Inspired By Stamping September Sneak Peeks

Hi! 

The first card I have for you today is using a christmas stamp, but as you can see below, I did not make a "Christmas" card. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we all know someone who has been touched by this.  I wanted to create a card to celebrate all cancer survivors and honor the memory of those that have passed. In this case, I am getting more bang for my buck by using the stamps for things other than Christmas here.

I chose to create a 5 x 5 card and really wanted the focus to be on the message, so I kept  it fairly simple. I started with a white card base adding another white panel  to the center of the card front that has been randomly stamped using a doily. Using Angel Pink ink, I stamped inside my die-cut circle the hash mark ring which is from the soon to be released Halloween tags set and completed the focal image with the Hope sentiment. For a finishing touch, a pink ribbon was created embellishing with a button.

Being a military spouse, I know what it's like to have a loved one away often more than I care to think about, so I created a Welcome Home card with a patriotic feel.

I took a panel of red patterned paper and added it to the center of my Buff Ivory Coverweight Cardstock.  At the top, two scallop borders were cut from navy blue stars patterned paper. Red and white buttons were added as a decorative touch.

A star was cut from burlap and added to the center of the card to serve as my focal image for the Welcome Home sentiment that was created.  A final decorative touch included some beautiful blue rhinestones.

I created some mini grocery bags using Lunch Bag Kraft to display these fun little sayings. They are the perfect size to hold little treats at Halloween.  These are easy to whip up and could make darling little treats for the neighborhood kids, school classmates and staff....how about a Halloween party?

I will be back tomorrow with another post! Hope you will come back by!
~Tammy~

Soar

Hi there!

**Thrilled to share that this card was featured as a Spotlight Artist at The City Crafter Challenge**

Any big plans for the weekend?

I have a card to share with you all today that was fun putting together a mix of things I had on my desk. I love doing this from time to time to see what I come up!  The only thing I had to reach for were my pearls and stick pins.

I started this card with some patterned paper that was just looking to either be used or put away. It was on my desk leftover from another make. I then took a length of sheer ribbon and wrapped the middle of the patterned paper and tied in a fussy bow embellishing with a rose that I touched the edges with Dusty Concord distress inks and some stick pins. 

A hand dyed doily was added to the center.  Followed by the making of my focal image.  I started with a Crafty Secrets Greetings and Sentiment cardstock sticker and added to my trimmed burlap wrapping some twine vertically and horizontally a couple of times. This image seems perfect for spring.

A birdcage was stamped, cut and added to the focal image adding two birds from the Crafty Secret sticker cardstock. A sentiment ticket tab was added to the upper right corner and finishing touches include buttons and a pearl to the top of the bird cage as well as distressing the edges with tea stain.

I am joining in these challenges today. 

City Crafters Challenge - A little Rough Around the Edges

Hand Stamped Sentiments - Spring

The Ribbon Carousel - Anything Goes

Well, I hope you have a goodie!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, PP: Scraps

Ink: Versafine: Vintage Sepia, Tea Stain, vintage tea stain, Tim Holtz Dusty Concord
Other: Ribbon: Dollar Tree Stores, Burlap, Crafty Secret Sticker cardstock, twine: Joannes, Flower: Michael's, Buttons: PTI, Doily: Michael's

Friendship is the Sweetest Flower

Good Sunday Morning to you! (Or whatever time of the day it is in your part of the world)

**Woohoo This card was chosen as Stampendous April's Monthly Challenge Winner **

I started this card by adding some white paint to my kraft card base for a bit of a shabby touch. If you have visited me lately, then you know this has been a touch I like to add to my cards. I then pieced together my patterned papers and added them to my card base adding some aqua ric rac trim.

A trimming of burlap was cut and added to the left side of my card front. A tag was die cut and stamped using Waltzingmouse Chicken Wire.  The sentiment was stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia and comes from PTI's Green Thumb stamp set. A die cut fence was created using the same Cheerios' box from one of my previous projects seen here.

This makes the perfect chipboard

This is the recycled chipboard after it's been painted.

All that is left is to apply the fence to the tag and tie a fussy bow to the top and dress it up with some paper roses!

I found my inspiration for my card at The Shabby Tea Room : Beautiful Roses.  I was inspired by the photo and we had to use  AQUA, PINK, NEUTRALS and FLOWERS!

The Kraft Journal - Use Your Stash 

Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge - Waiting in line for the slide with this one *wink*

Stampendous - Recycle

Berry 71 Bleu - April Inspirational Challenge 

It's with a heavy heart that I am closing my post. As many of you know, I don't usually get too personal on my blog, but if I can steal a little bit more of your time to share something that has hit close to home after I had originally scheduled this to post. 

