Verve July 2014 Release Retrospective

Welcome to Verve's July Release Retrospective Blog Hop! The Verve Divas and guests are hopping today and serving up some more inspiration using the July release stamps & dies! Besides a peek at some really cool cards, there are also a couple of prizes up for grabs!  If you have come here from Chaitali's blog you are right on track.  If you just happened along the blog, you can check the hop list below.

For my card I just had to go with the fabulous Happy Place set.  I just about used my favorite flower from this set, but decided I needed to not use it for a change, so I opted for this gorgeous butterfly instead.  Used the Happy Doodles matching die set to cut out the butterfly, coloured it with Twinkling H2Os and paired it with this wonderful sentiment from the set.  Next up is Teresa's blog.

 
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.

1. Julee	10. Jen
2. Stacey	11. Sheri {Guest}
3. Maureen	12. Laurie
4. Chaitali	13. Andrea
5. Marisa	14. Amber
6. Teresa	15. Christyne
7. Kay {Guest}	16. Sarah
8. Janelle	17. Anya
9. Charmaine	18. Betty

Want another chance to win? Now it's your turn! We'd LOVE to see what you've done with the July release. Link up your cards using at least one product from our July 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 August 23, so there's still plenty of time to get the July release if you haven't already.

Don't miss this weekend only discount offer in honor of Julee's birthday!
 

Next up on the Hop is Teresa and she is sure to have some wonderful card, eye candy for you to enjoy!


 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Happy Place (Verve Stamps)   
Paper:   For The Record 2 (Echo Park), Night of Navy, Old Olive, Kraft (Stampin' Up)  
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Happy Doodles Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Stitched Rectangle Die (Lil' Inkers), Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), 5/8" Yellow Ribbon, Shine Bright Sequin Mix (Verve Stamps), Black Liquid Pearls, Dimensionals 

Verve Diva Dare May 2014

This month's Diva Dare is entitled "Petals and Wings".  What we are daring you to do is to include both a flower and a butterfly on your card. 

Didn't have to look far for a stamp set to use as Julee just released the compilation set entitled Petals and Wings, along with the matching Wings and Petals Die Set.   I simply adore this set!!  Polka dots, flowers and butterflies just make me happy, all the more when it's from Verve :)  The sentiment is the new Hello Friend Plain Jane and the sequins are from the new Shine Bright sequin mix.  All of these (in addition to the rest of the new release) are on sale right now over at the Verve Store.

Of course, where there is a Verve Diva Dare, there are prizes, and this month's dare provides two prizes: one for a randomly selected participant and one for a randomly selected commenter! 

Want to get all the details on how you can win some Verve Stamps?  Simply head on over to the Verve Blog to get all the challenge details - I dare you!

What's In It?
Stamps:   Petals and Wings, Hello Friend Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Quilting Bee (My Mind's Eye), Real Red, Basic Grey (Stampin' Up),
Ink: Black, Real Red (Stampin' Up), Seaglass (Colour Box)
Accessories:   Wings and Petals Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Lacy Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Buttons, Black Half Pearls, Twine, Dimensionals

 

Verve Diva Dare ~ March 2014

This month's Diva Dare is entitled "Do The Polka" and the dare to use polka dots somewhere on your card. Whether you choose to strut your polka dot stamps, paper, ribbon or all of the above, we want to see you do the polka!

I just love using polka dots on cards, have a ton of polka dotted paper in my stash, and am always on the lookout for more LOL!  I opted to go with some spring colours as I am desperately waiting for it to arrive.  Not that I have anything worth complaining about versus those of you on the East Coast who have been pummelled with cold temps and snow this winter!  This cute umbrella from Rain or Shine is so much fun to paper piece, and I added some liquid pearl "sand" to ground it.  The secondary sentiment is on one of the Flag It dies and comes from Friendly Phrases (pssst, it's one of the sets being retired so it's 50% off right now over at the Verve Store!)  
  
Of course, where there is a Verve Diva Dare, there are prizes, and this month's dare provides two prizes: one for a randomly selected participant and one for a randomly selected commenter! 

Want to get all the details on how you can win some Verve Stamps?  Simply head on over to the Verve Blog to get all the challenge details - I dare you!

What's In It?
Stamps:   Rain or Shine and Friendly Phrases (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Cut and Paste (My Mind's Eye), Green Galore, So Saffron (Stampin' Up),
Ink: Black, Going Grey (Stampin' Up) 
Accessories:   Flag It Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Large Sun Die and Stitched Rectangle Dies (Lil' Inkers), Liquid Pearls, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Verve September 2013 Spotlight Hop ~ Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of our September 2013 Spotlight Hops!   If you have come here from Maureen's blog you are right on track. If you just happened up on the Hop, you can follow the list below to get caught up.  Everything previewed this week will be available in the Verve online store on Friday, September 27th. 

