Saturday, February 28, 2009

Club Cards, Cheesy Chicks and Cool Creativity

As I was finishing up some cards today I was just struck again by how blessed I am to have found this hobby/obsession/creative outlet :). Stamping has given me SO much, and those few days a week I can create something are just happy days for me! The people who've been a part of my life because of it are a treasure!

So....I thought I'd share some great things with you today. Three cards I designed for our 10 for 10 Club that met this past week....and then show you a club I am a part of with my upline.

5th Avenue Sparkle

I've been wanting to show the girls the FAB ways you can use glitter. So, I took out our new Sticky Cuts Sweet and the awesome Supernova Fine Glitter, and some great pattern and texture and created this:



Sizzlits leaf, Texturz small polka dots on the white layer (which you may not be able to see) and simple accents and yet its such a wow card!

Blossoming Branches

Remember when the first thing we had to have was Stampin Up Pastels? It had all 48 colors, but I don't often use mine anymore! But, to create soft effects, there's really nothing better. Here we used the cool new set Branched Out.


First we stamped the tree in Basic Black, and then added some leaves (stamped once off for softer effect) in Kiwi Kiss, and then stamped in VersaMark with Regal Rose pastels dabbed and rubbed on to create that soft blossoming tree effect. I also showed the girls how to use the Texturez plate with the bark background on the Kiwi Kiss main panel layer. FANTABULOUS! I found this color combo one day as I was putting away two projects I had been working on, these three inkpads ended up being together and I thought...hmmm that looks pretty!

Botanical Kindness

When I saw the new SAB Delicate Dots DSP in the Sale A Bration Catalogue I wanted to design a project around it...soft pretty springy.


Here I stamped the blossom centers and leaves on a layer of whisper white. Then on a layer of cardstock vellum layed on top of the flower layer I stamped the outlines in White Craft and embossed with White Embossing Powder. SO pretty and such a delicate soft effect! Especially with the eyelet punch border.


Now, I designed the project around the paper...which ended up not coming in time! Talk about crazy! So, I grabbed last seasons Hostess Pack of Patterns DSP in the Sahara color and you have the same palette. Sentiment is embossed too. Loving how pretty this is!


And HERE are my Cheesy Chicks!


We are (l - r): Celeste, Barb, Lorraine, Kimberly (not there that night), Kaitlin, Karen, Barb, Bev and Me.... It must have been vest night 5 of us were wearing vests, I have my nice puffy one on, perfect for winter...and yes I wear glasses :) - oh and notice my shirt...Kiwi Kiss :)

I love these women! Some of us been stamping together for over 5 years now. I first started this whole stamping LOVE in a 10 for 10 group with Susan, then became a demonstrator within the first year.

These girls are so fun, we always laugh together, and we have shared a lot in the past 5 years...the joy of births, the sorrow of deaths, the celebration of accomplishments, the fun of creativity and ALL THINGS CHEESE! Seriously, one day we discovered that at every event we shared great food, but there was always cheese. We all seem to have a love of Applewood Smoked Cheddar, or other wonderful cheesy tastiness. So we've dubbed ourselves the Cheesy Chicks! And yes, sometimes we are also a little cheesy.


So, because Susan my upline (an amazing and very successful demo, one of the top girls in Canada) is our fearless leader, one day we started teasing her that she was our "Head Cheese" - or "Cheese Head"! Celeste got the brilliant idea to order some Green Bay Packer Cheese Head material, and we presented it to her last month. It was a hoot.


