A Brighter World

Hi friends!  I'm,wrapping up the design team posts for our Stars & Stripes Diva Dare over on the Verve Blog today.  Have you been following along?  There's a chance at one of 3 prizes for leaving comments along the Dare, as well as the possibility of winning Verve's ENTIRE May release for playing along with our Stars & Stripes challenge!!!  So what ya waitin' for?  The deadline is this Thursday, May 30!!!  Check out all the details on the Verve Blog.

For my answer to the dare, I went with a traditional take on Stars & Stripes.  I absolutely love Americana and so I kept my look a bit shabby with the idea of making a card suitable for sending to someone in the military.  I thought this sentiment from Let it Be was just perfect for that.  I kept things pretty simple,  using the Viva la Verve! May Week 4 sketch. (Are you playing along with VLV???  There's a chance to win a $100 gift voucher to Verve if you participate in all 4 of this month's sketches.) I used the Starry Die to cut through my two layers of paper, then popped the panel up on dimensionals to really make the background under the stars shine through.  The little border is made with the Scallop Trim Trio Die Set and I finished off with some cluster stars and stripey blue ribbon.

Okay, that's all from me today.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a fabulous day and can find a little time to play along in our challenge!

Enabler's List:
Stamps: Let it Be (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Glory (Authentique), Brown Paper Bag (Paper Accents), Cream
Ink: Cherry Cobbler (SU!), Vintage Photo Distress (Ranger)
Accessories: Starry Die, Scallop Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), star cluster pearls (Recollections), ribbon (SU!), paper distresser (Tonic)

Touching Hearts

Hi friends!  Our little family has been enjoying Memorial Day weekend so far.  First, a graduation party for my nephew, then the twins' first excursion to the park to play on the baby swings, the opening of our community pool, and today is a day for Mark and I to recover while the boys are hanging out with their grandparents.  Woohoo!

It's Monday and that means it's time for a new Mojo Monday sketch... Mojo295.  This week is a round or square sketch, which is one of my favorites.  I just like mixing things up every now and then.  It's also our final week with Mojo Maker Stephanie Kraft on the team.  She's one talented stamper and I've so enjoyed the fabulous inspiration she's provided week after week since she joined the team way back at Mojo 174!  Be sure to hop over and give Steph a shout out to thank her for all her fabulous Mojo samples over the years.  Thanks Steph... you totally rock!

 

I took a clean and simple approach to this week's sketch, with lots of white space.  I hadn't had a chance to use the new Teachers Count and coordinating Apples Die Set yet, so that was my jumping off point.  I started by stamping the loopy border from On Occasion across a 3-7/8" square, then laying down a piece of acetate to mask off the stamping and then I stamped the border again on a 2.25" square (oriented diagonally) so it would line up perfectly across the card when I was done.  Next I stamped the sentiment from Teachers Count, then matted that with black cardstock.  I ran the background piece with the stamped border through with a heart embossing folder for a little texture.  Then it was just a matter of stamping the apple from Teachers Count on an Apples Die Set cut out, stamping the solid leaf and solid apple to add some color and adding a little glossy accents and glitter.  The finished card size is 4.25" square, perfect for tucking into a normal A2 size envelope.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a wonderfully creative start to your week.  I hope to get a little stamping done while the kiddos are gone today, myself.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Teachers Count, On Occasion (Verve Stamps)
Paper: White, black
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Gumball Green, Crumb Cake (SU!), Markers (Copic), Black
Accessories:  Apples Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Love Set embossing folder (Sizzix), glossy accents (Ranger), dazzling diamonds glitter (SU!)  

She Stood

Hi friends!  How's May treating you?  I can't believe how fast the month is going.  I haven't had a lot of stamping time lately, but I thought I'd pop in and share this quick little CAS card I made for the Verve release but never got posted.

