FLLC May Release Challenge!!

Hello and happy Friday everyone~

Flourishes May Release's Sneak Peeks are going to start on Tuesday!! That means it's time for another Release Challenge to play along!! Here is the detail and be sure to visit Flourishes Blog for more information.


"May brings most of us to those warmer sunny days anticipating summer, and in some cultures May Day is celebrated by presenting loved ones with flowers or ringing the doorbell at someone's home and leaving behind a basket of flowers and treats....today we're bringing you flowers of our own, asking you to be inspired by the colors in this beautiful illustration..."

   

Here is my Colorful Creations Challenge card :)

I used Apple of My Eye set and I think I used all colors on the palette ;) I colored the image with Copic markers and cut sponged the mat with Memento Toffee Crunch. The sentiment was die cut with one of Perfectly Pierced Hourglass die set. The rest of the card was created with Classic Ivory cardstock, CME Rich Browns cardstock and the designer paper.

The rest of supplies:  Memento - Rich Cocoa, Angel Pink, CME ribbon - Pistachio-Moss Green, rhinestones, decorative edge punch, SB Nestabilities, Blending tool

A little tip from me.... For the blossoms, I used only R00, 11 and 12 and added YG91 for the center of the flowers. For the apples, I mixed the Sweet Pea & Dusty Rose collections. 

Do you like the image above? Well, next week you will see this very flower in its full glory as our designers sneak peak the work of a brand new artist at Flourishes -- Sam Pickard! Sam hails from England and many folks have seen her work on her blog - Planet Sam. We are so excited to share this artist's work on polymer! We know you will love what we have in store! 



 We know you'll also be inspired by our Senior Design Teams Creations so go ahead and visit:

• Amanda Havon
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones   (you're here)
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan

  THE OFFICIAL RULES:

• Simply create a card using 3 or more of the colors of the inspiration photo above
• Entries need to be in by Friday May 10th, 5 PM EST
• Those entries using Flourishes Stamps will be counted twice
• You must link your creation on our InLinkz Widgit to be counted over the May Release Challenge post
• You must have a link to the May Release challenge in your blog post or gallery post
• Please DO NOT combine challenges. Only those entries that don't combine will be in the running
• If you upload to SCS please use the keyword FLLCMAY13
• We'll announce the winners on Saturday in our Winner's Circle Post here on the Flourishes blog on Saturday May 11th, so check back then to find out if you are a winner!

Thanks for stopping by and we look forward to seeing what you create!

Maki

FLLC Friday Favorites!!

Happy Friday everyone~
It is time for Flourishes Friday Favorites! The Flourishes team also has a special announcement over Flourishes Blog today. Be sure to check our Friday Faves post!!


For the favorite stamp, I picked Tulips for Friends set. I have seen beautiful tulips all over the places and I was in mood with coloring some beautiful tulips image :)
I colored the image with Copic markers and also paper pieced the vase with the patterned paper. The background designer paper was sponged with Memento Teal Zeal. I stamped the words from Inside & Out Happy set for the sentiment and splashed some deluded blue acrylic paint on the sentiment piece.
To finish off, the kraft jute with button and brown pearls were embellished.

The rest of supplies:  Memento - Tuxedo Black, Toffee Crunch, Classic White cardstock, CME paper - Rich Browns, SB Nestabilities blending tool

Ok, now it's time to hop on over and see.....

• Amanda Havon
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones   (you're here)
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend!

Maki

FLLC Free For All Friday!

Hello and happy Friday everyone~

It is time for Flourishes "Free for All Friday!!" Just like every Friday after the release, Flourishes DT designers pick up their favorite new sets and let their creativity go crazy with a "Free for All Friday!"

The goal is to show off those new images and give you even more ideas on how to use them! Time is running out for the New Release Bundle Bargain! Today is the last day to get all of our new sets at 10% off when you purchase them in a bundle. If you want to know more, just click HERE to see the bundle in the Flourishes store!



Here is my Free for All Friday card :)

 My favorite April stamp set is Garden Gate and I created this card using both stamp images!  The sentiment piece was die cut with Perfectly Pierced Classic Window die. It was sponged with Memento Peanut Brittle and Potter's Clay using the blending tool. Then the gate image was stamped with Memento Potter's Clay. Before stamping the image, I sponged some of the ink off from the center of the image so that the sentiment would pop up more from the mat. The sentiment was stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with black embossing powder. The dry embossed layer was also die cut with the same window die. For the flowers image was colored with Copic markers and adhered the card.

The rest of supplies:  Memento - Tuxedo Black, New Sprout, Bamboo Leaves, Classic Ivory cardstock, CME paper -  Pistachio, Terra Cotta, CME Ribbon - Terra Cotta-Japonica, pearls, SB Embossibilities

Ok, now it's time to hop on over and see.....