As some of you know, my husband is a Black Hawk pilot in the Army.  We recently moved from Hawaii after living there for 9 years. He deployed 3 times to a war zone for a year and sometimes longer.  In most cases you are a single parent, (and I have the upmost respect for single parents) head of household trying to figure out those honey do things on your own, but you are daily living with the stress and concern for that dear one deployed. I can tell you an unexpected knock on the door can send chills up and down your body. As this post goes live, my husband is on his way to Dover, Delaware to meet the fallen soldiers who were killed in the Black Hawk crash in Afghanistan on Thursday. They were from our battalion in Hawaii. One of the crew members on board was a crew chief that worked with my husband. He was just 23 years old and as my husband put it " He would do anything for anybody and give the shirt off his back." He played around with my son and kept him entertained if we stopped by the hangar. He had his whole life ahead of him.

I guess my reason for sharing is many have got complacent and forget that we still have many deployed. In fact, I didn't see much coverage of this at all. Let us not forget our Men and Women in harms way and please do not let us forget and let's honor our fallen who sacrificed. This crew all had families and my heart goes out to them. 

Below is a video that someone has brilliantly put together by Tim McGraw titled: "If You're Reading This" I never have a dry eye when watching it and I always get a chill when I hear the song on the radio. 

Thanks for letting me share and remember hold those you love tight! Each day is precious!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend and beautiful week! 

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps: Waltzingmouse: Chicken Wire, PTI: Green Thumb

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, PP: Scraps (MME)

Ink: Versafine: Vintage Sepia, Distress Inks: Antique Linen 
Other: Dies: PTI, Ric Rac: Fabric Store, Seam Binding: Etsy, Roses: Michael's, White craft paint

Bliss and Some Exciting News!!!!!

Hi!

I was recently emailed by Joanna Munster the owner of Inspired By Stamping  if I would like to join her Design Team. I happily accepted and I am proud to be a new member of the Inspired By Stamping team.  You can read Joanna's introduction post here.

Here is a card I created using Inspired By Stamping Sweet Aviary. 

I started this card by piecing together my patterned papers and adhering to my kraft card base. I then added some beautiful pink trim across the upper portion of my card front. I then added two hand-cut banners to the upper right corner of the card front varying the lengths. A hand-dyed doily in Antique Linen was cut in half and added to the lower portion of my card face.

A heart was cut in kraft cardstock using the Cricut. This sweet little Aviary image was stamped, in Vintage Sepia in the center of the heart which has been distressed with tea stain ink and Antique Cream paint added. A small pink button was added to the cage as a decorative touch. A fussy seam binding bow tops the heart embellished with a button, some twine and a darling sentiment tag which was computer generated. The precious bird is also from Sweet Aviary.

I drew inspiration from CR84FN color inspiration.

Go Fish Challenge - Anything Goes

Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge - Uses Snippets on this make.

I am also excited to share that this card was chosen as a Top Three Award winner at The Kraft Journal.

Thank you so much as this is the second award for this card! I am truly overjoyed! 

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my news, have a terrific weekend!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps: Inspired By Stamping: Sweet Aviary

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, PP: Scraps

Ink: Versafine: Vintage Sepia, Tea Stain
Other: Cricut, Seam Binding: Etsy,  Buttons: Hobby Lobby, Trim: Stash, twine: Joannes, Doily: Michael's

sMOOches!

It's Friday!  How about a cute little Punny card today?

I have been wanting to ink this little guy up every since I got him and I thought today is the day!  I started with a kraft card base and added a gingham pattern paper from my stash. The top was embossed on white card stock then I applied several different colors of distress inks by Tim Holtz. I distressed the edges of my paper and I added a black and white gingham ribbon.

I have had these burlap squares for some time and I thought it would be fitting to add my chubby cow to it along with a diecut row of hearts.  For my sentiment, I stamped on kraft card stock and cut a banner and embellished with a cute little clothespin. I usually have to have buttons somewhere on my cards so I added a few to the right corner. :-)

I am joining in the fun over at The Kraft Journal: Farm Fresh...what's a farm with out a cute cow to give us milk and a little sMOOch???

Hope you have a fantastic friday!
~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Paper Smooches: Chubby Chums

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, PP: Stampin' UP!

Ink: Momento: Tuxedo Black, Various Inks!
Other: Dies: PTI, Burlap: Hobby Lobby, Clothespin: Hobby Lobby, Buttons: Hobby Lobby, Ribbon: Hobby Lobby

Sadness flies away on the wings of time

Hi!

I have a sympathy card today to share and I really wish it was a different card but I needed one.  I am a person who cannot bring myself to make these ahead for my stash. I guess in my silly way I feel like it's willing something to happen or just flat out unpleasant to think about because it's a painful time.

