Operation Write Home and CAS-ual Fridays challenge cards

This week's Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps sketch challenge was a fairly easy one because I'd already colored the stamps during our Mt. Rainier trip.

Here's the sketch.  And for those not familiar with working from sketches, the heart merely stands for any embellishment.

Here's my first card. Since we were actually in the 90s (!!!) up here in the Pacific Northwest, I was really thinking forward toward fall!  

The double cardstock DCWV, the paper is BoBunny, the sentiment, which I stamped with Stampin' Up's Early Espresso and colored with my Copic markers, is from Stampendous, and the leaf embellishment, which isn't as glaringly glossy as the camera makes it look (that center is a silvery gold metallic), is from stash.  This is card #72, in Tartan Magnolia's 100 cards in 100 days challenge.  

Then I flipped the sketch  on its side.  

The cardstock is DCWV, the paper is BoBunny and from stash; the stamp, which I colored with my Copics. is from Stampabilities; and the paper leaf embellishment is from stash.  I colored the glow background more raggedy than usual because Snoopy's very informal, especially in this situation.  :)   Card 100.73

This week's CAS-ual Friday challenge was something seen either on or by the sea.  Which was a bit of a dilemma, since the coast is one of my favorite places, so I have a LOT of stamps that I could've used. I decided to go with this one, because it doesn't need designer papers and lots of embellishments. 

The blue cardstock and ink are both Stampin' Up's Midnight Muse, the stamp, which I picked up at Stacy's Scrap Shack in Lincoln City, Oregon a few months ago, is from Impression Obsession, and I embossed the background cardstock with my Cuttlebug Swiss dots. Card 100.74

The above cards are for OWH; then I made two personal ones. This first one is for the artist who not only creates such beautiful covers for my Oregon coast Shelter Bay books, but also sends me the watercolor paintings when my publisher returns them to him.  And he refuses to let me pay!  How generous is that?

 

The cardstock is Midnight Muse and the paper is from Echo Park;  I stamped the now retired Stampin' Up stamp with Color Box Moody Blues, and  I can't remember who makes the sentiment. Note to acrylic stamp makers: you might want to put your company name on the backsheet so those of us who lose the packaging can pass it on.  Card 100.75 (and 3/4 of the way to my goal!)

This card had me really nervous because I made it as a request from a friend to make for a family member, an Army Colonel, who recently earned his Master's Degree from the War College.  Not only did I want to acknowledge his service and accomplishment, I also wanted to make a card my friend would be proud to send.

The cardstock is Bazzill Admiral Blue, the paper's from BoBunny, and the sentiment, which is an Andrew Jackson quote, is a sticker from stash.  Here's the inside: 

The liner is a deep ivory that was in my cardstock scrap stash. I embellished the outer three borders with my Martha Steward card folder, stamped the My Favorite Things sentiment in Memento Nautical Blue, and the paper brads are from Candi.  Card 100.76

Thanks for taking the time to visit! I read and hugely appreciate all comments!  

Smooches,

JoAnn