Mojo Monday #348

It's the first Monday of the month so it's contest time over at the Mojo Monday blog, and this is the fabulous sketch we get to work with.

I'm still in denial about the fact it is June!  Oh my!  Kids are out of school in three, short weeks - meep!!  So, I'm burying my head in some "card making sand" to forget about it for a while LOL!

Love this old, Lime Twist series by My Mind's Eye, and this this butterfly paper is one of my favorites (insert extreme hoarding wink, wink).  Paired it with two hearts and a button, and the sentiment is from Wishing You.  Love how you can build the sentiment you want in this set!

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.  

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (you are here)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Have fun using the sketch, and I look forward to seeing your creations.  Have a fabulous day!

Challenge:  Simon Says



What's In It?
Stamps:   Wishing You (Verve Stamps)
Paper:   Lime Twist (My Mind's Eye), Always Artichoke, Night of Navy (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Heart Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Crimper (Fiskars), Corner Rounder (Marvy), Button, Twine, Black Half Pearls, Pastel Sequin Mix (Verve Stamps), Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Something Simple

This week's Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge is entitled "Something Simple" and our sponsor is Unity Stamps.

The LEAD of this challenge will receive a package of goodies from Unity Stamps!

Loved this inspiration photo and jumped at the chance to make a white on white card.  I matted the image from Unity's Countryside Blooms with vellum to mimic the clear plate the rocks are on, scored the background to pick up the wood paneling and stamped the image in Going Grey for a nice, soft image.   The stitched frame and touch of clear sequins helped add a bit of dimension.

Something Simple Designers

Unity Designer, Stephanie Muzzelin

Amber Kroening

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Lisa Henke

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Sarah Gough

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

You have until June 10th to link your card up and the LEAD and Show Stoppers will be announced on June 14th.  We'd love you to stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Something Simple and play along with us!

Have a fabulous day!

Challenge:  Simon Says
 
 
 
What's In It? 
Stamps:   Countryside Blooms (Unity Stamps)
Paper:  White, Vellum
Ink:  Going Grey (Stampin' Up) 
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Stitched Rectangles (Lil' Inkers), Scor-Pal, Shine Bright Sequin Mix (Verve Stamps), Dimensionals

Verve May 2014 Spotlight Hop ~ Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of Verve's May 2014 Spotlight Hops!   If you have come here from Charmaine'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 Friday night, May 23rd.   

Today's featured sets are Be Blessed, Sprightly Springs Die Set, and the Luke 1:45 Plain Jane.  

Be Blessed is my favorite set of this release.  No surprise there as you know I love flowers, all the more when they are Verve flowers with matching dies and coordinating leaf dies.  Makes me swoon every time LOL!

I tripped across this tutorial on You Tube for making a "card in a box" and though I am not a  project person, this one caught my attention as I was looking for something special to make for my mom's 80th birthday.  I used both the solid and outline flowers from the set and cut them out with the coordinating Petal Point dies.  The Sprightly Springs dies provided the leaves, and I tossed in a few hearts from the Heart Quartet die as well.  From there, it was basically creating a bouquet from all the pieces.  Sure hope she likes it as I had great fun making it!

My second card uses the Luke 1:45 Plain Jane.  I just love Verve's Plain Janes!!  I used some K & Company papers, the Banner Bundle die set, a touch of lace and some butterflies to showcase this fabulous verse.



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!

Thursday, 5/22/14
Today's Prize: Be Blessed, Luke 1:45, Sprightly Sprigs Die Set 

1. Julee 8. Maureen 2. Charmaine 9. Jen 3. Marisa 10. Laurie S. 4. Teresa 11. Andrea 5. Chaitali 12. Christyne 6. Stacey 13. Sarah 7. Amber

 

Time to hop over to Teresa's blog to see her fabulous creation using today's showcased sets.  Tomorrow is our last day of hops and you want to come back for that one as there is a big prize up for grabs wink, wink :)

What's In It?

