Stamp Simply -- The Story Behind the Series

Flourishes Stamp Simply Series debuts on Tuesday, and I couldn’t be more excited!!! I know a lot of you have questions about our new Stamp Simply Series, so I thought it would be appropriate to explain to you how the series came about, what it actually means to *Stamp Simply* and to let you know what you can expect from the Stamp Simply Series.

Stamp Simply means, first and foremost, to keep the process simple, but at the same time, make it beautiful! And that perfectly sums up the way I like to stamp. I like to keep things simple, but at the same time, I want the end result to be beautiful. With that thought in mind, the Stamp Simply Series was born. I wanted to create stamp sets that were easy to use, that had gorgeous images that maintained the Flourishes signature style of timeless and classic beauty, and I also wanted the sets to be able to stand alone – meaning that if you’re in a rush (and aren’t we all), you can just reach for a small Stamp Simply set and know that everything you need to complete a beautiful card is contained in that one set.

Each Stamp Simply set will allow you to create gorgeous cards, very simply, when you keep the Stamp Simply concept in mind. Those of you who are regular readers have heard me say this time and again – but it bears repeating: When you use beautiful things, you don’t have to DO much. And this is so, so true. Beautiful cards are easily achieved with the use of gorgeous images, quality papers, and luscious ribbons. Really, that’s all it takes. Start with a simple design, add a bit of your favorite paper, attach your stamped image, add a sentiment and finish it off with a beautiful ribbon or other embellishment. Simple, beautiful, done!!!

I also promise you that as far as those simple designs go, I will be regularly posting with the Stamp Simply sets, offering you a wide range of designs to choose from. And to assist you even further, I have created a Stamp Simply tab at the top of my Blog, No Time To Stamp? Here I will provide a concise index of Stamp Simply samples for your reference. I think it will serve as a quick and handy reference tool for you.

And a question I have been asked a lot of recent is whether I am drawing the Stamp Simply sets. No, I am not. I can not draw. I am not an artist. But I am filled with ideas -- so many, many ideas -- and that’s where it all begins. The original concept for a stamp set is transferred into rough drawings, sketches, photos, and the written word – whatever it takes -- to communicate the concept to the artist. Flourishes uses both artists and calligraphers to create our final stamp sets, and these personal touches are what set the Flourishes images apart from the rest. Each and every Flourishes stamp set is a labor of love, a collaboration of many, many women, with many hands laid upon it before it is complete and final. Truly, a melding together of many hearts and minds, giving us the best of all worlds.

And as for the artist behind our first Stamp Simply set -- once the overall style, shapes, sentiments, etc. were decided, the actual artwork was a collaboration between Jan Marie Caruso (Flourish #1) and her sister, Diane Roche. Diane is a self-taught glass artist who is very computer savvy and uses the computer to her advantage in turning out awesome pieces of glass art. Diane is the only licensed glass artist for Louisiana State University and last year Diane was the designer chosen to create the art for the Breast Cancer Awareness Program in the State of Louisiana. After the main images were drawn, the detail work was pulled from some of Flourishes previous images – Lace Heart and our Flourishes Logo – and some detail was drawn by Diane. I couldn’t be more pleased with our first Stamp Simply set, and I thank these talented ladies immensely for their work and effort in bringing our first Stamp Simply set to life!!!

Hope you’ll check back in on Tuesday to see the debut of our Stamp Simply line!!!

Thanks so much for stopping in today!!!

Sharon Johnson