Saturday, May 25, 2013

Operation Write Home Blog Hop



So happy to share my support for Operation Write Home today! They are hosting a massive blog hop to thank servicemen everywhere for all they do, and hopefully stimulate some card donations! If you're unfamiliar with OWH, they provide handmade cards for servicemen so that they can send greetings home to their loved ones.

We're sharing thank you cards, and using sketches from their amazing stash of card templates. I used #169:


  ...but I sort of loved the way the sketch looked in the thumbnail, so I just used this little section, because that's how I roll!!

My card also fits this week's Mix-Ability challenge to use a bumpy/rough and a smooth medium on our cards.

To create the circle panel on my card, I cut a circle out of lightweight cardstock, and layered it with strips of scrap paper... I trimmed the edges to the circle shape again, rubbed some white acrylic paint over the panel, added some stenciling and some drywall tape for texture, then covered the panel with crumpled tissue paper using watered-down PVA glue. When the glue wash was dry, I lightly rubbed the creases with white acrylic paint. Love this look. That's the 'bumpy' element of my card!


The diecuts on my card are from Impression Obsession, and the birds are cut from white glossy cardstock (so that's my smooth element).


My cardbase is lightly embossed - I ran it through my Big Shot in a Sizzix folder, but just used shims so I'd only get a light impression - then I passed a white dye ink pad over the raised areas to make them show up a little more.


Hope you enjoy the hop today - be on the lookout for prizes too!
Thanks for stopping by!

164 comments:

  1. Oh, I love your card, very pretty! Thanks for sharing and making cards for service members over seas! Hugs, Donna

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  2. I like how you just chose part of the sketch to focus on - never thought of doing that - very soft and pretty card - thanks for supporting OWH

    Barb Housner

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  3. I love the branch and the white birds. Thanks for your support of OWH.

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  4. Love the texture and the interesting way with the circle but cut out in the middle. Must try!Thanks!

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  5. As always, your card is beautiful! Love the soft colors!

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  6. HI Dina,
    Your color choices are dynamic and the textures make this a work of art! So beautiful!
    Blessings,
    Antoinette

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  7. Found the light embossing interesting and will try it.

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  8. Awesome card! I like the texture, and have ordered these birds.

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  9. Wow, this is beautiful! Thank you for supporting OWH!

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  10. Very lovely! Great combination of textures!

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  11. This is pretty. I like your interpretation of the sketch.

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  12. Have been following your blog for a while. Your use of texture amazes me. Love how you chose the tumbnail of the sketch instead of the actual sketch. Makes for an interesting variation. Thanks for supporting OWH!

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  13. Oh. My. Goodness. That circle. That is wonderful. The drywall tape inclusion is genius!

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  14. beautiful... I love the softness of your card

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  15. very cute card! I love the subtle feel and the soft colors!

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  16. WOW, beautiful card Dina! I love the colors and all of the textures!

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  17. What a stunningly beautiful card! Thanks for describing all the wonderful "extras" you did to make this an outstanding card! Happy Memorial Day weekend!
    :) Marie (OWH #119)

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  18. Very pretty colors and love the technique of embossing and ink. Thanks for supporting OWH.

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  19. I like the idea of using just the thumbnail. After all inspiration can come from anywhere! :) Great uses of texture.

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  20. LOVE the card, all the texture and depth. Also like how you just used a part of the sketch, very smart! Thanks for supporting OWH!
    R/

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  21. Love this sweet love-birds card, Dina! Wonderful textures and colors!

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  22. Simply gorgeous!

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  23. The blueish circle really makes everything else pop out. I like the way this card looks! Thank you for supporting OWH!!!

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  24. I love all of the interesting elements that you used in this card. Drywall tape! Whatever made you think of this? It definately makes your card more unique. It's amazing how soft this card looks with the textures that you used. Love how you used the diecuts. You taught me another thing today about embossing with shims. I'm always in such awe of your talent! Thanks for supporting OWH!

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  25. I like your take on the sketch..the card is beautiful..thank you for sharing and supporting OWH

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  26. What a great card and love the sketch. Nice choice of pattern papers.

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  27. love the way the birds appear to be in the moonlight. Beautiful card.

