Season's Circles

Hi friends!  It's Monday again and time for another Mojo Monday sketch!  This week's our round or square option, so I hope you have fun with those shapes.  Speaking of shapes, I'm also wrapping up the Shape Up Diva Dare over on the Verve Blog today.  Head on over there for all the deets on my card and a chance to win some Verve!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Holiday Treats (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Christmas Basics (DCWV), white
Ink: wild wasabi (SU!), 
Accessories:  wild wasabi ribbon (SU!), white scrapper's floss (Karen Foster), glittered jingle bells (Michael's), rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), Classic & Scallop Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), doily lace border punch (Martha Stewart)

Gift Card Envelopes

Hi friends!  Happy Thursday!  Today I'm popping in to share a couple of simple little gift card envelopes I made with the latest Verve release and my new Envelope Punch Board.

I love to receive gift cards, so I often give them as well and I was so excited at how easy and fun the base of these little envelopes were to make with the Envelope Punch Board.  I had a couple different brands of kraft cardstock on my desk, so that's what I used for the envelopes, making them the 2.5 x 3.5" size.  Then I cut two 3.25" x 2" pieces of patterned paper from my scrap pile and matted them with Soft Suede cardstock.

For this first one, I used the Chevron Love set, stamping the sentiment onto the patterned paper piece, then stamping the heart onto soft suede and 25th and Pine, then cutting the soft suede heart with the coordinating Jotted Heart Die and cutting the inner portion from the DP and paper piecing over my heart.

For the next one, I pulled out the Holiday Treats set and stamped the sentiment.  Then I stamped both cups in Soft Suede, then again on 25th and Pine paper.  The soft suede mugs are cut with the coordinating Cup of Cheer Die Set and then I paper pieced the accent pieces on each cup and added some steam to each cup.  Super easy, fast and perfect for a little coffee gift card!

Well, that's all from me.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a fabulous day!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Chevron Love, Holiday Treats (Verve)
Paper: soft suede, crumb cake (SU!), kraft, scrap DP, 25th and Pine DP (BasicGrey)
Ink: soft suede (SU!)
Accessories:  Jotted Heart Die, Cup of Cheer Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Envelope Punch Board (WRMK)

Reindeer Holidays

Hi friends!  Monday is here again and it's time for another Mojo Monday sketch.  This one's a simple one with clean lines so you can dress it up or down.  I chose to flip it 180 degrees to fit my images.

My papers are from the yummy 25th and Pine Collection and I matted with soft suede, adding some punched borders.  The tag from Holiday Treats is stamped onto Sahara Sand, then cut with the coordinating Tagged Rectangle Die.  I tied it on with seam binding from the Signature Ribbon Collection, then added some rusty jingle bells and twine for accent.  The reindeer image is from the Unto Us set and is cut with the coordinating Reindeer Fun Die Set.  I finished off with some sparkly swarovski rhinestones along the punched border and an embossed sahara sand card base.

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

Enabler's List
Stamps:  Holiday Treats, Unto Us (Verve Stamps)
Paper: 25th and Pine (BasicGrey), soft suede, sahara sand (SU!)
Ink: soft suede (SU!), Antique Linen (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Tagged Rectangle Die, Reindeer Fun Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Signature Ribbon Collecion (Verve), rusty jingle bells (Frost it Pink), twine, swarovski smoked topaz rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty),  border punch (SU!), stars & swirls embossing folder (Sizzix)

Verve Release Recap

Hi friends! Thanks for all the get well wishes.  The sickness seems to be lingering for all of us, but Trevor seems to be over the worst of his bronchitis and the boys are sleeping again, so there's a light at the end of the tunnel!  {grin}

I thought I'd pop in today and share some of the cards I shared on the Verve Blog during release week.  Sorry for the repeats for those of you who read both blogs.  The new thing  I have to share is an exclusive 48 hour 15% off coupon code that went out in our newsletter last night.  Use coupon code:  OCTFAN now through October 31 for 15% off your entire Verve order (excludes gift certificates and the October Release Collection).

