Love Birds and Sentimental

Two great sets for you to Sneak Peek at today....



“Sentimental” is a must-have set for any card maker! A combination of type print and the scriptive (and very beautiful) handwriting of our very own Julie Lacey are showcased beautifully. These sentiments are not only versatile, but can be also used for everyday creations. 
On this card I've combined the cutie-patootie little girl from the Wonderful Winter Wishes set with the great sentiment from Sentimental...
I just adore her cape!  And I've paper pieced it with some pretty Webster's Pages Petite Patterns (Waiting for Santa & Sweet Season), then added shadows in the depths of her cape with my BV00 Copic as well as giving her some pretty purpley boots and mittens.  And ACK don't you love her fluffy hood, pom poms and the snowballs?  Done with a little Liquid Applique.  She reminds me so much of my nieces.  And this will probably be a card we'll send to the US cousins as my kids will be missing them very much now that home from visiting them.  So this pretty sentiment works beautifully.  I accented it in the O with a little bling too :)


Sentimental is a 2x6 mini set that includes a total of 6 stamps and will sell for $7 
Ready for more????
I think you’ll fall love with “Love Birds”! 

This set, illustrated by Torico, showcases a number of prim-and-proper birdies just dying to enhance your lovely creations. With accents such as a scroll-like bird cage, beautiful branch, and whimsical sentiments this stamp set will make your heart got pitter-pat! 

This card was a bear to photograph...but I just could resist using some pretty polka-dotted acetate to show off this gorgeous bird cage :)  So, I'm sorry for the reflections from my lamps.  I colored up the centre heart and the birds with some Copics and added some pretty elegant details like satin ribbon, rhinestones and the Victorian Borderabilities Die to give this a romantic feel.  

Above because of the way I've tipped the card, you can see that on the inside of the card I've added the sentiment that says "Congratulations Love Birds".  So cute!
Alright, one more look...  aren't those little birds adorable?  
Love Birds is a 4x8 stamp set that includes a total of 18 stamps and will sell for $18 
Would you like a chance to win the Sentimental and Love Birds stamp sets? Here’s what you need to do- go to each of the Trendsetter’s Blogs and leave a comment on their Sentimental/Love Birds Blog Hop Challenge post. After you have finished checking out the eye candy and have left some love, return to the TSG Blog and add your name to the Mr. Linky at the bottom of the Blog Hop Challenge post. A winner will be chosen randomly using a random number generator to receive their very own “Sentimental” and "Love Birds” stamp set. The winner will be announced Saturday (Jan. 1st) during the Release Party Chat. 
You should have come here along the hop from the awesome Angela's Blog 

And now you can head to creative Corinna's Blog for some more Love Birds lovin'! 

Posted at 10:00 PM | Labels: , , , , | 63 Comments  

Buckets of Love



We have SUCH a sweet set for you again today on the second day of New Release peeks with TSG...

With Valentine's Day around the corner, you will definitely want to invest in a stamp set that is not only whimsical, but also versatile.  Staying true to Torico's clean and magical illustration style, this set features a bucket and a barrel that can be filled with all sorts of goodies (and the sentiments are to die for as well)!  You'll enjoy hours of creating and coloring with this fabulous set!


Look at this sweet little bucket of hearts and flowers!  I've colored them up with Prismacolor Pencils matching this fun Basic Grey Olivia paper.  Doesn't it give you a taste of spring???  I've put the sentiment together in parts with the circle saying "LOVE" completing the phrase tucked under the corduroy button.  


Delish!  

Buckets of Love is a 4 x 6 inch stamp set that includes a total of 18 stamps and will sell for $15. 

Would you like a chance to win the “Buckets of Love” stamp set? Here’s what you need to do- go to each of the Trendsetter’s Blogs and leave a comment on their “Buckets of Love” Blog Hop Challenge post. After you have finished checking out the eye candy and have left some love, return to the TSG Blog and add your name to the Mr. Linky at the bottom of the Blog Hop Challenge post. A winner will be chosen randomly using a random number generator to receive their very own “Buckets of Love” stamp set. The winner will be announced Saturday (Jan. 1st) during the Release Party Chat.
Here's the list of where you can head to on the hop...... 

Angela (where you were)
Christine (you are here now :) !)
Corinna  (you can head here next!)

