Simple Elegance

It is time for a sneak peek of what Flourishes has in store for you....very soon! WE have three new stamp sets coming out. Two for the holidays and one for any occasion have made cards with all three sets and I am here to tell you it was fun, fun, FUN!

I have only begun to explore the possibilities of these sets. And the new metallic papers Flourishes will be carrying are the absolute greatest for holiday and Christmas cards.

I make a suspension card, with gold embossed Peace & dove, on the back side it says "let there be".

I like simple traditional colors at Christmas, therefore the dark green, white and gold metallic appealed to me.

The gold paper on this card was some of my scrapbook paper, it has the right shade of gold that I was looking for. I was just about out of my stash of gold papers, lucky for me Flourishes has just received a shipment of carmel metallic card stock. It is extremely close to the gold I was looking for. I liked it so much I made my business cards using that paper. The results were more that I had hopped for.

The ribbon is one of the new scalloped edge satins.

Keep a watch on our web page!!!!!!!!!!!

Make a Wish

I need that easy button from staples, why can't somethings in life be a little easier? It seems the more I do this blogging, and posting to SCS the worse I get. The last two cards I posted got "sent" before I was ready. I don't think there is a way to edit SCS, I just keep apologizing.

I has been way more fun making this card to support Ginak designs and Make a Wish foundation. $7.00 of each set sold will go to the Make a Wish foundation. Check out her site and tell her the ladies from Flourishes sent you.

What I had meant to add at SCS about this card is: I tired my hand at a suspension card from Beates tutorial. It was a little more challenging than what I thought it would be, mostly what shape to make my suspension. I was also challenged by which stamps to put together, I am not as happy with what I selected or maybe its the color difference between the two that I don't like.

Stamp set

Ginak-Make a Wish

paper

gold metallic

bravo burgundy

always artichoke

lavender lace

cream

Ink

sahara sand

bravo burgundy

Makayla

Here is the first of the (I think) great pictures I took last week-end. It helps to have great subjects that lo-o-o-o-ve to pose for the camera.

I thought I was getting in a rut of using darker colors, in my cards as well as my scrap book pages and quilts. And as I sit here looking at the decor in my house It is on the dark side too. It feels liberating to know I can do bright when I want to.

As you see I found a use for that BIG flower I tried to use on my friend-to-friend card. It seems to work much better on a large page. I notice looking at the pic on my computer that Makaylas name doesn't show as well as when you see in in person. One thing I have tried to keep in all my scrap book pages is the picture as the focal point of the page. I feel this one pushes the envelope a little.

Well on to my next picture or maybe I will work on a few cards. At Flourishes yesterday,

Jan Marie, Nancy and I got our poofs of the next THREE stamp sets to be released the first part of Sept. I am so excited with this group that I have started cards but can't post any will after Aug. 29th. I can't wait to hear the response from our design team about these sets. And if they think these are good, wait till you see what we have in store next!

As you know Flourishes is supporting Gina K's Make A Wish, those cards will posted Aug 29th. Back to my design room.

Friend to Friend

My card is from cardpositionionings design of the week.

I wanted to make a big splash with something bright and cheery. I don't usually use such BIG embellishments, in fact I had a much smaller flower attached to the card when I came across a bag of prima flowers. I checked out the bag to see if I could find one the right color. I tried yellow and it looked good but blended too well with the yellow card.

Then I came across a fuchsia one in a mega size, it overwhelmed the front, "if I had one just a little smaller, " then--there it was big, bold and bright & I like it.

What do you think?

Safari

As I promised I will post some of my scrap pages. It has been a little hard for me to keep up with both cards and scrap booking in recent months. Life happens at a fast pace, but I am still taking pictures as fast as I can in hopes that when I retire I can do both.
Of course my favorite subjects are my grandkids, they have gotten very co-operative over the years when they see me coming with my camera.
Both Makayla and Brooke spent the week-end with us and my trusty camera was busy. I have some great shots of the girls so watch in the near future for more scrap pages.
As the girls get older the picture opportunities seem to get less and less.
I went to Sam's today and down loaded my pictures from the week-end. I will pick them up after work tomorrow. I still get my photos the old fashion way, have them printed then scrap them at home. I can't see me going all digital, I want to hold the finished product in my hand with all the weight of added embellishments.
A few months ago I told Jan Marie and Nancy I couldn't see me blogging any time soon, now look whats happened!

With Sympathy

One of the facts of life is having to say good-bye to people we love, we make cards to let our friends and family know we are thinking about them when they are going through a rough time in there lives. Usually these rough times come unexpectedly.
For me having to have a card ready on short notice (15 minutes before I leave for work) makes for a stressful morning. I can't say I don't do my best work, the cards are just more simple in nature and simple can be good.
It was much more fun?, to make a sympathy card and not have a use for it yet and knowing that I will have one ready when it is needed.
I used white, gray, and gold metallic card stock
veramark with gold and green pearl ex
stamp sets; psx sentiment and ageless adornment
ribbon is a new May Art scalloped satin that is carried by Flourishes, it comes in several colors, check it out.

I have my next card planned, cut, and on my desk I just haven't picked out what stamp I am going to use. I don't even know what type of card it is going to be as yet. I'm sure inspiration will come to me.

Off to work

I just got home from work, had dinner of fried green tomatoes. All is right in my world, at least for a short time.
The animals are taken care of for the night, we have temporary custody of my sons greyhound. She is a lovely lovely dog and I will be sad to see her go back to Michigan next month, but the poor cat had not been out of the bedroom since February.
My husband is off shopping and I can go to my creating room to make cards. I had to make a card fast this morning, a sympathy card at that. I need to have a few designs worked out ahead of time.
I have not been known for acknowledging birthdays in a timely fashion until this year. It helps having cards ready to go for any occasion. You can never have too many cards, and if my husband thinks I do I just start mailing them out.
Look for a new post in a day or two as I won't be home much on Thursday.

