Tribute to the fallen

When I saw that SU! finally had a new patriotic set in the Spring/Summer Catalog, I knew that I would have to get it. Since I'm currently under a new stamp restriction (self-imposed so I can save money for Convention in SLC in July), I had to earn it using Hostess Benefits. Thankfully, I had a good response to the 60 card from a Simply Scrappin' Kit last month and was able to get this set for free. It has been a popular set to snag over on the PIF thread, so it's on my table all the time. When I learned that SSgt. Matt Maupin had been found in Iraq, I was incredibly sad. Mitch really took it hard; even knowing there was little hope of finding him still alive after almost 4 years. But until he was found, there was always hope. He had participated in or organized almost weekly missions while he was in Iraq looking for Matt, so he has been invested. When he went to bed early, I headed up to the loft to stamp some PIF's. I felt compelled to make this card for Mitch and I gave it to him as he was leaving for this week's Pride Conference in Cincinnati. I wanted the soldier to be the focus, so I didn't color in the flag. I punched out the key words from the sentiment with the word window and placed it on top of some other punched pieces so it would line up the way I wanted. And I was able to use mostly scraps, so that made me happy as well.

Recipe: The Free and the Brave. Kraft, Black, Night of Navy, Real Red, WWhite. Stazon black, WWhite Craft ink. Word window punch, Watercolor Crayons, blender pen.

Here are some pictures of a name frame that I made for Shannon's daughter. She won this during our annual MOPS silent auction last week. with Anna Marie's birthday this weekend, I needed to get a move on. Shannon had said that AM loved pink and blue, but she wanted something that would not be outgrown in a year or two. All but the flower brads are SU! Now that it's finished, I wish I had popped up the name letters on pop-dots. But I'm not going back and doing this since we are leaving for Cinci later today to see Mitch and the National Guard 88 car at the conference.

I added a bit of bling to the flowers with Dazzling Diamonds.

Recipe: Headline Alpha, Island Blossoms (both retired); Cutie Pie DS paper, Night of Navy, WWhite, Pretty in Pink, Lovey Lilac, Bashful Blue, Regal rose, So Saffron, Barely Banana CS and Inks, Dazzling Diamonds, Flower brads(non-SU!)

Even though I donated this to help raise money for MOPS, it my first commission piece. Whoo hoo! Crossing fingers for more to come in the future!