Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Another fabulous year to FLIP over!

Hello all! This is an exciting day for Flourishes -- it's the first day folks can shop and qualify for the next fun-filled, money saving club we call.....

  FLIP NEW LOGO - 

Otherwise known as the Flourishes Loyalty Incentive Program! How do you become a member? Starting TODAY, the next time you go shopping in the Flourishes online boutique and spend $100 on a single purchase (not including taxes or shipping), you will receive this beautiful stamp set called Happy Thoughts! It was penned by artist Sam Pickard and the fabulous sentiments were the creative genius of Dina Kowal! Keep in mind, you can't purchase this set -- the only way you can get your hands on this lovely floral spray of Hydrangeas and these beautifully scripted sentiments is to become a FLIP member! 
   
AND.... that beautiful stamp set is only just the beginning! When you become a FLIP member, it's your pass to BIG SAVINGS!

Member Benefits

On the first of every month, for one day only, we’ll have a sale you will FLIP over! ONLY members are able to cash in on this sale: 15% off nearly everything in the store! (Sale does not apply to gift certificates, Silhouette Cameo Machines or Copic Markers). A day or two before the sale, you’ll receive an email with a special “members only” coupon code to use on the first of the month. Just insert this code in the coupon code box at the time of check out, hit “apply” and 15% will automatically be taken off your entire order! This promotion expires July 31st, 2014. Customers receive benefits only from the time they qualify. So, unfortunately, you can’t make up for lost time. One more reason why you should become a FLIP member soon!

Now it wouldn't be fair if we showed you this gorgeous set and didn't show you a card or two? On to my creation!


Because this gorgeous image is so large, I decided to keep my layout sweet and simple! I stamped my image on Flourishes Classic White using Tuxedo Memento Black ink. After stamping, I did stamp the sentiment and then ran my image through my Grand Callibur with the die called Fancy Ribbon Threader. After I was done embossing, I did trim around the embossed edge so that this portion of my flower could set on the main part of the die cut frame. I colored my image with Copic Markers (see list below for what colors I used!) I added a little white seam binding ribbon, a crystal button, some silver cording and... ta da! Done! I did add a little razzle dazzle with the help of some glitter glue. See? 


And that, my friends, is it! If you want to see some amazing samples thanks to Flourishes' team of fabulous designers, hop on over and see what these ever-so-talented ladies created using this exclusive set!

Remember, the only way to get your hands on this beautiful new set called Happy Thoughts is to become a FLIP member. When you qualify, this stamp set is our gift to you! Coming soon, Flourishes will be adding a Silhouette Cut File to the store, just for this set! Fun stuff! I'll be back with another bit of Flourishes fun tomorrow so.... see you then!

~Julie

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Tuesday, July 30, 2013

What the Heck????

Ok, I have a card making confession to make. Sometimes, when I blog and take pictures, I am in a hurry. I am distracted. I love the card making process but sometimes the photos, editing and blogging is the extra bit that, at times, I struggle with! So, imagine my surprise when I come back to do another post, hit my blog and notice this from my last post....


After blogging, taking the photo and editing the photo, I never realized that I had a weird paper bit hanging from my card... HANGING FROM MY CARD! As I write this, I am honestly laughing and wanted to share to, in a way, poke fun. You are all the most polite group of folks out there, you didn't say....."Hey Julie, is that a new kind of embellishment there?" or "Julie, what's that little UFO on your dahlias?" Or, better yet, "Do you need glasses?" 

I promise, when I come back to blog Thursday, I will have checked and double checked my card to look for flying objects!  

See you back here soon!

~Julie


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Thursday, July 25, 2013

It's SIX for SIX!