As it happened, right after I sent the designs for this release off to our manufacturer I was moseying around at Tuesday Morning and came across a sailboat punch on clearance.  I just had to pop it into my cart, knowing it would be perfect with the nautical stamps in this release.  For my card I chose to let the Adjusted Sails Plain Jane take front and center, embossed onto cream cardstock.  The sailboat is punched from Down by the Shore designer papers and I added some shading and stripes with markers and pencil. I used a regular pencil to draw the lines at the top of the bottom of my panel, then tied some cording in a sailor's knot (well, as good as I know how to tie one!) and glued down with ZipDry glue.  The panel is mounted on dimensionals on a 4.25" square card base.  Super fast, but I really like how it turned out.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I'll be spending the day with these two little munchkins.  How quickly they have learned to be annoyed by Mama's attempts to get them to smile for the camera.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Adjusted Sails Plain Jane (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Down by the Shore (Fancy Pants Designs, cream
Ink: Schoolhouse (Mix'd Media Inx), White picket fence marker (Ranger Distress), pencil, grey marker
Accessories: cord (Recollections), sailboat punch (Fiskars)

Enjoy the little things

Hi friend!  It's Monday again and time for another Mojo Monday sketch.  This one is a simple sketch I based off of a scrappy little card I made a while back.  I'm so excited that Soft Sky is returning to the SU! line-up that I had to pull out my beloved (and much hoarded) soft sky cardstock for this one.

I wanted to use this enjoy the little things sentiment from Let it Be and add a few of my very favorite little things... soft sky, polka dot ribbon, butterflies, stars, rainbows and chevrons.  The sentiment is stamped onto a Rounded Rectangle Die cut and matted on a Rounded Scallop Frame Die cut.  I stamped the smaller flower from Let it Be in soft sky ink, then stamped both sizes of flower on the card base in soft sky for a fun background.  The Icing CutUps border is from TCP and I added a healthy dotting of black liquid pearls on the scallop frame and border die cut.  I finished off with a butterfly punch, a star rhinestone cluster and a bit of ribbon from the Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection.

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

Enabler's List
Stamps: Let it Be (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Urban Traveler (Simple Stories), soft sky, basic black (SU!)
Ink: soft sky (SU!), black
Accessories: Rounded Rectangle Die, Rounded Scallop Frame Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), Icing Cutups (TCP), butterfly punch (Martha Stewart), star rhinestone cluster

Believe in Yourself

Hi friends!  TGIF!  It's time for another Viva la Verve sketch over in the Verve forum, and this week's sketch hostess is Charmaine.  I loved her sweet layout and couldn't resist sneaking a little stamp time in when I should have been sleeping last night.

I went with a pretty simple approach... no patterned paper and one stamp set.  The flowers from Let it Be and stamped in blushing bride on the same color cardstock as a background, then matted with chocolate chip.  The believe in yourself sentiment is stamped in chocolate chip and then offset slightly with blushing bride.  I stamped the two flowers in early espresso, then fussy cut and lightly inked the edges for an accent.  The ribbon is from the Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection and I finished off with a few rhinestones and a couple wood veneer butterflies, sponged with blushing bride and coated with crackle accents.  Of course, that meant I had to let it dry before I could photograph it, so this post had to wait until nap time, but I think the effect was worth the wait.  {grin}

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a fantastic weekend! It should be a fun weekend around here with Kellan just starting to walk and Trevor right behind him.  And I'm super excited to finally meet Maureen in person on Sunday. 

Enabler's List
Stamps: Let it Be (Verve Stamps)
Paper: blushing bride, chocolate chip (SU!)
Ink: early espresso, blushing bride (SU!)
Accessories:  Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), pink rhinestones, wood veneer butterflies (Studio Calico), Crackle Accents (Ranger)

Every Little Thing

Hi friends!  I hope you're having a fantastic week so far.  It's been super sunny and beautiful here.  And all that sun makes me want to be outside.  So, I have a quick little CAS card to share today.

This one uses the new Let it Be set.  I just love this "every little thing is going to be all right" sentiment.  Such a good reminder on days when two little boys are beyond overwhelming with their unparallelled energy levels and penchant for mass destruction.  {grin}  I used the chalkboard technique here, embossing the sentiment in white first and then overstamping it with a white chalk ink.

