I'm shipping my 'due by the 20th of the month' cards today - 

gotta hate it when work interferes with  your life!! 

This month's CardsForACause (CFC) were a bit of a challenge for me, in that I found I'm not so comfortable with Sympathy cards - and that was what was requested.  and Thank You - which i'm fine with!  Ronald McDonald House (RMD) was fine - and again this month I 'shared' my creations between the 2 groups.  Although no sympathy cards went to RMD there were no birthday cards to CFC!!  

As usual, the cards are mostly done on StampinUp CardStock bases, with the silver sympathy card the one exception - it's on DCWV shimmer cardstock.  I used a variety of papers for stamping on - from StampinUp, Recollections and Crafters Companion.  And several of the stamps used are obviously StampinUp, but i couldn't tell you where the rest came from.  Almost all background papers used were StampinUp, and the cardstock for layers was shimmer cardstock from either DCWV or Crafters Companion.   Everything was stamped with Tsukineko Memento or Brilliance (metallic) ink.  There are a few cards that were stamped with Multi-Part stamps form KitchenSinkStamps, which would have been impossible without my MISTI stampin tool, from My Sweet Petunia!!   Lotsa diecut butterflies on holographic origami paper glued down to cheap white cardstock and then diecut.  The various white and mottled vellums were from an old cache of supplies from years ago, so i have no idea where they're from.  Mulberry Flowers are from a vendor in China and painstakingly stacked together here.  Markers used for hand coloring from LetraSet.  

KitchenSinkStamps multipart lily on white and silver. Learning how to do Sympathy cards.	Simple and clean - using new Crafters Companion cardstock  Awesome...Thanks!!!
2 More Sympathy Cards, each with Spellbinders Crosses on the front.	More KitchenSinkStamps - poppy this time!  Very Bright!
Actually using leftover diecuts -  simple ThankYou Cards	I do like the Stained Glass effect!  and shimmer Cardstock accents!
This came out much better than expected - it was something I thought i'd try - and it worked well.	Another Sympathy card - stained glass effect - and the die cut rose.  I actually enjoyed making these ones.
Bright and Shiney!  Great for a ThankYou!!!	Happy Birthday!  with holographic accents!  Very Pretty!

And as a new era of card making begins (POST OWH), I find myself split between 2 organizations, both who are receiving cards this month.  SplitCoastStampers is kinda a mecca of swaps and challenges and learning in the papercrafts world, and logically hosts several swaps and challenges.  That's where I originally found OperationWriteHome, so I went back to them to find alternatives. I may yet find a home with a military-centric organization, but for now i've decided to play along with 2 groups

• Cards For A Cause (24 cards)
• Ronald McDonald House (20 cards)

Ronald McDonald House strikes because my daughter spent a few days at the one in Tampa almost 11 years ago following the birth of her daughter - my granddaughter!  Turns out my granddaughter spent the first 8 days of her life in the ICU - 6 of them on a ventilator - 5 before the hospital let Mom & Dad name her.  Born on Saturday, she fought and fought, and late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning she finally made a turn around, and on Wednesday she was named Clarissa Dawn.  I am pleased to say that she is FINE!! well - for the most part!  Precocious, stubborn, bright, energetic, loves to read and is generally a joy to be around.  And they kept mom close after she was discharged from a rather difficult childbirth by putting her up in the Ronald McDonald House attached to the hospital.  And it was a VERY good thing!

Cards For A Cause  - well - that kinda says it all!  I've been making cards for a cause for a while - so it seemed logical to continue to do so.  They change up every month with different causes, and some of the past ones are open all the time - for 'spares' if you will... Right now I'm on-board with them too.

I took pictures of the cards being packaged for July's Cards for a Cause, but as it turns out, both charities got almost all the same cards, as i work best in multiples, with variations on a theme.  They're all with envelopes, and 'tucked' in the finest OWH style.   Unlike anything I've done before, I've 'banked' some cards this time, just in case i hit a 'dry spell' where i can't make cards for work commitments but still want to send some off. Most cards were made in sets of 6 - 2-3 for Cards for a Cause, 1-2 for Ronald McDonald House and 1-2 for the bank. 

DieCut Fans in Silver and Gold Shimmer from Michaels, ombre ribbon on a lovely Victorian floral print background paper matted on shimmy white and pink cardstock.	Stary Sky background on a nice shiny finished paper, silver border on the Reach for the Moon sentiment, with a couple of diecut stars on each.
One of the specific requests for this month's cause was to make cards appropriate for kids - teens specifically.  The funky color scheme, foiled paper, and fun sentiment seemed apporopriate.	Thank You cards in various combinations - the butterfly on the left card is DieCut and backed with white vellum - the ballons are gold to go with the gold stamped sentiment.
Inspirational cards - something also requested for July's Cards for a Cause - and this seemed appropriate.  The bows and mat on the inchies are shimmer cardstock.	Foil paper accents kinda pop on the neutral almost dark background, and pick up the colors in the mat on the sentiment.
Another inspiration - or permission i suppose - to have fun!  maroons and various prints and bows.  There were actually 3 of these in the shipment.	This may be a Northwoods stamp, with just the lighthouse and sunrise colored in - and the image elevated from the framing.
Again with the funky foiled paper - probably great for teens! Happy Birthday is a generic sentiment and the mulberry flowers help do justice to the overall fun on the card.	July Cards for A Cause