And, here's my card....
If you want to check out the rest of the deets and take up the challenge - check it out HERE. You can also see Deb's fab card that's inspired by Mandy Moore and find out what you get if you win!
Hi all! TGIF! Hope you have some fun weekend plans! Maybe you'd like to join Sharon for her weekly Stamp Simply challenge? This week, it's all about gratitude - thank you cards to be specific. How easy is that? Click HERE for all the details! Well, it sure was easy with this brand new Stamp Simply set just realeased this week from Flourishes called Thank You. Oh my! Each and every element is so elegant - from the beautiful tulips to the gorgeous script text - you need to check it out! 
Need a little more inspiration before you get your fingers inky? Check out these gals from the Stamp Simply Team! Janine, Jennifer, Dee, Tammy, and Becky.
For the first card, I stamped the poppy elements on watercolor paper using permanent black ink. I heat set it and then started painting my flowers with shades of red and orange. The stems were done in an olive green that I went back over a second time in spots to add shading. I also used some blue for a nice watercolor wash behind the flowers. The rest is pretty simple - I ran 2/3 of my card front through my Wizard with my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder. I added another piece of red that had been matted with a strip of back. The tag is a Sizzix tag set. I used my Scalloped Square Nesties to use as my main mat. Add some black sheer ribbon and VOILA!
Here's my second card - my 10 minute card! All I did was stamp my poppies in black ink on some mosiac patterned paper. Mat this on an orange piece that is 1/8" larger. Add a scalloped edge, some polka dot ribbon and done! The saying is actually from the brand new Stamp Simply set called Thank You. This set is to die for as well! I'll have a creation using this stamp set tomorrow!
Here is a close up for you! I added white dots with a white gel pen just to give the flowers a little extra pop!
The other ladies on the Flourishes Design Team have been busy at work! So, be sure to check out their awesome creations! Sharon, Linda, Leslie, Faith, and Susan.
Until Tomorrow!
P.S. If you missed yesterday afternoon's post - the voting for the PC Gallery Idol is officially underway - click HERE to check it out!! Hope you like my card for this contest!!!
P.P.S. The fabulous Deb and I have collaborated on a rockin' new project and I can't wait to spill the beans!! Look for more details here on our blogs very soon!
P.P.P.S. A HUGE thanks to Bela, Janine and Deb for giving my blog the Brillante Weblog award. If you've never visited their sites -- check them out! They are all fabulous ladies with amazing talent!!!
Gosh! It seems like I have been chomping at the bit to share some new creations with you using the brand new sets from Flourishes. They are amazing! The one I chose is called Butterfly Moments. I don't know about you, but I just love looking at the wings of a butterfly and seeing the gorgeous range of color and the shimmer. So, when I saw this beautiful butterfly, I just knew that I would have to pull out my Polished Pigments and Pure Mica powders from Luminarte! How can you get this look? Well, let me walk you through it!
Once I cut out one of my images, I wanted to paint on the white spots on the wing. The best way is just to use a fine tip brush and some white acrylic paint. Here is what it looks like from behind.
And, here is what it looks like from the front! See those spots pop?
Then, I brush on some Duo glue. This glue is fun. You can brush is on and it dries tacky! So, it's perfect for this technique! Some of you might wonder why I didn't just put it through a Xyron. Well, I wasn't sure that the white dots would stay that way and I was worried to try. So, if you are brave and want to try using a Xyron instead-- let me know how it turns out! You can see in the photo below that the bottom of the butterfly is drying clear while the top is still milky colored. The glue isn't ready until it's completely clear!
When your glue is ready, take a soft brush and brush on the outer part of the butterfly. I decided to color it blue (Dutch Iris Polished Pigments). Here's what it looks like. It looks kind of messy. But, don't worry! You are cutting this image out, so it can be messy! No worries!
Now, brush the color out of your brush and color the second part of the wing with the deep purple (Royal Orchid Polished Pigments). The center part of the butterfly was colored with Pure Mica in the Scarab Beetle color. Here's how that looks finished from the back after I cut it out. Notice I didn't cut out the antanae? There's a trick for that... so stay tuned!
This is what your butterfly looks like from the front!
Now for the "trick!" I used my Spellbinders Nestabilities circle die to cut out a shape in deep a deep blue-purple. I wanted to pick up on the colors in my butterfly. I used the Damask background and stamped on this using a light blue ink. Versamark would also work! Then, I stamped my butterfly on this piece using black ink--- that's where the antanae come into play!
Since your image was fully colored on the back, you can actually use double stick tape to layer up your mica butterly onto your main image! It won't show one bit!! I matted my circle onto a scalloped circle. 
Then, on the main mat, I used Versamark Ink to stamp some of the other butterflies in the set. Add some of the new self adhesive pearls (in the Flourishes store), stamp your saying at the bottom and add some ribbon and you're done! Hope you try this technique! It's so fun and the shimmer it delivers is like no other!
Don't forget to see what Leslie, Linda, Faith, Sharon, and Susan cooked up for this release. Remember, Susan is announcing her blog candy winner! So, you have to check that out! And, of course, you can find all the new releases at Flourishes!!
I'll have more creations with the stamps from this release coming up tomorrow and Friday!