Inspired

I get inspiration from cards in magazines, SCS and from cards my friends make. I even get inspiration from cards I don't particularly care for, this is one of those cards.

I had seen it on SCS a couple of months back, I printed and saved it for latter use (to change it). As you see pink must be my favorite color.

I liked the layout but did not care for the colors used in the original card or the subject of the stamp. I just had to make one that appealed to me.

I hope you like it, if not use it for inspiration to make one that appeals to you!

Paper; basic gray, baroque burgundy, mellow moss

Stamp; Days gone by

Ink : cameo coral, rose red, mellow moss. more mustard

Cuttle bug, brads, fibers and UTEE

Let me know what you think.

40 Years And Counting

What better way to spend the day out of the HEAT than doing something we a love, besides....

I need a card for my sister and brother-in-laws 40th anniversary at the end of the week so......

this takes the cake cake and more cake and after 40 years a few flowers are nice too.

This set cake decorating 101 is very versatile, check out flourishes gallery to see lamps, hats, bowls of flowers and more. Oh ya cakes.

I cased a card made by Jan Marie Caruso a few weeks ago. Check out thecarusomanner. I changed some of the elements and used others.

I used cuttlebug swirls on vanilla with gold shimmer card. Basic Gray for the cake and background. Layered on gold shimmer on certainly celery then on black. I tried a black with white dotted organza ribbon first it was great, but it was too much black for an anniversary card. I have a thing about using black for weddings and anniversaries. I used spellbinder (the left over pieces) as a frame for the inside.

After finishing the card I realized I did not leave enough room to write on the inside so added a separate piece of paper

Paper collage

From simple to elegant these cards can be used for any occasion! Try it!

See below for instructions.

paper collage

Our stamping meetings are changing as we branch out into more that just SU. For the last year or two we have had a shoe box card exchange every month using a technique we learned the month before. This is the card I made using a paper collage technique that was described by one of our members. I had so much fun making the collage I wanted to share it with you.

Paper Collage

You will need

magazine pages; any size, any shape or paper you
don't like any more (card stock
is too heavy)
decorative papers; left over pieces work well

clear drying glue; elmers, bowl for glue

cardboard; 16x24 approx. or any portable surface
that's at least a hard as cardboard.

sponge brush; 2 to 3 inch wide

large plastic garbage bag

Gold Leafing Pen

embellishments; glitter, beads, fibers, leaves, flowers, cloth, dollies, spray paint/glitter
lace, ribbon, spray webbing, only limited by your imagination.

Step 1. Cover the cardboard with large trash bag (slip cardboard inside). Smooth out so
trash bag is not too wrinkled. Put glue in bowl and thin with water to heavy cream
consistency. With sponge brush spread a layer of glue approx. 12 x 16 inch onto plastic.

Step 2. Place 1st layer of paper on glue. You can use a whole sheet or pieces, just make sure
glue is covered from edge to edge.

Step 3. Let dry 12 hours or overnight. You can place in a warm spot or use embossing gun
(carefully) to hasten drying.

Step 4. Spread 2nd layer of glue over whole area. Don't be stingy with the glue, but not so
thick it takes longer than 12 hours to dry.

Step 5. 2nd layer of papers, use bits and pieces of decorative paper, tissue paper, foil paper.
If you have any dry spots spread a little more glue. Let dry 12 hours or over night.

Step 6. Spread a 3rd layer of glue over whole surface. NOW comes the really fun part. Add
the embellishments. The beads, glitter, leaves etc. You can use as much as you want or
as little. You can cover all the paper with embellishments and paint or just portions.
Let dry thoroughly.

Step 7. Cut in abstract shapes or any design you like. Ink cut edges with gold leafing pen.

Simple Celebration

I am always looking for ways to use a stamp in a new design. That is why I started this card and I also needed a card for my aunts 80th birthday. The ladies on Flourishes design team have shown ways of using several of the pieces to cake decorating 101

in ways I had not seen or thought of.

I had to give a whoop of laughter and a "you go girls" then got down to work to think of a way to use them differently myself.

I wanted the cake stand to look will a table, with a folded card beside it. You can lift the "card" for a private note. I added clear glaze to the blossoms and clear sparkle glaze to some of the background flowers.

Next time I will stamps the sentiments right on the ribbon. In person it looks ok but for a picture, not the best.

Kid and Grandkids

What a whirl wind summer we have been having with the kids and grandkids. From a water park at Nashville Shores where I had more fun taking pictures that riding any of the water rides. I did go on one, that was enough. A wedding in Orlando with a day trip to Magic Kingdom.
The launching of our new business Flourishes LLC.
Most of the memories have been great a few not so good with my mom in the hospital for a couple of days (she will be fine.) And a reminder that each day is a gift and we should live it as if it could be our last.

With loving memories and farwell to my nephew Troy Curry. We love you and you will be missed.

scrapbook pages

Scrap booking got me started in my passion for creating with paper, it is only fair my pages get a little exposure in my gallery. I have started using more and more stamped images on my pages, something I did not dream of doing seven years ago when I stated going to scrap book classes.

Some of the tips, tricks and techniques I learned while doing scrap book pages carried over into my cards and vice versa.

On this page I have some of every craft I currently practice photography, scrap booking, stamping and in the picture behind my granddaughter is a quilt I made for my mom.

It has to be a great day when you get to do all the things that make you happy. Its an even better day when all the people in your life are having as great a day as you are.