Let it Bloom Diva Inspirations Blog Hop

Hi friends!  It's the 5th of the month and that means I'm kicking off Verve's May inspiration challenge as part of our monthly blog hop today.  So grab a drink and get ready for a little inspiration from the Divas with this month's challenge theme... LET IT BLOOM!  There's a blog hop prize and a challenge prize up for grabs, so be sure to read to the bottom for all the deets!

I loved the inspiration pic that Sarah picked out this month and just had to do something with aqua and pink!  So I pulled out an old My Mind's Eye paper pad, the Poppy Birthday set and coordinating Build a Poppy Die Set and got to work.

Whenever I use patterned paper on a card, I always start by flipping through a pad and picking out 3 patterns that I want to use (bonus if they are double sided).  Here I picked the bright pink polka dots, the aqua stripes and a dainty little rose pattern that brought the two colors together.  The text print is the backside of the aqua stripes paper.  So I cut a piece from each pattern and ran them through my die cut machine with the three largest flower dies from the Build a Poppy Die set.  Next I stamped the coordinating stamp on each pattern, distressed the edges with antique linen distress ink and popped each layer up on dimensionals.

Next I built the background with the two pink patterns on either side and I pulled in the book text (which was the back side of the aqua stripes) and stitched them all together to give a nice background for my poppies.  I cut 4 stems from black and then layered them under  the poppies, using two stems to make the tallest poppy.  The sentiment is stamped on the book print paper and hand cut in an angled banner and matted with black.  I layered a Charming Oval die cut beneath it for a fun look, then finished off with tons of distressing and a black bow.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I can't wait to hop along and see the bloomin' creations from the other Divas!  I hope you'll play along with us too!  You can find all the challenge details and linkup info on the Verve Blog.

Next up on the hop is the fabulous Amy Kolling!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines!

	1. Julee	6. Sarah
	2. Amy	7. Susan
	3. Anya	8. Maureen
	4. Betty	9. Marisa
	5. Sankari

Enabler's List
Stamps: Poppy Birthday (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found - Blush (MME), basic black (SU!)
Ink: archival black, antique linen and pumice stone distress (Ranger)
Accessories:  Build a Poppy Die Set, Charming Oval Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), ribbon