Happy Birthday To You!

Hello all! Hope your week is beautiful in your neck of the woods! Today, I have some really fun things to share! First of all, it's a festive Impression Obsession challenge and the goal is to shine the light on a very special operation -- Operation Write Home! That's right, it's OWH's birthday this month and to celebrate, the IO DT is helping bring attention to this great cause with a birthday challenge of our own! Grab your Impression Obsession stamps to create a b-day card and YOU could win $25 to the IO store! What fun! You can read up on this challenge HERE!

On to my creation!

I used one of my all time FAVORITE stamps -- Climbing Rose-- This is just such a lovely image and your card doesn't need a ton of "extras" to make it SING! I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black, colored with Copic markers (R81, R83, R85, G40, G82, G85, BG000 and BG0000). And, after it was all done and matted, I added the sentiment at the top and if you can see below, some bling on the little heart tag thanks to a mini rhinestone.

I have to say that to create my long and lean birthday card was inspired by this sketch....

It's just one of 10 new sketches just released by CardMaps that you can find HERE! I loved the clean simplicity of this sketch and using the image I did, I thought this sketch was perfect!

Before I go.... Want to read more about Operation Write Home's Birthday Bash? Just click HERE! Think about it. We all make cards because we enjoy the crafty process. Imagine your card traveling to our troops so that they can send some of your handmade love HOME! Not to mention, in just three short months, OWH spends more than $13,000 in shipping. If you can't donate a card, why not donate a few bucks to help them ship the creations? It's such a fabulous cause.

Be sure to stop by some of my fellow IO DT members to see what kind of birthday creation they whipped up to help OWH celebrate!

Daniela Dobson

Dina Kowal

Jeanne Streiff

Jenny Gropp

Laura Fulcher

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope to see you all back here real soon! :-)
~Julie

Flourishes Birthday Bash!

Flourishes is celebrating BIG! Why? Just in case you are just now joining us ---- we're celebrating 4 fun-filled years! Four years of creating fabulous stamps. Four years of developing such fabulous friendships with YOU -- our fans and customers! That's why we are lighting the candles on the cake and throwing a party like no other! The good news is -- even though it's our birthday - you could win one heck of a present yourself with some fabulous blog candy! Our designers have lit up the creativity with some fabulous birthday cards and they are involved in just one way that you can get your hands on a great bag of goodies!

HOW CAN YOU WIN? THERE ARE THREE WAYS!

• Leave a comment on the Flourishes blog today
• Leave a comment on the designers' posts that are on the hop today
• Play in the Birthday Bash Challenge! You'll find the details on Flourishes blog today!

What do you win if you comment or play today? Take a peek!!!



That's right, you win a grab bag of stamp sets like the one above! Who wouldn't want to win all that polymer perfection?? What are you waiting for! Let's get hopping! Visit these fine designers for your chance to win!

On to my birthday creation! I have to say, I made this card a while back for a special someone who turned another year older back in July. If you don't know Sharon Doolittle -- you need to hop on over to her blog and say "hey" - she is just about the sweetest lady around and I am soooooo happy to be able to call her friend!

I used my new favorite set, Bee My Honey, along with the fabulous background stamp - Honeycomb and just opted for an all yellow with a hint of black layout. The layout is actually quite simple! I stamped the honeycomb on a piece of Flourishes Classic White using Dandelion Memento ink. Stamp my sentiment in the corner, add some stitching, black ribbon and some black rhinestones and the rest is my image - I stamped my little honey pot on Classic White and then colored using Copics - I picked up the Sunflower, Flesh Tones 2 and Poppy collections and then added some glitz to the heart on top with the help of some glitter glue! The shapes were cut using Spellbinders Standard Circles and the Blossom Nestabilities dies (cut thanks to my Grand Calibur machine!) Want to see a close up? As you can see, I did add some paper piercing too!

And that, my friends, is it! I will say, in honor of Flourishes big day -- I'm offering some blog candy of my own!!! Want to see?