Posted at 10:00 PM | Labels: , , , | 73 Comments  

TSG's New Releases - Wonderful Winter Wishes



Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas everyone!  We've just returned from a 3000 km trip to my husband's family in the US for Christmas.  I've come home with a horrible cold though so I'm battling a little... :(  BUT, today I'm so excited today to be a part of the New Releases at There She Goes this month!  I've had such a fun time with these awesome stamps as a Trendie!



This first set, illustrated by Torico, showcases some precious precious images of children enjoying their snowy world.  This set will bring back childhood memories of crisp, fun-filled winter days.  Since we live in a climate with snow for at least 4 or 5 months of the year, it brings back many memories for me...and it's what my children love to do in the snow too - PLAY!


Are these two little girls not COMPLETELY ADORABLE???  Torico does me in every time with her illustrations!  Look at the older girls' little UGG boots?!!!  I've colored them up with Copics to match this gorgeous Webster's Petite Papers  (Waiting for Santa & Sweet Season).  I've given their Tam style hats a little fuzzy feeling with my blender pen, and I've popped them up on the pretty paper cut out with a Lacey Squares Nestie, looping my seam binding ribbon through the scallops in the die to tie a ribbon.


I also cut apart one of the sentiments and just added these two words coloring them up in a variegated sort of way with Copics as well.  Very fun to make.

Wonderful Winter Wishes is a 4 x 6 stamp set that includes a total of 12 stamps and will sell for $15.

Would you like to win the "Wonderful Winter Wishes" stamp set?  Here's what you need to do - go to each of the Trendsetter's Blogs and leave a comment on their "Wonderful Winter Wishes" Blog Hop Challenge post.  After you have finished checking out the eye candy and have left each designer some love, return to the TSG blog and add your name to the Mr. Linky at the bottom of that day's Blog Hop Challenge Post.  A winner will be chosen randomly using a random number generator to receive their very own "Wonderful Winter Wishes" stamp set.  The winner will be announced Saturday January 1st during the Release Party Chat.  


Now here's a list of where you've been and where to head next on the HOP!  Thanks for stopping by!
Alex 
Angela
Christine (you are here!)

now you want to head to the wonderful 

Posted at 10:00 PM | Labels: , , | 72 Comments  

Button it Up!

This week’s There She Goes challenge is brought to us by our Trendsetter of the Week, Iwona! This week we want you to grab your buttons and showcase them on your creations! Use them as a focal point, or simply embellish with them…the choice is yours. We can’t wait to see what you come up with! 

I've created my own button collection on this pretty autumn themed card.  To save space I recently took all of my button containers and dumped them into a big clip top glass jar.  It looks so pretty with my whole collection in it!  So I had a lot to choose from for this challenge.

On this card I used the pretty acorn and leaves from the gorgeous Bountiful Blessings set from TSG, I colored the image like the turning leaves of fall in Copics and then popped it up and paired it with the pretty wood grain texture from PTI and the pretty Basic Grey Indian Summer DSP.  
Then it's just a pretty collection of buttons on twill and Baker's Twine accenting.  A little eclectic and whimsical I think.  :)
We hope you join us on the challenge!  
To be eligible for the giveaway, you are to create a card that utilizes buttons, and then come back to the TSG Blog to add your name and a link to your project in the InLinkz.  This challenge is open until the winner has been announced on the following Monday (Dec. 27th). The winner will get a $5 gift certificate to use in the TSG Web store! 


...Just to let you know,  I'll be back to blogging again in a week or so, I'm going to spend the time these next days of Christmas Break with my family. 
I wish all of you friends out there the most BLESSED Christmas with the ones you love.  And I pray that you open and receive that most beautiful gift of all - Jesus.  One of my favourite names for Him is Emmanuel - which means  - God With Us!

Posted at 10:00 PM | Labels: , , , | 9 Comments  

Butterflies and Gardeners

It's our Flourishes Friday again....just a few more days till Christmas everyone, can you believe it?   I had a whole list of things to complete this week in preparation!  And I'm getting close to being done!  Though...I already know my Christmas cards will be mailed late, but I've just resigned myself to being ok with that.    And in happier news, our daughter passed her Learner's License today, what rite of passage!  It's fun to see her reach these milestones.


Today the Flourishes Girls are bringing you a Free-For-All....anything goes with Flourishes stamps so I thought I'd show you one more very CAS, very easy card with Butterflies and Blossoms just released last week.