She loves us :)

Recipes:

5th Avenue Sparkle: Stamps: Fifth Avenue Backgrounds, Pocket Silhouettes; Ink: Tempting Turquoise; Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP, Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss; Accessories: Big Shot, Leaves Sizzlit, Swiss Dots Texturz plate, Gel Pen, Turquoise Grosgrain Ribbon, Large white brads, Dimensionals, Tab Punch, Supernova Fine Glitter, Sticky Cuts Sweet

Blossoming Branches: Stamps: Branched Out, All Holidays; Ink: Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Regal Rose, VersaMark; Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black; Accessories: Big Shot, Texturz Plate, Kiwi Kiss Striped Ribbon, Black Brads, Circle Punches, Dimensionals, SU Pastels, daubers, Piercer

Botanical Kindness: Stamps: Botanical Blooms; Ink: Bashful Blue, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, White Craft; Paper: Bashful Blue, Sahara Sand, Cardstock Vellum, Whisper White, Sahara Sand Patterns; Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Bashful Blue Striped Ribbon, White Embossing Powder, Small Oval Punch, heat tool, Dimensionals

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Flourishes Friday Focus - A Twinkle in Your Eye

This month Flourishes is focusing each Friday on new ways for you to use coloring mediums and color in your projects. Today's focus is on using Twinkling H2O's. Those fabulous pots of shimmer and color that you can paint with, and our very own wonderful Laura Fredrickson has a tutorial on using them on the Flourishes Blog. So be sure to pop on over there to see Laura do her magic with these!

Well, unfortunately...I don't have any H20's yet! But I asked the girls if I could make a small substitution today...not exactly Twinkling H2O's but, as close as I could get. So to color today I mixed Lumiere (a metallic acrylic paint) and Pearlex to create a similar effect.


I stamped this pretty branch and bird in Stazon and then mixed the Lumiere, Pearlex and a decent amount of water drops together and went about painting. I added different layers of thickness of color, but it really has a gorgeous shimmer effect. Which you can see a bit better on this view.


I've also used my Texturz plate and the Big Shot Bigz Dies to give me the oval and then the gorgeous cut flowers as accents.


Here's a second Flourishes card I have today...it's part of a secret something for someone special :) can't tell you anymore!


It's a 3 x 3 card stamped with the leaves from I Love Roses and then another leaf and rosebud added popped up. All colored with Stampin' Write Markers, simply accented with organdy, grosgrain in a simple knot and a single black brad.

Be sure to pop by the Flourishes Senior Design Team's blogs to take a look at their Friday Focus creations!

Recipes: Twinking and Tweeting: Stamps: Home Tweet Home; Ink: Black Stazon; Paper: Bordering Blue, Mellow Moss, Whisper White; Accessories: Big Shot, Ovals Bigz Die, Flowers Daisies #2 Bigz Die, Flourish Texturz Plate, Basic Grey Glazed Brads, Lumiere, Pearlex, Aqua Painter, Dimensionals, White Organdy Ribbon (Flourishes), Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, Piercer.
Leaves and Roses: Stamps: I Love Roses, Siberian Iris; Ink: Black Stazon, Always Artichoke; Paper: Always Artichoke, Basic Black, Watercolor Paper; Accessories: Organdy Ribbon, Grosgrain Ribbon, SW Markers, Aqua Painter, Black Brad, Dimensionals, Copic Marker (shadows).

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Blooms on the Avenue

A really cool looking sketch today on SCS... it has a sort of geometric feel.

I've been dying to watercolor this gorgeous 5th Avenue set, so I pulled out the smallest blooms and watercolored them with deep Riding Hood Red shades.


I paired this pretty set with the really cool Fifth Avenue Patterns background set, I clear embossed the boxy stamp on the Riding Hood Red layer (though it's not perfect, I didn't line it up 100 %...but pretend it is ok?). So the geometric feel to the sketch is even more enhanced by the patterned background stamp, and the piercing...I think the embossing really gives it a more classy 5th Avenue feel too.

