Pets for Patriots is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that brings together hard-to-place shelter pets (adult animals, large breeds, etc.) and service personnel (active or retired, with special concern for those returing from deployment, re-entering civilian life or retiring).  Their goal is to benefit both pet and patriot through honorable companion pet adoption.

Clearly, this cause speaks to the patriotic and the pet lovers.  But what is the special connection for us as card makers?

Thank a veteran this November 11.

Charles, a 91-year-old WWII veteran and active Pets for Patriots volunteer.  (You can see Charles talk about Pets for Patriots on YouTube here.)

The former B-17 ball turret gunner recently suffered a small stroke, and Pets for Patriots is spearheading a card drive to support Charles as he recovers.  Their goal is to receive at least one card from each state by Veterans Day, November 11. 

The Dog and I are thrilled to mark this Veterans Day by sending a card for Charles.  If you’d like to join us, here’s the address:

Charles & His Dog

c/o Pets for Patriots

218 E. Park Avenue Suite 543

Long Beach NY 11561 

By the way, as of this morning, the states below are yet to check in:

AK

AR

AZ

DC (okay, so that’s not a state–but it still deserves representation in this effort, don’t you think?)

DE

IA

ID

MN

MS

NC

ND

NE

NV

NY

OR

RI

SC

SD

TN

UT

VT

WV

Thanks for taking the time to read this–and for participating, if you’re interested and able.  The Dog and I will be back to catch up on outstanding business soon.

Welcome to Stop #6 on the Stampin Addicts Big Shot Blog Hop!  If you’re hopping in order, you’ve just been admiring Lisa’s (you know her as genesis on SA) lovely creations with the Box #2 die at Add Ink and Stamp.  Now those are fabulous boxes, don’t you think?

Here at InkPaperStamps, we’re playing with the Petite Pocket Bigz XL die– and to add to the fun, we’re also offering some blog candy!

But first, the question everyone’s been asking:  what’s in the pocket?

Well, this pocket was designed for a milestone birthday for my mom.  Her siblings are coming in from around the country to help celebrate, and we’ll have a goodie basket waiting in their hotel rooms. 

A pretty (and petite!) pocket, perfect for slipping into a gift basket.

As a token of thanks for coming from afar, each basket will have a Petite Pocket envelope with a smattering of sunflower seeds they can take home and plant.   Why sunflowers seeds?  Because she’s from Kansas! 

(Good thing she’s not a Texan–I have no idea how we’d have gotten a longhorn steer in there. . . .)

Here’s another way to put the Petite Pocket die to good use:  as a chimney card!

That's not a pocket--that's a chimney!

*The crowd begins to murmer nervously, noone wanting to be the first to stand up and say, ‘But Holly, you can make a chimney from a rectangle of cardstock–you don’t need a Petite Pocket diecut for that. . . .’*

Au contraire, mes amies, au contraire!  You do need a Petite Pocket diecut to make a chimney–

Look what slid out of the chimney pocket!

if you want to make it a double slider chimney card!  (Hmmm, looks like Rudolph got a little sooty in there.  Note to self:  next time sweep the chimney first.)

This just scratches the surface on how you can use the Petite Pocket die–you should see the list The Dog’s come up with!  If you’d like to be among the first to hear, kindly subscribe to InkPaperStamps’ free updates.

So, are you ready for some blog candy?  How about a chance to win. . .

Birthdays, Christmas, baby, thank yous--the So Many Scallops set covers them all!

. . . a selection of Petite Pocket diecuts and the So Many Scallops stamp set!  You are eligible to submit an entry in each applicable category below.  Click here for the official entry form.  (The form lets you check off all the ways you qualify, so you only need to submit it once).  

• Commenting. (leaving a comment below about which project you liked best today–or what you might like to create using the Petite Pocket die.)
• Belonging. (being a member of Stampin Addicts, a free public website for Stampin’ Up! fans–click here if you’d like to join now).
• Subscribing. (being a subscriber to InkPaperStamps’ free updates.)

Winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted by 11:59 pm (CT) Monday October 17. Terms and conditions apply.

Now it’s time to continue on the hop–next stop: Created By You, where Sharon (createdbyu on Stampin Addicts) is featuring the Bitty Box and Envelope die.  (As always, Sharon’s creations are spectacular!)

Thanks for visiting InkPaperStamps–The Dog and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

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Here at InkPaperStamps, The Dog and I are afraid to come out of our craft room–look what flew out of our punches now!

Now that's one big-bottomed bat!

Our bodacious bat skirts a vista of Frightful Sight DSP, flitting high above a four square fold card.  (I was introduced to the four square fold card by a Fourth Tuesday Fun Fold challenge on Stampin’ Addicts–thanks, Rhonda!)

And if you think that bat’s scary, you ought to see what The Dog’s working on next–I’ve only caught a glimpse, but judging by her cackling howls, it’s a doozie. 

Now it’s time to continue on the hop–next stop: The Love of Stamping, where Barb (the intrepid coordinator of our Hoppin’ Just for the Fun of It hops) has whipped up a special treat for a young October birthday boy. 

Thanks for visiting InkPaperStamps–The Dog and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

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Welcome to the InkPaperStamps stop on the Operation Write Home Blog Hop–The Dog and I are glad to see you! 

Our card today is appropriate for anyone you wish to extend greetings to this year.  

A harbinger of peace. . . .

Equally at home on a friend’s mantle or a colleague’s desk, this colorful easel card is held open with rhinestone brads.  Crumple and crinkle your brown cardstock until it separates, then tear carefully to create North and South America. 

Don’t worry about getting it absolutely perfect–strategic placement of the graceful dove covers little imperfections.

Want to Help The Dog Support OWH?

The Dog has been saving up her pennies–she’s been working doggy-woggy overtime–to support Operation Write Home during the busy holiday mailing season.  So, by pupular demand, we hereby reinstate our ‘Cash for Comments’ program:

• For each individual who leaves a comment on this post by 11:59 p.m. (CT) Monday October 3, InkPaperStamps will donate 44¢ to OWH to defray shipping expenses.*
• For every e-mail address activated through our new Free Updates by E-mail box (see it atop the right sidebar?) as of 11:59 p.m. (CT) on Monday October 3, InkPaperStamps will donate 88¢ to OWH to defray shipping expenses.*

* up to a combined total contribution of $150

Thanks again for visiting InkPaperStamps–The Dog and I look forward to visiting with you again soon!

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If you decide to create your own version, do come back and let us know–The Dog just loves to see where the inspiration takes you!

Blog candy, anxiously waiting to be claimed. . . .

And now. . . .*drumroll, please*. . . .according to the random number generator at Random.org, the winner of our InkPaperStamps blog candy is. . . .

• Sharon H., who said ‘Great page! I have a ton of recipes to share and pass down to my daughter and would probably choose my mom’s goulash recipe.’

Per the terms and conditions, our lucky winner must e-mail me their name and U.S. mailing address by Monday October 3, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Congratulations, Sharon!

Here at InkPaperStamps, we’re–surprise, surprise– playing with our punches again.  (To add to the fun, we’re also offering some blog candy!)

As you check out all the neat types of scrapbooking ideas on today’s hop, don’t forget about this one:  family recipes.  

One of my early memories is of the Christmas treat box my great grandmother sent us each year.  Divinity, stuffed dates, butterscotch haystacks. . . who knew that, a few (okay, a number of) decades later, so many of those delicacies would be little known by today’s children?

Thankfully, my mother saved recipes from Great Gram and other loved ones now long gone.  Having them lets me share a taste of my childhood with my husband.  Plus, they’ve inspired me to try variations that make new memories of our own.

So now, I fondly recall Great Gram and my favorite goody from her Christmas candy tray–butterscotch haystacks–as I offer you a haunting Halloween twist:  Chocolate Spiders.  (Click on the image for a closer view of the recipe–and that chocolate punch art spider.)

