Happy Birthday Flourishes!!

Are you ready to celebrate?

Two years ago (August 1st), a one of a kind stamp boutique opened its doors to a brand new kind of creative expression.  Today, the entire design team cooked up creations to honor Flourishes' special day. We want you to join us! Simply make a birthday creation of your own - link your card to the Flourishes Newsletter post or upload to SCS using the keyword FLLCBDAY. We'll pick one lucky winner with the prize being a stamp set of your choice! So, make time for play time and you might just be a winner! Don't forget to click onto the Flourishes Newsletter tomorrow -- there is a BIG announcement that you won't want to miss! 

For my card, I chose to use one of Flourishes older sets, Life is Sweet & then used the happy birthday sentiment from Sweet Violets.  Have you seen the new ribbon they are carrying?  Oh my heavens do I love that gingham ribbon...love it!!  I paired it with some Basic Grey Lemonade designer paper & Flourishes Classic Ivory card stock.  The cupcakes were colored in using Copic markers and then to add "sprinkles" to the cupcakes, I place some of the Kaiser pearls on them.  

"Happy Birthday Flourishes"

make sure to visit the rest of the design team so see their birthday cards

Julie Koerber

Christine Okken

Leslie Miller

Cindy Lawrence

Laura Fredrickson

Stacy Morgan

Faith Hofrichter

also joining us this week

Jan Marie

Silke

Dee

CHA & Latisha in pictures lol

Wow, what a whirlwind of a couple of days!  I am left leaving so grateful and humble to have met so many people I look up to in this industry.  A lot of them I have online friendships with, so to meet in person, hug, laugh and drool over things you love was so so so much fun!!  Since I don't have a project to show, below are some of my favorite pictures of the last few days with my favorite people!  So scroll down if you want to see lots of pictures of me lol.

First off, me and Kazan 

(one of the owners of 2sketches4you)

She is AMAZING and now a wonderful new friend, why does she have to live in Colorado?  Boo I'm going to miss her and her lovely accent!

Designer sanwich right there lol

me, Nancy Kirk (an owner of Flourishes) and Kimberly Crawford

we both design for Flourishes

Me & Kristi Ferro

Owner of Hanna Stamps

She is so nice and friendly...she is good people

Me & Kimberly Crawford

What can I say I just {{love}} her!

We started chatting once she joined Flourishes, and she inspires me, pushes me and is always there to cheer me on, and is the biggest sweetheart.  We gave each other a huge hug when we saw each other, gotta love that!  If her name sounds familiar its because she is published all the time!

Brooke, myself and Angela

Angela owns Unity Stamp Co & Brooke is on their DT and works for Unity

They are seriously so beautiful in person an super nice too!!

This picture is a little blury, but its me and Debbie Olson

She was the first person to really push & support me to submit to publications.  I owe my first publication all to her really!!  She gave me a big hug when I saw her & I got to walk around CHA with her & Becca.  She really is that nice in person as she seems on her blog, there are not too many honest and genuine people like her

Lisa H. & myself

She is an artist for Unity Stamp Co.  I met her online when we were in the same SBS, its so fun to see her career just take off, & she is so so so nice!!!  Go check out her designs at Unity, she is beyond talented, she will make your cards sing with her stuff!!

Me, Donna Downey and Becca Feeken

Ok if you do not know who she is check out her blog here, she is a superstar, seriously

I met Becca back in February at a Copic class, and she is another designer for Flourishes.  From the very first time we met, we just connected and our conversations are always so easy (love that)  so on my first day I found her at the Spellbinders booth & then we decided to walk around the show together.  While strolling around we ran into Donna Downey...so cool!!!  Donna is really nice and her husband took our picture and he took 2 just to make sure...don't you love that!

Myself and Heather Brown

OMG, have you ever seen her videos? So so so funny, not to mention she is uber talented!

She designs for My Little Shoebox and Unity

Are you ready for the next two?

