www.tamagrams.com

Monday, July 25, 2011

Inspiration...

It's funny how inspiration comes in the most unusual of packages. Lately, I find myself being inspired by the simplicity of trying new things. I have never been a seamstress (can barely sew on a button) and never hailed myself for having a green thumb (never had a garden)...but for some odd reason that I am not completely aware of, I am having such a burning desire to learn! This almost 30 year old is excited to try and learn some new skills and also excited to be able to one day pass these skills onto my daughters as they get older. I am however thankful for art...it enriches my life everyday and pumps energy through my veins. Since the NSS, like other exhibitors it has been busy with follow ups as well as designing brand new Birthday card designs to send off to a licensing company that our studio has been talking with. Crossing my fingers and said a blessing over the designs as I sealed the package and dropped them in the mail. :) Here is a little sampling of some of the newbie's...

"Ice Cream Hot Air Birthday Balloon"
Artwork & Writing Copyright 2011 Tamagrams / Tamara Brown. All Rights Reserved.

"Ice Cream Birthday Flower"

"Kite Birthday Gift "

"Birthday Girl In Bloom"

"Birthday Bloom Cake"

"Balloon Flower"

Thanks for taking a peek, until next time!

Many Blessings,
Tamara

Monday, June 6, 2011

Tamagrams Featured in Stationary Today

Hello friends! Hope all of you had a nice relaxing weekend...

I thought I'd post another cool feature...At the NSS, Tamagrams' "Hand-picked" Faith/Cherry design was featured in Stationary Today. I introduced 3 different brand new encouragement lines as I feel the world needs more encouragement! :) These cards are blank inside for you to drop a line and send some love to those special people in your life. Thanks for taking a peek at this NSS "product peek"...

Hope this finds each of you having a very happy June!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

NSS IN NYC!

What an amazing 5 days! I actually kept a journal of the time spent there...awesome to see all the incredible blessings that we experienced. As most of you know, this was our first stationery show and tried to go into with no set expectations while just stepping out in faith that God would open the doors that He wants opened.

My cousin and an old friend (co-worker from past position in building material sales) both now live in NYC. They both were so kind to offer to help Taylor (my husband) and me set up our booth. What a wonderful help they were!! Many thanks to Elizabeth and Brian!

Our Booth:BEFORE

About 2 Hours into set up...My husband is my HERO!

My friend Brian helping me hot glue to "strings" of the Bouquet Birthday Balloons (this was intended to be a visual translation of one of our card designs).

An overflow of many incredible things happened while we were there and so many opportunities for Tamagrams to grow. We were approached by several large companies that are interested in licensing our designs, a national chain retail store that is interested in custom design, acquired new accounts and had a lot of different people from the press come to talk with us in our booth.

I loved all of our booth neighbors and by the end we all had bonded so much. What a HUGE place filled with so much talent! We were also able to see friends, good eats and experience the grandeur of the city...I am so thankful for the entire experience. I'm excited to be on this journey. The most amazing part of it all has been watching His hand in every single detail and learning more and more each day what it is to trust completely.

My other half :)

This photo above shows half of the stationery show. The other half of the exhibitors were to the right. There were over 900 stationery companies that exhibited...craziness!

We were selected for Best New Product Display for category Paper Style...

Our brochure and postcard literature...

Press on display in our booth...

Turned one of the designs from the "Spirit Stamp" line into a pillow!

The Javits Center in Times Square...this shot is just 1/4 of the building...easy to get lost in there!

Wonderful husband, sweet cousin and old friend...

In the BIG apple!
What an incredible experience!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Speechless...

I have been so encouraged and touched this past week. I could hardly believe it, but on Friday I got news that Tamagrams has been picked for presentation in the National Stationary Show's "Best New Product" Display...I was speechless..... It has been so incredible watching God in the details of all of this. Feeling so very thankful...

This past week, I was notified that the "Preggo Flower Garden Dress" design was featured in the Spring Issue of "Greetings Etc. Magazine" on pg. 19 -

Also, here is the recent feature from this month's issue of "Giftware News Magazine" where they featured "Bouquet Birthday Balloons" on pg. 10 in the "Paper Power" section in loo of the NSS held on May 15-18 at the Javits Center in Time Square.

