It’s just snow wonderful

It’s that time again, when we begin sneaking peeks at the Flourishes monthly release!  December begins with Snow Wonderful!

This set contains two beautiful images that fit into the Tailor-Made Dies Classic Keyhole!   Such an elegant shape that can be placed on a card or made into a tag! I love this die set!

I started by stamping my image with Memento Tuxedo black ink on Flourishes Classic White card stock. Then I colored it with Copic Markers.

I cut the image with the large Classic Keyhole die and sponged it with the die still in place.  I also shaded around the image with Prismacolor pencils and oms (odorless mineral spirits).   I stamped the sentiment on an iridescent green vellum and cut it out with the smaller die.   The snowflakes are from a Martha Stewart punch and I inked and glittered them before adding the button centers.  The paper is Basic Grey Wassail.  The bottom border branch punch is also Martha Stewart.
Want to win this set?  Someone is the Mystery Blogger…so make sure you comment on every DT creation today!

You can also win the entire release by joining in the Release Week Feminine Flair Challenge! 
HOW TO PLAY: Lace, pearls and flouncy ribbons – these are the things that make up a creation with a truly feminine flair. That’s what is at the heart of this month’s challenge. To enter, let’s see how you add a dose of femininity to your cards or creations! Link your project up on the Flourishes blog (using our inlinkz widget). If you upload to SCS, please use the key word FLLCDEC11. Use Flourishes stamps if you have them, but if you don’t please play anyway! The winner will receive our entire December release. You have until December 16th at 5 PM Eastern time to submit.
**Check the noon time challenge on the Flourishes Blog today for yet another chance to win! 
Happy hopping!
Barbara Anders
Julie Koerber
Christine Okken
Danielle Kennedy (you are here)
Dawn Burnworth
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle
Heather Jensen
Beate Johns

Lets get sentimental

Hey everyone!  Lets kick off another Flourishes release with a great new sentiment set called Sentimental Christmas.

I’ve used today’s Timeless Tuesday challenge which is to double emboss…you can find a great tutorial here.   It’s a great technique that produces wonderful results.  There are so many combinations of embossing folders and dies to use.   I hope you will give a try!  Head on over to the Flourishes blog for the full details. 
These ladies also have creations to share using this technique with the new set so check them out!
Christine Okken
Tammy Hershberger
Jan Marie Caruso
Mona Pendleton
Beate Johns
Heather Jensen
Cindy Haffner
Makiko Jones
Silke Ledlow

Snowy Delights!

Flourishes November release week challenge is sure to be a fun one!  Create a card that showcases all things snowy!  Make your snow sparkly or fluffy or both!  Link up using the inlinkz widget on the Flourishes post to qualify and please use keyword use FLLCNOV11.  The winner receives the entire new release!  Contest ends next Friday at 5PM Eastern.  See the Flourishes blog for all the details!
The snowman I used from Warm Winter Wishes is one of my favorites!  I stamped him on kraft paper and colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and odorless mineral spirits.

I created my snow with a Marvy Liquid Applique pen.  Once I applied the liquid I sprinkled on glitter before I puffed it up.  Below is a close up where you can see a lot more of the sparkle. 
I used my Spellbinders die Labels Twenty Two for my image and layered him on a doily that I sprayed with Glimmer Mist in Vanilla.  The patterned paper is from the Prima North Country pad.  I love this paper!
Here’s all the sparkle that you can’t see in the first photo.  Love it!

Now check out the amazing creations from the rest of the design team has today!
Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle

Time for some fun!

This next set from Flourishes are fun silhouettes called a Season of Celebrations. I chose to use the sledding image from this set today.

I paired up this image with some fun paper from 3 Bugs in a Rug called Oh What Fun! I used my Spellbinders Labels Seventeen to cut out the image. I trimmed one of the snowman images from the paper and popped it up over the image. The snowflakes were made with a Martha Stewart punch and some dew drops. The design team came up with some great cards with this set today-you don’t want to miss these!
Want a chance to win the ENTIRE FLOURISHES RELEASE FOR OCTOBER? There are two ways…
First, check back today on the Flourishes Blog at Noon CST for one of the daily challenges.
And don’t forget about the Heavy Metal Challenge! You have another chance to win the entire October release. Visit the Flourishes blog for all the details! The deadline to enter is Friday October 14th at 5PM EST.
FYI: All of this week’s sets are live in the Flourishes store first thing Friday morning! If you like what you see on the designers’ blogs and want the sets before they are fully released, you can pre-order! Just click HERE! We also have the New Release Bundle, which gives you all four of our stamp sets for 10% off!
And don’t forget to leave a comment on every DT members post today because someone is the…

Check out all the great cards from the design team below!
Barbara Anders
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle

Let it Snow!