Here is me and Julie Comstock (an owner of Cosmo Cricket)

Ok, here is the thing, I saw her on Tuesday and was too shy to say anything, then we were at a make and take at Tim Holtz booth at the same time & I still couldn't say anything.  So then yesterday as I was walking around CHA with Debbie O. I told her I was too shy to say "hi", and she told me not to be afraid and go talk to her lol.  So I did, and she is so super nice and she told me not to be shy lol.  When I introduced myself and said "hi, I'm Latisha", she said "Yoast, Latisha Yoast" OMG...ladies they really do read our comments on their blog and pay attention.  Her husband Eric is so tall, like 6ft 6inches, but he is also really kind, they are wonderful people and I'm so happy to of met them.  I can't say enough nice things about them, they are good people too!

Here is Lindsey, another partner/owner of Cosmo Cricket.  I think I could of hung out at their booth all day, he is really funny!  When Nancy was taking our picture, she told us we should put our heads together, Lindsey liked that idea, so we did lol.  

On Tuesday, Becca and I went to High Tea at Disney's Grand Floridian Garden Tea room.  I was staying at a Disney resort and really wanted to do tea here for a while, so when I told Becca I wanted to do that, she wanted to come along too.  Before I had my tea, scones, finger sanwiches or dessert, they brought us champagne and a strawberry, so fabulous!!  If you have made it this far, "CHEERS to you" for letting me share my experience.  There are many more wonderful people I got to meet, but this post is getting really long so I'm going to stop here

big hugs

latisha

Hi There

For me, when I'm coloring an image with Copic markers, or any kind of coloring medium, the colored image will become the main focal point, if the card has less stuff on it. So after I colored in the owls, (loving the Stampavie whimsy style) I cut it out using a Spellbinders labels die (love those things), I layered it onto kraft card stock.  The vinyl Thicker used to be green, but I wanted it a different color, so I took out my black Copic marker and colored it black, this could be done also using a Sharpie (I have never done this, but I know people who have).  I was at a loss and what kind of ribbon to use, so I went to my old standby, sheer May Arts black ribbon.  I was in a clean and simple mood when I made this, but if I wanted it a little more dressed up, I could of added some bling, paper pierced along the edges, or even added some buttons.

"hi there"

Edited to add:

Highlights from Tuesday at CHA

*Meeting Donna Downey

*Doing a make and take at Tim Holtz booth...Julie from Cosmo Cricket was there too, but I was too shy to say anything, maybe tomorrow I can talk to her lol...I did talk to Eric though

*Meeting the Unity Girls & the lovely Lisa Hetrick

*Meeting all of the Spellbinders designers, they are so super nice (the owner too)

*Being in a convention hall full of crafty goodness

*Meeting the owners of My Favorite Things and Hannah Stamps (SCS member companies)

*Going to Afternoon Tea at the Garden Tea Room at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort with Becca Feeken

*Getting to meet co-designers on 2sketches4you...Kazan, Angela & Lori

*Having drinks and dinner with Kazan, Kimberly Crawford, Angela, Lori, Heidi, Debbie & Lynn Mercurio.

The new lines from Basic Grey look really cute, they have a line called Eerie coming out...think Halloween, and a few others

The new Cosmo Cricket papers look really yummy in person

I need the new labels dies from Spellbinders

New stamps from Unity are awesome

Love the new Jenni Bowlin line

The Polar White Flower Soft looks really fun and sparkly

I could of died and went to heaven in the May Arts booth

Make and takes are a lot of fun

Call Me

Here is a clean and simple card that I made a few days ago.  The kraft card base is 4.25 inches by 4.25 inches, I stamped the telephone image onto my cardstock, then again onto some Jenni Bowlin dp.  I cut the image out from the J. Bowlin paper, then adhered it to the kraft, this technique is called paper piecing.  To give it a little bit of extra yumminess, I tied a bow using gingham red and white ribbon.  This really only took maybe 7-8 minutes, easy peasy!!  Right about now, while you are reading this I'm walking the aisles of Summer CHA...so excited!!  I will be posting all my pictures when I get back!!

