My husband is a Marine and is currently stationed overseas for a year (he is not stationed anywhere that might immediately come to mind, thankfully). Since he left in late November, and through his return later this year, I am creating one Artist Trading Card (ATC) per day. This is my way of marking time and making time visible … by the time he comes home I’ll literally hold time in my hands.

I’ve received many inquiries about acquiring certain ATCs. My plan is to hang on to all of the cards until my husband returns, however, I am doing something special in honor of Valentine’s Day.

Beginning January 28th and continuing through February 28th, my daily card will be love/heart-themed and as a way of sharing the love I will be offering each and every card in my etsy shop for $12 ($10 + $2 shipping). 100% OF THE PROCEEDS of the sale of these ATCs will go to the USO, earmarked specifically for their USO Operation Phone Home® program in which they provide phone calling cards to men and women of the armed services so they can call their loved ones and families from wherever they are in the world.

I have estimated the $2 shipping price which should sufficiently cover shipping to anywhere in the United States. Any difference between the actual cost to ship will be included in the donation to the USO. I am not pocketing one penny for myself; I’ll be making my own financial contribution to the overall donation. This entire process will be transparent (I’ll post a receipt from the final donation in my blog at the end of February).

The USO is NOT a government organization. Read about their mission and history, here.

I feel very fortunate to be able to talk to Mr. P. on a daily basis (often multiple times a day). It is of immeasurable comfort to hear his voice every day, makes him feel less far away, and soothes some of my worry. This is one way I know how to help other servicemen and women connect with their loved ones.

For purely semantic purposes, the cards I am making will be ACEOs (Artist Cards Editions and Originals) as opposed to Artist Trading Cards (which are traded, never sold). Each card measures 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ and will be created in a variety of media, including paper collage and fabric. Each one is made by hand and one-of-a-kind.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Otherwise, look for lovely, heart-filled work in my blog and in my shop {Boodzoo Studio} from January 28th through February 28th.