Today's featured set is Geared Up and the Award Banner die.  Geared up is such a cute set and perfect for a boy's birthday card.

I lightly coloured the robot and used one of the cog images to create the background on the red panel.  The largest cog was stamped and then cut out in yellow, and I added some of the fabulous cog sequins from  Metal Mix (shhhh......a little advance preview).  A one year old may not quite be programed to party just yet, but loved the sentiment so had to use it.

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

Tuesday, 9/24/13
Today's Prize: Geared Up, Award Banner Die

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

Time to hop over to Janelle's blog to see her fabulous creation using today's showcased sets, and be sure to come back tomorrow for Day 3 of our Spotlight Hop.  

What's In It?
Stamps:  Geared Up (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Night of Navy, Real Red, So Saffron (Stampin' Up), Costco Paper
Ink: Black, VersaMark 
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Crimper (Fiskars), Metal Mix Sequins (Verve Stamps), Button, Twine, Black Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #199

Lisa is our challenge hostess this week and she has found this wonderful inspiration picture for us to use this week -- not to mention the craving I now have for chocolate dipped strawberries!

Red and green immediately bring Christmas to mind for me so I decdided to make a Christmas card.  I combined it with this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and am also playing along with Merry Monday's anything goes.

It was great fun inking up a Craft's Meow Christmas set I purchased as part of my SFYTT win last December.  There are five different tree designs you can chose from and the chevron one was calling my name time :)   Had to sneak my favorite Christmas word in, so I stamped "Joy!" (love the fact it has an exclamation point after it!!) on the kraft panel creating my own pattern.   

The rest of the  JUGS team has some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog, and check out what the Design Team has created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  

Swimming lessons are over and I am happy to report both kids passed.  It is an end of an era for us as they have completed all the levels.  Hard to believe we have been doing lessons for ten years!  Their instructor was very impressed with their swimming ability and suggested they both take the Bronze Medallion or Bronze Cross class and work towards being lifeguards.  Yes, I'm a proud mama :)  

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

What's In It? 
Stamps:   Christmas (The Craft's Meow) 
Ink:  Black, Certainly Celery, Summer Sun (Stampin' Up), VersaMark
Paper:  Real Red, Kraft, Certainly Celery (Stampin' Up), Season's Greetings (Echo Park)
Accessories:   Circle Nestabiliites (Spellbinders), Crimper (Fiskars), Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Black and Red Half Pearls, Dimensionals 

Promoted

 

It has been a long time since I have played along with Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge so I thought I have better get back at it.

The sketch was perfect for this wonderful new Promoted Verve Plain Jane.  I  know I will get lots of use out of this one :) 

Went with out of my favorite colour combinations and used Verve's Arrow and From the Heart dies to add a little something.  Finished it off with a big 1" grosgrain ribbon and bow.

Another week has flown by and June is just around the corner - yikes!!  Year end rush of school activities is upon us and the kids will be out of school before I know it --and am ready for it LOL!

Have a fabulous day and thanks for popping in today :)



What's In It?
Stamps:  Promoted Plain Jane and Take Note (Verve Stamps) 
Paper: Kraft, Going Grey, Pretty in Pink and DSP (Stampin' Up) 
Ink:  Black 
Accessories:   Arrow and From the Heart Dies (A Cut Above by Verve), Threading Water Punch (Fiskars), 1" Green Grosgrain Ribbon, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Bling, Dimensionals


 

New Mercies

Love this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch and it's one I'm sure to use again.

Unfortunately, I am in need of a few sympathy cards, and this is the first one to be created.  One of my blog followers, Sharon Jones, lost her husband last week to a pulmonary embolism.  My heart aches for her and her thirteen year old son.

I immediately reached for Verve's New Mercies set as I just love this verse in Hebrews - such a powerful verse.  I over stamped the leaf image to pull in the pink from the paper and added a pink button and a bow to fulfill my "rule of three".  Hoping this brings them some comfort.  If anyone else knows Sharon and would like to send her a card, just let me know and I can forward you her address. 

Spring break has been great so far, with a nice balance of house jobs/chores getting done and fun times together.  We played Wii Sports doubles in tennis the other night and it was so much fun!  Biggest hazard was trying to to get hit by your partner as they swung their Wii remote to hit the ball!  Then on to the Wii Sports fitness challenge and I am proud to say this old gal scored an age of 29 - oh yah :)   No old mama here - just a fierce competitor LOL!

Have a fabulous day!



What's In It?
Stamps:  New Mercies (Verve), French Script (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  Garden Florals (Recollections - Michael's), Kraft
Ink:  Black and Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up), VersaMark
Accessories:  Scalloped Trimmed Trio Die Set (Verve), 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 5/8" Pink Grosgrain Ribbon, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Sketch #179

It has been way too long since I've played along with Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge so it was time to rectify the issue.   Think the round circle sucked me in wink, wink.  Always love it when there is a big circle to play around with on a sketch as there are so many possibilities.  Since I loved this week's Colour Q I paired the two challenges for this card.  