When I need something such as a sympathy card, I usually rely heavily on finding inspiration either through current or past challenges to give me a jumping off point because it's just not something I like to make, but at the same time, I want the person to know I made a card for them rather than run to Hallmark.

Having rambled enough, I used the Colors from The Play Date Cafe and sketch from Skipping Stones Designs.

I have to be honest when I saw the colors Thursday at The Play Date Cafe I couldn't imagine what I would come up with. Ironically when I realized I needed a sympathy card, I ended up going back to those colors.
The colors for the week are here:

I just realized in the photograph you can not see the wings bent upward as if to take flight, but I found this fitting for such an occasion.  I added a mini clothespin and added some tiny soft pearls to the front.

The stamps I used were Skipping Stones Designs: Healing Wings, and background stamps: Grunge, and Timeless Textures. 

I have no expectations with either of these challenges, but just needed a source of inspiration to get me started. It's really hard when you know you have a friend out there going through a lot of pain.

Thanks for allowing me to blog and share my creativity. I have always said it's a source of comfort and therapy for me and this time it's no exception. 

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Skipping Stones: Timeless Textures, Grunge and Healing Wings

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, Bazzill 

Ink: Stampin' UP! and Momento
Other: Die: PTI, Buttons: DeNami Designs, mini clothes pin: Hobby Lobby,  Pearls: Michaels

Sprinkles of Happy Thoughts

Hi!

This is my second post of the day. Please scroll down to see my Friends with Flair/Paper Players card.


I am back with a card for the Runway Inspired Challenge. I have been trying to figure out time to sit down and create a card for this as I was instantly inspired by the fabulous rainbow of colors when this challenge was posted.

Here is what I came up with:

Which was inspired by this dress:

Man did her shoes pop out at me, and I searched and searched till I found a bright green strip in my scrap box....whew! Of all the colors, I wanted to make sure I represented it was the color in her shoes! How fab are they, but yet not something I would ever gravitate to myself in my shoe shopping adventure.

In my creative process I went back and forth if I should use triangles, but in the end I used the stripes in her dress as my focal inspiration for layout. I really like the clean and graphic look to this.

For my card, I cut the border strips from various papers in my scrap pile and adhered them in order of the  Rainbow.  I completed my card by adding my sentiment to the right side of my card front.

That's it till next time! May your days be crafty!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP! and scraps

Ink: Tsukineko
Other: Dies: My Favorite Things

Be Mine

It's Finally Friday, are you ready for the weekend???

Since it's Friday that means it's Unity's Friends with Flair and there is a  lot of crafty people sharing some great things today.

So, I have a little Valentine Card to share with you all today! Yep also created from scraps of other makes.

Since it appears I am on a tag kick, I am also playing along with The Paper Players - Tag It! and Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge.

I am keeping this short as I know many of you are blog hoping today! I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Unity

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, PP: Scraps, but I believe Martha stewart and Stampin' UP!

Ink: Stampin' UP!: Real Red
Other: Dies: PTI, Ribbon: Offray, 

Amore ♥

 Hey There!

This is my second post of the day to see my DeNami Designs St. Patrick's card scroll down or click here!  ♥
I have been trying to get a lot of cards made up, so that is why I am back so soon today! Today's card features Wilson Designs Simply Silhouettes.

Inspired by the colors at Just Us Girls.  

I created a tag from white card stock and made my own patterned paper by taking the bow and repeat stamping. I used the Eiffel Tower image from the Simply Silhouettes set stamped in Real Red onto a die cut circle. I stamped Amore also from Simply Silhouettes onto a pink card stock strip also in Real Red and finished off with Red Rhinestones from Martha Stewart. 

I added a heart doily inked in Real Red to my patterned paper and mounted my tag with foam tape. For a decorative touch, I added some pink and red buttons to complete my card.

I am joining in at The Paper Players for the tag it challenge and Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes.

I also wanted to share that tomorrow is the final day to apply to the Wilson Designs Design Team call.  For more information visit here.

Have a great rest of your day!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Wilson Designs Stamps:  Simply Silhouettes, 

Paper: Card Stock: Stampin' UP! and PP: Scraps

Ink: Stampin' UP!
Other: Dies: Spellbinders, PTI, Punches: Fiskars, Ribbon: Offray, Buttons: Hobby Lobby, Rhinestones: Martha Stewart

Happy St. Patrick's Day - Already!!! :-)

Hi!

