Flourishes Featured Stamper #2

Well, I said last week that selecting a winner for our Featured Stamper Challenge was difficult – well, it only continues to get MORE difficult –WOW – the entries were fabulous again this week and each and every one deserves to be a winner. And my criteria for picking the winner is very simple – I just want to see a wonderful card made with Flourishes images – but what do I do when they are ALL so wonderful – LOL!!! Well, this week I picked one winner and one runner up!!! And the winner of

Flourishes Featured Stamper #2

is

Sleepy in Seattle

Huge Congrats, Joanne!!!!

Joanne had several entries this week, but I chose this card using the Lilac set.

And the reason I chose this card is because it is so pretty, but yet it is such a simple card to make – and I LIKE simple!!! Joanne chose to use the smaller of the lilacs in this set. She stamped it on a small square panel and colored it in, then narrowly framed it. Joanne then chose to use some of the gorgeous designer paper in the Sugared 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey to add a whole lot of interest and pattern to her card. Joanne’s use of designer paper on this card is a great example of how simple card-making can be when you rely on designer paper for pattern and interest. And Joanne added another delicate, but simple, detail that I love – can you see her edge piercing around the perimeter of the card – love that!!! Joanne then added some pretty embellishments around her main image panel and was done!!! A totally fabulous and very pretty card without a ton of work!!!

Thank you so much, Joanne, for sharing this gorgeous creation with us. And for being the winner of Flourishes Featured Stamper #2, your name will be thrown in the hat for the prize drawing on July 1. Good luck!!!

However, I could NOT pass up this opportunity to show you another card – this one made by Lois, a/k/a Clownmom -- so we’re calling Lois the runner-up today – LOL!!! Lois has displayed great creativity using this set, and that’s what I love about this card. She used a set called Easter Blessings, and Lois was able to see beyond the Easter Sentiment and create a gorgeous floral card.

To let you better understand what Lois did, please click here to see the stamp set. OK, see how the floral arrangement is actually on a wooden cross? Well, Lois merely masked off the top of the cross, creating a beautiful, vintage floral spray that is suitable for ANY time of year. I love that!!! I have used this image (on the cross) for sympathy cards and I think this set makes up into a gorgeous sympathy card. Additionally, Lois took her design a step further and created an *out of the box* image as well – can you see how she stamped her image first, and then cut the cardstock, cutting around a portion of the image to create the *out of the box* effect. Wonderfully done, Lois!!!! Thanks much, Lois, for this great example of not only stamping *out of the box* but also of thinking *out of the box*!!!!

Thanks to all who played this week. We are all looking forward to your entries in the weeks to come!!! And remember, the first prize drawing is on July 1.

Sharon Johnson