WHAT'S INSIDE? Flourishes Apple of My Eye, Sunflowers, Motherly Love, Gerbera Daisy, Falling Leaves, and Honeycomb sets! 3 yards of red satin pleat ribbon, BasicGrey Indian Summer paper, 7 gypsies Market paper, Prima Fairy Flora paper, Say It With Pearls embellishments, and Impression Obession Butterfly Dream cling stamp. This prize is valued at roughly $100!!  WOOO HOOOO!!! I celebrated my 4 year blogoversary in May and never really celebrated so I thought I'd do it now! ;-)
TO WIN: all you need to do is leave a comment on this post and next Friday -- I'll not only unveil another big batch of blog candy, but I'll announce the winner for this drawing as well!
So, be sure to leave a comment and then hop on over to see what my fellow Flourishes DT teammates whipped up this week to celebrate!
• Barbara Anders
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Julie Koerber

If you want to play in the Birthday Bash Challenge, remember you have to link up HERE on Flourishes Thursday's inlinkz widget! Can't wait to see all the fabulous things you create!

Impression Obsession DT Thursday!

Every other Thursday, Impression Obsession's blog hosts a different designer from their team to give them top billing and showcase some of their creations. I'm happy to say that today... I'm that designer! Even though the calendar still says August, fall images seem to be my favorite. I love the rich and rustic colors (that burnt orange is my favorite color!!) and the images that IO pumped out this past CHA were just what my stamp room needed! Want to see what I mean?

This image is one of my favorites. It's just so homey. This front porch looks like it has a story to tell with the weathered boots and aged wood door and floor. The stamp is called Welcome Mat and if you look at my actual mat to my card, you'll see I picked up the Wood Grain Cover-A-Card. I think this is a perfect background stamp to get that earthy/rustic feel! After stamping my image, really the fun began with my Copic Markers. I used a mix and I'll try to name all of the numbers - here goes - YR02, YR04, YR07, YG00, YG03, YG13, YR14, E08, E97, T2, T5, T07, R27, E33, E27, E37, YG63.

Add some stitching, some antique brads, some twine and that's pretty much it! With large and detailed images like this, it's hard to add much more and I figure, who would want to! ;-)

I will say, Impression Obsession has some fun and heart felt projects that the team is working on. And two of them are coming up in the next month or so to help out a VERY good cause - Operation Write Home. You can read up on the effort by clicking over to the Impression Obsession blog HERE.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope your Thursday is full of sunshine and smiles! My kids went back to school yesterday so... it's VERY quiet around the house. Almost too quiet!

Have a fabulous day!
~Julie

Happy 4th Birthday Flourishes!

Flourishes is lighting the candles and getting ready to sing to honor their fourth birthday! And, as a way to celebrate, I’m happy to say I'm helping lead the customer appreciation blog hop! Wait until you see what all these talented ladies whipped up for today's birthday bash! The only challenge here was to create a card or project using my favorite Flourishes stamp set. If you want to play along, you can win some Flourishes goodies too! If you arrived here from the Flourishes Blog HERE, you're on the right track. If I was your first stop, be sure to start at the beginning so that you hit each leg of the hop.

What can you win? Take a peek at this fun and festive blog candy!

If you’d like to learn more about how you can win all of these stamp sets, just click HERE to read up on today’s hop and challenge! You only have until September 1st at 5PM CST to enter!

On to my creation! I didn't really have a tough time picking my favorite set - I've just LOVED creating with the Bee My Honey set. It's just tooooo sweet! I have to say, I was surfing through Iwona Palmountain's blog -- and I found an old Saturday Sketch of her's here as a starting point!

Here are the quick details for my card! I stamped on Flourishes Classic White using Tuxedo Black Memento, colored with a range of Copics from the Fields, Dahlia, Sunflower, Violet and Sweet Pea Collections grouped by Flourishes. My mat was created with a Spellbinders Classic Circle and Blossom Nestabilities dies, cut thanks to my Grand Calibur machine. Pair it all up with some fabulous Bo Bunny decorative paper (coming soon to a Flourishes 123 Create Kit!), add some fun and festive ribbon, a button and a fun-filled sentiment flag and.... viola!

