Signs of Spring

Happy Friday everyone!  Today at Flourishes we are revisiting an older set that is a perfect harbinger of spring, Signs of Spring.

I love this beautiful basket image and I stamped in on Flourishes Classic White card stock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.   I colored it with Copic markers and shaded around the image with Prismacolor pencils and oms.  I shaded inside the Spellbinders Classic Squares lg  die with a Versa Magic Dew Drop in Spring Pansy.   The mat is a Lacey Squares die and the eggs are also from Spellbinders but I don’t know if they are still available as they were a limited addition I think.   I cut the smallest and second smallest and nested them above the sentiment on which I also stamped a chick.  I hand cut the banner it’s stamped on.

All of the patterned paper is from MME Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks.  I used lots of glitter to make the image sparkle and a big beautiful bow with May Arts Silk ribbon.

Signs of Spring will be 10% off through the weekend as a special tied to our showcase of the set! No code needed.  Check out all the beautiful projects the design team has with this pretty set today!  Have a great weekend!

Barbara Anders
Cindy Lawrence
Christine Okken
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle 
Jan Marie Caruso

It’s a Free For All today with Flourishes and I have a card to share that I made with the He Is Risen set.  

I stamped the sentiment and cut it and the mat behind with a Spellbinders Labels Sixteen die.   I then stamped the single lily on separate cardstock, colored it and cut it out.  I popped it up over the sentiment and added some flock to the stamens and a little sparkle with a Spica pen.  The patterned paper is all from the Basic Grey Porcelain 6x6 pad.    I used a doily under the image/sentiment and added a few new Candi Iced Gems.  They look like brads but are actually paper. They are easy to adhere and can be colored with markers to coordinate with any project!  

Today is the last day you can get the entire February release bundle for 10% off.  Hurry!  No go and check out the great projects from the rest of the design team.  Have a great weekend!

Barbara Anders
Julie Koerber
Cindy Lawrence
Christine Okken
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Stacy Morgan
Tammy Hershberger
Sharon Doolittle 

March Release Challenge

Happy Friday everyone! Welcome to our March Flourishes Release Challenge! Get ready to join us for :

Die cut, punches edges or decorative borders, all are the rage in card making, so let's see how you can create a card that's a cut above the rest! To enter, simply use a die cut, decorative punch or border punch as a focal point on your card. Keyword: FLLCMAR11 - deadline is March 18th at 5 PM Eastern.

I packed in several die cuts on this card, you know why? Because I could! Spellbinders new Grand Calibur makes it easy! I was able to cut and emboss four dies with only two passes through the Grand Calibur which was so graciously bestowed upon me by Spellbinders! It is a wonderful tool and quite a time saver, check it out!

I used this lovely image from Signs of Spring which I colored with Copic markers. I inked around the square panel while the Spellbinders Classic Squares LG was still in place with Versa Magic in Wheat. It is layered on Labels Sixteen and then finally on Labels Ten, to which I added a few self adhesive Kaiser pearls to each end. My patterned paper is from the Basic Grey line Wisteria. I stamped my sentiment, also from Signs of Spring, then cut is out with a die from the Ribbon Tag Trio and ran a tea dyed piece of twill through it.

The details:

To enter, simply use a die cut, punched edge, or decorative border, or all of them, on your creation! Link your project up Flourishes and if you upload to SCS, please use the key word FLLCMAR11. Use Flourishes stamps if you have them, but if you don't please play anyway! The winner will receive our entire March release. You have until March 18th at 5 PM Eastern time to submit.

P.S. The Gambler’s Sale is now at 35% off all sale items! Find it here!

Now, don’t forget to check out the rest of our amazing designers!

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Barbara Anders

Jan Marie Caruso

A week late

But I still wanted to share this adorable Easter card that I made for my mother. I only finished it up the night before and quickly snapped some pics. It was just the other day that I finally edited the photos for my post…so here they are.

I used this adorable bunny from Anna Wights set called Spring has Sprung from Whipper Snapper Designs. He’s colored with Copics and cut out and matted using rectangle Spellbinders Nestabilities. I inked the image with the die in place and added some flock to his hair and tail. The patterned papers are from a K&Company pad that I’ve had for a while. I used my new Spellbinders Egg dies to cut out the large egg and the opening in it and the card front. The ribbon I ruffled by pulling on the single stitching down the center and gathering it. I then used adhesive to outline the egg…I wanted it to resemble a Panoramic Egg…remember those? I used a few vintage Prima flowers and some floral wire that I curled with a ribbon and lace scrap for accents. I stamped Happy Easter and added a tiny flower also from the set which I cut out and popped up.

