Running With Scissors...

A Butterfly Moment

Hello, friends!  It’s Flourishes Friday and, along with the rest of the team, I’m sharing some free-for-all-anything-goes-as-long-as-it’s-Flourishes kind of stamping today.  Well, that suits me just fine!  I’ve got piles and rows and boxes of Flourishes stamps.  Image upon beautiful image waiting to be colored, and several sets designated to be “next in line”.  But where is the time?  I know I put it here somewhere… I saw a glimpse of it when I was shuffling through the gardening, housework, shopping, job, gym, Wally, Wally, Wally… oh, and hubby, too.  Okay… skidding to a halt… I need to make like a butterfly and live in the moment.

This was an easy card for several reasons:  I copied one of my own layouts from long ago, I did very little coloring, and I used Flourishes’ July Kit of the Month – Timepiece.  The designer paper, ribbon, burlap string, and decorative copper brad are all from the kit.  It’s sold out now and never to return, but a new kit will be coming along in August.  Can’t wait to see that one!

With this card I set out to make something feminine from a kit which may be considered masculine, but it just depends on how you look at it.  Lighter colors, polka dots, butterfly, flower, bow – I don’t think I’d give this card to a man.  I added some Double Dot Timepiece cardstock which is, happily, still available.  I love polka dots! 

Stamps used are Life Lines (sentiment) and Butterflies & Blossoms (butterfly).  I probably made up a new species of butterfly when I colored this one, but rather than Googling it for accuracy, I threw caution to the wind and did my own thing.  I used the Sunflower, Falling Leaves, and Sky Copic collections for coloring.  The Spellbinders shapes are listed in the recipe below.  The two cut from Classic Ivory cardstock were sponged with Adirondack Sandal ink while the dies were still in place.  The flowers were purchased locally.

That’s about enough from me today, isn’t it?  Let’s take a look at what the rest of the team is sharing:

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Stacy Morgan

Jan Marie Caruso

Sharon Doolittle

Thanks for dropping by!  Have a great day!

Stamps:  Life Lines, Butterflies & Blossoms  Paper:  Bazzill textured cream, Bo Bunny Timepiece cardstock and designer paper, Flourishes Classic Ivory  Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Adirondack Sandal, Memento Rich Cocoa, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, burlap string, decorative brad, flowers, Spellbinders Labels Four, Classic Ovals Large, Ribbon Tags Trio Two

Just the Garden Today

I think most of you know how passionate I am about the garden, and you may remember an earlier post in which I talked about the garden restoration project I’m dedicated to this summer.  We’ve had a lot of construction and hardscaping done recently and it pretty much tore up the existing garden.  I kept telling myself it would be better in the end, all things considered – easier to care for, easier to live in.  It has a little way to go before it fills in and looks the way I want it to, but it’s coming along.  Much remains to be done.  I thought I might share a few of the interim photos today.  The photos will enlarge quite a bit if you click on them.

This is the south deck off the kitchen.  It’s soon to get spruced up with a new finish.

Another view of that same area.

A Butterfly bush near the deck.  Very fragrant.

Hydrangea and smoke tree near the driveway.

Lace cap hydrangea and corydalis along a garden path.

I love hydrangeas.  They grow well and fast here.  Very easy care, and bloom from late Spring well into Fall.  A bush will get quite large and showy, so one shrub becomes a significant player in the garden.  I added these colors this year.  I have one that colors purple with blue centers, too, but it’s not pictured here today.

One last picture with Wally enjoying the landscape.  This is a good place to chase a ball into the woods.

Later there will be more flowers blooming in the beds.  At this point I’m still mostly working at restoring order, but it once again feels like my favorite place on earth, and the vision is coming into focus.

Thanks for coming by for a visit today.  I hope we can get together again soon!

Christmas in July

 

Here we are in the last week of July already… my, my, my!  Well, we just can’t let it pass without having a little Christmas in July celebration at Flourishes.  From now until July 31st all Flourishes’ Christmas stamps are on sale for 20% off.  No code necessary.  Flourishes will automatically discount the stamps for you.