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  28. I think your card is gorgeous. Great details and amazing colors. Love it.

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  29. Diane, these are beautiful and elegant cards. Just breathtaking.

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  30. Gorgeous! I love those birds!

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  31. Way to make it your own! I like what you did better any way. LOL
    Love the color combo great details.

    reflections:0)

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  32. Beautiful card! The texture is very well done.

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  33. Love your card!
    I especially like that you only used a portion of the sketch. All the different textures are great.

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  34. Love your card! Thanks for helping with OWH!

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  35. Such a lovely scene, the colors are so soothing. TFS

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  36. I love the texture that you created on the circle--what a great way to use your scraps!

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  37. beautiful card, lovely design. hugs, Helena

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  38. Nice twist you have on focus. Thanks for the idea.
    Hummer Hugs,
    Misty
    http://delitefulsuds.blogspot.com/
    hummingbird204 at comcast dot net

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  39. very sweet card. Loved how you achieved all that texture. Never thought to use drywall tape as masking!

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  40. Your card is a fantastic take on the sketch you chose, and those little lovebirds look so crisp and prominent in white! I really like the beautiful colors and backgrounds that combine for this amazing thank you card! It's amazing!

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  41. Gorgeous card, Dina, beautiful technique, love the softness of this card! TFS and have a fabulous weekend.

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  42. i love the color and texture on your beautiful cards!!!! so pretty!

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  43. This is really pretty. I love that you did the birds in the stark white.

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  44. Mary Frances Adams5/25/2013 4:32 PM

    Love the card and the light embossing...thanks for the idea of the shim to produce that effect. Thank you, too, for supporting OWH...I contribute cards when I can, such a worthwhile organization!

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  45. Very pretty! Love how you just used part of the sketch!

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  46. I love the bird layer and the subtle colors you used.

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  47. What a lovely color combination, so soft and pretty.
    Thanks for supporting OWH!

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  48. So very soft and sweet. I hope you are making several of these as "love" cards.

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  49. Dina, This is so pretty and elegant! I love the colors, the textures, the contrast of bumpy and smooth. Really lovely! TFS!

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  50. Lovely card -- I really like the texture you added with the stencilling/tape/embossing folder.

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  51. Very unique elements, must try them. Thanks for sharing.

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  52. Oh you are so creative & talented! This is just wonderful--love that you used the thumbnail of the sketch!

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  53. Thanks for all of those special ideas!

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  54. Stunning card-- I too love how you roll-- great use of this sketch!

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  55. oh, love the birds facing each other and the whitewash effect from the dye ink. so gorgeous and complex

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  56. Very pretty--I like the soft colors and the birds. Great idea to use just part of the sketch.

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  57. Such a neat idea and technique. Beautiful card! I love those birds on the branch. Thanks for sharing.

    Katie B.

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  58. Dina, this is just breathtaking! WOw!!!!
    Sandy, OWH Exec. Dir.

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  59. Lovely card. The soft colors make it.

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  60. such soft colors - love your cards!

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  61. Fabulous card - love the colors and the die cut (and I like how you roll!).

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  62. I love the texturing you did. You spent a lot of time on this card. you can really tell. Love the soft colors.

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  63. Wow, that's really cool how you made the texture on the circle. I have to admit I didn't fully understand all the steps, but would love a more detailed tutorial. (hint, hint) It really makes a statement! Thank you for sharing this beautiful card with us! ~ Marilyn

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  64. Beautiful card. Thank you for the great ideas and for supporting OWH.

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  65. Very sweet birds. Beautiful card. TFS

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  66. Never thought of using just part of the sketch. Beautiful card.

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  67. Beautiful design Dina, I love the texture from your mixed media artwork. Happy Weekend, Shirleyx

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  68. Wonderful card. Love the colors and die cuts.

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  69. What a unique twist on the sketch. Really beautiful. Thanks for participating in the OWH Blog Hop!

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  70. Love those diecut birds...thanks so much for sharing!

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  71. Beautiful card! I love how you created the lumpy texture on the card. Thanks for sharing your technique!!

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  72. Great take on the sketch! A perfect thank you from one love bird to another . . .
    Mary in Wausau WI

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  73. Awesome! I love the soothing colors and all the texture!

