Flourishes is having a month long contest using the Cake Decorating Stamp Set!!  Head on over the the Flourishes Newsletter for more info. 

Pat H. is giving away a set of Flourishes Stamps!  Check out the details here.

Well, I looked at the date of my last post and realized it has been awhile since my last post!  I’ve been busy creating some things to submit for publication.  As soon as I finish those I will be back in business.

Sending out birthday wishes today to Sharon Johnson (aka notimetostamp)!  Sharon is busy today doing classes - Sharon make sure you take a break for some birthday cake!

 Check out her blog here.

We’re thrilled and excited!  Flourishes is now part of the SCS member company community!  Head on over the Splitcoast and join in our Flourishes Forum!

Click here to jump to the forum.

I had the image and look of the card in my head.  Lots of layers, color and glitter, after all this was to be a Mardi Gras Card!  My usual process is to roughly draft out the cards. stamp samples of the images and place them where I want them to be.   I worked through so many versions of this card - layer after layer, stamp and cut out the mask or not?  Angle or straight on?  I’d get something I’d like and end up with a big smudge on the front.  SO…after all that I decided a no layer card!! Stamp and emboss the image on the card front and add the bling.  OK, so I did end up with a small smudge on the front - but I was not going to re-do this card!!

I stamped and embossed the outer portion of the mask, the feathers and stem in gold, then went back and stamped the eyes and nose in black.  With clear stamps this was soooo easy to do - I placed it perfectly on the first try.  I colored the mask in radiant pearls - evergreen and amethyst - in real life you can see the glitter of these paints.  The streamers were done in the same colors, then I went over them in glitter glue to add more sparkle and dimension.   A glitter gel pen was used to add the little dots of glitter around the feathers and the top of the mask.    “Carnavale” was stamped with a Marvy marker - violet. 

And yes, those are real Mardi Gras beads thrown from a Mardi Gras float - but it was a family friendly parade so there was no “flashing” on my part!

After all the “issues” with that card, I decided to go easy on myself and start simple with this next card.

Jan Marie gave Sharon D. and I a beautiful crystal in the shape of a diamond.  This baby is huge - it must be a million carats and is heavy!!  Well, I saw this and the various crowns in the Mardi Gras set and decided I would crown myself Stamping Queen of my house!!  OK, I’m the only stamper in the house but I can still call myself the queen!  The crown was embossed in gold and mounted on eggplant.  Purple rhinestones were placed on the corners.  “Stamping Queen” was computer generated.

and of course STAMPS!!  If you know these items, then you know its time to party MARDI GRAS style!!  The celebrations are in full swing here along the gulf coast and we are ready to party!  Flourishes just released two new sets in time for the festivities.  The first is Mardi Gras - check out these masks, crowns and that beautiful Fleur-de-lis!  And how about that cool jazz group!  I’ll be using this set not just for Mardi Gras, but for many other party activities as well!

Next is this great Harlequin and Accessories set.  This is a nice contemporary twist on a classic design.  I love the little elements that you can stamp where the diamonds intersect.  This set is a great alternative to my other harlequin stamps (of which I have three!!)

I’ve got a couple of cards in the works using these sets and will post just after I finish that King Cake! 

I just love the large heart in the Lace Heart set, however I was working on a card that called for a smaller heart and I really wanted the “lace heart” look.   A while back I sold many of my smaller heart stamps so I used the large lace heart and very easily made a small one.   Here is my finished card and how I did it.  The card uses vanilla and rose red paper and rose red ink with a little chocolate ink for depth.  The ribbon is a cream satin scallop from May Arts.  Both hearts were cut with cuttlebug die cuts. 

First, I cut a smaller heart using a cuttlebug die and vanilla card stock.  Then I inked up a portion of the larger lace heart - can you see on the bottom where the point of the large heart is?  It is a perfect section and fits this die cut just right.  Because the stamps are clear it is so very easy to place this on your die cut!!  It worked on the first time (amazing for me!!).  I sponged some rose red on it as well for a little more definition. 

Both the heart and sentiment (”How do I love thee  Let me count the ways” ) are in the Lace Heart set from Flourishes. 

Well it’s a new year and why not celebrate it with more blog candy!!  My dear friend, Sharon D, who is one of the three Flourishes, is offering some wonderful blog candy.  Please visit her blog, Sewflake Creations, for all the details!

My SBS5 Blogging sister challenged our group to make a Valentine’s Card in colors other than the traditional red or pink - here is my entry and I think the colors are perfect.

I used Amethyst and Chocolate - amethyst is the birthstone for February and chocolate is a valentine staple!!  I stamped the heart in chocolate on vanilla card stock, sponged on amethyst and cut it out.  On a piece of amethyst I stamped the “how do I love thee” phrase in versamark for a nice soft background.  “Love” was stamped in chocolate in the lower right and this was mounted on chocolate.  The designer paper is from the Basic Grey Urban Coture collection.  The ribbon is from the $1 bin at Big Lots.  The base card is vanilla.

All stamps are from the Lace Heart set from Flourishes.  This is a great set - the large heart makes it easy to create not only Valentine cards, but birthday, anniversay and wedding cards as well.  I am going to get a ton of use out of this set!