Because of the angle I took the picture you can see my dimensionals behind the sentiment (sigh)...ok pretend that's not there too....just pretend you're walking down 5th Avenue in New York and it's spring and you see these lovely red flowers at a flower shop...that's what I was going for :) Can you see it? Thanks for using your imagination with me! :)


The black inside of the flowers are dotted with a Sharpie for precision. But I love the rich red on these flowers, isn't it pretty? There's just something about this color combination that's a WOW factor too.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Recipe: Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Fifth Avenue Patterns, Beautiful Borders; Ink: VersaMark, Black Stazon; Paper: Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, Mellow Moss, Watercolor; Accessories: Reinkers, Aqua Painter, Sharpie, Piercer, Dimensionals, RHR Taffeta Ribbon, Mellow Moss Taffeta Ribbon, Word Window Punch, Clear Embossing Powder, Sharpie, Dimensionals, Black Brads.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Toonie Tuesday - Life Sip by Sip


Well, I've been a little MIA from blogging these few days. Not from creating though. My brother and sister-in-law are having their first baby in 4 weeks! So, I've been designing for her. She decided against birth announcements, knowing she wouldn't get them out on time, and asked for baby thank you cards instead....so I've been working on that. Then I decided last week I'd like to knit them a blanket for the baby....so I've been knitting alot, in fact my hands are sore! I'm no knitting expert, more like a novice, but it's fun and I'll show it to you when I'm done.

Ok...today's color challenge said Retro to me, you know those avocado green appliances, orange shag carpet and yellow sunshine walls? So I picked up my very Retro coffee set, Sip by Sip and used it today, along with Beate's sketch challenge, it can have sort of a retro feel too.

I used Chocolate Chip as my neutral, and added lots of sponging and some dimension, and then pierced the feeling of the coffee steam. Not my usual style...but a good stretch.


Back with #2!


Well, my beautiful Bellas have been unloved of late...and I love them too much to leave them that way!

These colors blend so well because they are complimentary....neighbours across the color wheel, Pumpkin is a neighbour with Summer Sun and Summer Sun is a neighbour to Kiwi Kiss. The Pumpkin and Kiwi are more contrasting... (closer to opposite), but that's why this color combination works.

Because of the complimentary natures...I could sponge the colors onto each other. So I stamped the Bella Flower 3 x and sponged each piece with Pumpkin Pie, on the leaves I sponged with Summer Sun and then a little more Kiwi. So so vivid and pretty!


The background of the Top Note is Bella Toile background, also then sponged with Summer Sun.

Ah summer....I wait for you! (it's been snowing for 2 days here...and will continue tomorrow!).

Recipe: Stamps: Sip by Sip; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun; Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Kiwi Kiss Patterns, Chocolate Chip, Bali Breeze DSP, Very Vanilla; Accessories: Sponge, Scissors, Dimensionals, Piercer, Cordouroy buttons, large Chocolate brads

Stamps: Bella Toile, Bella Blossoms; Ink: Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss; Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White; Accessories: Piercer, Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, 1/2 Back Pearls, Dimensionals, Sponge

Friday, February 20, 2009

Flourishes Friday - Perfect Pencils

This month at Flourishes it's all about color, and giving you new ideas of how to use color in your designs and hopefully inspiring you too!
Today our very talented Julie Koerber walks your through a tutorial on using colored pencils in our Friday Focus. This is her specialty and her tutorial is really great. So head HERE to the Flourishes Newsletter to stock up on your pencil coloring savvy.

I've had Prismacolor Pencils for about 6 months, and yet have only used them on a couple of projects till now, just because I wasn't really sure I knew what I was doing. But the tutorial gave me more confidence. I have two projects to show you today. A wax based pencil like this gives you gorgeous blending and color. Yummy!

DD Know When to Fold Them
Today is also the 20th so it brings a brand new Dirty Girl and Alumni challenge. This month Jami had a doozie for us.

Here's her rules: Challenge Focus: Cards/Poker/Games/Gambling/Luck - anything loosely related - just tell us how it relates. Required Element: A card made with other than a standard fold (think joy fold, z-fold, tri-fold, accordion, hinge card, etc.) Restricted Element: No buttons. (Yes we know buttons are *hot* right now.) No faux buttons, no real buttons.
So really I was wracking my brain for weeks trying to figure this one out...so here's my card and then I'll tell you how it's related... (and I have a lot of pictures because I love this project SO much!).

