Saturday, June 20, 2009

Honoring Our Wounded Warriors...

Don't you just love this classic card above created by one of our talented designers - Cindy Lawrence? We did! One, it's design is crisp and clean with a bold pop of color and second, it honors a very special project we have going here at Flourishes!

When we launched our June release, we knew we were saving the best stamp set for last. That's because it was packaged up with love knowing that each stamp set sold, would go to benefit the injured soldiers in our country. A percentage of all stamp sets sold will benefit....

The Wounded Warrior Project is an amazing non profit that offers programs, resources, training and more to both the injured soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and their families who are trying hard to help their loved ones. We read the emails that poured in and we thought.... how can we keep the momentum going and honor those customers who bought/want to buy the set to help us in our effort and do more good?

We came up with a plan!

For those who purchase the Patriotism on Parade set, we would LOVE to see your cards! In fact, we will create a "parade" of our own! To make it easy to find on SCS - please use the keyword: FLLCPOP. Each Saturday in July, we'll be scouring Splitcoast and the comments that you leave here on this post and we'll be publishing YOUR cards right here on our blog! We'll have a new crop of cards each week to showcase!

Click HERE to see the Gallery Submissions! FYI: If you made a card using this set before our announcement, just add the keyword: FLLCPOP to your post!

Here's the clincher! If you use this set to create a card or two or three - send them to us at:

Flourishes LLC
4140 Lyric Lane
Pensacola, Florida 32514-6871

We will send them straight to the troops that are now serving over seas! It will tell those that are selflessly serving our country that there are some wonderfully creative people back home that care enough to send the very best -- a hand made card created from the heart!

What is in it for you? With each card you send by August 1st, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate to Flourishes to use however you like! There will also be 2 (two) $25 gift certificates for the runners up!

TIPS FOR CARD MAKERS

Once we gather the cards up, we will donate them to Cards For Heroes. Below are a few tips delivered straight from their site!

What kind of cards are needed?
Blank
General/all occasion cards are in greatest demand. i.e. miss you, love, birthday, thinking of you, hello, thank you. The soldiers will use the blank cards to send to their wives, husbands, children and family. FYI: You do not have to use the Patriotism on Parade set for all of your cards. All you need is one to qualify all of your creations as entries into the drawing!

What kind of cards should I avoid sending?
No glitter that will flake off the card—it is a safety hazard!! It can make a mess on a uniform and make a hero visible to night-vision goggles! Please do not send suggestive or risque cards. We don't want to offend any of our service members. Funny cards are okay, but keep them positive and upbeat.

Can I include some extra cards geared toward the holidays?
YES!! If you wanted to send some extra cards geared toward holidays, Cards For Heroes is also looking for Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Independence Day--lots of Any Hero cards please, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Can I use dark colors?
You can use dark card stock, but if you do, please attach a liner inside with lighter colored paper. Our heroes may only have a Bic pen or a pencil to write with, so please give them space and surface to write on.

Can my cards be embellished?
This question usually refers to those with "lumpy" embellishments that can require extra postage. This is not a problem for our servicemen and servicewomen since cards are mailed for free for them.

Do I need to send an envelope?
Sending an envelope with your card is much appreciated! Cards For Heroes did have some envelopes donated, but if you are able to send one, it will help their donation go that much farther!

Hope these tips help! We can't wait to see this project take off. We know our customers are some of the most thoughtful, generous bunch out there. We can't wait to band together and really help impact the lives of soldiers here on U.S. soil and abroad!

Thanks in advance from the bottom of our hearts!

~From all of us at Flourishes!

10 comments:

Stacy Morgan said...

This is awesome! What a great way to get cards to our troops, you girls rock!

"Kirby" (KrB) said...

Great project, ladies. So glad you're doing this, and....I just received my Patriotism set, so I'll see what I can do towards this worthy project. Thanks for all the helpful tips as well.

Anonymous said...

Go Flourishes! Great Parade of Patriotic cards and a lasting project placing creativity and caring on the top shelf! Grandious planning ladies to allow plenty of time for cards to greet our troops then return in gorgeous crafters' form greeting troop family, friends, and neighbors. Last year's cards for troops efforts by crafters treated so many thousands. This year doubling the blessing of so many more of our 200,000 in harms way will be even more superb.
Keep Looking Up!

Anonymous said...

Turn the air conditioning up and burn the midnight oil! Craft for our troops! Freedom is a glorious thing!

Anonymous said...

Hey, Julie! Thanks for all the research. This is a huge help, guideline.
Big Sky Hi

"Kirby" (KrB) said...

I made my card (first one, at least) and posted it to SCS. Will add it to my blog as well.

resources training said...

I loved that card at the top. It is beautiful. This is a wonderful. Thank you for the tips.

Unknown said...

Loving this set!! I posted my card on SCS and my blog and will get it in the mail asap!! :)

Leslie said...

This is a wonderful thing you are doing! I do something similar for my brother, part of the 1159th Medical Transportation Unit from Concord, NH. He was in Iraq in 2005 and is returning this fall.

Dan said...

Very nice! Maybe not as beautiful, but another thing everyone can do to support Wounded Warrior Proj. each day is use this yahoo search service http://www.freelanthropy.com/search/wwp WWP earns money to continue they're great work (it's free).