Ready for a little challenge?

Happy Friday Flourishes friends! Can you believe there are only 81 days until Christmas? In a few days we'll be giving you our October edition of new Flourishes Stamps all with a Christmas theme. And because we know YOU want a chance to win these beauties, this month we have a Color Challenge with a twist!

What's the challenge?

Your challenge is to create a Christmas Design without the use of the color Red or Green! Get creative and give all of those other colors in the wheel a chance to show their holiday style! Play in the challenge and you could win our whole October Release! Your keyword for entering into online galleries is FLLCOCT13.

On to my creation!

Because of the challenge, I decided to make my creation a breeze and pick up Flourishes 123 Create Kit called Isabella. I love, love, love the tones in this kit - lovely shades of grey and pink! And the embellies are great too! I took one of my shapes that I had already cut with my Silhouette for the Naturally Merry stamp set and then chose Copic Collections that matched the paper (see my supply list below for the colors that I used. After I was done coloring -- I just matted up my image with papers in the kit. I stamped my sentiment using Gray Flannel Memento ink onto a die cut shape from the Perfectly Pierced Classic Frames set. While my die was still on the shape, I sponged on some Spun Sugar Distress Ink.  Frame it with a snippet of silver paper, add some bling and... ta da!

Here's a close up of the holly that I colored up....

and here's a close up of the sentie!

And that, my friends, is it! Want to know more about the Christmas with a Twist Color Challenge? Just click HERE for the official rules! Keep in mind, you only have until Friday, October 11th to enter -- so get those fingers inky and join us in all the fun! While you're hopping, don't forget to see all the wonderful ways that the design team took on this challenge! It's sure to give your Christmas creativity a jump start!

• Allison Cope
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber  -- you are here!
• Maki Jones
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan
• Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for stopping by today and we look forward to seeing what you create! I'll be back tomorrow with a fun creation just in time for WORLD CARDMAKING DAY! And, of course, I'll be back on Wednesday October 9th when Flourishes' gorgeous October Sneak Peeks start!

~Julie

SUPPLIES:

Flourishes Sneaks Day 3: Call Me!

We're back for Day 3 of Flourishes May New Releases to show off for you!  It feels so good to connect with an old friend doesn't it?  We have the perfect set for you today that brings in some fun vintage-style that celebrates friendship.

 Introducing....

What's the 4-1-1 on this set? It's a darling, vintage feel set that helps you stay connected with friends far and wide. This set, whimsically illustrated by Marcella Hawley, offers three main images plus six spunky sentiments you can use to catch up with friends. This set measures 4 by 6".  We think it's very charming and so much fun!  And for even more fun, we've got Silhouette Cut Files for this set that you will see along the way too.

On to my creation! 

I absolutely adore the images in this set! So fun. So cute. So charming! And when I saw the sentiment, What's the 4-1-1? I thought -- how cute is that to use for a card to catch up with a friend? 

So, here are the deets on my creation! I stamped my image on Flourishes Classic White, used a circle die to cut out my image and then let the coloring fun begin! You can see below in my supply list what colors I used. I matted my image up on a die cut shape cut thanks to Flourishes Perfectly Pierced Classic Frames. After I was done cutting and embossing, I did sand the edges to reveal the paper's white core. Add a little ribbon, a sentiment flag and a glam button that was threaded with some gold cording and that's almost it! The paper I used is from Flourishes 123 Create Kit called Vintage Finds. 

And... here's a close up! 

Need a little more creative inspiration? Take a trip on over to visit the Design Team today to see their 4-1-1 on this sweet set, and don't forget about today's...

One of the Design Team Members is today's Mystery Blogger.  If you comment on her blog you could be chosen to win today's great set!  The more you comment the better your chances!

• Allison Cope
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan

 

Do You Want To Win Flourishes' Entire Release?

If you want a chance to win all four of our soon-to-be released May sets, you can always play in Flourishes' Colorful Creations Challenge – there will be multiple winners there! Deadline for entries is Friday 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!

Also, if you like what you see on our designers’ blogs today, you can pre-order this set (along with the other three sets as well). You can also 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. So, be sure to stick with us this week as we unveil a whole new host of paper crafting fun! See you back here tomorrow!

~Julie

SUPPLIES:

Sneak Peeks Day 2: Old Tea Rose!