Cover Closed:

Front Page Closeup - LOVE the embossing


Page 2




Page 3



OK Here's my story relating all this to Cards - as in playing cards. In playing cards you have two colors red and black, I have red poppies and a black background. In cards you have four suits...hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades. I have poppies which sort of look like red Hearts, Diamonds - which are my pretty rhinestones, Clubs are the pretty flourishy elements embossed on the black, and Spades? Well, that's what I dig my poppies up with because very honestly they sometimes take over!

Here's page 1 - 2 open


I've used an interesting fold, I don't know what you'd call it. It's a 5.5 x 12 panel + another 4.25 x 2.75 inch panel. I scored the 5.5 x 12 panel at 4.25, 7.75 and 11.25. Then I added the extra 4.25 x 2.75 inch panel to that little leftover fold. I trimed down each progressive height so that you could see the different layers, folded accordian style and the adhered the sections together like a book. So it's like a tri-panel card. Here's pages 2 - 3 open.


I colored my poppies with Prismacolor Pencils, and then blended with odorless mineral spirits and a colorless blender. Isn't it classy looking??? LOVE IT. I think this will be for my mom for Mother's Day. She gave me gorgeous red poppies from seed and I hope they come up this spring.



Welcome


I had so much fun doing the pencils that I tried another card. This time with Figs and Pomegrantes. Oh those leaves are so beautiful to color.





I did something odd for me...I tipped the layout, just to make it look different and to add to the diagonal feeling of the figs and leaves.

Be sure to check out all the beautiful and colorful creations by the Flourishes Design Team:

Cindy Lawrence
Faith Hofrichter
Julie Koerber - D.T. Coordinator
Latisha Yoast
Laura Fredrickson
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan



Recipes:

DD Challenge - Stamps: Flourishes - Poppy Patch; Ink: Palette Noir, VersaMark; Paper: Prism Papers- Blush Red Medium, Black, SU Whisper White; Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Odorless Mineral Spirits, Colorless Blender, Black Embossing Powder, Eyelet Border Punch, Black Organdy Ribbon (Flourishes), Word Window Punch, Rhinestones, Black Brads, Corner Rounder Punch.


Welcome - Stamps: Flourishes - Figs and Pomegranates; Ink: Palette Noir, Elegant Eggplant; Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Purely Pomegranate, K & Co Que Sera Sera, SU Whisper White; Accessories: Nestabilities, Big Shot, K & Co gems, Prismacolor Pencils, Odorless Mineral Spirits, blending stump, Dimensionals, Swirly Sizzlit, Pomegranate Satin Ribbon

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Stripedy

Don't you love when Tigger calls himself *Stripedy*? I always think it's so cute.


Today's Ways to Use It Challenge at SCS was to use stripes. Well, it wasn't until this afternoon that I could get to anything, but sheesh I almost didn't upload. The ideas in my head did not translate the best to paper.


Glitterfied Stripes



Last week my upline showed me a fabulous card with the sticky cuts, a heart that was in stripes...she said they cut the top layer (red/pink layer) of the sticky cuts with a craft knife and then added the different colors of superfine glitter in stripes! So SMART! And boy was it fabulous looking. So I thought I'd try it, but it wasn't as easy as it looked...I think I remade this card 4 times. In the end, it's cool looking...just frustrating!! Yes it really is that glittery (and more) in real life!




Scooters and Stripes




This was for a boys birthday party (again!) I love this little retired set The Wheel Thing...I don't think I'll ever part with it. And remember *The Donna* technique? Where you stamp once then do repeated stamping to give the feeling of motion? So cute.


I paper pieced the parts of the scooter in the paper colors. My sentiment isn't quite straight...but I was in such a rush to finish it so he could get out the door to the party.