• Amanda Havon
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones   (you're here)
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful weekend!

 Maki

FLLC April Sneek Peeks - Garden Gate

Happy Friday everyone~

After a few days of peeks and tons of eye candy courtesy of the Flourishes Design Team, we're happy to share that the April sneaks are over and all of the sets we've been showing off are LIVE in the Flourishes Store HERE! Today, we bring you one more hop and this one will have you hopping past the garden gate to see a bevy of beautiful roses!

Garden Gate, illustrated by Marcella Hawley, takes the beauty of a shrub rose and makes it a card maker's delight! The set features one beautiful arched shrub rose branch and a fun-filled,whimsical scene welcoming you beyond the garden's gate. This 4 by 6" set also offers 5 beautifully scripted sentiments.


 Here is my card using Garden Gate :)

I was so ready to color this beautiful gate image. It was stamped on the white cardstock piece and colored with Copic markers. It is hard to see but I also stamped the flower cluster image on the yellow designer paper.

The rest of supplies:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky, Classic White carstock, CME paper -  Pistachio, designer paper, CME Ribbon - Poppy-Bangkok Red, button, kraft jute twine , rhinestones, Perfectly Pierced Classic Window die, SB die, distress tool

Would you like to win this set? Well, just as we have done in past release weeks, we offer our little guessing game of….

 

We don’t know which one of these ladies below will be the Mystery Blogger but one will, so leave comments on all of our designers’ blogs and you’ll be in the running to win today’s Garden Gate Stamp set! Want to see all the beautiful things you can create with this gorgeous array of shrub roses? Head on over and see…..

• Amanda Havon
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones (you're here)
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan 

And.... if you own a Silhouette Cameo, you should know that there are a number of new cut files available too! We have the Bees and Blooms Cut File both for the Silhouette Cameo and in a SVG version as well. We have the Spring Blossom Cut file for the Silhouette Cameo and we also have the Garden Gate in a Silhouette Cameo Cut File as well! What creative fun! You can click HERE to see all of our cut files in the Flourishes store! There are a ton!

DO YOU WANT TO WIN OUR ENTIRE RELEASE?

If you want a chance to win all three of our new sets, you can always play in our Summer Lovin' Challenge – there will be multiple winners here AND you only have until 5PM EST today to enter!!! OR, play along with the gals for this week’s Timeless Tuesday Challenge! Check out the links for the official rules!
You can also take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all three together in a bundle. And, while you're shopping, did you check out the WHAT'S NEW PAGE on the Flourishes Store? There is a WHOLE BUNCH of new stuff that you'll want to check out! Just like we do each release, we offer you the Saturday Winner's Circle -- a day when you can find out if you were one of the lucky commenters or.... winners in our Release Week Challenge! We'll have that post up tomorrow at noon -- so be sure to check back and see if your name landed in our latest Winner's Circle!

Thanks for joining us this week!
Have a wonderful weekend.

 Maki

FLLC April Sneaks - Bees & Blossoms

Hello there,

Welcome to day 2 of Flourishes' fabulous April sneak peeks! Today's stamp set is one that is close to our hearts in more ways than one. For starters, it's the last stamp set penned by Becky Fleck for Flourishes. And because of that, we decided to make it a special set that will help a cause close to Becky's heart. Take a peek at....

This stippled beauty called Bees and Blooms features apple blossoms and bees buzzing in such an artistic way. And, Becky created a SVG and Silhouette cut file to be used with this set. It's a unique look that is begging to be water-colored, colored up with Copics or just stamped on its own! Now, the special part of this set.

Becky is donating 100% of her artist fees to benefit the Relay for Life. Each year, more than 4 million people in over 20 countries take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer. And, Becky's team takes to the track in my own home town of Billings, Montana to help make a difference. Here's what Becky has to say about this powerful, uplifting, tear-jerking, survivor-uniting event.... 

 

Here is what Becky says about her mission:

 "My aunt Linda took me to my first Relay for Life in July of 2005. It was 6 in the morning and the track at West High was three-deep in burning luminaries. It was such a breathtaking sight and I remember how quiet and peaceful it was. That day, we formed our first team to walk the following year. We are a small band of sisters, nieces and friends called "Nip It In The Bud," and we joyfully celebrate the birthdays of three cancer survivors on our team. We are proud to have taken first place in the "Family  & Friends" category the past three years for our fundraising efforts.

 

There is so much more to Relay for Life than just walking a track for 14 hours. Camaraderie is shared by everyone, support is given to those who need it, survivors are honored, lost battles are remembered, caretakers are appreciated, and everyone comes together with like minds and like goals.

 

This quote, by Margaret Mead, hangs on a plaque in my pastor's office and offers a thought-provoking idea of the true meaning of Relay for Life: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." To all of you who purchase my last stamp set from Flourishes, on behalf of my entire team, thank you for your support!"

