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Saffron Sunburst

Hi friends!  It's Monday again and as it's the last Monday of the month, it's time for my favorite type of Mojo sketch... tall & skinny.  This week's sketch has some fun layers and a few circle elements, which always help me use up some of my ever growing hoarde collection of embellishments!  {grin}


I started out by making my flower.  Wanted some sunshine, so I pulled out so saffron card stock and cut the Petal Points Die Set, then stamped the pieces in so saffron with the polka dot background from Better Together. Quickly snipped each little petal with scissors so I could add some dimension, then inked around the edges and layered with foam tape.  The flower center is one of those gorgeous acrylic sunbursts from Pizzazz Aplenty. The leaves are cut from old olive with the Sprightly Sprigs Die Set and also stamped with that long polka dot background.  While I was at it, I stamped the polka dot background horizontally and then vertically on a strip of old olive for my long vertical panel.  The heart paper is from the Lucky Charm paper pad and I grabbed a chipboard butterfly and inked it up with old olive and so saffron for my other smaller circle element.  The sentiment is from Better Together, embossed in old olive on vellum, then layered over a circle of dictionary paper and matted with a scalloped old olive circle.  The card base is 3.5" x 5:5" and covered with the same dictionary paper, stamped in so saffron with the polka dot border and then sponged with so saffron and tea dye ink.  I finished off with some liquid pearl accents and a bling flourish for the butterfly.

Mojo Monday #352
Enabler's List
Stamps:  Better Together (Verve)
Paper: old olive, so saffron (SU!), Lucky Charm (American Crafts), dictionary paper, vellum
Ink: so saffron, old olive (SU!), tea dye (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Petal Points Die Set, Sprightly Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic & Scallop Circle Nestabilites (Spellbinders), embossing powder (Judikins), acrylic sunburst rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), bling flourish (Recollections) Artisan Chipboard butterfly (Pink Paislee), liquid pearls (Ranger), corner rounders

Golden Best

Hi friends!  I'm popping in today with my take on this week's Viva la Verve challenge.  Chaitali's our hostess this week and I loved her fun sketch with the partial circle and the vibrant inspiration photo she chose.



I immediately knew I wanted to use a gold doily, since I recently got some on sale, so I pulled out the doilies and then chose a piece of designer paper from my scraps that reminded me of the photo.  I  used the larger flower stamp from Button Best to stamp on both the large and small die in the Petal Points Die Set.  Then I colored with a blender pen and sponged the edges with strawberry slush ink.  I used the smaller flower stamp to create a background in pumpkin pie and strawberry slush for my sentiment tag.  The butterfly is fromDie Sidekicks and cut with the coordinating All Aflutter Die Set.

I finished off with some gold liquid pearl detailing around the inner portion of my doily and some fun little flower beads I found in the stash. Oh, and I freehand cut some leaves for the flowers out of designer paper, then sketched in some details with an old olive marker.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you're having a fantastic day!
Viva la Verve June Week 3

Enabler's List
Stamps: Button Best, Die Sidekicks (Verve Stamps)
Paper: scraps (MME, Prima), white
Ink: strawberry slush, pumpkin pie, old olive (SU!), black
Accessories: Petal Points Die SetAll Aflutter Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), gold doily (Freckled Fawn), flower beads, gold liquid pearls, stardust Stickles (Ranger)




Brave Freedom

Hi friends!  Welcome to another week and a brand new Mojo Monday sketch.  This week's sketch is a simple one that I can see myself using over and over again.  After spending an all-American weekend with my family at one of our state parks, I was feeling especially patriotic, so I pulled out a pack of my favorite Americana papers and got to work.


The set I used is American Hero and I love that the stars in the set work perfectly with the largest star in the Starry Die.  I stamped the star image onto the die cut and then also onto the smaller star die cut for two different effects with one stamp and die.  I liked the tone on tone look, so decided to stamp the star randomly on my red panel, then cut the circle from my favorite section of one of the papers.  The sentiment is stamped on one of the diecuts from the Banner Bundle Die Set and I sponged everything with Antique Linen and Tea Dye distress inks to get an aged look.  The little banner is hand cut, then run through my paper crimper for the accordian look, sanded and inked with tea dye.  Easy peasy and done in under 20 minutes!   A must, since I sliced my toenail off one of my toes last night and needed to get back to icing it.