Just a quick peek inside. I hope everyone had a lovely Easter!

Sunday’s High Hopes Challenge #70

Good morning and Happy Easter!! Today challenge #70 from High Hopes is being hosted by Jeannette and she wants to challenge you to anything BUT a card!

I used Fast Eddie again as I thought he was fitting for Easter! I used a clear container that I kept from a prior use...I knew it would come in handy one day! I put a strip of Imaginisce paper around the center and adhered an image of Fast Eddie which I stamped and colored with Copics, cut out, and ran through my Xyron. I used flock on his ears, belly, and eye brows, and Marvy Liquid Applique on his tail. I put a circle of another piece of Imaginisce paper on the top and cut flowers using a Sizzix Bigz die using various scraps and a giant brad for the center.

The sentiment was stamped and cut out with an oval and scallop oval SU punch and attached with a piece of floral wire that I curled first. I would have filled this with candy, which I will do today, but I couldn’t chance the kids finding this…they still think the Easter Bunny brings their goodies!

Have a very Happy Easter today and please head over to the High Hopes blog and see all the wonderful projects today!

Sunday High Hopes Challenge #68

This week our High Hopes hostess is Lacey and she wants to see an Easter or Spring theme, or anything that hops. I think I have combined all three with this image.

I used Posing Bunny with these eggs here and here and the Jelly Bean sign. After stamping the bunny I masked her and stamped the eggs and the sign. They are all colored with Copic markers. I stamped the sentiment and punched it out with an oval and a scallop oval frame. I used two sizes of flower punches on patterned paper and a brad to make the flower. The sentiment and flowers are inked with Brilliance Orchid Opalescence. There is Stickles in various colors on the eggs and the bunny’s chest and tail are treated with Flower Soft in Ivory.

So hop on over to the High Hopes blog and play along! We love to have you join us and there’s always a chance to win some great stamps! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Flourishes Friday

With Easter fast approaching, the gals at Flourishes thought we’d have a little ‘Easter Parade’ to showcase some fun creations perfect for this time of year. You should know, some of the gals used a set that is on its way to retirement. With a very limited supply, Easter Bunnies is being offered right now at 40% off! So hop on down the bunny trail and take a peek at our Easter offerings!

For today's theme I have chosen to use images from the new set Easter Basket.

The basket image is stamped on Flourishes white card stock and colored with Copics. I stamped all of the other images and cut them out after coloring. I used a knife to make a slit around the edge of the basket so I could slip my goodies in. The large bunny and bag of jelly beans is slightly raised as is the bow on the basket. The jelly bean bag was colored over with a glaze pen to give it some shine and dimension. I also popped up the small polka dot egg and used some glitter on the dots. I added Flower Soft in Shamrock green in the basket for “Easter grass”. I also colored up the tiny chocolate bunny and popped him up on the corner of the sentiment panel. He’s so cute! It’s all layered on Basic Grey pp from the Urban Prairie line and finished off with a vintage Prima Flower. There is also a light sponging of Distress Ink in Tattered Rose around both the image and sentiment panels.

Check out all the great projects from the design team! Have a great weekend!

Julie

Stacy

Dawn

Christine

Cindy

Laura

Leslie

A late entry

I had planned on posting this on Easter, but I forgot. He's too cute not to show off though!

This image is from a set from Panduro Hobby. It was a gift sent to me from Biggan. I saw a card she did with one of the images and just fell in love. I couldn't find anywhere to order them from so she bought them and mailed them to me! How nice was that?! I can't believe I have had them for more than a year and I have only just inked up this one so far. They are so cute! It's colored with Copics of course and layer on double sided Crate Paper using a variety of Nesties and Marvy punches for the circles. I added detail to the scallops with Liquid Pearls. The ribbon is from PTI. The flowers are Primas with a dot of Liquid Pearls. Hope it makes you smile! Have a great day!!

HAPPY EASTER!

One last card for Easter! This is the flip side of the Imaginisce paper I used on Chester yesterday. Of course it's another adorable image from Whipper Snapper-colored with Copics of course. I did however forget to add the glitter to his warts/spots before I took the picture, but rest assured I did add them before mailing! I know you were worried!