The flowers from Let it Be are embossed in white on black cardstock, then hand cut and layered onto my card.  I used a white pen for the two little lines at the top of my black panel, then accented with ribbon from the Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection and some rhinestones. Easy peasy and black and white is always so classy looking!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Let it Be (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Black, white
Ink: Versamark, Jasmine (Mix'd Media Inx), white stamper's big brush pen (Faber-castell)
Accessories: Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), ruler, rhinestones, clear embossing powder

All You Do

Hi friends!  Happy Tuesday!  Today I'm sharing a quick little thank you card I made last night.  I was thinking about the May Diva Dare... Stars & Stripes and had been wanting to flip the rope stamp from Strong Anchor over and ink up the base for a broad stripe, so that's where I started.

The navy broad stripe is stamped with midnight muse ink using the back of the rope stamp from Strong Anchor, I then stamped the rope side of the image in between each broad stripe in gumball green.  A little scalloped star trim using the Scalloped Trim Trio Die Se finishes my corner piece off.  The gumball green layer is embossed with one of my favorite embossing folders and I accented with some green star rhinestones.  The large star is an artisan chipboard piece that I inked with midnight muse and gumball green, then coated with glossy accents and dusted some glitter over the top.

The thanks for all you do sentiment is from the new Teachers Count set and I stamped it onto a die cut from the Flag It Die Set.  I finished off with some linen thread wrapped around my card.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Strong Anchor, Teachers Count (Verve Stamps)
Paper: midnight muse, gumball green (SU!), white
Ink: gumball green, midnigh muse (SU!)
Accessories:  Flag It Die Set, Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), star rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), Stars Artisan Chipboard (Pink Paislee), glossy accents, glitter, frosted lace Stickles

A Note to Say

Hi friends!  The weekend flew by and it's time again for a brand new Mojo Monday sketch.  This week's sketch is based off a card I posted a few weeks ago.  I thought it would be fun to make again, so I pulled out the just released Take Note set and got started!

I wanted to use the just a note stamp on my circle, so that's where I started.  I added in the heartstrings to the N in note, then masked off a bit of the note to say sentiment so I could just stamp to say under the just a note.  Then I continued my sentiment on the square panel below, with a little I'm thinking of you.  I used the Down by the Shore paper collection and for the little border, I used the hearts from the Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set.  Those resist chipboard hearts are inked with a little Pool Party ink and I scattered a bit of bling as well.  The bow uses ribbon in the new Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection and I finished off with a line of chocolate liquid pearls on the heart border.

Well, that's all from me today.  I'm scheduled for Verve shipping duties today, so I'll be surrounded by brown and aqua tissue and probably covered in glitter by the end of the day!  {grin}  Hope you have a fabulous day and if you haven't already, be sure to check out all the Verve new releases!  It's a stellar release, if I do say so myslef!  {wink}  Oh, and our May Diva Dare starts on the Verve Blog today and one of our prizes is the ENTIRE May release, so be sure to head on over and play along with us!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Take Note (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Down by the Shore (Fancy Pants Designs), Early Espresso (SU!), white
Ink: Early Espresso, Pool Party (SU!)
Accessories: Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Artisan Chipboard Hearts (Pink Paislee), bling, liquid pearls

Blog Hop Day 4 - Verve Release Day!

Hi friends!  It's VERVE RELEASE day!  We're back with Day 4 of Verve's new release spotlight Hops and all of the stamps and dies we've featured this week are available in the Verve Store right now!  Woohoo!  

 
So, do you want to win some of this fabulous NEW VERVE???  We're giving away today's featured stamps and dies to a lucky commenter along the hop!  So be sure to leave a little shout out at each of the blogs to let us know what you think and be entered to win!  Check out the Verve blog post today for the full reveal of today's featured stamps and all the giveaway details!  Today's featured products are: Teachers Count, Apples Die Set, On Occasion, Occasion Frame Die and the Promoted Plain Jane.

