Always Good

Hi friends!  Happy Friday!  I'm kicking off our May series of sketches over on the Viva la Verve blog today.  I love how this card came together and just had to turn it into a sketch for y'all.  Hope you have fun with it and I'd love to see what you create!

I pulled out the One Cup set and started with the teacups.  I stamped them in archival ink on designer paper and then colored with copic markers.  I added a few accents with a white an a black stabilo marks all pencil.  Just got a couple of these to try and am amazed that they really do write over just about any media!

The tea panel was made with manila cardstock, sponged with distress inks, then I used a Tim Holtz stencil for the tea rings, making the main one with thick gesso and then coloring with various browns.  I used the same stencil on the background paper and ran it through the corrugator for a little extra texture.  The good idea sentiment is stamped on manila cardstock and added under the teacups.  I also added a little tea bag to the Tea word and then dressed some grosgrain ribbon up with rhinestones.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a sunshiny day!

Viva la Verve May Week 1 Sketch

Enabler's List
Stamps: One Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found - Antique (MME), manila cardstock (Ranger), basic black (SU!)
Ink: spiced marmalade, barn door, scattered straw, walnut stain, vintage photo, black soot distress inks, black archival ink (Ranger), stabilo marks all pencils
Accessories: grosgrain ribbon (SU!), rhinestones, paper corrugator, Splatters stencil (Tim Holtz)

Cup of Tea

Hi friends!  It's Friday again and time for a brand new sketch over on the Viva la Verve blog.  This week's hostess is the lovely Stacey.

I received a shipment of out of stock stamps this week, so couldn't wait to pull out the One Cup set for a little inky time.  Although my cough has finally subsided, I still have a very scratchy throat (probably from months of continuous coughing), so I've been drinking less coffee and more tea lately. The Lost & Found Antique paper pad from My Mind's Eye caught my eye when I was looking through paper, so pulled it out and went with a black, cream and red theme.

I'm also on a kick to use some of the mountains of washi I keep collecting.  So a washi banner up top was a must, just folded over a piece of twine and adhered to the card.  Next I stamped the sentiment from One Cup on a Rounded Rectangle die cut and colored with Copics.  I also colored a piece of cream cardstock with Copics and cut out with the Award Banner Trim die to match my colored tea cup.  I finished off with some bows on the ends of my banner and a little matching washi on the sides of my sentiment panel.

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

VLV April Week 4 Sketch

Enabler's List
Stamps: One Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found Antique (MME), cream
Ink: black archival (Ranger), copic markers
Accessories: Rounded Rectangle Die, Award Banner Trim Die (A Cut Above by Verve), washi tape, tiny attacher, baker's twine

Hey There Cupcake

Hi friends!  It's Monday again and time for a new sketch over on the Mojo Monday Blog.  Teresa is helping out this month and came up with this sweet little sketch.

My craft room is in total chaos right now.  I have a T-shaped desk and use one side for my computer/design work and the other for stamping and mixed media.  Last week I got the crazy idea to swap sides, thinking it would be a quick way to mix things up and maybe get my mojo going again.  Well, let's just say the project is QUITE a bit bigger than I anticipated!  Countless hours later and I'm almost able to walk on the floor without stepping on anything again.  ALMOST.

So, my card today had to be simple, quick and able to be made in a 6" square swath of desk I had cleared for myself!  {grin}  I grabbed some scraps from my pile, since all paper pads have been banished to the spare room until I can sort through them.  My dies weren't available, but I did find a very old Creative Memories circle cutter for the circle, then pulled out the Cupcakes set and stamped the sentiment and a cupcake to cut out and pop over the top.  Found a roll of ribbon hidden at the bottom of the closet and tied it around the cream card base and I was done.  Easy peasy!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope to finish up my craft room this week, so I can move on to creating again!  Hope you have a wonderful week!

Mojo Monday 381

Enabler's List:
Stamps:  Cupcakes (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  scraps of DP, cream
Ink: night of navy, daffodil delight (SU!)
Accessories: clear embossing powder (JudiKins), Circle Cutting System (Creative Memories), ribbon (SU!)

Thanks a Bunch

Hi friends!  It's the first Monday of a new month and that means it's prize giveaway time over on the Mojo Monday blog.  Play along with this week's sketch for a chance to win a stamp set of your choice from Verve!  We'll have a winner for every 50 entries, so feel free to let the mojo flow and link up as many cards as you can create with the sketch.

