Verve Stamps Holiday Release ~ Day 2

Welcome back to Day 2 of Verve's November 2014 Spotlight Hops!  The Verve Divas and special guests are back for another day of spotlighting the new holiday release!  Everything previewed this week will be available in the Verve online store on Thursday, 11/20. So come hop along with us and see what's new at Verve!

If you have come here from Chaitali's blog you are right on track.  If  you just happened upon the blog, today's hop list is a bit lower down.

Today's spotlight is shining on the Pinecone Christmas set illustrated by Chaitali Narla and the coordinating Poinsettia Pinecones Die Set.

I went with another traditional card today using this wonderful pine cone image.  I love pinecones!  A pinecone wreath decorates one of our doors and huge pinecones on red ribbons hang from various places for decoration at Christmas.

I used the Flourished Trim Die to create the bottom border, stamped a snowflake from Merry and Bright in VersaMark and added a half pearls to the centers for a little something to the red panel.  I stamped the pine bough, popped up the pinecones, added this fabulous mix of solid and scripted word sentiment, and a few sequins from the Holiday Sequin Mix for a little something, something.  A touch of gold twine finished things off nicely.



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 today for a little more about our new products and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee	7. Charmaine
2. Laurie	8. Stacey
3. Chaitali	9. Teresa
4. Marisa	10. Andrea
5. Amber	12. Nancy
6. Diana

Time to hop on over to Amber's blog to see what wonderful card creation she has for us today.   Then  make sure to come back tomorrow for Day 3 of our Holiday Release Hop!

What's In It?
Stamps:  Pinecone Christmas (Verve Stamps)   
Paper:  Kraft, Real Red, Forrest Foliage (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Forrest Foliage, VersaMark (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Flourished Trim Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Crimper (Fiskars), White Half Pearls, 1/4" Moss Satin Ribbon, Gold Twine (Michael's)

Verve Stamps Holiday Release / Mojo Monday #372

Welcome to Verve's November 2014 Spotlight Hops!  Over the next few days the Verve Divas and special guests will be spotlighting 3 new sets, a Plain Jane and 2 coordinating die sets! Everything previewed this week will be available in the Verve online store on Thursday, 11/20. So come hop along with us and see what's new at Verve!

If you have come here from Chaitali's blog you are right on track.  If  you just happened upon the blog, today's hop list is a bit lower down.

Today's spotlight is shining on the Light My World set illustrated by Chaitali Narla and the new Holiday Sequin Mix

Today's set is a wonderful set which covers Christmas, Hanukkah and Nirwali.  I went with a traditional Christmas theme for my card, using this beautiful candle and poinsettia image along with the traditional Christmas colours of red and green.  A little gold string was tossed in for some sparkle as well as a few sequins from the new Holiday Sequin Mix.  Let the Christmas card making begin!



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 today for a little more about our new products, an introduction of our 2 fabulous guest divas, and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee 7. Charmaine 2. Laurie 8. Stacey 3. Chaitali 9. Teresa 4. Marisa 10. Andrea 5. Amber 11. Nancy 6. Diana

Time to hop on over to Amber's blog to see what wonderful card creation she has for us today.   Then  make sure to come back tomorrow for Day 2 of our Holiday Release Hop!

What's In It?
Stamps:  Light My World (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Authentique (Wonder "Expectation"), Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Kraft (Stampin' Up), Cream Linen
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Scallope Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scalloped Border Punch (Stampin' Up), Twinkling H2Os, Cream Half Pearls, Gold Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals  

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Pin Cushion

We have a new sponsor, STAMPlorations, for the Curtain Call Inspiration: Pin Cushion!  A randomly selected participant in the Pin Cushion challenge will receive a $15 gift certificate to use at  STAMPlorations, while the LEAD will be invited as a Guest Designer in a future challenge!

I honed in on the red and teal colour combination as it was perfect for a Christmas Tag and it was a great way to play along with fellow Crew Member Tracey's 25 Days of Christmas Tags challenge.

I used Reverse Confetti`s Tag Die, WPlus9's "joy" die, Cuttlebug's Snowflake die, stamped some background dots using PTI's Polka Dot Basics and finished things off with a touch of bling.

Make sure you visit each of the designers' blogs for more inspiration!

Pin Cushion Designers

Guest Designer, Melody Rupple

Amy Sheffer

Amy Tsuruta

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Lisa Henke

Marisa Ritzen

Monika Davis

Sarah Gough

Sheri Gilson

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

Follow us!

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge Facebook Page

Curtain Call Pinterest Boards

Stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Pin Cushion for the challenge details and to play along with us!