Last but not least, on the back of the Greeting Etc. Magazine, I saw a full page add for Design Design Inc. - a company that has licensed about 8 of our designs. As I was checking out the ad, I realized one of our designs was featured in their add - how neat!

It is hard to describe what an incredible journey this card adventure has been so far over the past 3 years. It is also hard to describe in words of just how humbled and thankful I feel to see how God continues to open the doors and watching His hand in all of this.

We have just about everything complete for the show except just a few loose ends which I am trying to finish in the next day or so as we are going to be shipping booth decor this week. It has been a creative challenge in itself trying to figure out the best way to display since we are working with a foam board wall which is not really made to be load-bearing. Thanks to my smart, strategic and maximizer of a husband who I sometimes refer to as McGuiver; we have figured out an efficient way of doing this. Hooray!

I hope these blog posts are also an encouragement to others and shed hope in following the desires of your heart, passions and dreams. Until next time, wishing you all beautiful days filled with unending joy!

Friday, April 22, 2011

One the count down!

Ok, wow....Easter is almost here and my mind is just now trying to wrap around that notion. This spring has been oh, so filled with busy-ness as we have been majorly preparing for the National Stationary Show. We've had this date to plan for since November when we officially registered to go and have based so much of time planning around getting ready for this. It reminds me so much of the kind of prep and planning that goes into a wedding, so many details that you don't realize until the actual planning stages. Yowzers! I must say it has been interesting and I have learned a lot. We're getting near the end of the prep and finishing the last few details as we will leave for NYC in 3 weeks. (gulp!) Our two girls (2-1/2 and 9 mo.) have been big helpers to me during the days as we spend so much time lately running errands to Hobby Lobby (as McKenna calls it "Holly Bobby"), Fed Ex Kinkos, Office Max and Target getting materials, etc. I will be sure to post pics of the booth once Taylor and I get it assembled at the show. Wish us luck as we go...

I am so thankful to be able to design and appreciate it so much as I was once confined to the bandage like walls of a 6x8 cubicle in corporate America. I so often think of the Erma Bombeck quote, "when I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"

Lastly, a Tamagrams design "Bouquet Birthday Balloons" was featured in Giftware News Magazine in their April Issue. They did a featured segment on "Paper Power" and we were so very honored to be included in their wonderful magazine. To see the feature, click on the link below as we are on pg. 10 - I also just want to say thank you to all of you blog followers that show so much support as well as taking the time out of busy schedules to keep up with us.

http://www.clubjager.com/0411ggd/index.html

Here's to wish you all an extra special Easter weekend. Hoping that you all have the happiest of Easters and the springiest of springs!

As always, many blessings~
Tamara

Friday, March 11, 2011

Tamagrams on NSS Website and Preview of New Designs

It has been a while and I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the beginning of spring like weather here lately. I find myself captivated by the white blossoms on so many of the trees...so beautiful.

I wanted to share with you as I just got word that Tamagrams is featured on the National Stationary Show's homepage today! How exciting! The link is below if you want to check it out...it is under the "Featured Products".

http://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/

I met with a mentor the other week who helped me brainstorm about ideas for the theme of the booth that we will be exhibiting in. Now that there is a plan, I've been working on building it and then once everything is just as it needs to be, we are going to ship it to the show in NYC. I'm pumped! I love the concept and think it will compliment the style of Tamagrams so well. It is so wonderful to have people in your life (mentors) that truly take interest in seeing others succeed and have their best at heart. I am beyond blessed to have several of these people in mine. I'll post pics of the booth when we get it assembled at the show.

Also, I promised you from the last blog posting that I would share with you a preview of some of the brand new designs I have been working on for the show coming up in May. Someone once told me, "creativity is the closest thing to divinity, it comes from above". I firmly believe that. There are many times after a late night of being filled with inspiration and running with it, that the next morning I wake up and look at it all and honestly have no clue where it all came from. I am humbled to be able to share with you the latest of inspirations...

"Bouquet Birthday Balloons"
copyright Tamagrams 2011

The next two designs are previews of new lines of encouragement cards. I felt the need to design some fresh concepts that didn't include crosses and sunrises. (Nothing against those, just thought this would be a fresh take on encouragement...) All three lines are inspired by fruits of the spirit.