Mark had surgery on his shoulder last week and I have been in nurse mode and mom mode and packing and shipping for Verve mode, which left no time for card making mode. So for my sample card, I quickly threw together some scraps of paper with an already stamped, colored and cut out image that was sitting on my desk.

The stamps are from the Framed Lilies set, and were stamped in early espresso, then water colored with distress markers and a water brush.  I dripped a bit of watered down ink for the splatters.  The ribbon for the bow is from the Signature Ribbon Collection and I matted most of the layers with early espresso card stock.  A bit of ink distressing (for a short video on my distressing and the card that inspired this week's sketch click here) finishes things off.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I'm taking Mark to physical therapy and then have a ton of orders to pack.  Verve's sale technically ended last night, but it will probably be this evening before I have a chance to start changing out the website, if you still want to sneak an order in.  :)

Mojo Monday 379

Enabler's List
Stamps: Framed Lilies (Verve Stamps)
Paper: crumb cake, early espresso (SU!), designer paper scraps, cream (Neenah)
Ink: early espresso (SU!), distress markers & inks (Ranger)
Accessories: Signature Ribbon Collection (Verve), James embossing folder (Cuttlebug), stardust stickles (Ranger), water brush

Start with Coffee

Hi friends!  It's Friday and I'm back with another card I'm linking up to the Holiday Coffee Lover's Blog Hop.  I had a little time yesterday afternoon and felt like pulling out my 3 x 5 gelli plate for a little background fun.

I started by cutting the Double Snowflake Cut Ups from deli paper.  Then I rolled some peacock feathers and mowed lawn distress inks onto my gelli plate with a brayer, layed down the deli paper snowflake and made my monoprint.  Next I cut the panel down and matted with basic gray cardstock.

Using the Coffee set from Verve, I embossed the tall mug and steam in white on vellum, then hand cut, paper piecing the front of the cup with patterned paper.  I used the Coffee Word Die to cut a white and basic gray coffee word, then layered them together.  I embossed the start with portion of a stamp in silver, then hooked on with a mini library clip.  My side decor is some silver washi tape, taffeta ribbon, silver cording and glittery white jingle bells.

• The hop has 27 sponsoring companies! Enter a post in the InLinkz List found on Amy Tsuruta's blog post and have a chance to win from one of these great companies.
• Hop through the InLinkz List and you'll quickly find blog candy, free recipes and more! Comment on individual blogs for a chance to win the blog candy for that blogger. If you have a no-reply account, please leave some way to contact you in case you win the giveaway.
• Look for details on Amy's blog about the amazing sponsors and prizes for this hop! Linky to remain open until Friday, December 12th @ 11:55 pm pacific.  Blog Hop participants (those that link up with a newly created holiday/winter coffee/other favorite holiday hot beverage project) are eligible for sponsored prizes.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a fabulous weekend!

Enabler's List

Stamps: Coffee (Verve Stamps)

Paper: white, basic gray, vellum, deli paper

Ink: peacock feathers, mowed lawn distress ink (Ranger), versamark

Accessories: Coffee Word Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), white and silver embossing powder, taffeta ribbon, silver cording, mini library clip, washi tape, jingle bells, gelli plate, Double Snowflake CutUps (TCP), brayer, Stickles

With Sympathy

If you're looking for my October Release Retrospective Hop post, click here or scroll down.

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Hi friends!  It's Monday again and time for another Mojo Monday sketch.  This week's sketch is from Debbie and has a great big focal panel that leaves you lots of room for options.

For my card, I picked out my favorite color combo (aqua + brown) from my scrap pile and got to work distressing with ink and a paper distresser.  I stamped the bluebells from Framed Florals in the corner of my aqua paper, then stamped the solid flowers in pool party to color them in.  I highlighted with glossy glaze.  The butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch that I punched from the same paper, sponged around the edges and embellished with some dark chocolate pearls for the body.

The sentiment is stamped in early espresso on vellum, then layered over a circle punch of designer paper and matted with early espresso.  Soft and serene and hopefully will give a little comfort to the recipient.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a fabulous start to your week.  If you've got a little time, be sure to check out what the other Mojo Makers did with this week's sketch...

