Cards for Heroes Name Change

One of the groups I'm involved with has just changed their name from Cards For Heroes to Operation Write Home. It seems that one problem with the old name was that many people couldn't find them due to a common misspelling of the word heroes. After some research & changing the required documentation issues, they announced their name change a couple days ago.

If you have one of their old stamps, you can continue to use it until you get a new one. They are also able to have visitors to the old site forwarded to the new one. There may be a few kinks along the way, but I'm sure that it will be for the better. I know I have to explain what the group does to many people, so I believe that the name change will help others realize that we make cards for the soldiers to send home to their families.

When my daughter was serving in Iraq, I realized the problems that the soldiers had finding cards to send home. The soldiers receive free postage when they're overseas, but they usually can only get writing paper to send home. When they receive these cards, not only does it boost their morale, but it also helps them realize that we are willing to help both the soldiers & their families that are also enduring hardships. My daughter would always give her soldiers 1st choice on the cards that I sent. This made me realize how important these cards were to the unit.

If you haven't checked out this organization before, check them out at: http://www.operationwritehome.org/ This page gives you the list of dos & don't to send & other pertinent information. I'm offering blog candy that's listed below to my followers who join with me in sending tons of cards to this organization to be sent to our soldiers serving overseas. I'll be posting the pics soon on what I'm offering, so now's the time to start stamping in support of these gracious heroes.

Thanks in advance for helping these heroes!
Lee

Meet Miss Stoney

I've been so excited about getting my new service dog that I forgot to post more about her. She got to come over the other day & check out my place, so you get a peek at her!

Her name is Stoney & she's a rescue. The original owners had her & 2 min pins. They brought her to my trainer (who also happens to be my daughter Chelsey) for boarding & they never came back for them. This economy really makes people do desperate things. Chelsey found a home for the min pins, but it didn't take long for her to realize that Stoney would make a great service dog. Stoney is a big ball of fur that just wants to be loved. She has done an excellent job in her training, so she will be a godsend to me.

Notice her harness. This is a sign that a dog is a service dog. You will also see them with different colored capes that may or may not say service dog. If you see a dog with these things, make sure you ask before you pet them. The dogs are very protective of their owners & can sense all kinds of things. The harness is used for lots of things, but the main thing is for bracing when I need to get up. You can't expect a 20 pound dog to help with that!

It will really be a blessing to having her around. I have trouble picking stuff up when I drop it, so she is trained to pick up small stuff. Have you ever seen a dog pick up a coin off the floor? Stoney can! Now if I drop something when I'm making my cards, I can have her pick it up & finish the card instead of having to do something else because I'm too sore to bend. If I get on the floor to do my yoga, she will brace me so I can get up which will help with my dexterity. With the help of Stoney, hopefully I will be able to build up some endurance. I will be walking more when I take her out, even though it will just be for short walks in the beginning.

The biggest thing I learned from having animals is that they sense when you're hurting. They just nuzzle up to you so you can stroke them & take your mind off your pain. That's why you see so many dogs in nursing homes. I've really missed having my dogs, so now Stoney will serve two purposes. She will be my buddy & guardian angel all in one!

Lee

Doodlefactory blog candy

Sorry I've been MIA lately, a family emergency came up. Between the hospital & watching my 2 energetic grandnieces or my 4 equally challenging grandkids, I'm ready for a loooong nap!

I've been trying to catch up on my reading & found some great blog candy I just had to post. This one is sponsored by Starving ArtiStamps home of the DoodleFactory. You can win one of the new release stamp sets if you win. My personal favorite is the DoodleFactory Costume Party. They are just too cute & I'm not even a big fan of cute! They are also sponsoring this month's sketch challenge over at Rubber Stamp Chat. You can try your hand at the sketch on the left & you may even come out with some more stamps from there, too! All you have to do is hop on over & become a follower & post the link & you could be the lucky winner...that is if you don't forget & I'm the big winner! teeheehee!

Haven't been able to stamp lately with all that's been going on, but I will catch up soon.

Lee

Tis the Hero Card Challenge

It's that time of year again. CHRISTMAS CARDS!!

If you want to help our veterans serving overseas, now is a great time to start! I challenge each & every one of you to make one or one hundred cards to send to our veterans overseas this holiday season. My daughter was in Iraq last year during the holiday season, so I really appreciate what others did for her. Now it's time to pay it forward by doing the same for others that are giving some much for us here at home.

One of the best ways to help is to join this great organization. It's FREE! Next, you make a ton of Christmas cards & a couple extra birthday or thinking of you cards for the vets to send home to their families. Then you can either mail them to me & I will send them on, or you can follow the link at the top of my blog to send to a Cards For Heroes coordinator closest to you. This challenge runs from September 1st to October 15th. The usual dealine for the holiday cards is November 1st, but the challenge is available only until Ocotber 15th so there's not such a rush at the last minute.

I will be in touch with the coordinators to see who has donated cards from my blog, but I want to offer some blog candy to a lucky random winner, who is also a follower of my blog. What will you win? I just found out about the challenge, so I don't have the candy figured out yet, but I will let you know real soon! I LOVE shopping for others, so you won't be disappointed! Sign up now, so you don't forget and start those cards TODAY!!!

Thanks for thinking about our Vets!

Lee