Holiday Hugs

Hi There!

In an effort to knock out some Christmas cards towards my 2014 stash, I thought I would play along again at Merry Monday!  The theme this week is Ornaments. So I pulled out my Waltzingmouse Stamps again and got to work. 

I used lots of different Waltzingmouse Christmas sets to create the card. Mostly taking flourishes and snowflakes to create the backing paper behind the ornament. The sets I used:

Vintage Ornaments (Ornament)

Seasons of Love Tags (Snowflakes, flourish)

Candy Jar Christmas Filler (bow, sentiment)

Sewing Box Christmas (snowflakes)

I used a scrap of patterned paper I had at the bottom and scraps of ribbon at the top to make the banners. I never throw anything away even tiny ribbon pieces because they usually come in handy in the design process at some point! :-)))

As mentioned, I found inspiration at Merry Monday - Ornament Challenge

I am going to share at Just B Creative - January Linky Party, Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes, 3 Girl Jam - Anything Goes With Ribbon, Pixie's Crafty Snippet Challenge.

I hope you are staying warm wherever you are. Even the south has been hit with snow and cold. 

Have a Terrific Thursday!

~Tammy~

From Valentine's to Christmas...

Hey there!

{I am delighted that this card was chosen at a Merry Monday Honorable Mention on 1/27/14}

I have been sharing Valentine projects the last few days, but I am moving backwards, (or way forward) with Christmas. I have good intentions to try and work on Christmas early, but I don't usually get a lot of extra crafty time these days.  I saw some inspiration both at Festive Friday and Merry Monday that jumped started my mojo. I love the inspiration at Festive Friday. For me, it gave a homespun feeling which is the direction I went with today. 

I started with a red card base onto which I added my layers of Kraft cardstock and red gingham check patterned paper. Taking a cue from the inspiration photo at Merry Monday, I grabbed a piece of vintage book print and added to the card front. I added some ric-rac velvet trim and tucked a snippet of a doily at the bottom.

From Waltzingmouse 2011 Holiday Ornaments, I stamped the reindeer ornament in cream pigment ink which has been heat embossed then cut with the coordinating die. A red seam binding bow was added to the top of the ornament embellished with a white poinsettia flower and a tag using a sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Seasons of Love - Tags set.

As mentioned, inspiration for this card was found at Festive Friday

and Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.

I am also sharing at: Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes, Just B Creative - January Linky Party. Saying hi again at: Pixie's Crafty Snippet Playground! 

I hope you have a warm and fabulous Friday!

~Tammy~

Inspired By Stamping Release - Happy Holidays

Hi There!

I started with some bright and fun Christmas patterned paper and added to my white card base.  I added three panels on the left side using some fun washi tape which has been cut at various lengths. A snowflake was die-cut and embossed to provide a decorative base for the sentiment which was stamped using the scotch tape method. Finishing touches include some fun candy canes, decorated with a white button and red twine bow.

For some inspiration, I used the sketch from Merry Monday. 

Make it Monday - Anything Goes

Thanks for joining me today. I will be back tomorrow with a recap card from the release.

~Tammy~

Merry Christmas with Merry Monday

Hi!

I snuck in some crafty time just for fun! I have really missed playing along with the Merry Monday and Colourq challenges, so this week was the perfect time to combine them both. 

For the month of July, Merry Monday's challenge you can use any past Merry Monday sketch. Here is my card using a Merry Monday Sketch and the colors at Colourq.

All of the stamps are from Crafty Secrets Vintage Christmas except the sentiment which is from DeNami Designs.  

I adore this Father Christmas image that comes in the set. I used Vintage Sepia ink on Kraft to complete the vintage feel.  I punched a snowflake out of some black with white polka-dot patterned paper and added it to a pretty glittered flower embellishing with a dew drop and twine. 

Here is the sketch I chose to work with.

Here are the Colourq colors. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

~Tammy~

Merry Monday on Sunday :-)

It has been a busy week, so it's been hard finding time when to squeeze this post in. I will be just squeaking  in the final hours. I adore Lesley's CAS sketches, and it's just what I needed. I had the honor of guest designing for her last week, so of course I couldn't let this sketch close out without playing along!

So here we go!

Again, another non-tradional, but elegant Christmas greeting. The patterned paper is from DCWV La Creme stack.

