Remnants

Hi friends! I've been in the process of trying to pull all my fall and winter crafting supplies together in  one place in an attempt to convince myself that I don't need to buy any of the new autumn and Christmas themed goodies coming out.  (Haha... I'm sure it won't work as well as I hope it will!) Anyhow, as I was rummaging through drawers I found a baggie of "leftovers" from previous year projects and thought I'd challenge myself to use up some of these things.

First was this portion of a Starbucks cup from a couple years ago. I used part of it on a card back in 2015 and this already Copic colored panel was leftover, but way too precious to throw out.  I matted it with early espresso cardstock and was pleasantly surprised to see the aqua matched beautifully with a distress oxide background I made a few days back.

Next I pulled a pre-stamped and diecut sentiment from the baggie.  This one was from the Autumn Leaves stamp set by Verve. (sniff, sniff)  I cut a little banner to layer behind it and tied some linen thread around ti to make it look a bit like a sign.

Next I pulled out the darling Karen Burniston Coffee Charms die set and put together a sweet little to go cup to hang from the thread.  I finished with a bit of old paper distress oxide around the edges, a paper flower and some rhinestone embellishments.

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KB Riley 1041 Karen Burniston Dies... [ AMZUS ] Cottage Cutz CCB-011 Basics Stitched... [ AMZUS ] Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress... [ SBC ] Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress... [ SBC ] Ranger Ink - Tim Holtz - Distress... [ SBC ]

Viva la Pumpkin

Hi friends! Happy Friday! I'm popping in today with another card I made with the October Viva la Verve sketch. Our challenge is up for the whole month, so there's still about 2 weeks left to play along. I've loved all the entries so far, and can't wait to see what you create with the sketch.

If you've been following my blog, it's no surprise that I reached for the Amber Moon collection again. This paper collection just soothes my autumn loving soul. I even turned the video camera on, so if you want to watch a very unpolished video of me rambling about how I made this card, look for the link to my YouTube video at the bottom of the post. I finally figured out how to do some basic editing and a voice over (which saved you from listening to a hacking, sniffling, sneezing version of me), so yay me! Pardon the super soft volume, I really need to get a better microphone.

If you'd rather just read about it, I stamped the pumpkin and hello pumpkin stamps from Autumn Leaves on the back of an Amber Moon 3 x 4 journaling card, then colored and cut out with dies.  I added some sponging with antique linen and frayed burlap ink to these pieces, as well as to the other portions of paper I had selected.  The stripey paper, the pumpkins and the leaves (which had already been stamped previously) were cut with the stitched rectangle from the Falling Leaves Die Set.  I tied a taffeta bow  to finish off the sketch, then came back later and added the flower and golden leaf.  Then came back one more time and added the little metal leaves underneath.  I just always have to keep on adding!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Let me know if you like the video.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Autumn Leaves (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Amber Moon 6 x 6 paper and 3 x 4 journaling cards (Prima), early espresso (SU!), cream (bazzill)
Ink: antique linen and frayed burlap distress, coffee archival (Ranger), warm sunshine, crimson and espresso (Altenew), copic markers
Accessories: Falling Leaves Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), pierced squares stax (MFT), amber moon flowers (Prima), ribbon (SU!), metal leaves (The Funkie Junkie), MISTI (My Sweet Petunia)

Other Links


View my card tutorial on YouTube
Viva la Verve October Sketch Recap

Pop Up Thanks

Hi friends! It's another Monday and miraculously all my people were well enough to go to school/work and I've got the house to myself.  I'm still fighting some bronchial issues, but I'm on my second cup of coffee and have some clarinet concertos queued up on Spotify to help ease me back into work mode.

Last Friday when Trevor was home, I set him up with some acrylic paint and color wheel practice exercises as an excuse to be able to hang out in my stamp room. That meant I got a chance to make this little caffeinated creation with some bits and scraps on my desk for another Falliday Fest challenge.  And he had a lot of fun learning about secondary colors... and that acrylic paint doesn't like water the way watercolor paints do!

As you might have guessed from my cards lately, I'm head over heels for the Amber Moon collection by Prima.  So I've got a lot of bits and pieces of it on my desk. Since the Falliday Fest challenge was to use up bits and pieces, I decided to pair my paper scraps with some of the stamped colored and cut images I already had finished that hadn't made it onto a project yet.

The first little bit that was already made was my favorite wreath stamp from the Autumn Blessings stamp set, cut with the coordinating die from the Autumn Thanks die set. I had layered another wreath cut from chipboard behind it for some heft, then popped them up on a circle die cut stamped with the thanks a latte sentiment from Autumn Leaves. Everything had been colored with copics previously and the wreath had been coated with morning dew Nuvo drops and sprinkled with glitter.  I had also splattered with some distress stain.