Happy 80th Birthday:
Stamps:   Be Blessed (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:   Dots and Stripes (Echo Park), Pretty in Pink, Mint Medley, Night of Navy, Creamy Caramel, Black (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Black, Night of Navy, Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:   Sprightly Springs, Petal Point and Heart Quartet Dies(A Cut Above by Verve), Border Numbers (PTI), Labels 18 and Heart Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Bird Punch (Stampin' Up), Scor-Pal, Black, and White Half Pearls, Bling, Black Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Double Sided Tape,  Dimensionals  

Luke 1:45 Plain Jane:
Stamps:   Luke 1:45 Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:   Brenda Walton Madeline (K & Company, Always Artichoke, Basic Grey, (Stampin' Up), Cream Linen
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Banner Bundle Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Scalloped Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Butterfly Punch (Martha Stewart), Ribbon, Black and White Half Pearls, Dimensionals 

Verve May 2014 Spotlight Hop ~ Day 1

Welcome to Day 1, of Verve's May 2014 Spotlight Hops!   This week, we're excited to be spotlighting 3 new sets, 3 Plain Janes and a couple dies each day through Friday.  

If you have come here from Charmaine'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 Friday night, May 23rd.   

Today's features are:  Button Best, Proverbs 31:25 Plain Jane, and Pointed Petals Die Set. 

My first card uses one of the sentiments from Button Best.  Such a true statement about mothers no matter how old you are!

Keep coming back to this Cut and Paste paper from My Mind's Eye as I love the papers.  I die cut two Rounded Scalloped Frames and layered them askew to pick up both the pink and green.  A few sequins from the Pastel Sequin Mix and seam binding from Summer Sailing Ribbon Collection finished things off.

My second card uses the Proverbs 31:25 Plain Jane.  Love this verse as it is a part of one of my favorite passages -- Proverbs 31:10-31.

Park Bench papers by Fancy Pants were a perfect match for the colour challenge part of the first May Viva La Verve challenge.  I also used that week's sketch, along with the small butterfly from Blue Skies, matching All Aflutter die, a flower from Petals and Wings and matching Wings and Petals die, Dreamy Leaves die and a few sequins from the new Shine Bright Sequin Mix.



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, 5/20/14
Today's Prize: Button Best, Proverbs 31:25, Pointed Petals Die Set

1. Julee 8. Amber 2. Charmaine 9. Maureen 3. Marisa 10. Jen 4. Janelle 11. Laurie S. 5. Teresa 12. Andrea 6. Chaitali 13. Christyne 7. Stacey 14. Sarah

Time to hop over to Janelle's blog to see her fabulous creation using today's showcased sets.  Then make sure you come back tomorrow for our Day 2 Hop.

Challenges:  Simon Says

What's In It?

Button Best
Stamps:   Button Best (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:   Cut and Paste (My Mind's Eye), Mint Medley, Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Black   
Accessories:   Rounded Scalloped Frame Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Heart Quartet, Wavy Hearts, Elegant Leaves, Scalloped Trim Trio and Flag It Dies (A Cut Above by Verve), Doily (PTI), Crimper (Fiskars), Distressing Tool (Stampin' Up), Spring Fling Ribbon Collection (Verve), Twine, Buttons, Bling, Glue Dots, Dimensionals  

Proverbs 31:25
 Stamps:   Proverbs 31:15 Plain Jane (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:   Park Bench (Fancy Pants)
Ink: Black, More Mustard, Summer Sun, Going Grey (Stampin' Up)   
Accessories:   All Aflutter, Petals and Wings, Dreamy Leaves Die Sets (A Cut Above by Verve), Labels 18 Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Washi Tape, Button, Twine, Black Half Pearls, Shine Bright Sequin Mix (Verve Stamps), Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Precious Pajamas

This week's Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge is entitled "Confetti Crush" and our sponsor is The Cat's Pajamas!

The LEAD of this challenge will receive a $25 gift code to the The Cat's Pajamas store!

The Tweetest Things and matching dies were the fuel for my card this week.   Simply adore the big note die and the mix of musical notes and symbols in this set!  Perfect for any music teacher in your life.  Think I'll send it to my daughter's piano teacher as she is such a special person.  Even though my daughter is no longer able to take lessons due to the tendinitis in her wrists, we miss seeing her every week.  Thankfully, there is no nerve damage to my daughter's hands, but she needs to rest her wrists and let the inflammation subside, so piano playing is out of the question indefinitely :(

Pulled out a few goodies from my "discard pile", and this was the outcome.  Focused on the red in the inspiration photo but deviated to black instead of blue for my colour scheme as I just couldn't swallow a blue note LOL!  The card is outside my normal style, but I am quite enjoying it and had great fun creating it.   

Pajama Party Designers

The Cat's Pajamas Designer, Noelle McAdams 

Amber Kroening

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Laurie Willison

Lisa Henke

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Sarah Gough

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

You have until May 25th to link your card up and the LEAD and Show Stoppers will be announces on May 31st.  We'd love you to stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Pajama Party and play along with us!