For my reindeer (Stampin' UP! Winter Post), he was stamped in Versamark Ink, and then heat set with black embossing powder. For a fun touch a pearl was added to his nose. :-) He was mounted on a die-cut star adding pearls to each point.

Can I just say I am in love with this beautiful vintage greeting! It comes from Crafty Secrets Vintage Christmas. The snowflake is from the same set. You may not be able to see it, but a white pearl was added to the center of the snowflake. The sentiment panel was mounted on a Basic Black scalloped border panel and adhered to my card front.

Clean and Simple, but made with love and one more Christmas card complete!

Here is the Merry Monday Sketch! 

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps: Stamping' UP! And Crafty Secrets

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

Ink: Jenni Bowlin 
Other: Pearls: Michael's, Dies: Spellbinders, Punch: Stampin' UP!, Embossing Powder, Heat Tool,

Merry Monday 22 - Guest Designer

Hi! 

It's Memorial Day in the US, and it's a wonderful time to reflect and pay tribute to those who have served and sacrificed. 

I was so delighted to be asked by Lesley to guest design with her and the Merry Makers this week for the Merry Monday challenge. As I have stated before, her sketches make it easy to create and no interference with mojo. You got to love that!

I went for fun and non-traditional this week! I think it's all the Tropical Christmas' living in Hawaii or the kick start to summer weather we are having, but here is my card for this week's Merry Monday Challenge.

I used Wilson Designs : Snowy Wishes.  I added lots of pink bling to the hula snowlady's arms. I created a cute little hula skirt to compliment her shell top! I had some various tropical papers from a local scrapbook store in Hawaii and they coordinated nicely with some Stampin' UP! papers from last year. 

Here is the fabulous sketch by Lesley! I hope you will join in and play along!

I am a warm and tropical kinda girl, so I loved my warm winters in Hawaii, and I hope you enjoyed my tropical Christmas card today! Don't forget to visit the rest of the Merry Makers for some inspiration!

Have a great start to your week!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Wilson Designs, Snowy Wishes

Paper: Stampin'  UP!, DP: Unknown from LSS and Stampin' UP!

Ink: Momento: Tuxedo Black

Other:  Buttons:  PTI. Rhinestones: Michael's

Be Merry and Bright

Hi!

(For my Wilson Designs Release American Classic's Card click here)

Hope you are enjoying the start to your weekend. 

I have not been feeling well lately, so I apologize for not making the rounds. I had a pretty good day Thursday, so I mustered up some energy to get crafty.  I am just now getting around to posting. 

I have another Christmas card to share. I am determined to knock as many of these out as I can.  Now if only someone would start a Halloween and Thanksgiving challenge. :-)

I love to make Christmas cards that are non-traditional  colors, but I went classic today. 

I used a Waltzingmouse sentiment from Seasons of Love and some pretty roses from my stash. I added some rhinestones near the sentiment because when I think of Merry and BRIGHT, I think of pretty shinny things like bling! What girl doesn't! :-)))  At the top of my focal point, a few pearls were added for a tad more glam. 

I used another lovely sketch by Lesley for the current Merry Monday challenge. I never have lack of mojo working with her sketches which is fabulous when you are not feeling 100%.  

I am also joining in the Rudolph Day Challenge that Sandra host.

Thanks for popping in! 

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps:  Seasons of Love

Paper: CS: Stampin' UP!,  PP: DCWV

Ink: Stampin' UP!
Other: Flowers: Michael's, Pearls, Michael's, Rhinestones: Ben Franklin Hawaii

Merry Monday #20

(Woo Hoo all the hard work to create this card paid off as it was chosen the winner At Merry Monday)

Good Grief do you ever have one of those days that everything you do just takes you forever because it's one interruption after the other and then.....THE POWER GOES OUT! R E A L L Y ???  NOW??? We are having yucky weather, but not thunderstorms, so I have no idea what is up with the power outage. Just glad to have modern electricity again!!!

I love Lesley's sketches because they are simple, but my goodness this card has taken forever and a day to complete. Most people would have been like - it's a sign give up, but I am always determined to finish what I start! I just never knew something so simple could be so complicated! ha! 

So here is the simple complicated card! :-) So forgive the brevity of the post as I want to get this up.