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  74. beautiful card - colors, sketch - so creative - thanks for sharing and supporting OWH

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  75. The delicate colors are very nice.
    Thank you for sharing.

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  76. Great take on the sketch, Dina...love your beautiful card! Thanks for sharing!

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  77. Very nice card, for either gender. I like how you broke it down and showed us the elements. TFS and supporting OWH! RBBRRMQN at YAHOO dot COM

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  78. Beautiful card! Love all the die cuts and how the birds are framed in the circles!

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  79. Marvelous card! The colors and design as so pretty and elegant and the use of the drywall tape is so clever. Thanks for joining in the hop and for supporting Operation Write Home!

    Paula S.
    OWH Blog Team

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  80. What an elegant card, I love the soft colors.

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  81. Beautiful card. Love the birds and your take on the sketch.

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  82. Hmmm, I'd never thought of using part of a sketch. Great idea.

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  83. Thanks for sharing how you did the circle panel and background. What a wonderful idea to use the thumbnail version of the sketch!

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  84. Love, love, LOVE your card! The textures and colors are absolutely delicious, and your composition is flawless - I will definitely be CASE-ing this! I appreciate that you shared how you created the textures. Thank you for sharing this beauty and for your support of our heros and OWH.

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  85. Wonderful card, thanks for sharing how you did all of it.

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  86. I loooove this card. I'm such a bird nerd, I always gravitate to bird cards. Really like the natural colors used.

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  87. I LOVE these colors and your die cuts. The painting technique that you did is really neat. Great card!

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  88. Beautiful card! Love the texture and colors!

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  89. Okay, wow. I love how you used the "thumbnail" version of the sketch. That is an interesting way to look at a sketch. I'll try it :)

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  90. Can I just say HOLY MOLY BAT WOMAN!!! This card is right up there in my list of favorites on the hop. Thanks for explaining your design and construction process so thoroughly. The colors and elements and techniques are wonderful! Thanks for supporting OWH and participating in the hop.

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  91. Love this simple design with the striking silhouette!

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  92. This is really a beautiful card. Those white bird diecuts are really striking.

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  93. I'm inspired by your creative ability to take a sketch and use a "thumbnail" of it, plus all the techniques you used with texture in your card.

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  94. Wow what a wonderful take on the sketch. It is a stunning and very effective card that speaks volume through the birds sitting on the tree.

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  95. Such a very pretty card. thanks for the tip on using shims with EF--will have to try that.

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  96. Stunning, as always. I love all the texture! (leslie #113)

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  97. Beautiful card!
    I love the light touch of white on the embossed background

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  98. Your card is stunning. I love the birds and the circles. I haven't been brave enough to try the mix-ability challenges on SCS yet.

    Hugs,
    M.E.

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  99. thanks for sharing your beautiful card, love the layering and subtle colors you used.
    linda patti tpatti@windstream.net

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  100. I love the birds absolutely beautiful card :)
    Thank you for sharing and supporting OWH!

    Amanda :)
    www.ajsdigishoppe.com

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  101. What a beautiful card, a lot of work went into that paper, but what a difference that makes.

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  102. This is just beautiful! I love your textured blue background, and the idea of using shims to get a lighter emboss is wonderful!

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  103. Stunning as always. I love how you textured the circle. Lovely colours.

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  104. What a beautiful card. I love the colors and the birdies are beatiful.
    April

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  105. Beautiful card! Love all IO products. Thanks for sharing!

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  106. Wonderfuly card layout. I love the smooth and textured contrast. Very cool that the silhouettes are white. I tend to always think dark for silhouettes and this is a nice change.

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  107. Absolutely gorgeous texture on this beautiful card! There is such a calming feel from the neutral colors and design.

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  108. Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful card AND for explaining how it came to be. The textures give it such depth! Lovely.

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  109. Such a pretty card! Love the lightly embossed effect and the colors are so soft! TFS!

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  110. I really like all the texture you created with your glue, paper, ink trick. A little bit of romance too with your birds in the moonlight. Cute! I'm here because of Operation Write Home. Thank you for giving us a chance to win!

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  111. Dina love this beautiful card with those sweet birds( I have them too) . Love this and so will someone else!

