Friday, October 10, 2008

Flourishes Friday!

Wow! What a week here at Flourishes - we have five new releases, a fabulous sale to take advantage of, a virutal stamp convention and now a showcase of goodies from our talented Friends of Flourishes blog team!


The first card offers up a beautiful winter white creation with a touch of soft color. Cindy Lawrence uses our new Poinsettia and Boxwood set! You can click on her blog (see the blog roll to the right) to find out more on how she did it. For now, you can just drool! Joan Bardee took the same set to create a new technique! We all know that Copic markers can bleed through the paper when you color them. But -- Joan saw something different, she used this for a new technique! Click HERE to see how she did it! The result is a soft, almost antique card that is just too pretty!

Laura Fredrickson used the Mixed Messages set to deliver up some warm wishes! I love the background Laura used behind her little basket of mail. Add in some flowers, lovely scallops and a great ribbon and tag and you have a beauty of a card!

Cindy Haffner uses the Forest of Trees set to serve up a fabulous Holiday themed creation! Isn't that tree just perfect for this time of year? I love how Cindy inked up the background in a soft way. The mini poinsettias, embossed background and ribbon are the perfect additions!


Thanks for stopping by to see what our FOF bloggers have been up to! If you need a little extra inspiration to jump start your weekend, click on the names of our design team members on our blog roll! It's the final day of the Flourishes release celebration and they have all showcased the new sets in grand style!

TGIFF! (that's That God It's Flourishes Friday!)

Thursday, October 9, 2008

RubberStampChat Virtual Convention

The Virtual Convention is on at the RubberStampChat forum!

Please join Flourishes and many other vendors at the forum - each vendor has their own "booth" in the form of a thread in the Convention Hall thread.



We continue with our special - 10% off your entire order through the convention, which ends Monday, October 13.

To get this discount, type RSC88 in the promotion code box at checkout.


Free shipping on USA orders over $50

Free shipping on International orders over $100

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Today Flourishes officially released 5, yes 5, new holiday and Christmas sets. Today I am going to focus on Sleigh Ride stamp set.





And to make it extra special I have three cards, each at a different level of work. I know that when making Christmas cards we need some that are quick and easy, some with just a touch more, and then that extra special card where we go the extra mile.

This is the first one and it is very simple, but still has elegance and a truly grand feeling about it.





For this card I used Blue Metallic Papers in the Gold Leaf Metallic, both from Flourishes. I used my trusty embossing buddy to swipe the page so I would not have any stray embossing powder . A tiny piece of gold wired ribbon adds some depth and texture. One of the tinest Red Kaiser Rhinestones set Rudolph's nose aglow. To make up this card I cut a standard A2 size piece of Gold Leaf Metallic paper and the card was cut 1/4" smaller, folded and scored with the Teflon Bone--a stampers essential in my opinion. The card was adhered together and Viola it was done. Simple, Easy, Elegant!



My second card is using only the sleigh from the set. For this card I colored it with my Prisma pencils and blender pen. I wanted a deckle edge at the bottom so a torn piece of Red cardstock was readied for the occasion. The cardstock that I am using for this card is core colored so I did not have to be careful which direction I pulled it. Lots of very expensive cards have deckle edges.

The image was stamped with Hybrid Palette Ink-Noir from Flourishes. These inks have turned into my personal favorite. They are permanent so I can watercolor, use my Copics and gamsol with not worries or fears of bleeding or smudging.

I also love this little checkered panel that you can add to the bottom of the sleigh. Living in the Alps of Germany made me aware of the beautiful scenes that are put on their sleighs. This one uses one of the 3 scenes that are in the set so you can create your own personalized sleigh. I LOVE those reins in bright red....it also carried the red deckle edge at the bottom. I choose a greeting from the set as well and embossed in itn gold...Another Viola!

For my third card today, I went all out. as you will see. I have used the Spruce Tree from Forest of Trees Stamp Set.
The tree was stamped in Hunter Green ink on White cardstock. I carefully cut it out and smudged the edges with navy ink. Next I used a long tooth pick to add Flower Soft Glue to the edges and center of the tree. I applied Ivory Flower Soft to create my snow and set it aside to dry. For the card itself I used white cardstock as the base and a mirrored red metallic cardstock (I found at Michaels and bought the only 2 packs I could find). The next layer is again the Blue Metallic Cardstock from Flourishes. T cut the white, folded it, and scored it with my Teflon Bone folder for the crisp edge I love. I stamped the sleigh with Versamark then embossed with black detail embossing powder. I cut it out and set it aside as I worked on the rest. I used a small piece of the same Blue Metallic cardstock, and the house image which I inked with Versamark and white detail embossing powder. Next I used my Prisma colored pencils and added some lights in the house. It is hard to see in this picture but I added some glitter with my Saukara Glitter pen (another must have for stampers and scrapbookers) on the smoke coming from the chimney. The next step was to stamp the sleigh image again this time on the new Glittering Red card stock that we had made just for Flourishes. This photo does not do it justice at all. I stamped it in black, then smudged it with some black on the edges to give it some depth. I carefully cut it apart and layered in on to the blue sleigh. Next I adhered the small house scene. The packages were made using the present stamps from O Christmas tree. They were just the right size. I added snow using the Flower Soft and I was just about finished, but not quiet the Viola! yet. I stamped the sentiment from the newly released Holiday Sentiments stamp set with Versamark and used some sparkle red embossing powder. The beautiful white satin May Arts ribbon from Flourishes was the crowning touch. Viola!