Have a fabulous day!

Challenges:  Simon Says


 
 
What's In It? 
Stamps:   The Tweetest Things (The Cat's Pajamas)
Paper:  Read Red, Black, Kraft (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Home Tweet Home Dies (The Cat's Pajamas), XO Border Die (PTI), Heart Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Heart Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Ribbon, 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

 

Just Us Girls #235 - Sketch Challenge

It's sketch week over at Just Us Girls and Maria has created this sketch for us to work with.

My MME In Bloom paper pad was at the front of my 6 x 6 storage box so I decided to use it again as I just love it.  Down to just a few papers left, but thankfully I have a second pack waiting to be opened when this one runs out LOL!

The sentiment on the card consists of two from Verve's Take Note.  I masked off part of the top sentiment to get the "you're special" and then used another sentiment at the bottom.  Love this butterfly die from MFT and after some debate, decided to have my butterflies "in motion" (aka: at different angles instead of all vertically positioned).

The rest of the  JUGS team, along with the first appearance of our April Guest Designer Lee Anne, 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.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Challenges:  The Card Concept
                     Time Out Challenge 

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Take Note (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  In Bloom (My  Mind's Eye), Going Grey. So Saffron, Kraft (Stampin' Up)    
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Butterfly Die (My Favorite Things), Buttons, What Half Pearls, Dimensionals  

Verve Diva Dare April 2014

This month's Diva Dare is entitled "Little Things".  In honor Spring's arrival, this month's Dare is to create a baby or kid's themed card.

I love making baby cards, and since the last one I made was for a boy, this one had to be for a girl so my stash is even LOL!  used one of my favorite colour combos for this card and of course, Verve's To The Moon baby set - a must have!  Paper pieced Emerietta (my female name for Emery), double punched the heart border, stuck it together and added some ruffled ribbon down the middle to create my "lace" and then had fun with pearl accents.

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:   To The Moon (Verve Stamps) 
Paper:  Style Essentials (Echo Park), Certainly Celery, Designer Series Paper (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Heart Border Punch (Martha Stewart), Label and Button Dies (PTI), Lacy Scalloped Nestabilitiets (Spellbinders), 1/4" Yellow Satin Ribbon, Double Sided Tape, White and Black Half Pearls, Pink Bling, Twine, Dimensionals

Mojo Monday #339

It's the last Monday of the month so it's Tall and Skinny week over on the Mojo Monday blog.  I am totally loving this size card and trusting you are too.

I kept things pretty clean and simple this week, as Spring Break just finished and I was going full tilt with both kids home for the past two weeks so not a lot of extra crafting time.

With the magnolia trees in the neighbourhood starting to bloom along with the cherry trees just shy of bursting to do so too, I have Spring on my mind - even if the weather isn't cooperating.  I used one of my favorite color combos for spring - pink and green and played along with this week's Dynamic Duo's.

The sentiment is from Let It Be.  Just adore this sentiment - a great reminder to enjoy the many little joys of life we are blessed with every day.   I'm practicing this very thing again this year as I do Ann Voskamp's 1000 Gifts.  You write down three gifts you are thankful for each day and by the end of the year you will have 1000 gifts - love it :)   It is a fabulous way to truly enjoy the little things and brings loads of joy into your life no matter what your circumstances may be.  I even have my kids doing it with me so they learn to look for things to be thankful for every day, and by doing so, I hope to model and develop this wonderful habit in their lives so they will remember there is always, always, something to be thankful for.

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.  
 

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (you are here)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

Early wake up time today was not fun, especially after two weeks of being able to sleep an extra hour or more.  Thankfully, the days are getting longer and with any luck, Spring will decide to show up sooner than later.  

Have a fabulous day and look forward to seeing your Tall and Skinny cards!

 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Let It Be (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Cut and Paste (MME), My Girl (Pebbles), Wild Wasabi, Pretty in Pink (Stampin' Up) 
Ink:  Black    
Accessories:  Flutterby Die (A Cut Above by Verve), Scalloped Oval and Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Crimper (Fiskars), Flower Punch (Michael's Dollar Bin), Black Half Pearls, Button, Twine, Bling, Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

Mojo Monday #337

Loved working with this week's Mojo Monday sketch by Teresa.  So many wonderful ways you can go with it.

