This easy card uses the latest tool in my stamping toolbox - a JustRite stamper!  Have you seen this great new product?  It’s a fast and easy way to do monograms, initials and short words, and uses a unique mounting system that is the perfect blend of unmounted stamps and wooden mounts - without using any cling foam, double stick tape or any adhesive.  Both unmounted stamps and the wood mount have “grooves” on the back that match up with each other - so the stamp and mount just click in place.  And if you are doing a big project where you have many impressions to stamp, they also have a device that allows you to ink and stamp in one step - something like those self inking tools, only MUCH better since the stamps and inks can be changed.  Flourishes is carrying many of the JustRite products and you can find a direct link HERE.

You can also find more information about this product on the Flourishes Newsletter.

Now for the card - it was oh so easy!!  I started with white shimmery card stock, then added these beautiful new Basic Grey papers from the Sultry line, just layering some of the solid colors with the print paper.  I use the Special Occasions Monogram Kit to stamp both the border and letters.  The ribbon is actually sheer red ribbon, but its sheer quality looks pink both in the photo and IRL.  Flourishes carries this Basic Grey paper and the sheer ribbons as well.

It feels so good to be stamping again!!  Although I am not caught up with work, I realized I needed to stamp to keep my sanity…and I need a Mother’s Day card, so there was no guilt in setting aside time to create.  This card is made with the Siberian Iris set released by Flourishes earlier this month and can you believe it, its the first time I’ve inked up the gorgeous image!  The inspriation came from Leslie Miller’s stunning card shown here.  I embossed the image in black on watercolor paper.  I watercolored using a set of Loew Cornell watercolors I picked up from Michael’s - they were not expensive at all, then carefully cut out the image.  I embossed a white panel with a cuttlebug folder (tapestry I think).  For the rest of the card I matched my watercolors with SU paper - orchid and gable green.  The ribbon is from JoAnn’s.

The Virtual Convention is on at RUBBERSTAMPCHAT!!

What is a Virtual Convention?   It’s an online rubberstamp convention that is taking place at the Rubberstampchat (RSC) forum.  The forum will have a special “convention hall” section set up just for this event in the forum.

 The RSC vendor members set up their ‘booth’ as a thread in the convention hall section.   Then you have until the 28th to see what show specials are being offered by that company.  Flourishes “booth” is located HERE - look for the special convention discount code!  

So, instead of getting up early to drive to the show and walk around all day in a big hall full of people and only have less than healthy food available, you get to wear your jammies, eat REAL food when you want, not wait in line for anything (including the potty) and shop at your leisure 24/7.

Now, I’ve looked at my last post and realized it’s been over a month since I actually stamped….but now that things have settled down a bit I was able to put stamp and ink to paper and create the card above.  The topiary and sentiment stamps are from a newly released set from Flourishes, called Siberian Iris.  This beautiful set contains 11 stamps, with a beautiful Iris as the main image.  My next card will be with the Iris stamp and I can’t wait to show it to you.

The card was simple to make… I stamped the topiary in olive and cocoa markers on watercolor paper and used an aquabrush to soften the lines.  “Dig into Spring” was stamped in cocoa on watercolor paper that was cut with the new Spellbinder ribbon tags dies, then sponged with olive around the edges.  The brown, pink and designer paper are all from the beautiful new Basic Grey series - Sultry.  I sponged the background piece with olive as well and mounted everything on olive cardstock.  The rhinestones are from K&Company. the ribbon from my ribbon stash!

We’ve had family visiting for the past week and I’ve had very little time on the computer but I just had to post this card using a Flourishes set that will be released next week.

Everyone is always looking for cards for that special guy and this card uses the new Menswear Set.  The set contains 9 stamps:  a shirt, tie, beer stein, and several words and phrases.  I just know I will get so much use out of this set!  This shirt was stamped on blue textured paper and it looks just like a cotton oxford shirt!  The tie was also stamped on white textured paper and the stripes hand drawn and colored.  You can’t tell from the photo, but the black background was scored on the diagonal using a score pal and gives a nice masculine feel to it.  Guava paper provides a pop of color.  SU corner punch and nestabilities circle dies were used for the cut outs.

I think I am like many papercrafters in that I love all the tools and products that are available.  Over the (many) years that I’ve been stamping I’ve become a little more discerning about buying things.  I want to make sure that I’ll actually USE things - instead of them just gathering dust.  I have a closet full of dust gatherers and don’t need any more!

Flourishes is offering three products that, not only do I love, but I use on a regular basis.

Eclipse tape - this stuff is fabulous!  It is designed for masking, making stencils or non permanent stickers.  If you’ve ever used a post-it note to make a mask - then this product is for you!!  It comes in a roll, so it is much bigger than a post-it note.   The material is heavier, so your mask won’t tear after a few uses, but best of all….the non permanent adhesive covers the entire back of the product!!  With a post-it note you have to try and stamp your image so that you get some of the “sticky” part.  No problem with Eclipse tape - you stamp your image, cut it out and the entire back is sticky!