Some days it’s so hot a nice snow shower would definitely be in order!  But today it’s all about the Flourishes Christmas challenge, FLLCNOEL16, and it’s to make a Christmas song inspired card.   
I chose the sweet snowman from Warm Winter Wishes.  He’s stamped on watercolor paper and painted with SU reinkers.

All of the patterned paper is from the Jovial paper pad by Basic Grey.  The snowflake mat was made by cutting out two Fleur de Lis from Spellbinders from glittered cardstock.  I think it might be Bazzill.   The same glitter paper was used for the Martha Stewart border I punched and added on the left side of the card.  I used a Spellbinders Standard Circles large die to cut out the main image.   I accented the snowman with Marvy Liquid Applique and sprinkled on some Winter Glitter from Judikins while it was still we.  Hopefully you can see that and the glittery paper in the close up below.

I used some velvet trim and a decorative button for accents and stamped the sentiment three times and cut them out by hand and added them randomly down the side. 
Join in this months Christmas challenge and head over to the Flourishes blog for all the details and to see more song inspired creations!  Thanks for stopping by!

Flourishes Christmas in July!

Flourishes is having a fun Christmas in July sale and from now until July 31st all Flourishes’ Christmas stamps are on sale for 20% off.  No code necessary.  Flourishes will automatically discount the stamps for you! 

For my Christmas card I used Vintage Postcard and created a shaker card.  I used the instructions from the SCS tutorial here.  I began by stamping my image twice, first in black ink then a second time with embossing ink and embossed with gold.  I cut the center out of the gold embossed image and used the frame to adhere my acetate to.  I colored the other image with Copics and used that as the background.  I filled the center with Martha Stewart iridescent glitter flakes and some silver microbead mix from Judikins before adhering it with dimensional adhesive tape to the frame.
 
The background mat was made using the Spellbinders die Fleur De Lis rectangles.   I cut it out of a piece a patterned paper with stylized snowflakes on it from MME.  The sentiment was stamped on a banner die cut from the Ribbon Banner set which I then ran a gold leaf pen around the edge to tie it into the frame.    The card base is cardstock that looks like parchment which I’ve had in my stash for ages. 
Below you can see the acetate and see how the front is popped up from the back and the glitter inside.

Did you see Cindy’s gorgeous creation here? You can go to the Flourishes blog and get the links to all of this weeks Christmas creations.
Christine also has a Christmas creation to share so make sure you head on over and check it out!
Happy Friday!

No Season like Snow Season

Yeah, that was silly…

Today’s card features another group of fabulous images from Eat Cake Graphics. Below featured are Waldo Bear Tasting Snow, Nutmeg Squirrel, and Tiny Tweet wearing earmuffs. Each one is just cuter than the next! If you haven’t been to the A Sprinkling of Samples and Techniques blog you are missing some fantastic samples using Eat Cake Graphics images so check them out!

The images are all stamped on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and colored with Copic markers. The paper is from Eskimo Kisses by Basic Grey and all images including the sentiment are from Eat Cake Graphics. The ribbon is just some random spool in my stash. I used lots of mica flake glitter from Martha Stewart for the snow both on the ground and falling from the sky.

As we will be expecting more snow over the coming months I hopefully will be able to show a few more winter cards. Hope you enjoyed this! Have a great day!

Welcome to a new year with High Hopes!

It's the first High Hopes Challenge for 2010 and it's being hosted this week by Nikki with a sketch.


I chose to use this adorable image Bearly Swooshin for High Hopes Challenge #57. It's colored with Prisma pencils and oms on Neenah Solar Crest White Ultra Smooth cardstock. The striped paper is Heidi Grace and the snowflake is from Chatterbox. The dark blue cardstock is SU and the shimmery lavender is Bazzill. I used the swiss dot embossing folder on the blue panel and ran a white pigment ink pad over it and on the edges to highlight. I layered three different sized snowflakes punched from various papers used on the card using both Marvy and Martha Stewart punches in place of the flower on the sketch. I sparkled it all up using various Stickles. The snow is a combination of Marvy Liquid Applique and prism glitter and Mica glitter flakes from Martha Stewart.

