Operation Write Home Blog Hop and Stampin' Up! Blog Candy!!!

Hello blogging friends! I'm so glad you stopped by today. You should've just arrived from Maria's awesome blog, Ria's Creations. I love her cards! If you want to start at the begining of the Blog Hop,you can start here.
This is my very first Blog Hop to be involved in and I'm so excited!! This is not just any ol' Blog Hop either! This Blog Hop is through Operation Write Home! They are a wonderful program to be involved in. They help get handmade cards to our troops . Not only cards to say thank you with a hand written note of thanks to someone serving in our military, but provides them with handmade all occasional blank cards so they have something to send home to someone special. H-E-L-L-O!!!.....I've been trying to get something like this started for a long time now,LOL!! If you know me ,then you know this was right up my alley!! I just found out about them and happily joined along! What greater cause then to support our Nations' Heroes!! Click here to go to Operation Write Home to read more about them!

Front of card,below (it looks crooked....but that's just my photo abilities)! LOL!!!

Inside of card,below.

Close-up of card,below.

In honor of my first Blog Hop ,I thought it would be fun to offer up some blog candy! I'm giving away a $25.00 Stampin' Up! Gift Certificate!! This gift certificate is good only through me, Holley Smith. The $25 does not include tax and shipping. You can use your $25 towards any Stampin' Up! order. Right now, if you place an order through Stampin' Up! for $50 you can get one item in the Sale-a-bration Catalog FREE!! So, if you would like to add your own $25 ,along with my $25 (for a total of $50) to receive a Sale-a-bration item for free,just let me know!! You can click on any of the Stampin' Up! catalogs on the right hand side bar to shop,or go to my Stampin' Up! website by clicking the link at the very top of my blog!

In order to be entered into the drawing here's what you need to do:

1. Subscribe to my blog
2. Follow my Blog
3. add a comment on this post

Your name will be added in a drawing for a chance to win the $25 gift certificate to Stampin' Up! I will choose a name next Saturday. March 27, 2010 at 12 noon EST. When you add your comment,please include an email,so I can reach you if you are the lucky winner! If you are the lucky winner ,I will contact you to get your order. Good Luck!!!

Now, onto my card I made for the Operation Write Home. Our instructions were to create something with a spring theme. My card is an easel egg- shaped card. I cut the egg shape twice for layering, with my Cricut Expression. I also took the Frame Oval Scallop Die and ran it through my Big Shot twice with very vanilla to get just the scallop frame. Then I crimped and pleated the scallop frame to make a kinda lacey- look. I also crimped the oval DSP as well. The whole card has been sponged/inked on the edges. I also used a ton of dimensionals for added depth. Well, here is more deets on the card,thanks for stopping by.

Don't forget to visit the next blog , Melissa's Just Dandy blog, http://justdandy.typepad.com/, to keep the Blog Hop going!! I really like her sense of style. Have fun!

Recipe for Card :

• Card stock : VV,Pretty in Pink,So Saffron and Certainly Celery
• Inks : Basic Black,Regal Rose,More Mustard,Perfect Plum and Old Olive
• Punches : 5- Petal Flower,Boho Blossoms,Trio Flower,Word Window,Modern Label, and Scallop Trim Border (Sale-a-Bration Catalog),
• Shades of Spring DSP (Occasions Mini Catalog )
• So saffron and Pumpkin Pie Markers
• Brads from stash
• Iridescent Ice from SU!
• A Good Egg Stamp Set
• Certainly Celery and So Saffron Ribbon (retired)
• Doodlecharms Cricut Cartridge (for egg shape)