Featured Cardmaker: Lori B., Marietta, GA

Happy Friday everyone! This week I'd like to introduce you all to Lori and to share some of her beautiful cards with you. Lori does not have a blog so be sure to leave her some love here at the end of this post.

How long have you been stamping?  I have been stamping for about 5-6 years. I have always enjoyed crafts, but had never stamped.  A couple of my co-workers invited me to a card making party/class and I was hooked right away.

Do you have a craft room or specific area where you stamp/craft?  I have taken over a portion of the unfinished part of our basement. It used to be an exercise room with a card table in it, but now it's the "Card Cave" that happens to have a treadmill in it.  Since it is in the basement I don't have to worry about making a mess.  My favorite thing about my card room is having plenty of room for my creative supervisor to stretch out and keep an eye on me.  Bert, my yellow lab, always shows up about 2 minutes after I turn on the ipod speakers and start making cards.  He is usually asleep in the next 5 minutes.

What are your favorite stamp/craft products?  Patterned paper is my favorite and I have way more than I will ever use.  One of the benefits of making cards for OWH is being able to use lots of paper in different ways. I enjoy making cards for themes that would not be appropriate for my family.  For example, I can make cards for small children, even though mine are older.  Unfortunately it gives me justification to buy more paper. I also enjoy heat embossing and adding ribbon to my cards.

Do you have a favorite technique? My favorite technique is something I learned recently, which is a combination of heat embossing and then painting with distressed ink inside the negative areas.  Now I find myself looking for stamps that will work with this technique.  Also, after seeing all the beautiful cards on the OWH website, I recently invested in a Cuttlebug.  I am building my collection of embossing folders and have really enjoyed how easy it is to add dimension to my cards.

Are there colors you love to include on your cards?  My favorite color to make an image pop is black.  After that I tend to lean to greens, blues and browns.  I think I am different than most of the OWH card makers because my nature is to lean toward masculine or neutral cards.  It is a stretch for me to create a pink or yellow girly card.  That is one of the things I like about making cards for OWH.  I can go outside of my comfort zone and try new things that my family or friends may not enjoy, but a deployed hero would appreciate.  Since I have two sons, I try to make a card that would be appropriate for a daughter once in a while.

How did you hear about Operation Write Home?  I heard about OWH on Facebook.  I continue to be impressed with the level of commitment from the people who run Operation Write Home.  They do an excellent job with the website.  They not only keep us informed, but inspired through the use of social media.

What motivates you to make cards for our heroes? Several things motivate me to make cards for heroes. I was born in an Army hospital in Germany while my dad was deployed.  My mom also worked for the Army in Germany, as a civilian. Now my friends and coworkers have children in all branches of the military, along with my son's friends.  This is a constant reminder of how much it means to hear from your loved one that is so far away.  My motivation is also a personal way to give back.  Since I work long hours, it is convenient for me to volunteer on my own schedule.  Most of my free time is spent making OWH cards in the evening or on the weekend. I enjoy making cards so much that I have flooded my family with more cards than they will ever use. Now I know they are being put to good use and appreciated by our heroes. When I am making cards for OWH, I try to think about how it will be for the recipient of the card. The front of the card will be their first impression until they open it and get to read the note from their loved one. I want to make sure that it will be something they will keep and cherish whenever they think about their hero.