Marisa Ritzen

Mary Fish

Sarah Bigelow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Enabler's List

Mojo Monday 368

Stamps: Framed Florals (Verve)
Paper: designer paper scraps, vellum, soft sky, early espresso
Ink: early espresso, pool party (SU!),  brushed corduroy (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  circle punches, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, glossy glaze, dark chocolate flatback pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), classic circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

How Sweet of You

Hi friends!  It's finally Friday.  Hooray!  Today I have a sweet little card to share using the September Week 4 sketch that Stacey is debuting this morning on the Viva la Verve Sketches Blog.

I thought the sketch looked like a fun way to use up some scraps, so I dug into my overflowing bin of scraps and pulled out these papers.  I stitched the stripey paper to the green designer paper, then matted with black.  The how sweet sentiment is from the Small Packages set and I embossed it onto a circle diecut then water colored in between the divider lines with mossy meadow ink and a waterbrush.  This circle is sponged with Antique Linen distress ink and then matted on a black scallop circle die cut accented with black enamel accents.

The bitty cupcake is embossed in black and then cut with the coordinating Cupcake Frame Die Set.  I also stamped the banner and hand cut it to layer behind.  I added a strip stamped with the Hello stamp from Remember This, then added it all to a piece of card stock embossed with the D'vine Swirls embossing folder and sponged with antique linen.  A bit of distressing around the edges of each outer layer and I was done.

Thank you so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a fabulously refreshing weekend!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Small Packages, Remember This (Verve Stamps)
Paper: designer paper scraps, cream, black
Ink: mossy meadow (SU!), antique linen (Ranger Distress), black
Accessories:  Cupcake Frame Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), classic and scallop circle nestabilities (Spellbinders), D'vine Swirls embossing folder (Cuttlebug), sewing machine, enamel accents (Ranger), clear embossing powder (JudiKins)

Peace Love and Coffee

Hi friends!  I'm popping in with a card that's been sitting on my desk for a while.  It started with the Mix-Ability challenge from a couple weeks ago... Go Scribble.  My favorite art project in elementary school was when you'd color really hard on a piece of paper, then paint over it with black tempera paint and etch out a design with scissors.  This technique is sort of like that, only easier and with less mess.

I scribbled on some white paper with some super bright crayons I bought for the boys, but they are so hard to clean off their little IKEA table, that I decided to take them out of their crayon bucket and just stick with crayola for now.  So these crayons were bundled up in my craft room, and I pulled them out to test out the technique.  I sprayed over the scribbles with Dylusions black ink, then dabbed with paper towels.  Easy peasy, and it turns out so cool!  Next I embossed the coffee cup and steam from the Coffee set in white over the top.  I used the same technique for the sentiment, which is from the  Cupcakes set, then cut it out with the Jotted Heart Die and sanded the edges of both pieces to bring back a white border.

The Coffee Word Die is cut using some of the leftover paper from my coffee cup panel and I cut another piece from white, for a little shadowing effect. The background for the card is crumb cake and I sponged black soot distress ink over a houndstooth stencil for the pattern.

Okay, time for a little Public Service Announcement.  If you haven't heard already, National Coffee Day is Monday, September 29. Chaitali has been co-organizing a super fun Coffee Lover's Blog Hop and everyone is invited to participate!  You can find out all the details on Chaitali's blog.  I'll be participating in the hop and Verve is one of several fabulous prize sponsors, so it's sure to be a whole lot of fun for all!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Coffee, Cupcakes (Verve Stamps)
Paper: crumb cake, basic black (SU!), white
Ink: black soot (Ranger Distress), super bright crayons (Cra-Z-Art), black Dylusions spray (Ranger), VersaMark
Accessories:  Coffee Word Die, Jotted Heart Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), houndstooth stencil (Crafter's Workshop), white embossing powder (JudiKins)

Happiness in a Cup

Hi friends!  It's the start of a new week and time for a brand new Mojo Monday sketch.  Mark and I got a small reprieve from the boys yesterday and tried out a new to us coffee shop in town.  It was wonderful and I had the most delightful coconut cream pie scone.  Never would have thought to put those flavors into a scone, but talk about delicious, especially paired with a coconut mocha.  Anyhow, I had coffee on the brain when I sat down to stamp, so here's a quick little card I made with the sketch.

