Two More VSN Cards

Happy Saturday friends & followers!  As I wait for the rain & winds of Hurricane Irene to descend upon us I decided to play in a few more VSN challenges.  This first one for a VSN challenge requiring us to use kraft cardstock and our 'brand' - something that we continually reach for over and over as a stamper - I went with a combination of dog images (after all, my blog is entitled 'Canines & Card Designs' right?) and holiday cards, since I LOVE to make holiday cards all year long (up to 36 so far this year).  I borrowed this week'd Sketch 90 from Skipping Stones Design:

and created this card:

(please click on the photo for better resolution).  The cute lab is from SSD's 'Dogs Vol. 1' set and I created some background patterned paper using the snowflake images from SSD's "Sassy Snow' set; I used white EP on the kraft cardstock sections and Crumb Cake ink on the white sections.  I substituted a snowflake punch with a button and twine center for the big circle in the sketch at 8:00, and designed the pom pom at the top of his Santa hat (a sticker from Michael's) as another and figured the snowflakes took the place of the other dots in the sketch.  In addition to these two challenges, this card also fulfills the requirements of the following challenges:

• Color Create Challenge 78 - kraft, red and white/cream,
• Paper Sundaes Challenge 83 - Sundae toppings bar (use at least two): twine (check), buttons (check), the color green (nope), and banners (nope).
• Stamptacular Sunday  - A-Apricot (the lab is apricot colored), B-Bling (there is a rhinestone on his Santa hat), and C-Critter (woof!),
• Shopping Our Stash Challenge 14 - red (check) or ribbon (does twine count ?) or roses,
• Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge 168 - create your own background using stamps, and
• Stampin' for the Weekend Challenge 15 - holidays.

The next card was created for a VSN challenge hosted by 'Ravengirl' Toni, to use the Texas flag for inspiration:

I decided to use the colors involved and make a patriotic 'Any Hero' card which are delivered to servicemen and women who do not receive a lot of mail from their families through Operation Write Home.  Here is the card I came up with:

(please click on the image for clearer resolution).  I used Martha Stewart's Holiday Stars edger punch and layered the strips and used my horizontal slot punch on either side of the sentiment (from Stampin' Up!'s retired 'Greetings4U' set) and tied some bows of patriotic ribbon through the holes.  In addition to once again satisfying Shopping Our Stash Challenge 14 - red (check) or ribbon (check) or roses, this card also fulfills the requirements of Karen's Doodles' 'Punch it Out' Challenge.


Thanks again for stopping by to see my creations, and for your prayers that we and my fellow East Coasters survive Hurricane Irene relatively unscathed.  Off to upload to SCS and make more VSN cards...  I will be back!
~Crafty Math Chick