BirthdayCelebration-5 

Today the entire Flourishes Design Team is jumping on the birthday band wagon and helping Flourishes light the candles and roll the music to celebrate SIX fun-filled, creative years!  Today's challenge is all about the right recipe for your cards. So, all you need to do is check out our recipe card below and make sure you use all six. We're calling this challenge -- The SIX for SIX -- six items for six years! So, without further ado -- the recipe!
  7-26Graphic 

HOW TO PLAY: Like we said, simply use the six items as your recipe for your card or creation. Make sure to use the sketch and be inspired by the colors in the inspiration photo and then, use the other four items as well when you create. This Birthday Celebration Challenge is just that simple! When you are done with your card, don't forget to link up your creation HERE using the Inlinkz widget! For Birthday Celebration Challenge #5, enter as many times as you like. If you upload to Splitcoaststampers, use the keyword FLLCBC5. You have until 11:59 PM CST on July 31st to enter! Winners will be announced Saturday, August 3rd and winners will receive a goody bag from Flourishes valued at $30!

On to my creation!

So, you can see I followed the sketch pretty much to a tee. I had this Dahlia image stamped and ready on my desk and it was even partially colored -- BINGO! Since it was colored in peachy tones, perfect! But, if you look at the stamp, there is another little vase included in this image. I didn't want that one because it wouldn't fit with my sketch -- so thanks to my handy dandy detail scissors -- I cut that part of the image off! I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and then picked up my Copics (see below for the color collections that I used). So, with the sketch and color inspiration done --- I added bling in the form of some gold cording and a little rhinestone bling... See? The gold cording also counts as twine -- so cross off 3 and 4 on the "recipe!"


Now... you have to squint to see #5... but it's there if you look at the main photo for the card. On the tan little flag, I used a fancy fan embossing folder and then sanded down the embossed ridges for a little texture. And... for #6?  My favorite Flourishes stamp (for the time being) HAS to be Dahlias! Oh my, they are beauties!!!! 


And, to give the inside a little something, I stamped the other Dahlia image from the set using peach ink and then grabbed one of the sentiments from the set for the center.. Add a little paper piercing and... voila! Done!

And that, my friends is it! I should mention that there is a whole bunch of fun scheduled for Flourishes 6th Birthday — if you want a peek at all the challenges, just click HERE to see! Now just as I said, all of our fine and fabulous Flourishes designers are playing along in this one, so be sure to hop on over and see what these ladies have in store!

Thanks for stopping by! We can't wait to see what fun you whip up for this challenge! Remember, you only have until July 31st to play in any and all of our birthday challenges! Be sure to stop by tomorrow. To win tomorrow's goody bag, all you need to do is stop by and leave a comment sending Flourishes some birthday wishes! One lucky person will walk away with a goody bag valued at $30! See you back here then!

~Julie

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Friday, July 19, 2013

It's Christmas in July!

Hi all and welcome to a fun-filled little Saturday surprise! I'm helping Flourishes usher in its......

  BirthdayCelebration-3

Are you ready for a little Christmas in July?

HOW TO PLAY: It's Christmas in July! For this challenge, dig out those Christmas stamps and get those fingers inky with a Christmas creation! This Birthday Celebration Challenge is just that simple! When you are done with your creation, don't forget to link up your creation using the Inlinkz widget HERE! For Birthday Celebration Challenge #3, enter as many times as you like. If you upload to Splitcoaststampers, use the keyword FLLCBC3. You have until 11:59 PM CST on July 31st to enter! Winners will be announced Saturday, August 3rd over on the Flourishes Blog and winners will receive a goody bag from Flourishes valued at $30!

On to my creation!

  christmascard 

I started by picking up one of my favorite Christmas sets -- Christmas Classics! I love all the images in this set and the variety of sentiments too! I should mention, I started with Classic White Card Stock and I used the Christmas Classics Silhouette Cut File. I stamped my image using Memento Tuxedo Black and then let the fun begin,coloring my image up with Copic Markers! I used these collections.....

  
     


 Here's a closeup of my cut and colored image!   

   christmascard-2 

From there, it really was just matting it all up! I used some leftover paper that I had from last year from a Teresa Collins Christmas Collection, added some Basque Red Ribbon tied with gold cording and embellished with a little blingy button! Stamp the sentiment on a little sentiment flag created with a strip of decorative paper and... ta da! Done!

