Wishing you and those you love nothing but the best in 2011! I hope you enjoy this time with family and are able to truly enjoy what this beautiful season is all about! I am going to take some down time from blogging but will be back after the first of the year to share some fun and excitement. Happy stamping and have a blessed holiday!
Are you walking in a winter wonderland where you live? In my neck of the woods, it's more like these ice skaters! We had a warm up, but not enough to melt the streets and then... the cold hit so -- cars are skating left and right! (Thankfully, it's only on the side streets).
Anywhoo... this card was super duper easy peasy! I stamped the Vintage Postcard on Flourishes Classic White card stock using Platinum Brilliance ink -- which is like a silver shimmer and then accented with a B0000 Copic marker (super light blue). Add an embossed backgound, a linen ribbon and some pearl swirls and... done! I did add some glitter to parts of my snow covered areas -- but it's hard to tell. All in all, it's just a soft looking card.
Glad you stopped by "my place!" Wishing you the best the season has to offer -- however you celebrate!
Then, I stamped my flowers "in" the mug so that it would look like they were setting inside....
Remove the mask and... voila!
The next step in my creation is actually reverse masking. I wanted to use the polka dots in this set to deck out my mug. So, I made a reverse mask like this....
I stamped the dots multiple times using Angel Pink Memento ink....
Remove the mask and... you have a cute polka dot mug!
And, this is what it looked like after I colored it up. I also added a little sentiment on my mug. Unfortunately, with cold and flu season -- I'm thinking it won't be long before I send this one out. I colored with a mix of Copic markers. I grabbed the Sweet Pea, Hydrangea, Peony, Daffodill and Spring Greens collections grouped by Flourishes and just used a couple colors from each.
And... ta da! The finished creation with some decorative paper, crocheted lace, a dash of pearls and scallops.
I hope this little tutorial on masking with the Mix-n-Mugs set was helpful. I really think this set has so many possibilities. Don't like to mask? Try paper piecing. Don't like to paper piece? Try using the mugs or the fun things to stuff inside on their own! I know I won't run out of ideas any time soon! :-) 
I wanted to use a calendar page to create a cute Happy New Year card. So, print the calendar off and let the fun begin! I used a mix of little items from a few different sets. I used a small circle from the retired Flourished Elements set, the sentiment is from the Holiday Greetings set, and the champagne glass (which I stamped twice to look as though they were clinking) from the You Are Invited set. I grabbed some BasicGrey (from Olivia) and another decorative paper scrap for my background, mat it all up on some silver mirror paper, add some clear rhinestones, some glitter glue on the champagne bubbles and some sheer white ribbon and... done!
There you have it! An easy peasy lemon squeezy card to wish someone a very Happy New Year! Need some inspiration on how to use this handy template? Hop on over and see our Design Team's creations!
This set gorgeously drawn by Marcella Hawley offers not only a cluster of clematis adorned with a gorgeous peacock butterfly but single images that you can mix and match to create endless looks. Not to mention, there's a handful of beautiful sentiments to match!
Would you like to win this set? Head on over to the Flourishes Blog and leave some love in the form of a comment to be in the running for the daily giveaway!
Now, on to my creation! When Marcella first showed me her drawings, I gasped. I absolutely loved the butterfly in this set. So, I wanted to showcase this little "lady" all on it's own. So, I stamped on Flourishes Classic White and masked and let the fun begin!
After I stamped and masked, I colored the butterflies up with Copic markers and used the Tigerlily, Flesh Tones 2 and Cool Neutrals collections grouped by Flourishes. I used the drop shadow technique and just shaded the areas that might have a shadow. I started with the C05, and then added C03 and C01 and blended with C00 to create the look.
After I was finished, I matted it up on some Basic Grey Ambrosia paper, added a punched sentiment (from the set), added some black bling and some ribbon and... done!
I had so much fun with this set that... I spent a ton of time playing!
Hi all! It's the first Monday of the month, which means the beauty girls are at it again with this month's challenge!
HERE'S HOW TO PLAY: it's the Deck the Halls Beautiful Challenge! For this month’s Bringing Back Beautiful Challenge, use beauty in stamping to create an accent piece for a table, a mantle, a decoration or any kind of home décor. ‘Tis the season for stamping and entertaining –so let’s see if you can create a match made in heaven by using both! Link up your Bringing Back Beautiful creation here. If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword BBB05. You have until December 31st to enter! As we unveil our challenge for next month, we’ll share our True Beauties – those card makers who wowed us with this challenge! Winners will be featured on the Flourishes Blog and will receive a True Beauty blog button to display proudly on their blog!