I knew I wanted to embed the Coffee Word Die, so I cut it from a piece of early espresso and a piece of soft sky, then nested the pieces together and added the "is happiness in a cup" sentiment from One Cup, split into two rectangles and sponged with early espresso ink.  I added some white gel pen accents around the soft sky pieces and as a frame around the panel.  The tall mug from the Coffee set is embossed onto a scrap of designer paper, then sponged and matted with early espresso.  I layered this all onto a piece of white card stock embossed with the swiss dots embossing folder.  Finished off by coloring a couple of wooden stars with a copic marker to match, then adding to the cup and linen thread bow and accenting with glossy glaze and glitter.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a fabulous start to your week.  And if you haven't already, be sure to check out the Mojo Maker's takes on this week's sketch:

Carole Burrage

Debbie Carriere 

Marisa Ritzen

Mary Fish

Sarah Bigelow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Mojo Monday 364

Enabler's List
Stamps: Coffee, One Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: soft sky, early espresso (SU!) dp (American Crafts), white
Ink: early espresso (SU!), jasmine (Mix'd Media Inx), Copic markers, white gel pen
Accessories: Coffee Word Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), swiss dots embossing folder (SU!), wood veneer stars, linen thread, glossy glaze, glitter, clear embossing powder

Creative Blog Hop with a Difference

If you're here for my Anni-VERVE-sary Release Retrospective Hop post, click here or scroll down.

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Hi friends! Today I'm doing a different kind of post. I've been tagged recently by a couple of people in the Creative Blog Hop and the Blog Hop with a Difference by Chaitali Narla and Nancy Leppek.  Thanks for the nominations, gals!  I'm so honored.  

The main premise for both hops is similar, (answer a few questions about your creative process and then nominate a few others to continue the hop on), so I'll be answering the questions from both.  But first, it's Mojo Monday, so I'm sharing my take on this week's Mojo 363 card sketch.

I used the Small Packages set and coordinating Cupcake Frame Die Set from Verve.  The coastal cabana layer is stamped randomly with the small cupcake stamp and then accented with stardust stickles.  I embossed the belated sentiment directly onto patterned paper, then stamped the from all of us sentiment on blushing bride and hand trimmed as a banner.  The star is a resist chipboard star that I sponged with pool party and coastal cabana inks and then around the edge with black ink.  I stamped and cut out one cupcake with the die, then colored it with Copics and accented with stardust stickles.  The only other accent was a big crystal star stick pin, that I stuck through my layers to hold everything together.  Okay, now to answer the questions for the blog hop.


How does my creative process work?
I usually start with selecting a stamp set.  I'll stamp, color, die cut and create a focal point.  Then I choose cardstock to match and build the card and layers up, distressing as needed.  I don't glue anything down until the end, choosing ribbons, twine or small embellishments at the very end where needed to balance the card out.


For illustrating, it always starts with an inspiration.  Something that I hear on the radio, see on my drive to the post office, read or come across that gives me a desire to get designing.  I may just go create that one stamp and see if a set just reveals itself, or I might write the idea down and mull it over for a while, jotting down other set ideas until I have the time and motivation to sit and create. Then it's refine, refine, refine.  I spend a lot of time fine-tuning things, mulling and cutting, changing fonts, starting over.  Some sets come together in a day, others I may start and stop and start again over the course of a few years!

What project am I working on right now?

I've been going through a bit of a creative lull and have not been feeling much like stamping. When this happens I like to try something new to get the mojo going again. So I've been doing a bit of doodling and also started Bible Journaling. Hoping a little practice at sketching and doodling and hand lettering will get me more comfortable with a pen in hand. Seems I don't get much time at the computer anymore, and it would be so much easier if I could just have a sketchpad and pen when illustrating (instead of a mouse and keyboard), so I can design amongst the chaos of toddler life.  Other than that, I'm trying to decide what to make for the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop next Monday, trying to motivate myself to work on designing some Christmas stamps and starting the behind the scenes work on Verve's next release.

How long does it take to create a project?
Oh goodness, I used to be the slowest stamper ever and cards took 2-3 hours!  Then I had the twins and my time got cut so dramatically that I now create most of my cards in 30 - 45 minutes.  I think most of the decrease is spending less time deciding on things.  I use a lot less designer paper and embellishments these days, which used to take me FOREVER to choose just the right pattern/color/mix.  I just get way too overwhelmed by all the choices!  And since most of my creating lately is either for a Mojo Monday sketch or a Viva la Verve sketch, I don't have to spend any time fussing with layout.

