the creative closet by cindy lawrence

Bold, Beautiful Zinnias

Hello Stampers~

Happy Monday to you!  I hope your weekend was wonderful. :-)

Today I have a set of sweet cards made with Flourishes Zinnias stamp set.  I had a bunch of images already colored from my trip to CHA last month; so I thought it fitting to create a set of cards with a few of them.

I'll add matching envelopes and a pretty box to put it all in before I gift the set.  I may even give you a blog update when I get them all finished. 

Here are each of the three individual cards:

I think the most special touch on these cards is the pretty lacey border along each side.  I made the borders with a Martha Stewart lace border punch.

I used papers from three My Mind's Eye packs:  Six By Six Vanity Fair, Lost & Found Blush, and Lost & Found Rosy.

All of the white card stock is Flourishes Classic White.  The Copic collections used are as follows:

The background pattern was made with the Argyle Cuttlebug embossing folder.  I added a simple strip of White Braided Trim down the left edge of the patterned paper, and three tiny pearls on each oval.  The pearls are white pearls that I colored with Copic markers...love that technique!   The ovals were cut out using Spellbinders Petite Ovals die set.

That's all from me today, friends!  Have yourselves a fantastic Monday!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs,
~Cindy 

It's a VERY Happy Birthday Blog Hop!

Let’s light the candles and strike up the music!!  The owner of Flourishes – Jan Marie Caruso – is celebrating a birthday, and we’re helping her by getting the party started with just about the entire Flourishes Crew!  Why not leave some love on her blog HERE  and while you are hopping around, pay a visit to the Flourishes team members who are honoring her special day!

My card for Jan Marie uses that pretty little bucket of tulips image from April Showers, and a lovely script happy birthday sentiment from Kids At Play.  I stamped the image twice onto Flourishes Classic White card stock, and colored them with the following Copic Marker Collections:

I also used the Copic Air Brush System for the background, along with the B00 Copic marker from the following collection:

That pretty shape die is made with Flourishes exclusive Spellbinders Tailor-Made Classic Keyhold Die.  I cut the large end off the die-cut, and added it underneath the opposite side.  I then added a few pretty purple rhinestones to set it off.

The card itself is 4-1/4" square.  The fancy edge was made with a Martha Stewart border punch.  I added some pretty satin ribbon and White Braided Trim along the edges.  The pretty patterned paper is from the A Beautiful Life pad by My Mind's Eye.  My final touch is a couple of pretty leaf stick pins, which will soon be arriving in the Flourishes store.  :-) 

In honor of Jan’s special day, the worker bees behind the scenes decided to have a COLORFUL sale to help celebrate! TODAY and TOMORROW only – all Copic Markers will be on sale 15% off. Just use the code COPIC15 in the coupon code box at the time of check out to get this fun discount! So, join us in singing her a special little birthday song! Be sure to check out all the fun and festive wishes and grab some great ideas for birthday cards along the way!

• Barbara Anders
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence <---You are here!
• Danielle Kennedy
• Dawn Burnworth
• Julie Koerber
• Sharon Doolittle
• Stacy Morgan
• Tammy Hershberger
• Beate Johns
• Cindy Haffner
• Heather Jensen
• Maki Jones
• Mona Pendleton
• Silke Ledlow
• Betty Wright
• Kathy Jones
• Yvonne Hagane
• Pat Adam

Happy, happy birthday, sweet Jan Marie!!!  Hope your day is as FABULOUS as you are!

Have a fantastic weekend, friends!

Hugs,
~Cindy 

 

Honey I'm Home

Hello Stampers~

Today I have a card made with the sweet little Honey I'm Home image from Whipper Snapper Designs.  I paired it up with a sentiment from Anna Wight's beautiful Love at Home sentiment set.

The pretty patterned paper is from the Stella & Rose Gertie collection from My Mind's Eye. 

I used a multitude of Copic markers to color the image, and cut it out using Spellbinders Classic Circle Dies.

That's it from me today, friends...short and sweet. :-)

Have yourselves a terrific day!  Thanks so much for vistiting with me today!