I also added some glitz with the help of some glitter glue to some of my flowers and bees. Wanna see?

And that, my friends, is it! A bright and sunny card created to honor Flourishes special day!


Next up on the 4th Birthday Blog Hop…. the fabulous Karen Wallace! 

Water Ya Up To???

Hi all and TGIF!!! It's Flourishes FRIDAY! And, today the Flourishes gals have another look at some of the stamp sets released last week! I will say that the clock is ticking for you to get your hands on the New Release Bundle. That special deal will end tomorrow at Noon CST! What's in the bundle? Only all four of Flourishes' newly released sets for August at 10% off the retail price! You can click HERE to check it out.

On to my creation!

This card is easy peasy -- want to know why? Because with the exception of some fun little bling and Flourishes' brand new stamp set Wild For Watermelon, all of the items that I used to create my card are in Flourishes new 1,2,3 Create Kit called Trendsetter! If you want to see all this kit has to offer, just click HERE!

I did stamp my watermelon on Flourishes Classic White using Memento Tuxedo Black and then colored it up using Copic Markers and I picked up the Holly, Dahlia and Spring Greens Collections grouped by Flourishes. I shaded using the Warm Neutrals collection and then - when I was done coloring - I cut out my image using a Spellbinders Classic Oval die. While the die was still in place, I did sponge some Antique Linen Distress ink around the oval. The rest is matting it up! My mat was created using Spellbinders Labels Eighteen (cut thanks to my Spellbinders Grand Calibur). After I embossed, I did use a sanding block to sand and reveal the paper's white core. Add some stitching and faux stitching thanks to a white gel pen and... voila.. done!

While you're hopping around today, you'll want to make the rounds to all the Flourishes gal's blogs today to see what they cooked up using the new sets! Stop on over and see.....

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Julie Koerber
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger

Thanks so much for stopping by! TGIF!!! Hope you're able to kick up your feet and enjoy all the weekend has to offer! ;-)
~Julie

Time to Smell the Coffee!

Hi all! It's that time... time for another Impression-Obsession challenge and this one is about using stamping to make the hostesses and friends in our life... happy! Hostess Gifts are the challenge theme and you can read all about it plus the perks offered ($25 in the IO store if your project is the random winner!) by clicking HERE!

I have to admit, stamped hostess gifts or alterables are not my strength! But, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE my morning coffee and there's really nothing better than sharing a cuppa joe with a good friend. So, I decided to create a gift card box for a friend! (One that also loves java!)

On to my creation!

I have to say the Smell the Coffee clear set was perfect for my creation. Not only does it have some great coffee themed images, it's got fun sentiments too (I used two of them for this creation!)! I wanted to show a side view so that you could see my gift card holder does have some dimension...
And, when you flip the envelope over, you can see the gift card and how it slips inside!

You can see, I did stamp my image using brown ink (Memento Rich Cocoa) and then, I paper peiced some of the mugs to give each mug a different look! If you want the template, never fear! I did trace it out and scan it for you. Just click on the image below and print full size and... you're set! You're own ready-to-use template! I have to say, after I cut my template out, I did use my Scor-Pal to create my folk lines -- easy peasy!

All I have to do now is seal it up or, better yet, use my fun twine (I used Lemondrop & Cappuchino Twine) that I wrapped to secure my envelope flap in the back and... voila! Done! Ready to give to a friend as a way to say.... wait for it... Thanks a Latte! ;-)

Want to see what the other IO gals whipped up as fun little hostess gifts? Be sure to stop by and see.....

Daniela Dobson
Dina Kowal
Jeanne Streiff
Julie Koerber -- you are here!
Kathy Menzies
Laura Fulcher

Thanks for stopping by everyone! I'll see you all back here soon!
~Julie

It's a fun-filled blog hop!

Hi all! Are you ready for some fun? Today, I'm happy to be a part of not only the very first Scor-Pal blog hop, but part of a talented team that is celebrating the first anniversary of the fine folks at The Twinery!