How do I become inspired and stay inspired?
Oh, wouldn't it be nice to know exactly how to inspire yourself and stay inspired?  {grin}  I usually look for inspiration in the things around me.  Love looking at fonts and designs on packaging and advertisements that catch my eye.  Love to go to home decor stores and look at all the displays to get seasonal ideas.  I also peruse Pinterest here and there for ideas on mixed-media and art journaling techniques.  When I'm in a slump, I will often look back in my gallery to a time when I felt particularly creative and pick out something I really liked and try to recreate it in a new way.  I also try to do some positive thinking anytime I have a deadline or commitment to meet and not much time to do it in.  I'll spend the day telling myself I'm going to make an awesome card that night.  And then things always seem to go so much smoother than when I go into my stamp room  thinking, I really hope this turns out!

What is my signature style/how does my work differ from others in my genre?
They're pulling out the tough questions, huh?  I would say my style is layered and graphic with a distressed bent.  I play around with lots of styles, though, never afraid to incorporate something new.  I guess one thing that's pretty common on my cards is sponging and dimension.  Even my cleanest cards usually have some sort of sponging on them to create depth and I can't remember the last time I made a card without dimensionals.  What do you think?  Do my cards have a defining characteristic?

Why do I create what I do?
I guess the reason I make cards is to connect with others.  I'm painfully shy and hate to talk on the phone, so when I first got into stamping it was to make cards to send to friends to keep in touch. (Back before email and Facebook and texting and unlimited nationwide long distance!) My favorite cards are always the ones that I have a special person in mind for when I'm creating the card. I like to tailor it to the person's likes and think and pray about the person as I create. Although, I must admit that even though I make many of my cards with someone special in mind, they typically don't make it to the post office in a timely manner.

I do mixed-media for myself.  I love the freedom it gives to explore and experiment and mess up and cover it up and make something beautiful from so many layers, many of which are hidden and only the artist will ever know.  It's like putting a picture of what's going on in your soul out in the world, but not having to put those feelings into words, because the words are so inadequate.

One random fact about me: I think embossing folders are the coolest invention ever!  I just counted and I have 156 full card front sized embossing folders and tons more borders and smaller sized ones, too.  And in case, you were thinking it, the politically correct term is collector NOT hoarder!  LOL

Live Nominations...
Okay, it's the time in the show where I get to introduce three people that inspire me and invite them to continue on in the hop.  I ran out of time for anything last week and completely forgot to email them about this ahead of time, so as Mark said, just tell people these are the "LIVE" nominations.  haha

First up, Alma de la Rosa from The Cat's Pajamas.  I fell in love with her adorable retro comic style cat images as soon as I saw them back in winter 2006 when I first discovered SCS.  And if I hadn't loved her stamps so much, I might not have rekindled my love for stamping and Verve would never have been.  She is an amazing artist and company owner.  She gave me my first spot on a design team and was so gracious and generous and even created a new position so I could continue with the team after I started Verve.  I will forever be a fan.

Next is Claire Brennan from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  I'm so inspired by women who already have families and start their own business.  And women that tirelessly do it all themselves.  I know just how hard it is, and I doubt Verve would have come to be if I'd already had kiddos.  It's super tough running a family and a business and Claire makes it look easy.  Her stamp designs are unique and fresh and she is the sweetest person ever and always knows when to pop a message my way to lift my spirits.

Finally, Dina Kowal.  She's a stamp designer, a missionary, a mom, an instructor, Artist in Residence for Splitcoaststampers and she's just an all around amazing artist.  Her mixed-media work is the kind of stuff that you see and you realize, "that's the GOOD stuff".  The type of art that comes from a heart of passion, reflects the soul of an artist and is so much more than just a card.  More often than not lately, if I get inspired to stamp it's because I've seen something on Dina's blog and just have to put ink to paper.  

Okay, if you made it to the end, thank you so much for reading my ramblings!  Hope you enjoyed reading a little about me and my creative process.  If you aren't familiar with these amazing ladies, you should definitely go check them out!  Hope you have an amazingly creative week.

Enabler's List

Mojo Monday 363

Stamps: Small Packages (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Hello Sunshine (Echo Park), Pattern Prints, basic black and coastal cabana (SU!)
Ink: coastal cabana, pool party, blushing bride (SU!), black soot (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Cupcake Frame Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), star stick pin (Maya Road), resist chipboard star (Heidi Swapp), stardust stickles (Ranger), polka dot embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Verve Retrospective Blog Hop

Hi friends!  I'm the designated party starter for today's Anni-VERVE-sary Release Retrospective Hop.  It's our new fun time to play with the new release and give you a bit more inspiration now that you've had a chance to get the stamps in your inky little hands!  And we're giving a $40 gift voucher to the Verve store to a lucky commenter along today's hop, so get comfy and let's take a ride!

