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A lot of work goes into a set before it can be ready for sale.  Coffee with Friends was no exception.  Since this was to be Sharon Johnson’s first set in the Stamp Simply series, we wanted it to be just right, NO we wanted perfect!  Since she doesn’t draw and doesn’t do graphics we had to work from her concepts and a lot of collaboration goes into this kind of work.  My sister Diane and I work very well together a lot of back and forth working together until we get it right.  So as Sharon’s concepts came in we went to work on developing an idea…..something simple to stamp, something that carried the timeless feel of Flourishes stamps, something new and fresh.  By varying the style of cups we could offer our stampers a wider range of use……and we know that the stampers in Flourish land are VERY creative and sometimes so out of the box.  When Diane sent a refined look and we added the small flourishes’ I knew we had hit the nail on the head…well from this part of Flourishes, the big test would be if Sharon thought the same way.  I am pleased that a resounding Yes was her answer…so our first Stamp Simply set was ready to go to proof!

During this concept stage, I am as much a stamper as creator, communicator and designer….I knew that I wanted to do a card that was traditional blue and white…these little cups just stood up and yelled at me saying “Do me in blue and white”.  Well I have to tell you that by the time I got around to playing  and stamping I had to work thru 3 cards..none just right…but then I thought about all the wonderful times when as a military wife we had coffees with the other wives of our spouses units.  There came the idea to make an invitation, I settled on a small 3 1/2 X 5″ card in brilliant blue…..added a layer of white dotted Swiss paper, edged it with an edging that reminds me of the lace that is put in dish cabinets.  This always says Country, be in contry French, country English,  American Country, well even in Germany I noticed that the ladies had their touches of white  lace lining their cabinets–so to me it’s country in the most wonderful way.

To make the invitation I used my JustRite Monogramer and the little letters with the “kitchen of” ring and spelled out “please come for”; then for my bit of unexpected I used the word Coffee from the set….I think it all works.

So here’s the card for today, Please Come For Coffee……

All that’s left for this southern girl is to polish the silver, iron the white napkins, set the prettiest table you ever saw, then make a pot of wonderful steaming hot coffee just before the ladies arrive.  Would you like to come to coffee?

Stamp set used:  Coffee With Friends-Flourishes

Paper: White and Brilliant Blue, Glossy White (cups)

Ink: Brilliant Blue

Just Rite Monogramers: Little letters, From the Kitchen of Ring

Ribbons: just a dash of May art Navy blue Sheer and white polka dot all from Flourishes.

Thanks for stopping by the Atelier today, hope you enjoyed your visit .

Ciao