Welcome to Day 2 of Flourishes Sneak Peeks for May!   Those April showers have brought May flowers and we're bringing a beautiful flower to you today too, it's a brand new set from a brand new illustrator for Flourishes!  We'd like to introduce...

It's a gorgeous new set that celebrates the majestic rose.  Artistically drawn by our new artist Sam Pickard, this old tea rose just begs to be colored with style!This elegant floral features three accent images, including a stately looking butterfly and five beautifully scripted sentiments - all on a 4 by 6" set. This set will also have a Silhouette Cut file available as well for wonderful creative options!  You can find out more about our new Illustrator Sam Pickard HERE.

On to my creation!

When I saw this set, I knew that I wanted to watercolor, and I knew that my card would be rather simple in nature because of it! So.... I stamped the rose, butterfly and sentiment on a 4" square of watercolor paper using Versafine Black Onyx ink. And then, I grabbed my watercolor pencils and literally scribbled on color. After I was done laying down the color, I grabbed a water brush and started about an inch away from my image and kept drawing the color out away from my flower. It has been so long since I used watercolors -- it was fun! I see more of this in my future! 

And here's a close up!  

One thing I did use was some elements from Flourishes brand new 123 Create Kit called Prairie Chic! You'd never know it looking at the colors below but -- there is a nice yellow in the pack and I love the ivory crochet lace too! I need to use some of the vibrant colors so you can see the versatility of this kit! Stay tuned -- I'll be using this kit a lot this month! :-) Here's a peek at what's inside!

When it comes to the Old Tea Rose set, you'll want to see all beautiful inspiration that the Design Team has for you with this set, and you'll want to be sure to comment because...

One of our Design Team Members is the Mystery Blogger of the day!  That means commenting on her blog puts you in the running to win you today's Old Tea Rose Stamp Set!   You'll have to comment to find out who it is!

Want to see all the beautiful things you can create with this gorgeous flower? We love it so much we've invited some extra friends to the party.  Head on over and see…..

• Friends of Flourishes Team Coordinator Allison Cope
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan
• and BBB Team Member Dina Kowal

Do you want to win Flourishes' May Release? 

If you want a chance to win all four of Flourishes' soon-to-be released May sets, you can always play in the Colorful Creations Challenge – there will be multiple winners there! OR, play along with the gals for this week’s Timeless Tuesday Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules! Also, if you like what you see on our designers’ blogs today, you can pre-order this set (along with the other three sets as well). You can also 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. So, be sure to stick with us this week as we unveil a whole new host of paper-crafting fun!

Tomorrow's set will have you asking "What's the 4-1-1?" Yep, that's your hint! So be sure to swing back by tomorrow to see what our DT has in store! :-)

~Julie

supplies:

A Fun Sale & More!

Hello all! We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family or friends! The folks at Flourishes feel stuffed -- not only in their bellies but their warehouse as well! They are ready for the Christmas season and to get YOU ready, they are having one heck of a Black Friday Sale that kicks off NOW! Check out these deals! The earlier you shop, the better the deal! To take advantage of the deals, use the codes below, hit the "Apply" box and the shopping cart will automatically take your discount off. Make sure, however, that you use the right code for the time of day you are shopping because these codes will only be active during the correct time. All times will be based on the Central Standard Time Zone!

JUST A NOTE: This sale does not apply to Copic Markers due to their price mapping requirements for retailers like us. It also does not apply to wholesale orders or gift certificates. Anything else is fair game! Even sale prices can have extra discounts added! So, be sure to check out our Sale Page as well! The sale ends tonight at midnight -- so what are you waiting for???

Before you go, the Flourishes Design Team whipped up some virtual treats for you! Since today is the LAST DAY for the November New Release Bundle - they wanted to show you some beautiful ways that you could use the new November stamp sets! Remember, the New Release Bundle is 10% off the price of the November Release when you purchase it in a bundle! 

On to my creation!

For my card, I wanted to use some of the new goodies besides stamps! I used this month's 123 Create Kit for all my papers and embellishments! Check it out HERE!  I just love that ruler twill ribbon -- so perfect for sewing themed creations! To start, I cut out my shape using the Silhouette Cut File for the Stitched For You stamp set. After I cut my shape, I stamped this darling image from the set Stitched For You! I just love this image! I even paper pieced some of those cute fat quarters using the decorative paper from the kit!

See? You can also see that I used one of Flourishes new custom dies called Perfectly Pierced Classic Hourglass -- I love the pierced look -- don't you?

