Friday, September 11, 2009

The Feel of Fall -- the final day!

This year, more than a million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Some will win the fight... others won't. Truth be told, not one of us will live our lives and not be touched in some way by this disease. I lost my God mother to this disease. I watched a friend at church lose her life fighting. I prayed for a colleage this year as she underwent surgery and radiation and is now cancer free.

Thankfully, when I send out words of encouragement to other "sisters" down the road who will face this fight, I will have a stamp set to make cards to honor their journey....

Introducing....

This spunky and fun set that will be released this Friday at Flourishes is what happens when one designer's idea collides with the talent of one of Flourishes' artists. I'm proud to say, I'm that designer. When you have an idea, and you have a friend that is one the most talented ladies in the industry - Marcella Hawley - you bounce ideas off of her! When I shared my "concept" of subliminally hiding the breast cancer awareness ribbon in different feminine images, she just took it and ran with it. The result is a set that sisters, moms, aunts, friends, grandmas and YOU can use to share encouragement to those facing breast cancer or to honor those who have survived it. It's a way for us to stand together to help eachother "fight like girls!"

When the "Flourishes" i.e. Jan, Nancy and Sharon talked about this set, they knew they wanted to use it to help others in the fight. That's why a portion of each stamp set sold will go to help STAMP OUT breast cancer and support Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This grassroots effort has, to date, invested more than $1 billion in the fight against breast cancer. Susan G. Komen for the Cure is an effort that is working to save lives, empower people, and energize science to find a cure. I couldn't think of a better group to join in the fight! If you'd like to read more, simply visit http://www.komen.org/.

Now to my cards..... I couldn't make just one!
For my first card, I really wanted to play up the fun images in this set! And, what better way to have fun than to paper piece! I love how the breast cancer awareness ribbon is hidden in the lipstick, and in the purse handle! The message on this one is simple -- I wear Pink!! The papers are a mix of scraps from my pink dp drawer. The images were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and some of them (the lipstick and green portions of the purse) were accented with a touch of color thanks to my Copic markers (RV14 and YG00)

Here's a close up! See the bling I added to the t-shirt? FUN!

Now to my second creation - I wanted a simple, feminine card so I picked this fun dress in the set. I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink one time on my main piece of paper, I shaped this piece with the help of the new Labels 8 Spellbinders Nestabilities dies. Then, using Brilliance Orchid ink, I stamped the skirt onto vellum and cut out the flouncy parts to add as an overlay. Color up the body with some light pink Copic markers (RV00 and RV02) and add some fun pearls, a beautiful pink satin ribbon and you're almost done!

See the splash of glitz around the edge of my die cut white piece? After embossing my Labels 8 die, I took a clear Stardust pen and just colored that embossed ridge! I love how much punch this little glitter pen packs!

I wish I would have gotten a close up of just my embossed background. I used a fun technique to add some sparkle and pizazz. I embossed it using a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder that I inked up with Versamark ink. Yep, I inked the recessed side. I put my pink piece of paper through and after I removed it from my folder, I brushed on some Micropearl Pearl Ex powder. The powder stuck to the ink and not to the embossed areas for a really fun look!

That's it my friends! The rest of the Senior DT doled out some Pink Power and created some really fun creations! Be sure to stop by and check out...

Christine Okken
Faith Hofrichter
Latisha Yoast
Laura Fredrickson
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Nancy Kirk
Sharon Doolittle

Want to be tickled pink and win this set? All you need to do is leave a comment over at the Flourishes Newsletter!

DON'T FORGET, you still have a chance to win all four new releases by entering our Feel of Fall challenge! You can read all about it HERE! The contest closes today at 4PM Central... so hurry up and get your entries in!

We hope to see you tonight at our POWER HOUR RELEASE PARTY!!! It's sure to be a rip roarin' good ole time! It starts at 9 PM Central over in the Flourishes Forum on Splitcoast! And remember, all four new sets will go live in the Flourishes store - just as our power hour wraps up!

See you all back here soon!

23 comments:

lisa808 said...

Julie, this set is awesome and so are your cards!!!

Darlene said...

WOW what a wonderful stamp set ... it's about time!!!
Your creations are beautiful! Love all the extra detail you put into them! Awesome!! Have a great weekend my friend!!

Amy said...

Julie, this is a beautiful set, so different from anything I've ever seen. Great job! I look forward to seeing more with it! Hugs!
Amy

Jerri Kay said...

A wonderful cause Julie! I lost my grandmother to breast cancer. I have been a contributor to the Susan Komen foundation long before my grandmother was diagnosed, as I have lost friends to the disease as well. I think it's wonderful that Flourishes has taken up the cause! Your designs are both fabulous and very creative!

Laura (scrapnextras) said...

Love them both Julie! The fisrt is funky and fun and the second is elegant and pretty!

denise g. said...

Wow, Oh, Wow!

slbt17 said...

very nice, thanks for the inspiration!
Sandra

Francie G. said...

Wow! These are all so beautiful! I can feel my bank account gettin smaller! Thanks for the inspiration!

The Rubber Maid said...

What an awesome idea to send a card to a woman struglling with this terrible disease but instead of bringing her down...lifting her spirits. These cards are just fabulous and Flourishes offering up money to the cause is so generous and compassionate. What a wonderful gesture and what a wonderful set. I am impressed! Mom

Whimsey said...

Oh I am so excited about this stamp set - you have ROCKED these cards; amazing and beautiful creations!!!!

Stacy Morgan said...

Awesome! Your cards are great, the paper piecing with the purse is a great idea. I love the skirt on the second card, just beauitful!

Anonymous said...

Julie has anyone told you that YOU ARE BRILLIANT!! What a wonderful design idea and combined with Marcella's incredible talent whoooweee!!! I am so getting this set!! My Aunt and my best friend are Survivors!! Your cards are fabulous,I love the vellum overlay on the skirt! Thanks so much Julie!
hugs,Deena

MicheyMoo said...

Julie.

Your cards are just so gorgeous. I love what you've done with both of them.

I can't wait to order this set and start using it for my patients.

Thank you for having not only having an idea for this but, for sharing it with such a wonderful artist and then helping to create something so beautifully feminine yet powerfully hopeful as well.

Michey xxx

ChristineCreations said...

They are fabulous Julie! The first is so fun, I love the paper piecing and the little additions of color with the copics.

And OH the ribbons on the dress are just beautiful cut out like that. What a gorgeous elegant card!

dpkennedy said...

Wow, both of your cards are just gorgeous! Love what you did with that dress!

Traci M said...

Your cards creatively bring to life these stamps sets in a beautiful way!! I am so glad this set is being added to Flourishes!

Ida said...

Simply beautiful cards. Elegant and wonderful.

Dru said...

Very pretty Julie, love the embossed panel and the technique you used on the skirt!

Leslie Miller said...

Julie, your cards are so pretty and fun! The second one with the skirt overlay -- wow! Love that!!

Latisha said...

Julie these are so beautiful!! Your concept for this set is perfect and so unique!!

Jack said...

Beautiful work for a great cause. On the topic of breast cancer awareness, I invite you to check out this video -- ahamoment.com/pg/moments/view/6789 -- about a remarkable woman's "aha moment" that led her to walk around the world for the cause. Literally. It's a wonderful story, and it's about a lot more than breast cancer. I know you'll find it extremely inspiring.

All the best,
jack@ahamoment.com

Anonymous said...

This is an incredible set, I love how the pink ribbon has been incorporated, genius!
Great cards!

Kris Kilcoyne said...

Thank you for coming up with this idea.

It's a beautiful stamp set that will mean SO much to SO many people.