I tucked some Autumn Leaves leaves behind the wreath that I had previously stamped and die cut, then added a few little nuvo drops to the wreath alternating yellow and orange.

The cup image was another bit that had been previously colored and cut with the coordinating die from the Happiness in a Cup die set. My only new stamping was the steam stamped in mocha ink on the sponged scrap from an Amber Moon journaling card.  I wrapped some vintage lace trim around the piece, then layered another Amber Moon scrap, then the wreath/leaf image and finally popped up the colored coffee cup below the steam.

I knew I wanted to make another pop up gift card holder. I created it the same as the last one I shared, but this time I used the Classy Label Die to cut the opening instead of the word window punch, and then cut a little slit on each side from the die cut opening to about 3/8" from either side.  On the inside of the card, I used a left over strip of paper from the 6 x 6 pad. The center block of the paper actually has a heart that says Autumn is love, but it wasn't the sentiment I wanted, so I covered it with a heart shaped ephemera piece from the ephemera pack, then placed a coffee cup sticker from the Amber Moon planner goodie pack in the center of the heart. I bought this pack entirely because of these little coffee cup stickers! Seriously cute! I finished off with a seasonal chitchat sticker with the sentiment today I am grateful that I fishtailed on either end. Now it's all ready for a quick note of gratitude with a gift card to a local coffee drive-thru tucked in.

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

Enabler's List
Stamps: Autumn Leaves, Autumn Blessings (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Amber Moon 4 x 6 and 2 x 3 journaling cards and 6 x 6 pad (Prima), neutral cardstock
Ink: coffee archival, vintage photo distress stain, brushed corduroy distress (Ranger), warm sunshine, crimson, espresso, mocha (Altenew), copic markers
Accessories: Autumn Thanks Die Set, Autumn Leaves Die Set, Happiness in a Cup Die Set, Classy Label Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Seasonal chitchat stickers (Tim Holtz), morning dew, ripened pumpkin and dandelion yellow Nuvo drops (Tonic), vintage lace, Amber Moon Planner Goodie Pack, Amber Moon ephemera pack (Prima)

Other Links
Color Wheel printables
FF17bejoyce Falliday Fest Challenge
Pop Up gift card tutorial

Shabby Chic Orange Fall

Hi friends! I'm popping in today with a fun little shabby chic creation using the new Autumn Leaves stamp set from Verve. I'm home sick with one of my boys today, but he's happily entertained with some multiplication flash cards while I'm writing this post. Hooray for little math minds!

This card was created for the Orange Falliday Fest challenge on SCS. The challenge is to create something using items that start with at least four of the letters in the word ORANGE. I pulled out the beautiful Amber Moon collection again and started in layering some papers, then stamping the pumpkins and the happy fall sentiment from Autumn Leaves on pieces of designer paper. I was also inspired by the neutral color palette and pumpkins in the current inspiration challenge at The Card Concept. I previously made a completely different card for this challenge. Love how both were inspired from the same photo.

Tip: When I color with Copics, I like to use archival ink, but the ink is never dark enough.  Even when freshly reinked and stamped 3 or 4 times, it always looks a little faded. So to get a crisp look, I stamp in the MISTI, then color with Copics while it's still in place in the MISTI, then stamp again with a dye ink to get a super vibrant stamped look.  Works like a charm and makes me a happy stamper!

The leaves were stamped on a journaling card the other day, when I went a little crazy stamping leaves. Like seriously fun. Two step stamping was one of my first loves and the Watercolor Minis stamp set from Stampin Up got some serious love. I did the rock n' roll technique here, first inking the solid stamp with warm sunshine ink, then rolling around the edges with a crimson ink pad to get the two toned look.  This is so much easier to do with mini ink cubes than it was back in the day! I just eyeballed it and got them to line up perfectly and stamped to my heart's content, then cut with the coordinating Falling Leaves Die Set.

Next I had a lot of fun, assembling my elements.  I laid down some lace trim, then pulled out this gorgeous flower that had glass glittered edges, then added a smaller similarly colored flower from a different collection. I tucked in some metal embellishments, then looped some natural twine in a wreath like fashion as a backdrop for my stamped pumpkins and leaves. I distressed the edges of my paper layers with brushed corduroy distress ink and a paper distresser. Next I wanted to extend some of that glitz to the pumpkins, so added a bit of clear glass glitter to the top and bottoms of the pumpkins. I finished off with the little birdie I fussy cut from a piece of designer paper and then popped up on top of the leaves from the sentiment.