From there, I colored up my image using Copic Markers and I used these collections! Poppy, Tiger Lily, Sunflower, Pistachio, and Candy Pink!  And that, my friends, is it! Easy peasy! I do think this card is a bit bold, but gosh, if you know a fabulously funky quilter who loves modern prints and bold designs -- this is the card for her! :-) I know a few of those ladies, so I am all set! :-) 

Now.... be sure to check out these ladies' fabulous creations!

• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber --- you are here! 
• Sharon Doolittle
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan
• Tammy Hershberger

Thanks so much for stopping by! I sincerely hope you have a wonderful, restful and relaxing rest of your holiday weekend!

Let's 1,2,3, Create!

Exciting news! Both Flourishes sets that I've given you a sneak peek of this week are available for the taking! Shop now, put it on your Christmas list -- the choice is yours! ;-) You can check them both out HERE! 

We all know about the "little black dress!" But, what about your cards and creations? Thanks to Flourishes, you can add a splash of sophistication with the newest kit with the same name -- The Little Black Dress! Check it out!

 

With Flourishes' 1,2,3, Create Kits, you have three essential elements in one kit --paper, ribbon and embellishments all color coordinated to make card making easy! This kit, called Little Black Dress features a 6 by 6" BasicGrey Little Black Dress paper pack, a pack of Prima crystals, 1 yard of braided trim, 1 yard of scalloped crochet lace, 2 yards of satin edged black velvet ribbon, 2 yards of luminous ivory ribbon and a mix of embellished buttons and accents. Isn't it regal? Well, Flourishes actually has a handful of kits for you so that your cards have just the right look. You can click HERE to check them out!

I decided not to use ONE 123 Create Kit but TWO! Let's start with the Little Black Dress!

I just think ivory and black patterns are so posh -- add in a dash of color and you have one classy look! I used Spellbinders Classic Ovals and Classic Scalloped Ovals Nestabilities for a mat (cut thanks to my Grand Calibur)and one of my favorite sets-- A Year in Flowers 1!  (Colored up with Copic Markers in the Daffodil, Sunflower and Fields Collections!) I also love that everything I used --- is in the kit! 

And, a previously released kit is still one of my faves!! This little number is the 123 Create Kit called Sunshine! Match it up with Flourishes Christmas Candles set and you have a color coordinated creation... in a jiffy! I colored up my image with the Flesh Tones 1, Evergreen, Poppy, Cool Neutrals and Sunflower Copic Collections.  I again used my Classic Oval die to cut my main image! 

Again, you can click HERE to see all of Flourishes fabulous kits!  Would you like to win a 1,2,3, Create Kits of Flourishes choosing? All you need to do is leave some love in the form of a comment on the blogs below! Why? You need to try to figure out…..

One of the ladies on our link list below will be picking a name from the comments on her blog post today. We don’t know which one it is… so the more blogs you leave comments on, the more chances you have to win! And, if you need some more eye candy, all you need to do is pay these ladies a visit - they are all showcasing one of Flourishes' 123 Create Kits!

Barbara Anders
Julie Koerber
Christine Okken
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle 
Heather Jensen
Jan Marie Caruso

DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD WIN OUR ENTIRE DECEMBER RELEASE?  Have you checked out Flourishes' Feminine Flair Challenge? Just click HERE to find out how to play! You can also play in their Noon Time Challenges!  The Night and Day Challenge  or... the Perfect Pear Challenge! All challenges will close this Friday at 5 PM EST and winners will be announced Saturday!!

Can't play? Well, you could take advantage of a fabulous deal! Just click HERE  for a peek at Flourishes' New Release Bundle -- order both sets for 10% off when you buy it in a bundle!

I hope you've had a blast hanging out with the Flourishes gals this week! I'll see y'all back here soon! :-)

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 swear, I am addicted to the new Feminine Charm set and that's exactly why I reached for it for my creation today!

I decided to color up the hat stand that's a part of the set and used my Copics to get the job done! I used the Flesh Tones 2, Violet, Sunflower, Poppy and Fields collections grouped by Flourishes. I also made it easy and picked up the new 123 Create Kit called Garden Girl. I just love when you can reach for a package of goodies and have everything you need to make a perfectly color coordinated creation! Add some accents to the hat with the help of a white gel pen and a little bit of bling! Throw on some paper piercing,  a sentiment from the set on a sentiment flag and.... tada! Oh, I almost forgot, I did run my orange decorative paper through my Grand Calibur with an embossing folder and then, using a sanding block, sanded the dots to reveal the paper's white core. I love the distressed polka dot look!