I'm a last minuter.  Yep, that's me.  Totally squeak by in the nick of time most days.  Although since I've had the boys, I'm not always in control of WHEN the last minute is.  Sometimes I leave my stamp room, thinking I'll be right back and it's a week later before I get to enter again.  It's the new "normal", I guess. So as I was busy with my kiddos all week long and not feeling very creative after 12 hour marathons with two 2.5 year old energizer bunnies, I told myself, I'd stamp on Friday night after the boys go to bed.  But wouldn't you know it, the migraines kicked in last night right as I was reading Go Go Gorillas (the boys' new obsession, favorite book, which we MUST. READ. EVERY. NIGHT).

So, instead of stamping a new card, I'm sharing with you something I finished earlier in the week, but didn't want to use for the hop, since it featured some freehand sketching for the greenery, instead of stamping.  But here goes, anyway.  I guess it's all inspiration, right?  Maybe you like to sketch or doodle, too?  :)

The play by play:  Stamped the flower duo from Framed Lilies on cream cardstock, Sketched in the leaves and grass with a copic multiliner and colored with watercolor pencils. Muddied the colored flowers by being to impatient with the watercolors, so decided to stamp them again with early espresso, then color by stamping with the solid 2-step stamp in blushing bride, then hand cut and paper piece onto the image.  Cut the image with a Petite Oval nestability.  There was a notch missing near the top when I cut it, so decided to distress and grunge things up.  Stamped the sentiment from  Framed Lilies in the corner of a crumb cake square, tied on some taffeta ribbon.  Used a 4.25" square card base of blushing bride, inked with some walnut stain distress ink and embossed with chicken wire embossing folder.  Finished off with some paintbrush splatters using a mix of walnut stain distress ink and water.

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We're giving away a $40 gift voucher to one lucky commenter along the hop, so be sure to leave a shout out in the comments as you hop about.  Here's the full hop list.

Next up on the hop is Teresa!

	1. Julee	9. Janelle
	2. Teresa	10. Christyne
	3. Amber	11. Jen
	4. Charmaine	12. Andrea
	5. Marisa	13. Betty
	6. Monika {Guest}	14. Karen
	7. Stacey	15. Amy
	8. Maureen

Want another chance to win? Now it's your turn! We'd LOVE to see what you've done with the August release. Link up your cards using at least one product from our August release and you'll be entered in a drawing to win our entire next release! All the details and the linkup widget are on the Verve Blog today. The deadline is October 3, so there's still plenty of time to get the August release if you haven't already.

Enabler's List
Stamps:  Framed Lilies (Verve Stamps)
Paper: blushing bride, crumb cake, early espresso (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: walnut stain, antique linen (Ranger Distress), blushing bride, early espresso (SU!), aquarelle watercolor pencils (Faber-Castell), Copic multiliner
Accessories:  chicken wire embossing folder (Cuttlebug), taffeta ribbon (SU!), petite and scallop petite ovals nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Everything Better

Hi friends!  It's another Monday morning and time for a new Mojo Monday sketch.  I've been all about the coffee these past few weeks trying to stay sane while my part-time nanny has been out.  So when I got a little stamping time this weekend, I knew I wanted to pull out the new Coffee set and Coffee Word Die and play.

I started by stamping the cup and steam from Coffee in early espresso on white card stock.  Next I stamped the cup again on designer paper, then sponged with walnut stain distress ink and set aside.  I stamped the coffee bean trio in crumb cake, then did more sponging with walnut stain.  Next I glued the paper pieced cup down and added some highlights with a white gel pen and early espresso marker.

The Coffee Word Die is cut twice, once from the same designer paper as the cup, and then also from early espresso card stock.  I layered them together, offsetting them slightly for a little shadow effect. The makes everything better is masked off from a sentiment in the One Cup set and I cut it into a square, I finished the card with some linen thread, a bunch of sponging and a sparkly rhinestone.