These two teams have joined forces for an amazing line up of projects that will show you the wonderful things you can create using the Scor-pal along with that fabulously colorful twine from The Twinery...from boxes and bags to cards and 3D projects!

If you came here by way of Stephanie Johnson's blog,you are on the right track! If not, make sure you start at the beginning over at The Twinery's Blog because there are terrific prizes for those who complete the hop by commenting on each blog. Since The Twinery is celebrating all week, you'll have five days to enjoy this hop, so relax and have fun!

On to my creation!

When I saw THIS fun twine from The Twinery, I knew I had to use it for my project and I knew I had the perfect stamp set to make something fun --Life, Love,Lemons from Flourishes. While it's a lemon set, I chose to make mine limes! I did that not only to match the twine called Honeydew , but my hubby happens to LOVE Key Lime candy. So, off I went to create a fun little candy box to stick in his office dest drawer as a surprise!

To make my box, I actually have a few pieces of paper (BasicGrey Lime Rickey and Kaleidacolor) that I used to create it. You can see if you take a peek inside! This candy box is actually a "jacket" with the box base attached to the back of the jacket. Here's a peek at the mechanics.... I started with a piece of decorative paper to measure 5.5" by 6.75" and scored 1.25" all the way around. Snip the side flaps and secure.

This creates your box base. To create your jacket, cut a piece of decorative paper to measure 7.25" by 4.25". Laying this paper lengthwise on your Scor-pal, score at the 3" and 4.25" lines. With the right side down, make valley folds on both lines - this will wrap around to create the cover for your box. If you look above, you can see I created a strip that wraps to secure my box. The strip measures 7.25" by 2". Setting the paper lengthwise on my Scor-Pal, I scored at the 3" and 4.25" lines.

Now for a look at the side, so you can see how it fits together! You can see that the strip wraps around to the front! Right underneath the strip I attached some magnets to keep my box closed. I love the fact that it is an easy to open and close box.
To deck out my box, I layered some decorative paper on to the "cumberbund" type closing strip. I stamped my limes a few times on a scrap piece of white paper cutting them out and then coloring them up with Copic Markers (YG13, YG00, YG000) I did add some razzle dazzle with the help of glitter glue and then I attached them to a decked out piece of decorative paper that I attached to my magnet strip.

How did I incorporate the twine? I loved stringing it through the crochet lace and of course,I had to embellish a large button with it as well! See?
And that, my friends, is it! So, what could you win if you make comments along each leg of the hop and you're the lucky name drawn?
You get a shot of the goodies above! Your very own Scor-Buddy and a beautiful Twinery Sampler!

I'm so glad you stopped by! I hope I've inspired you to give the Scor-pal a try.Please make sure you leave a comment on my blog because there are terrific prizes for those who leave comments on each designer's blog!The deadline for commenting is 11:59pm EST, Friday, August 19th.

Your next stop on the hop is Grace Hester's Blog!!

Flourishes Sneak: Day 3!

Hi all and welcome to day 3 of Flourishes' fun-filled sneak peek week! With today’s set, you can almost smell the goodness! If you like to cook or love the smell of a great pasta sauce simmering in the kitchen, wait until you see what Flourishes whipped up!

Here’s a peek!

This set, penned by Marcella Hawley is ripe for the picking with beautiful tomatoes, lush and flavorful herbs plus a tasty vignette that just screams of Italian cuisine in the making. Throw in six beautifully scripted sentiments and you have all the ingredients for one delish set!

On to my creation!

When I saw the lush bunch of tomatoes in this set, I squealed. Oh, don’t they look delish? I just knew I needed to color them up first! I stamped on Flourishes Classic Ivory Card Stock using Rich Cocoa Memento ink and then, I grabbed my Copic markers. I used a mix of the Poppy and Gerber Daisy collections grouped by Flourishes. After that, I picked up a mix of BasicGrey (Hello Luscious), and Bo Bunny papers (the newsprint paper is actually a scrap from my decorative paper bin.) Wrap around some ivory cotton ribbon that was distressed thanks to Antique Linen Distress ink (sponged on) and you’re almost done! I used the Spellbinders Nested Lacey Pennants die for my sentiment flag (cut thanks to my Grand Calibur machine), added some stitching and a button and… done!

