Valentine Mojo

Hi friends! It's Monday again and time for a new Mojo Monday sketch.  This week we have a fun square sketch for you to play with.

I used the heart from Love Everlasting and the coordinating Everlasting Heart Die Set for my card, embossing the sentiment from No Matter What on a vellum die cut overlay.  A bit of ribbon and some liquid pearls are my accent choices and I embossed the back panel with a heart embossing folder and then sponged with distress inks.

Short and sweet today as I'm still suffering from bronchitis and a sinus infection. Hoping this round of antibiotics does the trick.

Mojo Monday 482

Enabler's List
Stamps: Love Everlasting, No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Amour collection (Carta Bella), script paper (7 gypsies), early espresso (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: ground espresso, antique linen (Ranger Distress), Versamark, pink (Altenew)
Accessories: Everlasting Heart Die Set (A Ctua Bove by VERVE), stitched circles stax (MFT), taffeta and grosgrain ribbon (SU!), embossing folder (Sizzix), pink liquid pearls (Ranger), paper distresser

Forever Square

Another week has gone by and it's Mojo Monday time again!  This year, I decided to make the last sketch of the month a non-traditional size.  It might be square, round, skinny, a special fold.. anything that strikes my fancy.  For this first sketch I went with a square, which is my go-to quick card.  My size of choice for a square card is 4.25 x 4.25" so it still fits in a regular A2 envelope, but feel free to adapt it to whatever size you enjoy creating.

I pulled out the No Matter What set and some Authentique papers from my stash and got busy getting shabby.  The banners are distressed and I added some doodled edges, then I stamped the flowers and sentiment in archival black and colored with copics.  The background is embossed with a hearts embossing folder and I finished off with a trio of stamped hearts, fussy cut and accented with glassy glaze and glitter.  Super easy and so much fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a little time to play along this week.  For more inspiration, be sure to check out the Mojo Monday 432 post for all the other designer makes!

Mojo Monday 432 Sketch

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Uncommon (Authentique), cream (Neenah)
Ink: black archival, antique linen distress ink (Ranger), black pen
Accessories: glassy glaze, glitter, embossing folder (Sizzix), paper distreser (Tonic)

Be My Valentine

Hi friends!  It's Friday and that means it's time for a new sketch over on the Viva la Verve Sketches Blog.  Charmaine is our hostess this week with a super fun sketch.

For my card, I pulled out my pile of paper scraps I'm determined to whittle down and the No Matter What set.  I even made a little sequin shaker card!  I never really liked shakers when they were popular about 6 years ago, but the sequins have lured me in this go round.  It might be because the boys love to give the cards a good shake!  :)

I started by making the shaker with acetate and circle dies, then filling with red and gold sequins from the Holiday Sequin Mix.  I added some liquid pearls around the circle for a fun little accent.  The sentiment is from No Matter What and I masked the two parts of the phrase to make it a single line sentiment to fit the flag.  Next I layered my papers, inking the edges with walnut stain distress ink.  I layered everything together, added a taffeta bow to the top and finished off with a heart cut with the Heart Quartet Die and lined with liquid pearls.

This one also qualifies for the Vivacious Valentine inspiration challenge still going on.  So if you're a procrastinating stamper like me, make it a two-fer-one challenge entry!  {grin}

I hope you'll play along this week.  Be sure to head on over to the VLV Sketches blog to see what the other gals did with the sketch!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Viva la Verve Feb Week 2

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: scraps (SU! & MME), acetate, cream (Neenah)
Ink: walnut stain distress ink, black archival ink (Ranger)
Accessories:Heart Quartet Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Holiday Sequin Mix (Verve), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbiners), liquid pearls (Ranger), taffeta ribbon (SU!)

My Valentine

Hi friends! It's the first Monday of the month and that means it's contest time at Mojo Monday! And I've got a super fun layerl-icious (yes, that's a word!) sketch for you this week.  Play along for a chance to win some Verve of your very own.  And speaking of Verve... we just released a brand new set on Saturday, so be sure to hop on over to the Verve store and check it out.

I made this card a few weeks ago from scraps and embellishments on my desk and thought the layout was fun and frisky and would make a good challenge sketch.  The stamps used are from No Matter What.  I combined all the little heart images on one block and then used it as a border stamp for the soft sky, basic gray and blushing bride layers.  Then I embossed the be my valentine sentiment onto a ticket stub and added some chipboard resist hearts that I sponged and a little heart brad that had been abandoned from another project.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the official Diva post-release blog hop with inspiration using our newest release!

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: dp scraps, soft sky, basic gray (SU!)
Ink: soft sky, basic gray, blushing bride, cherry cobbler (SU!)
Accessories: ticket stub, chipboard hearts, heart brad, washi tape, glossy accents, glitter

Washi Tape Mojo

Hi friends!  I'm a little late with my Mojo Monday 329 sample today.  I've been sick all weekend and the kiddos had a rough night so there wasn't any time to finish my half done Mojo card until now. This week's sketch is a super fun one by Teresa.