New large brads on the wheels too as hub caps! Hee hee!


Recipe: Glitterfied: Stamps: Enjoy Every Moment; Ink: Tempting Turqouise, Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black; Paper: Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss Prints, Tempting Turqouise, Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss; Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Black Brads, Ribbons, Dimensionals, Supernova Fine Glitter, Sticky Cuts


Scooters: Stamps: The Wheel Thing, sentiment SU but unknown set!; Ink: Tempting Turqouise, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Wild Wasabi; Paper: Whisper White, East Coast Prep DSP, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise; Accessories: Turquoise Brads, Silver Brads, Dimensionals, Striped Ribbon

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Toonie Tuesday - So Pretty!

Oh I have some pretty things to show you today! A Birthday Ensemble and a Color Challenge Card! Lotsa great pics today.

Today is my MIL's birthday. And YES this will be late, but I made a whole ensemble of things for her. I really hope she likes it.

I started with some pretty colors and sketches, Taylor's TECC55, and Jen's SFYTT.

Here is the whole ensemble, then I'll show you the different pieces: Sorry for the weird light - there was so much sunlight today that I had to close the blinds...and despite using my OTT light - you can see the little holes in the blinds peeking through!


I included a Birthday card, and three gift cards a box and envelopes so that she'll be able to give away some pretty spring cards for Birthday's.

Here is the card we'll give her.



I love this technique and have used it a number of times before. You stamp your flowers with Stazon on cardstock vellum and let dry (because it's vellum drying time is longer), then you sponge color in layers onto the vellum. It takes probably at least 3 coats here and you need to leave it dry about 45 minutes in between layers. So it's often something I do at night and then use it in the morning. It gives you beautiful shaded but transparent color. I added white gel pen accents on the flowers (wow does that make it pop!) and attached them with glue dots (which don't show because of the white gel pen). Smart hey??? :)


See the transparent feel to the flowers? This sketch (Taylor's), gave me SUCH trouble. I spent so much time on it getting it to work. It was the two squares that I must have cut 4 times getting to the right perportion!

Alright here are the gift cards. All are done with the same techniques, watercolor with SW markers this time and then each is sponged. I wanted a very monochromatic feel to each. These use Jen's SFYTT this week, though the Amethyst Delphinium card had to be flipped so it's not quite the sketch. I dyed the ribbons to match the cards with my SW Markers as well.




And look at the pretty texture too...new Texturz plates. :)

And here's the box that will hold it all together. Beate's A2 tutorial over at SCS. I like the eyelet trim on the box too.


ALRIGHT...here's my color challenge card. Sorry, the sunlight was almost too bright today and this one was without the blinds closed.


The colors today were More Mustard, Rose Red and Kiwi Kiss. Really rich colors that have the feel of warmth, so I pulled out my new Le Jardin Botanique and stamped it with brown Stazon on watercolor paper and colored in with reinkers, sort of with a dotted technique to give it the feel of leaves. I added the HPH accent of leaves to give the layout some pop and then can you see the *bark* texture on the Rose Red layer? Texturz plate again :)


Ok...I'm off to my son's field trip this afternoon, he's running with his team of gr 4/5/6's in a city wide event called The Journal Games, he was the only grade 4 boy picked to be on the team, I'm very proud of him. God made that boy to run!

Recipes: Happy Birthday Ensemble: Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral, Beautiful Borders, Echos of Kindness; Ink: Black Stazon, Almost Amethyst, Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink; Paper: Cardstock Vellum, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Almost Amethyst, BB Prints, PP Prints, AA Prints DSP; Accessories: Big Shot, Texturz Templates, Scalloped Circle Bigz Die, White Taffeta Ribbon Stampin' Write Markers, Aqua Painter, Sponge, Corner Rounder, Piercer, White Gel Pen, Brads, Eyelet Border Punch, Dimensionals.