These are perhaps the only spiders that people will run TO. . . .

As fall and the holiday season approach, I’ll be sharing more scrapbooked recipe pages–with punch art garnishes, of course.  If you’d like to be among the first to see them, kindly subscribe to InkPaperStamps’ free updates.

AND NOW, THE BLOG CANDY

Handed-down family recipes, one of life's true delights. . . .

So, would you like to win the Delight in Life stamp set?  You are eligible to submit an entry for each applicable category below.  Click here for the official entry form.  (The form lets you check off all the ways you qualify, so you only need to submit it once). 

• Commenting. (leaving a comment below about my post today–or a family recipe you’d like to scrap.)
• Belonging. (being a member of SUStars, a Yahoo group for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators–click here if you’d like to join now).
• Subscribing. (being a subscriber to InkPaperStamps’ free updates.)

Winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted by 11:59 pm (CT) Monday, September 19. Terms and conditions apply.

Now it’s time to continue on the hop–next stop: Stampin Fever, where Eileen is using My Digital Studio to celebrate the special people in her life. 

Thanks for visiting InkPaperStamps–The Dog and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

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If you decide to create your own punch art snow globe, do come back and let us know–The Dog just loves to see where the inspiration takes you!

Blog candy, anxiously waiting to be claimed. . . .

And now. . . .*drumroll, please*. . . .according to the random number generator at Random.org, the winner of our InkPaperStamps blog candy is. . . .

• Karen G., who won with her entry for being a member of SUStampinBlogHops and said Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing it!

Per the terms and conditions, our lucky winner must e-mail me their name and U.S. mailing address by Monday September 19, 2011, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Congratulations, Karen!

If you’re an InkPaperStamps regular, you know that The Dog and I love punch art, especially when we can incorporate a Big Shot die or two. 

So you won’t be surprised that today, we’ve pulled out our punches and our Sizzix Originals Stocking Accents die, a Stampin’ Up! exclusive from the new Holiday Mini.  (To add to the fun, we’re also offering some blog candy!)

Today’s project was designed for the Stampin Addicts Fall Holiday Wow swap hosted by Yapha.  Crazy us, we did punch art/diecut projects–and some fun folds– for six groups in her swap. Deciding which to share first was too hard, so The Dog and I asked our ace photographer and cavort-meister to make the call. 

And here’s the one he picked:

How'd we get a tree so big inside that snow globe? Ah, the wonders of punch art. . . .

While it was not my absolute fave of the bunch, I am pretty tickled with this creation–it’s crisp, colorful and goes together quickly.  Plus, using gold brads as ornaments was fun. . . so much so that The Dog got a little huffed when I stopped at three.

If you’d like to be among the first to see our ideas for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and another holiday card that makes me sigh with contentment, kindly subscribe to InkPaperStamps’ free updates.

AND NOW, THE BLOG CANDY

A great set to help you get ready for the holidays. . . .

So, would you like to win the Four the Holidays stamp set?  Well, you are eligible to submit an entry for each applicable category below.  Click here for the official entry form.  (The form lets you check off all the ways you qualify, so you only need to submit it once). 

• Commenting. (leaving a comment below about our project, or a holiday punch art idea you’d like to see.)
• Belonging. (being a member of SUStampingBlogHops, a Yahoo group for anyone who likes hops featuring Stampin’ Up! products–go to the Hoppin’ for the Fun of It home page, scroll down and click on the purple button on the right sidebar if you’d like to join now).
• Subscribing. (being a subscriber to InkPaperStamps’ free updates.)

Winner will be randomly selected from all entries submitted by 11:59 pm (CT) Monday September 12. Terms and conditions apply.

Now it’s time to continue on the hop–next stop: Scrappy Stamps & Ink, where Nichole has come up with one great idea and taken it in so many directions! 

Thanks for visiting InkPaperStamps–The Dog and I look forward to seeing you again soon!

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