My card uses the wreath from Holiday Greetings and a sentiment from No Matter What.  Most of the sentiments in this set were designed to fit inside this wreath, so the two sets pair beautifully.  I colored with copics using a red, grey and pink color scheme.  Washi tape, stitching and a portion of the Award Banner Trim Die accent things and I even added a bit of stitching down the sides. The wreath, hearts, stars and berries are coated with glossy accents and then sprinkled with dazzling diamonds for some extra sparkle.

Well, it's back to bed for me.  Hope you have a fabulously creative start to your week!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Holiday Greetings, No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Yours Truly (Pebbles), basic gray, smoky slate (SU!), white
Ink: black, copic markers
Accessories: Award Banner Trim Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), washi tape, classic circles nestabilities (Spellbinders), rhinestones, corner rounder, sewing machine, glossy accents, dazzling diamonds

Forever and Always

Hi friends!  Happy Tuesday!  I'm re-capping the January Week 1 Viva la Verve challenge over on the Viva la Verve Blog today and this is the card I made for the re-cap.

I absolutely love the way this card fell together.  A week before Christmas I treated myself to a trip to our local craft store and they had all of their paper pads 1/2 off.  So I couldn't NOT come home with more Valentine paper than a person could ever need, right???  Seriously, I LOVE making Valentine cards.  I rarely give them to anyone but Mark, but something about hearts and bling and all the meaningful sentiments just brings out the romantic in me.

 
So, the paper is from the Devoted collection by Carta Bella.  I added scalloped mats to make each pattern stand out a bit and then added some flowers (from the Hope Blooms set) that had already been stamped, sponged and cut out from a previous project.  It just seemed to be the perfect match.  I just love cards with split sentiments, so this sketch is right up my alley!  Both sentiments are from the No Matter What set and I used the Flag it Die Set.  As I was cleaning my desk looking for my scor-pal to fold my card base, I came across these little word pins that I'd recently found in the closet and set aside to use.  So I added two little pins to let Mark know that I love us! {cheesy grin}

If you haven't stopped by the Verve Blog lately, our January Diva Dare is going on.  This month's challenge is "Smitten" and you just need to have a heart and at lease one Verve product on your card.  Come play along and don't forget to leave comments on the Diva's posts as they share their takes on the Dare each weekday through Jan. 20 for a chance to win a prize!

Thanks so much for stopping by and thanks for all the well wishes yesterday.  I'm starting to feel like I might beat this sickness instead of it beating me. ;) Still no hearing in my right ear, which makes me very off balance, but the pain has lessened and I'm starting to feel a bit more human again.

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What, Hope Blooms (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Devoted (Carta Bella), early espresso (SU!)
Ink: strawberry slush, early espresso (SU!)
Accessoriess:  Flag it Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic and Scallop Squares & Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), chevron ribbon (SU!), pearls, liquid pearls, wooden pins

Viva la New Year!

If you're here for my Season's Givings Blog Hop Post, please click here or scroll down.

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Hi friends!  Happy Friday! I've just put the finishing touches on our new Viva la Verve! challene blog and our first challenge of 2014 is up!  Hooray!  We're spicing things up a bit with the first sketch of each month also having a color challenge.  You can just use the sketch, just the colors or combine them if you're feeling sassy!  {grin}

I'm hostessing this week, so here's my take on the sketch + colors.  {I guess I was feeling sassy!}

For my card I pulled out the No Matter What set and some real red, early espresso and soft sky cardstock.  The heart clusters are embossed in white onto red and espresso.  I stamped the heart bouquet on a circle die cut, then colored with Copics.  The sentiment is stamped in real red and I added some rounded corners to my square and sentiment tab.  The hearts embossing folder got pulled out again and I finished off with some red rhinestones, satin ribbon and some liquid pearl accents on my scalloped circle.



Okay, that's all for me.  The boys and I have been sick the last few days and I'm hoping to get a little rest today while the littles visit their grandparents.  Be sure to head on over to the Viva la Verve blog to see some more samples with this sketch from a few of the Divas!

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: soft sky, real red, early espresso (SU!), white
Ink: early espresso, real red (SU!), copic markers, VersaMark
Accessories: Classic & scalloped circles nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (SU!), corner rounder, heart embossing folder (Sizzix), rhinestones, white embossing powder

My Valentine

Hi friends!  It's Monday again and time for another Mojo Monday sketch to jumpstart your week.  This week we've got another CAS sketch from Carole Burrage, and I had so many ideas running through my head when I sat down to stamp.  I hope I find a little time this week to execute some of the other ones, because I loved how this quick little valentine came together.

