One BIG Happy Birthday!!!!

Let’s light the candles and strike up the music!! The owner of Flourishes – Jan Marie Caruso – is celebrating a birthday and we’re helping her by getting the party started! Why not leave some love on the Flourishes blog HERE and while you are there, start to hop on through the Flourishes team members who are honoring her special day! Jan Marie is the kind of lady that when you meet her, you feel like you've known her forever -- she's about as warm and generous as they come! So... Happy Birthday Jan Marie! We hope you kick up your heels and relax and hope that your day is the absolute best!

For my creation, I pulled out the All Wrapped Up set. I just love the wrapped packages in this set -- so perky!

After coloring it up with a mix of Copics (RV32, RV34, RV02, RV00, B000, B0000, BG10, and BG11), I stamped the bow a second time and colored it up, cutting it out and popping it up on my package. Cut it out using a circle die, add some paper piercing and some stitching, some bling, a fun and festive cotton linen ribbon and a sentiment stamped on a pennant (one of the brand new Spellbinders pennants) with a great sentiment from the Enjoy the Ride set. The decorative paper is BasicGrey Olivia.

And here's a close up of the little sentiment! I love little sayings like this -- perfect for the front of a card!

Be sure to hop on over and give Jan a Happy Birthday shout out over at her home on the web HERE and... while you're hopping, check out these fun and festive wishes and grab some great ideas for birthday cards along the way!

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence -- has some candy to honor the birthday girl!
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Leslie Miller -- has blog candy for the BIG day!
Stacy Morgan
Betty Wright
Cindy Haffner
Dee Jackson
Maki Jones
Silke Ledlow
Tammy Hershberger
Beate Johns
Cindy Coutts -- is keeping the party going with blog candy!
Heather Jensen
Kathy Jones
Yvonne Hagane

Thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes of your day with me! TGIF... and have a great weekend too!



p.s.I almost forgot! Have you checked out Flourishes' Gambler's Sale? All sale prices on the Sale Page are now at least 25% off! Click HERE to check it out!

Free For All FRIDAY!

TGIF! Today feels extra special because the kiddos have the day off which means, I think I will too! ;-)  And, being Friday, it's a free for all day for the gals over at Flourishes. All the gals are showing off some of their favorite projects using one of the two new sets that Flourishes just released last week.

What set did I pick? From the Desk of! And, my creation began with this little guy....

I had a bunch of these ATC envelopes. I wish I knew where I got them, but for some reason, I bought a pack of 50. So, before long, I had created a group of six mini cards! (They all measure roughly 2-1/2" by 3-1/2" when folded)

This being one....

 Here was another....

And another one...

For all three I stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento on Classic White Card Stock. Then, I pulled out the Copics and used the Peony, Spring Greens, Sunflower and Flesh Tones 2 collections grouped by Flourishes. Once I was done, I shaded with B0000 and then... added some glitter glue. I also added some score lines, just to give the front of some of these minis a little extra "ooomph!" I was actually inspired to do that thanks to one of the cards in THIS beautiful post from my teammate Christine. I just loved the look!

So, when I was all done, I put all six cards and the envies in a little tin that I altered in coordinating colors. I even found a small little pen (that I stole from a little notebook I got in the dollar section at Michaels.) See?

And, this is what it looks like all together! I used a flower from the Prima Dogwood Calcutta collection to give the lid of my tin a bit of pizazz. I just love the shabby look of them! The paper is BasicGrey Eva. I also stamped "From the Desk Of" on a pennant tag to adorn the front of my altered tin.

And there you have it... a little tin full of 6 easy and ready-to-go notes with a pen for gifts, little thank yous, or little notes of encouragement! I am not sure if I will keep this at my desk or give it as a little gift. I might need some more tins to make up a bunch of these!

Be sure to hop on over and see the rest of the Flourishes gals and what they created this week!

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Burnworth
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Jan Marie Caruso

And.... more goodies to report. Have you checked out the....

Everything on Flourishes Sale Page is now 20% off! Click HERE to check it out! This is also the last day to take advantage of the February New Release Bundle -- that's where you can buy both of the new sets for 10% off! Click HERE to check that out!

Well folks, hope you have a fabulous weekend! It's my son's last weekend of basketball... :-( So, LET'S GO RAMS!  See you all back here soon!

It's a cupcake kind of day!

Doesn't that title sound delish? I think so, but I have a major sweet tooth! It's all about cupcakes for the Impression Obsession challenge! And, thus... the title of this post! All you need to do is make a cupcake the centerpiece of your creation, use IO stamps to do so and you could win $25 to the Impression Obsession store.