I  will say that the clock is ticking for you to get your hands on Flourishes New Release Bundle. It ends at the close of today! What's in the bundle? Only all three of Flourishes' newly released sets for September at 10% off the retail price! You can click HERE to check it out. While you're at it, 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! Hop on over and see.....

Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Julie Koerber 
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Jan Marie Caruso
Sharon Doolittle

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a marvelous weekend and I'll see you all back here soon!


Supplies I Used.....

Feminine Charm	123 Create Garden Girl Kit	Copic Markers	Inkssentials Gel Pen
Flourishes Classic White Card Stock	Swiss Dot Embossing Folder	Memento Tuxedo Black Ink	Grand Calibur Die Cut Machine

InLinkz.com

Beauty in the Spotlight!

Hi all! It's time for another Bring Back Beautiful Challenge courtesy of Flourishes and this one will put a fun technique in the spotlight! When you take a peek at my creation, you should also know that I'm showing off a brand new kit from Flourishes that is soooo fun! This 123 Create Kit is called Yacht Club and it features a mix of patterned paper from Webster's Pages. Some of it is masculine with a seaside feel, other papers have a floral garden feel and the third paper has a farmer's market feel -- I love the fact that there is so much variety in this kit! You also get all these fun embellies and ribbons too!
Before I get to my creation, I probably should tell you a little bit about the BBB Challenge!

HOW TO PLAY: Beauty in the Spotlight! If you haven't tried the Spotlight technique -- the goal is to make just part of your image POP! For this fun-filled challenge, let's use this technique and 'spotlight' only a portion of your image with color! Link up your Bringing Back Beautiful Challenge creation HERE using the inlinkz widget to enter. If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword BBB10. You have until June 30th to enter!

On to my creation! I have to say it's been forever since I've used this technique and it was fun to give it a try again after all these years!

I used the A Guiding Light stamp set and stamped using Vivid Taupe ink. I cut out my shape using Spellbinders Labels Eighteen that I embossed and cut out using my Grand Calibur machine. While my die cut shape was still on, I did sponge on some Antique Linen Distress Ink. And, that was my "canvas" for my spotlight technique! I just used an oval punch and took out a piece of my image and colored it up with Copic Markers. I used B000, R35, Y21, C3, C00, and C5. All of hte papers and embellishments are a part of the new Yacht Club Kit. How easy peasy is that?

Here's a close up....

And that, my friends is it! Be sure to check out the other BBB gals below!

Cindy Coutts
Heather Jensen
Kathy Jones
Laura Fredrickson
Julie Koerber <<< You are here!
Yvonne Hagane
Beate Johns

And, if you want to see another beauty of a sample using the new 123 Create Kit, head on over to Sharon Doolittle's place and give her some love! ;-) She's got a darling and patriotic card using this new kit! See you back here soon....Happy Monday!

Hello all and Happy Memorial Day! I hope you are enjoying time with family as we remember all the men and women who serve in our military -- just to make sure we have our freedom! Special thanks to all those in the armed forces!

Last week, Flourishes unveiled one of it's new 123 Create Kits called Venice and I have to tell you -- the ribbons and embellishments and paper in this kit are showstoppers! I just love the classic feel of every element -- from the Damask and scripted prints in the paper to the fabulous crushed silk ribbon to the beautiful vintage brads! OOoo la la!

On to my creation this Monday...

I am completely drawn to the blue paper patterns and blue crushed silk ribbon in this kit. Because some of the decorative paper I used features bits and pieces of handwritten letters, I decided to incorporate a handwritten letter in my card. I know I use this set -- From the Desk of -- a lot, but I really thought it was perfect! I colored it up with Copic Markers and used some of the colors from the Sunflower, Tonal Neutrals and Spruce Collections. I did blend my ribbon with BG000 and BG0000. I also stamped the corner Flourish from the Wedded Bliss set with Antique Linen Distress Ink. Layer up some strips from the Venice paper pack, add some of the loopy ivory trim and then wrap the whole front panel with the crushed silk ribbon. I also used a circle punch and a sentiment from the Hello Hyacinth set. Punch a hole, and tie it to the crushed silk ribbon with some silver cording and.... voila! Done!