Have you started your Christmas cards yet?  This one brings me up to a grand total of two.  I’d better get busy!

I’ve used Winter Bouquet, colored with Copics, and layered on these Spellbinders shapes:

• Lacey Squares
• Classic Squares Large
• Labels Sixteen

The sentiment was cut with one of the Ribbon Banners dies.  I curved the stamp ever so slightly for a perfect fit.  One of the things I like best about this set, aside from the gorgeous floral image in two sizes, is the sentiments that come with it.  I’ve used them on many of my Christmas cards, inside and out.  Love that it includes a thank you sentiment, too.

All week, the Flourishes team will take turns sharing Christmas cards.  It’s just me today, but be sure and check the Newsletter to see what’s coming up on the schedule.  Have a great week!

Stamps:  Winter Bouquet  Paper:  Red Bazzill textured, wasabi, Flourishes Classic Ivory, Webster’s Pages Waiting for Santa designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Ruby Red  Accessories:  Rhinestones, Spellbinders Lacey Squares, Classic Squares Large, and Labels Sixteen Nestabilities, Spellbinders Ribbon Banners, Scotch brand foam mounting tape (to pop up banner)

Another Moment in Time

Hello, and happy Friday!  If I may have a moment of your time, I’d like to share another Moments In Time card today.  I’ve used the Timepiece kit for this one again, too – you know, those fabulous paper/ribbon/embellishment kits Flourishes has been releasing recently.  Today’s card features some of the designer paper, brads, and burlap string that come in this month’s Timepiece kit – great companions for the stamp set (sold separately).

I’ve also used some Double Dot Timepiece cardstock, one of the kit add-ons.  That’s the curved piece at the lower edge.  There are some very cool add-ons for this kit – jewels, trinkets, dimensional stickers – in addition to the double dot cardstock.  You can see all the add-ons here.

I did no coloring today, just stamped the hour glass and the clock face image on the background panel.  I cut and embossed the curved border with a Spellbinders Ric Rac Scalloped Border Pierceabilities die (no longer in production?), then pierced and sponged with the die still in place. The sentiment is cut with one of the Grommet Tags Shapeabilities, and the edges sponged for definition.  Pretty simple, really!

Today is your last chance to take advantage of the New Release Bundle for this month.  When you purchase all four stamp sets in a bundle, you will automatically receive a 10% discount.  The bundle includes Moments In Time, Bee My Honey, Honeycomb, and Sweet Nature.

The ;Flourishes team has more samples to share with you today, all from our latest release. Keep an eye out for the Timepiece kit in use, too:

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Stacy Morgan

Jan Marie Caruso

Sharon Doolittle

Thanks so much for joining me today!  Enjoy your weekend!

Stamps:  Moments In Time  Paper:  Naturals White, tan, Bo Bunny Double Dot Timepiece cardstock and Bo Bunny Timepiece designer paper  Ink:  Burgundy, Ranger Distress Vintage Photo and Tea Dye  Accessories:  Burgundy burlap string, decorative brads, Spellbinders Ric Rac Scalloped Border Pierceabilities and Grommet Tags Shapeabilities

A JustRite Kind of Day

I love summer weekends just hanging around home.  Grilling on the patio, neighborhood walks with Wally, a little gardening, a little stamping.  We had no sun this weekend, odd summer that it is, but it was warm and I felt I had the option to be in or out, whereas when the sun shines I’m outside, and that’s all there is to it.   Sunday was a day for taking care of a few household chores, but I also made time to stamp just for fun.  You know what they say about all work and no play…

The stamp set I chose to play with is called Butterfly Gardens, by JustRite.  I love the perfect balance of whimsy and beauty in these images.  So fun to color and design with.  I watercolored this one with Tombow Markers on 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.  I layered the image on Spellbinders Standard and Scalloped Circles, large and small, and then onto a doily. 

 

I brayered celery ink onto the doily and was pleased to see how it highlighted the raised pattern and left the debossed areas untouched.  I’m thinking it might have been prettier in pink, but there’s always a next time, and I have lots of doilies.