"call me anytime"

OUT

FOR

PUBLICATION

materials used:

Unity stamps

kraft card stock

Jenni Bowlin paper

red gingham ribbon

Make it a Grande

Hello, hello there!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  I drove to Charleston, SC to attend one of my best friends baby shower, it was a great day.  Anyhow, today I'm sharing my card for this weeks sketch from 2sketches4you (Laura's sketch).  The sponsor this week is Just-Rite, so I used the Just a Little Caffeine borders & centers set.  This set is for a 2 inch circle base, and you can inter-change the center and border to create stamp that you like.  Be sure to play along, you could win a nice prize package if your card happens to be Card of the Week.  Do you see that in the center of the cup I put "latisha's blend" lol, I just couldn't help myself hee hee.  I can't wait to see all of your creations, this is a fun an easy sketch to play with!!

"make it a grande"

materials used:

Just Rite stamps

Basic Grey dp

Cosmo Cricket dp

buttons

satin ribbon

twine

copic markers

Spellbinder dies

baby shower gift and card

Well I made it back from Charleston, SC about an hour ago.  I have a cooking class to go to around noon today, but I wanted to get this posted before I forgot (I need to go to bed lol).  Here is the card and basket I gave to my friend along with the diaper cake.  A lot of stuff you cannot see in the basket so here is a summary lol

7 or 8 outfits

wipes

Johnson & Johnson products

Desitin

socks

hooded towel

wash cloths

leopard stuffed animal (noah's ark is the theme)

stackable toy thing

old fashioned pull along phone on wheels

the link toys, that you can use to attach toys to stuff

$25 gift card to Chili's (date for them before baby comes)

uh and I can't remember what else lol

before anyone asks I got the ribbon and basket from AC Moore

Diaper Cake

I'm off to one of my best friends baby shower today, its midnight right now but I'm leaving at 7am to drive 4 1/2 hours to Charleston, SC.  I'm so over the moon excited for her, this is her first child, and she (Kelly) is having a boy.  I totally went way overboard, here is one of her gifts, I made a diaper cake using size 1 diapers (fyi don't use size one they are too small lol) there is alot of stuff on the back you cannot see, but the top of the cake has some of my all time favorite books that I read to both of my children when they were babies.  I have a huge basket of clothes, toys, and other fun things that I'm giving her too, I will take a picture of that in the morning before I go.  Its late right now and there is no way I can get a good photograph.  I hope you all have a wonderful Saturday, I'm off to a city I love and have been so lucky to have lived in.

ttyl

latisha

Picnic, Stampavie style

I really really love this image by Sarah Kay for Stampavie, this little lady is just ready to go to a picnic in some park.  For this card I actually used Cindy's sketch for her DTGD challenge over on SCS.  I stamped the image in Palette ink, then once the ink dried I colored her in using Copic markers.  Because I was using a few different red markers, I had to be very conscious of my blending and staying inside the lines, I didn't want the red to bleed into the skin.  This is where really knowing the paper you are working with, I suggest find a paper you like to color on, and then stick with that paper.  Each paper will color, bleed & feather differently, so knowing what you are working with will save you a lot of time and money.  There is nothing worse than just about being finished coloring in an image, then you make a mistake that you cannot fix, this usually happens to me, when I color with a paper that I have not used in a while.

Well I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and weekend!  Tomorrow I'm off to Charleston, SC to go to one of my very best friends baby shower (first baby), then on Sunday I have a cooking class...its going to be a busy one!

OH before I forget...I'm going to CHA next week!!  What are some things you want me to take pictures of?  Paper, ribbon, stamping celebrities lol?  I'm most excited to meet people in real life who live in my computer lol.

"lets go"

Strawberries and Shimmerz

This week, the Flourishes Design and Blogger teams, got to play with the Shimmerz product.  Are you familiar with this stuff?  If not, basically its this little pot of glittery paint (easiest way to explain it lol).  After I stamped my images, I used the Royal Red and Green Olive Shimmerz to color in the strawberries, and that was it.  Its kind of a two in one product, it paints and makes your stuff sparkly all in one.  Make sure you shake and stir your pot up, just like you would with paint, to make sure your paint brush has an even consistency of glitter.  For more projects using Shimmerz, head on over to the Flourishes blog, the ladies have been using this stuff all week!  Just to be cute, I decorated my envelope too, it packs a big punch when sending someone a card.  Also to keep the flap, of my flap fold card shut I used some Basic Grey magnets found here (best invention ever! they come with a sticky side and everything).