Stardust gelly roll pen - well I’ve been using this pen on just about all my cards lately!!  I love how easy it is just to add a little sparkle!  No glue or glitter to mess with!

Inkssentials White Pen - Ranger debuted this product at CHA and it is a great way to add white highlights, dots and accents.

Now I’m off to play with some of these!!

In the past I’ve attempted to make cards with transparencies - love how you can make the card look more dimensional with the clear overlay.  The problem I had was that the transparency was very lightweight and did not hold up well with anything.  It certainly could not stand up on its own. 

I’m happy to report that Flourishes now carries heavy weight transparency, called Crystal Clear stock.  This is not that lightweight overhead transparency that you get at the office supply store.  This is much heavier and can stand on its own!

I did this quick card - it’s not my best coloring but I wanted to try the Crystal Clear out and am very pleased! 

The card uses images from two Flourishes sets. The main floral image is from Easter Blessings, which is a cross with a floral overlay.  I wanted the card just to be the floral image, so I inked up only that portion,  colored with Prisma Pencils and sponged with lilac

ink.  The little flourished element on the top and bottom is from Many Sentiments. 

The lilac panel that the image is mounted on was scored in a diamond pattern with my scor-pal, which is becoming one of my most favorite tools!.

Here is what the Easter Blessing set looks like.  This and another set, Easter Bunnies are available at Flourishes.   The Crystal Clear stock is also available there under the “paper” section. 

Do you have an large unmounted or clear background or other large stamp and you need a large acylic block for it?  Flourishes has just what you need!!  This acrylic block pack contains three blocks in a convenient plastic storage box.  The blocks sizes are:   6 x 5,  3 x 4,   and 1 x 3.  Three sizes to cover just about all your needs.  The blocks are clear, but will come to you with a protective paper covering - just peel off the paper and you are ready to stamp! 

Here is what the blocks look like with the paper covering.    I keep these on my desk so they are at my fingertips and ready to use.  The plastic box is great and large enough to hold a few other blocks that I have so that they are all in one place.

I’ve been stamping for about ten years now and almost from the start I bought more unmounted stamps than mounted.  For these early years it was a matter of space, or rather lack of space!!  I did not have a dedicated room at that time so anytime I wanted to stamp I would bring my supplies from a closet to the kitchen table, work on a project, and then have to put everything away. 

I now have a dedicated room for stamping, but I still seek out unmounted rubber, and more often, clear stamps.

I’ve tried so many storage options for unmounted and clear and think I finally found something that works for me.

My larger stamps I keep in a three ring binder.  I can fit four backgrounds to a page – I stick the stamp on a sheet of glossy (the stamps are mounted with ez mount foam or are clear and self sticking) and place the sheet in a clear page protector.  A page with the inked image of the stamps is placed on the opposite side. 

For my smaller stamps or stamps that come in a set, I needed something better.  I tried the CD cases that seemed to be all the rage, but I quickly gave up on them.  First, the CD cases were just too flimsy.  After opening and closing them a few times the case would break.  Plus, they were too small.  I had to use two CD cases for some stamp sets and some sets had a main image that did not work in a CD case.  I then switched to soft plastic boxes.  This solved the size issue, but the boxes were not sturdy enough and did not hold up well in my stamp room.

Then I found these clear hinged boxes.  WOW – what a difference!!  I love these and think this is my storage solution!!  Here is what I love about them:

Material:  The boxes are clear rigid plastic that hold up well.  They are hinged so they open up and lay flat.

Size:  At 4 x 6 these hold my clear stamp sets perfectly.  Flourishes stamps (and some of the other clears that are popular) come in 4 x 6 and 8 x 6 sizes.  Two 4 x 6 sets fit in these – one on each side.  Here is a photo of two Christmas sets in one box.  For the larger 8 x 6 sets, just sort out your pieces and split half on one side and half on the other side.   The depth of these boxes total ½” with ¼” on each side – a perfect depth for stamps!  I used a label maker to  attach labels to the boxes so that I can find them quickly.   

Unmounted rubber fits in these as well.  The only additional step I do with my unmounted rubber is to stamp the images on a piece of paper that was cut to the size of the box so that I have view of what is in the box

These boxes are now available at Flourishes and come in packs of six.  Six boxes will hold twelve 4 x 6 sets.

Monday is Jan Marie’s birthday and we are having a celebration over at the Flourishes Forum on SCS and giving out prizes!.

Here is an ATC I recently made for a swap.  These little works of art are so much fun to make!  I especially like the fact that you can use up alot of your scraps when you make these.

This one started with an apricot base onto which I added a piece of Basic Grey Romani paper.   Although you really can’t tell because most of the decorative paper is covered, I did match the colors with light blues and shades of apricot.  I stamped the images, all from the Sweet Treats set from Flourishes, in Palette Noir ink and colored first with prisma, then added more color with markers.  A gel pen was used to add a little sparkle to the treats. Corner punches, a brad and ribbon finish it off.