Just Us Girls #223 - Techniqiue Challenge

This week's paper piecing technique challenge is hosted by Sharyn.  Paper piecing is a great way to get around colouring images -- says I the non-colourer LOL!

I haven't used this fabulous Better With You set by Verve for some time and it is perfect for paper piecing the cups.  I used some older, Stella and Rose, MME papers (still love them) and the sleeves on the cups part of actual Starbuck's sleeves which I cut to fit.  Two dies from the Flag It die set were used for the sentiments and I "attached" t hem with faux stitching.  Needless to say, I am desperately craving a decaf, non-fat latte right about now!!

The sketch is this week's Viva La Verve sketch and I just love it.  In case you haven't heard, the VLV challenge has been moved to a blog format and you can find it here.  The sketch challenge is posted every Friday, and every Tuesday, one of the Diva's will be doing a recap and posting a few of her favorite cards for that week's sketch.  In addition, you no longer have to complete all the sketches in a given month to be eligible to win, but the more you complete the better your chances of winning a $100 gift certificate to the Verve Store!

Sorry, got sidelined there wink, wink.  The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our January  Guest Designer Geraldine Bailly, have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've 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.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

I am looking forward to a bit of a sleep in Saturday as we had to readjust our body clocks to school time this past week.  Do it to myself every year, but the late night reading in bed is worth it LOL!  Have a fabulous weekend! 



 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Better With You, Sip and Savour (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Stella and Rose (My Mind's Eye) Real Red, Vanilla (Stampin' Up), Starbuck's Coffee Sleeve
Ink:  Black   
Accessories:  Flag It Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Threading Water Punch (Fiskars), Circle Nestabilites (Spellbinders), Seeing Spots Embossing Folder, Twine, Button, Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

From Our House To Yours

Welcome to a brand new year of Viva La Verve Sketches. This year, VLV is moving from the SCS forum to a blog format and you can find the new blog HERE.

For our kick off sketch, we are also including the option of a colour combination. You can use just the sketch, just the colours or both.  Love having options :)

Looks like I made my very first Christmas card of 2014 LOL!  This paper from We R Memory Keepers North Pole paper pack matched the colour combination fabulously, and the log cabins were a great fit for this sentiment from Holiday Treats. 

I fudged the sketch just a bit (sshhhh...) as I added snowflakes in lieu of the tilted panels and the tab -- red ones at that none-the-less!  Hey, if you are going down you may as well go down in flames right {grin}!

The VLV sketch format remains the same.  If you complete all the sketches in a given month (there are five this month!) and add link them up on the Entry Form over on the new Viva La Verve blog you will be entered in the random draw to win a $100 gift certificate to Verve Stamps!  Deadline to have all your entries for the January VLV challenges uploaded is February 6th. 

Thanks for stopping by and can't wait to see what you create!



What's In It?
Stamps:   Holiday Treats (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  North Pole (We R Memory Keepers), Early Espresso, Real Red, Old Olive (Stampin' Up)

Ink: Black 
Accessories:   Holly Die (PTI), Snowflake Punch (Martha Stewart), Crimper (Fiskars), Red and Brown Half Pearls (Michael's), 3/5" White Grosgrain Ribbon (Michael's Ribbon Bin), Dimensionals

 

Mojo Monday #327

Welcome to the first Mojo Monday sketch of 2014 and the first Mojo Monday sketch of the  month, which means it's contest week!  For every 50 entries, there will be one winner, and each winner will  be able to select a Verve Stamps set of their choice.  

Moving on from Christmas has brought me to Valentine's Day and the use of one of my favorite shapes - hearts!

Out come my Jotted Heart die which I used to cut out the polka dotted heart.  Then I glued the die cut to some Basic Grey paper and hand cut around it to make a small grey mat.  Used the Banner Bundle die set to create the banner on to which I stamped this fabulously fonted "love" from Love Notes.  The secondary sentiment is from Stronger Love and is stamped on one of the dies from the Flag It die set.  The heart die from the Scalloped Trim Trio set added a little something to the left side.  Some sheer ribbon and touches of bling called it a card.

You can check out all the challenge details over on the Mojo Monday blog and also get a chance to view all the wonderful Mojo Makers samples.  Should you wish more details on the Mojo Maker's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below.
 