So... here goes! I bet you've never seen a cupcake quite like this! :-)

I love this image because not only is it sweet... but after a long week... I could use a tropical escape! This is one of the new stamps from Leigh Hannan called Palm Cupcake. The sentiment is from Alesa Baker called Sweet Wishes. After stamping, I colored the cake up with Copic markers (RV32, RV34, RV02, RV00, E31, E33, E27, E25, YG03, YG06, YG63) After I was done stamping, I did sponge some Angelic Pink Memento ink around the cupcake (I did leave the Spellbinder's Oval die I used to cut the oval on the shape while I sponged to leave that white edge.The oval was matted on a shape cut with a Spellbinders Beaded Oval die, which was embossed and sanded to reveal the paper's white core) Add some fun decorative paper, an embossed and sanded edge, some cotton ribbon and my sentiment on a punched oval and... ta da!!!

Want to get a "taste" of some other delicious cupcakes? Head on over and see what the rest of the IO DT whipped up this week! Or, if you want more details on the challenge, don't forget to click HERE!

Daniela Dobson
Deborah March
Dina Kowal
Jeanne Streiff
Jenny Gropp
Laura Fulcher
Shirley Ross
Kelli Richardson

Hope your week is ending on a high note! I've gotten some emails asking about my puppy -- thanks bunches! She gets her "cone of shame" off tomorrow and hopefully stitches come out then too. Yeah! Being that she is a herding dog, both my hubby and I are getting tired of being "coned" by her -- so we will love her getting that off just as much as she will! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by and saying "hi!" See y'all back here soon!

Mix and Match Patterns!

Hey all! How's your week shaping up? Good I hope! I'm squeaking in the Timeless Tuesday challenge.. on Tuesday! That hardly ever happens in my world!!! :-) Betty Wright is the hostess with the mostess this week over on the Flourishes Blog and her challenge was to add not one, not two, but three pattern papers to your cards! The patterns can be bold and dramatic or soft and mellow.. your choice!

So... here's what I came up with....

I kind of went for a bold look... big polka dots, a small patterned green paper (as a mat to my berries) and then a kind of distressed light pink pattern... all adds up to a lot going on but I kinda dig it! LOL! Since my patterns were pink, I stamped on classic white cardstock and then chose to color up my strawberries with shades of pink Copic Markers as well. I used the Spring Greens and Peony Collections grouped by Flourishes. I also added a smidgeon of yellow on the little flowers (Y08 and Y13). Add some B0000 to highlight and some glitter glue to the flowers' centers and... almost done! Mat it up, add some bling, a sentiment matted up on a Spellbinders' Blossom die cut shape (embossed and sanded), add a ribbon and bow and.... Ta Da!!! :-) I have to tell you, I just love coloring up those strawberries. Gets me in the mood for summer! We had a 63 degree day here in Billings, which is a tad unusual for February so -- I was lovin' it! 

Want to join in on this week's Timeless Tuesday Challenge? Just click HERE! You have until next Monday to enter!

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back Thursday with another challenge and this one promises to be really sweet! :-)

It's a Wrap!

Hi all! I hope you've enjoyed peeks at both of Flourishes new stamp sets! It was fun sharing these sets because I just think they are so classic. As Flourishes wraps of their Release Week, the DT is just showing off one more sample this week with one of the two sets.

So... here goes!

For this easy peasy card, I just stamped the daises and books from the new From the Desk Of set on watercolor paper and colored it up with watercolor pencils blending the color with a water brush, add in some twine, a button, some fun decorative paper (BasicGrey Eva and BasicGrey Manilla), a notebook punch, and a sewn edge. I did the name using the "From the Desk of" stamp in the set and then added my name thanks to an alphabet set. I also sponged on some Antique Linen Distress ink around the edges of my stamped image and the notebook style paper. And.... voila! Like I said, easy peasy lemon squeezy!
If you want a peek at the new sets, just travel to the store HERE! Don't forget about Flourishes' New Release Bundle - 10% off both sets! You have to hurry though -- this offer ends February 18th! And, if you still want a chance to win both sets, you'll need to check out The Winter Thaw Challenge - HERE! You have until today at 5 PM Eastern Standard Time to get those entries in! Flourishes will announce the winner tomorrow over on their blog!

Trust me, there's some serious eye candy over on the design team members' blogs! ! So, click on over and see......

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan

Thanks for joining me this week! It was a blast!See you back here soon!

It's Shopping Time!

I love sharing this post because after all the teasing of the week, it's time to showcase what you can now get your hands on! Flourishes February release is officially there for the taking! I do have to say we had a blast showing off the sneak peeks and had fun chatting it up with you at the release party! So, without further ado....