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  112. just a wonderful card-lots of great details

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  113. Lovely card Dina, love the soft colors and sweet birds image

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  114. I like the card. I never thought of using a part of the sketch. I also like the birds.

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  115. Love all the lovely details of texture and design you used on your card or should I say work of art piece. Thanks for supporting OWH.

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  116. Love the muted colors. they look like love birds

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  117. Beautiful card. I love the die cut birds and the background rocks. Nicely done. Thank you for sharing.

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  118. Very classy card. This could be used for so many occasions by just changing the sentiment.

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  119. I'd love a tutorial on how you made your background. It is very pretty!

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  120. Amazing card! Thank you for telling how you made it. Thank you for supporting OWH!

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  121. One word WHOW. Your card is beautiful. You showed me so many new things to try. Thank you. Charlsie

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  122. This is absolutely stunning! A true piece of art. Thanks for sharing and supporting the heroes!

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  123. I like how you used only a part of the sketch! Why do I assume I have to use the whole thing? And drywall tape for texture? I need to broaden my horizons and think of the home improvement store for more then building. Thank you for all the wonderful ideas.

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  124. love the blue and brown together and the die cut is perfect!! (and I love how you made your own version of the sketch!)

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  125. Beautiful card! I think you picked one of the more challenging sketches and really made into something special!

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  126. This card is absolutely gorgeous! I love the papers you chose.

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  127. Your card is really beautiful but it's more than that, it's interesting. That may not sound like much of a compliment but it is intended as one. Your card made me look beyond the beauty to the technique and how you achieved your result. Thanks for the inspiration and for supporting OWH.

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  128. Love the birds and all the texture! great job

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  129. This is soooooooooo beautiful and serene.

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  130. Great card - love the birds and all the texture!!!

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  131. A wonderful rendition of this sketch! I love the way the birds are silhouetted against that background. I love IO stamps!!

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  132. AMAZING paper you made, but so worth all the work. Thanks for the inspiration !

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  133. Very sweet card...love the soft colours.

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  134. Dina! Ur card, front and back is absolutely stunning! I LOVE the colors u used because it is outside the colors I would normally grab for the sky and birds and makes it even more lovely!!!

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  135. This card is a work of art! I love all the little details like the drywall tape! I appreciate all mixture of techniques used like the gentle embossing and inking. Thank you for supporting OWH and have a great weekend!

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  136. Beautiful. your details and added texture are wonderful. Thanks for joining in.

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  137. I love this card. The different textures are wonderful and using glossy paper for the birds is a great addition.

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  138. Love how soft your card looks. Very serene.

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  139. Your eye for detail and beautiful workmanship made this a stunning card!!!! TFS!

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  140. OMG, this card is stunning!!!

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  141. beautiful card. very clever to use the thumbnail of the sketch for your card.

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  142. Beautiful card! I love the subtle colors. You rocked the sketch!

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  143. Stunning interpretation of the sketch! I think it is just beautiful! :)

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  144. Beautiful interpretation of the sketch! Your card is absolutely gorgeous!
    Beth F. OWH #114

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  145. Beautiful card!! LOVE the embossing!!

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  146. So soft, so comforting, so elegant! This is a wonderful card!

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  147. Stunningly different, just love it
    It might be after the weekend here in the UK, but I just wanted to support such a good cause.
    "Like the ivy and the wall, together we stand united we fall"

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  148. This is one of my favorite cards! So soft & elegant! Truly a gorgeous creation! TFS!

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  149. Super cool with all the mixed media elements! Thanks for so many great ideas to try. Love the card!

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  150. Dina, these are just plain beautiful! Wow. Thank you so much for the inspiration and the gorgeous eye candy to spur creativity!

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  151. Pretty! Love your style! Thanks for sharing!

    ptucker6 at cox dot net

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  152. I love your take on the sketch! Beautiful--thank you for being a part of the OWH Memorial Day blog hop!

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  153. Had to PIN this one! thanks for sharing on the OWH hop!

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  154. This is gorgeous, Dina! I love how you tweaked the sketch. And those die cut birds are so sweet :)

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  155. Glad to see someone pinned your card! How wonderful! Just a moonlight strength in earthy colors, ahhhh. Keep Looking UP! mt23stamperatyahodtc

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