What's In It?
Stamps:   Polka Dot Basics (PTI)
Paper:  Taken wtih Teal, Real Red, Going Grey (Stampin' Up)  
Ink:   VersaMark 
Accessories:   Tag Die (Reverse Confetti), Snowflake Die (Cuttlebug), Joy Die (WPlus9), 1/4" Red Satin Ribbon, 3/8" White Grosgrain Ribbon, Bling

Viva La Verve November Week 1 Sketch Recap

First and foremost, with today being Remembrance Day, I want to say a HUGE thank you to every person who has served, protecting their country, and the freedom of others.  Your sacrifice, as well as that of your family, is greatly appreciated and respected.  A personal shout out to my husband's nephew who has done two tours in Afghanistan and continues to serve our country today.  We love you, Andrew!    

Now back to the post.  It's time for a little Viva La Verve recap for November's Week 1 sketch.  I adore the optional colour combination Julee selected for this week - delicious, earthy colours and perfect for Christmas too :)


Speaking of Christmas, it's time to get going on a few more cards so I have enough to mail and hand out, and thus my Christmas themed card.

I had the perfect mix of papers for the colour combination and used Joyous Noel for my sentiment and poinsettias.  A few gold half pearls and a gold bow called it a card.

Want to see which cards I spotlighted for this week's sketch?  Then head on over to the Viva La Verve blog to find out!

 

What's In It?
Stamps:   Joyous Noel (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Cozy Christmas (Simple Stories), Candy Cane (Teresa Collins), Bravo Burgundy, Forrest Foliage, Kraft (Stampin' Up)  
Ink:  Black, VersaMark 
Accessories:   Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities, Crimper (Fiskars), Gold Half Pearls, Gold Twine (Michael's), Button, Dimensionals

Mojo Monday #371

Time for another Mojo Monday sketch and today's has a big panel you can have lots of fun with.

I just "had" to use these fabulous 'Tis The Season papers by MME which I got on clearance after Christmas last year.  Nothing like having to wait 11 months to use something LOL!

I added a banner using one of the dies from the Banner Bundle Die Set and gleefully used this fabulous "joy" sentiment.  Couldn't wait to use this fabulous poinsettia die either and it was a perfect fit for the circle element on the sketch.

All the challenge details are over on the Mojo Monday blog and you can also 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

Chipped away at my Christmas shopping this weekend and am just about done -- please don't be mad at me!!  Over the years, I have found getting it done early (mid-November) eases much of the stress surrounding the Season (this year all the more as I'm now working part time).  With less stress, I can fully focus and drink deeply of the glorious celebration and meaning of Christmas.

Wishing you a fabulous week, and thanks so much for stopping by today :)

What's In It?
Stamps:  Christmas Joy (Verve Stamps)   
Paper:  'Tis The Season (Echo Park), Black, Real Red (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Poinsettia Die (Spellbinders), 5/8" Black Satin Ribbon, White Half Pearls, Glue Dot, Dimensioanls

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Boho Bright Reminder

Time for the Curtain Call Boho Bright reminder post.  Before you think I totally went off the deep end with this challenge, I decided one card out of my comfort zone with the main three colours of the inspiration photo was enough LOL.  That lead me to focus on the picture hanging on the wall and to go with that colour scheme instead - happy sigh wink, wink.

I used Jen's Deconstructed Sketch and papers from MME's Stella and Rose (loved this paper line) as they were the perfect match for what I needed.  The sentiment is from Verve's Treasured Words - one of my favorite sentiment sets as there is one for all sorts of occasions.

I couldn't totally disregard the bright, magenta curtain that takes up half the inspiration picture, so in honor of it, I added a few touches of purple which I found in the hanging picture on the wall.

Love for you to come and play along with us!

What's In It?
Stamps:   Treasured Words (Verve Stamps)   
Paper:  Stella and Rose (My Mind's Eye)
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangles (Lil' Inkers), Tag Die (PTI), Scalloped Punch (Stampin' Up), 5/8" Purple Grosgrain Ribbon, Twine, Button, Purple Half Pearl, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Diva Dare - November 2014

This month's Diva Dare is entitled "Vellum Visions".  Soft and classy, vellum always makes a big impression.  This months we are daring you to add some vellum to your card or project.

I love white on white cards and had a winter wonderland concept in my mind for this month's Diva Dare.  I hand cut my "snow banks" and used both the embossed and debossed side of my Swiss Dots embossing folder to create some texture difference between the two snow banks.  Next, I used the Christmas tree die from the Winter Fun set to cut out five vellum trees and arranged them on my hills, making one a 3D tree for some dimension and interest.

My brilliant idea of making vellum trees was not so brilliant when I realized I had to glue the trees on without it showing - ugh!  I ended up using mini, bling glue dots I got at Michael's and cutting them a small as possible while still retaining some adhesion.  Think they are pretty invisible unless you look reeeeally closely (okay, you can stop looking for them any time LOL).  A few bling centered snowflakes and silver cording along the bottom added a touch of colour and sparkle to my winter wonderland, and I added a small tag using "joy" from Inspire Hope as it is my favorite Christmas word.