Carole Burrage

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (you are here)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Kids are back in school today and our lazy, sleep in mornings are no more.  Was a bit of a harsh reality having to get up at 6:30 today LOL!  Sure we will all be dragging a bit as we switch our time clocks, but I am ready to move into 2014 with a vengeance.  I got a TRX for Christmas and will be getting some weights for my birthday later this month and plan to get into the best shape I've been in for a long time :)  The Go Fit Gals plans I have been using are amazing and have provided some excellent work outs and clean eating recipes.  Would highly recommend it to anyone who wants results!  I have worked out for most of my life and this program is one of they best.  If you have any questions about it, just send me an e-mail or check out their site.  If you sign up for any, let them know I sent you ;)   All that to say, I'm going to be a fit and firm mama in her fifties this year :) 


 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Stronger Love, Love Notes (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Yours Truly (Echo Park), Basic Grey, Going Grey (Stampin' Up) 
Ink: Black  
Accessories:  Jotted Heart, Flag It, Scalloped Trim Trio Dies Set and Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), 5/8" Red Sheer Ribbon (Michael's), Bling, Dimensionals  

Verve January Diva Inspirtion Hop

Welcome to Verve's January Diva Inspirations Hop.  It's the 5th of the month and that means it's hopping time!  This year we're spicing up our monthly hops with the addition of a challenge! So in addition to a comment prize hidden along the hop, you can play along with the challenge and link up your creation for a chance to win another prize! Woohoo!

Our January challenge is:



The year is shiny and new, so let's add shimmer and shine to our cards.
Think glitter, sequins, rhinestones, pearls, heat embossing - anything with some gloss.

If you have come here from Teresa's blog you are right on track.  If you just happened on to the hop, you can start from the top and work your way through (see hop list below).

I went pretty wild with the shimmer and shine LOL but it was great fun.  Thanks to my local dollar store I got some wonderful sparkly red and silver paper which got put to good use.  I used a die from the Wavy Hearts set and the sentiment is from Verve's Stronger Love.  A touch of black seam binding and some added bling maxed out the shimmer and shine side of things ;)    

One lucky commenter along the hop will win a prize, so make sure to leave a comment on each of the participating Diva's posts to increase your chances of winning!  You can check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines. 

Below is the full hop list if you need it, otherwise just hop on over to Charmaine's blog.

 

	1. Sarah	10. Tiffany
	2. Amy	11. Maureen
	3. Anya	12. Stacey
	4. Betty	13. Amber
	5. Jessica	14. Teresa
	6. Karen	15. Marisa
	7. Sankari	16. Charmaine
	8. Sony	17. Verve Blog
	9. Susan

NEW CHALLENGE BLOG!

At the end of January, Verve will be closing their member company forum on Splitcoaststampers.  As part of that transition, we have moved our Viva la Verve Sketch challenge to a blog!  It's clean and fresh and bursting with inspiration, so be sure to head on over and play along.  We'll be highlighting our favorite cards from the entries each Tuesday, so be sure to link up if you're crafting the weekend away!

Love will soon be in the air and in the aisles and everywhere you go, so Verve is having a 30% off sale on in stock love themed sets and dies through the end of January!

  

What's In It? Stamps:  Stronger Love (Verve Stamps)
Paper:   Red and Silver Sparkly Paper (Local Dollar Store), Black 
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Wavy Hearts Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Black Beauty Seam Binding (Verve Stamps), Bling (Michael's), Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

Just Us Girls #222 - Sketch Challenge

 

Welcome to our first challenge of 2014!  This week's sketch is hosted by Nancy.  

I dug out MME's In Bloom paper pack, a PTI doily and heart from recycle bin and added a button and some flowers.  The sentiment is from Verve's Words Cannot Express set (love the sentiments in this set and the font was a perfect fit for the paper).

The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our January  Guest Designer Geraldine Bailly , have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've 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.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Planning on enjoying our last weekend before school starts again and life gets back into full swing.  It's been one of the best Christmas vacations we have ever had and I will remember it fondly for years to come :) 


 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Words Cannot Express (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  In Bloom (My  Mind's Eye), Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up)  
Ink: Black   
Accessories:  Wavy Hearts Die (Verve Stamps), Doily Die (PTI), Crimper (Fiskars), Paper Roses (Recollections), Button, Hemp Twine (My Favorite Things), White Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Diva Dare ~ January 2014

Welcome to the first Diva Dare of 2014! This month's Dare is entitled "Smitten".  I just love that word - makes me smile every time I hear it :)   

This month the Verve Divas are daring you to make a card or project with a heart, whether it’s for the one you love, a sweet Valentine or a lunch note for a child.  Let's get smitten :)

I used a VLV sketch from December's rewind sketches as it was perfect for this challenge.  The papers are from MME's Love Me pack.  I used Verve's Wavy Hearts, Heart Quartet, Pennant Trim and Flag It die sets on my card (can you tell I like Verve dies wink, wink).  

