Talkin' Turkey!

Hello!  Lin here today with a couple of simple cards using some of our retiring stamp sets.

I don't know about you, but with all the paint splattering that has become so popular, I am always so nervous when I try to add that element to my cards.  After spending so much time on designing a card, it can so easily be ruined with paint splatters gone wild!  But thanks to an element in Karen Baker's Typically Teen set, we can get that same look with a stamp!  Since we're all short on time at this time of year, I thought a simple but colorful card might be just the ticket for you!  I stamped lots of splatters on this card, but using a stamp, you can do as much or as little as looks good to you!

I first stamped the splatters using 3 shades of distress inks to match the colors of the markers I used to color my turkey.  Next I stamped the turkey roughly in the center of my card, along with the simple sentiment.  And then I stamped the turkey again on a scrap, colored it with markers, fussy-cut it out, and popped it above my card.  This is something your kids might even enjoy doing, it's so easy!

Here are the sets I used: Typically Teen:

and Happy Fall:

Both of these sets are on Lisa's Retiring Stamps Sale list!  I'm so sad to see them go.  And my sentiment comes from a current set, Golden Days:

And for take two, I had an extra cut-out of this turkey and so I thought I'd mix it with these papers from DCWV's Pumpkin Patch stack, and a Simon Says Stamp circle on a line die.  

The sentiment is from our Fall Fibi & Lilly set, which is also on clearance:

We wanted to mention again that Lisa is cleaning house and has put lots of stamp sets on her Retiring Stamps List.  Prices start at 25% off and go to 75% off!! But they will only last until the stamps are depleted, THEY WILL NOT BE RESTOCKED, so don't wait!  Once they're gone, they're gone!

We're wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving from our TCM family!  Don't eat too much turkey!

Golden Days

Hello!  Lin here today. Our fall is quickly changing now and I wanted to make one more autumn card before we get deep into Christmas and winter ones.

I used Karen Baker's beautiful set called Golden Days and stamped the larger leaves using distress inks.  Then I trimmed that panel down and embossed the D'vine swirls right over the top before framing it up and gluing it to my card base.  I made my sentiment from the same set into a banner, and then just added some enamel dots to finish.  

Here's the stamp set I used:  

Enjoy the rest of these golden days and have a great weekend!  

Faith Laughs

Hello!  I've made a card today using one of our newest releases, Chalkboard Faith, using navy instead of the usual black.

In case you missed it during our recent release festivities, here is the stamp set, designed by Nina:

I used papers from My Mind's Eye Moments paper pad, a My Favorite Things doily die, a Spellbinder's Labels One, and a navy rose.  

Thanks for visiting today!

Two cards

Hello!  It's Lin today with a couple of cards for you, using our Typically Teen stamp set.  I've been noticing all the paint splat stamps coming out recently, and they're a bit outside my usual style.  I thought this set would be a great way to get started, and I enjoyed the process!  I ended up making one card with bolder colors, and  another with softer ones.

Karen Baker designed this set, and she was way out ahead of the curve when she did! I really like these stamps because the elements are not too big, and therefore you can combine many of them together in one card.   And the bonus is that if you have an ink smudge, it will never be noticed!!

Hope I've inspired you to make something today that is a bit outside your box - you might be surprised how much fun it is!  Thanks for visiting!

A birthday card

Hello, all!  Lin here today with a birthday card I made for you, using 3 of our newer stamp sets.

Here are the sets that I brought together for this card:

Wildflowers, stamped, colored with markers and fussy-cut, then popped up with foam squares:

Sweet Memories, for the frame:

And Sweet Sentiments:

Our stamps can be mixed and matched quite easily - I hope you'll give it a try, also.  Thanks for visiting us today!

Someone is the Winner of the June Release Collection!

Hello and thanks for stopping by The Craft's Meow!

We sure hope you had a great time with us during

our New Release Week.  Our design team worked

hard to bring fun & inspiring projects to you each day.

It's time to announce

THE WINNER

who will be adding 

ALL FOUR BRAND NEW STAMP SETS

to their own collection!

Drawn from the comments left on
designer Lin Brandyberry's blog

Congratulations to ...

Ruth G

Please email your mailing address to thecraftsmeow@gmail.com and 

TCM will get your new stamp sets on their way to you!

Thank you so much for your continued support of TCM.

Floral Thanks

Hi all, Lin here today with a simple thank you card.  I used some colored inks to show off this lovely airy flower from our Flower Garden set, trimmed out my stamped panel with a bit of fussy-cutting, then framed it with some coordinating solid papers.  I thought the lovely font on the sentiment from Many Thanks complimented the flowers nicely.

Here are the stamp sets I used today:

Thanks for visiting us today - hope your long weekend here in the States is a great one!  Take some time to remember the brave men and women who have sacrificed for our freedoms.

