Happy 4th July and Operation Write Home Card Drive Update

Hi Everyone.  Happy 4th!  I hope you all had a fabulous day.

I don't have a card for you tonight, as I wanted the focus to be on the Operation Write Home Card Drive we are having.   Here are the deets from me:

• Every 20 cards and envelopes (A2 size preferred) = 1 entry into "blog candy for cards" draw
• There will be two draws:  
• One draw for $100.00 of Stampin' Up! merchandise from the 2011/2012 or summer mini   catalog
• One draw for $50.00 of Stampin' Up! merchandise from the 2011/2012 or summer mini    catalog
• Card drive will take place from now until the end of August.  So, you have a couple of months to make cards.  It's a perfect time to make Christmas cards, Hannukah cards, Kwanzaa cards, birthday cards, thank you, miss you, love you.  So, almost anything – except Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween.  It would be too late for those.
• Bilbo Baggins – my wonderfully helpful 4 legged helper – will draw two names on August 31 at midnight.  Winners of the SU merchandise will be announced on my blog on September 1

Many of you have written and asked me about what is preferred and what is not.  I copied the following information directly from the Operation Write Home page for you

• No glitter. It's a safety hazard for our heroes, so no cards with any glitter that will flake off the card are accepted. Read more. 
• A2 sized cards. 4.25" x 5.5" – half a sheet of cardstock – fit the boxes most economically. Read more. 
• Line cards made with dark cardstock. If a pencil won't show up, add a liner. Read more. 
• Limit multiples. No more than 30 for holiday seasonal cards; no more than 100 for year-round cards. Read more
• Some lumpiness is okay. Our heroes don't have to pay for lettermail, but that doesn't mean we can go wild with layers and embellishments. Save the big vintage buttons and thick embellishments for AnyHero mail that doesn't have to go through the postal system! 
• Do NOT handwrite sentiments. Neither outside or inside the cards. Read more.
• Card themes. Remember who's sending these: adults. No cards to Daddy, no "wish you were here," or party invitations; no explicit images or sentiments. See the Needs page for a list of desired themes.
• Absolutely no storebought. Neither complete cards, nor cards repurposing parts of them. Read more.
• Do your best work!  Our heros are giving up so much for us and they deserve the very best we can create for them.  Plus – as hard as it is to think about, it's possible your card may the final communication between a hero and their loved ones at home… make sure it's the best work you know how to do, that it's on good cardstock that will last well in a scrapbook, and that everything's attached securely and won't fall apart.  These cards may be heirlooms – so let's create some really beautiful ones.

I REALLY appreciate those of you offering to support my drive again this year.  You KNOW that the troops and their families appreciate it even more.

OWH also adds something called a bag of AnyHero Mail with each card posting.  If you would like to include a letter, or a card, for a hero to thank them for their service, feel free to add this to the cards that you send me.  Make sure that you mark the envelope ANYHERO and I will collect package them separately.  Need ideas on what to say or what to do…here's the link to the AnyHero page on OWH.   I loved the idea of getting children involved and having them paint or create a drawing!  Here's the link for more information on AnyHero.

I hope that provides you all with the info that you need, BUT, if you have ANY questions on the cards, the card drive, please just send me an email.  All you have to do is click the "email me" link under my photo.

I couldn't leave you tonight without a picture of my very handsome Bailey.  He was purring madly, eyes half closed.  Why?  Well, cos he was in a Stampn' Up! box and he was just soooo happy!

Warm hugs and prayers tonight for those who need a little lift.

As always, thank you for spending a little time in my area of the stamping blogosphere.  You know your visit, and your comments, are greatly appreciated.

Hugs

Jaydee