Introducing Fancy Flourishes

We've heard you loud and clear over the past few months and after much anticipation, we are proud to bring you Fancy Flourishes.  Not too embellished, not too whimsical, not too formal, not too doodled.  Just right.  Fancy Flourishes contains 11 flourish images, including one extra large version that measures 4-1/2" wide (perfect for an entire card front).  Let's get right into the projects, shall we!

(click above photo for larger view)

This is one of my favorite flourishes in the set!  I paired it with one of the birds from Birds of a Feather, to represent a flight path.  (It would also go well with the month's new addition, Bird Watching!) I love how the addition of a simple flourish can communicate graceful movement like that.  I'm thinking it would work beautifully with butterflies and anything else that flies!

 

I pierced along two of the strokes that make up the flourish using my paper piercer.  I tried one version piercing directly on the line, and ended up much happier when I did it slightly below, as it's shown here.  Wouldn't this make a wonderful graduation card?

 

(click above photo for larger view)

You can always add supporting images to a flourish too.  This is the large flourish I referred to at the beginning of the post, measuring in at nearly 4.5" high!  I added some stamped flowers from Honey Bees.  It would be fun to go through all of Papertrey's floral sets and see which images would pair up well with this flourish too!

Tiny red rhinestones were added to the flower centers to accent the pure poppy card base.  I love the way the sentiment (from Heart Prints Sentiments) overlaps the flourish.  Just a perfect, simple card!

 

(click above photo for larger view)

Here's a pretty little card inspired by the roses I cut from my garden today. 

 

I love this flourish too!  Don't forget that you can always stamp these images *off* the edge of your card front.  I did that in my project above and it gave it a whole new look.

 

There are a couple of smaller flourishes in the set to allow you to *add to* the larger ones.  Since the blocks and stamps are clear it is easy to place the add-on flourishes exactly where you need them.

 

The patterned paper I created for this project started with the rose from Garden of Life stamped in Hibiscus Burst.  I then over-stamped with one of the script backgrounds from Background Basics: Text Style using vintage cream ink.  I think that this helped to soften the vibrant color a bit and make it seem a bit more vintage in nature.  After completing those steps, I knew a little tea dye effect would be the perfect finishing touch!

I figured now would be as good a time as any to provide a tutorial on how to best use our new Vintage Touch: Tea Dye Duo inking system. Here's what I had to say about it earlier this week…

"This
revolutionary antiquing ink system is a special product developed and
manufactured exclusively for Papertrey Ink! In the past, whenever I
want to add a vintage look to my cardstock, I would use a sponge to
apply ink to the cardstock to achieve a softer look rather than harsh
look that is achieved by brushing the ink pad to the paper. Until now
that is!

Save yourself a step by using these specially formulated ink
cubes that contain a tea dye ink perfect for antiquing almost anything!
The unique sponge material that the ink pad's surface is made from
allows you to achieve that soft sponged look directly to the paper with
the ink pad! You can use both colors together for an even more
realistic aged look. Just start with the lighter color first and follow
up with a smaller layer of the darker hue. This two-toned layering
provides realistic results that only take seconds to achieve!"

As you can see from the photo above, you receive two 1×1" ink cubes as part of this set.  The lighter of the two is called Chamomile, while the darker is called Chai.  These specific colors were designed to work best with both cream &and kraft cardstocks. But don't worry!  These two tea dye inks will not be alone for long!  We are already working on additional tea shades that will compliment other uses as well!

There are a few important things to remember when using these tea dye inks.  You don't want to use a whole lot of pressure when applying the ink to paper.  A soft easy swoop with your hand, moving towards the exterior edge of the cardstock will give you the best results.  The other thing to remember is that these inks are much darker wet than they are dry!  Just above, I have put together photos of before and after so you can see the change.  As the ink dries it is really absorbed into the paper and achieves a softer, true vintage look.

 

Now you could leave this alone, with just the chamomile layer in place.  But if you want to take it to the next level, adding a thinner layer of Chai will achieve just that.  You can see between the first & second photo of this process that the moistness of the Chamomile layer allows the Chai to absorb nicely and get that soft variegated look.  Isn't it such a great look?  and easy too, might I add!

You can use just the Chai tea dye ink on kraft carstock too!  It's pretty dramatic how dark it goes on and how light it ends up once it dries.  Now back to the flourishes!

A few of the design team members have already laid claim to the fact that this is one of their new favorites.  Did you catch these amazing projects shared earlier this week that use it?

CLICK HERE to see Dawn's full project.

CLICK HERE to see Lauren's full project.

CLICK HERE to see Lisa's full project.

I hope you are excited about this set as I am!  I think it will quickly become a popular classic and I am just thrilled that we are finally able to offer it this month!  Of course, I couldn't present you with such an exciting product without giving one away to one lucky visitor!  Leave a comment telling me what you think of Fancy Flourishes.  Were you one of the customers waiting for a set like this to be released?  Is there anything special you are looking forward to doing with it?  Here's what's up for grabs…

a FREE Fancy Flourishes stamp set!

You have until 11:30pm EST , (today) Thursday, May 14th, to share your thoughts here.  One comment
will be randomly chosen to win this fun prize package.  The winner will
be announced HERE on our May Prize Page, shortly before the release at midnight.  Please play nice, only one comment per person. 

Thanks
for
stopping by again today!  I look forward to seeing you all at the release party tonight!  I think it promises to be lively and full of excitement! 

 

Fancy Flourishes is a set right up Becky Oehler's alley!  Stop by her blog today to see what she created with it!

Lauren Meader has some last looks at the two new templates for May, just to make sure that you are 100% enticed!

Lisa Johnson has compiled some additional ideas using Let Freedom Ring that you won't want to miss!

Melissa Bickford put together a few projects that will seal the deal when making your purchasing choices for tonight!

 

View complete supply lists for all of the above projects HERE.