I stamped the orchid in Sepia Brown Versafine ink and then used watercolor pencils to color it. I actually printed off some photos of orchids just to make sure I colored it right. That's fun! Google "orchids" and man, you will be able to pull up library upon library of photos showing all the different varieties. The kind I chose is fairly common - a white orchid with blush accents and a vivid yellow center. After I colored my image, I distressed the background with a stipple brush. Mat it on a green piece of paper that is edged with the help of a gold leaf marker and you're almost done! I added the word "friend" (also in the set) on a strip of paper that I embellished with some gold embroidery thread and then matted everything on a piece of textured paper. Coloring is really the hardest part of this card and-- that's not hard! And, don't forget tomorrow the Flourishes fun begins with the reveal of their new stamp sets for July!! BEAUTIFUL new sets! As promised, I'll have a fun tutorial on using mica powders to create gorgeous accents to your stamped creations. It's one of my favorite techniques - can't wait to share!
Oh, I almost forgot-- Susan still has Flourishes blog candy! Check it out HERE!
That's it for now! I know, that was a lot to throw at you! It's a busy fun filled week! What can I say!?!? See ya back here tomorrow I hope!
Want to see some other "sneaks?" Check out: Sharon, Leslie, and Susan!
Speaking of Susan, to go along with this week's release, she's offering up some fun Flourishes blog candy! She's giving away the Coffee With Friends set! This set is so fun- not only for the wonderful images, but the fabulous sayings! Click HERE to sign up for her candy. And, don't forget, if you already have this set, why not play in Sharon's Coffee Time challenge on the Flourishes Forum on SCS? You have until the 10th and there is even a fun giveaway on the line! Click HERE to get to the SCS link!
Speaking of the Flourishes Forum, every Monday you can hang out with me there for what I am calling Motivate Me Monday! Need something to get those creative juices flowing? Well, join me for a bit of Flourishes Fun! Click HERE for the thread!
Ok, that was a ton of info! Hope you stuck with me! Happy Monday!
I have to say... this piece below- was my biggest challenge! While this piece of paper sparkles with a real mica flair and is really pretty- you know this isn't something I often use in my stamping room! Sue even admitted she stuffed this in just to see what I might come up with!! LOL!
This is the other piece that stretched my creativity a bit. This is the front....
And, this is the back! It's actually a pop can that she cut, painted and embossed! Isn't that the coolest thing? I am sure you won't look at a pop can the same way now!! If you want to see what else she did using this technique- click HERE. 
I decided to tackle the piece of mica paper first! I actually had to email Sue to ask if I could make multiple creations with her package. She said, "yep!" So... I did!
I took out a stamp I haven't used in probably 5 or 6 years. It's a pear by A Stamp In The Hand that I stamped on a piece of black that Sue sent with Versamark ink and then I painted it with Polished Pigments by Luminarte. I chose a rust, a lime green and a gold. I used the mica paper as a mat and then matted my pear onto a piece of the green Sue sent and the rest of the black was run through the Wizard with my scalloped rectangle Nestabilities die. Add a base card, a strip of paper that was stamped with a "pear" background stamp and some luscious black sheer ribbon and.. DONE! While this is a card that I would probably never have created. I think it really turned out neat! Sue definitely stretched me beyond my typical creative limits!
If you want to see how she made this paper - click HERE. And, THIS is a card Sue created with this background!
Here's a closeup of the pear, showing how I "painted" it with the powders! The powder sticks to the Versamark and the ink acts as a binder so you don't have to seal your work. Pretty cool!
I actually felt kind of guilty about this next creation! This is the half finished card Sue sent. I thought it was such a neat layout that it needed something kind of simple for punch. I didn't want to take away from the paper, the layout and the ribbon! So, I grabbed my Spring Ephemerals set from Flourishes and the set Many Sentiments- also from Flourishes and a black in pad - and that's all I did!!! 
Here it is after....
The fold is really interesting. Right where the ribbons are, it opens. Very cool!
The last card I created was using the pop can embellishment, and a scroll like embellishment. I looks actually like an iron on. Sue did send a piece of navy cardstock that I used as my base for the card. I used a flourish style stamp (Autumn Leaves) and Versamark ink and stamped it down the side. I used some of the cream paper she sent to punch out a circle and matted this on a slightly larger cirlce that was punched out of pearl paper. Add some fun sheer seafoam ribbon and you're pretty much done! I actually made the navy card smaller and matted it on a tan piece of paper that Sue sent.
Here's a close up of the embellishment. I added a seafoam colored adhesive backed pearl to bling it up a bit!!
Finally, This last card is one that Sue sent with her package! It is really, really, sparkly!! There is such a beautiful range of color. It makes me want to drag out my whole set of Pure Mica powders and Polished Pigments to create! Check out how she did this card HERE.
Here's a close up so you can see this brilliant color!
Thanks Sue for the fun challenge!! It was a blast! Check Sue's blog out HERE. She's one talented stamper!! 
Here's a close up of the crown! I love this and can see using this for a whole bunch of other uses... Wishing friends birthdays fit for a queen, You're the Queen, Queen for a day, etc!! FUN!
If you need a little more inspiration - check what these ladies cooked up!
Here's a close up of the sentiment that slides into the back of the mat! Yes, I even used another coffee bean as an embellishment. It makes my card smell like the real thing!! LOL!
Do you have this set? If you do, you should enter the challenge on the Flourishes Forum on Splitcoast. HERE is the link! All you need to do is create a card or project with the Coffee With Friends set as the main focus, upload to SCS and then link it on the thread above. You have until the 10th of July and can enter as many times as you want!! The winner recieves a goody package from Flourishes' Sharon Johnson and will be announced on the thread!