I pulled out the new No Matter What set from Verve and this scrumptious seam binding from the Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection (now back in stock!  Yay!).  It's a great match with Primose Petals, so I stamped the heart cluster and the sentiment on cream squares in Primrose, then sponged the edges with the same color ink.  The inner heart is stamped again and cut out, then popped up on top for some dimension and I added a bit of glossy glaze and a dusting of dazzling diamonds glitter.  The heart paper is from the Secret Crush Pink Paislee pad and I hand cut around the hearts for the border strip, then accented with some heart rhinestones.  I'm loving grey lately... especially pink and grey, so I matted with grey and wrapped my ribbon around it.  Used that heart embossing folder that I love again and added a few rounded corners to finish things off.  Easy peasy and under 20 minutes.  {I'm starting to get the hang of this quick crafting thing!}

Well, it's a 3 day weekend for Mark, so after spending the other 2 days finishing up some much needed baby proofing projects, today we're taking the boys to their grandparents and having a fun outing together.  Thanks so much for stopping by today... I hope you have a fantastic start to your week!

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Secret Crush (Pink Paislee), Basic Gray (SU!), Cream
Ink: Primrose Petals (SU!)
Accessories:  Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection (Verve Stamps), rhinestone hearts (Recollections), Dazzling Diamonds glitter (SU!), Glossy Glaze (Ranger), heart embossing folder (Sizzix)

Krafty Valentine

Hi friends!  Happy Friday!  Do you have exciting plans for the weekend?  Absolutely nothing planned here, but that means there just might be a little time at some point I can sneak away to do a little crafting!

I snuck away from the boys the other day and made another 30 minutes or less card.  This one timed in at 21 minutes and that was with a good 3 minutes of searching for the heart embossing folder!  When I was at Michael's spending my Christmas gift cards last week, I happened across a Recollections pad of Valentine's paper that has both white and kraft based papers in it.  Talk about love!  It just jumped into my cart! {grin}

I was inspired by the pad to try a little white and kraft combo.  I usually choose one or the other, but was really digging the contrast of the white on the kraft.  Pulled out a little Island Indigo to match one of the ribbons in the Stormy Skies Ribbon Collection and got to stamping with the new No Matter What set.  The sentiment is stamped in Island Indigo on a Tiny Sweet Scallop die cut and I stamped the single heart repeatedly on both scallop edges, then filled in with a little Glossy Accents for an epoxy look.  The heart is stamped in Mix'd Media Inx and embossed, then I paper pieced the center heart with a scrap of paper and added a little more glossy accents.  The base is crumb cake and embossed with a Sizzix folder.  Super fun and the colors seem just a bit sassy.  Love it!

Okay, better get on with my work day.  Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Love (Recollections), Crumb Cake, Island Indigo (SU!), White
Ink: Island Indigo, Crumb Cake (SU!), Mix'd Media Inx
Accessories:  Tiny Sweet Scallop Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Stormy Skies Ribbon Collection (Verve Stamps), Scallop edge punch (SU!), embossing folder (Sizzix), clear embossing powder (JudiKins), glossy accents (Ranger), corner chomper

Lots of Love

Hi friends!  Happy Tuesday.  Today I have another one of those little freestyle collage cards I threw together in 30 minutes or less.  I'm kind of really liking this style, especially since it's getting me to use up more of the scraps I have hanging out on my desk!

For my card I used a sentiment from the newly released No Matter What set, along with some die cuts using the From the Heart Die Set.  The papers are all scraps are from the sunshine card I made last week.  I added a few little heart rhinestones and some washi tape.  A big scallop square die and some SU! oval punches and a mini binder clip finish things off.

Hope you're having a fabulous week!  I had some much needed free time yesterday and was able to get caught up on about a month's worth of the tv show Parenthood.  Oh my word, is this season intense!  I've been balling my eyes out.  Still a couple more episodes to be caught up with the rest of the world.  It was just so fun to not have any screaming or whining and not to have to do any toy refereeing (the twins don't share well and it's a bit like breaking up a hockey fight... fists are flying, legs are flying, toys are flying.., both Mark and I have been stabbed in the eye multiple times with teethers... and we can say from experience that there are definitely a GREAT DEAL of things in life that are better than being stabbed in the eye with a sharp stick!).   Okay, not sure how I got on that tangent, but it's time for me to skee-daddle.  {grin}

Enabler's List
Stamps:  No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Soho Garden (American Crafts), random scraps, Cream
Ink: Black
Accessories:  From the Heart Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), washi tape (Prima), paper crimper (Fiskars), oval punches & mini library clip (SU!), Big Scallop Square Nestabilities (Spellbinders), heart rhinestones (Recollections)

Hopping With Love

Welcome to Verve's No Matter What Hop!  I'm the first stop on the hop today, so if you're just popping in you're in the perfect place for a little inspiration! There are prizes to be had, so be sure to read to the bottom of the post for prize info and the hop list!