This was so much fun to create and I hope you enjoyed reading a little about the process. I'm truly smitten with Prima's most recent collections and I'm sure you'll be seeing quite a bit more shabby chic from me for a while. Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Autumn Leaves (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Amber Moon 6 x 6, Amber Moon 3x4 Journaling Cards (Prima), white (Neenah)
Ink: coffee archival, brushed corduroy distress (Ranger), warm sunshine, crimson, espresso (Altenew), Copic markers
Accessories: Falling Leaves Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Engraver's and Amber Moon flowers (Prima), Coppper Leaf Embellishments, Antiqued Bronze Filigree pieces (The Funkie Junkie Boutique), natural twine, German glass glitter (TCP), paper distresser (Prima), vintage lace trim, fabritac glue

Other Links
The Card Concept challenge
Falliday Fest Challenge
Rock n' Roll Technique Tutorial

Here are the letters I used for the challenge:
O - orange pumpkins
R - robin. I don't know anything about birds, except that crows who build nests in your front entry way are SUPER protective of their babies and will swarm in on you and peck you to death walking out to get your mail, and none of the pest control specialists answer their phones or return voice mails, so always use your car to back out and check the mail in the spring, praying for baby birds that are ready to leave the nest super quick! Anyhow, I'm calling the sweet little birdie a robin... don't correct me if I'm wrong.{grin} But I also used red ink, to be safe.
A - Amber Moon collection, Autumn Leaves stamp set
N - natural twine
G - German glass glitter
E - espresso ink, Engraver's collection flower

Autumn Blessings Pop Up

Hi friends! Did y'all have fun hopping for Verve's mini release yesterday?  If you missed it, then be sure to hit the 'previous story' button once you're done with today's post, because you don't want to miss it.

My card for today was inspired by Lori's Falliday Fest challenge over on SCS. She challenged us to make an autumn, Thanksgiving or Christmas card using the word blessing. I immediately thought of this sentiment from the new Autumn Leaves set.

In my wanderings on the internet last week, I strolled across a pop up gift card holder that I hadn't seen before and wanted to give it a go. It is simply a piece of cardstock cut in half lengthwise and then scored at 4.5", 5.5" and 6.5".  The inner folds create a little tent you close with sticky strip, then use a word window punch (or I just realized a die cut would have been much easier) to cut a slit to slide the gift card in.  So the card becomes a 4.25" square card and when you open the card, the gift card is sticking up in the middle. Easy peasy.

I started with the front of the card, knowing I wanted to use the Amber Moon collection from Prima. I am head over heels for this paper collection and I keep buying more odds and ends to go with it!  I bought the little 3x4" journaling cards because I thought they would be perfect for cardmaking.  Here, I cut one of the journaling cards down with the stitched rectangle die from the Falling Leaves Die Set. It's just the perfect size for this. Next I stamped the autumn blessings sentiment from Autumn Leaves in espresso ink and then added some color with copics and cut with a stitched oval die.

The strip down the side is done with the two small leaves in this set.  I first stamped the outline in espresso turning as I went down the page to give the effect of falling leaves. Next I went back with the solid leaf and inked with warm sunshine and then did the rock-n-roll technique (rocked the edges all around the stamp with another ink before stamping) in crimson.  I love how realistic the look is, and I became a little obsessed with stamping leaves all afternoon! I'm sure you'll be seeing lots of red and yellow leaves from me.  {grin}

Next I grabbed some of the Amber Moon flowers I picked up and arranged them how I wanted them, adding in a metal leaf for a little interest.  I wanted to capture the look of those pumpkins in the journaling card with the flower, so painted with some paint, some metallique wax, some sparkly paint and then with some white crackle paste. I love the frosty, golden look it gave everything.  I finished with a little die cut border down the side for a little interest.

Inside the card I layered one of the journaling cards with some early espresso paper behind it.  I stamped the some people make the world special just by being in it sentiment from the Cake & Candles stamp set on another journaling card and then die cut and matted with early espresso.  The leaves from Autumn Leaves are stamped in potting soil archival ink and then the solid leaf with distress oxide inks and then cut with the coordinating dies from the Falling Leaves die set.