Need a little more inspiration? My fellow Flourishes DT teammate Stacy Morgan also has a fabulous sample to share, so check it out on her blog HERE! 

Here's the fun part....

If you need a few Christmas stamps to get creating, now is the time to buy! Between now (July 20th) and July 31st, Flourishes is hosting our annual Christmas in July Sale! ALL of Flourishes Christmas sets are now 25% off! Simply use the code MERRYJULY in the coupon code box at the time of check out. Make sure to hit "Apply" for your code to take effect. Keep in mind, this code will only be valid on Christmas stamp sets.

Also, because this sale is such a popular sale at Flourishes - they do expect to run out of stamp sets! Unfortunately, Flourishes cannot issue any rain checks for any of their Christmas designs. So, shop often and early! We can't wait to see all the Christmas beauties you create!

~Julie


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Thursday, July 18, 2013

It's a Free For All Friday


We know you loved our July Releases and all the fun summer ideas you now have for them...but we thought we'd show you one more round of creative projects today with our favorites, because that's always so fun for us! And so, the design team ushers in another Free For All Friday! 

For my creation, I decided to pick up the beautiful Anemones stamp set AND, I was dying to try a new technique. I saw this on SCS but did this one with a friend who is a Stampin' Up Demo. It's called Magical Masking Tape and I have to say -- I LOVE the fact that you can do this quickly and add a bold splash of color.  HERE'S a great tutorial the ever so talented Beate Johns did not too long ago. 


So, just like the tutorial suggests, I picked five colors of ink, laid my masking tape down on the ink and then used the masking tape as a kind of stamp! Because of the sticky portion of the tape, you naturally get voids in the ink transfer, which makes this look so very cool! After I was done, I stamped the Anemones in Versafine Black Onyx, added a sentiment, punched a hole for my ribbon tied up with a bow, added some bling and then matted it on Classic Black and then a lighter teal from the Emerald Coast Collection (you can hardly see the blue but trust me -- it's there!

Here's a close up so that you can see the fun effect!

And that, my friends, is it! This is really a 10 minute creation. The hardest part was picking out the colors and I didn't even have to do that since my friend who showed me this technique did that for me! ;-)

Before I let you go --- remember -- today is the last day you can purchase the July New Release Bundle at a discount... you get 10% off all of the sets when you purchase them in the bundle. Now for the fun part, a time when you can hop around and see all the other gorgeous creations from the Flourishes Design Team! Make sure to stop by.......

And, while you are hopping, check out the Flourishes Blog HERE for a fun little designer focus on the talented Heather Jensen! See you back here tomorrow! I'm helping usher in one of the Birthday Celebration Challenges for Flourishes and this one will be a fun one! So, stay tuned!


~Julie
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Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Sneaks are OVER!

Hasn't this been a fun July Release? Just in case you wondered -- ALL of the sets that we have been sneak peeking this week are LIVE in the Flourishes store HERE! I know you've enjoyed it as much as we have in bringing it to you, but it's not over quite yet! We're so excited to bring you one more stamp set, and it's a fantastic new Birthday and Celebration set today! We think it's the cutest thing ever, and we know when you see it you'll agree! Introducing....
   PinwheelsGraphic   

 Light it up and help those in your life to wish big! This set is perfect to send a little note of celebration in an envelope. From "cool" images to "sweet" sentiments, Pinwheels and Popsicles illustrated by Marcella Hawley is the perfect birthday stamp set! Set measures 4" by 6" and offers five main images and seven fun-filled coordinating sentiments. If you like this set and want some super fun ideas on how to use it check our our new offering for July!

  ClassInABox-JulyGFX 

Our Class in a Box was SO popular last month -- it sold out in 12 hours!! Need some quick and easy card inspiration delivered right to your door? Look no further than this kit! It comes with all the supplies needed to make 6 cards -- 2 each of three designs. All pieces are pre-cut and ready to assemble, with embellishments and everything! Just stamp, color and put them together! When you're done, save the full color, glossy instructions to make all of these cards on your own in the future. The instructions are great layout ideas for any and all of Flourishes sets! The kit comes with the Pinwheels and Popsicles Stamp Set (SS247) embellishments, ribbons, and pre-cut decorative paper, the remaining True Friends 6 by 6" paper pack plus card stock for card bases.You can check it out HERE! But, hurry before this kit is gone!