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

Mojo Monday 362

Enabler's List
Stamps: Coffee, One Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: This & That (Echo Park), white, kraft
Ink: early espresso, crumb cake (SU!), walnut stain distress ink (Ranger), white gel pen
Accessories:  Coffee Word Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), linen thread, Smoked Topaz rhinestone (Pizzazz Aplenty)

Taste and See

Hi friends!  I'm popping in today with a fun little card I made using our newest plain jane, Psalm 34:8.  For inspiration I used Stacey's sweet Viva la Verve Week 3 Sketch + Inspiration.  I went pretty literal with the inspiration photo, grabbing the apples from Teachers Count and their coordinating Apples Die Set and some of my favorite school themed papers.

The Psalm 34:8 verse is stamped onto the inner cut from the Rounded Scallop Frame Die, then I matted it with a  piece of designer paper cut with the Rounded Rectangle Die.  The apples are stamped, then cut with the Apples Die Set and I paper pieced the apples and colored the stems and leaves with Copics.  The Award Banner Trim Die along with some Shine Bright Sequin Mix and ribbon from the Spring Fling Ribbon Collection finish things off.

If you've been playing along with our August Viva la Verve challenges, tomorrow night (9/4) is the deadline for your August entries.  I'll kick off our September sketches this Friday!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope you're having a fabulous week.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Psalm 34:8, Teachers Count (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Schoolhouse (October Afternoon), cream (Neenah)
Ink: black, copic markers, tea dye and walnut stain distress ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Rounded Rectangle Die, Rounded Scallop Frame Die, Award Banner Trim Die ,  Apples Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Spring Fling Ribbon Collection, Shine Bright Sequin Mix (Verve), red liquid pearls, tiny attacher

Making Up for Mondays

Hi friends!  It's Monday again and time for a brand new Mojo Monday sketch.  And since it's the first Monday of a new month, that means it's contest time and there are Verve prizes up for grabs.  And with last weekend's new release, there's a whole lot more Verve to choose from!

For today's card, I used the new One Cup set.  It's been a looooong couple of weeks at my house with no nanny, a huge release and a few days of sickness and I have to admit this stack of cups is pretty much what my kitchen counter looked like last night!  {wink}  Anyhow, I started with the nature's way of making up for Mondays sentiment because I thought it was very fitting for a Monday card.  Next I stamped a trio of mugs in the corner and I liked how it looked, so decided to do a little masking and stamp the cup trio 4 times staggered, then color with prismacolor pencils and gamsol.  Because I couldn't bear to cover up any of the teacups, I flipped the sketch on its side.

Next I stamped the separate tea sentiment on a 1-3/8" circle, then also stamped the tea tag on the end of the tea loop for a fun look.  I added a square of script black vellum paper, then a seam binding bow from the Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection, then finished off with some splatters with some watered down black soot distress stain.

For a truer representation of this week's Mojo Monday sketch, I'll show you the card that inspired the sketch, which I posted last week during our release previews.  It  uses the new Framed Lilies set. I liked how it came together and thought it would be a fun sketch for everyone to play with.  I hope you enjoy it!

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Thanks so much for stopping by!  If  you haven't checked it out already, be sure to pop on over to the Verve store to see all our brand new releases and take advantage of our Labor Day Sale going on through September 4.

Verve Stamps Labor Day Sale

Enabler's List

Mojo Monday 361

Stamps: One Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: soft sky, basic gray (SU!), black vellum Script (JoAnn)
Ink: black soot, pumice stone (Ranger Distress), prismacolor pencils, red spica glitter pen
Accessories: Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection (Verve), paint brush, gamsol & blending stump, circle punch and circle die, corner rounder

Small Packages Release Day Hop

Hi friends!  It's Verve Release Day and time for the final day of our Anni-VERVE-sary spotlights! We're giving away a $50 gift code to the Verve store for a lucky commenter along today's hop, so be sure to give the gals a shout out as you hop along!  All of the stamps & dies  you've seen along the hops this week are available in the Verve online store right now.

I'm the first stop on the hop, so if you're just popping in, settle in for some fun!  :)

I started off with a left over scrap of dp from my last project, then applied some light molding paste over a starry stencil and let it dry.  I spritzed the whole page with a mixture of walnut stain reinker and water, then wiped off the molding paste areas with a baby wipe to keep them standing out.  While this was drying, I stamped the frame from Small Packages on the same dp, cut out with the coordinating Cupcake Frame Die Set, then matted on a piece of early espresso cut with the Rounded Scallop Frame Die.  (I used a piece of tape to keep the inner and outer pieces of the die cut together, so it's a solid frame for the cupcake frame to rest on.)  I sponged a little walnut stain onto the frame with a dot fade stencil, but most of it got covered up by the cupcake.

