Ok, here is officially my first christmas card for the year and this one is also my first one for Cards for the Troops/ Diggers for 2011.
A little about Cards for the Troops 2011.
For the past 4 years Karen Cummings and I have been making and collecting hand made christmas cards from card makers all around Australia to send to our Australian Defence forces overseas so that they had cards to send home to their families at christmas. We do this for many reasons some of which are because we want our defence forces to know that the average aussie cares about them, so that they can keep in touch with their loved ones, most of the regions that our defence forces are located in are countries that dont celebrate christmas and therefore, christmas cards dont exist and because its our way of sharing what we love. So if you like making cards and would like to join in and donate some christmas cards for the troops,
Now a little about how the card was made.
The little house was coloured using Stampin' Up! stamp write markers and using the marker colouring technique on rubber stamps. First i used versa mark over the whole stamp, to keep the ink moist. Then i coloured the picture with Old Olive, Choc Chip and Basic Black colours and stamped it onto my glossy white card stock. Then using the versa mark ink pen from Stampin' Up! i traced over certain dry areas around the hut and the swirls, while the Versa ink was still wet i added heat and stick powder and tapped off the excess. Then i heated the heat and stick with the heat gun, then added dazzling diamonds and a second blast of the heat gun to seal in the dazzling diamonds.
The bird was done almost the same with the exception i first stamped it with Black Stazon, waited for the ink to dry, then coloured in the picture. Then continued on with the Versa Mark Pen and so on.
Hope you like it.
It's that time of year to kick off again.
Our Annual Christmas cards for diggers campaign started on June 1st, with the first lot of cards already arrived. Thank you Pat in Strathmore VIC for being the first this year to kick us off.
Each year karen and I have been collecting hand made christmas cards and mothers day cards to send overseas for our troops to write on and send home to their loved ones. Last christmas all of our wonderful card making friends from around australia managed to make and send 4,200 christmas cards and 1,500 mothers day cards to ALL the overseas regions that our diggers are serving in and this was a magnificant achievement for us all.
WOOHOO THANK YOU EVERYONE.
There are a couple of things i should let you know that make it a little easier:
1. Cut of date to recieve cards is October 31st 2011
2. Could you please provide an envelope for each card you make
3. Please put your cards and envelopes into a Large glad lock lunch bag clearly marked with the quantity of cards on the front of the bag.
4. If you would like to put your name and address or business card with each card you are welcome too incase any diggers or card recipients would like to contact to say thank you.
5. Please send your hand made card donations too:
Cards for Diggers
C/- 6 B Coraki Place
OURIMBAH NSW 2258
TO BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31st 2011
KEEP THE DATES:
VOLUNTEER FOR CARDS FOR DIGGERS DAY
SATURDAY 30th July 6pm - 11pm OURIMBAH NSW
SUNDAY 24th October 1pm - 6pm OURIMBAH NSW
Come along and help make cards for diggers, all materials will be supplied and the entry is to bring along a plate of yummies. There will be demonstrators there teaching for FREE christmas card making techniques, ready made packs for you to assemble, and of course plenty of product for you to create on your own. To ensure that we have plenty of adhesives and dimensionals it would help if you could please bring yours along with you, and of course you are welcome to bring along any supplies and friends that you would like to as well.
The venue TBC however it is just 2 minutes in of the F3 and only a short 30 minutes north of Sydney and South of Newcastle. Last year many of our friends held card making days similar to the above so this year i thought if you would all like to get a list together with the venue, date, time and contact details together i will have a list on the top 50+ and our blogs for interested people to attend. So email me your cards for troops days to add to the list.
I JUST CANT THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH FOR SUPPORTING OUR COLLECTION FOR HAND MADE CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR OUR DIGGERS.
There are so many wonderful card makers out there that have been sending in and donating their wonderful Hand made christmas cards for our diggers and i would love it if you would all join us again this year.
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD BY SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT AND UPLOADING THE BLINKIE TO YOUR BLOG
SIMPLY COPY AND PAST THE FOLLOWING html TO YOUR SIDE BAR
I JUST CANT THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH FOR SUPPORTING OUR COLLECTION FOR HAND MADE CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR OUR DIGGERS.
There are so many wonderful card makers out there that have been sending in and donating their wonderful Hand made christmas cards for our diggers and i would love it if you would all join us again this year.
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD BY SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT AND UPLOADING THE BLINKIE TO YOUR BLOG
SIMPLY COPY AND PAST THE FOLLOWING html TO YOUR SIDE BAR
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://traceyhanshaw.blogspot.com/" title="CARDS FOR TROOPS avatar"><img height="150" width="150" src="http://picasion.com/pic23/58cfcf2b96928c9653da576253ae7b4c.gif" alt="CARDS FOR TROOPS" border="0" /></a></div>
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MOTHER'S DAY CARD DONATIONS FOR OUR
AUSSIE DIGGERS
CARD TALLY = 93
Last year for christmas and mothers day we collected thousands of our handmade cards to send to our aussie diggers overseas so that they could send cards home to their families for christmas and mothers day. These cards reached our troops in Afganhistan, Egypt, Samolia and even our Navy. So we are sending out the call again to all you very talented card makers to ask you all to make and donate some very special mothers day cards, so that we can send them to our diggers to post home to their mums for mothers day.
