Friday Focus: Flourishes Favorites

Honestly, when I said, "Let's do a Friday Focus on our Flourishes favorites" I didn't realize how difficult it would be. Sounded easy enough, as I have so many favorites... but how do I choose which favorite for my focus? Or... how many favorites can I fit on one card? As I started working, things became clear -- I rarely make any card without using at least a few of my Flourishes favorites.

Hi, stampers! It's me, Leslie, playing favorites today. Here's my card:

And these are the favorites I used to put it all together:

Florals -- A Year in Flowers, any one of the three sets, is a recent favorite. These Cyclamen are from Set 3. Flourishes offers a bountiful garden of amazing botanicals... and it's okay to pick these flowers!

Designer paper -- BasicGrey, Memory Box, Cosmo Cricket, 7 Gypsies... The scaled down patterns of the 6x6 pads are well suited to cards and smaller projects, and they're easy to store on a shelf. One pad guarantees perfect color matches and coordinating patterns.

Spellbinders -- I want them all, really. Nestabilities, Frameabilities, Shapeabilities, Borderabilities, Pierceabilities... Oh, my goodness! However did I manage without them?

Silk ribbon -- Let me just sink into a bed of these decadent silks and wrap myself up in their luscious folds!

Pearls -- Got pearls? Got elegance! These days I love anything self adhesive for those easy finishing touches.

I also used watercolor paper and Palette Burnt Umber so I could paint my image with dye-based inks. Did you know Palette inks are waterproof? I even slipped a little of Flourishes Classic White cardstock in there so I'd have a nice surface for stamping the script. That's quite a few favorites on one card!

A few of the Flourishes girls are sharing their favorites today, too. Why not pay them a visit?

Christine

Julie

Laura

Thanks for your time today! Happy stamping!

-- Leslie

Frame it with Ribbon!

Today I have some ribbon tips to share with you. I do love ribbon, any and all kinds! I am using the new Christmas Tea set on this card and working with some yummy Red Velvet Ribbon.

I first stamped my teapot image, I knew I was going to paper piece the teapot so why mask it if you don't need to??? Shortcut is my middle name! So you can see I just added in the holly branch images under the tea pot.

I colored the holly with Copics. I was going for a centerpiece type look with this image. So I wanted to ground it by adding a line to use as the base. I just added a simple Black line using a Fine Tip pen and a ruler. I used a Rectangle Nestie to cut out my image, drawing an inner frame before removing from my die.

Hmmm... a little explaining for this pic, at the end I decided that I did not like the paper I used for the Tea Pot.... it was too grey, so in the end I switched it out. Sometimes things just don't look right and you have to change it up! You can see I added color to my Holly Berries and also airbrushed a bottom layer in my picture using Copic W5.

Using my drawn frame line around the edge as a guide to keep me straight... I used double sided adhesive tape to line the edges of the stamped panel.

Removing the adhesive backing one side at a time as I worked around the frame, I added my velvet ribbon. I let the ends overlap on each other in each corner. Gently lifting them up a tiny bit, enough only to get my scissor tip in there.... I cut the two ribbons at the same time, insuring the cut ends would match up just right. This leaves a perfectly clean looking mitered corner.

My little scalloped table cloth was made using the same Velvet Ribbon and cutting it with a Scalloped Oval nestie. Then I attached it to my stamped image, lining the straight edge of the ribbon up with the straight line I drew in the middle of the panel.

I blinged it up with some mini crystals over the berries. And you can see the new tea pot, from my DP switch-a-roo! Finished by adding the sentiment with velvet touches to that as well!

--------------------

Thanks for letting me share my Ribbon Tips!
I hope you picked up something useful from the pictures or my instructions!
Jenny Gropp

visit my little corner in Blogville: One Krafty Kat

Timeless Tuesday!

It is time for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge(FTTC7)!!!! Thanks so much to all of you who played along with us last week with the sketch challenge. Keep reading to find out the winner from last week's challenge.

For those of you who are new to the site, the Friends of Flourishes blog team are bringing you exciting and different challenges each week. Everyone can PLAY and anyone can WIN! Make sure you continue reading to find out how.