Beautiful Tree: Stamps: Le Jardin Botanique, Three Little Words; Ink: Brown Stazon, More Mustard; Paper: More Mustard, Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP, Watercolor; Accessories: Coluzzle Cutter, Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, Reinkers, SW Markers, Aqua Painter, Piercer Texturz Plate, Big Shot

Monday, February 16, 2009

My Children's Valentine Trio


A little late....but here are the Valentine's for my children. I used last week's sketch challenge at SCS as a jumping off point and the very pretty A Happy Heart set, and each child's favourite colors in their card. It's fun to do that sometimes, use a sketch different ways, use a set different ways, use different color palettes, the cards fit *together* but they are all unique...just like my kids!


Here is the card for our oldest - our daughter...she loves all things pastel, turquoises, purple and pinks...in fact these were the colors that I used for the Valentine's she had given to a few friends (she's past the *I need Valentine's for everyone* stage and still thinks boys are to be tolerated not liked !) See the new accents - those pretty flower brads, and the gorgeous eyelet scallop border? I picked girly patterns for the papers too.



Here's the card for our middle son. He loves red, and I just thought this would be fun and colorful (like him), but still boyish. I cut out and popped up the different parts of the heart tic tac toe (which he often plays with me). I just received the library clips - neat accent don't you think? And I picked more geometric patterns of paper sort of suited to the tic tac toe.



And this was for our little guy. He loves all things yellow, not easy to incorporate into a Valentine! But, I went with complementary shades (Saffron and Riding Hood Red) and used the rock and roll technique on the heart. The larger chocolate brad is new SU too, and I chose checks and stripes for his on the horizontal and vertical to keep drawing your eye to different parts.
As much as there are days when as a mom you want to pull your hair out (and today might be one of them for me....!) we are so blessed with our kids, I do rejoice in their beautiful personalities and their character. They teach me everyday!
Recipe: Stamps: A Happy Heart; Ink: (1) Tempting Turquoise, Regal Rose, Almost Amethyst; (2) Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss (3) So Saffron, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip; Paper: (1) Almost Amethyst, Tempting Turquoise, Regal Rose, Almost Amethyst Prints, Pretty in Pink Prints DSP, Whisper White; (2) Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Kiwi Kiss Patterns, Riding Hood Red Patterns, Very Vanilla; (3) Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron Prints DSP, Riding Hood Red Patterns DSP; Accessories: (1) Eyelet Border Punch, Flower Brads, Dimensionals, White Taffeta Ribbon, (2) Library Clip, Wide Grosgrain Chocolate Chip, Dimensionals, Piercer; (3) Large Chocolate Brads, So Saffron Brads, Wide CC Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals, Piercer

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Flourishes Catchup

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

It was a fun night at the Flourishes release party last night!
Here are some of the new release cards I haven't shown you yet....

Hope Daffodils
I told a number of you that there was a story with this card.... so I hope you can keep reading.

This card holds a special meaning to me. Two years ago today on Valentine's Day my beautiful husband and I were, with great anxiety, sitting in an exam room of an Oncologist. He told us that my husband was being diagnosed with something called Hairy Cell Leukemia, a very rare, but also very treatable cancer. He underwent chemotherapy later that spring with a drug that was only found 9 years ago, that has a 85 - 95% success rate. This was not my husband's first bout with cancer either. He had another form of cancer when he was 20. So this was a big journey for all of us, for our kids, for us as a couple, for our church family and extended family. But, thankful to God - he is in remission.

He received treatment at an amazing facility - the Cross Cancer Institute. We've come to hold cancer causes and research for cancer treatment pretty close to our hearts.

The national symbol for The Canadian and American Cancer Society is a Daffodil. Daffodils are one of the first signs of spring, and are symbols of HOPE a very important word to anyone fighting cancer.

So when I saw this set I gasped, I knew immediately what I would create.



And I guess when something matters that much to you, it pours out of you too, I think this is some of the best watercoloring I've ever done.


