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Blooming Hope

Hi friends!  Happy Friday!  I'm so glad the weekend is almost here!  I've been feeling so much better and getting caught up on everything so I think I'm actually going to get to just relax and unwind this weekend.  Sounds heavenly, don't ya think?  {grin}  My mojo seems to be kicking back in and when I saw the SCS SC352 sketch challenge this week I couldn't wait to give it a go.  Here's my elegant take on the sketch...


The Making Of:
When I sat down to stamp, a bag of these pretty flowers caught my eye and right then I decided to use it as my inspiration for the card. So I picked some coordinating papers out, then chose ink colors of Groovy Guava and Calypso Color to try to capture the feel of the flower with some sponging around my sentiment circle.  The sentiment is one of my favorites from the Hope Blooms set, then I cut leaves using the Leafy Sprigs die set and stamped the coordinating leaf stamps from Sunny Days in Basic Gray.   Some pearl and liquid pearl accents, a bit of stitching and a couple strips of twill and the card was done.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a FABULOUS weekend!

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Hope Blooms, Sunny Days (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found Two Rosy (MME), Basic Gray (SU!), Cream
Ink: Groovy Guava, Calypso Coral, Basic Gray (SU!), Antique Linen (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Leafy Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic & Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), textured impressions folder (Sizzix), sewing machine, twill, pearls, liquid pearls

Happiness

Hi friends!  Happy Wednesday!  I've so enjoyed my time as Guest Designer for the Color Throwdown and the final throwdown of the month is upon us.  Thanks to the whole CTD team for letting me play along with y'all this month!  This week's colors, chosen by hostess Kristin, perfectly match the autumn chill in the air around here.

Here's this week's color palette...


The Making Of:
I've had a crazy week, which means clean & simple was definitely my first choice when I sat down to stamp last night.  These fall colors made me think of the Happiness Found set, so I pulled it out, stamped the smaller leaves tone on tone on each of the four color strips, then glued to a cream panel and wonky stitched across the top and bottom edges.  The nestabilities label is sponged with Chocolate Chip ink and I added the sentiment from Happiness Found and a couple of the leaves in Poppy Parade.  I finished off with some Poppy Parade ribbon and three little rhinestones.  Finished size is 3.75" x 6.25".

That's all from my little crafting world today.  Head on over to the Color Throwdown Blog where you can read up on the challenge details. Then be sure to check out the blogs of the CTD Design Team to see their colorful creations for this week:


Enabler's List:
Stamps: Happiness Found (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip (SU!), Cream
Ink: Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Accessories:  Poppy Parade ribbon (SU!), Labels Nestabilities (Spellbinders), flatback black rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty),sewing machine

Where Flowers Bloom

Happy Monday, friends!  It's time for another Mojo Monday sketch, and this week is my favorite kind of sketch... round or square.  I went with the square option of this fun colorblocking sketch from Carole Burrage.


The Making Of:
I hadn't made anything shabby chic for a while, and I thought this Blush paper from the Lost and Found Two collection would be perfect for a bit of shabbiness.  I started by cutting the four panels from designer paper.  {Clockwise the dimensions are 1.5"x1.25", 1.5 x 2.25", 2 x 2.25" and 2 x 1.25" and the finished card size is 4.25" square.} Next up, I distressed the edges and sponged with antique linen and vintage photo ink, then stitched little frames around each piece and stamped the Where Flowers Bloom Plain Jane on the largest panel.  For the ribbon treatment, I stapled a length of seam binding ribbon around my main panel, then just tied four pieces of the same ribbon on and cut the tails really short to give a shabby look.  The main flower is created using two of the flowers from the Sunny Days set, distressed and clipped every couple of lines for extra shabbiness, then accented with some coordinating pearls and layered on dimensionals.  The leaves are also from Sunny Days and cut with the coordinating Leafy Sprigs Die.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a fabulously creative Monday!   Be sure to head on over to the Mojo Monday blog to see the sketch and give the design team a little love for the awesome samples they share each week.

