Caring Hearts Card Drive - a Blog Hop

Hello lovelies! I hope you're hopping over here from Sarah's blog. If not, please start from the beginning at Vera's blog, because the line-up of ladies and their inspiration is phenomenal.

ave you heard of this fabulous Card Drive? It's something that Vera Yates throws together every year. Sometimes with the help of dear friends, other times just solo. How she does it - it's beyond me! But she takes the time around one of the busiest time of the month. But I am absolutely excited that Tina Schrof and Anita from Canada are helping to be additional collection stations for this card drive.

This card drive is near and dear to my heart. Every year my local Assisted Living home has been the lucky recipient of these cards, and it's just fabulous to see smiles spread on their faces. It's really a hard, rough time for those older folks around the holidays. So these cards bring a little cheer into their lives. I will have to post those pictures later no the blog here. So check back...

And if spreading joy is not incentive enough, there are prizes for this hop (and even bigger prizes for the Card Drive itself) by the following lovely & generous sponsors:

• Avery Elle
• Clearly Besotted Stamp
• Ellen Hutson
• Fresh Squeezed Stamp
• Hero Arts
• Inspiration Emporium
• Lawn Fawn
• Li'l Inker Designs
• May Arts
• My Favorite Thing
• Newton Nook & Design
• Online Classes
• Paper Smooches
• Simon Says Stamps
• Studio Calico
• Tim Holtz
• There She Goes Stamp
• The Twinery

Just comment along the blog hop to be a lucky winner. You have until Tuesday Nov 12, 11:59p EST. The list is at the bottom of this post for easy navigation. But before I get to that, here is a card with some Mama Elephant goodies



Stamps: (No Peeking) Mama Elephant
Paper: (Perfect Match Card Stock - Smokey Shadow, Vintage Cream) Papetrey Ink
Ink: (Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen, Vintage Photo; Jenni Bowlin - No. 1 Chewing Gum) Ranger; (Creative Color - Bubblegum) Mama Elephant; (Perfect Match Pigment Ink - Vintage Cream) Papertrey Ink; (Memento - Tuxedo Black) Tsukineko
Embellishments: (Signo White Gel Pen) Uniball; (Mister Huey - Pinstripe; Mister Huey's Masks - Bubbles) Studio Calico; (Rustic Cream Twine) Papertrey Ink

I thought I'd try this chalkboard look and see if I can vintage up these Mama Elephant designs. Here is a closer look at the tag. The cute little dear was fussy cut and colored with Vintage Photo and Chewing Gum.



Edging the tag with some Vintage Photo softens the tag.



I still think this little deer is pretty darn cute, and hope that it will bring a smile to the lovely old folks. You're off to our last stop Newton's Nook. 

And in case you would like the whole blog hop list for easy navigation:

• Vera Yates
• Avery Elle
• Kimberly Crawford
• Emily Branch
• Paper Smooches
• Kim Kesti
• Aj Otto
• Joscelyne Cutchens
• Wendy Morris
• Emily Leiphart
• Jennifer McGuire
• Simon Says Stamp
• Tiffany Johnson
• Li’l Inker Designs
• Alicia Thelin
• Alyssa Scritchfield
• Isha Gupta 
• Jen Carter 
• Sarah Jay 
• Suzanne Dahlberg 
• Lawn Fawn
• Latisha Yoast
• Teri Anderson
• Fresh Squeezed Stamp
• Anita Recksiedler
• Sarah Moerman
• Ren-Yi Lo (<-- you are here) 
• Newton’s Nook Designs

And please consider making or donating some holiday cards to this awesome card drive. Major thanks to Tina and Anita for helping collect, and a big "You Rock" to Vera for doing this again. Let this card drive be awesome!

Caring Hearts Card Drive Blog Hop

Welcome and thank you for stopping. You should be coming from the talented and fun Paulina (aka PrettyPinkPosh). If you happen to stumble here by way of another means, I'd like to encourage you to start from the beginning of this wonderful blog hop.

The beginning happens to be also my dear friend Vera's blog (who I met at CHA this year!) - the amazing person that put this Card Drive together. The card accumulated from this drive will be sent to the elderly that are in nursing homes or care centers. The goal is to bring some smiles to their faces during the holidays (i.e. Thanksgiving, Winter/Christmas).

What is even more amazing, many of Vera's favorite (and my favorite) stamping companies are throwing in some delicious prizes to support this good cause. You have until November 15 to create a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Winter Holiday card and upload it to this blog post. More details about the card drive are also posted over there. So, what are you waiting for?


Another amazing thing - Vera is part of the Wee Memories DT. And the entire Team is backing her with this week's challenge as a way to get the word out there. Isn't the team spirit just amazing?

Oh right, I suppose you want to see a card. (Did I mentioned I got sandwiched between two crazy talented ladies whose work I adore and draw many of my inspirations from?! I feel a tad intimidated by their talent - so lower your expectations by manifold ;) br/>
Here's my contribution to help inspire you to make a card. The best part? It is a super simple layout which you can tweak however you want.


Stamps: Turtle Tot - Love is in the Air (Stamping Bella); Bountiful Basket Additions (Waltzingmouse Stamps)
Paper: Paper Basics Card Stock - White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Earth Elements - Close to Cocoa (Stamping Up!)
Embellishments: Softcore Color Pencils (Prismacolor); Essential Color Glitter Set - Brownstone (Martha Stewart)



Think of what smiles this little card will bring to those spending the holidays alone in a nursing center! It is a great cause and I hope you will consider supporting it by sharing your creative gifts with these strangers.

Now off you go to be inspired by the brilliant Sarah Martina Parker. Oh how I adore her and her work.

HEART to HEART Card Drive

Do you know Carolyn King? I don't really know her, but a certain Belinda friend mentioned that Carolyn is doing a HEART to HEART Card Drive - a drive to thank the caretakers of Alzheimer's patients. From her post, I could tell that she cares deeply about this cause, since she was doing this to honor her grandma. A lot of time went into coordinating and finding sponsors to donate to the prize package, writing up a detailed post (it's long, but jam-packed with information and pictures, right?), and organizing this event. I don't know about you, but that kind of person seems to be determined, kind-hearted and really moved by those that have to provide continued care and support to enduring Alzheimer's patients.

My only regret is that I didn't think of checking out this sooner, since the card drive closes on Oct 3, 8p CST. Do go back to Carolyn's Heart to Heart Card Drive blog post. I really am touched by her effort and would like to contribute my card-making skills to make one well-deserved person's day happy - even if it's just for a moment.


Stamps: Rescue Remedies - Addition, Free Spirit - Sentiment, Victorian Fripperie, Asian Gardens (Waltzingmouse Stamps); Arigato (Hero Arts); Mega Mixed Messages (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Paper Basics Card Stock - White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Pigment Ink - Black (Colorbox); Earth Elements - Ruby Red (Stamping Up!)
Embellishments: Ribbon Red/White Stripe Grosgrain (Paperchase); Ribbon - Red (Michaels); Taylor's Tiny Twinkles - Red (Taylored Expressions)

I will be sending this card to a friend, whose dad is suffering from Alzheimers.



Do consider supporting this - I know there's not a lot of time left - but it's worth the cause.