to them at no charge to you. 

There are very few rules about the cards that you can donate.  They are:

- cards must be handmade, no store bought cards are accepted as the troops prefer handmade cards filled with love and care!

- cards should be 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" size as they are the easiest to ship, larger cards are accepted if you provide the correct size envelope yourself

- no glitter, absolutely no glitter, it can flake or rub off and stick to the clothing and skin and then our military personnel might be spotted using night vision goggles and put at risk

- if you use a dark color of card stock as the base, please put a light colored piece of paper or card stock inside the card for them to write on, often they only have a pencil to write with and it might not show up on dark card stock

That's it!  Other than that, most anything goes!  So, go through your stash and find cards you don't need or want that someone else might appreciate or get busy stamping and make some new cards to donate.  Then, mail them to me or drop them off at any time or while attending one of my events.  I'll then send them along to the volunteers who sort and package them to send on to the troops.

If you want to learn more about Operation Write Home and get some more tips on the types of cards they need most, why glitter is bad, why they only accept handmade cards, etc., please check out their website at Operation Write Home.  Word of warning, if you are a crier like me that will cry at the littlest thing, some of the videos and testimonials may bring on the tears! 

Have fun creating cards to send to our brave heroes and thank you!