Here's a closeup! As you can see, I did stamp my tomatoes a few times to layer and pop up elements. I wanted it to look like my tomatoes were literally popping off the card! ;-)
This set will be ripe for the picking Friday morning... BUT... you have a chance to win your own setWant to win your own Italian Garden set? Well, here’s how! Can you guess….
That’s right -- one of our designers on the link list below is the Mystery Blogger! So, you’ll want to leave comments on all of their blogs. Why? Because one of them will be choosing one lucky comment on today’s post and that commenter will win this set!

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Julie Koerber

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Maki Jones

Tammy Hershberger

OTHER WAYS TO WIN!
Do you love a good challenge? If so, you’ll have to tune back to the Flourishes blog at noon for one of our special Noon Time Challenges! This one promises to be tasty (that's a bit of a hint) and if you play along, you could win Flourishes ENTIRE AUGUST RELEASE!

Did you check out our Shades of Sunset Challenge yet? You could also win our release that way too! Click HERE for all the details!

Tomorrow’s set is for those kids at heart! That’s all we are saying about that, so be sure to check back!

Let's all HOP!

Did you see Flourishes has a noon time challenge going on today to celebrate their August Release! Why should you play? Well, the winnings are fabulous! You could walk away with not one, not two, not three but FOUR of our newest stamp sets! And trust us, they are all beauties!

Let’s get started!

This noon time challenge, Flourishes will have you going on a bit of a hunt and that’s why they are calling this our Scavenger Hop! Each one of the 8 designers’ blogs (including the Flourishes Blog) will have a different “ingredient” that you will need to include on your challenge creation!

Since this is the second leg of the Scavenger Hop, are you ready for your second clue? (If this is your first stop, you'll want to click HERE to travel to the Flourishes Blog for your first clue!)

Here is your second clue!

That's right, you have to have some "bling" on your card or creation!

On to my creation!


Well, for starters, I used Flourishes' new Hollyhocks stamp set. I tell ya, this one is a beauty! So, some other elements on my card? How about some Orgins BasicGrey paper, white cotton linen ribbon, and Webster's Pages Sparklers? (Yep, that's my bling! That rhinestone on the center of the button is my sparkle!) I did stamp on Flourishes Classic White with Tuxedo Black Memento and then, reached for my Copic Markers. I used the Dahlia, Fields and Hollyhock Collections and then highlighted around my image with Y21, Y23 and YR0000. Mat it up and add a sentiment from the set and.... voila!

HOW TO PLAY A.K.A. “THE RULES”

• Simply hop on over to all 8 blogs, pick up your 8 clues/recipe for your card, create and when you are done, link up here on the Flourishes blog!



• Entries need to be in by Friday, August 12th by 5 PM EST



• Those that use Flourishes stamps will be counted twice for their entries



• You must link your creation on this post using our inlinkz widget in order to qualify



• You must have a link to our challenge in your blog or gallery post



• Please DO NOT combine challenges, while we love challenge chasers, we want to give those that follow the rules a chance at a prize valued at more than $60



• Flourishes will announce the winners Saturday in their Winner’s Circle Post – check back Saturday, August 13^th at noon CST to see if you’re one of the lucky winners



• If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword FLLCAUG11A

Happy Stamping! We can’t wait to see what you come up with! Your next stop on “The Hop?” is Barbara Anders! Just click on over to check out clue #3!

Flourishes Sneaks: Day 2!

Hi all! I have a little Flourishes fun this week for you all! It’s that time when they showcase their latest stamp sets. It’s their August release! Today’s offering is one set that will truly deliver a summer feel—all year long!

Here’s a peek...

This set, penned by Marcella Hawley features one big and beautiful Hollyhock plant that you could use not only as a focal point on your card but it’s also big enough to create backgrounds as well. Use a portion of the stamp or all of it in its full glory! In this set, you’ll also find four lovely sentiments plus one word accent.