My card for today features the On Occasion set and the Occasion Frame Die.  And I just had to throw in a little I love you sentiment from Take Note to finish off this birthday card for a special someone.  The frame from On Occasion is stamped in black and then cut with the Occasion Frame Die. The birthday blessings is stamped in black at the top of the frame, then I did a little highlighting to both the frame and the sentiment with a Blushing Bride marker.  Next I stamped three of the flowers from the set on Blushing Bride and once on Pear Pizazz, then fussy cut and layered on dimensionals to build my flower.  I embellished the center with four teeny little rhinestones.  The I love you from Take Note is stamped onto a Flag It Die cut and I hand cut a black mat for it.

The ribbon on the diagonal is the new glimmer twill in the Black Beauty Ribbon Collection.  I simply laid down some scor-tape, placed the ribbon over the tape and cut off the edges.  (I added a touch of fray-check to the ends of the ribbon so it wouldn't fray where it was cut.)  The photo didn't capture the shimmer of the ribbon, but it sure does make me smile when I see it!  I added a little Flourished Trim die cut to the top and bottom of my grey panel, then highlighted them with a layer of black liquid pearls.  I just love that black on black look! 

Alrighty!  That's all from me, now it's time to hop on over to see what fabulous little thing Charmaine has to share with you today! Enjoy the hop!!!  Be sure to hit the Verve blog today to see a super sweet CAS Mother's day card using this set.

1. Julee 8. Andrea 2. Charmaine 9. Jen M. 3. Teresa 10. Laurie W. 4. Stacey 11. Laurie S. 5. Amber 12. Janelle 6. Christyne 13. Maureen 7. Marisa 14. Jen S.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Take Note, On Occasion (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Fourteen (Crate Paper), Blushing Bride, Pear Pizazz, Basic Black (SU!), white
Ink: Blushing Bride marker (SU!), black
Accessories: Occasion Frame Die, Flag It Die Set, Flourished Trim Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Black Beauty Ribbon Collection (Verve), liquid pearls (Ranger), mini rhinestones, chevron embossing folder (SU!)

Blog Hop Day 3 - Verve New Release Spotlights

Hi friends!  It's VERVE time again!  We're back with Day 3 of Verve's new release spotlights and I'm the first stop on the hop, so let's get started!  All of the Verve stamps, dies and ribbons you see featured will be available in our online store on Friday, May 10.

Oh, and did I mention there are PRIZES???  We're giving away today's featured stamps and dies to a lucky commenter along the hop!  So be sure to leave a little shout out at each of the blogs to let us know what you think and be entered to win!  Check out the Verve blog post today for the full reveal of today's featured stamps and all the giveaway details!  Today's featured products are: Strong Anchor, Adjusted Sails Plain Jane and the Nautical Die Set.

My card for today features both Strong Anchor and the coordinating Nautical Die Set.  I just recently realized that I REALLY enjoy making masculine cards.  Maybe it's the fact that I know I don't have as many embellishment options to overwhelm me.  There's just something very satisfying about putting together a no-frills kind of card.  {grin}  If you checked out the Verve Blog yesterday, you saw this sneak peek bookmark I made as a Father's Day gift with the Let it Be set.  I couldn't have a gift without a card, so I borrowed the same look and got to work.

I'm really into using sentiments as a background right now.  I just love the look of text and it's such an easy way to add some interest to your layers.  I stamped the strong & courageous sentiment on cream, embossed and then lightly distressed with Antique Linen ink.  The large espresso banner is cut with the Banner Bundle Die Set and I embossed the rope circle onto cream and cut with Classic Circles Nestabilities.  The Father's Day Wishes sentiment is also embossed, then punched out with a 1-3/8" circle and popped up in the center of the rope frame.  I stamped the ship's wheel onto the coordinating die cut from the Nautical Die Set, then added a mini brad to the center and added to the card.  A Pennant Trim border, some chocolate liquid pearls and a rope border strip around the edges of the card finish things off.

Alrighty!  That's all from me, now it's time to hop on over to see what fabulous little thing Charmaine has to share with you today! Enjoy the hop!!!  Be sure to hit the Verve blog today for my first ever video and a sweet little CAS card using this set.