I’ve also used one of the diminutive sentiments from JustRite’s Just Because sentiment set and hung it like a tag after cutting out with Nested Frame Custom Dies which were created specially for JustRite sentiments, but which, of course, have many other uses, as well.

So, I guess you could say it was a JustRite kind of day – a nice way to wrap up the weekend.  Now, back to the work week…  Hope it’s a good one for you!

Stamps:  JustRite Butterfly Gardens and Just Because Mini Sentiment Set  Paper:  Celery textured, pink, white, Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor, Prima Fairy Flora designer paper  Ink:  Palette Noir, Pomegranate  Accessories:  Ribbon, rhinestones, Spellbinders Standard and Scalloped Large and Small Circle Nestabilities, Nested Frame Custom Dies, doily, Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flourishes Preview, Day 3: Moments in Time

Now, here’s a set, illustrated by Lauren Pope, that works great for the guys, but you can make some mighty pretty vintage feminine cards with it, too.  I love how the team has interpreted the images in Moments in Time.  I’ve chosen to make a masculine birthday card today.

The clock face and sentiment are both embossed in black for a little extra texture, and mounted on these Spellbinder’s dies:

• Standard Circles Small
• Standard Circles Large
• Fancy Tags

Flourishes is introducing a brand new 1,2,3 Create Kit today, too!  This one is called Timepiece, and will be available for one month, only, or until supplies last, whichever comes first.  I must say, I do love getting these kits in the mail and, even better, I love sitting down to create with them.

I’ve used the designer paper and some of the twill ribbon, burlap string, and embellishments on my card.  Very manly and all so beautifully matched up for you.  When you visit the rest of the team you’ll see this kit in use by some of the gals.  You’ll surely want to hop around and check in with everyone because one of us is the Mystery Blogger.

A winner of Moments in Time will be chosen from among the comments.  See all their fabulous creations here:

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Stacy Morgan

Jan Marie Caruso

Sharon Doolittle

Check the Newsletter for today’s noontime challenge – another chance to win stamps.  I’ll refer you to the Newsletter, also, for all the release week info in a nutshell.  There are several chances to win, so I hope you can give one of our challenges a try.

Thank you so much for helping me wrap up a busy week today!  Let’s all have ourselves a super summer weekend now.  We deserve it, don’t we?  Take care!

Stamps:  Moments in Time  Paper:  Brown, black cardstock, Bo Bunny Timepiece designer paper  Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black  Accessories:  Twill ribbon, burlap string, Tim Holtz sprocket gears, Spellbinders Standard Circles Small, Standard Circles Large, Fancy Tags, detail clear embossing powder, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flourishes Preview, Day 2: Sweet Nature

Ranunculus  --  that’s the flower Marcella Hawley has drawn up for the lovely Sweet Nature set.  Go ahead and Google this flower and see a world of coloring possibilities open up before you.  I made mine sizzling hot for summer today.

It’s watercolored with markers on 140 lb hot press watercolor paper.  I found these old My Mind’s Eye designer papers in my stash and thought maybe the blue might cool things down a little lest my eyes be scorched.  I do love this intense, fiery flower, though.

Even I don’t know who the Mystery Blogger is today.  It’s one of the design team gals, so visit each and leave a comment for a chance to win today’s set.  There’s still time to get in on the Farm Fresh Challenge, too.  That one could win you the entire July release!  Check the Newsletter for the challenge of the day and other important release week information.  There’s lots going on and many chances to win.

See some lovely Sweet Nature cards here:

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Stacy Morgan

Jan Marie Caruso

Sharon Doolittle

I’ll be back tomorrow with one more preview.  Have a great day!

Stamps:  Sweet Nature  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, My Mind’s Eye Kaleidoscope designer paper (retired), 140 lb hot press watercolor paper  Ink:  Palette Noir, Blue Bayou, various water-based markers for watercoloring  Accessories:  Silk ribbon, linen thread, 1 1/4” circle punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flourishes Preview, Day 1: Bee My Honey and Honeycomb

               

Flourishes previews begin today and we’re starting off with two real sweet sets.  Bee My Honey is buzzing with cute images to color and sentiments to match, and there’s a Honeycomb background to make the hive complete.

