Ok - DH and I saw the new Batman movie yesterday, thus the title of this post!!  But when I saw what Sharon Johnson was offering as blog candy I could not resist!!  Check out her blog post link below and see the huge offering!

http://notimetostamp.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/2008/07/22/cha-blog-candy/

Saying thank you is easy to do with this great new set just release by Flourishes, called, well Thank You!  It contains a panel of thankful phrases and two sentiments done in beautiful calligraphy.  Along with those stamps are two elegant tulip images.  This card started with SU’s basic grey card stock.  A piece of pink paper from the Basic Grey Sultry line was stamped with the tulip image in grey.  I started the main image by stamping the tulip on a white panel, then masking just the blossom using Eclipse masking tape - which is one the the best products around if you do any kind of masking!.  Once the mask was in place, I stamped the word panel over it in grey.  Then I set out to color the flower.  I used Twinkling H2O’s - Pink Azelea, Sunflower and Moss Green - all from the Mini pot collection #1251.  The photo never shows the pretty shimmery look of the twinks - but IRL the colors just pop!  Here is a look at the close up, the twinkling H2O’s that were used and what the rest of the stamp set looks like.

Thanks for stopping by - happy stamping!

Today Flourishes issues three new summertime sets - and I want to take time over the next few days to show you them.  First is Poppy Patch - a wonderful set of poppy flowers, buds, leaves and sentiments created by Marcy Hawley.  I lived in California for many years and have wonderful memories of taking a drive on the weekends just to look at the poppies as they were in their height of bloom.  The vivid orange blossoms against a field of green always made me smile.  For my card, I wanted to go softer, so I started with Guava textured cardstock as the base card, mounted a panel of white on top.  I created the main piece on regular guava cardstock and stamped and embossed it in white, using Brilliance Moonlight White ink and Ranger Seafoam White embossing powder.  I have several white inks but  found that embossing in white gives a much more vivid white than merely stamping.  I sponged white around the edges.  Ribbon was wrapped around the corners - white satin with a guava looking ribbon on top of that.  Both ribbons were found in my stash and I don’t know where I got them, but I was thrilled when I found ribbon to match the paper!  The half pearls were just the right touch to finish off the card. 

Here is what the full set looks like.  Thanks for checking in and happy stamping!

Most stampers I know have at least some idea of what they want to create when they sit down at their craft table.  Today I wanted to use my Twinkling H2O’s and a silhouette stamp set, Spring Ephemerals.   The nature of this set,  solid images instead of detail or line images, meant that I could focus on creating a nice background and this is where the “twinks” come in. 

If you’ve never seen or used twinks, you are missing out!  These little pots of watercolor cakes are incredibly shimmery, come in dozens of colors, are semi transparent, non toxic archival safe and are about the easiest things to use.  If you can dip a paintbrush into water you can use these! 

The background for each card was created in the same manner, using different colors. I started with a piece of watercolor paper and wet it down.  Then I selected the colors I wanted to use and sprayed a little water in each of the pots to activate the color.  Starting with the lightest color, I loaded my brush up with color and just swished it on the paper.  I added the other colors in the same manner.  Once the color was on I then sprayed a little bit of water over the entire piece and let the colors blend and then set it aside to dry.

Shooting Star:  Papers used are rust, banana, and black.  The images on the base card are the leaves from the Bleeding Heart image from the same Spring Ephemerals set.  On the bottom portion I brushed on Twinkling H2O color on the image and then stamped it to the paper.  The Shooting Star was stamped with Palette Noir ink.  Twinkling H2O colors used are Sunflower from the 12 pot set #1251 and Dreamsicle and Deep Coral from the 12 pot set #1258.  The ribbon is black scallop satin.  The tiny rhinestones I found in my stash of “stuff” and I don’t know who the manufacturer is.  I wish the shimmery look of the twinks came out better on camera - it just does not do the colors justice.

Bleeding Heart:  Papers used are teal, burgundy (I think!) and black.  The Bleeding Heart image was stamped using Palette Noir.  The background image on the burgandy piece is the Forget Me Not image from the same stamp set.  Black scalloped ribbon was also used on this card on each side of the burgundy panel.  Twinkling H2O colors used are Navajo Pearl, Meridian Blue and Purple Sage, all from the 12 pot set #1262.

Are you ready for some absolutely, incredible blog candy???  Head on over to Leslie Millers blog, Running with Scissors and check out what she is offering!!

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.

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.