Take Me Out to the Ballgame

"Take me out to the ball game! Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack... Oh, root, root, root for the home team!"     This  seems to be a rally cry for summer fun around here. We sometimes overlook the midwest form of summer fun as a theme for card making. By midwest summer fun, I mean the treats we have here. Sure, the coasts have their beaches and palm trees-- but we have our fairs and baseball games. There are lots of cards we can do with this theme in mind. Operation Write Home needed some summer theme cards to fill in. Cards with the general sentiments of Thank you, Happy Birthday, Missing you, and Love cards. Why not make some summer fun-theme cards. 

We have plenty to choose from: "Any one for Popcorn,Sodas, or  Hotdogs!"

There are some summer birthday cards with this theme that are so very cute. I was recently inspired by this card with a popcorn theme. 

 

I loved the pop-up circle. The major theme was with movie tickets as a birthday present. The sentiment was simply, "Just for You!" We could change this to Happy Birthday and place an individual sack of un-popped popcorn, for some home DVD watching very easily, too. 

Another common theme is a  familiar design with the hot dog pre-print paper in the background, the use the blue paper as a banner with the lace trim paper edging as trim. Cute. Stamp your burger, grill and sentiment to the center and add the utensil as an add-on dimensional."light up the grill"---and this could make a wonderful theme for "The only thing missing is you! " Or you could try this more recent card pattern from OWH with this theme in mind.                

 

Some of these digital graphics were on Flickr and a few we part of a free-commercial product site for vintage ads. I would still steer clear of commercial products like Coca-cola, etc. However, you can use some of the old vintage signs like this one:

Just add some modern embellishments, a tag with your best wishes to this summer theme card and you have just made a hand-made treasure. 

Speaking of treasures, there is nothing that says "Summer Fun" or I miss you" like this little guy and his grandpa enjoying a hot dog at a baseball game. 

I have had this idea for a card from  The Cat's Pajama's design that might be just the right card pattern for the little guy's picture. Make a copy and attach it to the corner with a tag--- then, send it on to grandpa.  ( I think grandma will save this one forever!)  

 Don't forget our heroes and their cards.  These were a new variation on that theme.

 The digital star and hero sentiment is found directly on the Operation Write Home web site. Look for freebies, and download the digis from there. 

We are having a very warm summer here in the midwest. In our area of Indiana, we are experiencing 100 degree weather. I read someone thoughts on this topic, as it reflected our soldiers..." most of us can come out of the heat into our air-conditioning, move around in light weight fabrics and ride in air conditioned cars. We aren't marching through this heat for hours, in full-battle gear, or riding in an open-sided vehicle." They do this willingly so we can remain free and enjoying our summer fun. 

Helping these brave men and women to write home to their loved ones, is such a small token of our appreciation.  Thank you for keeping this freedom and way of life ours.  ~~~~~~~~ "Pop- On!"~~~~~~~~~~

                                                                                                        

The Warm Winter Fuzzies

 This little bird reminds me of the warmth we find within the chill of the winter.

I find the picture gives me a sense of hope for spring. 

So get yourself a cup of hot chocolate or warm tea and get inspired for a New Year    ( 2012) of card making.
       I've been exploring beyond the card stamping supplies in our box stores with their generic papers, patterns and "embellies." Some of the trademark papers, Bo-Bunny and Graphic 45 ,may not be new to everyone, but they were new to me.  I was told about  Stampin' Up, their products and their home demonstrators from a friend. The catalogue and their supplies can be down loaded from their website. Click onto their web site and click "USA"--then, to see product--- next, click the page to find their 2011-2012 catalogue (www.stampinup.com) This will get you started. Also, I have explored the Archiver's website (www.archivers.com), they also  have a nice website with ideas and they also sell on-line products. These are just two great "go-to" places to learn some new card making skills.

                  I took some time off during the holidays, although I haven't stopped working on cards. I recently worked with a very young designer in the Sixth grade. Her name is Marie. She has a designer mind. Brilliant! Marie.  She did some outstanding card designs during her Christmas break.
          She helped me see with new eyes. Do you know what I mean... we begin to look at the same old projects in a new way and it gives us a new perspective. As we shared together,  I gave her some tips I've learned and she shared her ideas with me. Ooooh my... what I have learned from all of you is awesome. Working with Marie refreshed my desire to expand my skill level and include new techniques for the coming year.  Marie agreed, "change is good." I hope you like our suggestions for this New Year.

Here are a few variations to an old theme.

One idea we used was the idea of multiples.
#1--If one graphic element will work, why not try it in multiples. ( In this card we were inspired by the hearts in different colors.)

#2---Use different color schemes, in traditional and non-traditional patterns to give you a WOW! factor.It does bring your cards alive.

#3--- Use your scraps. Through a few of those cut pieces of paper, trim a different color, and begin to adhere them onto a card. "What's New?" is a way to use up the scraps and develop new ideas.

I've forgotten where I got this card pattern, but it is excellent to use your scraps of paper, left over embellies, gems, card stock and die-cuts. Use a different color theme ( that is: tans and browns,or black, greys and red). And I'm sure you have enough scraps to make this an awesome card.

#4---The one we all need to embrace everyday---get organized. Whether we organize ideas by the month, by project boxes, by color or in baskets. Get your ideas organized. For other ideas and trends, go to www.handmadebyJulie by the way, Julie has a card on her website that is shown on page 72 in the Stampin Up catalogue.
     For our group of Card Makin' Cuties, this year we've made our own calendar---so we can keep up with our card making ready at hand for Operation Write Home.( www.operationwritehome.org/stars and stripes). We plan our card making with the organized dates for shipping the cards to deployed troops. Our planning dates and projects reflect OWH timing.
             #5---Try a new style in your card making. Some times we get stuck on doing a card a certain way and never change our style. The new steampunk genre is new to me, but not vintage. I understood what it means to do a vintage design.

This is a vintage print called "Mrs. Winter"

The elements of design are fairly straight forward:  use of the vintage figure cut from a pattern or design, a tree stamped background, the use of a frame with the embellishment added to the left-top corner and the vintage figure added to the right-bottom corner of the card. The pop of red on this diagonal plane makes the subject even more dramatic, wouldn't you say? 

So what is "Steampunk?" Is it vintage? Or, a use for  old stuff  on card stock?  (I found these two designs to compare and contrast.) The stamp on the steampunk is the woman's face and the embellishment is the additional interests. Steampunk uses the gears, tones and metal effects in a 1890's idealized machine-run world. Tim Holtz is specializing his line of products to help card makers reproduce a feel for this style. While nothing will ever take the place of the old vintage prints on a hand made card... you can see there is room for all in this medium. If you want to look at more of Tim's products go to his web site. (www.timholtz.com)

                Well, I hope this sounds exciting to you. I enjoy our  visits so much and hope we can visit more often this year.

Please add your name to the follower's listing by clicking on the side bar to the right. If you are new at card making so are we... let us know if you have some  interests, hints or a special web site you follow. Have a Happy New Year and great carding!