I thought that the pretty sentiment would be a beautiful focal point for the card, and I had a colored up butterfly left over from my New Release cards....so I put them together with these gorgeous Butterfly Zva Crystals.  I've also given the card some fancy scoring with my Scor Pal board and my Scor Bug tool which creates those dashed lines.  


Remember today is the last day that you are able to order the fantastic New Release Bundle at a Discount!  

Check out the Flourishes Girls Free For All Fabulousness today too!

Posted at 11:00 PM | Labels: , , , , | 17 Comments  

Joy in a Pear Tree!

This week’s There She Goes challenge is brought to us by our Trendsetter of the Week, Alex! For this challenge you will need to pull out some of your supplies that you’ve had sitting around for six months or more! What better way to get rid some old patterned papers or embellishments? You might even rediscover an old love!  Pull out the oldies, but goodies, because we can’t wait to see what you come up with! 
Well, I have a few more Christmas cards to make, but we're getting closer!  


I've used some old SU! Designer paper, Thoroughly Modern and some Rhinestone Brads that were in my stash sitting unnoticed and unappreciated :)   I've paired them with this great new set Season's Greetings from TSG.  The partridge in the pear tree looks so fun to me.  I've colored it all up with Prismacolors and OMS, then sponged the edges using my Labels 17 as a template.  



So join us on the challenge!  
To be eligible for the giveaway, you are to create a card that utilizes supplies that have been unused for six months or more, and then come back to the TSG Blog to add your name and a link to your project in the InLinkz that is located at the bottom of this challenge post. This challenge is open until the winner has been announced on the following Monday (Dec. 20th). The winner will get a $5 gift certificate to use in the TSG Web store! 

Recipe:  Stamps - TSG - Season's Greetings;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Bermuda Bay Textured, Soft Suede, Thoroughly Modern DSP, Flourishes Classic White Cardstock;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels 17 Nesties, Victorian Borderabilities, Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, Blending Stumps, Dimensionals, Dotted Bermuda Bay Ribbon, Bow Easy, Ice Rhinestone Brads.  

Posted at 10:00 PM | Labels: , , , | 13 Comments  

Watercolor Bleed

I was very privileged to be asked by Beate to post a tutorial for a technique that I had been playing with this summer -  that I called Watercolor Bleed.  Wednesday this past week it was featured on Splitcoaststampers.  So if you'd like to try the technique out you can follow the step by step instructions I have there, or also view Beate's video tutorial.

I thought I'd show you today some of the cards that I've played with this Watercolor Bleed technique,  for Christmas here on my blog too.  Essentially it works with an embossed image, reinkers, a mini mister, a waterbrush ...and letting the colors move outside the lines :)


I'll show you the image in two different lights.  Amazing how a change in light will effect how a design looks.  Above is night with OTT lamps, below is day with OTT lamps


And here's a close up.  


And here's another one I did with white Tinsel embossing powder which gives it a different effect.  Really pretty how the Tinsel embossing picks up the blues and the greens in the design.   And it gives it the look of sparkly snow on the branches.  


And a closeup.  


So I hope you're inspired to try this one out.  It's really quite easy!  Let me know if you do, I'd love to check out your work.  There's also a spot on SCS for you to upload your work too!  

Stamps:  Flourishes - All That Glitters, Holiday Greetings;  Ink:  VersaMark;  Accessories:  Embossing Powder (Ranger Tinsel and Silver), Reinkers, Mini Misters, Waterbrush, Heat Tool.

Posted at 10:00 PM | Labels: , , , | 12 Comments  

Winter Thaw - New Beginnings


I've had the most compelling morning designing this project with the new downloadable 2011 Calendars by Flourishes.  First of all, it will be for my sister-in-law's Birthday in January.  She always wants me to create cards for her as a present, that she can give throughout the year, and I thought I'd do a series of cards with the Year in Flowers sets and create a calendar page for each one too.  So, this is just the beginning.   Just so you know I've given you the link to A Year in Flowers I, but there are sets II, and III available as well to complete the year.  


And what a beautiful compelling image for the beginning of the year.  Crocuses are the most hardy and yet delicate of flowers, and though we won't see them here in Canada in January they really are a sign of winter thaw and spring coming...new beginnings.  I love seeing them pop up through the snow.