Initially, I was aiming to use some leaves as these colours just scream fall, but then I decided to continue on with my inadvertent theme this week -  verses that have been turned into songs.

Psalm 46:10 is one of my favorite verses.  Think I've said the same thing about the verses I have used on my last two cards...what can I say...I have quite a few favorite verses :)  Love that Verve has them as Plain Janes!

This verse speaks to me often, especially when catch myself running on life's hamster wheel.  As a kid I used to love watching what happened when our hamsters could no longer run on their wheel due to exhaustion.  They couldn't get off because the wheel was spinning too quickly so they had to stop running, hang on for dear life, and let the momentum they had generated take them for a few loops around the wheel.  Once the wheel stopped, they were able to walk away.  Oh how true this is of real life!  Note to self:  Get off the wheel before you are exhausted so you don't get thrown for a loop ;)

There you have it, a little insight into my world.  Just don't think of me as a hamster very time you see my name and I'll be good LOL!

Have a great day everyone :) 


What's In It?
Stamps:  Psalm 46:10 Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Springtime (Echo Park), Mini Dot (Simple Stories), Kraft, Cameo Coral 
Ink:  Black 
Accessories:  Scalloped Trim Trio, Loopy Bloom and Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders),  Felt, Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Joy to the World The Lord Is Come

I loved Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch this week as the large circle provided endless opportunities.  Of course, I jumped at the chance to take the sketch literally and used a snowflake.

Dug into my I Believe MME papers again and used this fun paper.   Just love this Verve Plain Jane sentiment.  Yes, you guessed right - that big, bold "joy" is what I love about it.  I over stamped the cross as Christmas and Easter go hand in hand.  Though Easter is not as "pleasant" a celebration, it brings me great joy through the proclamation of prophecies and promises fulfilled.  The joy keeps pouring in :)  

Rest of the card is self expalanatory.  Hang in there with the snowflakes...soon enoguh it will be hearts, hearts and more hearts wink, wink!


Wishing you great joy today!  

  

What's In It?
Stamps:  Joy to the World Plain Jane (Verve), French Script Background (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  I Believe (MME), Old Olive, Early Espresso, Burgundy 
Ink: Black, Old Olive
Accessories:  Lacy Circle Nesties, Script Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Snowflake Punch (Martha Stewart), Square Punch, Buttons, 5/8" Sheer Burgundy Ribbon (Michael's), Buttons, Gold Twine, Glue Dots, Bling, Dimensionals

Shamrocks Are Multiplying

 
One more St. Patrick's Day card for you using this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch.  I changed the squares to circles because IMHO shamrocks look better on circles and I kept things rather simple as it is going to a male.  Know there is a bow on there, but he can handle it LOL!

I've had so much fun working with all the greens on these St. Patrick day cards (for those that don't know, it is my favorite colour and pairing it with kraft makes it even more fun).  Makes my heart sing -- and be glad it is just my heart that's singing, otherwise it would be a sad, sad, situation LOL!   Yes, tin buckets and I get along very well thank you ;)

Love the fact there are various shamrock sizes and matching dies to this Verve set!  Julee is the bestest :)    

Have a glorious day and a great weekend!



What's In It?
Stamps: Lucky You (Verve) 
Paper: Sonoma Fall Oak (Scenic Route), Wild Wasabi, Kraft 
Ink: Garden Green, Black 
Accessories:  1 3/8" and 1 1/4" Circle Punches, Shamrock Die (Verve), SU Border Punch, 5/8" White Satin Ribbon, Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Singing Sweet Sunday Sketch

This week's Sweet Sunday Sketch was the perfect layout to make a thank you card for my daughter's piano teacher who I absolutely adore.  She is not only an amazing teacher, but she loves her students dearly, pushes them to their potential in a way that suits their personality and exposes them to music festivals and other wonderful piano experiences such as scale competitions for medals and bringing in an adjudicator to listen and give feedback on each student's piano exam pieces prior to their exams so they can fine tune things that much more.  Sorry for the long, run on sentence!  The fruits of her labour are very evident not only in my daughter's piano playing, but in the playing skills of all her students.  Love working at our church's VBS with her in the summer as I think we have more fun than the kids do!! Shhhhh.....!!!

On to the card!  I don't have a musical note die (note to self: get one!) so the last time I was at one of the scrap booking stores I frequent, I punched out a few on their die cut machine so I would have a stash to use on cards for musical friends and music teachers.

As a bonus, I picked up this musical score embossing folder for a steal last year and it was the perfect background.   A touch of pink made the card a bit more feminine and some pearls and bling glammed it up a bit :).