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Sunny Days, Where Flowers Bloom Plain Jane (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Blush Lost & Found Two (My Mind's Eye), Crumb Cake (SU!), Cream
Ink: Pool Party, Rose Red (SU!), Vintage Photo, Antique Linen, Walnut stain (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Leafy Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Victorian Wallpaper textured impressions (SU!), pearls (Kaisercraft), Stardust Stickles (Ranger), Clear Detail Embossing Powder (JudiKins), sewing machine, paper distresser and tiny attacher (Tim Holtz), seam binding ribbon (Prairie Bird Boutique)

Hello Pumpkin

Hi friends!  Happy Friday!  Thanks so much for all the emails and well wishes recently.  I'm totally okay, so no need to worry and the doc gave me some meds that are starting to make me feel almost human again.  {grin} Anyway, let's get on with the crafty goodness.  It's Friday and that means a new Viva la Verve! sketch is posted.  This week's VLV is the fabulous Laurie.


The Making Of:
I took a fairly simple approach to the sketch.  I'd planned to gussy it up after the fact with some little doodads all along the diagonals, but I really like the simplicity of the finished card, so decided to leave it at the less is more stage.  The diagonals might look a little tricky, but they're really quite easy.  For mine I just cut three 3/4" strips from a 6x6 paper.  I then stitched each strip along both sides, distressed with a little Vintage Photo ink, then glued down to my main panel (3.5" x 4.75"), starting with the longest diagonal and then cut off the excess.  The stamps used are from Bountiful Harvest and the Sweet Scallop Tag stamp and coordinating Sweet Scallop Die.  I paper pieced the pumpkin and leaves separately, then finished off with a cherry cobbler seam binding bow.

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Bountiful Harvest, Sweet Scallop Tag (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Lost and Found Two: Rosy (My Mind's Eye), Early Espresso (SU!), cream
Ink: Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie (SU!), Vintage Photo Distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Sweet Scallop Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Cherry Cobber Seam Binding Ribbon (SU!), sewing machine

Dream Big

Hi friends!  Happy Wednesday!  I'm enjoying my time as Guest Designer for the Color Throwdown and it's that time again...time for a new throwdown.  This week's colors, chosen by hostess Danielle Kennedy, are absolutely dreamy.  I hope you'll play along with us this week!

Here's this week's color palette...


The Making Of:
I started with the Dream Big set (which is on sale through the end of the month), stamping the three sizes of flowers in Regal Rose on cream cardstock, then hand trimming.  To get them to curl a little, I ran each through my paper crimper both directions to break the fibers a bit, then flattened them back out, layered on dimensionals and curled the edges inward with my fingers.  The leaf branch is stamped in Early Espresso and hand trimmed.  The herringbone embossing folder adds some texture to the background and I finished off with some seam binding ribbon and pearls.

That's all from my little crafting world today.  Head on over to the Color Throwdown Blog where you can read up on the challenge details. Then be sure to check out the blogs of the CTD Design Team to see their colorful creations for this week:


Enabler's List:
Stamps:  Dream Big (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Regal Rose, Early Espresso (SU!), Cream
Ink: Early Espresso, Regal Rose (SU!)
Accessories:  Vanilla seam binding ribbon (SU!), paper distresser (Tonic), Doily Lace border punch (Martha Stewart), Herringbone embossing folder (Cuttlebug), flatback black pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), clear detail embossing powder (JudiKins)

Treat Yourself Mojo

Hi friends! It's Monday and I've got another Mojo Monday sketch for you.   For my sample card I used the Sip & Savor and Tag Time sets, along with the coordinating Curvy Bookplate Die.


I've been feeling under the weather, so I'm keeping this short and sweet.  Be sure to head on over to the Mojo Monday blog and check out the design team's creations with this week's sketch!

Enabler's List:
Stamps:  Tag Time, Sip & Savor (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found Two Sunshine (My Mind's Eye), Early Espresso, Crumb Cake (SU!), cream
Ink: Early Espresso (SU!), Copic Markers
Accessories:  Curvy Bookplate Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Sentiments Flag die (L'il Inkers Design), Square Lattice Textured Impressions folder, Wide striped ribbon, Mat Pack & Paper Piercer (SU!), flatback pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty)

Learning to Dance

Happy Friday, friends!  There's a Get Your Diva On challenge going on this week and the prize is a Guest Diva spot for a future Verve release, so if you haven't played along... you totally should!  The deadline is this Sunday night, so it's the perfect excuse to sneak away for a little stamping time this weekend!  {grin}  Sankari's our hostess, and her challenge is to make a monochromatic card.  That could be a bunch of neutrals and one color, or different shades of the same color, or just one color... whatever you choose.  I've fallen in love with green recently, so decided to use different shades of green (with a hint of gray and cream for my neutrals).