Backyard Blog Hop

If you just came from the Embellish Online blog you are in the right place.  Today, Tomorrow and Friday the EO Design Team is going to be showing you all things summer.  Think, watermelon, b-b-q's, swimming, sweet tea...you get the idea.  All you need to do is make a card or lay out using the sketch provided and you can win your own July Design Team package (yep what the designers got for July)  we are talking about American Crafts Backyard paper, ribbon, etc... lots of fun stuff!!

On to the card, I really love the Stampavie images, so I colored in this sweet girl with Copic markers to coordinate with the American Crafts paper I chose to use.  I was at a loss as what I was going to put where the butterfly is (you don't need to follow the sketch exactly), so I went through my Thickers and found some that matched perfectly, then spelled out "pic-nic"  I love it when things just fall into place.  Do you see that extra large ric rac?  Oh my gosh, I'm thinking I may need it in every color now!  It came in my July dt kit (play along and you can have your own too) and I've been kind of hoarding it, but I decided to put in on the card at the last minute.  I normally don't have this many layers and stuff on a card, but I have to say I had a lot of fun putting this card together.  Getting outside of your "box" every once in a while is a good thing!  Make sure to head on over to Christine's blog to see what she has in store for you!!

"pic nic"

here is the sketch you need to follow

for more information on how to play along head on over to

the Embellish-Online blog

be sure to visit the EO blog Thursday and Friday too!!

Thinking of You 2s4y style: Kazan's sketch #31

Today I'm bringing you a card from this weeks sketch over at 2sketches4you.  Its a really fun sketch made to get your mojo flowing!  The sponsor this week is Ampersand, they sell really neat stampbord's, I was a little intimidated at first to work with it, but surprisingly, it was sooo easy!  Not only easy, but it took all different types of ink perfectly!  I stamped the stampbord using Palette Noir ink with the damask stamps, then once the ink dried I went over the "bord" using Tim Holtz distress ink and and a sponge.  The designer paper is by Theresa Collins, all stamps and sentiments are from Papertrey Ink.

I hope you decide to play along this week, I cannot wait to see your lovely creations, you all inspire me so much!  Go check out what the rest of the design team did with the Ampersand supplies and sketch, I'm sure you will find some lovely eye candy!

Inksential pen

This week, Faith has challenged us to use and Inksentials pen in a card.   Head on over to the Flourishes Newsletter to check out her tutorial.  I stamped the adirondack chair from the Beach Life stamp set, in Palette ink onto kraft card stock.  Once the black ink dried, I took out my inksentials pen and colored in the chair.  It takes a few minutes for the white ink to dry, so I used some Copic markers and colored in the grass, then stamped the "cherish today" sentiment (found in the strawberries set).  To add a some embellishments, I tied twine through the buttons, then attached the buttons to the cardstock using Zip-Dry.  Its a clean and simple card, that will be sent in the mail.

Thank You for all of your well wishes the last few days, I'm starting to feel much better.

"Cherish Today"

You don't want to miss all of different ways the Design Team has used the inksentials pen, so take a little blog hop to check out their great creations.

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Faith Hofrichter

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Flourishes Newsletter

happiness

Happiness (n) state of well being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense, emotions experienced when in a state of well being.

Since I spent most of the last few days in bed, I don't have anything crafty to share today, just some words.  Have you ever thought about what makes you happy?   If you strip away the mother, wife, paper crafter title, who are you and what makes you happy?  For me its the very simple and basic things in life that define me and make me happy.  

what makes me happy

sitting on my children's bed and watching them sleep even though they are not babies anymore

a good cup of tea

sitting on the beach

seeing Mickey Mouse

reading

documenting my families life

chatting with old friends

being authentic and real

watching elderly couples have date night

sleeping in

long showers

sonic ice

Gallo salami

being creative

watching my children smile

hugs from my husband/children

road trips

choosing to be positive

riding my bike

having a Mac

I think I will stop there

I'm not feeling well at all, so when I'm having days like this, I try to be positive instead of wallowing in self pity.  Any little disturbance in my life can send me into a flare up, so positive thinking and finding the blessing of having Crohn's Disease instead of the curse helps the day go by.