Now... to my creation! My project isn't necessarily for the holidays but would be a fun, inexpensive gift for someone on your list that you love! This is what you need...
Supplies: I had seen folks do resist embossing plenty of times on paper and thought -- what if you did this on a home decor item? Well, if you do that you get what some call.. Antique Embossing! First, start by painting the base of your frame a solid color. I chose a metallic bronze so that my frame would look almost like aged copper when I was done.
Then, using Versamark ink, I stamped my leaves and embossed with the clear embossing powder.
Afterward, I created a wash with 3/4 acryllic brown paint and 1/4 water. Using the foam brush, you apply a light, almost streaky coat and let this dry. I wanted my leaves to really POP so, I applied a second coat and then let dry. Now the fun begins! Take a slightly damp paper towel and remove the paint from the embossed areas. You have to be somewhat careful so that you are only removing the paint from the embossed portions. See?
And, this is a look at my finished product!
I wish you could really see the metallic sheen in the photo! I did end up sealing this with a clear acryllic spray, just to add a little sheen. You don't need to, but I thought it would be easier to preserve. And, there you have it -- a pic of me and my DS to keep in our home or give to someone (like maybe his nana) that loves us both! :-)
If you'd like to check out the challenge, click HERE and don't forget to hop on over and see some of the other beauty girls and their fabulous creations!
Beate Johns
Cindy Coutts
Kathy Jones
Yvonne Hagane
Heather Jensen
HOW TO PLAY: As the winter snow continues to fly, let's wash our cards and creations with white! Show off a little pop of color, but make sure the overall feeling is white! To enter Flourishes' Winter White challenge, simply link your card up HERE. If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword FLLCDEC10. You have until December 10th at 5 PM Eastern to enter! Use Flourishes stamps if you have them, but if you don't, please play along anyway! The winner will recieve all of our new releases for the month!
On to my creation! 
The challenge said to have a "little pop of color".... right? Well, I think I went a tad overboard on the red but... I couldn't help it! :-) This card couldn't be easier. I just stamped the snow guy from the Warm Winter Wishes set on Flourishes Classic White, coloring him up with Copic markers (I used markers from the Poppy, and Flesh Tones 2 collections along with a few grey blue markers) and , highlighting with B0000 and then adding in some sparkle thanks to some glitter glue. Add some decorative paper (Bo Bunny and BasicGrey) and then layer on an embossed piece of white paper, paper pierce and add some buttons with some fun peppermint twine and... that, my friends, is it!
This stamp is part of a set called Letters Mingle Souls. After stamping on white, I colored it up with Copic Markers (RV32, RV34, Y21, Y23, YG63, G40, V01, V04, E25, E31, C01, C03 and B000 to highlight around my letter). Mat it up with some decorative paper (Kaiser Craft), some fun ribbon (May Arts), crocheted lace, and some decorative stitching and.. done!
Hi all and Happy Wednesday! This morning when I opened up my email, I got this wonderful surprise from fellow stamper Diane Long. How fun is this? Thanks Diane! With the award, you're supposed to list three things about yourself. HHhhhmmmm.... I love to dance and often do it as I clean house to make that job less miserable. I think coloring should be part of a religion because there is nothing more peaceful and introspective than sitting down for some quiet time with a marker or pencil. I love playing Guitar Hero with my kids. There you have it... three kind of off the wall things about me. HA!
I colored this up with a few Copic markers (YG00,YG03,R29, R24, G28, G19, Y21, y23, B0000 and then, where the leaded areas area, I used a grey Copic Spica pen to add some razzle dazzle. Add some decorative paper and some sheer ribbon and... voila! Easy peasy!
Hi all! Hope you are enjoying your Thanksgiving weekend. I am! We are just chilling... kinda like this snowguy above! We "tried" to go shopping yesterday to no avail. There wasn't much on my lists that was on sale so I decided not to brave the crowd. I laughingly said I was going to buy a t-shirt that read..."WELL RESTED" and wear it all Black Friday. My husband thought that was a death wish among competitive and sleep deprived women looking for that almighty deal. Oh well... I still giggled.
Yes, you can see we won't be out grilling on the patio anytime soon! So, instead, I cozied up and worked on a U.F.O. (unfinished object!) I've been working on this sweater forever and I am bound and determined to finish it up before Christmas!!! I have to knit the sleeves and collar and... done!
My mom's hands were going so fast with those knitting needles you can see a blur!!! Look at that look of concentration!
The little gal, DD, was busy reading in the bean bag...I'm not sure if I even brushed her hair in between knitting and making the Thanksgiving dinner... ;-)
And, DS just wanted to look cerebral. Um... ok. :-)