I picked out the Blue Skies set because this sentiment really spoke to me. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." It seems like the storm clouds have been rolling in a bit here lately, and I thought this sentiment was the perfect reminder that we are in control of our own happiness.  We're given the race that's set before us, and our job is to finish it well.  The goal isn't to finish first, or with the most toys, or to wish we were running a different race, but to finish the race we're in and to do our best to make sure that at the end of the race we deserve to hear two precious words.. well done.  So, I don't know what tomorrow brings, but today I'm going to dance in the rain and enjoy the life I've been given.

The Making Of:
I paired the sentiment from Blue Skies with the new Graph Paper Plain Jane.  I matted with a basic grey Rounded Rectangle die cut, then layered onto a Rounded Scallop Frame die cut, stamped with the flourish from the Blue Skies set.  I did the same random flourish stamping for the card background.  A few different patterned papers, ribbons and green embellishments kept the monochromatic march going, then I finished off with the butterfly, who always seems ready to dance!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Blue Skies, Graph Paper Plain Jane (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found Two (MME), Lucky Limeade, Basic Gray (SU!)
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Basic Gray (SU!)
Accessories:  Rounded Scallop Frame Die, Rounded Rectangle Die  (A Cut Above by VERVE), ribbon (SU!), lace trim (Webster's Pages), flatback rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), flower embellishment (Jesse James Dress it Up Flats), Leaf trinket pins (Maya Road), Tiny Attacher (Tim Holtz), Corner Chomper (WRMK)

Coffee Talk

Hi friends!  Happy Wednesday!  I'm back from vacation and have already hit the studio with a little color throwdown for my stint as Guest Designer over on the Color Throwdown blog!  I hope you'll play along with us this week!

Our hostess this week is the fabulously creative master of color herself, Carole Burrage.  And the color palette she's throwing down is a real mild one...

I just love this sentiment... life happens over coffee.  For many years, Mark and I have periodically gone out to a coffee shop just to talk and plan and dream.  I think it started early in our marriage when we were struggling financially just to make ends meet.  We'd always pick a place that had rich surroundings, filled with fine art and good coffee... a place that made us feel successful and then we'd talk and dream and plan about the future.  The things we wanted to do, what our dream house would be like, the places we wanted to travel, the places we wanted our careers to go.  I look back at all of those talks and I see so much goodness and hope that came out of our little coffee talks.  They're like little seeds we planted that are now starting to bear fruit.  During some of those first sessions I don't think I could have even dreamed up where we are today.  Life is far from perfect, but we are blessed beyond measure and I feel so lucky that we can continue to dream up new directions we'd like our paths to go.  Sort of reminds me of a quote I came across recently...

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you have now was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

The Making Of:
Since I hadn't stamped in a while, I just let the card take itself wherever it wanted to go while I played with whatever tickled my fancy.  The layout is a slight variation on Amy's Viva la Verve! September Week 2 sketch.  I just skewed the panels a bit, but all the major elements are there.  The mug from Better With You is paper pieced with coordinating designer papers and I popped up a heart die cut from the From the Heart die set.  The tags use the Tiny Sweet Scallop Tag dies and are stamped with the java text background.  For the sentiment circle, I lightly stamped the coffee stain stamp in Antique Linen in the background then, inked up the sentiment with two inks and stamped.

Okay, I've probably rambled on long enough for today.  Head on over to the Color Throwdown Blog where you can read up on the challenge details. Then be sure to check out the blogs of the CTD Design Team to see their colorful creations for this week:


Enabler's List:
Stamps:  Better With You (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Journey (Authentique), Lime Twist Fly a Kite (My Mind's Eye), Newsprint, Basic Black (SU!)
Ink: Jet Black & Vermillion Archival, Antique Linen Distress (Ranger)
Accessories:  Tiny Sweet Scallop Die Set, From the Heart Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Mat stack & paper piercer, Cherry Cobbler seam binding (SU!), lace trim (Webster's Pages), licorice divine twine (TCP), flatback black pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), Tiny Attacher (Tim Holtz), crystal effects, zip dry paper glue, dimensionals

Throwing Down

Hi friends!  Happy Wednesday!  I'm currently enjoying a relaxing vacation on the coast away from email, internet and blogging, but through the marvels of modern technology this post is hopefully posting for your enjoyment today.