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:   Stronger Love (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Love Me (My Mind's Eye), Going Grey, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Rose Romance (Stampin' Up) 
Ink: Black 
Accessories:   Wavy Hearts, Heart Quartet, Flag It and Pennant Trim Die Sets (A Cut Above by Verve), Love Die (WPlus9),  Crimper (Fiskars), Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, White Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Year in Review: October - December

This is the final installment of my year in review.  This one is a bit longer as I just couldn't narrow it down more LOL!

October 2013

I just loved the clean lines of this card and the colour combo.

Oh how I love the colours of fall and using my leaf dies!

Great verse and love the papers.

November 2013

 

A big old snowflake and my favorite Christmas word!  Such a fun card :)

Starbuck's sleeves are so handy LOL!

 

Absolutely adore this paper and of course, hearts always make me happy.

Stretched myself a bit with this card and love all that white space!

Oh how I love this colour combo and this fabulous stitched tree!

I had such a fun time paper piecing this little guy!

December 2013 

Love this colour combo and this Verve tree die!

 

Love this sentiment and had such fun creating the bow/bell accent.

 

My favorite Christmas paper pad of 2013 and a heart/snowflake combo makes me happy.

There you have it, my year in review.  So many wonderful memories of cards made, sketches used and joy sent to friends :)   Just love this amazing hobby which has enabled me to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world and which provides such a great venue to show people you care by creating a card for them.

 

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Smitten

First of all, Happy New Year everyone!!  We are starting 2014 off with our first Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge of the New Year entitled "Smitten".  This time round, Linnie Blooms is our sponsor, and the LEAD of the Smitten challenge will receive a gift certificate to their store!

We were graciously provided with some gelatos for this challenge and I was eager to try them out as I have never used them before.  My mixed media, card making friends are no doubt gasping at that fact LOL!  

I started out by embossing some polka dots on to white card stock. Then I created three ribbons of colour across the dots using the gelatos (there is a blue stripe in the middle, honest!), wet my finger, and then blended the gelatos into the paper.  They dissolve wonderfully with water and create a fabulous watercolour effect.  Next, I embossed a word background stamp on the heart die and repeated the process using just a yellow gelato.  It was great fun using this medium and technique -- finger painting at its best LOL! 

You can check out all the challenge details over on the Curtain Call Inspirations Challenge and also get a chance to view all the wonderful Curtain Call Crew and guest designer samples!  Should you wish more details on the Curtain Call Crew's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below.

 

Lesley Croghan, Guest Designer

Amber Kroening

Barb Murphy

Christina MacLaren

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Laurie Willison

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

You have until January 10th at 8:00 a.m. CST to complete a new card/project using the inspiration picture and linking it up accordingly.  The Lead and Show Stoppers will be announced on January 14th.

 
 
What's In It? 
Stamps:   We Connect (Paper Smooches), By Definition Background Stamp (Stampin' Up)
Paper:  Black, Cool Caribbean (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black, VersaMark
Accessories:   Gelatos (Linnie Blooms), Jotted Heart Die (Verve Stamps), Notebook Edge Die (My Favorite Things), Crimper (Fiskars), Washi Tape, Heart Clip, Button, Twine, Black Half Pearls, Glue Dots, Dimensionals 

Year In Review: July - September

Welcome to Day 3 of my year in review.

July 2013

Loved this Mojo Monday sketch.

Love the citrus colours on this card.

A fabulous verse to cling to.

August 2013

This was such a unique sketch I had to try it and I used one of my favorite colour combos of pink and green.

Love this sentiment and the fun papers.

 

This card just makes me happy. Love the fun papers and colour combo.

September 2013

These Clearly Besotted sunflowers are so much fun to use!  Love them!

Love using fall colours and these Verve pumpkins are so fun.

 

Love this Stampin' Up set and the grid technique is such a fun one to use on a card.

Three days down and one to go.  Back on January 2nd for my final year in review post.  Have a safe and Happy New Year's!