First up is a fun little birthday card using Chevron Love and the new Heart Quartet Die:

Stamps:Chevron Love (Verve Stamps)

Paper: Bramble Rose (MME), crumb cake, early espresso (SU!)

Ink: early espresso (SU!), vintage photo (Ranger)

Accessories: Heart Quartet Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), circle nestabilities (Spellbinders), pearls, rhinestones, corner rounder

A soft wintry Christmas card featuring the new Holiday Treats set:

Stamps: Holiday Treats (Verve Stamps)

Paper: soft sky, white

Ink: soft sky, basic grey

Accessories: Tagged Rectangle Die, Winter Fun Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Stormy Skies Ribbon Collection (Verve), Pastel Sequin Mix (Verve), grey pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), snowflake embossing folder (Darice), glossy accents, glitter

A quick & simple traditional Christmas card using the new Unto Us set and the cross stamps from the Each Day set released last month.

Stamps: Unto Us, Each Day (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Santa's List (Teresa Collins), early espresso (SU!), white
Ink: early espresso, cherry cobbler (SU!)
Accessories: Classy Label Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), cherry cobbler seam binding (SU!), nail art rhinestones

 And finally, a trendy little birthday card using the Chevron Love set:

Stamps: Chevron Love (Verve Stamps)

Paper: Cashmere Dame (Glitz), Basic Black, Pool Party (SU!), white

Ink: Cherry Cobbler (SU!), Black, Copic markers

Accessories: Arrow Die, Starry Die, Award Banner Trim Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Classic Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), star and glitter rhinestones (Pizzazz Aplenty), black liquid pearls (Ranger)

Alrighty, I'll be back tomorrow with my take on the October Tag, You're It Diva Dare!

Mojo Greetings

Hi friends!  Did you have a wonderful weekend?  I've been trying to recover from last week's craziness of trying to get the Verve release ready a midst both boys, Mark and myself being terribly sick.  Not a week I'd like to repeat, and there's really no rest for the weary with the most rambunctious twins on the planet in our family. {no joking there - they are relentless!}  But the October Verve release is here and it's a super fabulous one, if you ask me! {wink}  You should totally go check it out... after you check out my Mojo Monday card, that is!

It's the final Monday of the month and that means it's round or square week.  I went with the square option and made this card over the course of 2 failed naptimes for the boys.  I pulled out the new Unto Us set and embossed the reindeer image in early espresso and the snowflake image in white, then also used as a tone on tone background for the Old Olive strip.  I then cut the reindeer image with the coordinating Reindeer Fun Die Set and also stamped the chevron label in old olive and cut that with the Classy Label Die.  The season's greetings sentiment is from the new Holiday Treats set and embossed in white onto Deck the Halls DSP.  The seam binding is from the Signature Ribbon Collection and I tied it around a 4.5" square that I embossed just the bottom half of with snowflakes.  I finished off with some rusted jingle bells dusted with a bit of champagne glass glitter.

Okay, I'll leave you with a bit of news about the Verve sales going on right now!

Now through November 26, you can purchase the Verve October Release Collection (includes the three new release stamp sets AND the three coordinating dies) for just $49.95! That's a savings of a little over 25%, and is equal to getting the dies for free!  Who doesn't love a little free in their lives?

Plus, we've got a holiday sale going on... 20% off  70 holiday sets and dies, including the existing dies that coordinate with the new sets!  And to tie up all those pretty cards you'll be making, we've got all of our ribbon collections marked 10% off, too!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Unto Us, Holiday Treats (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Deck the Halls DSP, early espresso, old olive (SU!), white (Neenah)
Ink: early espresso, old olive (SU!), Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories:  Reindeer Fun Die Set, Classy Label Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Signature Ribbon Collection (Verve), white embossing powder (Judikins), snowflake embossing folder (Darice), rusty jingle bells (Frost it Pink), champagne glass glitter (SU!)