If we all set aside 15mins to make 1 card each, we could possibly donate enough cards so that each soldier would recieve 1 card each, what a mamoth amount that would be. At the latest I can accept your donations is March 16th, so that we can get them to where they need to go. Again this year we will be collecting Christmas cards, so if you have any left over that you could spare to kick this years collections off they would be also greatly received. I will post more about christmas cards for the troops later on in the year. If everyone could either put a post on their blogs, or get a group together to make and or collect some to assist would be a great help. Any and all help will be greatfully received. Please contact me for postage details
As you are probably all aware my love blog visitors that this year i have been actively campaigning for cards for our diggers and have been asking for your support. I have just discovered another way we can also help.
Have you been thinking about our defence forces in Combat zones around the world and wondering about how they will celebrate christmas without their loved ones.
What about the defence men and women that dont have any loved ones to miss them. Lets let all of our defence forces know that we care send them a care package this christmas.
If you know someone overseas in either the RAAF, NAVY or ARMY then please address the package with their name on it or if you dont know of anyone over there please address a Christmas Care package as follows:
AN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER
Op Slipper
AFPO 13
Australian Defence Force
SYDNEY NSW 2890
IF YOU KEEP ALL PACKAGES UNDER 2kg, each AUSTRALIA POST WILL SEND THEM FOR FREE. PLEASE READ BELOW TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT SEND IN THESE CARE PACKAGES.
SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS OVERSEAS.
You can send packages to our troops for FREE as long as the packages are under 2 kg. Take your parcel to the Post Office, fill out the Custom Declaration form and it's gone.
Address to send packages is:
AN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER
Op Slipper
AFPO 13
Australian Defence Force
SYDNEY NSW 2890
Items which cannot be sent are alcohol, tobacco, perishables and PORN.
Some of the things that are accepted and not accepted are listed below.
NO HOMEMADE food items unless you know the soldier as they get thrown away.
NO PORK AT ALL TO BE SENT
NO ALCOHOL, NO CLOTHING EXCEPT SOCKS, AEROSOLS, CIGARETTES & NAKED WOMEN MAGAZINES.
If sending liquid or food products, place them in a snap lock bag 1st in case of leakage. When sending items please mark all items " AUSSIE TROOPS PROPERTY " in permanent marker on everything to avoid theft.
FOOD:
2 minute noodles
Biscuits ( no nut or choc)
Coffee ( Individual sachets)
Cup of noodles
Cuppa Soup
Disposable forks/spoons
Dried Fruit
Drinking Choc ( indivdual sachetes)
Easy mac
Individual cereal Boxes
Individual pull ring Tuna or sachets
Lollies
Long life mil (small packs)
Microwave Popcorn
Microwave Rice (reject shop $2)
Oatmeal (individual sachets)
Pepper (individual sachets)
Powered energy Drinks
Salt (individual sachets)
Sauces & Condiments like mustard etc (individual sachets are good, ask Macdonald's if you can have some
and why you would like them)
Spices - to go with lamb/goat
i.e. rosemary, garlic, thyme, greek spices
Sugar (individual sachets)
Tea
Trail Mix
Twisties ( are good for fill in packaging in boxes)
Wasabi peas
HYGIENE:
Aftershave
Air fresher ( Card style NO aerosols)
Baby wipes ( Bulk & Travel size)
Cotton Buds
Deodorant ( NON AEROSOL)
Foot Powder
Hair Shampoo
Hair Conditioner
Inner Sole
Lip Balm ( Chap Sticks)
Moisturiser
Mouth wash
Razors (Non disposables)
Shaving Cream (NON Aerosol)
Soap ( Normal &Travel Size)
Socks ( Black & White)
Talc
Tissues
Toilet paper ( 1 roll per package)
Tooth Brush & Tooth Paste
FOR FEMALE TROOPS HYGIENE YOU MAY SEND THE FOLLOWING:
Feminine Hygiene products: i.e. Tampons, napkins etc
Gel or Hair Spray ( NON Aerosol)
Hair Ties
Hairbrush ( only send 1)
ENTERTAINMENT & Misc:
Batteries
Blank Cards (Troops to send Home)
Board Games
Books
Cheap DVD's
Drawing Paper
Envelopes
Footballs, Basketballs (and pump)
Magazines and Newspapers ( NO explicit)
Music CD's
other sporting goods
Pen/pencils
Playing Cards
Poker Chips
Tennis balls
Writing Paper
REMEBER: WRITE ON ALL ITEMS " AUSSIE TROOPS PROPERTY "
Why not just send one, to let our defence forces know that we care about them.
CURRENT CARD TALLY = 1,988
WOOHOO THANK YOU EVERYONE.
CARDS TO MEET TARGET= MET
I JUST CANT THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH FOR SUPPORTING OUR COLLECTION FOR HAND MADE CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR OUR DIGGERS, I PERSONALLY HAVE IN MY HOME RIGHT NOW
1,988 CHRISTMAS CARDS. I know that there are some cards with some demonstrators and i look forward to having a final tally for the total amount of cards, so please check back to see how we all acheived this. Please dont stop sending them in though, we still have 2 weeks left to collect as many as possible, as there are 3,700 troops overseas serving at the moment, and i would dearly love as many of them as possible to each have a card to send home. Thank you so much for your support.