Inspired by Pinterest

Hi everyone!  Lin here today with a card I made inspired by something I saw on Pinterest.  Before I stamped and made cards, I was a quilter, and so when I saw this adorable tea towel at Nana Company, it brought back those memories.  The quilt pattern is called Grandmother's Flower Garden.

So I pulled out several TCM stamp sets and made this card today:

I used papers from Simple Stories Vintage Bliss, some dotty grosgrain ribbon, a flower button,  and these stamp sets:

Thanks Bee to Thee

Lark Additions

Hope Blooms

I hope I've inspired you to use bits and pieces of your TCM stamps to make your own designs.  Thanks for visiting!

Birthday Greetings

Hello friends!  Lin here, with a birthday card, since it's our birthday month here at The Craft's Meow!

I stamped the open horizontal chevrons from our Geometric Foundations stamp set onto 4 different colors of solid and printed papers from Graphic 45 Secret Garden Patterns and Solids paper pad, then cut the chevrons apart and repositioned them to form these vertical chevrons.  I lifted a few of them here and there to give some added interest and dimension, and added some adhesive jewel stickers to the top of each column:

Then I just stamped the birthday sentiment from Stitched Sentiments and colored in the letters with markers that matched my colors.  

I hope my card inspires you to try something a little different with your stamps, too.   Please visit The Craft's Meow Store  to see these and more of our beautiful stamp sets. While you're there, be sure to visit our new Gallery to find lots more inspiration from my TCM teamies!   Enjoy your day!

Wishing You Happiness

Hello friends!  Lin here with a card for you today.  

I used the beautiful flower image from Beautiful Spring, stamped and masked it in the background using tattered rose distress ink.  I stamped it and some leaves again on a scrap of cardstock in black, watercolored them using tattered rose and shabby shutters and peeled paint distress inks, cut them out and popped them above my panel.  The sentiment is from the Lark Additions set.

Here's wishing you a great day!  Hope to see you back here tomorrow for a sweet card from Nina!

A Spring Birthday Card

Good morning!  Lin here to share a pastel birthday card with you today; it may be only January, but I'm ready for spring!

I love the Fly Free stamp set, and thought it would go well with these pastel papers.  I simply embossed the birdcage in white,  then framed it with a die-cut.  I stamped the sentiment in a light brown ink to keep things soft, and after putting my card together I just added some punched butterflies and a white paper rose. 

Hope you got some inspiration from my card today!  Come on back tomorrow to see a card by Nina.

Wishing you Joy

Good morning!  Lin here with a card I made using 2 of our newest Christmas stamp sets, Hearth and Home  and Holiday Foundations.

I just love wreaths for every season, so I decided to use the holly sprigs from Hearth and Home to make one for you.  They were colored, cut out and popped above some peppermint stripe paper, and then I added some red pearl berries and a little jingle bell bow.  I thought this beautiful sentiment from Holiday Foundations complimented it perfectly.  It is my wish for you this Holiday!

                         

Thanks so much for joining me today, and I hope you'll come back again on Saturday to see a card designed by the amazing Jen del Muro!

Welcome Gayatri and Lin to Team TCM!!!

Hello friends! I'm popping in today to introduce you to two of the five newest members of our Design Team, Gayatri Murali and Lin Brandyberry! Please join me in extending a warm TCM welcome to these amazing artists!

Gayatri Murali

My name is Gayatri Murali. I live in Australia with my husband, two children heading into their teens, and a one-year-old cocker spaniel named Charlie. I am a therapist by profession working with children with Autism. I started out as a scrapbooker six years ago, but now I've turned into a full time cardmaker. My style is stamps, inks and cardstock, clean and simple. I also love bright colors and modern graphic design. I enjoy the process of designing. I find crafting very therapeutic. A lot of my free time is spent at my craft desk either planning or designing. I am super thrilled to design for The Craft's Meow and also be working with an amazing team! 

Lin Brandyberry

Hi!  I'm Lin and I live in Canton, Ohio with my husband of 41 years.  We have been blessed with 2 sons and 3 grandchildren.  A former quilter, I was introduced to stamping in 2005, and now I love making cards, playing with paper just like I did with my fabrics.  I love flowers and hearts, paper-piecing, fussy-cutting, and just playing with color.  I started my blog devoted to card making in 2009 and the years have flown by since; almost every day you'll find me in my craft room working on a card.  A huge part of my love of this craft is the friends I've made on- and off-line; card makers  are wonderful people!   I've been a big fan of The Craft's Meow stamps, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this amazing team!   I'm looking forward to working with my fellow team members to inspire you.

I'll be back tomorrow to introduce you to the other three newest design team members! See you then!