Hope Blooms Mother's Day Card for Verve's Diva Dare

For Verve's April Diva Dare "April Flowers Bring May Flowers"

I used the flowers from Verve's new set, Hope Blooms, and cut them with the coordinating dies for this card; along with a sentiment from Verve's Happy Phrases, on the Charming Banner Dies. The paper is the new Fancy Pants Beach Babe.  SU's scallop border punch, some 2mm black flat-backed pearls, and machine stitching.

Pinwheel Kisses for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! April week 4 sketch challenge: 

  
I was so wanting to play with my new pinwheel die (and sentiment stamps) from Lil' Inker Designs. The sunburst sketch this week seemed perfect. 
Papers are all from my scrap box of MME Stella and Rose, Lily Bee, October Afternoon, and I think even a bit of Basic Grey! Fun way to use up those scraps. 
I brought in just a touch of Verve with the little heart stamps (and hand drew in some squiggles).
A bit of machine stitching...that's it.
Just loving that pinwheel!

Mini Organizer

I used a fabulous cutting file by My Time Made Easy to make this little organizer for my son's teacher.  (I realize I made her that altered notebook a few posts back, but she's retiring after 41 years. We are her last class.  That just warrants a bit more in my book.)  
I just love all the features.  This set of files is truly worth the money.  So many elements!!  And it came together perfectly.  There's a large section in the back with dividers and a smaller section in front with dividers (and I included many white cards with rounded edges in both sizes to fit).  And the cutest part...a tiny drawer at the bottom!  I didn't put anything on the labels, so she can choose how she wants to use it, but I envision using the small divider section as A-Z with addresses of friends and family, and the large section with Jan-Dec, where you could put birthdays and anniversaries, maybe even some cards you pick up early so you don't forget to send them later.  And the drawer could hold stamps or gift cards.
The paper is OLD Chatterbox...still lovely.  The sentiment, butterfly stamp, and decorative stamps on the top rounded part are all from Verve.  A little shabby wrinkled ribbon and some pearl accents in various sizes.

And a close up of the sentiment and butterfly panel:

A couple layouts from my Sunday crop with friends

Had a great time with my local scrap group cropping all day Sunday.  I am so slow and meticulous, that I rarely get much done.  But I finished a single page and a double page layout!  Woohoo.
These are pics of my son hiking the Hillsborough River this past fall (and drinking out of his camelback).  Pretty simple, but I couldn't think of anything else it needed.  

And these are pics my hubby took playing with lighting and some backdrops one day.  I so wish I had been wearing a spot of makeup.  LOL.  But my cheeseball son is hamming it up...so captures his personality.  Love these.

Both layouts are done with my favorite papers these days, MME Stella and Rose.  The rub-on on the hiking one is also MME and stamps are Studio G.  The sentiment on the other is from Verve Stamps-- "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."  Well said.

Altered Notebook and Box for Teacher Appreciation Week (and VLV challenge)

For the Viva la Verve! April week 3 sketch challenge: 

When I first saw Teresa's sample for this challenge, I thought she had made an altered notebook.  The kraft color of the background and the long vertical cluster on the left kind of looks that way, right?  So, I was inspired.  I need a Teacher's Appreciation gift for my son's teacher.  AND I have a few of these fabulous kraft notebooks with pens-perfect for altering- left (from Target a few years ago...so sad they stopped carrying them).
So here is my creation.  The sentiment is Gina K Designs.  Many of the dies, the felt, and the corkboard are My Favorite Things (the notebook paper edge to the cork, the cork shape behind the sentiment, and the rolled roses).  Papers are all October Afternoon.
Thanks for the inspiration Teresa...one gift down!


I made this little box to hold the notebook, sizing a cut file for my Cricut.  Papers are Cosmo Cricket and October Afternoon.

And here's a close up of the medallion to decorate the middle.  The little apple was in a pack of 3D stickers in Target's $1.00 spot!!  

Light Up My Life for Mojo Monday 186

For Mojo Monday Sketch 186:

I used three of the lamp images and a sentiment from the adorable set by Unity, "Shine On!"
The dp is October Afternoon, and the green cardstock is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.  
Some dark brown shabby wrinkled ribbon, brown baker's twine, and a green button (SEI, from my stash).  I added some Sakura glaze pen for shine to some of the details in the lamps and to the lamp bases.

Chicks Rule Basket for You for VLV challenge

This is for the Viva la Verve! April week 2 sketch challenge

I had so much fun playing with the little basket and chick from the new Verve's Chicks Rule set.  I stamped, masked, and cut out the basket and handle together.  Layered the basket, some die-cut grass via a My Favorite Things' die, the chick, more grass, and the basket, so that the Chick looks like he's nestled in the Easter grass in the basket.  I covered the ribbon on the basket with a sentiment from My Favorite Things' Basket O Flopsey set, cut out with Verve's Charming Oval die.  
The background is embossed with the houndstooth Cuttlebug embossing folder (it made me think of basket-weave); and the papers are (what else?) MME Stella and Rose.  
I tied some ribbon around the handle of the basket, and added some 2mm and 3mm soft blue pearls.
Thanks for looking!  Thanks even more for commenting!

Milk carton packaging using VLV challenge

I used the Viva La Verve! April week 1 sketch challenge to create this little panel for the front of a paper milk carton box I designed and cut with my Cricut to wrap a birthday gift (a Cricut cartridge!).  

The packaging (and panel) was intended to match my card here, for the same person.
I used the sentiment from Verve's Birthday Bash, MME Stella and Rose papers, ribbon, twine, a button, and bling, as well as a couple Spellbinders dies and the yummy rolled roses dies from My Favorite Things.