From Our Hearts: Cards for Our Troops

I'm in a huge PURGING mode so that I can finally organize the way I need to be in order to be fully functional. Else, it's such a pain to have to find and dig for things in order to get any project going. No wonder I have major scrappers' block!!

Guess what I found recently?

Card Fronts!!

Yes, lots of priority envelopes, ziplock bags, shopping bags and boxes of card fronts back from my swapping days from when I was a SU Demo (2000-2005). I was a swapping FIEND!!! and unfortunately, lol, I'm also a hoarder as I never had the heart to toss them.

I loved them for exchanging ideas on how to use various stamp sets, card layout ideas, color combinations and most of all to learn techniques. Each and every month, I had a few stamp clubs, in-home hostess parties and a crop I held in a hotel conference room back in my heyday, so it was wonderful to always have a slew of fresh card samples to share with my customers to inspire (and to spur on orders).

I wanted to donate these for a good cause especially since many of them were beautifully made. It truly would be a shame to just toss 'em. I was so glad when a kind lady by the name of Martie Shea answered my query on Splitcoast Stampers and I thus became aware of her amazing non-profit group called From Our Hearts which collects full cards as well as card fronts to ship to our servicemen and women serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Take a look at her blog and you'll see that they're quite organized with designated (and dedicated) volunteers who spend hours of their personal time to give back to those who are sacrificing their lives for our freedom and way of life. I'm very thankful that such a group exists and it warms my heart that I'm able to help.

So, here's what I'm sending to Martie and her non-profit From Our Hearts.....

I thought to make it easier on their volunteers by sorting and categorizing the card themes for them before I ship out so that's what I did at a crop I attended yesterday.

That's a total of 587 card fronts I'll be shipping to Martie's From Our Hearts Monday Morning. Here's my inventory sheet to make it easier for them for IRS reporting purposes. (Yep, they're legit!)

I'm also sending along these boxes of blank envelopes I found. 9 boxes of 500 envies each = 4500 envies!! Whoohoo!! They're a bit old so I hope they can still use them.

Martie, from my heart to yours, THANK YOU for all that you and your volunteers do!! I've read EVERY single post on your blog and have shed many a tears because I am so touched.

I urge you to take a look at From Our Hearts and see if you can donate too....cards, envelopes, clear envelopes or even paypal them money to help them send those boxes of greeting cards to our troops.