Then came the hiccup.  When I showed the card to my daughter, she promptly told me no such note exists!   Humph...I tried it without the dot and it just didn't work, so I went with artistic license rather than music etiquette LOL!  My apologies to all the musicians out there.  Can't wait to tell Candace the story behind the card ;-)

Off to help out with my son's class' year end party field trip to the bowling alley and then the park for a picnic lunch and some games.  Thankfully the weather is cooperating - yeah!   Have a great day and beware of erroneous notes LOL!




Challenge:  Your Next Stamp Challenge


What's In It?
Paper: Black, Rose Romance
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle and Circle Nesties, Die Cut Music Note, Musical Embossing Folder, Crimper, Half Perals, Bling, Dimensionals

Whoooo Is Thinking Of You?

This week's ColorQ had some fun, bright colours!  I just loved the inspiration picture and immediately wanted to use my new Stampin' Up owl punch (yes, I'm a bit slow...but when one has a tight budget, better late than never is the key!).  I combined this week's colours with Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch as the layout was perfect for the owl.

Since I didn't have any Soft Suede I had to sub in a different brown - think it may be Really Rust.  I pulled out my scalloped scissors to make rows of "feathers" on the owl (just don't look too closely as they aren't quite even!) and added a black branch for a bit of pop against all the bright colours.

Still in love with PTI's Polka Dot Basics II so I VersaMarked large dots on the Melon Mambo panel and embossed the main image panel with Tim Holtz's wood grain embossing folder for some "tree texture".  Love this folder!  My list of addictions is expanding LOL!

I'm beginning to tremble at the thought of just three and a half weeks of school left and the fact that my "baby" girl will be moving on to high school next year!  Think I'll pull a Scarlet O'Hara and "think about it tomorrow"!




What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Circular Sayings
Paper:  Melon Mambo. Crushed Curry, Really Rust, Pumpkin Pie
Ink: Black
Accessories: (Stampin' Up) Owl Punch, Scalloped Circle Punch, Circle Punch, Bird Punch, Tim Holtz Wood Grain Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder, Sheer Brown Polka Dotted Ribbon, Button, Scalloped Scissors, Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Sweet Sunday Flowers For Mom

I just loved Karen's Sweet Sunday sketch this week.  Nice and simple with lots of options to "dress it up" as much or as little as you want to.  My kind of sketch :)  I opted to keep it rather simple and love the clean feel to this card.

I pulled out the fabulous flower image in Close As A Memory from Stampin' Up.  Just love this flower spray and it is great for Mother's Day cards.  I paired it with this delightful pink and white polka dotted DP which I bought up when it was on clearance at Michael's a year or so ago.  A lacy nestie framed the flowers fabulously and some ribbon and a butterfly with bling finished things off.    I love the fresh feel of this card and hope you do too :)

We have another sunny day today and it feeeeeeels good...nanananana, just like it should.....nananana, sorry, couldn't resist LOL!   Sunshine is making me giddy :)   Have a good one! 




What's In It?
Stamps: (Stampin' Up) Thoughts and Prayers and Fancy Flexible Phrases 
Paper:  Making Memories DP, Lavender Lace, So Saffron
Ink: Positively Pink, Certainly Celery
Accessories:  Corner Rounder, Lacy Circle and Circle  Nesties, Martha Stewart Butterfly Punch, Bling, 5/8" Saffron Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals

Creating a Sweet Sunday Sketch For Fun

So nice to be able to play along with Karen's Sweet Sunday sketch this week.  I have been a fan of her sketches for a long time now and it is wonderful to have the time to play along this week :)

I combined her sketch with the CR84FN colour challenge and A La Card challenge to use nature on your card.  Just love the colour pallet Mona chose for this week - they make my heart sing :)   If you have been around my blog at all you know I love green and these neutrals are right up my alley too :)


I found this great Echo Park DP on clearance at an LSS (it is the flip side of some icky Halloween paper!) and paired it with Early Espresso and Kraft.  The colours scream nature to me and since leaves were the first thing that came to mind out came my Studio G leaf image again - love this image :)   A few embossed panels, buttons, cut out leaves and I was good to go.

It was so fun to sit and create all by my lonesome today.  The quiet was blissful LOL!  Kids are in school, job for hubby is done, and I have some time all to myself after two months of craziness.  Happy sigh :)

Thanks for joining me today.  Hope to be back tomorrow with another card.



What's In It?
Stamps: (Verve) Wishing You, Studio G

Paper: Kraft, Wild Wasabi, Early Espresso
Ink: Garden Green, Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  Martha Stewart Modern Garland Punch, Swiss Dots and Distressed Stripes Embossing Folders, Scalloped Circle Nesties, Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Half Pearls, Dimensionals