Verve New Release Blog Hop

Hi friends!  It's the final day of our spotlight hops and today the Divas are sharing cards made with any combination of the new release.  All the sets and dies are available in the Verve store right now, and you can buy the October Release Collection at 25% off!  That's like getting all three coordinating dies for free and a little change!

I'm the start of the hop, so grab yourself a treat and settle in for a hopping good time!  PS. A random commenter from today's hop will win our ENTIRE October release, so be sure to leave a comment at each stop to increase your chances! (Contest ended)

My card today was made for my hubby - yesterday was the 17th anniversary of our first date.  I used the new Chevron Love and Heart Quartet Die, along with the Wavy Heart Die Set.  The other day as I was distracting one of my twins with a Hello Kitty keychain, I remembered a stamped leather keychain my mom had when I was growing up.  It was long and thin and had hearts and other intricate designs and I loved to play with it!  So that was my inspiration for this card.  To achieve the leathery look, I inked up my embossing folder with vintage photo ink, then ran a piece of kraft cardstock through it, then spritzed with water and added more sponged ink until I got it how I wanted.

The chevron wavy heart is stamped in espresso on kraft and then cut with the Wavy Heart Die Set.  The inner heart is cut with the Heart Quartet Die and I layered it on dimensionals on top of the stamped heart.  I cut another wavy heart from the same designer paper and also a long thin banner strip.  My tag is a rectangle that I embossed the sentiment onto in early espresso, then cut the angles with a hexagon punch and added a punched circle for the hole and looped a little polka dot basics ribbon through.

Okay, time to hop along to the next stop....  Jen Shults!

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

Enabler's List

Stamps: Chevron Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Bramble Rose (MME), crumb cake, early espresso (SU!), cream
Ink: early espresso (SU!), vintage photo (Ranger)
Accessories: Wavy Heart Die Set, Heart Quartet Die (A Cut Above by VERVE), Polka Dot Basics Collection (Verve), chevron embossing folder (SU!), hexagon punch

Unto Us Verve Spotlight Hop

Hi friends!  It's Day 3 of our spotlight hops and today the Divas are shining their sneaky little spotlights on a new set called Unto Us.  All the sets and dies we've peeked this week will be available in the Verve store sometime tonight.  (Not quite sure an exact time, since my little guys being sick this week has left me a bit behind schedule on the website side of things).  But the Divas will be back hopping tomorrow morning, so it will definitely be ready by then!!!  {grin}

Unto Us has some beautiful Christ-centered Christmas sentiments as well as a chevron version of the Classy Label Die and some winter imagery that coordinates with the new Reindeer Fun Die Set.  I'm the start of the hop, so grab yourself a treat and settle in for a hopping good time!  PS.  There are prizes to be won, so be sure to leave comments as you hop about to the blogs linked at the bottom of this post!

I think Christmas cards are one of my favorite things to make.  I rarely make the same one twice, although this one was so fun and easy, I might just have to make it again and again!  I love the look of book paper and when I saw this kraft book paper in a collection of 8.5 x 11 papers at Michael's I was sold.  I stamped the chevron label from Unto Us in black, the cut with the coordinating Classy Label Die.  The sentiment is also from Unto Us  and stamped inside the label.  I added a strip of the same paper behind as a little banner, then used the Banner Bundle Die Set to cut three banners of varying sizes and lengths from scraps.  The base layer is embossed with a snowflake folder from Darice and I wrapped some seam binding and twine around it, tied a bow and added a couple rusty jingle bells to finish it off.

Okay, time to hop along to the next stop....  Jen Shults!

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

Enabler's List
Stamps: Unto Us (Verve Stamps)
Paper: scraps of dp, cream
Ink: black, antique linen
Accessories: Classy Label Die, Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), ribbon, twine, rusted jingle bells, brads, snowflake embossing folder (Darice)

Holiday Treats Verve Spotlight Hop

Hi friends!  It's Day 2 of our spotlight hops and today the Divas are shining their sneaky little spotlights on a new set called Holiday Treats.  Like yesterday's set, this set coordinates with some old and new dies as well!  I'm the start of the hop, so grab yourself a cup of cheer and settle in for an inspirational hop!  And there are prizes to be won, so be sure to leave comments as you hop about!