Want to see one of the cards in this Class in a Box a little closer?

As you can see, I had a ton of fun with paper piecing and paper piercing! And... what's better? If you buy this month's Class In A Box -- you can have ALL the elements pre-cut to create this card -- including the stamp set! 

Here's a close up for you....


If you like our new set, you should know that it even a fun Silhouette Cut File designed just for this set. You can check it out the Pinwheels and Popsicles cut file HERE! And, while you are checking out that cut file -- you should know that we also have files for our new sets Dahlias, Garden Fairies, and Anemones as well! Just click the links to see. Want to win this set? Just try to figure out.....

  Mystery Blogger Graphic 

 Let us show this set off to you with the Senior Design Team, and remember today is your last chance to find out who is the Mystery Blogger in the Design Team. Comment on that Design Team Member's Blog and you could win today's set!
 

Do you want to win Flourishes' entire release?

If you would like a chance at winning all four of our now released July sets…
  • You can play in our It's Sketchy Challenge– there will be multiple winners there! Deadline for entries is TODAY at 5 PM EST. OR, play along with the gals for this week’s Timeless Tuesday Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules!
  • All four of our July sets are NOW AVAILABLE and you can check them out HERE. Take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all four together in a bundle. And, for even more creative options here’s the coordinating cut files for this release. Thank you for joining us for this month’s New Releases and all the great fun! We can’t wait to see what you create with this month’s sets!
  • Join us back here on the Flourishes Blog tomorrow for the Winner’s Circle where we’ll announce all of our winners of this weeks’ challenges!
  Thanks so much for joining us! We can't wait to see what YOU do with these new releases!

~Julie


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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Flourishes Sneaks Day 3: Anemones!

There are some sets that are so touching and fit a purpose that you really needed.  They are sets that conveys those messages of concern and care that are really meaningful. We think this is one of those beautiful sets!  We're pleased to introduce to you....  

  AnemonesGraphic 

The latest offering from artist Sam Pickard is a perfect stamp set to have on hand to let your friends in need know that you care. This 4 by 6" set features a beautiful bunch of Anemone flowers, a single stem, plus five beautifully scripted sentiments all with a calm and caring message.

On to my creation....

When I saw this image, I saw it bathed in sunlight and with more of a sketchy, watercolor feel. Even though I picked up my Copics to color this image, I wanted that loosey, goosey look -- one without precision. So... here goes! I stamped the Anemones on Flourishes White Card Stock, trimmed, paper pierced and then had some fun with my Copic markers. See below for the three collections that I used. After I finished coloring up my image, I did sponge some Distress Ink in the shade of Scattered Straw. From there, it's just matting up my image! I layered a couple patterned papers onto both Flourishes Classic White and Classic Black. Add some silver cording and... almost done! I did stamp my sentiment using Versafine Black Onyx so that my sentiment would really pop. If you've never tried that ink -- it is a super true black. you can't use it with Copic markers because it will smear, but for single things like sentiments -- works perfect!

Here's a close up of my flowers.....


And that, my friends, is it! I think you'll love this set and I'm excited to see what the rest of the Design Team has in store! Also... you'll need to leave some comments and try to figure out...

  Mystery Blogger Graphic   

There's another Mystery Blogger to find today.  Hidden among the Design Team's blogs today is our Mystery Blogger of the day.  Comment on her blog and you could be chosen to win today's set!  The more you comment, the better your chances. So, hop on over and see.....

Do you want to win Flourishes' entire release?