Come visit the High Hopes blog and welcome our new guest designers and play along! You have a chance to win some great High Hopes stamps too!

Eskimo Kisses

One more Mo's image...I love Siku and Shiya from Mo's Digital Pencil. Printed on Neenah card stock and colored with Copics yet again.

After accenting with Polar White Flower Soft and the fur trim with white flock, I very simply matted this on Prism cardstock and added some Dew Drops so the corners. The pink paper and ribbon are from Papertrey. I don't think Eskimos really wear these bright colors, but I was having fun with them!

So are you ready yet? Woo hoo, it's almost Christmas Eve!!!

Just a few more days...

to squeeze in the rest of my Christmas cards. I can't believe it's only 4 days away. I thought I would bake all day yesterday while I was snowed in, but since hubby was away I had to do the shoveling and when I went to bake my cookies the oven decided to stop working, again. At least I had already made one kind and had made my brownies earlier in the morning. I then made my truffles after dinner since they didn't require the oven. What a pain though!

Today's card features Wee and reindeer from Whiff of Joy. These gnomes are just so adorable! I have a few more but I didn't get around to them yet...next year maybe!

The image is stamped on Neenah Solar Crest White Ultra Smooth and colored with Copics. It's accented with glitter and matted on Basic Grey paper from the Wassail line. I sponged some color around the image and underneath as well. The holly punch is from Martha Stewart and the flat backed gem from Making Memories.

Did you get any snow? We got about 15 inches in my town and the further you went east on the island the higher it got. Where my sil lives they got 26 inches! Glad I didn't have to shovel that! I would love to share some pictures but my CF card wouldn't download. I think I may have lost them as the camera kept telling me there was a CF error and to replace the card. I had such cute pics of the dog in the snow too, oh well.

See ya tomorrow!

It's a Color Throwdown with Magnolia-licious!

This weeks challenge on the Color Throwdown was so much fun to create! I love Magnolia images and the winter scene I created is one I know I will be using over and over again. I am your host this week and my color choices are Pink, Red, Olive, and an optional neutral of cream or brown. I love this warm vintage combo that is just perfect for this holiday season!

Magnolia-licious is our Color Throwdown sponsor this week and here is my creation using Tilda with Hood and Winter Forest, which I cannot find on the website, so if you are interested in this you should email owner Diana.


The images are stamped on Neenah Solar Crest White Ultra Smooth cardstock and colored with Copics. I colored and cut out two additional trees and popped them up over the originals. I also doubled the thickness on Tilda so she stands in front of all of the trees. I added Marvy Liquid Applique to the tree's with Winter Glitter. After sponging the background around the trees with inks in pale blue and pink I spritzed the panel with Glimmer Mist in Starfish (red) and Irridescent Gold. After I layered all of the images and added a snowflake (punched from kraft paper and coated with liquid applique and glitter) in the corner I used Stickles in Icicle to dot all around the image. I also glittered all the fur trim on her coat and hat with Frosted Lace Stickles for some texture and shine. Lastly I added Flower Soft in Polar White on the ground and randomly around the image. The pink dot paper is the flipside of a piece of MME.

This is a big card, finished size is 6x6 and it's very heavy and sparkly and vibrant irl. There was a lot of cutting involved so it will have to go to someone who I know will appreciate it! Please head on over to the CTD blog and play along for a chance to win a prize from Magnolia-licious!

Check out the awesome DT's blogs too!

LeAnne Pugliese - Wee Inklings

Barbara Anders - Paper Pursuits

Broni Holcomb - Splashes of Watercolor

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy

Cathy Indelicato - Crafty Thoughts

Carol Longacre/ December Guest Designer - Our Little Inspirations

It's Color Throwdown Wednesday

Good morning everyone and welcome to Wednesdays Color Throwdown. This week our lovely hostess Bar has chosen some rich fall colors to work with.


I decided yesterday was my last fall card though so I used these colors to make a winter card instead. It was surely a challenge with Dusty Durango!!


I chose to use this adorable image from Mo's Digital Pencil called Toboggan. Mo's art is like a drug! I swear I download more images than I can possibly color in a season but I can't help it! I hope I get to show you all my holiday and winter images before the spring comes, lol!