Hugs,
~Cindy 

A Little Feminine Charm

Hello Stampers~

How was your weekend?  Ours was full and wonderful! :-)

Today's card uses Flourishes Feminine Charm stamp set, and some of those fun Iced Gems Candi embellishments.  I added a bit of glitter to each one to jazz it up a bit.  In case you missed it, I shared a video over on the Flourishes blog, showing you some different ways to use the Candies.  You can find the video HERE.

The embossed background on my card was made with an embossing folder.  I cut the middle out using Spellbinders Classic Circles Dies, and added a couple of fancy Spellbinders Blossom Tags & Accents Dies.  The pretty shoe image was stamped onto Flourishes Classic Ivory card stock using a Memento Rich Cocoa ink pad, and colored in with Copic markers from the following Collections:

 The pretty ribbon for the bow is May Arts Textured Two Tone Light Blue.  I centered the bow with a Vintage Blue Marble Brad.  The bit of patterned paper you see on the circle and on the inside of the card, is from My Mind's Eye's Lost and Found Breeze paper pack.

That's all for today, friends!  Have yourselves a fantastic Monday!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs,

~Cindy 

Free For All Friday!

Hello Stampers~

It's Flourishes Free for All Friday, which means each of the designers has picked their favorite new set to play with today.

Although I am in love with ALL of this month's new sets, I am especially thrilled to see such a perfectly elegant Easter set, that really speaks to the true meaning of the holiday.  So, for my card I chose to work with He Is Risen.

I chose to keep the layers and details at a minimum for this one, giving all of the attention to the beautiful cross and lilies image.  I colored the image using the following Copic marker collections:

After I colored the image, I cut it out and added a second layer of a couple of the lilies.  Here's a detail shot:

The background was done with a Sizzix embossing folder, finished off with a couple of embossed lines at the top done with my Scor Buddy.  I added a strip of Basic Grey's Origins patterned paper to the bottom of the card, and a pretty green ribbon.  Those awesome leaf stick pins are going to be in the Flourishes store very soon! :-)

Now, check out what the rest of the design team created for you today!

• Barbara Anders
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence <--- You are here!
• Danielle Kennedy
• Dawn Burnworth
• Julie Koerber
• Sharon Doolittle
• Stacy Morgan
• Tammy Hershberger

Before you go, don't forget that TODAY is the last day to take advantage of Flourishes fabulous New Release Bundle!  Get all three new sets for 10% off!  Check it out HERE!

Have an absolutely FABULOUS Friday, friends!  Both of my kiddos have a half day of school today, before the start of their winter break.  They are super-excited about a week at home with mom, because they fully expect me to do lots of fun things with them!  No pressure at ALL...LOL!

Thanks so much for visiting with me today!

Hugs,

~Cindy

More Fun with Card Candi

Hello Stampers~

Today I'm sharing another fun way to use Flourishes new Candi embellishments.  I shared this card on the Flourishes Blog on Monday, along with a video of ideas for Candi; but today I'm giving you all the card details. 

I used the lovely From the Desk Of stamp set, and colored it using the following Copic Marker Collections:

I used a Spellbinders Postage Nestabilities Die to create the fun edge that the Copper Card Candies so perfectly fit into.  I colored the Candi using my E29 Copic Marker from the Flesh Tones 2 Collection.  I then adhered the Candi with Candi Fix, which is a sheet of 440 dimensional foam squares, perfect for adhering smaller embellishments to your projects.  I used a Cuttlebug Embossing Folder to add that beautiful texture to the background.  Lots of sponging with Tim Holtz Walnut Stain Distress Ink made the layers really pop!  I added a bit of pretty plaid patterned paper from My Mind's Eye's Lost and Found Sunshine Pad.  Glossy Accents gives the flower jar a glass-like appearance.  I added a single strip of 1/8" Velvet Ribbon, and a beautiful Spellbinders Labels Ten Nestabilities Die finish things off nicely.  The card size is 4-1/4" square.