These stamps are just about as cute as they can be and I loved them at first sight.  The main image is colored with Copics, and the honeycomb is stamped in mustard ink on white.  I have lots and lots of Spellbinders dies in my collection, but so frequently I fall back on these old familiars:

• Standard Circles Small
• Standard Circles Large
• Classic Scalloped Circles Large

Still loving how I can cut all three of these dies at once in my Grand Calibur die cutting machine, too.

Would you like to win today’s set?  Well…

Someone on the design team is the Mystery Blogger, but we don’t know who, so leave a comment on each team member’s post today and your comment may be the random winner.

The Flourishes Newsletter is our release week headquarters, so please check there for full details on all the prize winning opportunities.  There will be a challenge up later today, and the Farm Fresh Challenge is still running as well.  More to come tomorrow and Friday.

Now for the link list to the rest of the team which could be your ticket to win, but which will also lead you to some absolutely delightful finds… enjoy!

Barbara Anders

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Stacy Morgan

 

Jan Marie Caruso

Sharon Doolittle

All sets will be available in the Flourishes store first thing Friday morning. 

Thanks for joining me today, and I hope to see you again tomorrow!

Stamps:  Bee My Honey, Honeycomb  Paper:  Rich Razzleberry, Flourishes Classic White, BasicGrey Green at Heart designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, mustard, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Daisy flowers, Spellbinders dies as listed above, Martha Stewart edge punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

I Believe I Mentioned We Were Going Camping…

Well, we went camping, alright… in the rain, and we spent most of our time in the tent.  That was just prior to the 4th of July weekend.  All the days before and after our camping trip were beautiful.  It was just that one day that was a dud, and it happened to be the only day we had available.  We were just sure the weather would straighten up.  How wrong we were!

So, I have no pictures of our rainy campsite, but here’s the tent airing out in the yard the day after.  Note the sunshine.  Wally was wondering if we were going to spend the night in the tent again:

And here’s Wally doing what he does best – looking cute:

He makes everything all better.  Have a happy day!

Dude Time

I’m having the darnedest time trying to get any stamping done… or housework, or laundry, or shopping, or any of those things that require me to be indoors.  It would appear summer has finally come to the Oregon Coast.  Ever since the 4th of July weekend it’s been just gorgeous here, and since I spend my week inside at the day job, I like to live outside on the weekends.  Driftin’ Denton, here, has got the right idea…

We all need a dude card now and then, don’t we?  I usually do trees or leaves, fish or deer – the usual guy stuff.  However, I’ve been trying to branch out a little in terms of masculine cards so I can have more fun with it.  The guys will just have to put up with me, I guess.  In fact, I have a photo of my husband very similar to this.  Different color boat and, in my opinion, my husband is considerably better looking than Denton but, still, I think he’ll get the drift – or, I should say… the Driftin’ Denton.

Denton is a digi image from Dude Time Doodles which I colored with Copic markers.  I went there to check them out recently and the next thing you know I was invited to do a one time guest spot.  Why, even I can do that!  And what a great opportunity to test the digi waters, seeing as how I don’t have much experience in that genre.  When you browse the dudes at Dude Time Doodles, you’ll find something to fit every dude you know.  They make into fun cards for a guy with a sense of humor.  You’ll even find a few dudettes along the way.  There are plenty of sayings to go with the images, too.  In case you can’t make it out, this one (Hammock Harold Sentiment 2) says, “When the goin’ gets tough…you’re obviously in the wrong place.”

Well, that was fun!  As for my guest spot, you can see that here if you so desire.  It’s a challenge blog, so that’s another little something for the challenge-loving folks to consider.  Just passing the word.

Thanks for dropping in today!  Wishing you all a great week!

Stamps:  Driftin’ Denton digi image (Dude Time Doodles)  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White cardstock, Barely Banana, October Afternoon Fly a Kite designer paper  Ink:  Various Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Twine, brads, Scotch brand foam mounting tape