In true Verve fashion, where there is a 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 - particularly timely as Verve just has it's big Anniversary Release!  Simply head on over to the Verve Blog to get all the challenge details!

What's In It?
Stamps:  Inspire Hope (Verve Stamps)
Paper:   White, Vellum   
Ink:  Silver
Accessories:   Winter Fun Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Tiny Tags (PTI), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder (Provo Craft), Snowflake Punch (Martha Stewart), Bling, Silver Cording and Bling Glue Dots (Michael's), Dimensionals 

Verve October 2014 Inspiration Hop

Welcome to Verve's November Diva Inspirations Hop. It's the 5th of the month and that means it's time for the Divas to serve up some fresh inspiration with their Verve stamps!  If you have come here from Stacey's blog you are right on track.  If you just happened upon the hop, you can see the hop list below to get caught up.

Leave some comment love along the hop spots for a chance to win a prize, then grab some stamps and play along with our November inspiration challenge for another chance to win!

This month's challenge is entitled Naturally Navy:

Classic, bold, timeless...navy is naturally elegant! Go nautical or pair with neutrals for a creation sure to impress.

I was thrilled to trip across this wide, striped paper as it was perfect for the inspiration photo.  Verve's Strong Anchor set and matching Nautical Die Set did the rest of the work for me LOL!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines!

	1. Amy	7. Sarah
	2. Anya	8. Sony
	3. Betty	9. Maureen
	4. Jen	10. Stacey
	5. Karen	11. Marisa
	6. Sankari

Trust you enjoyed all the fabulous inspiration by the Divas and it got your mojo a hummin' and ready to play along with us.

What's In It?
Stamps:   Strong Anchor (Verve Stamps)  
Paper:  Down by the Shore (Fancy Pants), Kraft (Stampin' Up), Cream Linen
Ink:  Black, VersaMark 
Accessories:  Anchor Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Twine, Dimensionals

Mojo Monday #370

It's the first Monday of the month and that means it's  contest time over on the Mojo Monday blog.   With two recent releases and Christmas coming, the timing could not be better wink, wink!

I am continuing on my quest to use up old papers and thus Lime Twist has come out to play today.  The sentiment is the Psalm 34:8 Plain Jane and the cupcake is from Small Packages.  A fun pop of colour and a tasty treat in the midst of a dreary day here.

All the challenge details are over on the Mojo Monday blog and you can also 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

This past weekend was one of my favorite of the year. Why you ask?  Mostly because I got an extra hour of sleep LOL!  My body functions best on eight hours of sleep a night, and it is tough to get those sleep hours in more times than not, so when I can catch up a bit, I am one happy camper!  What can I say?  Its' the small things in life that give me great joy :)   Hoping you enjoyed your extra hour of sleep too! 
 

What's In It?
Stamps:  Psalm 34:8 Plain Jane, Small Packages (Verve Stamps)   
Paper:  Lime Twist (My Mind's Eye), Basic Grey (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Scalloped Border Punch (Stampin' Up), Crimper (Fiskars), Twinkling H2Os, Twine, Button, Glue Dot, Dimensioanls

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Boho Bright

It's time for another Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge.  This week our sponsor for the Curtain Call Inspiration: Boho Bright is Verve Stamps - a perfect match wink, wink :) A randomly selected participant in the Boho Bright challenge will receive a $30 Gift Certificate from Verve Stamps, while the LEAD will be invited as a Guest Designer in a future challenge!

These colours are far from my "norm" but they were great fun to work with, especially with Verve's newly released Masquerade set.  Just adore the fun masks and matching dies!  I immediately think of Mardis Gras, bright colours, beads and feathers when I see them so that is the theme I went with.

I cut two masks in magenta, stamped the one with the matching die in black and then layered them to get a bit of depth to the mask.  Added two sets of feathers with some Stickles on them and some beads.  The background was created by stamping the star image in VersaMark.

Boho Bright Designers

Guest Designer, Hannelie Bester 

Amy Kolling
Amy Sheffer
Amy Tsuruta
Gayatri Murali
Kim Singdahlsen
Laurie Willison
Lisa Henke
Marisa Ritzen
Maureen Plut
Monika Davis
Sarah Gough
Sheri Gilson
Stacey Schafer
Tenia Nelson
Tracey McNeely

Stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Boho Bright for the challenge details and to play along with us!

Thanks for popping by and hope you can play along with us!

Challenges:  The Pink Elephant
 

 

What's In It?
Stamps:  Masquerade (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Brilliant Blue, Marvelous Magenta, Yoyo Yellow, Basic Black (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black, Marvelous Magenta, VersaMark (Stampin' Up) 
Accessories:  Mask Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Crimper (Fiskars), Black Half Pearls, Stickles, Dimensionals