If you would like a chance at winning all four of Flourishes' soon-to-be released July sets…
  • You can play in the It's Sketchy Challenge – there will be multiple winners there! Deadline for entries is FRIDAY JULY 12th at 5 PM EST. OR, play along with the gals for this week’s Timeless Tuesday Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules!
  • All four of our July sets can be pre-ordered now, even before you see them all! Take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all four together in a bundle.
  • All sets will be live first thing Friday morning along with the coordinating cut files for this release.
  • Come back to the Flourishes Blog Saturday for the Winner’s Circle where we’ll announce all of our winners of this weeks’ challenges!
Join us back here tomorrow for a Summer set that's ready to PARTY! It's adorable, delicious and perfect for sending fun birthday wishes!

~Julie
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Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Flourishes Sneaks Day 2: Garden Fairies!

Dappled summer light and pretty flowers, don't you sometimes wonder what sweet little creatures might be visiting your flower garden?  Today we have a precious set to show you that might just have you believing in fairies!
  GardenFairiesGrahpic 

Add a dash of whimsy with these sweet little ladies who love to flutter and fly through the garden. This set, penned by Lauren Pope offers two main fairy images and five beautifully scripted sentiments to lift spirits and bring smiles! Set measures 4 by 6".

On to my creation!

I just saw something light and sparkly with this little lady. And I found it with fun pops of purple, glitter glue and the same border I used on yesterday's card from the Far and Away Border Strips pack! I stamped my little garden fairy using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink onto Flourishes Classic White and then... colored her up with my Copic Markers! See the list below for all the color collections that I used! After I was done, I grabbed some scraps from my decorative paper bin, added some lace, the glitter border and a fun crystal button threaded with gold cording. The sentiment was added onto a punched oval and decked out with some gold bling. 

Here's a close up so you can SEE all that sparkle! ;-) She's so sweet I might just get a cavity from looking at her! 

And that, my friends is it! The Flourishes girls have some sweet and dreamy things to show you today so head on over to visit them and don't forget that you have to figure out.....

  Mystery Blogger Graphic   

Hidden among the Design Team's blogs today is our Mystery Blogger of the day.  Comment on her blog and you could be chosen to win today's set!  The more you comment, the better your chances. So get movin'!
 

Do you want to win this entire release?

If you would like a chance at winning all four of Flourishes soon-to-be released July sets…
  • You can play in our It's Sketchy Challenge – there will be multiple winners there! Deadline for entries is FRIDAY JULY 12th at 5 PM EST. OR, play along with the gals for this week’s Timeless Tuesday Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules!
  • All four of the July sets can be pre-ordered now, even before you see them all! Take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all four together in a bundle.
  • All sets will be live first thing Friday morning along with the coordinating cut files for this release.
  • Come back to the Flourishes Blog Saturday for the Winner’s Circle where we’ll announce all of our winners of this weeks’ challenges!
Join us back here tomorrow for something beautiful from our newest illustrator Sam Pickard! They are fresh cut beauties straight from the garden that are just begging to be colored!

~Julie
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Monday, July 8, 2013

A Challenge and... Day 1 of Flourishes Sneaks!

Welcome to Day 1 of the Flourishes July Release Week!  Are you as excited as I am about seeing what Flourishes has to offer this month?!  We are simply giddy about introducing the first of FOUR new stamp sets this month.  Don't forget, you'll have MANY instances to WIN some of our new stamp sets for your very own! And this, our first new stamp set....
  DahliasGraphic .

These beautiful buds, illustrated by Marcella Hawley are as though they are fresh clipped from the garden.  These breathtaking Dahlias would be a prize on any card or creation! This 4 by 6" set features two gorgeous main images plus five all-occasion sentiments, perfect for all kinds of creations.

On to my creation! As you'll see as you make the rounds, the Flourishes Design Team is being joined by the Friends of Flourishes Team and together we are ushering in one fun-filled challenge! It's one that, if you play along, you can win Flourishes ENTIRE JULY RELEASE! So, how do you play? Simply use acetate anywhere on your card or creation! Easy peasy! And, if you haven't tried Flourishes Clear Card Stock-- now's the time! It's amazing stuff!

For my creation, I chose to create a little sentiment window, which I thought was fun!