If you'll indulge me for a moment...this brought tears to my eyes the first time he sang this to me on Thursday night. He loves performing for the camera and I am so happy that I was able to capture this.

I wish everyone a Blessed and Happy Easter! Now, where's the chocolate?!

Just a few more...

I love to make and send Easter cards. I just find most of the images irresistable. Both of these cuties are from Whipper Snapper. Both are stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black on Neenah Solar White Ultra Smooth cardstock and colored with Copics. I used the large plaid background stamp from Unity on this first one and used my Sakura Star Dust pen to highlight every other line...too bad it didn't show up-it real pretty irl!

This adorable double sided patterned paper is from Imaginisce and I think these colors and this image could lend itself to being a baby card as well as an Easter Card.

Well lots to do today to get ready for Easter dinner. Anything I can make ahead, cleaning, and putting together Easter baskets and filling and hiding eggs tonight once the kiddo's are in bed.

Have a great Saturday!

More Easter Cards

I have these adorable Elzybells images I bought last year and I had to pull them out and give them some love again this Easter.


This image is colored with Copics and sprinkled with sparkle in the form of a Sakura stardust pen. It's not easy getting into those tiny spaces! The adorable double sided paper is from Imaginisce. The floral background pattern and green is one double sided sheet and the blue floral is a another one.


Isn't this paper cute? Yeah, I have no idea whose it is. I have more paper than one person should be allowed. I never keep track of the designer or manufacturer....I am bad that way. The sentiment is from a Studio G dollar set from Michaels.

This last one I was going for white on white then changed my mind. The background is a huge stamp from CHF. I love plaid but went very plain on this and just used one color, Versa Magic in Tea Leaves. And then stamped it crooked. Oh well, it happens. Still cute though! Over look the bow....remember how perfect is was in this post? Just keep remember that one, yeah.

Time for my cough medicine and bed! I am so ready for dreamland! I hope everyone has a happy Thursday!

Easter Cards

I've been miserably sick but started my antibiotics so hopefully I will be my chipper self soon! Here are some cards I finally got into the mail on Monday. I hope they reach their destinations before Sunday! Yikes, I am far behind! Happy Tuesday!

These are some Whipper Snapper cuties I've had for a year or two and I love coloring them up every year. I really should write down who I send them to so I don't send the same people the same image again...but they are just so darn cute who would mind? The paper is from Imaginesce and they are colored with my trusty Copics. I got the bow idea from Leslie/Running with Scissors. How cool does that look? I love this technique and I used it a couple of times already.

This nervous bunny is also colored with Copics. I added some sparkle to both with a Sakura stardust pen. Very simple designs. See you tomorrow with a new Color Throwdown Challenge!

Happy Easter!

,

I just want to wish everyone a very Happy Easter and leave you with one last Easter card. This image is from High Hopes (all stamps). The bunny was stamped and masked so that the eggs could be stamped in the background. All colored with Prismas and oms. The edges of the cardstock are distressed and the floral design paper is Basic Grey. The solid cs is Bazzill. The ribbon is from Michaels. There is a touch of white gel pen on her chest, feet, and tail for bit of texture in the fur. Ok, have to go get ready for company now! Have a happy!!!

Okay, just one more Elzybells and some mud

I have yet more Easter Elzybells stamps that I have not even inked up yet but this might be the last one for a while. Maybe. Anyway, the letters on this image are much smaller than the SPRING one so there was no way these were going to get cut out! I colored with Copics, of course, and added some sparkle with my Sakura stardust pen. The center panel is sponged with Robins Egg Versa Magic. The paper is once again For Peeps Sake from Imaginisce, the green being the flipside of one of the pieces. The ribbon is probably from Michaels. The ladybug is from another sheet of paper from the same line. I just used my 1" circle punch and sponged the edges with Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid and popped it up a bit. The patterned paper has texture and sparkle to it already so I didn't add anything else. The base card is from DCWV.


Just wanna give a shout out to my LSS Your Happy Place! You can check them out online. Thanks Vikki and Terry for leaving such nice comments on my blog! Will see you guys tonight!