That's all from me today, friends!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hugs,

~Cindy 

Fun with Card Candi

Hello Stampers~

One of the many products that Sharon, Jan Marie, and I discovered while at CHA a couple of weeks ago, is a fun embellishment from the UK called Candi.  Candi is an innovative and exciting alternative to brads, except they have no prongs, are made of a beautiful shimmery paper, and cost a gaGILLION times less than brads.  We like that feature best of all, now, don't we! ;-)

For my card today, I used the Candi along the bottom border, in conjunction with Spellbinders Classic Petal Edgeabilities Dies.  I used Icing Sugar Candi, and colored them using my R14 Copic marker from Flourishes Sweet Pea Collection.  As you can see, Candies keep their shimmer, even when colored.  The pretty rose embellishment was also made using Candies; but you'll have to hop on over to the Flourishes Blog to see how I made that.  I have a video over there today with several fun ideas for using the Candies.  Here's a close-up of the rose:

As for the rest of the card, I used one of my all-time favorite Flourishes sets, Lenten Rose.  My GOODNESS, I do love to color that image!  It is just so YUMMY!  The layers behind the image were cut out using a Spellbinders Classic Rectangles Die and a Spelbinders Labels Twenty-Three Die.  The sentiment was cut out using one of Flourishes own Tailor-Made Classic Keyhole Dies.

The Copic Marker Collections used on this card are as follows:

The papers are Flourishes Classic White cardstock and Basic Grey's Picadilly patterned papers.  I added a bit of White Braided Trim and a big, beautiful bow made from Champagne Silk Ribbon.  The card size is 5-1/4" square.

That's all, friends!

Have yourselves a FABULOUS Monday!

Hugs,

~Cindy 

Flourishes Release Day!

Hello Stampers~

It's release day over at Flourishes, and the design team is show-casing the final set in this release, He Is Risen.  It's a gorgeous, traditional Easter set, that you won't want to be without.

For my card, I used the stunning lily-covered cross image, and colored it using the following Copic Marker Collections:

The oval card base was made with my Spellbinders Grand Calibur and Grand Ovals Dies.  I paired them up with the Spellbinders Classic Ovals for the focal image and sentiment.  I embossed the background layer with the Cuttlebug Polka Dots Embossing Folder.  The sentiment was stamped with Memento Paris Dusk ink.  The ribbon is Lavender Satin and a bit of white embroidery thread.  I centered the bow with a pretty blue button and a beautifully shimmery Icing Sugar Candi dot that I colored with the V06 Copic marker.  I added a cute butterfly stick pin that I got in a previous Flourishes 1 2 3 Create Kit, and colored with the B26 Copic marker.  One final touch is a tiny blue rhinestone on the sentiment.  Inside the card I stamped the beautiful scripture verse that comes with this set, "I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever lives in me and believes in me, shall never die.  John 11:25".  The font on the scripture stamp is especially elegant and beautiful.

For your chance to win the He Is Risen set, remember to leave a comment on each of the blogs below.  One of us is today's...

One of the ladies on our link list below will be picking a name from the comments on her blog post today. We don’t know which one it is… so the more blogs you leave comments on, the more chances you have to win!

• Barbara Anders
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence <---You are here!
• Danielle Kennedy
• Dawn Burnworth
• Julie Koerber
• Sharon Doolittle
• Stacy Morgan
• Tammy Hershberger
• Jan Marie Caruso
• Beate Johns 

DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD WIN OUR ENTIRE FEBRUARY RELEASE?  Have you checked out our Black and White Plus 1 Challenge? Just click HERE to find out how to play! You can also play in our Noon Time Challenges! All challenges will close this Friday at 5 PM EST and winners will be announced  Saturday in our Winner’s Circle blog post! So get those fingers inky and good luck!

Have yourselves a fabulous Friday, friends!  Thanks so much for visiting with me for a bit today!

Hugs,

~Cindy

Introducing Tiny Flowers & Tags

Hello Stampers~

How are you on this fine Thursday?  We're in the middle of Flourishes February release week, and the sets are as fabulous as ever!  Today's set is called Tiny Flowers & Tags, and is seriously FUN to play with!  I just know I will be making a bazillion cards with this awesome set.  Here's my first one:

The card size is 3-1/2" x 5-1/4".  I used some old speckled tan cardstock for the base, and layered on a few pretty My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Sunshine papers.  I used my Scor Buddy to score vertical lines on a couple of the tan layers to add texture and interest.