1. Julee 8. Andrea 2. Charmaine 9. Jen M. 3. Teresa 10. Laurie W. 4. Stacey 11. Laurie S. 5. Amber 12. Janelle 6. Christyne 13. Maureen 7. Marisa 14. Jen S.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Strong Anchor (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Early Espresso (SU!), cream, brown paper bag (Paper Accents)
Ink: Truffle (Mix'd Media Inx), Antique Linen (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Nautical Die Set, Banner Bundle Die Set, Pennant Trim Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), 1-3/8" circle punch (SU!), chocolate liquid pearls (Ranger), mini brad, clear embossing powder, Burlap Texture Fades (Tim Holtz), paper distresser

Blog Hop Day 2 - Verve New Release Spotlights

Hi friends!  It's VERVE time again!  We're back with Day 2 of Verve's new release spotlights and today's hop starts right here!  So grab a cup of your favorite somethin' somethin' and sit back and let your fingers do the clicking!  There's a whole lot of eye candy from our release team and special Guest Divas posted today using some new Verve that will release this Friday, May 10, so let's get to it!

Oh, and did I mention there's a PRIZE???  We're giving away today's featured stamps to a lucky commenter along the hop!  So be sure to leave a little shout out at each of the blogs to let us know what you think and be entered to win!  Check out the Verve blog post today for the full reveal of today's featured stamps and all the giveaway details!  Today's featured stamps are: Let it Be and the Deepest Sympathy Plain Jane.

My card for today uses that Park Bench paper collection I've been so fond of lately.  I thought it would be fun to do a little chalkboard technique with the Matthew 5:16 verse that's in the Let it Be set.  My one little word this year is SHINE, so I just HAD to have this verse in stamp form. {grin}  I embossed it in white on black cardstock, then used the Starry Die to cut out the stars on the black panel.  Then I used my new white Stamper's Big Brush pen to draw in the frame and the outlines around the stars.  A little gelato smudged on adds a bit more of the chalkboard effect.  Next I layered this on dimensionals over the yellow paper, so the stars shine through.  One big star is cut with the Starry Die and then popped up on 2 layers of dimensionals to really stand out.  I added a coat of glossy accents and glitter to make it shine!

I fussy cut the chevron layered paper to finish off the bottom of the card, then added a little black on black texture with some liquid pearls on the black printed chevrons.  The polka dot ribbon is one of my all time favorites and I'm so excited that we'll be carrying it in the store as part of our Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection!

Alrighty!  That's all from me, now it's time to hop on over to see what fabulous little thing Charmaine has to share with you today! Enjoy the hop!!!

1. Julee 7. Andrea 2. Charmaine 8. Jen M. 3. Teresa 9. Laurie W. 4. Stacey 10. Laurie S. 5. Christyne 11. Janelle 6. Marisa 12. Maureen

Enabler's List
Stamps: Let it Be (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Park Bench (Fancy Pants Designs), black, white
Ink: Versamark, white stamper's big brush, white gelato (Faber-Castell)
Accessories: Starry Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), button, liquid pearls, glossy accents, glitter

Blog Hop Day 1 - Verve New Release Spotlights

Hi friends!  It's time to get your VERVE on!  Four days of spotlight hopping start right here, right now!  Over the next few days our release team and 2 special guests will be whetting your whistle with samples made using the fabulous new stamps, dies and ribbons that will all be available for purchase on Friday, May 10!  It's a jam-packed release, so be sure to tune in each day!

And since we just LOVE to share, we're giving away today's featured stamps to a lucky commenter along the hop!  So be sure to leave a little shout out at each of the blogs to let us know what you think and be entered to win!  Check out the Verve blog post today for the full reveal of today's featured stamps and all the giveaway details!  Today's featured stamps are: Take Note and the Happy Graduation Plain Jane.

My card uses the Take Note set, which was a concept inspired by Jen del Muro.  It's my take on a couple different sentiment set ideas of hers that I rolled into one set. With 32 stamps, this set has a lot of building potential and the "This and That" sort of feel that is so trendy both in scrapbooking and cardmaking right now.