On to my creation!
I have to say, when I stamped this hollyhock, I knew I would have a blast coloring it up! And, my inspiration was just around the corner -- literally! Here's a pic!This plant is just behind my neighbor's house down the carriage lane. I loved it because it isn't the color I am used to seeing -- so-- I grabbed my markers and started coloring! I used my Copic markers and grabbed the Spring Greens and Dahlia collections grouped by Flourishes. When I was done, I did use markers B000 and B0000 to highlight around my image. And you can see, I also stamped, colored, cut and popped some of the flowers up for a little extra pop! You can't tell but, I also added some glitz to the centers of the flowers with a little glitter glue!

After I was done coloring - I did cut and mat it up using a Spellbinders Labels Eight (cut thanks to my Grand Calibur). My card base is a little different - It's actually a 4-1/4" square with my image spilling over the top of the card. Add a beautiful silk ribbon and decorative punched border and... voila! Done!

Here's a close up!

Want to win this beautiful set? Well, here’s how! Can you guess…..

That’s right -- one of the Flourishes designers on the link list below is the Mystery Blogger! So, you’ll want to leave comments on all of their blogs. Why? Because one of them will be choosing one lucky comment on today’s post and that commenter will win this set!

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Julie Koerber
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Maki Jones
Tammy Hershberger

OTHER WAYS TO WIN!
Do you love a good challenge? If so, you’ll have to tune in to the Flourishes blog at noon for one of their special Noon Time Challenges! This one promises to be great fun and if you play along, you could win Flourishes ENTIRE AUGUST RELEASE!

Did you check out the Shades of Sunset Challenge yet? You could also win their release that way too! Click HERE for all the details!

WHEN CAN YOU SHOP?
You might ask, when can we get our hands on these new sets? They will be ready for the taking--- first thing Friday morning! Can’t wait? Well, if you like what you see on the designers’ blogs and want to pre-order the sets, you’re in luck – you can! Just click HERE to visit Flourishes' “Shopping” page! (I know, I am an enabler!!)

Tomorrow’s set is one for those who love to savor the flavors of life! Yep, that was your hint – so be sure to check back! Oh, and if you missed Flourishes Timeless Tuesday, you should check it out HERE! The gals previewed Flourishes' new set Wild for Watermelon! It's a darling set that's perfect for summer!

A Stamp Set You'll FLIP For!

Have you heard about Flourishes’ program called FLIP (Flourishes Loyalty Incentive Program)? It’s really a great program that lets fans of Flourishes get some great goodies and cash in on some good old fashioned deals! The program kicked off on August 1st and you can check out all that it offers HERE!

One of the gifts you receive when you qualify and become a FLIP member is just drop dead gorgeous! It’s a stamp set – the newest offering from Marcella Hawley called With Gratitude. Want to take a peek?

The only way to get your hands on this beautiful set penned by Marcella Hawley is to become a FLIP member! When you qualify, this stamp set is Flourishes’ gift to you! Don’t you just love these two wildflowers? In addition to the beautiful coneflower and bell flower, you’ll find a mix of sentiments and a fabulously scripted border strip to use as an accent. It’s one stunning set!

On to my creation! Ok, first things first -- bear with me -- I have a funny story about this card! I made it and wanted to give it to a friend that I was visiting out of town. Well, before I gave it to her, I realized, I had this post coming up and I didn't have a photo. Hhhmm. I brought my laptop on the trip and had my camera. BINGO! Right? Wrong. My computer didn't have a card reader and mine was at home. UGH! So, this little photo was taken with my hubby's camera phone. Not the best quality but hey, it works!

To make my card, I just stamped on Flourishes Classic White using Memento Tuxedo Black and then... colored it up with a mix of Copics. I ended up using a mix of the Violet and Morning Glory Collections grouped by Flourishes and then used the Fields collection for the leaves. I just adore this little flower! The paper is Memory Box and the brad - a White Pearl Vintage Brad. Add some stitching and.. voila! Done! The sentiment was stamped on the base and then again to create a flag for my card front. I just know this set will be a "go to" set when I need a thank you or two!

