Watercolor Military Themed Cards

Hey crafty friends. I've got a trio of military themed cards today featuring the new Honor & Sacrifice Stamp Set w/coordinating die, from Erin Lee Creative. The sentiments in this set pays homage to all who have served in our armed forces, both the living and those who are no longer with us. I think this stamp set would be great for making general hero cards too. Think, firefighters! I'm even thinking about tongue in cheek cards for teachers. They go into battle every day, haha!

I've got lots of photos below and creative details if you'd like to scroll down. You'll also find my supply list at the end for clickable shopping or browsing.

(FTC Disclosure: as an affiliate for various companies in the craft industry, I will receive a small commission for purchases made through my convenient affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.)

 

My card dimensions are closer to a square sized card. I tend to eyeball how my elements will fit on a card, then trim my card and card panels accordingly.

The card dimensions are:

Card - 4 3/4" x 5 1/4"

Black panel - 4 1/2" x 4 7/8 

Ink Smooshed panel - 4 1/4" x 4 1/2"

I really wanted to watercolor my boots, so I decided to do some heat embossing with Wow embossing powder. I stamped my boot images on heavyweight white mixed media cardstock with clear embossing ink, then sprinkled my embossing powder, tapping off the excess and heat setting with my Ranger craft heat tool. Then, I used the coordinating boots die with my Platinum 6 die cut system to create my die cuts. I love that the die cuts out a little bit of space around the boot laces on both sides, allowing the card panel to peek through.

Next, I trimmed some panels from my white mixed media cardstock to do some ink smooshing. I chose to use the same color ink for each card, both for the ink smooshing and the watercolors for my boots.

Ink smooshing is so easy. I used Catherine Pooler ink and Ranger Ink. Just press your ink pad on a craft mat, spritz with water, then dab your cardstock into the mixture. Allow to dry naturally, or speed up the process with a craft heat tool.

The colors I'm using are:

Ranger Ink Distress Oxide Ink - Vintage Photo

Catherine Pooler Ink - Eucalyptus

Catherine Pooler Ink - Slate

I also splattered on some droplets of Ranger Dylusions Black Marble Shimmer spray, unscrewing the bottle and tapping the tube feeder all around my inked panel.

To watercolor my boots, I pressed my ink pad on my craft mat, spritzed with water and used my waterbrush to paint my boots. I typically go darker on the outside edges of my images, and lighter in the center, sometimes blotting with a paper towel for even more light.

For my sentiment above, I thought it would be interesting to try some variegated stamping. I stamped the word THANK YOU in black hybrid ink, masking the word VETERANS with tape. It helps to use a stamp positioner for this technique.

Next, I masked the word THANK YOU, then stamped with black hybrid ink along the bottom edge of the word VETERANS, and stamping along the upper part of the same word using my Eucalyptus ink.

Using a stamp positioner also allows you to achieve perfect, multiple inking to get the desired depth of color. I really love how it turned out!

I used a variety of sentiments from this stamp set, a different one for each card. My gray card above, is perfect for giving to a friend or family member for the upcoming Memorial Day remembrances. 

If you're a scrapbooker, this set would be wonderful for creating memorable layouts for the heroes in your family past and present.

I spent many years of my life being raised with my siblings in the Army. Before my step-dad joined our family, he spent several years in the Navy. Later, he moved on and joined the Army. Around that time he met my mom and we became a family of 7! He pretty much raised me and I consider him my dad. We have a great relationship and I love him dearly. He is now around 83 years old and I check on him often, since my mom passed away 4 years ago. I'm thankful he lives close by!

You can see him in his Drill Sargent days, in the photos below. He was thrilled to let me borrow some of his memorabilia to use as photo props! There were soooo many pins! I just used a few.

I thoroughly enjoyed creating these cards. Of course, I'll be giving one to my dad! Thanks so much for popping in today.

Terri

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Ranger Tim Holtz Detail NIB Water Brush Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Ranger Ink Distress Ink Vintage Photo Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Scrapbook.com Premium Clear Embossing Ink Pad Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Scrapbook.com Hybrid Ink - Black Shop at: Scrapbookcom
Wendy Vecchi Makeart Non-stick Craft Sheet Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Ranger Ink	Ranger Heat It Craft Tool Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Ranger Ink	Refillable Permanent Adhesive Runner - 49 feet Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Spellbinders Onyx Cardstock - 10 pk Shop at: Scrapbookcom
Neenah Solar White Cardstock 80 lb, 25 pk Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Exclusive Black Platinum 6 Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Exclusive Blending Brushes - Small - 3 pc Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Rose Quartz Misti Stamp Positioner Shop at: Scrapbookcom
Honor & Sacrifice Stamp Set w/Coordinating Die Shop at: Erin Lee Creative	Catherine Pooler Ink Pad - Eucalyptus Shop at: Scrapbookcom	White Mixed Media Cardstock - 6x8 inch - 15 sheeets Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Wow Embossing Powder Super Fine - Ebony Shop at: Scrapbookcom
Catherine Pooler Ink Pad - Slate Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Ranger Dylusions Black Marble Shimmer Spray Shop at: Scrapbookcom

#wavingmywand #erinleecreative #military #veterans #armedforces #army #navy #marines #airforce #memorialday #veteransday #militarycards #cardmaking #diycards #inksmooshing #watercoloring #heatembossing #scrapbookcom #wowembossing

Military Thank You Card

Today's card is all about thanking the men and women who serve in our armed forces. Many of us know someone serving in various branches and some of us have lived the military life. I grew up an "Army brat" and know how difficult it can be when our loved ones are sent overseas.