Today we're releasing a lovely little set called No Matter What that you might have spied during Verve's Thanksgiving weekend sale. It's officially available for sale now, along with three brand new color collections of seam binding ribbon! Yep, as I was picking out ribbons for Christmas gifts, I just couldn't resist buying some for the store!  I just love me some ribbon!  {teehee}

Little did I know when I said we'd release NO MATTER WHAT that I (and my twin boys and hubby) would come down with the flu the day before the release.  I powered on through and {hopefully} the website is working and my posts behave according to schedule.  {grin}  For this card I stamped the heart flower image from No Matter What on patterned paper, then colored with Ranger Distress markers.  The sentiment is punched out with circle punches and I added some rhinestones.  The distressing is done with a grey gelato and a waterbrush.  I finished off with a ribbon in the corner using some of the scrumptious new seam binding from the Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection.  Everything came together so quickly and I just love how it turned out.
 
Well that's all on the card front, but there's a bit more news.  As we're saying hello to a few new products today, we also say goodbye to a couple dear designers. This is our final hop with Amy and Tosh as part of the Divahood, so be sure to let them know how much their AMAZING Verve creations have inspired you.  I know I've learned so much from these gals in the past few years.  They have such enormous talent and strength of character and I consider myself blessed to know them.  They are truly beautiful inside and out and will be missed around the Verve-o-sphere.

 
So... want to know about the prizes for this hop? We're picking THREE mystery blogs from today's hop to select a random commenter to win No Matter What plus one of our three new collections of ribbon! So be sure to give a litle shout out in the comment section as you hop around to each blog on the list. Winners will be drawn from all of the comments on the mystery blogs. Check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Next up on the hop is Laurie!!!

1. Julee 7. Amy 2. Laurie 8. Andrea 3. Maureen 9. Betty 4. Teresa 10. Charmaine 5. Tosh 11. Janelle 6. Amber 12. Jen d.

Enabler's List
Stamps: No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Secret Crush (Pink Paislee), Basic Gray (SU!)
Ink: Black, Distress Markers (Ranger), gelato (Faber Castell)
Accessories:  Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection (Verve Stamps), Pennant Trim Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), stripes & scallops knock out punch (American Crafts), circle punches (SU!), rhinestones, Tiny Attacher, paper distresser (Tim Holtz)

Forever and Always

Hi friends!  Happy Monday!  I so enjoyed the long weekend with family.  The boys are sitting up on their own now, enjoying their new bouncer and Trevor is pretty much talking non-stop, so things around our house are starting to get pretty fun.  They had a pretty rough start, but now that we've got the colic behind us, the acid reflux and digestive issues in check with medication and a couple teeth under our belt, they're pretty happy little dudes.  So thankful for that!

It's Monday again, and that means it's time for another Mojo Monday sketch.  This week is another one in my series of round or square sketches.  It's also the last day of Verve's Thanksgiving Sale and the last day of the pre-sale on the No Matter What preview set.  This set is only available during the sale, then it goes back off the shelf until its official release in January. {ETA:  No Matter What is now available!!} I've used it for my sample card, here.

The two sentiments on my card today were the inspiration I designed the No Matter What set around...  Forever and always, no matter what.  This phrase is exactly what I think of when I think of my husband, Mark, and it's taken on new meaning this past year through the seemingly endless months of caring for colicy twins.  So this is the card I'll be giving him for our 15th anniversary next month.  (It's okay that I'm posting it now, even though Mark reads my blog, because he'll totally forget about it by then!  LOL)

Anyhow, I used some Christmas papers from the Glitz Joyeux Noel pack for the panels.  I did some really cool background stamping with the small hearts in the set on kraft cardstock, but it got covered up when I laid down my panels.  So going to have to use the same background for a card where it takes center stage.  The heart cluster is stamped onto a punched circle, then I paper pieced the inner heart.  The forever and always sentiment is stamped in the corner and I added a little tag for the {no matter what} sentiment and finished off with some rhinestone accents and a chocolate brown seam binding bow.  Oh, and that metal photo corner is actually copper and I colored with copics then distressed with a little Antiqued Bronze Distress Stain.  Love how it turned out.  Finished up with a whole lot of distressed edges and my finished card size is 4.25" square so it will fit in a regular card envelope.
 

Enabler's List:
Stamps:  No Matter What (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Joyeux Noel (Glitz Designs), Early Espresso, Kraft (SU!), Cream
Ink: Walnut Stain, Antiqued Bronze Distress Stain (Ranger Distress), Early Espresso, Raspberry Ripple (SU!), Copics
Accessories:  Circle punches (SU!), rhinestones (Hero Arts), metal photo corner (WRMK), seam binding ribbon, paper distresser (Tonic)