Next I stamped the large cupcake and the flag in early espresso onto cream card stock and embossed with clear embossing powder  I colored with Copics, then hand trimmed the image and highlighted with some cinnamon stickles on the frosting and flag.  Then I just grabbed a pinch of Signature Mix Sequins and dropped them onto the page.  That's my highly technical method of getting a scattered effect!  LOL  I then just picked each one up and put some crystal effects under it to hold it in place.  Finally I embossed the happy birthday sentiment in the corner and then distressed the edges of my panels to finish things off.

That's it for me today!  Next up on the hop is... Teresa

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win a $50 gift code to Verve! So be sure to leave a little comment on each blog on the list to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for  the full set reveal and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee 8. Maureen 2. Teresa 9. Laurie 3. Amber 10. Janelle 4. Charmaine 11. Christyne 5. Marisa 12. Jen 6. Monika {Guest} 13. Andrea 7. Stacey

Enabler's List - card
Stamps: Small Packages (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Lost & Found (MME), early espresso (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: early espresso (SU!), walnut stain distress (Ranger), Copic markers
Accessories: Cupcake Frame Die Set, Rounded Scallop Frame Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Signature Sequin Mix (Verve), dot fade stencil (Tim Holtz), star shower stencil (Crafter's Workshop), Light Molding Paste (Golden), washi tape, Chocolate Liquid Pearls, Cinnamon Stickles, (Ranger)

One Cup Day 5 Blog Hop

Hi friends!  It's time for  Day 5 of our Anni-VERVE-sary spotlights, where we're previewing the stamps and dies that will release this Saturday, August 30. We're giving away a $50 gift code to the Verve store each day to a lucky commenter along the hop, so be sure to give the gals a shout out as you hop along!

I'm the first stop on the hop, so if you're just popping in, settle in for some fun!  :)

Today I have a fun little card and tea bag gift to share with you using the new One Cup set. I knew I wanted to have a tea set to go along with Chaitali's coffee set, so I sat down to illustrate, starting with a sentiment in mind that really inspired me... take life one cup at a time.  I liked the look of the font treatment I chose so much that we decided to use it on Chaitali's One Word series as well.  So fun and flirty, yet classy at the same time.

Anyhow, my card uses this sentiment and one of the mugs and tea bag stamps from One Cup.  I also used the coordinating Cuppa Tea Die Set to cut out the mugs, which I colored with Copics.  I kept the layout simple, so the glittery paper could shine and finished things off with a polka dot bow.

Front side of tea bag holder

For the matching tea bag holder, I followed a video tutorial by Brenda Keenan to make this super easy double sided tea bag holder with a single sheet of 6 x 6 paper.  I sponged ink along all the score lines before folding the holder together, then I created a little embellishment using a frame stamp and coordinating die from tomorrow's featured set and two sentiments and teacup from the One Cup set.  I stamped You, me and a cup of tea on one side and Take life one cup at a time on the other. I  finished things off with a bow up top adorned with some cute little heart embellishments.

Back side of tea bag holder

That's it for me today!  Next up on the hop is... Teresa

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win a $50 gift code to Verve! So be sure to leave a little comment on each blog on the list to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for full set reveals and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee 8. Stacey 2. Teresa 9. Maureen 3. Chaitali 10. Laurie 4. Amber 11. Janelle 5. Charmaine 12. Christyne 6. Marisa 13. Jen 7. Monika {Guest} 14. Andrea

Enabler's List - card
Stamps: One Cup (Verve Stamps)
Paper: crumb cake (SU!), cream (Neenah), Lost & Found (MME)
Ink: black archival and walnut stain distress (Ranger), Copic markers
Accessories: Cuppa Tea Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE),  Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve)

Enabler's List - teabag holder
Stamps: One Cup, Small Packages (Verve Stamps)
Paper: crumb cake (SU!), Lost & Found (MME)
Ink: black archival and walnut stain distress (Ranger), Copic markers
Accessories: Cuppa Tea Die Set, Cupcake Frame Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE),  Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), Metallic Necessities heart embellishments (MME), crop-a-dile, scor-pal