Hello Hyacinth

 From the Desk Of

You can find both sets HERE and don't forget about the New Release Bundle -- where you can get both sets bundled together at 10% off!

I'll be back with another creation showcasing this set tomorrow... so stay tuned!

Let's just write a letter.....

As card makers, it's in our creative blood to love sending snail mail. We create with whimsy in hopes that those on the receiving end of our creations will feel the joy we felt creating the cards and gifts. Well, today as Flourishes unveils their second set for February, they honor cardmakers far and wide and give them an elegant set for their all occassion cards!

Introducing.....

This beautiful set by Marcella Hawley gives you three focal images to send some love in an envelope. Blooming Dogwood branches arching over letter-writing supplies, a packet of treasured letters tied in ribbon, and a desktop bouquet give you plenty of options. There's even a tiny inkwell. Add in four beautifully scripted sentiments, and this set is sure to be one you reach for when it comes time to create an all-occasion card! Would you like to win this set? Simply leave a comment on today's post over on the Flourishes Blog and you'll be in the running!

On to my simple creation!

When I saw these stacked letters tied with a beautiful bow, I just knew it would be a favorite of mine! I stamped it up on watercolor paper and used watercolor pencils. Add some paper piercing and some beautiful BasicGrey paper and you're almost done! The ribbon is actually THIS ribbon -- but I colored it with a Copic marker - V09 - to get it to match my paper. I also added a button from the BasicGrey Jovial collection.

Don't you love this sentiment? It says "To send a letter is a good way to go anywhere without moving anything but your heart." How sweet is that?

There you go... a sweet and simple creation that is ready to stuff in an envelope and send! :-)

OTHER FLOURISHES FUN THIS WEEK!

• Flourishes’ Winter Thaw Challenge is in full swing! You could win Flourishes’ ENTIRE February release! Check it out HERE.
• Save a BUNDLE with Flourishes new release bundle! Purchase the entire release for 10% off! You can check it out HERE!
• Would you like to get your hands on our new sets NOW? Pre-order them HERE!
• Did you check out our SALE page? It's a Gambler's sale and each week prices drop another 5% until everything is gone! Click HERE to see what's on sale! Everything is now 15% OFF!

Now be sure to hop on over and see all the beautiful creations our design team and design guests whipped up using the From the Desk Of set!

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Jan Marie Caruso

Sharon Doolittle

Oh, before I forget -- THERE'S A PARTY TONIGHT AND....

Join Flourishes' DT with some chatter, fun, games and prizes! The Power Hour Release Party starts tonight, February 10th at 9 PM Central Time! You’ll find the party at the Flourishes’ Member Company Forum on SCS! And… after the party, you can check out the new sets live in the Flourishes store! How much fun is that?

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back tomorrow with one final look at this month's sets. So.... stay tuned!

Ready for a peek at the sneaks?

With February's sets, Flourishes is ready to melt off the snow and usher in some beautiful botanicals and sets that really deliver a dose of spring! Are you ready to get a peek at one of our two new sets?

Introducing....


Hello Hyacinth offers two beautiful images featuring Hyacinths - one is a gorgeous blooming bulb - the other is a hand tied bouquet so sweet that you can almost smell those flowers in bloom! This set, artfully drawn by Marcella Hawley, also features a dozen beautifully scripted sentiments to use for all occasions! Would you like to win this set? Simply leave us a comment here over on the Flourishes blog!

On to my creation!

Because this beautiful hyacinth is rather large in size, I wanted to keep my layout simple. So, here goes... I colored with Copic markers using the Spring Green, Flesh Tones 1 and Peony Collections and then highlighting with BG000 and BG0000. Add the sentiment - also from the set, a scalloped edge, some bling, a fun button, 1/4" silk ribbon and some pretty crochet lace and that's prett much it! Viola!


OTHER FLOURISHES FUN THIS WEEK!

• Flourishes' Winter Thaw Challenge is in full swing! You could win Flourishes' ENTIRE February release! Check it out HERE.
• Join our DT with some chatter, fun, games and prizes! Our Power Hour Release Party starts tomorrow night, February 10th at 9 PM Central time! You'll find the party at the Flourishes' Member Company Forum on SCS! And... after the party, you can check out the new sets live in the Flourishes store!
• Save a BUNDLE with Flourishes new release bundle! Purchase the entire release for 10% off! You can check it out HERE!
• Would you like to get your hands on our new sets NOW? Pre-order them HERE!

Now be sure to hop on over and see all the beautiful creations our design team and design guests whipped up using the Hello Hyacinth set!


Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Jan Marie Caruso
Sharon Doolittle

Tomorrow's set truly pays tribute to something EVERY card maker loves -- snail mail! Come back and see how your all occassion creations can be given a dose of elegance with Flourishes' latest offering! See you back here tomorrow!



p.s. Thanks so much to all those folks that left me a comment after my post over the weekend about my pup! She's resting well and healing even better! Just knowing you all gave me some cyber hugs was just too sweet for words! Thanks!!!

Poor Pooch!

I know, when there's so much going on in the world, it's kind of silly to ask for prayers for a dog but honestly -- look at my little girl here...

Isn't this kind of sad? On Thursday afternoon, I was petting her and felt her ear and it was twice the size as it should be! Turns out, she developed an ear hematoma (blood clot and pooling) somehow and needed surgery. So, Friday she went under the knife and this is her today. Poor thing! I just wanted to let you all know I might be a little scarce here. Life happens!

I will be back for some sneak peeks on Wednesday with some beautiful new stamps from Flourishes so, be sure to check back! Until then, have a fabulous start to your week!



 Blessings,

Signs of Spring!!

With much of the country under snow and counting the days until warmer weather arrives, we thought we 'd usher in a different inspirational challenge to get you in the mood for... SPRING! It's just in time for Flourishes to kick off our February Release which will start with sneak peeks next Wednesday.

Would you like to win our entire February release? Just join us and play in the.....



Aren't these crocus flowers just the most beautiful things, peeking out from under the snow? Well, to play in the Winter Thaw Challenge, all you need to do is be inspired by this photo! Use the same florals or colors -- it's up to you how you are creatively inspired! Link your project up here  on the Winter Thaw post using the Linky Tools widget. If you upload to SCS, please use the key word FLLCFEB11. Use Flourishes stamps if you have them, but if you don't please play anyway! The winner will recieve our entire February release. You have until February 11th at 5 PM Easterm time to submit!

On to my creation!

When I looked at the photo, I immediately saw the texture of the snow and wanted to create that same look on my card -- so I went with a mostly white card and one that was textured thanks to an embossing folder (CB Textile). Add some strips of decorative paper and a punched border and you're almost there! I did add some stitching and also matted my stamped hydrangea heart onto an embossed circle and matted that on an eyelet circles die cut piece. The sentiment is also from the Hearts & Flowers set. The embellie is a Vintage Sparkler -- which is actually on sale now! And the hydragea was colored up with Copic Markers (a Mix of the Crocus and Hydrangea collections grouped by Flourishes). And... voila!

Need a little extra inspiration? Just head on over and leave some love at our Design Team Member's Blogs!


Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan


Hope you make time for play time and have a fabulous weekend! We've got basketball games, church activities, and then... maybe some superbowl fun! So... hope life is fun in your neck of the woods too!

See you back here soon!


P.S. Did you see that Flourishes is letting you take a GAMBLE? Starting yesterday, Flourishes is hosting a progressive sale called the Gambler's Sale. Each week, Flourishes will drop prices until the stamp sets and embellishments listed on the sale page are out of stock. They will start at 10% off and each Thursday, will drop prices by 5% until they reach up to 50% off. Quantities are limited and there will be no backorders on any of the stamp sets or embellishments facing retirement. So, get these items before they are history! You can see everything that's on sale right HERE!

Is it Spring Yet???

While much of the country is trying to brace for more cold or dig out from more snow, it only seems appropriate that Impression Obsession would be wishing for spring! With all those gorgeous florals or spring time images, why not get in the spirit early? I mean, the ground hog -- Punxatawney Phil -- did predict an early spring - so let's savor that! :-)

If you couldn't tell by now.. spring is the latest Impression Obsession Challenge and IO has plenty of new spring images hot off the rubber presses! Just click HERE for all the challenge details! If you use IO stamps and play along, there is a $25 gift certificate on the line! WOO HOO!

On to my creation! Nothing says spring like the flower that is one of the first to sprout... the daffodil!

I actually used three of the newly released stamps -- fresh from CHA! I used Delicate Daffodil as the backgound top portion of my card. I used this awesome border called Daffodil Trio Border for the center portion of my card - I stamped once, colored and cut around the edge and then stamped again and popped up the daffodils on my border.  I used one of the new sentiments as well called Time Began In A Garden. I did color the daffodils with Copic Markers (Y38, Y35, Y23, Y21 and B0000 to shade), cut, layer and done! An easy peasy card that is easy to mail too!

Be sure to check out the spring has sprung creations from the rest of the IO Design Team!


Daniela Dobson
Deborah March
Dina Kowal
Jeanne Streiff
Jenny Gropp
Kathy Menzies
Laura Fulcher
Shirley Ross

Thanks for stopping by! See you back here soon!