I'm still smitten with Verve's latest release, Better Together.  Simply adore the sentiments and mix of fonts Julee has put together for this set.  Hmmm, hmmmm good :)

A scrap of Basic Grey paper was the springboard for my card.  Haven't used these flowers from Bloom and Grow and the matching Floral Circle dies for what seems forever so it was good to dig them out again.  Love the Dreamy Leaves dies which match the leaf images from Dream Big, and I just "had" to use the heart die from the Scalloped Trim Trio set as I never get enough of it.  Managed to find a peachy coloured button in my stash to finish things off.

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.  
 

Debbie Carriere

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (you are here)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Wanda Cullen

We had another very wet weekend, and it was definitely not fun weather for the soccer tournament my son's team was in.  Four games in two days in the pouring rain is not my idea of a good time!  The boys are okay as they are running around playing and keeping warm, but as for the spectators, let's just say it is far from ideal.  Oh the "joys" of being a soccer mom - not!  Life and times when you live on the West Coast LOL! 

Kids are off for two weeks for Spring Break and I am looking forward to spending time with them, as well as enjoying a slower schedule, not to mention being able to sleep in on days I'm not working!  Now all we need is the sun to show up!

Have a great day and enjoy the sketch! 

 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Bloom and Grow, Dream Big, Better Together (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  Basic Grey, Blush Blossom, Mellow Moss, Kraft (Stampin' Up) 
Ink:  Black, Sahara Sand (Stampin' Up), VersaMark   
Accessories:  Dreamy Leaves, Floral Circles, Scalloped Trim Trio Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Butterfly Punch (Martha Stewart), Cross My Heart Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Square Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Crimper (Fiskars), Twine, Button, Brown Half Pearls, Glue Dots, Dimensionals  

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Farm Fresh

** Second post of the day.  For the Verve Release Hop please see my first post ** 

This week's Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge is entitled "Farm Fresh"  and our sponsor is Taylored Expressions!

The LEAD of this challenge will receive their choice of TWO PETITE SETS from Taylored Expressions!

I chose this fabulous set from Taylored Expressions called Light As A Feather.  Yeah!  I finally have some feathers and feather dies in my collection!

The sketch is from  I Heart Sketches and I immediately pulled out my chicken wire embossing folder - oh how I love this thing!  Such a fun pattern to add to cards and it fit the "farm" theme perfectly.  Chose my colours for the feathers from the inspiration photo and off set them against the kraft.  Added this fun sentiment and a few extra black half pearls for a little something as the focal panel was a bit plain. Finished things off with some orange twine and a button.

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 samples as well as our two guest designer samples!  Should you wish more details on the Curtain Call Crew's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below. 

Farm Fresh Designers

Amber Kroening

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Barb Murphy

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Laurie Willison

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Sarah Gough

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

You have until March 25th 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 March 31st.

Thanks for popping by and hope you can play along.

 
 
What's In It? 
Stamps:   Light as a Feather (Taylored Expressions)
Paper:  Kraft, So Saffron, Baroque Burgundy, Mellow Moss, Brilliant Blue, Kraft (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black, VersaMark
Accessories:  Light as a Feather Dies (Taylored Expressions), Chicken Wire Embossing Folder (Provo Craft), Square Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Scalloped Edge Punch (Stampin' Up), Twine, Button, Black Half Pearls, Button, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Speak Truth

Welcome to another week of Viva La Verve sketches.  This week's sketch is brought to us by Maureen.

I cheated on the background a bit as I used some of the wood panel paper from MME's On The Bright side.  Love this paper pad, as the rustic wood background reminds me of the side of an old barn.

Following along that thought, I used the Loopy Blooms die set to add some pink polka dotted flowers as they remind me of the first sign of spring coming up against an old barn.

To say I love this sentiment from Words of Wisdom is an understatement.  I am not a status quo girl and have stood my ground many a time by speaking truth in a relativistic world, so this sentiment is very dear to my heart.

Would love for your to come and play along with us!  You don't have to complete all the sketches to be entered to win the $100 Verve Stamps gift certificate, but the more sketches you enter the more chances you have of winning.    

Enjoy the sketch and make sure you come back tomorrow for Verve's newest release Hop!

 
 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Words of Wisdom (Verve Stamps)
Paper:  On The Bright Side, Cut and Paste (My Mind's Eye), Certainly Celery, Black (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Loopy Blooms Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Buttons, Twine, Bling, Ribbon Glue Dots, Dimensionals