Here's a close up to show a little bit of the sparkle I added to the center of the flowers!
Wait until you see what some of Flourishes' designers whipped up using this beauty! They are showcasing it today, just for you!

Tammy Hershberger
Barbara Anders
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber -- you are here!
Christine Okken
Stacy Morgan
Danielle Kennedy

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back Wednesday with one of Flourishes' brand new sets that they are unveiling for their August release. It's a beauty... so you'll want to check back and see what they have in store!

~Julie

Celebrating the Summer Sky!

Oh these days of summer! Sadly, they will be gone before we know it - so let's celebrate this time of year now! Flourishes is getting it's warehouse ready to release four brand new sets for August and this release truly celebrates summer's best! Since you love a good challenge to get you in the mood for the week of fun -- let's roll out this month's kick off challenge -- it's one where you could win Flourishes' entire August release!

HOW TO PLAY: With the warm sunny days, come beautiful sunset skies. Let's celebrate that on our cards and creations! This color challenge is open to interpretation! Sunsets are so unique - some have mostly shades of red and orange, others can light up the sky with purple and pink hues! Pick your favorite sunset colors and share your inspiration. After you create your card, be sure to go to the Flourishes Blog and link up to the Shades of Sunset Challenge Post! You have until August 12th at 5PM EST to enter!

On to my creation! I was really inspired by this photo above with the shades of purple. So, I wanted not only golden shades but a dash of purple too -- and what better flower than Flourishes' Sunflower to make my creation, right?

To make my card, I just stamped my image using Rich Cocoa Memento Ink on Flourishes Classic White and colored up my flower with Copics - I shaded differently though. Since I wanted my flower to look more sunset kissed - I actually chose shades of rose and purple! (R20, R01, R0000 and V01, V0000) For my actual flower I used the Sunflower, Flesh Tones 2, Poppy and Fields collections grouped by Flourishes. You can see all the collections HERE. The rest is just matting up my image! I used the Spellbinders Labels Eighteen (cut thanks to my Grand Calibur). The paper is a mix of BasicGrey and Memento. Add some white cotton ribbon and a bow... and voila!

Here's a close up!
Need a little inspiration to get you on your creative way? Check out what our DT whipped up with a gorgeous sunset in mind!

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Julie Koerber -- you are here!
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger -- She's graciously filling in for Dawn this month!

Thanks for stopping by! We can't wait to see what you create!

Orange you glad....

... it's time for a new Impression Obsession challenge? So sorry, I couldn't resist that one. It's the kid in me, I swear!

Well, if you can't tell, the challenge today for IO is to use the color... ORANGE! And, with the fall line up hot off the IO press, I had so many fun images to pick from that involved pumpkins! So, that's what I did!

When I first laid eyes on this stamp from Alesa Baker, I thought -- How incredibly charming. Doesn't it just make you want to visit this country charm home that has such beautiful pumpkins sitting to welcome you? The stamp is F8615 Fall Serenity and, you can see it and others in the new Fall/Winter catalog HERE! The sentiment is actually an older stamp called Every Season. You can't really tell because I didn't showcase this stamp fully, but on my orange decorative mat, I did stamp THIS Cover-A-Card background called Kaleidascope --just to add a little extra pattern.

The mechanics of the card are actually rather simple! I stamped, colored with Copic markers (YR04,YR07, YR09, E97, E08, B000, Y21, Y23, YG00, YG03), mat it up with some decorative paper (a mix of BasicGrey and K & Co.), add some crocheted lace, some paper piercing and a fun vintage brad (Stampin' Up) and... voila!

Want to know more about this fun challenge that could have you walking away with a $25 gift certificate to the IO store? Click HERE!

And, be sure to check out what the rest of the IO team whipped up!

Daniela Dobson
Dina Kowal
Jeanne Streiff
Julie Koerber -- you are here!
Kathy Menzies
Jenny Gropp

Thanks for stopping by! I'll see y'all back here soon! ;-)
~Julie