I have so many ideas for this set and had planned on making a little treat packaging ensemble for my preview today, but my littles and I have been very sick and I'm just thankful that I had made a few samples ahead of time with this release, since there's been nothing but Dr.'s appointments and breathing treatments around here lately!

For my preview I made a little pocket card to tuck a Starbucks gift card into for a little holiday gift giving.  My pocket consists of a 3.25" x 5.5" piece of designer paper, scored at 2.75", with scor-tape down the outer sides, to form the pocket.  I then rounded the corners and added a thumb cut out with a circle punch to easily slip the gift card in and out of the pocket.  I embossed the chevron tag from Holiday Treats in white then cut out with the matching Tagged Rectangle Die.  I added the cup of cheer sentiment and the coffee steam in Vintage Photo ink, then embossed the small rounded snowflake from the set in white.

The java cup is stamped in cherry cobbler and cut with the coordinating Cup of Cheer Die Set  then popped up on top of the tag.  Next I wrapped some Signature Collection seam binding around the pocket and threaded both ends through the hole I punched in the tag and tied a bow. The background of the card is stamped with Happy Holidays repeatedly and then a couple sizes of snowflakes in VersaMark ink randomly, then I ran the whole piece through the paper crimper for a little texture.

The snowflakes are embossed in white and cut with the Floral Circles Die Set.  I scattered them around the card and added pearl sequins from the Pastel Sequin Mix and a tiny rhinestone to each snowflake center.  For the final touch, I decided I wanted it to be a little more obvious that there was a gift card tucked inside, so I pulled out the Chevron Love set, and embossed the For You sentiment in white onto vellum and then tucked it into the pocket with the gift card.

Okay, time to hop along to the next stop....  Jen Shults!

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

Enabler's List
Stamps: Holiday Treats, Chevron Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Santa's List (Teresa Collins), crumb cake, vellum (SU!)
Ink: vintage photo (Ranger), Versamark (Tsukineko, crumb cake, cherry cobbler (SU!)
Accessories: Cup of Cheer Die Set, Tagged Rectangle Die, Floral Circles Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Signature Ribbon Collection, Pastel Sequin Mix (Verve), 1/2 circle punch (SU!), corner rounder, white embossing powder, mini rhinestones, scor-tape, paper crimper

Chevron Love Verve Spotlight Hop

Hi friends!  Happy Wednesday!  I'm so happy there's another new release from Verve right around the corner.  You're at the very beginning of our first day of spotlight hops!  So grab your favorite treat and settle in for a sneak preview tour of our latest set, Chevron Love, which will release this Friday night, October 25! Oh, and there are PRIZES up for grabs, so be sure to leave some comment love as you hop about for a chance to win some new Verve!

I made several cards with this set and had a really hard time deciding which to share today.  I finally went with my favorite of the bunch, a true clean and simple card.  A while back I made a card using the All Aflutter Die Set and I used chevron washi tape to make the butterflies.  I loved the look of it, and it became the inspiration for this set.

The butterfly from Chevron Love is stamped twice in Strawberry Slush and both cut out with the coordinating All Aflutter die.  I used a colorless blender pen to give a softer pink to the chevrons, then added some dark chocolate pearls for the butterfly bodies.  The sentiment is also from Chevron Love and is stamped directly onto white cardstock.  I embossed a piece of Pool Party card stock with the Chevron embossing folder, then fussy cut the edges for a zig zag strip.  I finished off with dimensional tape and an espresso satin bow.  Easy peasy, but so striking!

Okay, time to hop along to the next stop....  Jen Shults!

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

Enabler's List
Stamps: Chevron Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Pool Party (SU!), white (Neenah)
Ink: Strawberry Slush, early espresso (SU!)
Accessories: All Aflutter Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Chevron embossing folder and satin ribbon (SU!), dark chocolate pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), colorless blender pen