Some of the other Flourishes gals whipped up some beautiful creations using this kit-- so you'll have to stop by and see what they have in store!

Christine
Dawn
Sharon

Thanks so much for stopping by! We're having a barbeque if the rain holds off -- ribs! ;-) But, it's been raining like cats and dogs here! Try to enjoy your day and I'll see you back here soon!

Silhouette Style in 1,2,3!

Wow... Flourishes just put the wraps on another release and man, oh man, what a whirlwind! Today, the FLLC gals wanted to switch gears and show you more of what you could do with one of our newest 1,2,3 Create Kits!

I don't know if you've really let this kit simmer in your creative mind, but I have to tell you firsthand that it is sophisticated and perfect for those elegant occassions. It's feminine. It's soft. And, it has some really unique pieces in a way that is 100% color coordinated. What is better than that?

On to my creation! This is literally a 10-minute creation that you could have on hand for engagements, weddings or even anniversaries!
So, here are the details! I stamped the dancing couple from Flourishes new Wedded Bliss set in black pigment ink (to ensure that it was a rich black, I used Versafine Black Onyx). Stamp the corner flourishes from the set, embellish them with pearls, add some sponging thanks to some Spun Sugar Distress Ink. The rest is simply matting. I did mat the happy couple on some black that I edged with a goldleaf pen. Mix and match some decorative paper from the 5th Avenue kit and add this lush ribbon (also from the kit) tied with some gold cording and that fabulous heart locket (also in the kit!) Ten minutes later... a card ready to send before wedding season hits!

Today, some of the Flourishes gals are showing off ways to use this kit!

Be sure to visit....

Julie Koerber
Stacy Morgan
Sharon Doolittle
Danielle Kennedy

To see the kit in full, just click HERE. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you've enjoyed this little taste of happiness!

3 in a Row Challenge

Flourishes wanted to spice things up for you this Release Week! We are all so excited about our four new sets and we wanted to ramp up the action to give you even more chances to win them!They will have a different challenge Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at noon CST! The winner gets all four new release sets!

What's today's challenge?

HOW TO PLAY: See this grid above? All you need to do is make a card or creation by using the items in the straight line of your choice. You can take it veritcal, horizontal or even diagonally. For instance, want to take the first column up and down, your card would need to have a button, bling and a die cut shape. Want to take the bottom row? Your creation needs a die cut, lace and at least one pearl! It's just that easy! With four stamp sets on the line, what are you waiting for? There are a few rules -- so click on over HERE for a peek!

On to my creation! I looked at the grid and picked the bottom horizontal row which meant I had to use a die cut, lace and a pearl on my creation. Easy peasy! I, of course, used Flourishes brand new set called Wedded Bliss!

For my creation, I chose a black and white "black tie" feel and just used plain solids -- no decorative paper needed on this one! I started by cuting out a circle using Flourishes Classic White card stock and a Spellbinders Classic Circle die (cut thanks to the Grand Calibur machine). I stamped my main image on it, embossing as well. Then, I took that circle and traced a line in pencil to create a guide line for my stamped circle frame. I used the corner flourish from the Wedded Bliss set-- how fun is that? I added some of the lace from the new 5th Avenue 1,2,3, Create Kit, some 1/2" black ribbon, and where oh where are my pearls?

You can see here! I used some pewter colored pearls around my frame and also on the ribbon laced sentiment tag that I created with the Ribbon Tags Trio die from Spellbinders. Add some paper piercing and... Voila!!







Need a little more inspiration? Barbara Anders also has a sample for you to peek at and get those creative juices flowing!

Don't have time to compete in the challenge? You can still win!





Just by leaving a comment here on this post or on Barbara's 3-in-a-Row Challenge post, you'll have a shot at winning the entire release as well! One of us is the MYSTERY BLOGGER! You don't know which lady it is, so leave a comment on both blogs and one lucky name will be randomly drawn from the comments on the mystery blogger's 3 in a Row Challenge post! You have until Friday at 3PM CST to comment. That person will win THE ENTIRE FLOURISHES RELEASE! We'll announce who the mystery blogger was and the winner on Saturday in our Winner's Circle Post at 12 Noon CST! What an easy way to try to win!

Happy creating and commenting! See you back here tomomrrow for more Flourishes Release Week FUN!