I love Florida, but I'm having a little bout of home-sickness, I really miss my friends and family lately.  

I hope you have a wonderful day full of happiness 

A few Stampavie cards

Here are a few cards I have made using the Stampavie stamps, they are so whimsy and cute, not too mention so fun to color (if you like to color lol)  all of the paper used is from American Crafts, and the ribbon is by May Arts.  I know a lot of you do not like to color, but for me its very relaxing.  Does it take a long time, yes it does, however I love the creative process of it all.  I get to escape for a little while, but that comes to a halt when I make a mistake lol, but that normally happens when I'm trying to rush or be in a hurry.

I had a rough night last night, I just do not feel well at all this morning.  While, laying on the bathroom floor praying not to be nauseated anymore, I had some deeps conversations with myself, and I thought I would share

My children are always listening and watching, so I need to be a role model

Whatever stress I'm having, is not my children's burden

My husband needs just as much attention as my children do, I forget that sometimes

Each day is a new day to be better

You better be ready if you truly want to know the truth, because it hurts

God always gives you a sign, sometimes you are just to blind/stubborn to see it

I need to learn to communicate better

I am way too honest/blunt with people sometimes, they don't need me to find their way

Everyone deserves a second chance

Everyone just wants to be loved

I have many more, but those are the ones off the top of my head, plus I'm really nauseated and cannot look at this computer screen anymore.  I'm going to make myself a cup of tea and take a little nap, and maybe I will feel better when I wake up.  I hope you have a wonderful day!!

hugs

latisha

Laura's skech #30: Happy Holidays

There is a new sketch posted over at 2sketches4you, you must go check it out, I think its pretty fabulous myself.  I flipped the sketch to fit my stamps.  This weeks sponsor, is Purple Onion Stamps.  I really enjoyed the stamps I got to play with, the typography on this stamp (below) is really cool, its called Happy Holidays Noteblock,  I can see myself using this a ton come around Christmas time.  I just went through their stamps and I have a list so long...one of my favorites is called French Vintage Postmark Set...I seriously need it.  I hope you decide to play along, I can't wait to see what you make.

"Happy Holiday's"

All Smiles

Is anyone else having problems with blogger?  I set this to post this morning...but it didn't.  Anyhow, here is a layout of the kids, the pictures are a few years old and some of my favorites, they are of a day trip to Cypress Gardens, SC.  I can't believe how fast children grow up, I love the people my children are becoming, however watching them grow up pulls at my heart strings, I just wish time could slow down sometimes.  Do you feel that way too?

Onto the layout lol, the white base is textured paper from American Crafts and the designer paper and stickers are also American Crafts from the Backyard collection...oh the Thickers are American Crafts too.  You can find all of this yummy stuff at Embellish-Online (and they have the new Early Bird stuff too).  The sketch layout I used is not my original design, it was created by Christine.

"all smiles"

Sets available

The July stamps that I gave sneak peaks this week are now available, to buy them go to Flourishes and to see what they look like go to the Flourishes Newsletter! Have fun shopping!!

Day #3: Beach Life

Today is the final day of sneak peeks, and today I'm sharing a few cards from the Beach Life stamp set.  I can see myself using this stamp set for cards as well as scrap book pages, the stamps lend themselves nicely for both.  I love the, "wish you were here" sentiment, I'm always wishing a friend or family was here in Florida with me.  As always, head on over to the Flourishes Newsletter, for your chance to win this set, they are having a one day only blog candy.  Today is the last day, to enter the By the Sea contest (you can win all three new released sets) for more details on that, again go to the Flourishes Newsletter.  I can't wait to chat with all of you at tonight's release party over on SCS.