How did I do it? Really, it is as simple as piecing together strips of decorative paper to create that front panel. I used Flourishes Classic White as my base, trimmed so that there was a 2-1/2" inch topper on my card, took a strip of Flourishes Clear Card Stock and ran it through my Grand Calibur using a Swiss Dots embossing folder. I attached that to the white card stock and then covered up the seam with the decorative green paper. I did the same for the bottom. I attached the decorative green strip and then covered up the glue line with the pink decorative paper. This also beefed up my card so that I wasn't using near text weight paper for  my card base. Add some sheer ribbon, a little gold cording and that's pretty much the base of your card. 

I love how when you close the card, you can see the sentiment from the set in the window! 


Here's a close up of those GORGEOUS Dahlias! I stamped on Flourishes Classic White and then colored with Copic markers. You can check my supply list below for a look at the collections that I used to color this up!


And one of the touches I added that I LOVE is the glitter border. It really adds some sparkle in real life! It's a part of the Far and Away Borders pack. I love reaching for these borders when you don't feel like using your die cut machine -- it's detail in a jiffy! See?


And that, my friends, is it! Would you like ANOTHER way to win this set? It is as simple as leaving some love in the form of a comment on our designers' blogs. Why? Well, one of them will be picking names from comments and you won't know......


So comment away -- you could win this gorgeous new set called Dahlias! Just hop on over and see.....

So, if you would like to play along, just know that you have until next Monday at 6PM to enter. And, if you want to read up on the official rules (there are a few to follow) just click HERE. Thanks for stopping by everyone. Be sure to swing back by tomorrow when I share another new Flourishes set! This next set is a whimsical peek at those darling little friends that hang out in gardens far and wide in the imaginations of folks young and old. Does that have you guessing? Come back tomorrow to see!

~Julie

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Thursday, July 4, 2013

Time for a Flourishes Release Week Challenge!

It's July!  And we're ushering in a brand new month of great stamps in the coming week from Flourishes!  So that means a great new challenge and we're inviting you to join us in!  This month it's a fun sketch to get your creativity jump-started! Here's a peek at the sketch!

  July13SketchChallenge+copy 


And, here's a look at what I did with it!


I kept my layout simple because whenever I make a card with a window -- Murphy's Law -- something turns out crooked. Or, I smear ink or... something happens where I need to start the whole shebang over again. I kid you not! So, I held my breath and made a rather simple card! (Emphasis on the whole holding my breath thing!) 

My card was easy since I picked up the 123 Create Kit called Prairie Chic. I used the yellow decorative paper from it. Added a little wood grain that I had in my scrap bin. A tag was added thanks to a circle punch, some twine and a little vintage safety pin. I cut the circle thanks to a Spellbinders Classic Circles LG die. Before I matted up my decorative paper, I did sponge on some Scattered Straw Distress Ink so that I actually used the card as my mask. I wanted it to have a glow about it when you opened the card. Thanks to the Silhouette Cut File designed for the S'more Fun stamp set, I had a perfect cut out of that darling lantern image! I colored my image up with Copics (see listing below for colors used) and when I was all done I added some glitter glue at the area where my lantern flame was and then created a frame thanks to some paper piercing.... ta da! 

And, here's a close up of the window....
And that, my friends is it!

HOW DO YOU PLAY IN THIS FUN-FILLED CHALLENGE?

  • Simply create a card using this sketch in the graphic above.
  • Entries need to be in by Friday July 12th at 5 PM EST
  • Those entries using Flourishes Stamps will be counted twice
  • You must link your creation on our InLinkz Widgit HERE to be counted
  • You must have a link to our challenge in your blog post or gallery post
  • Please DO NOT combine challenges.  Only those entries that don’t combine will be in the running
  • If you upload to SCS please use the keyword FLLCJUL13
  • Winners will be announced over on the Flourishes Blog on Saturday July 13th, so check back then to find out if you are a winner!


  • Now, for some lovely inspiration with this sketch here's what the Design Team has to show off...

    Thanks for stopping by today! Can't wait to see what you come up with using this sketch! And, mark your calendar because  TUESDAY July 9th ---- the Flourishes Sneak Peeks start! See you back here then!

    ~Julie

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