Hope you have a fantastic start to your week and I'd love to see what you do with the sketch!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Mojo Monday 351
Enabler's List
Stamps: American Hero (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Glory (Authentique), cream (Neenah)
Ink: Night of Navy, Cherry Cobber (SU!), antique linen, tea dye (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Starry Die, Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), paper crimper

Bramble Best

Hi friends!  It's the start of a brand new week and time for a new Mojo Monday sketch!


For my card I used the Button Best set and coordinating Petal Points and Sprightly Sprigs dies.  My color combo was inspired by this paper and after doing the flower in Button Best in blushing bride and groovy guava, I tied the yellow from the paper in with a little Spring Fling seam binding.  The sprig die cuts are sponged with brushed corduroy ink and lightly accented with some stardust stickles.

I hope you have a fantastic start to you week!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Mojo Monday 350
Enabler's List
Stamps: Button Best (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Bramble Rose (MME), early espresso, blushing bride (SU!), kraft
Ink: early espresso, groovy guava (SU!), brushed corduroy (Ranger)
Accessories:  Petal Points Die Set, Sprightly Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Spring Fling Ribbon Collection (Verve), embossing folder (Sizzix), stardust stickles (Ranger), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Marvelous Dad

Hi friends!  I know I said I was taking a bit of a break, but the boys actually napped long enough for me to make a card on Friday so I decided to pop in and share it, since it's a Father's Day card for hubby.  This card was inspired by a few different things I've seen around blogland recently.  First off was Amber's mixed media tutorial. Earlier this week, I got the itch to play in the new Mixed Media Mojo challenge, so after reading Amber's tutorial, I pulled out some gesso, stencils and sprays (which for some reason I never use) and made a few different backgrounds with scrap pieces of white cardstock.


Then, the next day some Pentel oil pastels I had seen on sale arrived.  My sister had a box of these when I was growing up and I was never allowed to play with them.  My mom had told me they were for real artists, so I mentally filed them as something I would never have.  When I saw them on sale, I had that same little girl wish to play with them, so I just had to get some.  And it was so fun filling in some of the backgrounds with these pastels, blending with my fingers and then doing a little wash with some water and a brush.  So soft and beautiful!  So the lighter yellows and greens you see are done with oil pastels.

And when I finally sat down to make a card, Stacey's Viva la Verve June Week 2 sketch was the perfect way to use some of these mixed media backgrounds.  I originally tried sewing a vellum square to my top panel, but unfortunately there was no thread on the bobbin and that bobbin winding enigma is definitely for another day. So I scrapped the square (except for the pierce marks the sewing machine made) and decided to go with a primitive star die cut instead, embossed with distressed polka dots for some fun texture.  I added just a hint of gesso around the edges to make it pop and layered it on 2 layers of dimensionals for extra pop.

The sentiment is from the new Wonderful Marvelous set and I masked off the you on the wonderful marvelous you sentiment before inking, then added the Dad sentiment to the right in Archival ink, then embossed in clear so I wouldn't have to worry about smudging while I was layering everything together. Lots of distressed edges finish things off.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Wonderful Marvelous (Verve Stamps)
Paper: white, vellum
Ink: mint julep, honor society, water cooler Mister Huey's Color Mists (Studio Calico), jet black Archival ink (Ranger), gesso
Accessories:  Primitive Stars Die (Sizzix), distressed dots texture fades (Tim Holtz), layering stencils (Tim Holtz), clear embossing powder, sewing machine, paper distresser

Wonderful World

Hi friends!  I'm popping in to change up the scenery with a one layer card I made while playing around with the latest Verve release. It's been a while since I made the card, so hopefully I remember as I go what I did! 

I just love this sentiment and have had the song running through my head for several days now.  This card totally makes me think of a circus (maybe because that's what life at my house is like these days).  I've been burning all of the candles at all the ends and am completely worn out being ringmaster.  So I'm taking a few days off  from Verve and blogging and basically everything but being a mama to my (STILL) teething twins. I'll catch up with y'all next week sometime!