For my first card, I stamped and colored my image onto Flourishes classic white paper & Copic markers, then die cut it using a Spellbinder die & my cuttlebug.  I went through my stash of paper looking for a green to match my grass and settled on this designer paper from American Crafts, which went perfectly with the old olive grosgrain ribbon.  The card base is kraft card stock...you can never ever go wrong with kraft, I {heart} it.

"wish you were here"

For this card, I really really wanted clean and simple, so I went with the true one layer card with no embellishments.  All I did was score the edges of the card stock 1/4 inch in, stamped my image and then colored it in using Copic markers.  Plus it will only take one stamp to mail.

"wish you were here...clean and simple style"

Be sure to visit the rest of the Design Team for more sneaks:

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Faith Hofrichter

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Flourishes Newsletter

Seaside Life: Day 2 Flourishes sneak

Today I get to give you a sneak peek of the Seaside Life stamp set, that Flourishes is releasing tomorrow.  For your chance to win this stamp set, head on over to the Flourishes Newsletter, they are having a one day only blog candy!!

I stamped the shells three times, colored them in with copic markers, cut them out and then layered them using foam tape.  I love the different shells and sentiments in this set, I have another project using this set, but I'm saving it for the release party on Friday!!

"friendship"

stop by the rest of the Design Team for more sneaks

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Faith Hofrichter

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Flourishes Sneak: Day one, Strawberries

Hey there!  Today I'm showing you a sneak peek of the newest Flourishes stamp set, Strawberries.  I absolutely love coloring with this set, it is just so fresh!  Make sure you head on over to the Flourishes Newsletter, for a one day only blog candy for your chance to win this set. I used Flourishes new Classic White card stock on both of my cards, its just perfect for coloring with Copic markers.

"hello"

For this circle card, I scored the card as usual, then got a scalloped circle Spellbinders nestabilitie which I then cut and embossed.  I had the image already colored (used Copic markers), so I grabbed another circle die that would nest in the scalloped card base. To finish off the card I tied a bow using some twill and attached a button to the center.

"you're so sweet"

For this card, I just wanted a clean and crisp summer card that would show off the basket.  Anytime you use black as a layer or as and embellishment it will make your project pop, so I layered the white circular panel onto black card stock..  To add some contrast I added some yellow gingham ribbon and tied a bow.  After I stamped the sentiment, it seemed a little lonely so, I took some Kaiser red pearls and created a heart to go around it.

Be sure to take a little blog hop to visit the rest of the designers showing off this set!

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Faith Hofrichter

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Vintage memories

So I have this beautiful background stamp called Tea Time Toile (i think lol) by Unity Stamp Co. and its huge!  So for it to fit on a card and be the focal point, I stamped the image using Vintage Photo ink by Tim Holtz, then, cut and embossed the image using a circle Spellbinder Nestability.  To make the background scene come to life a bit, I used copic markers to color it all in.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  The stamp reminds me of, picking blackberries in the summer with my brother and sister.

"vintage memories"

My bonus sketch

A new sketch is posted over at 2sketches4you, by the lovely Kazan.  I drew up the bonus sketch this week.  This weeks sponsor is Mackenzie Mae Designs.  I was lucky enough to play with the June Card Kit, and boy have I been having fun with it.  You get all different sized cardstock pre scored, with envelopes, tons of designer paper, ribbon, buttons, rub-ons etc..  Since Mackenzie Mae is this weeks sponsor, I'm betting one lucky person who plays along this week is going to get a really fun paper crafting kit!!

Latisha's Bonus Sketch

The flowers in the center circle, are actually Basic Grey rub-ons (in the kit), and I seriously need to find out where they got that black ribbon...I love it!!  The cool think about this kit, is that your card bases came pre-cut and scored...super cool!!

"thank you"

Here is another card I made with the kit, the stamp is from Scenic Route (its included in the kit) and the letters are Jenni Bowlin (also in the kit) I colored in the letters using Copic markers. There is so much stuff left in my kit, I can't wait to play more!!