Because Flourishes supports Becky in her mission, 10% of all sales of Bees and Blooms will be funneled right into Becky's team fundraiser to raise money toward cancer research. Every single one of us has someone that we know that has been affected by this horrible disease. So, let's join forces to help stamp out cancer!

Here is my card using Bees & Blossoms :)

I was very impressed with how delicate those flowers were and I wanted to make everything soft and pretty...I hope I did the justice :) The flower image were stamped on the entire white cardstock strip and colored with Copic markers. Then it was adhered ont the card. The sentiment piece was die cut with Perfectly Pierced Classic Window Die set and I embellished with the rhinestones and small bee stamped image.

The rest of supplies:  Memento Tuxedo Black, New Sprout, Classic White carstock, CME paper -  Rich Browns, designer paper, CME Ribbon - Pistachio-Moss Green, brown ribbon, button, white twine, decorative edger

And, we'll also be giving away a set today. All you need to do is figure out......

   

We don’t know which one of these ladies below will be the Mystery Blogger but one will, so leave comments on all of our designers’ blogs and you’ll be in the running to win today’s Bees and Blooms Stamp set! Want to see all the beautiful things you can create with this beautiful set for a fabulous cause? Head on over and see…..

• Amanda Havon
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones (you're here)
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan

DO YOU WANT TO WIN OUR ENTIRE RELEASE?

If you want a chance to win all three of our soon-to-be released sets, you can always play in our Summer Lovin' Challenge – there will be multiple winners here! 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 two sets as well).

You can also take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all three together in a bundle. All sets will be live first thing Friday morning -- that's tomorrow -- 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 goodies!

We’ll see you back here tomorrow for another new release sneak peek! This one will have you taking a trip past the garden gate for some beautiful inspiration!


Thank you for stopping by.
Have a great day!

Maki

FLLC April Sneak Peeks - Spring Blossoms

Hello and happy Wednesday everyone,

Welcome to Day 1 of Flourishes April Sneaks! Oh my goodness, where does the time go? We are excited though because our April release brings a bevy of beauty that is ripe for spring. Starting with this little number......

Did you recognize the flow of these flowers? Well, you should! This gorgeous stamp set is called Spring Blossoms and the final set in our Blossoms Collection, this beautiful array of spring blossoms illustrated by Marcella Hawley features a bouquet, corner stamps, and pieces to create your own borders or frames. Add in four of all occasion sentiments and you have the perfect set to create cards for every day correspondence.

Set measures 4 by 6" and is the perfect companion to sister sets Happily Ever After and Letters in Blossom. If you like this set, you might also like our Summer Blossoms set featuring summer florals, our Autumn Blossoms set featuring Autumn florals, our our set Winter Blossoms with gorgeous late winter/early spring blooms.

Here is the card I made with Spring Blossoms :)

I stamped the large bouquet image a few times with Memento Sweet Plum for the entire background panel. Then it was sponged with Memento Pistachio and Bahama Blue using the blending tool. I added the border that was created with designer paper and the beautiful lace trim with rhinestones on the background. The focal part of the card was created with the one of the corner images and sentiments. The images were colored with Copic markers. The sentiment mat and the layer mat was die cut with Perfectly Pierced Classic Hourglass die set. After sponging some blue colors on the sentiment mat and adhering on the corner images, The card is completed!

The rest of supplies:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky, Classic White carstock, CME paper -Emerald Coast, Pistachio, designer paper

 Well, just as we have done in past release weeks, we offer our little guessing game of….

   

We don’t know which one of these ladies below will be the Mystery Blogger but one will, so leave comments on all of our designers’ blogs and you’ll be in the running to win today’s Spring Blossoms Stamp set! Want to see all the beautiful things you can create with this gorgeous array of spring blooms? Head on over and see…..

• Amanda Havon
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Danielle Kennedy
• Heather Jensen
• Julie Koerber
• Maki Jones (you're here)
• Silke Ledlow
• Stacy Morgan

As you make your way around blog land to visit Flourishes’ designers, you might notice that some of them are using a brand new 123 Create Kit called… Stationery Noted! Check out the lovelies in this kit!

To find out all the goodies in this color-coordinated, elegant kit, just click HERE!

DO YOU WANT TO WIN OUR ENTIRE RELEASE?

If you want a chance to win all three of our soon-to-be released sets, you can always play in our Summer Lovin' Challenge – there will be multiple winners here! 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 two sets as well). You can also take advantage our New Release Bundle and get 10% off when you purchase all three 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 goodies!

We’ll see you back here tomorrow for another new release sneak peek! This one is blossoming with beauty as well!

Thank you for stopping by.
Have a great day!

Maki