May 26, 2017
From a Grateful Nation
Well, crafty friends, it’s finally Friday! And I know many of you are preparing for a weekend of relaxation during Memorial Day Weekend (stay safe!) with bbq’s and a nice extended weekend. It always seems like Summer is here once Memorial Day comes around, doesn’t it? Before we head out for some fun, we wanted to take a moment to remember the reason for this holiday as we honor all the men and women in the armed services and first responders who risk their lives each and every day to defend this great nation of ours. And, especially, to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Many in the TE family have a friend or family member who have gladly served our country. Designer Charmaine Ikach recently created a beautiful patriotic card that we think really illustrates the grateful hearts we all share. We hope it will inspire you to give thanks to someone serving this Memorial Day.
A Note from Charmaine…
I just love patriotic cards. It’s such a wonderful way to thank someone for their military service. Every holiday like 4th of July or Memorial Day, I’m reminded that I could send out cards like this one all year round. The Stars & Stripes Stamp & Die Combo is perfect for this.
I started by inking up the United States stamp with Blue Corn and Cherry Pop and stamping and die-cutting it with the coordinating die. I also die cut one out of Oreo to mount behind the stamped one on to create a “shadow”. I thought that would help it to stand out more from the patterned background. The patterned papers are from the Summer Nights 6×6 Paper Pack.
I also used the Reach For the Stars Border Die as well as the recently released Pinhole Stars Stacklets for this card. To add that extra sparkle, I added a few Summer Night Sequins to the card. There are other sentiments in this stamp set as well that would make it perfect for whatever reason YOU may be sending this card!
Thank you so much, Charmaine, for both the inspiration and the gentle reminder that every day is a good day to send out a card like this. Who do you know serving? Let us know below and honor them. I’d love to hear from you. In the meantime, on behalf of everyone here at TE, have a safe holiday weekend.