After coloring the daffodil I inscribed the word HOPE in all kinds of my handwriting in yellows in the background and also a very special verse to us from Romans 5:5 "and hope does not disappoint us....". We've clung to that. Clung to our giver of HOPE.


This June my husband is riding in a 2 day 200 Kilometer Bike Fundraiser called the Ride to Conquer Cancer into the Canadian Rockies. His fundraising goes to the Cross Cancer, and his goal is to raise $3000. If you'd like to see his web page...click HERE. and you can also go there if you'd be interested in helping him with his fundraising goal. If you do donate ...would you leave me a note here as a comment to let me know I'll be drawing from any of those names who donate to his fundraising and I'll send you this card.

Please don't feel in any way obligated...but I really wanted to share the story with you. I know many of you have your own cancer story too. {{{hugs}}} everyone!


Ok...tears wiped away....here are some more samples:


Baskets and Bookmarks


This is also with the Signs of Spring set - a bookmark for my sweet daughter who just LOVES to read.



I love the colors and the sweet nests...and the grapevine hyacinth! We have them in our yard.

Present for You!

And here is a cute present card I made with All Wrapped Up...a mix of paper piecing and watercolor...such a fun set! The bottom row of presents are embossed in white.



Thanks for stopping by today...for your cyber and in real life friendships! Hope you can hug someone you love today and be a bringer of hope too!

Blessings! C

Recipes: Hope Daffodils - Stamps: Flourishes - Signs of Spring; Ink: Black Stazon, Always Apricot, So Saffron, Barely Banana, Tangerine Tango; Paper: Barely Banana, Always Apricot, Watercolor, Certainly Celery, K & Co Que Sera Sera DSP; Accessories: SW Markers, Reinkers, Aqua Painter, Piercer, Oval Punch, Brads, Ribbon (Flourishes), Dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch

Baskets and Bookmarks: Stamps: Flourishes - Signs of Spring: Ink: Black Stazon Paper: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Basic Grey DSP, Watercolor; Accessories: Circle Punch, Baja Wide Ribbon, Chocolate Ribbon, Saffron Ribbon, Felt Flowers, Piercer, Reinkers, SW Markers, Aqua Painter

Present for You!: Stamps: Flourishes - All Wrapped Up; Ink; Black Stazon, White Craft; Paper: Brilliant Blue, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, K & Co Que Sera Sera DSP, Watercolor; Accessories: Big Shot, Scalloped Circle Bigz Die, K & Co Gems, Reinkers, Brads, Nestabilities, White EP, Ribbon by the foot at my LSS, Dimensionals.

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Store is Open!

Well...if you've liked the new releases we've shown you with Flourishes this week....you can head on over to the Flourishes store and purchase them now! Purchase all three new release sets and receive a 10% discount!

Here they are in all their beauty!

Stut Your Stuff

All Wrapped Up!


and....Signs of Spring

Thanks to all of you who joined us at the release party at SCS...what fun it was!

Tomorrow I'm going to be posting any cards here that you haven't seen yet, including my very favourite card from the new release, one with a very special story attached to it.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Signs of Spring

Well, it's a big day here for me! First off, it's the third sneak peek at the new releases from Flourishes.

I have two samples for you today so keep reading. This set is a gorgeous one drawn by Marcella Hawley called Signs of Spring. I'm LOVIN' it!


Today is a special one for me too because I wrote my first watercolor tutorial for Flourishes as well. I'd love for you to go and check it out HERE and tell me what you think!


I am asked a lot how I watercolor, what techniques I use, what are my tips and tricks. It's a hard question honestly! I learned to watercolor way back in high school in my Art 10 class. We had a great teacher who taught us all kinds of basic mediums and techniques, but I gravitated to watercolor right from the beginning. I've been honing my skills ever since. For me watercoloring is joy. I feel a deep sense of peace when I am doing it and feel my Lord and Creator smile as I'm being creative.