The sweet, little flowers were colored in with the following Copic Marker Collections:

The little tag was made with Flourishes new Classic Tags Tailor-Made Dies.  Check them out:

They are super-sweet, and sized perfectly for Flourishes many small sentiments.  

The bow was made with with Solid 1/2" Wrinkled Ivory Ribbon.  A bit of twine and a yellow corduroy brad finish it off nicely.  That sweet crystal stick pin is from Maya Road, and will soon be in the Flourishes store.  I added a bit of beautiful crocheted trim and some 1/8" Pale Aqua Velvet Ribbon.  I gave the flowers, tag, and borders a bit of sparkle with my Sakura Gelly Roll Stardust Pen.

My favorite embellishments on this card are the two sweet Candi dots in the upper left corner.  They look just like fancy brads, but are actually made from paper.  The ones I used are from the Saville Row collection.  You can color the white ones with your Copic markers for an instant perfect match! You get about a bazillion in a package for just $4, which is a CRAZY good deal, compared to traditional brads.  We discovered them at CHA, and they have already arrived in the Flourishes store in several different color combos.  You'll want to grab some Candi Fix Foam Pads while you're in the store, as they are the perfect way to adhere your Candi dots.

A few things before I go...

For your chance to win the Tiny Flowers & Tags set, remember to leave a comment on each of the blogs below.  One of us is today's...

One of the ladies on our link list below will be picking a name from the comments on her blog post today. We don’t know which one it is… so the more blogs you leave comments on, the more chances you have to win!

As you hop your way around the DT’s sits in blog land, some of the gals are using a BRAND NEW 123 CREATE KIT called Bonjour! This kit offers botanical bliss with a french flair. It features a 6 by 6″ Kaisercraft Bonjour paper pack, a pack of coordinating jewels, 1 pack of jeweled vintage brads, 1 yard of 5/8″ wide green crochet lace, 1 yard of crushed silk ribbon in champagne color, and 1 yard of pink sheer ruffled ribbon. Here’s a look…

 Okay, it's time to get hopping!

• Barbara Anders
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence <---You are here!
• Danielle Kennedy
• Dawn Burnworth
• Julie Koerber
• Sharon Doolittle
• Stacy Morgan
• Tammy Hershberger
• Jan Marie Caruso
• Beate Johns 

DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD WIN OUR ENTIRE FEBRUARY RELEASE?  Have you checked out our Black and White Plus 1 Challenge? Just click HERE to find out how to play! You can also play in our Noon Time Challenges! Be sure to tune in again today at noon for another fast paced way to win!  All challenges will close this Friday at 5 PM EST and winners will be announced Saturday in our Winner’s Circle blog post! So get those fingers inky and good luck!

Have a fabulous day, friends!  Thanks so much for visiting!

Hugs, 

~Cindy

Flourishes Noon Time Challenge

Hello Stampers~

Welcome back for today's Flourishes Noon Time Challenge.  This one's a fun one, inspired by everyone's new favorite addiction:  Pinterest!

HOW TO PLAY: Simply be inspired by this photo above – be it for the colors chosen, materials or textures that are alive in it. Let’s see that creativity shine! If you upload to a gallery, please use thekeyword FEB12PIN.  Entries must be in before Friday, February 10th at 5PM EST. To enter, make sure you link up your creation on the Flourishes blog!  

I am so in love with this one, that I created two samples for it. :-)  The first one you saw this morning (see previous post), and here is the second:

For this one, I was inspired by the colors, textures, ovals, satin, and overall elegance of it all.  I colored the Calla Lillies with the following Copic Collections:

The card base was actually cut out with my Spellbinders Grand Calibur and Grand Classic Rectangles die set.  I also used Spellbinders Classic Ovals for the main image, and cut a smaller oval out for the sentiment.  All of the trims, ribbon, pearls, and embellishments are from the Flourishes store, with the exception of the stick pin.  (Shhhh....I'll tell you a secret.  Flourishes is getting some really fun stick pins in the store soon! Woot! Woot!)

Check out what the other designers did for today's challenge:

• Barbara Anders
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence <---Yup, you are here! :-)
• Tammy Hershberger

Have a fabulous afternoon, friends!  I'll see you right back here tomorrow morning for another fun sneak peek! 

Hugs,

~Cindy