This image is printed on Neenah Solar Crest White Ultra Smooth card stock and colored with Copics. I glittered it like crazy with Stickles and irridescent glitter and a Quickie Glue Pen too. Bella's hat brim is covered in Ivory Flower Soft and the ground and all around is accented with Polar White Flower Soft. I used the swirls cuttlebug embossing folder on the Dusty Durango panel and then ran a Brilliance white ink pad over the swirls to make them pop. The snowflakes are Martha Stewart and Marvy punches coated in Diamond Glaze and Polar White Flower Soft and irridescent glitter from Judikins, finishing it with a flat backed pearl from EK Success and some pine punched pieces from Martha Stewart.

Oh, lets not forget that luscious ribbon! Pure silk from Flourishes-isn't it gorgeous! The cards always look a bit flat on the blog, but irl this is so bright and sparkly!

Whew, okay enough from me. Get the details to play along on our blog! Have a great Thanksgiving! Gobble Gobble!

Just Chillin'

Keeping cool here with this adorable penguin trio from Whipper Snapper! One of the new 2009 Fall/Winter Collection images these guys are just too cute for words! Colored with Copics on Neenah cardstock and cut out using Nesties.

The cardstock is Bazzill and some textured pink paper (similar to a mulberry) that I had in my stash. It was just the perfect shade for the great snowflake pp from Chatterbox. The ribbon is from PTI and the bow made with the Bow Easy, and the sentiment is from Anna Wights Cozy Critters set.

I finished off the card with flat backed pearls from Kaiser-some at the bottom and some tiny ones sprinkles on the image to mimic snow.

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend and has a great Monday!

Anticipating more snow

I hope everyone had a nice weekend and enjoyed the Superbowl last night. I'm not a big fan but I was bit disappointed that the Cardinals lost. That last play was so good though...ya gotta appreciate it!

Anyway, the weatherman is showing us snow for tonight into Tuesday, just a few inches though. It's annoying when it's not enough for the kids to sleigh ride or build snowman, but enough to make your commute aggravating. So in honor of our continuing winter flakes I am still making winter cards.

This sweet image is from Whipper Snapper Designs and colored with Copic markers. The ice is some chunky crystal glitter and I also added sparkle to the stars in the sky, the large star, and around the sentiment with a Sakura stardust pen. The Star and Sentiment and frame underneath are from Verve Visual's Swirly Stars and Starlight Starbright sets. I used Stampin Up oval punches on the sentiment and the frame, which was stamped with Versamagic in Aegean Blue. The ribbon is Ocean Tides from Papertrey Ink. The dp is Memory Box...Twiggy or Frost maybe? Sorry, I just grabbed a piece which was in a pile unpackaged, but I know it's Memory Box! Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks!

Have a nice day!

Winter fun

TGIF!

I bought this stamp from Stampendous ages ago...long before there was any trace of cold at least, but I never inked him up, not even for Christmas! I have decided therefore that it is completely necessary to make several "winter" cards. This image is Pixel and Pookie...aren't they sweet? I used Papertrey Ink cardstock in Aqua Mist for the base and the dp is from KI and cut into strips and attached to the base. Of course the image is colored with Copics...I need to change up my mediums a bit before I get too rusty to use anything else! The sentiment is from a Studio G clear set from Michaels and it and the mat were cut using SU! oval punches. The cardstock behind the image is Bazzill and the ribbon is from Michaels. I had orginally gone over parts of the image with a Sakura Star Dust pen but it needed more sparkle. I then used Judikins Diamond Glaze and some chunky clear glitter (looks like sugar crystals) for the skate trail and to dot the background like falling snowflakes. I even added it to the Martha Stewart punched out snowflake. I am not done using those snowflake punches yet...I love them, sigh...


Here (maybe) you can see the chunky glitter and I flocked his pompom and the bunny tail.

I am preparing for my 3 year olds pirate birthday party tomorrow. I hope the snow storm we are expecting doesn't start before the party ends. I have crafts for the kids, one I created myself, and I hope to have some cute pics to post of it.

Tonight is 'Let's Make a Deal' at the Scrappers Playground. Like last time when I participated (and won!) the 'Scrappers Dash', we got raffle tickets for every $50 we spent there for the last few months. I won't tell you how many tickets that I have *blush*. In addition, just like the game show, we have to come in costume and "Monty" will be looking for objects from the audience for more fun and games. I am really looking forward to it!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!