Operation Write Home: A Challenge, A Sketch & Freedom

I have the ultimate thrill of having a card up at Operation Write Home for the Midweek Throwdown Challenge.  They selected this card as part of their clean and simple with a little texture challenge.    I hope you check out this challenge!

Besides being an amazing cause (that you should be sure to check out if you have lots of cards stashed away) they also go out of their way to keep it fun and challenging for all of us cardmakers.  Today's challenge is a CAS challenge.  On Sundays they have sketch challenges.  I used this week's sketch on these cards for a soldier to send home to a little boy and to a little girl.


Isn't this sweet little raccoon face just perfect for a Miss You card?

OWH challenges are nice in that they provide measurements.  It's not required to use exactly the same size, but it certainly makes for a quick and easy card.  Other than the diamond border on the boy's card, I cut everything else based on the dimension of the sketch.

I don't usually tuck multiple cards into one post, but there is another challenge this week that is just perfect for AnyHero cards.  Operation Write Home wants blank cards that they send in bulk to soldiers who then use them to write home to their loved ones (like the cards above) and they want AnyHero cards which are notes directed to the soldiers with personal notes of thanks and gratitude.  This week's challenge at CASology is "free" - a perfect chance for an AnyHero card.  I've made a number of these and will add personal notes before I send them to OWH to distribute.

Miss You Raccoon for a Boy:

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Deep in the Woods, Delicate Doilies (sentiment)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse, More Mustard, Marina Mist, Crushed Curry, My Mind's Eye Lost & Found 3 dsp
• Ink: Memento black, Copics
• Accessories: Stampin' Up woodgrain embossing folder, My Favorite Things Harlequin die

Miss You Raccoon for a Girl:

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Deep in the Woods, Delicate Doilies (sentiment)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Perfect Plum, Lawn Fawn Bright Side 6x6 paper pad
• Ink: Memento black, Copics
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink buttons: Summer Sunrise, Berry Sorbet

Land of the Free, Because of the Brave:

• Stamps: Impression Obsession star and circle star, My Paper Moon Because of the Brave
• Paper: Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Real Red
• Ink: Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Real Red
• Accessories: Basic Grey star stickers, Divine Twine Airmail, star punch, L'il Inkers stitched rectangles