I was listening to one of my favourite artists while designing.  Often I have it quiet when I design, but today I felt like listening to this new CD we bought from Matthew West - The Story of Your Life .  He wrote the CD after asking people to write in and tell him their stories, stories of hope and healing and God at work in them....and each song is based on one or more of those stories.  I don't quite know if I can quite describe how this album has touched me right in my spirit.  I highly recommend it, he's seriously awesome.   So, this whole theme of hope and beginnings was conveyed through the music and this piece!


Here is the Calendar, it's 5.5 inches x 8.25 inches.  I've stamped the Crocuses 2 times and then added a last single blossom popped up.   Remember you can click on any of the pictures if you want to see them larger.  


Coloring is done with Copics in light BG's (BG0000, BG01, BG11, B12) and BV's (BV00, BV04) as well as some soft greens (G12, G40, G82).  And I added some grass with the Copics to fill in the design a little along the soil line.


Above is the card, I kept a somewhat similar theme in the card too with the ruffles and Nesties Shape, as well as the metallic glitter velvet ribbon.  Perfect for that feeling of snow.  


These gorgeous Iridescent Crystal gems go perfectly with a color palette like this!   

I'll be showing you the rest of the months I've made in the weeks ahead!

The rest of the Flourishes Girls want to show off some beautiful Calendar Ideas today too....This calendar is now DOWNLOADABLE HERE :)  


Recipe:  Stamps - Flourishes A Year in Flowers I;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  SU! Always Amethyst, Soft Sky, Flourishes Classic White, Memory Box Enchanted DSP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels 14, Lacey Circles and Foliage Frame Nestabilities, 1 inch Circle Punch, Zva Rhinestones, Glitter Metallic Velvet Ribbon, Large Scallop Punch, Scor Pal, Scor Tape, Dimensionals, Copic Markers. 

Posted at 11:00 PM | Labels: , , , , , | 15 Comments  

Here they ARE....

After being tempted and teased all week with the Design Team's delish samples, we are happy to report that the sets are now live and ready for the picking in the Flourishes Store! Just click HERE to go shopping!!  Here's a peek at....

Butterflies & Blossoms

Butterflies & Blossoms Web-WM


Mix-n-Mugs

comp_mix-n-mugs.indd
Keep in mind, if you buy both of the sets just released in the New Release Bundle HERE, you get all three sets for 10% off! This offer is only good through December 17th!

We hope you had fun this week! Be sure to stop by tomorrow to see what our ever-so-talented design team whipped up with one of our new... FREE... offerings! See you then!

Posted at 9:01 PM | Labels: , | 0 Comments  

Mix-N-Mugs


This is such a fun set today!  How many times have you put something (other than a drink) in a mug right?  Well, now you have a stamp that you can mix and match all sorts of wonderful things with mugs.  BUT just so you know, I think what I like BEST about this set is that all the parts can be used individually too.  Just mugs, just the possible contents can each stand alone....it makes it doubly versatile!  I think it's a great concept.

Here is one of my favourite color combinations to use when I'm looking for something bold and bright and cheerful.  

I stamped both the mug and the pretty bouquet separately and colored them with Copic Markers and then cut them both out.  I placed a tiny slit with my craft knife through the front line of the cup and slipped the flower bouquet into the slit.  Easy peasy :)  


Love the ribbon on this one.  It's one of my favourites from Flourishes Satin Finish Cotton in Avocado.  It ties into a bow like a dream and is nice and heavy.

Now for number two card today a little more on the coooool side :)   This is typically what MY cups look like!


I took my color palette for this card from the fun papers Olivia from Basic Grey.  I stamped the cup and colored it up with Copic Markers and cut it out, then I took the cup and placed it on a sheet of Flourishes Classic White and placed a mask of the cup (with the exception of the back of the cup) overtop of both.  Then I stamped the artists tools.  This way you can see the tools in the cup and above it.  



I love this gingham plaid so much in the papers that I tried to make a triangle to look like the cup was sitting on a tablecloth.  The rest is pretty Fire and Ice Iridescent Crystals gemstones and metallic glitter velvet ribbon.  

Now you can mix it up with the rest of the awesome Design Team and this marvellous Mix N Mugs set.  
Cindy Lawrence

And Don't Forget...