I find it easier to build sentiments from the bottom up, so I started building with I think you're special in bermuda bay, then stamped the BECAUSE in midnight muse and next the heartstrings.  I used the solid double heart image to fill the heartstrings in with groovy guava.   Next I cut a square of groovy guava cardstock, embossed the top and bottom of it, leaving a smooth area in the center and stamped the typewritten just in groovy guava.  The envelope is a fun little image from the set, which is stamped in midnight muse and paper pieced with patterned paper.  I added a little scripty abc stamp background to the aqua paper, then continued this look on the base layer, alternating the long alphabet strips (there are two in this set - a script and a typewritten font).  The little heart seal for the envelope is stamped in groovy guava then hand cut and popped onto dimensionals.

Did I mention it's really a this and that card?  {grin}  The thatched arrow is stamped in groovy guava, hand cut, then matted on a midnight muse diecut using the Arrow Die.  A little starry border from our Scallop Trim Trio Die Set graces the top (and I also used the hearts from one of the other borders in that die set to adorn the flourish) and I finished off with a little bling and a bow using seam binding in our Signature Ribbon Collection.

Well, that's all from me today.  For a sample of the Happy Graduation Plain Jane, you can check out my Diva Inspirations Hop post from Sunday.  There's a comment prize there, too, so be sure to hit that hop if you haven't already!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I can't wait to share the rest of this release with you!

Next up on the hop is the super talented Charmaine!  Have fun hopping and I'll see ya tomorrow!

1. Julee	8. Andrea
2. Charmaine	9. Jen M.
3. Teresa	10. Laurie W.
4. Stacey	11. Laurie S.
5. Amber	12. Janelle
6. Christyne	13. Maureen
7. Marisa

Enabler's List
Stamps: Take Note (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Trend Setter (Fancy Pants Desings), groovy guava, midnight muse (SU!), white
Ink: groovy guava, midnight muse (SU!)
Accessories: Arrow Die, Scallop Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Signature Ribbon Collection (Verve), rhinestone flourish, Square Lattice embossing folder (SU!), 1/8" corner chomper (WRMK)

Brighten

Hi friends!  It's the first Monday of the month and that means it's contest week at Mojo Monday!  Play along with this week's sketch and you just might win some Verve of your very own!  And with Verve's new release this Friday, May 10, there will be even more Verve to choose from if you're one of our winners.  We'll have up to 7 winners, so the more participants the merrier!

My card uses a bunch of old favorites from Verve and that Park Bench paper collection I've been enjoying so much lately.  I stamped and cut out the Notebook Paper Plain Jane, then matted with the Rounded Rectangle Die.  The Fringe Flower Plain Jane is stamped and paper pieced onto the notebook and I pierced the holes in the notebook and loosely wrapped some twine around as binding and tied a bow with a button.  The sentiment is from the Thoughtful Florals set and is cut and matted using the Charming Banner Die Set.  I used the Flag It Die Set for the little chevron flag, attaching it with a mini library clip.

My border uses the Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set and I added a little black on black liquid pearls for a fun texture.  I finished off with some rounded corners and yellow pearls.

That's all for today!  If you haven't already hopped through the Diva Inspirations Hop, it all starts on my post from yesterday.  It's a busy week on the blog this week, so stay tuned tomorrow through Friday for the New Release Spotlight Hops leading up to Verve's May release this Friday, 5/10/13!  See ya tomorrow!

And a little reminder that all of the stamps featured on today's card are on sale through Thursday, May 9.  We've extended our April sale through then!  Hooray for good deals!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Fringe Flower Plain Jane, Notebook Paper Plain Jane, Thoughtful Florals (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Park Bench (Fancy Pants Designs), Black, Cream
Ink: Black, Basic Grey
Accessories:  Charming Banner Die Set, Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set, Rounded Rectangle Die, Flag It Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Stickles, Liquid Pearls (Ranger), yellow pearls, button, linen thread, paper piercer, corner rounder

May Diva Inspirations Hop

Hi friends!  Welcome to our May Diva Inspirations Hop!  I'm kicking things off today as the Divas show you some cards breathing life into old favorites.  It's a hop... and that means there's a PRIZE!  Leave comments on each of the blogs in today's hop (master hop list at the bottom of this post) and you just might be the lucky winner of a $30 gift certificate to VERVE! I'm thinking that just might come in handy with our new release happening this Friday and all!  {grin}  Check out the Verve Blog today for all the details and prize deadline.