Okay, on with the card... I started by masking off the edges of my card base with some painter's tape from the $1 store. (NOT recommended, as the watercolor seeped a bit under the tape.  I've since purchased the good ole 3M kind and had much better results!)  to do the color wash  I added Squeezed Lemonade, Scattered Straw and Spiced Marmalade to an acrylic block, then spritzed with water and pressed onto my paper.  Next I laid down a hexagon stencil into the still wet color washed area and added a bit more color with a waterbrush and the distress inks.  The banners were stamped onto the card base, then I paper pieced each of the flags with peach parfait cardstock.  The sentiment from Wonderful Marvelous is stamped in the bottom corner, then I hand drew a ltitle frame and splashed on some watered down black ink with a paint brush.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Wonderful Marvelous (Verve Stamps)
Paper: White, peach parfait (SU!)
Ink: Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw, Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks, Pumice Stone (Ranger), black
Accessories: hexagon layering stencil (Tim Holtz

Postale Favorite

Hi friends!  Welcome to another week!  Time seems to be flying by lately and I'm trying to get ready for the big father's day - mom's birthday - father-in-law's birthday card making extravaganza, since all of those things fall within a few days of each other.  Knowing that was coming, this week's Mojo Monday sketch was designed with clean lines for a little jump start on masculine cards.


I pulled out the new Wonderful Marvelous and an old favorite paper pack from 7 Gypsies to start in on this masculine birthday card.  I basically let the papers do most of the work, adding some sponging with antique linen and vintage photo distress ink, then a few piercings around a couple of the elements.  I built the sentiment Happy Birthday to my favorite Dad using four stamps from the set in Night of Navy and Cherry Cobbler inks.  The Dad is stamped on the largest cut out from the Starry Die.  I finished off with a few wooden stars that I sponged with vintage photo ink and a sahara sand card base.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  If you're making Father's Day cards with a little Verve this week, be sure to link them up to our A Man's World Diva Dare for a chance to win a Verve gift voucher!



Mojo Monday 349
Enabler's List
Stamps: Wonderful Marvelous (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Postale (7 Gypsies), sahara sand (SU!)
Ink: night of navy, cherry cobbler (SU!), vintage photo, antique linen (Ranger Distres)
Accessories:  Starry Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), mat pack and piercer (SU!), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), wood veneer stars (Studio Calico)

Trustworthy Anchor

Click here or scroll down for my Diva Inspirations Hop post


Hi friends!  It's the first Friday of a new series of Viva la Verve sketches, and that means I'm on deck this week with a sketch + color challenge on the VLV Sketches Blog.


My card uses the Strong Anchor set and coordinating Nautical Die Set, and I threw in the Starry Die and Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set for good measure!

The stamping is all done in Midnight Muse and I kept wondering why it was looking so muted, then realized I had pulled out Night of Navy cardstock.  It still worked, so I just left it alone.  {In my pre-kid days that would have totally meant starting over, now I just go with the flow!  LOL}  Oh, I guess I did do a little so saffron stamping with the long rope image across my starry die cuts.  Added some enamel stars I recently picked up on sale and finished with a wooden anchor that I colored midnight muse with a marker and then coated with some gold stickles.

Hope you'll play along!  You can use the colors, use the sketch, or both if you're feeling really frisky!  {grin}

Today also kicks off Verve's June Diva Dare and this month's theme is A Man's World, challenging you to make a masculine themed card.  Check the Verve blog each week day for the next couple of weeks to see some fun masculine cards from the Divas, then play along for your chance to win!

VLV June Week 1 Sketch
Enabler's List
Stamps: Strong Anchor (Verve Stamps)
Paper: so saffron, soft sky, night of navy (SU!), pearlized white (Paper Accents)
Ink: so saffron, midnight muse
Accessories:  Nautical Die Set, Starry Die and Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), stars & swirls embossing folder (Sizzix), enamel stars (Freckled Fawn), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), wood embellishment (Studio Calico), gold Stickles (Ranger)

Coffee Dreams and a Blog Hop

Hi friends!  It's the 5th of the month and that means it's hopping time with Divas!  And I'm the first stop on the hop, so come hop along as we share our creations with this month's challenge theme... Winged Whimsy. As always, there's a PRIZE for commenting along the hop and also for a lucky challenge participant!


I went pretty whimsical with my approach to the theme, pairing  Better With You and Wings of Love for a dreamy little concoction close to my heart.  It's no secret that I love coffee, and with twin tazmanian devils two year olds running around the house, this girl runs on a LOT of coffee.   I do quite a bit of dreaming up things for Verve  (things that may or may not ever fly, but the dream is there!) while sipping a cup of joe, so I thought adding some wings to my cup would be the perfect fit!

I started with the coffee cup from  Better With You stamped on cream cardstock, then stamped the two wings from Wings of Love, overlapping the cup just a bit.  I stamped another cup, hand cut around it, colored the java jacket and then inked up with antique linen distress ink and glued over the top.  The wings are colored with a colorless blender and then highlighted with BG10 copic, for the mix of brown and aqua.  I stamped the dream sentiment between the cup and the steam, then sponged some ink around the edges and matted with a scallop square from early espresso cardstock.