So, I've tried to put what's in my brain down onto the cyber screen for you over at the Flourishes Blog.


Here is the finished card from the tutorial: Sweet Daffodil




I love the play of color and pattern in this one too. I've used several different designer papers, Martha Stewart adhesive ribbon and American Crafts Ribbon as well as pearls and brads.


I wanted to sentiment to look a little washed out so I stamped it on damp paper and then blended it some more.






Easter Chicks



This card was just FUN. Marcy had said to me that she wondered what people would do with these little chickies...so that got me thinking....what about little colored Easter Chicks all having a little chat? So this is what came from that idea. All these puffy cuties are watercolored and some cut out and popped up. They just make me smile. My two favourite are the two sitting on their little puffy bottoms!




To win this beautiful set check out the Flourishes Blog today,


Please join ME and the Flourishes crew in the Splitcoaststampers Forum tonight 7 - 9 Eastern (5 - 7 Mountain) for a release party! Lots of chat, lots MORE inspiration, contests, giveaways, games. It will be a lot of fun!


And be sure to check out the other gorgeous samples with this set from the other Design Team girls, everyone's doing some watercoloring today....so you'll see all of their great techniques as well!:

Cindy Lawrence
Faith Hofrichter
Julie Koerber
Latisha Yoast
Laura Fredrickson
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Jan Marie Caruso
Nancy Kirk

Recipes: Sweet Daffodils: Stamps: Signs of Spring; Ink: Black Stazon, Not Quite Navy, Cameo Coral; Paper: Cameo Coral, K & Co Berry Sweet, SU Raspberry Tart, Watercolor; Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities, Piercer, 1/2 pearls, Not Quite Navy Brads, Martha Stewart Adhesive Ribbon, American Arts Ribbon, Dimensionals, Reinkers, Aqua Painter.

Easter Chicks: Stamps: Signs of Spring; Ink: Black Stazon, Blush Blossom, Regal Rose, Always Apricot; Paper: Regal Rose, So Saffron, Basic Gray - Urban Prairie DSP, Watercolor; Accessories: Oval Punch, Basic Gray - Urban Prairie Brads, Eyelet Border Punch, Flourishes Polka Dot Organdy Ribbon, Dimensionals, Nestabilities, Big Shot

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

New Release - Tiffany Diamonds!

Another day and another beautiful new release set sneak peek from Flourishes....

This gorgeous set is called All Wrapped Up, and today I wanted to give it the feel of a very special box....you know the one...the famous Tiffany Diamonds box.


I started this box by stamping and watercoloring in Baja Breeze Reinkers, leaving the bow and center ribbon area unpainted. Then I mixed Lumiere and Micro Pearl Pearlex and painted the ribbon and center of the box. Then I came back and added a light touch of Baja Breeze into the shadows of the ribbon. It has amazing shimmer IRL. (see below)


I added a gorgeous bow with ribbon from Flourishes, and then added texture with my Texturz plate from SU on Shimmer White paper. A few rhinestone gems...and doesn't it look like it could hold a beautiful diamond present all wrapped up inside? A girl can dream right???

Now hop on over to the Design Team's blogs to see what else they have in store for you with this set....

Cindy Lawrence
Faith Hofrichter
Julie Koerber

Latisha Yoast
Laura Fredrickson
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan

And see the Flourishes Blog to enter to win this set!

Come back tomorrow for something special from me! I'm so excited...my first big tutorial!

Recipe: Stamps: Flourishes - All Wrapped Up; Ink: Black Stazon, Baja Breeze; Paper: Baja Breeze, Shimmer White, Watercolor paper, Baja Breeze Patterns DSP; Accessories: Spellbinders Nestabilities - Labels Two, Reinkers, Lumiere, Pearlex, SU Labels Sizzlits, Rhinestones, Satin Ribbon (Flourishes), Damask Texturz Plate, Big Shot.