Obviously, I am not happy with the photograph as the weather is crummy, but the Aqua bling on the gingham whimsical tree is so cute! I love Aqua and red together and that is how we roll at Christmas around this house. The papers are from Martha Stewart. 

The sentiment is from Wilson Designs Snowy Wishes. 

As stated in my earlier babbling I was inspired by Lesley's Merry Monday's Christmas Sketch. 

I am also joining in the Moxie Fab Gingham Challenge: Who doesn't have a Whimsical Gingham Christmas Tree with aqua bling and a silver tinsel star??? :-))))

Oh and some exciting news...this card made Papercrafts Star Runner Up! Yay! Thank you so much to those who made it possible! I am thrilled and honored!

Runner-Up - Our Quasar Award!

Hope you are having a Terrific Tuesday!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps:  Wilson Designs, Snowy Wishes

Paper: Stampin'  UP!, DP: Martha Stewart

Ink: Momento 

Other:  Die: Sizzix, Rhinestones: AC Moore, Tinsel: Martha Stewart, Embossing Folder: Sizzix

A simple Christmas card

Hi!

I have a quick share today~ I am joining in a couple of Christmas Challenges, so this marks number 2 complete. :-) Woo hoo!

The layout came from Lesley's Merry Monday Challenge.  Her sketch designs make it easy to crank out a card quickly, and that is important if you are mass producing Christmas cards. I just dug through my Christmas stamps and my stash of papers and before I knew it I was done. My creative time is limited, so I appreciated the CAS design to finish quickly, but yet I felt like I accomplished checking the box and getting started in my Christmas cards. 

So here it is....

I started with Riding Hood Red as my card base to match the patterned paper I found in my ever growing stash pile. (I believe this pp is from the Christmas Stack from DCWV).

I stamped three ornaments from Stampin' UP! Delightful Decorations and used the coordinating ornament punch. I added Martha Stewart Holiday Snow glitter to the middle polka-dot ornament. :-) I stamped the Merry Christmas sentiment from Wilson Designs Snowy Wishes which was hand-cut into a banner and applied to the left side of my patterned paper panel.

That's about it! Short sweet and to the point. :-)

As mentioned, I found my inspiration from the Merry Monday Sketch

I am also playing along with the current Rudolph Day Challenge.

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Inspirational picture

I am just overjoyed and so honored that this card was chosen as The City Crafter's Winner on 4/24/12.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your day is fantastic!!!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps: Wilson Designs: Snowy Wishes and Stampin' UP! Delightful Decorations

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

Ink: Stampin' UP! and Momento

Other: Glitter: Martha Stewart, Punch: Stampin' UP!

All Hearts Come Home For Christmas

Hi There!

What Christmas in April....yes, no time like the present to get started on those Christmas cards especially as the holidays approach things get hectic. That is why I think the year round Christmas Challenges out there are pure genius. It can really help you get some of those cards made. I need motivation with flowers blooming, birds singing and sun brightly shining.

Here is my Christmas Card inspired by the Merry Monday Challenge.

To get started I created my own chipboard embellishment out of a Cheerios Box and painted it (not very neatly) with white craft paint.

This is the back! Recycling at it's best!

The front with some paint slapped on and sanded.

Next I cut the coordinating hearts and stamped the sentiment from Waltzingmouse Stamps Seasons of Love and distressed the images with vintage tea stain. 

I took a kraft card base and embossed with my Cuddlebug Swiss dots embossing folder for some added texture which coordinated with the patterned paper I chose for the middle strip. To tie in the heart focal images, a punched heart border was adhered below the polka dotted patterned paper. Next blue checked gingham patterned paper was cut into a scalloped rectangle to border the snowflake paper found in my scrap pile which has had the edges distressed. 

All that was left was to adhere the the heart sentiment embellishment and add some crafty white paint. to the card base for a shabby touch!

As mentioned, I found my inspiration from Merry Monday Christmas Sketch Challenge. 

Stampin' Sisters In Christ - Something Joy-ful or Celebratory 
Stampendous - Recycle something into a a stamping project.

Thanks for popping in! Hope you are having a fantastic weekend!

~Tammy~

{Recipe}

Stamps: Waltzingmouse: Seasons of Love

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

Ink: Momento: Tuxedo Black, Vintage Tea Stain
Other: Dies: Spellbinders, White Craft Paint, Punch: Martha Stewart