The soft sky layer is stamped tone on tone with the coffee stain stamp, then I added the rule the world sentiment in early espresso.  A bit more sponging, then I added some espresso grosgrain diagonally to give a little balance to the layout.  My finished card size is 4.25 x 5.5".

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Next up on the hop is...  Amy!
1. Julee8. Sony
2. Amy9. Susan
3. Anya10. Stacey
4. Betty11. Maureen
5. Karen12. Marisa
6. Sankari13. Charmaine
7. Sarah14. Andrea

Be sure to check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines!

And last but not least, it's time for a new sale over in Verveland.  This month we've got some of my favorite summer products marked 20% off!



Enabler's List
Stamps: Better With You, Wings of Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: soft sky, early espresso (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: early espresso, softy sky, blender pen (SU!), antique linen (Ranger Distress), Copic marker
Accessories: espresso grosgrain ribbon (SU!), Scallop Squares Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Mellow Yellow

Hi friends!  I'm back again today to share a card I made with Sarah's May Week 4 Viva la Verve sketch. This sketch hit on release day and I've had it sitting on my desk waiting for a spare minute since then.  So glad I finally got the chance to play along, because I love how it turned out.


I started by cutting the oval with Nestabilities and then using the die as a stencil to sponge on some tumbled glass distress ink.  Next I stamped the title sentiment from Wonderful Marvelous to the side of the oval, then pulled out Be Blessed and stamped the flower twice in so saffron.  I cut one out with the coordinating Petal Points Die Set and cut the inner portion of the other stamped flower out by hand to pop up for some dimension.  While I had the flowers out, I also randomly stamped them tone on tone on the so saffron panel. Next I added some black sprigs cut with the Sprightly Sprigs Die Set all around, substituting for the little banner coming off the side of the sketch.  The card base is embossed with a polka dot folder and I added a rounded corner to the top of each rectangle panel, then finished off with a sparkly gem center for the flower.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Be sure to come on back tomorrow for our monthly Diva Inspirations Hop and challenge!

May Week 4 VLV Sketch
Enabler's List
Stamps: Wonderful Marvelous, Be Blessed (Verve Stamps)
Paper: so saffron, basic black (SU!), white
Ink: so saffron (SU!), tumbled glass (Ranger Distress), black
Accessories:  Petal Points Die Set, Sprightly Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic Ovals Nestabilities (Spellbinders), dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug), sparkly gem, corner rounder.

Purple and Green Birthday

Hi friends!  Happy Tuesday!  Like my oh-so-clever post title today?  Some days I just can't think of a description.  {grin}  Anyhow, this is the card that I drew this week's Mojo Monday sketch from.  A simple, but fun layout.

The stamps are from the new Be Blessed set and I cut the flower with the coordinating Petal Points Die Set.  The leaves are cut from the Sprightly Sprigs Die Set and I did a bit of faux stitching around the sentiment and the polka dot green panel.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Be Blessed (Verve Stamps)
Paper: dsp prints (SU!), white
Ink: perfect plum (SU!)
Accessories: Petal Points Die SetSprightly Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), mat pack, paper piercer, corner rounder, dew drop


My Favorite Dad

Hi Friends!  It's the first Monday of a new month and that means it's CONTEST time over at Mojo Monday!   Come play along with this week's sketch for a chance to win a free set from Verve!  You can enter as many times as you like, so just let the mojo flow!


For my card I adjusted the sketch to a horizontal layout to accommodate the stamps I wanted to use.  I thought the trio of flags from Wonderful Marvelous would look great as little trees on a lake, so flipped it on it's side and colored with Copic markers.  Next time, I'll probably add some brown around the outer part for sand/ground, but for today we have floating pines!  {grin}  Then I built my sentiment on the circle and banner panels, added some black mats and a baja breeze background and finished off with some black dots.  Easy peasy and one more Father's Day card done!  Hooray!

I hope you get a chance to play this week... can't wait to see what everyone does with the sketch!  I'll be back tomorrow with a more feminine approach to the layout!

Mojo Monday 348
Enabler's List
Stamps: Wonderful Marvelous (Verve)
Paper: basic black, baja breeze (SU!), white
Ink: black, old olive (SU!), Copic markers
Accessories:  chevron dots embossing folder, Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), black candy dots