My card today features a little old, a little newer and a sneaky peek!  I got my days mixed up when I was creating and thought the hop was on Monday and the card I had planned to share uses tomorrow's Mojo Monday sketch.  Oops!  So, I just had (twist my arm, right?) to stick mark with twin duty so I could make another card for today's hop.  {grin}

This is a special card for my nephew who is graduating high school this year.  I have no idea how that happened as it seems like only yesterday he was 4 and I was dropping him off at pre-school!  He's such an amazing young man with a heart for God, so I pulled out the Jeremiah 29:11 set along with Calendar Countdown and a brand spanking new Happy Graduation Plain Jane that will release this Friday, May 10.

I used the Jeremiah verse as a background on the grey patterned paper, then cut out a few little bingo cards from the Simple Stories paper that had titles that I thought worked great for graduation.  The new graduation plain jane is stamped onto a Classic Circles Nestabilities die cut and I added a little banner over the top using the numbers in Calendar Countdown for the 2013.  Then I stopped and ate a chocolate covered espresso bean and had a little pity party as I realized I graduated 20 years ago this spring.  {wink}  I finished off by stamping the cross from Jeremiah 29:11 in Cherry Cobbler, then cutting out and tucking behind my circle.  Kind of like a little cross to guide him as he goes, sees, does, discovers and explores.

Embellishments are minimal for this masculine card... just a few wooden stars and a mini library clip.  Oh, and the layout is a somewhat loose interpretation of this week's Viva la Verve May Week 1 Sketch.

Okay, next up on the hop is the always inspiring, newly crowned Stamping Royalty... Amy Kolling.

	1. Julee	6. Karen
	2. Amy	7. Sankari
	3. Anya	8. Sarah
	4. Betty	9. Sony
	5. Jessica	10. Tiffany

Enabler's List
Stamps: Happy Graduation Plain Jane, Calendar Countdown, Jeremiah 29:11
Paper: Urban Traveler (Simple Stories), Cream
Ink: Midnight Muse, Cherry Cobbler (SU!), Vintage Photo, Pumice Stone (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), wood veneer stars (Studio Calico), mini library clip (SU!) 

Watercolor Goodness

Hi friends!  Happy Wednesday and welcome to MAY!  I've been super busy trying to get everything ready for next week's Verve release, but I thought I'd pop in and share this quick little card I made the other day.  It's one of those stories of what's old is new again...

You see, on my shopping excursion with a crafty friend on Monday I picked up a couple of Cuttlebug embossing folders that I just loved.  But when I got home I realized I already had both of them... they tricked me with new packaging!  The hazard of being a craft hoarder collector!  Oh well, I guess that just means I get to plan a return visit to Michael's!  {grin}

So I figured it was time to use these embossing folders that I believe might have been some of the original folders I purchased.  This one is called Tiny Bubbles and I added a bit of interest to it by dotting each little bubble with the new White PITT pen I just purchased. {LOVE}

The sentiment is from Surely Goodness and I embossed it in clear, then colored over it with Gelatos and a wet paint brush for a fun watercolor effect.  {I was totally inspired by this card that Laurie W. made a while back with a similar technique.} I picked a little washi tape that I thought coordinated well for the bottom, then I added on a flower and ribbon leftover that didn't make it onto a previous card.

Alrighty, today I'm flying solo with the twins...  so say a little prayer for me!  They are speedy little climbers and are beginning to perfect the art of running interference for each other while the other one is up to no good!

Oh, and since I've been so busy, I haven't had time to work on our May sale, which means our fabulous April sale is extended through May 9!  Hooray for some pretty awesome deals!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Surely Goodness (Verve Stamps)
Paper: White, Crumb Cake
Ink: Versamark, White PITT pen, Gelatos (Faber-Castell)
Accessories: Tiny Bubbles EF (Cuttlebug), flower (Michael's), ribbon (SU!), paper distresser, washi tape, clear embossing folder, watercolor brush