I have been working on Valentine's Day cards, but thought I would get a small jump start on my St. Patrick's Day cards. Yes, I am one of those that send St. Patrick's cards out! :-)

Here is my card for today:

I used DeNami Designs Decorative Crest in my background by stamping it on Kraft card stock.  Next I used the Shamrock from The Saint Patrick's petit fours set to create a background in the center of my die cut doily. (Sorry, I was unable to properly link the products due to the DeNami Website being down)

I added some layers on the right side of my card using patterned paper and seam binding.  I die cut a Shamrock from the same patterned paper and added my stamped darling little Leprechaun hat to the center and applied as my focal image to the center of the doily.  A sentiment panel is added to lower left to make this greeting complete.

Below is a side view to give a better vision the distressing, dimension and the subtle background stamping. 

I am going to add this to the current DeNami Designs Theme Challenge: Anything Goes 

Thanks for visiting with me today!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  DeNami Designs

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, PP: stash

Ink: Momento, PTI: Vintage Tea Stain Duo
Other: Dies: PTI, Sizzix, My Favorite Things, Punches: EK Success,  Tim Holtz Distress tool, Copics, 

Shabby Birthday Card

Hi there!

Well, my crafty mojo was leading me in a shabby way today, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to play over at The Shabby Tea Room...now you don't have to do Shabby to play there, but I am always inspired to do so after a visit to their site.

Here is a birthday card that I have for you today!

It's a dark and rainy day here which means not a lot of great quality natural light for taking pictures.

I used a variety of goodies to put this birthday card together and all paper is from my scrap pile. Yay! That darling little chair is from the Wilson Designs set: Simply Silhouettes.

On my cream card stock panel I stamped the background from Hero Arts next adding a silver glittery flourish embellishment. I then added a fussy seam binding bow, button and twine. I had these beautiful flowers by Prima in my stash, so I adhered to the lower left corner of my card. It reminded me of the beautiful flower in the inspiration photograph. To complete the birthday greeting, I added my sentiment banner.

The Shabby Tea Room ask that you create a card or project inspired by the photo below and USE WHITE and/or CREAM, SILVER and PINK!  

The Challenge over at The Kraft Journal's  is to "Tie It Up!" I believe my fussy seam binding bow qualifies. Joining in with the playmates over at Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge today.

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!
~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Wilson Designs Stamps:  Simply Silhouettes, Hero Arts: Musical background cling, and PTI: Delightful Dahlia 

Paper: Scraps

Ink: Versafine,, and Momento
Other: Dies: PTI, Seam Binding, Flourish: K & Company, Punch: Martha Stewart, Button: Hobby Lobby,  Twine: Joanne's, Flower: Prima

Valentine's Day Cards

My second post of the day please scroll down for my Paper Smooches Sparks card.

Hello!

I've been working on Valentine's Day cards to send to friends and family. I used the sketch challenge from Simply Stampin' for some inspiration. I made two different cards based on the sketch, but used the sketch in two different ways.  On one of the cards, I used the colors from The Friday Mashup.  I really used some dusty and I am almost positive retired Stampin' UP! images.
Here is the first card....

I chose to to create an embossed panel of windows and have fun with stamping the images inside the blocks by not being precise and offsetting some of them. The stamps I used for this card were from the Stampin' UP! Sets: Fox & Friends, Sealed with a Kiss and I {Heart} Hearts. I created a ribbon banner down the center and finished off with some brown buttons.

Next up is card that flips the sketch and uses colors from The Friday Mashup.

The top three hearts you see were all created using background stamps. Heart one used a retired set called Checkerboard, heart two uses the center from Medallion, and heart three uses a background stamp from Love is in the Air (which I am sure is retired).   On the bottom row heart one and three are from I {Heart} Hearts and heart two comes from the Polka Dot Punches set.  I pat myself on the back since I challenged myself this year to ink up stamps I have yet to play with or ones that have been begging to get inky again. :-)

The backing paper is a light pink polka dot from Stampin' UP! from a few years back.  To complete this last Valentine I added some Stampin' UP! Riding Hood Red twill ribbon and buttons. 

Here is the sketch from Simply Stampin' which I put my creative twist on.

My color inspiration for me second card came The Friday Mashup!

"Blushing Bride, Riding Hood Red & Early Espresso"

Thanks for popping by! Enjoy the rest of your day!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Card 1

Stamps:  Stampin' UP!

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, 

Ink: Stampin' UP!
Other: Punch: Stampin' UP!, Ribbon: Stampin' UP: Buttons: Hobby Lobby, Embossing Folder: Stampin' UP!

Card 2

Stamps:  Stampin' UP!

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!, DP: Stampin' Up

Ink: Stampin' UP!
Other: Punch: Stampin' UP!, Ribbon: Stampin' UP!, Buttons: Hobby Lobby