I'll be sending this to a friend who was recently shipped out to the middle east for a year. I haven't really found an all encompassing line of products for this type of card, until the new release came out from Erin Lee Creative. There are soooo many different options with the entire line of products just released. Even hot foiling dies!

(FTC Disclosure: as an affiliate for various companies in the craft industry, I will receive a small commission for purchases made through my convenient affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.)

This card is closer to a square size with measurements of 4.5 inches by a little more than 4.75 inches. I basically eyeballed my panel sizes based on the size of my center die which is very large.

I made 3 cuts with my center die; one on white cardstock, one on a camo style paper and one on an adhesive foam sheet.

 

The camo paper is from a Paper House Productions  paper pack in my stash, however I believe it is retired. You can find basic camo paper in most large hobby stores but if you'd rather shop online, Scrapbook.com has a great selection of camo paper. I used this to back my die cut which consists of the adhesive foam sheet die cut using the ELC Thank You So Very Much die set, topped with the coordinating white cardstock die cut. I love how the dimension makes everything pop. Not sure how this adhesive will hold up in the middle east though, because I hear it's HOT!

I also did some embossing with a dotted embossing folder in my stash using Hero Arts cardstock, then backed that with another piece of kraft paper. 

All my elements are popped up on adhesive foam squares, including my sentiment from the Stars & Stripes stamp set.

I also added elements to the inside of my card, using the ELC Thank You Hero die set and glued them down. Alert, alert, alert.... make sure your glue is dry before you fold your card closed! Haha!

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm a firm believer in supporting those who are guarding our freedoms and I hope you'll add these amazing products to your life. The hero's in your life will thank you! If you'd like to do some shopping, I've provided convenient affiliate links below, at no additional cost to you!

Terri

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Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Grand Runner Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Neenah Solar White Cardstock 8.5x11 inch Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L EZ Runner Grand Refill Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Scrapbook.com Double Sided Adhesive Foam Square Set Shop at: Scrapbookcom
Scrapbook.com Hybrid Ink - Black Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Wendy Vecchi Makeart Non-stick Craft Sheet Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Ranger Ink	Spellbinders Platinum 6 Die Cut/Emboss Machine Shop at: Scrapbookcom | Erin Lee Creative	Erin Lee Creative Stars & Stripes Stamp Set Shop at: Erin Lee Creative
Erin Lee Creative Thank You So Very Much Die Set Shop at: Erin Lee Creative	Erin Lee Creative Thank You Hero Die Set Shop at: Erin Lee Creative	Exlusive Double Sided Adhesive Sheets Shop at: Scrapbookcom	Hero Arts Colors of Earth Cardstock - 10 pk Shop at: Scrapbookcom

#wavingmywand #erinleecreative #starsandstripes #hero #thankyou #cards #encouragment #militarylife #armylife #marinelife #airforcelife #coastguard #armyreserves #cardmaking #papercrafts #patriotic #startsandstripes #godblesstheusa #4thofjuly #fourthofjuly #veteransday #memorialday #retiredmilitary #thankyoucards #militarycards ##armedforces #gratitude #letfreedomring #diy #scrapbookcom 

Fathers Day with MPC and Heartfelt Creations Everyday Heroes

The design team is celebrating Father's Day over at Mountain Plains Crafters.  We're all coming up with our own take on celebrating the men in our lives.

Be sure you "like" us on Facebook as we have a fun challenge and giveaway coming up later this month that you don't want to miss!  Here's our Community Facebook page:

Mountain Plains Crafters on Facebook and Twitter Page

I chose to make a Father's Day card for my Dad who was a Navy man and retired Army.

I'm using the Heartfelt Creations,  "Everyday Heroes" Collection.  I wanted to leave as much of the quote on the paper exposed which says, "You stood the test of time with honor, integrity and commitment.  Thank you."

To begin, I made a faux dog tag, those metal tags that identify every soldier.  I used my Spellbinder's Celebra'tions Tag die and cut from a scrap of white cardstock.  Next, I did some heat embossing in white, then painted over the entire tag with the Spellbinders Silk Luster.  It was the PERFECT shade!

I used my We R Memory Keepers Trimmer/Scorer to score around the edges of my tag for that little something extra, then scrounged around my sons room and found this unused little chain that was just what I needed to complete my faux dog tag.

Some of the little touches on my card are paper piecing and 3-D pop ups that I made out of the Every Day Heroes paper, such as this dimensional time piece.

I was able to use my hole punch to punch out some of these tiny words on my paper and have a little focus on this corner where I tore and distressed the papers.  I also created some knotted "ropes" as a throwback to my Dad's Navy days.  I used May Arts Ribbon black/white twine and natural twine and 

tied loose knots with approximately two 16" sections of twine gathered together.

You can also see that I did a little embossing with my Cuttlebug on the top paper, with a cork embossing folder for added texture, and some ink blending as well.

More images from the collection, fussy cut and popped up.

I know my Dad is going to LOVE this card! I really can't wait to give it to him.

Additional Supplies:

Ranger Black Onyx Liquid Pearls, Ranger White embossing powder, Versamark clear embossing ink, FabScraps metal embellishement, Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Brushed Corduroy, gemstones (maker unknown), Bo Bunny Pearlescent, Tombow Mono adhesive runner and foam squares.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links so, if you purchase a product using the link I may receive a commission. I only participate in the affiliate programs linked above because they are products that I use and love. Your purchase price is not affected in any way, by using my links.  Thank you for your support and helping me keep my content free!

#heartfeltcreations #everydayheroes #hero #spellbinders #mayartsribbons #ranger #timholtz #bobunny #tombow #fabscraps #army #navy #military #armedforces #fathersday #combatboots