"thank u"

New Gig for July

For the month the month of July, I get to be the Guest Designer for Embellish Online.  I had a post ready to go yesterday, but there were technical difficulties, so I'm posting today.  Any how, did you see that Embellish Online is now carrying the Early Bird Collection from Cosmo Cricket?  I seriously love that paper!!  A few days ago was my friend Deb's birthday, so I made her a cute little notebook for her purse, and a birthday card using some of the Early Bird paper.  Then took her for Afternoon Tea at the cutest place called the Strawberry Tea Room.

Anyhow, do you see those owls?!  Love love love them, they are the cutest little buggers and very easy to color in using Copic markers.  The owl stamp is called Hoo Hoo There by Rachelle Anne Miller.  I'm completely smitten by her designs, they are just so whimsical.  To personalize the notebook, I used some Just-Rite curlz alphabet stamps and border, then colored in the center using the Prawn and Cadmium Red copics.

"Happy Birthday Deb"

Here is a picture of our Afternoon Tea Service

I hope all of you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July!!

Beach Challenge

Are you ready for a challenge?

Summer nights, sunsets, the sound of waves crashing on the shore – what could be more relaxing? Because these are the sights and sounds of life on the beach - what better way to challenge you all to a fun contest than to invite you to bring a taste of of the ocean into your creations! 

HOW TO PLAY: Try to incorporate the "feel" of the sea in one of your creations. It could be with a fun embellishment, a photo or even just a color scheme. Link your creation to this post or upload to Splitcoast using the keyword FLLCJULY. You have until Friday, July 10th at 5 PM Eastern to have your creation uploaded! We can't wait to see your creations! 

WHAT YOU COULD WIN: All of our new releases that will be revealed starting next Wednesday, July 8th, on the Flourishes Newsletter blog.

Here is my card, that I created, I was inspired by the vibrant wildflowers that grow along beaches.  I used the Summer Blossoms stamp set for my card.  I stamped the stems in Palette Chartreuse ink, to get the lighter color, I generation stamped, thats where you stamp the image again without re-inking the stamp.  The flowers were stamped and colored in using Copic markers, then cut out and popped up using foam tape.  The card base is kraft & the ivory paper is the Classic Ivory paper that Flourishes now carries (if you color with copics you will love it!! & only 4.99 for 25 sheets of cardstock, such an awesome deal!!).  I hope you decide to play along, the July sets are awesome and all scream summer!!

"hello friend"

visit the rest of the design team to see their beautiful cards

Christine Okken

Laura Fredrickson

Cindy Lawrence

Faith Hofrichter

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

flourishes Newsletter

Coloring using the Water Collection

Flourishes is now carrying Copic markers, and they have put them into perfect blending collections.  Today I'm going to show you how I colored in my present from the All Wrapped Up stamp set, using Copic markers BG11, BG13, & BG15, which make up the Water collection.

To start off I stamped the image using Tuxedo Black Memento ink, if you do not have Memento, the next best ink is Palette.  I then took the BG11 marker and colored in the entire image.  If you are beginner with these markers, you want to use a small circle motion while coloring, this will prevent streaking.

Next, I took the mid-tone marker in this collection, BG13 and added some darker shadows to the present.  I went into the bow a little and on the left side of the package.

To blend I went over the darker colored parts with the BG11, this now has blended BG13 a little more nicely, it doesn't look as bold.

Here I colored in the lid of the present, some of the bow, and some piping with the BG13 marker.

The lid and part of the bow, was not as dark as I would have liked it to be, so I went in with my darkest marker BG15.

To finish, I colored in the center part of the box where all the detail work is, I first colored in the center using BG13, then added some BG15 on the sides to add some depth, then went over the center again with BG13 to blend it all together.  My image is now ready to use on a card.

Here is the finished product.  I cut the present image out, then using foam tape, popped it up onto the center panel of the card.  After all that coloring I wanted the package to be the center focal piece of the card, so I went clean and simple.  A beautiful card ready to be mailed out, and it will only take one stamp to mail, which makes it even better!

Be sure to head on over to the Flourishes Newsletter to see Cindy's tutorial

as well as

Julie

Stacy

Cindy

Leslie