 These sets are already available for Pre-Order see this link in the store.
- New Release Party is Tonight (Thursday) at 9:00 PM CST in the Flourishes Splitcoaststampers Forum
- Enter to Win this set today by commenting at the Flourishes Blog
- Enter to Win the New Release by joining us in our Winter White Challenge

Recipe:  Bright Bouquet - Stamps - Flourishes Mix N Mugs;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Kiwi Kiss, Textured Rich Razzleberry, Rich Razzleberry Patterns DSP, Old Kiwi Kiss DSP (can't remember name!), corner rounder, Big Shot, Labels 10 Nestabilities, Labels 11 Nestabilities,  Victorian Pierceabilities, Cotton Satin Finish Ribbon - Avocado, Kaiser Pearls Copic Markers, Dimensionals.

Artists Note - Stamps - Flourishes Mix N Mugs;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, Baja Breeze, Basic Grey, Basic Grey Olivia DSP;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Long Deckled Rectangles Nestabilities, Diamond Nestabilities, Floral Accent Shapeabilities, Metallic Velvet Ribbon, Fire and Ice Zva Pearls, Prismacolor Pencils, Eclipse Masking Tape, Dimensionals.

Posted at 11:00 PM | Labels: , , , , | 26 Comments  

Butterflies and Clematis


Oh today's Sneak Peek set from Flourishes is a stunning one!  Marcella put in so much beautiful detail on the Clematis flowers and the butterflies in this set.  I have two pretties to show you today!


I looked up what some of the colors would be of Clematis flowers and I found a beautiful photograph of them in this royal kind of blue, and I thought that would look lovely on a card.  I colored up the image with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS and then paired it with this gorgeous paper from Prima - Fairy Flora.  It has the pretty graduation of color on some of the sheets that worked well with the design. 


I added some pretty scoring with my Scor Pal on the Pacific Point main layer of the card, and then wove the velvety ribbon through the eyelets in the nesties shape.  Then finished it off with some detailed piercing with an Ornare template on the design and some pretty rhinestone gems.  

Now for the Second Card...


On this card I used the gorgeous butterflies and colored them up with Copic Markers, then cut them out and popped them up on the design, just like a butterfly lighting on something.    Monarch butterflies have such rich deep coloring in them and so I paired them with this deep Cajun Craze rusty brown. 


Above is a detail show of the coloring and dimension.   I've added these beautiful cream crystal tiles and pretty lace ribbons as accent on the card.  I've used Lacey Squares as the accent for the other Nesties Squares.

Important Deets this Release Week

- These sets are already available for Pre-Order see this link in the store.
- New Release Party is Thursday at 9:00 PM CST in the Flourishes Splitcoaststampers Forum
- Enter to Win this set today by commenting at the Flourishes Blog
- Enter to Win the New Release by joining us in our Winter White Challenge

Join these fantastic girls from the Design Team and see what wonderful creations they've put together with this beautiful set....

Posted at 11:00 PM | Labels: , , , , , | 30 Comments  

Christmas Cutie

I have had this gorgeous little girl colored up for at least a month...and just no time to put her together in a card, so when I saw this week's Mojo Sketch I thought, that would work great for her.


These Vintage Kids are probably one of my favourites from the SU! Catalogue this year, the set really captures sweet vintage, and has nice lines for coloring.  I colored her up with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS and cut her out and popped her up.  Then I lightly colored in the background softly with the pencil too, almost the look of Northern Lights. 


It's a great sketch to work with, so it's super simple otherwise!   Pretty ribbon, pretty papers (Memory Box Tinsel and Basic Grey Jovial).  

Thanks for stopping by!  I'll be back late Tuesday night with the NEW Release Sneak Peeks from Flourishes!  Woo Hoo!

Stamps: SU! Greeting Card Kids, Merry Crittermas;  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black;  Paper:  Textured Bermuda Bay, Flourishes  - Classic White, Memory Box Tinsel, Basic Grey Jovial;  Accessories:  Big Shot, Rectangles Nesties, Scalloped Rectangles Nesties, Square Nesties, Scalloped Squares Nesties, Bermuda Bay Dotted Ribbon, Scor Tape, Dimensionals, Prismacolor Pencils, OMS, Piercer, Rhinestones. 

Posted at 8:12 PM | Labels: , , , , | 12 Comments  

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)