I'm so honored to be a guest over on the Color Throwdown Blog this month.  Y'all know how much I love color, so I'm excited for a month of challenges with these talented ladies.  Here's the list of this week's colors...

Peach Parfait, Light Gray, Basic Gray and Island Indigo


I used the new Making a Statement set and threw in one of the leaf images from this month's Stamp of the Month, Autumn Splendor.  A bit of Diamond Stickles on the leaves, gives it just the right amount of sparkle.  The flowers and frame from Making a Statement are stamped then cut out with the coordinating Loopy Blooms Die Set and Rounded Scallop Frame Die. The flower centers are silver nailheads from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Head on over to the Color Throwdown Blog where you can read up on the participation details. Then be sure to check out the blogs of the CTD Design Team to see their colorful creations for this week:


Enabler's List:
Stamps:  Making a Statement, Autumn Splendor
Paper: Island Indigo, Peach Parfait, Basic Gray (SU!), cream, light grey (Paper Accents), pattern prints DSP (SU!)
Ink: Island Indigo, Basic Gray, Peach Parfait (SU!), Pumice Stone (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Loopy Blooms Die Set, Rounded Scallop Frame Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Diamond Stickles (Ranger), Tiny Attacher (Tim Holtz), Island Indigo ribbon, photo corner punch (SU!), paper distresser, silver nailheads (Pizzazz Aplenty)

Happy Birthday Sankari!

Happy Saturday! We're getting ready to leave on our much anticipated week long vacation to the coast!  I'm so excited for time away, completely unplugged.  But before I go, I wanted to wish a happy birthday to my sweet friend, SankariHappy, happy birthday Sankari!  I hope it's filled with big dreams and wishes come true!
 

Sankari's cards are always filled to the brim with color, liquid pearls and meaning, so I tried to capture those things in my card for her.  I used this week's Viva la Verve! September Week 1 sketch and stamps and coordinating dies from Tag Time, Making a Statement and Sunny Days.

I hope y'all have a fabulous week!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Words of Wisdom, Making a Statement, Tag Time, Sunny Days (Verve)
Paper: Odds & Ends (Cosmo Cricket), Basic Black, Cream
Ink: Lucky Limeade, Barely Banana, Soft Sky, Riding Hood Red (SU!), Jet Black Archival (Ranger), White dye ink (Memories)
Accessories: Curvy Bookplate Die, Loopy Blooms Die Set, Leafy Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), cloud border Cut-Ups (TCP), Classic Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), liquid pearls, diamond glaze, resin flower, ribbon

Splendiferous Diva Inspirations Hop

Hi Everyone!  Happy September!  Today the Diva Inspirations team and a few of our release Divas are starting your month off with a hop filled with Verve-alicious inspiration!  Leave a little shout-out in the comments as you hop around and you might win yourself some brand new Verve.  All the prize details and deadlines are on the Verve blog.


Since it's a brand new month, we've got a new featured Stamp of the Month for you!  During September, Autumn Splendor is 30% off.  Here I paired some of the leaves and the title sentiment from this set with the new Tag Time set and coordinating Curvy Bookplate Die.  These yummy papers are all from the Lost & Found Two Sunshine pad and I stamped the leaves in crumb cake, so saffron and peach parfait, before cutting them out with scissors.  Some smoked topaz czech rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty finish it off.

I'm keeping it short so you have time to hop around.  Thanks for stopping by and happy hopping!!!

Diva Inspirations Blog Hop
Master Hop List
1. Julee9. Andrea
2. Betty10. Sankari
3. Dawn11. Teresa
4. Jen d.12. Tosh
5. Lynda13. Charmaine
6. Shannan14. Maureen
7. Sony15. Jen T.
8. Susan 


We've hidden a little mystery prize on one of today's hop spots, so be sure to leave a little comment love as you hop around for a chance to win!

Comment Deadline: 11:59pm Mountain, September 12
Prize: $30 gift certificate to Verve

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Autumn Splendor, Tag Time (Verve)
Paper: Lost & Found Two Sunshine (My Mind's Eye), Early Espresso (SU!), cream
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Peach Parfait, So Saffron (SU!)
Accessories: Curvy Bookplate Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), smoked topaz czech rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), Dotted Wave border punch (EK Success), linen thread, striped ribbon (SU!), paper distresser, clear detail embossing powder (JudiKins)