And now for the mud. My 2 year old, Sean, was "helping" daddy wash his truck. What he was really doing was jumping in the mud puddle that formed at the end of the driveway while DH was doing the truck washing. I laughed so hard when I saw his face...I said, stay right there, mommy needs to get the camera. He was a very good poser! I have several but I think this one is my favorite. My SIL said in some of the pictures he looks likes a soldier from Saving Private Ryan, ready to do battle! I had to share...I think he's so cute! My 4 year too...but I didn't get any pictures of him that day. Some other time...because I know you are dying to see him, lol!




And thank you too to everyone who has posted such nice comments about my photography! I finally signed up for webhosting and have a domain name, so now I just have to figure out how to create the darned thing. I am using MS Frontpage which should be easy, but somedays I am seriously technically challenged. Especially when I hear "mommy" and "he hit me!" every 15 seconds.

Wait, one more thing! Do you know what an Uncrustable is? Those frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that are round about the size of a donut? Well, my kids like to eat them frozen. Less messy for me I say! So, Sean takes his into the livingroom to watch tv and next thing I know he's grabbing my hand pulling me shouting "oh no, stuck!" What...? "My sammich stuck"! Where....? Oh God.... "In there"! Okay, so you all know where he's pointing right? Yep, the VCR. I thought that only happened on TV...are you kidding me?! Well all I can say is that it was a blessing in disguise that the sandwich was frozen because I was able to pull out the VCR and tip it forward and bang it out. It promptly hit the floor where Sean proceeded to retrieve and eat it.


Whew, fun day.

Another new Elzybells

I love this stamp...the image is so cute with that tiny bird! I guess I forgot how small the images were and it was no picnic cutting out each letter to paper piece SPRING. But it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't do it again! I think it's just adorable! The image is colored with Copics and the base card and ribbon are from Papertrey. The patterned paper is again For Peep Sakes from Imaginisce. The brads are from Making Memories. I sponged around the main panel and added some Stickles in the corners. I probably threw some Sakura on there too but you can't tell...so I could be fibbin'. You know Easter is a week away and I haven't even mailed any of my cards yet! Yikes, I'd better finish up this weekend! Have a great one everybody!!

Elzybells Spring Collection

I love the new Elzybells stamps for spring and Easter. I was surprised to find a thread where people complained and were disappointed that there were no girls in the new line and didn't like the new images at all. I mean the girls are cute, and I have several, but these chicks and bugs and flowers are adorable! Not to mention that a bunch of the girls were just released a month earlier. Anyway...this image fit perfect inside of the egg punch from McGill. I borrowed it from a friend and she told me it was discontinued...which is very disappointing! I haven't looked for it yet myself but I'll give it a go any way. So I stamped the image in Palette Noir and then punched it out so I could make sure it was perfectly fitted inside the egg. I love how the curve of the daisy stem mimics the shape of the egg. I colored it with Copics and sponged a little purple hydrangea Versa Magic around it. The yellow patterned paper is the flipside of one of the gorgeous Imaginisce For Peeps Sake pages and the strip with the chicks on it is from Creative Imaginations. It's a 12x12 sheet with a row of beautiful tulips at the bottom and some blue and polka dots rows as well. The flowers are Primas layered together with a Doodlebug sugared brad in the center. The ribbon is from Michaels. The base card is Die Cuts with a View and the sentiment Printworks. I went over the sentiment with the Sakura star dust pen but didn't really like it after that. It's okay...but I wasn't starting over! Anyway, I will post another Elzy in the morning and if I haven't heard from my blog candy winner by then I will draw another name. Good for all of you that posted and check everyday, huh? Am I being too impatient? I hate waiting, so fair warning and good luck! Goodnight everyone!