This week Cindy Haffner is hosting. She is challenging us to use ribbon. You may think…ribbon? I use ribbon all the time. Of course, you do!!! We all do!!! I mean there are just so many ribbons out there to choose from. There are lace, organdies, ric rac, satin, twill, and grosgrain just to name a few. Then, there are polka dotted, printed, and stitched patterns to be had. And, if that is not enough, many of these come in different widths. Like I said, there are just so many to choose from. However, you may only use a certain type of ribbon all the time…yet you hoard a boat load of others. It is time to cut those ribbons that bind you….lol!!! Try to venture from your normal comfort zone or try to use ribbon in a different way. Do not fret, though. If you are not feeling awfully adventurous, any card with some ribbon will do!!!! We would love to see what you create either way!!!!

Come with me and let's see what the blog team created for you this week using ribbon!!!

Up first is our challenge host, Cindy Haffner. She is using the Signs of Spring set. Love her color combo and bold pattern dp choices. She colored the basket with flowers so beautifully, too. Love all the Spring time colors. Love how she used a stitched ribbon with a knotted design with a heart charm. Beautiful, Cindy!!!!

Every thing is sweet, indeed, at Dee Jackson's!!!! She is using the beautiful and newly released Sweet Pea set designed by Marcella Hawley!!!! Gorgeous colors and coloring, Dee!!!! Love how she used the satin brown and antique gold reversible ribbon as the perfect compliment with the metallic chocolate cardstock she uses as a matte. Gorgeous, Dee!!!









Kimberly Crawford is using the Happy Birthday from the Many Sentiments set as the focal point on her card. She has layered her card with some Basic Gray Sultry dp. However, the showstopper for her card are the two ribbon flowers she has created and accented using ribbon from Flourishes. It just goes to show you that sometimes a beautiful card just needs a good sentiment and some fabulous accents!!!!! Beautifully done, Kim!!!!







Silke Ledlow is using the All Wrapped Up set for her bundle of packages and Chairs For You set for the fun sentiment. Love the colors and the elegant design. The cut work and created dimension really sets this card off beautifully. I love how she colored the ribbon and cut it out for added dimension. I love, too, how the package ribbon mimics the color of the actual satin ribbon shes uses. Great look, Silke!!!

Next up is Becca Feeken. Becca is using the newly released Ornamental Elements set on her card. I love how she uses the main element in the set as a background to the spellbinder's created flower and leaf accent. I, too, am amazed how the ribbon is used as more of an element to the card than an accent. It is absolutely stunning!!!! Great pearl detailing and framing, too, Becca!!!!

Betty Wright is last up this week. I am using the Summer on the Patio set. When I chose this set, I chose it for the assortment of summer beverages, the patio table and chair, and the chandelier. However, once I got the set in my hand, I was amazed at the number of pieces in the set and the designs. There are 35 images and sentiments in this set!!!! WOW!!! I love this pot of flowers. I added a layer of MB Fernbrae dp. I colored my flowers with some copics and added the So Very Thoughtful sentiment from the Many Sentiments set. I ventured out and used some pink ribbon. I rarely use pink ribbon. At least, I do not think I do!!!

Be sure to check out each designer's blog links for more specific card details.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers: 22
Timestamp: 2009-03-17 02:37:13 UTC

Anita (Anita) is this week's winner!!! Congratulations, Anita!!!! You need to email: flourishesllccustomerservice@cox.net

By the way, if you still do not have our lovely Timeless Tuesday blog button

for your blog, check here for the codes.

Now, it is your turn to play in our challenge!!!!
Here are the rules!!!!

• Anyone can play whether you have Flourishes stamps or not. Of course, if you have
  Flourishes stamps, by all means, use them.
• Use code word FTTC7 when linking to SCS or public gallery.
• Leave a comment on this post with a link to your creation. Please give a direct link to your blog post so we can see the Flourishes challenge post and not just the generic page. To get the full link, click to read the comments. Another page will open that will have just the one card and your comments. Copy and paste that link here in the comments section.
  If you use either your blog link or online gallery, please give an active Flourishes Newsletter link.
• You can combine this challenge with as many others as you want.
• The challenge runs from Tuesday, 12:01 am until Monday at 8 pm EST.
• Enjoy yourself!!!

Make sure you post your card link back here to the Flourishes Blog and use the code FTTC7 if you load your card to SCS or another gallery. We cannot wait to see what you create!!!!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by!!!!

Your Flourishes Friends!!!