Don't forget that the 10%off special is on the entire Flourishes webstore thru Monday, Oct 13th. The code that is necessary to get the discount is RSC88 , place this in the promotion code box at checkout. Then send us an email at www.flourishesllccustomerservice@cox.net with the name of the designer that inspires you and we'll reward her with a tip....on our dime.

That makes it a wrap here in the Altier at Flourishes for today. I am so glad that you joined me. I truly appreciate your precious time to visit with us.

Ciao

New Releases!

It may be sunny and warm down here in Florida, but the stores have the Halloween candy, ceramic turkeys and Christmas decorations out, so you know the fall and winter holiday season is here!
Flourishes has FIVE new sets this month, and they are all about the holiday season! Marcella Hawley and Diane Roche again provide wonderful classic images that you will be able to use year after year.
Last month we offered a discount on the new releases - this month we're offering you an even better deal! From now through Monday, October 13, get 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER!!!


To get the discount you must put this code in the promotion code box at checkout: RSC88

Now, because you have to put that code in the promotion code box, you will not be able to tell us which design team member inspires you. So...just send us an e-mail at
flourishesllccustomerservice@cox.net and we will reward your favorite designer!


Let's take a look at what our great designers have made!





This beauty by Julie Koerber uses the "Poinsettia and Boxwood" set combined with the "Holiday Greetings". Poinsettia and Boxwood contains two boxwood wreath stamps, two poinsettia stamps, some leaves, bows and a sentiment. "Holiday Greetings" has nineteen stamps and is a perfect set to cover just about all your holiday sentiment needs! Both sets were created by Marcella Hawley for Flourishes. Now, take a close look at the red paper Julie used. That is from the Glittering Christmas paper pack that we put together just for the holidays. It is 6x6 cardstock - much heavier than the usual designer paper, you get 4 sheets each of 7 different pattern. Shown here is red with a red glitter damask pattern.









Marcella Hawley also created the new "All That Glitters" set, showcased beautifully in this card by Leslie Miller. The set contains 6 ornament stamps inspired by vintage glass ornaments. Two different evergreen boughs are also included. The sentiment is from the "Holiday Greetings" set.








Leslie Miller also did this wonderful card, which uses the "City Of David" set, designed by Diane Roche. I love the soft colors she used. The sentiment is from the "Holiday Greetings" set.


















Linda Duke uses City Of David combined with the Flourished Elements set to create this elegant and classy card.














This beautifully colored card by Jan Marie Caruso uses the "Sleigh Ride" set, designed by Diane Roche. Can't you just imagine Santa riding that flourished sleigh? The stamp itself is blank on the side panel - the little scene shown here is a separate stamp and the set contains three of them to choose from! Also included is a reindeer, and 4 sentiments, including the one shown here.












Susan Robert's card takes two of the little scenes from Santa's Sleigh to create this darling card!




Here is a look at all the new sets!

City of David















All That Glitters



Holiday Greetings




Poinsettia and Boxwood



Sleigh Ride


Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Damask is back in stock!!

We just received our shipment of the Damask background stamp this morning and it is now available on the store!!

Monday, October 6, 2008

This week's happenings!

It's going to be a fun and busy week here at the Flourishes studio and we want to give you a heads up on all the happenings!
It's release week and Wednesday is our official release date. This month it's all about Christmas stamps and just wait till you see them! Now, if you can't wait until Wednesday, then stop by the Flourishes Forum on Tuesday evening, 7pm eastern time and look for the "Chat with a Designer" thread. You'll be chatting with Faith Hofrichter and you may just get a first look at the new sets, find out what the special discount will be for release week, and have a chance to win the stamp set of your choice!
Then on Friday, join us over at the Rubberstampchat forum for a Virtual Convention! What is a Virtual Convention? It’s an online rubberstamp convention. The forum will have a special “convention hall” section set up just for this event in the forum. The participating vendors (including Flourishes) set up their 'booth' as a thread in the convention hall section. Then you have until the 13th to see what show specials are being offered by that company. So, instead of getting up early to drive to the show and walk around all day in a big hall full of people and only have less than healthy food available, you get to wear your jammies, eat REAL food when you want, not wait in line for anything (including the potty) and shop at your leisure 24/7. Mark you calendars and join the fun!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Featured Stamper #20!!

Another week, another featured stamper and this one hit just the right note with each creation she entered this week. You're about to see and I am sure you'll agree!

This week's Featured Stamper is...........
Latisha Yoast!
I love the soft colors of this first card. The pink and green are so fresh together and the flowers Latisha added are just too fun!

This one is one of my faves this week. Brown and yellow with these stamps? Who would have thought? But, isn't it a beautiful card? Just so crisp and elegant looking!

This last card is just the epitome of classy. I love the soft decorative paper, the polka dot ribbon and the contrast of the background stamp. Fabulous!

Thanks Latisha for some great entries! Your name will be thrown in the hat for a free stamp set of your choice. The drawing will be November 1st!

If you missed the action in the forum this week, click HERE to see some of the other wonderful cards that were posted for FS entries. They are sure to inspire!

We also have some other big news! The winner from last month's drawing for a free set is.....

Laurie a.k.a. Virgo5!

Congrats Laurie and thanks to everyone who plays in our weekly challenges! We love to see what you come up with! See you next week!