So that's my little share for today. I hope you enjoyed walking through the process with me. This card will be going to my sister for her birthday, but I think I'll make a few more possibly with the thanks a latte sentiment and leafy cup from this set to give away during November with a little coffee gift card tucked inside. Let me know if you try one of these gift card holders. I'd love to see what you create. Have a fantastic day!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Autumn Leaves, Cake & Candles (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Amber Moon 3x4 journaling cards (Prima), crumb cake, early espresso (SU!)
Ink: espresso, warm sunshine, crimson (Altenew), potting soil archival, candied apple and warm honey distress oxides (Ranger)
Accessories: Falling Leaves Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), oval dies, border die, Amber Moon flowers (Prima), bronze leaf embellishments (The Funkie Junkie), white crackle texture paste, metallique ancient coin art alchemy paint, rich copper metallique wax (Prima), word window punch (SU!), scor-pal

Other Links:
Lori's Falliday Fest SCS challenge
Song of My Heart's pop up gift card tutorial

Thankful for Autumn Leaves Blog Hop

Welcome to Verve's October Mini Release Spotlight Hop! I'm the first stop on today's hop and I'm just so excited to get started! Autumn is my favorite time of year, and this release is filled with autumn leaves and pumpkin spice. To celebrate the new release, the Divas are putting on a blog hop sharing our first looks at the new Autumn Leaves stamp set and coordinating Falling Leaves die set.

And since we love to share, we're hosting a little giveaway. Just leave a little shout out in the comments at each stop along the hop and you'll be in the prize drawing for the new Autumn Leaves stamp set and Falling Leaves die set. Deadline for commenting is Monday, October 16. Happy hopping!

1. Julee (ME) 6. Betty 2. Charmaine 7. Teresa 3. Maureen 8. Lesley 4. Marisa 9. Laurie 5. Christyne

My card today is an explosion of fall. {grin} I was working a mixed media project doing some acetate smooshing with Magical shakers and had a bunch of left over color on my acetate, so cleaned it up with a scrap of watercolor paper I had laying on the desk. And wouldn't you know it became my favorite piece from the whole day? I just love those happy accidents, don't you?

I used the stitched rectangle die from the Falling Leaves set to cut the sentiment panel, then stamped several of the three sizes of the leaves from Autumn Leaves and cut with the coordinating die set.  I wrapped some twine around the bottom of the rectangle, then stamped the thankful for you sentiment and highlighted with a white gel pen. I tucked my leaves in here and there and then accented with a sprinkling of Nuvo crystal drops in orange and yellow.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a fabulous time hopping and would love to hear what you think of the set.  I've also got another card over on the Verve Blog today.

We're celebrating a brand new release and the shipping is on us! Enjoy free first class shipping on US orders over $35 placed October 10 - 16, 2017 in the Verve shop. Just select US Shipping as your ship method at checkout and the discount will be calculated automatically.

Next up on the hop is the fabulous Charmaine.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Autumn Leaves (Verve Stamps)
Paper: cold press watercolor paper
Ink: potting soil archival (Ranger), Oktoberfest Orange, Yodeling Yellow and Cuckoo Clock Cardinal Magical shakers (Lindy's Stamp Gang)
Accessories:  Falling Leaves  die set (A Cut Above by VERVE), twine, Nuvo crystal drops (Tonic), scor-pal, paper distresser

Sneaky Autumn Leaves and VLV

Hi friends! Today I'm happy to announce we have a new mini release just around the corner. The team will be hopping showing you a brand new set and die next Tuesday, October 10. But today, the pre-order for the new Buy it All Bundle starts at a 30% discount, so it's the perfect time to pick up a bit of fresh fall fabulousness for your stamp room. {grin}  While you're there, be sure to check out our World Card Making Day Sale, with 40% off our selection of holiday stamps and dies.

I'm sneaking in a peek at the new set today, along with my first look at the October Viva la Verve sketch.  I love the simplicity of this one, with so many options for what to stand in for that flower. I hope it inspires you to get inky!

I started by stamping the cup and happy fall sentiment from the new Autumn Leaves set and coloring with Copic markers. I cut the sentiment out with a pierced square die and the cup with the Happiness in a Cup Die Set.  I had some left over leaf sprays already stamped and cut using Autumn Blessingss and the Autumn Thanks Die Set, and I liked the way they looked tucked behind the cup, so colored them and added glossy accents and glitter to all the leaves.

I wanted a bit of a splashy background, so took a piece of white cardstock, layered with gesso and then treated with teal magical powders and water.  I then glued it to a white cardstock panel and ran through with a fall leaf swirl embossing folder so all the embossing lines would meet up.  I finished with a crinkled ribbon bow and a white card base.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you have a fabulous weekend and would love to see your take on the sketch.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Autumn Leaves, Autumn Blessings (Verve Stamps)
Paper: white (Neenah)
Ink: black, Time Travel Teal Magicals powder (Lindy's Stamp Gang), Copic markers
Accessories: Happiness in a Cup Die Set, Autumn Thanks Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), pierced squares dies (Cottage Cutz), fall leaf swirl embossing folder (Darice), glossy accents, glitter, gesso, seam binding