Peeps in a Jar

This is not a new thing but when I came across it here I thought it was so cute and would make great gifts for my boys daycare teachers. Little did I know that getting these squishy bunnies into the jar was going to be such a pain! What I mess I made! I actually had to empty the first jar twice and remake it to get everything to fit in. Some of the peeps are grotesquely staring out through the glass...some with crumbs on them, some with M&M's burrowed into their fleshy casings. Now doesn't that sound appetizing? I think I cursed making the first one...nope, I'm sure I cursed.
Anyway, I found these plain "craft" mason jars at A.C. Moore which I thought would be perfect to showcase the ingredients better than the traditional ones. Same exact shape, just smooth glass without any raised writing. I really enjoyed making the decorations for the lids. I used an adorable egg stamp from Elzybells and stamped it once onto Papertrey white cardstock and again on design paper from Imaginisce. I colored in the white image with copics and cut and pieced the eggshell from the dp and popped it up. Before I did the piecing I used a white scallop circle punch around each image to fit on top of the lid. I pierced each scallop and sponged a coordinating ink around the edges. I made 6 of these in different colors. Then I made the tag using my rectangle Nestabilities die and stamped the sentiment on it from the Papertrey Just Hatched stamp set. I realized that I needed to add the recipe to the jar also so I might re-do the tag and make it into a card instead and have the recipe printed inside. And after making these adorable little egg chicks there was no way I wasn't getting those peeps inside the jar...ugly or not! Okay, maybe I will just eat the ugly ones. Oh that sounds bad...I'd better stop now.

Here are some close ups:

I believe I added a little sparkle too with my Sakura Star Dust and Spica pens. It's hard to capture that in these photos. And here's where I found the recipe if anyone is interested:

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123558

The Single Chick

Ok, not me, but the stamp! These are such great stamps for $1 from Imaginisce! I think this card is just adorable with her...she is such a great size to use alone. Stamped on PTI white with Distress Ink in Black Soot and colored in with Copics. I added a dot of stickles to the flower center. I punched the image out with a circle punch and layered onto a punched scalloped circle from Bazzill cardstock. I used the slot punch from SU to make holes on either side for the ribbon and mounted it all on Imaginisce dp, then more Bazzill, then Bo Bunny dp and Bazzill as the card base. I used sugared brads from Doodlebug Designs in the corners to finish it up. The finished size is 5x5. The ribbon is from Michaels...the $1 bin and it's really nice! I just wish I could tie a nice knot...more practice on that!

Remember the panoramic Easter eggs?

I used to love those sugar panoramic eggs when I was a kid. The kind that you peered into to see a wonderful Easter scene. I always wanted one but I never got one. I'm sure I asked for one and don't understand why every Easter came and went and there was never one in my basket. When I was an adult my mother and I were shopping at this wonderful chocolatier at Easter time and they had these eggs all over the store. When I told her that I had always wanted one but never got one she felt so bad she bought one for me! I display it ever Easter on my mantel now. Ha, I waited a long time for that! Anyway, that's what this egg from Inky Antics reminds me of. I had so much fun making this card except I had so much glitter on me by the time I was done I couldn't get it all off. When my husband saw it sparkling on my face in the glow of the television that night he couldn't help but ask me how much money I had made dancing earlier that evening! I stamped the egg on Basic Grey Two Scoops with Versa Mark and embossed with Ranger purple glitter ep. I cut out the center of the egg with a craft knife and then cut the entire egg out and layered it onto patterned paper from Reminisce and then teal cs. I traced the hole in the egg onto the pp and the cs and cut each one out individually before I stuck all of the layers together. I stamped the boy bunny from Whipper Snapper Designs on white cs and colored with prismas and OMS and cut out. I mounted him on the same Two Scoops paper and adhered him inside the card. I had to draw in his whiskers because I meant to stamp him on the paper before I layered the cut and colored image onto but I forgot! Oh well, at least that was the easy part! The ribbon was added but cutting a slit into the inside fold of the card and tied around the front. I figured the glitter was enough for now I just added some primas with brads that I added stickles to for a simple embellishment. I also added some purple stickles to the egg on the dots and flower centers. Hope you like it!

Here's the inside of the card:

Here's the image up close:

Funny Faux Bunny

This frog aka Easter bunny just cracks me up! I love Whipper Snapper stamps! They have the most whimsical and cute designs and I find myself turning to them again and again! This is a very simple image and layout. I thought of so many things to change up on it when I make it again...but I was just so excited when I got it that I had to use it right away and didn't get crazy with embellishments or design. The image is stamped in Distress Black Soot and colored with Prismacolor pencils and blended with odorless mineral spirits. The panel has Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid sponged on the edges and is matted with Bo Bunny and other floral paper I can't remember the name of! Oops. It's all matted on light blue Bazzill cs and Wild Aparagus checked cs. Green flower shaped brads from Making Memories were added to the strip of light blue cs and some ribbon to top it off. Some Versa Magic blue chalk ink edges the light blue cs pieces. I love the spring colors and am looking forward to making more Easter and spring projects!