Sew Easy to Love for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! August Week 2 sketch challenge:

I try to use Verve stamps as much as possible for my VLV cards; and I certainly have enough to satisfy most.  But I was so anxious to use my new stamp and Die-namics "Sew Nifty" set from MFT.  And stamping time is scarce these days, so...


I used papers from October Afternoon that I've been holding on to for a while.  LOVE that aqua dotted print, and I've already used the other sheet in the pad, so I'm hoarding it a bit.  :)  
I pleated that layer, and backed it on top and bottom edges with just the top edge of the Picket Fence die from Taylored Expressions.  
I adhered aluminum foil to cardstock to make it a little stiffer, and die cut the tiny pair of scissors from the Sew Nifty set (aren't they darling??) and dangled them with yellow baker's twine.
Paper pieced the dress from from the Sew Nifty set, and added some stitching since it is a "sewing" themed card.  ;)
Thanks for looking.

Sunshine for My Soul for Mojo Monday sketch challenge

For the Mojo Monday sketch 202 challenge:

What a fun sketch!  I used a bunch of my trendy dies and some bright and happy paper. The sentiment is from Verve's Happy Hello set.  Most of the papers are Fancy Pants Design's Beach Babe, but I wanted a nice print to tie the pink and yellow together.  Echo Park to the rescue with a digi paper I picked up during one of Jessica Sprague's "One Buck Wednesday" offers.  How perfect is that?  It also gave me the tiny touches of blue that I carried through with rhinestones and stitching.
The scallop circle die (and circle in the middle) are from PTI, as are the triangle pennants and scallop trim on them.  The fish-tailed banners and the small rolled rose are from MFT.
Thanks for looking!

Today and Always for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! August week 1 sketch challenge: 

I used a sentiment from Verve's One Person set, stamped on the lined heart from Love Notes and cut with the Jotted Heart Die. I colored between the outer lines of the heart with an R24 Copic marker, and then covered it with a Sakura Clear Glaze pen.
Papers are Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934, except for the red dot, which is October Afternoon.
The postage stamp shape for the middle panel was cut using the Elegant Edges Cricut cartridge.
Stitching around the edges and flat backed pearls finish it.

Thinking it's simple enough to give to my hubby...

Heartfelt Sympathy for VLV challenge

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

This card was bittersweet to make.  I love it.  It makes me happy to look at.  And it was made with love.  But the purpose for the card makes my heart heavy.  A dear lady in my local scrapbook group lost her one-year-old grandson in a tragedy.  The rest of us are working on cards, both for her and for her to give to others, as well as scrapbook pages to which she can add pictures of his much too short life.  I hope to find time to work on a scrapbook page.  But I will definitely make a few cards.


I once again pulled out Verve's New Mercies set for this card.  Such beautiful sentiments.  This one I stamped with Pigment Ink and embossed with Ranger's clear embossing powder.  I also, as has become predictable for me, used MME's Stella and Rose again.  I'm not sure I'll be able to move on from these papers for a long, long time (unless it's to use their Lime Twist.  LOL).  
The main panel shape is a Spellbinders' Label Sixteen die, that sweet lopsided heart is Verve's Jotted Heart Die, and the bottom scallop is Fiskars.
I added a tiny label from a Marvy punch, with a couple of the small hearts from Verve's Love Notes set.
Some seam binding and Liquid Pearls finish it off.

Wishing You Comfort for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! July Week 3 sketch challenge:

I really enjoyed the sketch this week.  It let me show off a sentiment from one of the newest Verve sets, New Mercies, use lots of scraps from my favorite paper line, MME Stella and Rose, and use my new Cricut cartridge, Flower Shoppe, as well as the Elegant Edges cartridge to cut that scallop shape.  The circle and sentiment shapes are Spellbinders Nestabilities. 
Loving this color combo, and added in some stitching and rhinestones to finish it off.  


I'm going to use this card to "check in" on my wonderful neighbor who lost her husband (the original card I gave her is below).  After the initial influx of sympathy and well-wishers, I know things die down but aren't necessarily any easier.  Once everyone leaves, you face some of your hardest times just being alone.  So, I wanted to reminder her I'm still here.
Verve always makes the nicest, most poignant, sentiments and greetings, saying what you want to say but may not know how to put into words.  Thanks, Julee!

Time to Bloom for MFT WSC challenge

For My Favorite Things' WSC Getting Sketchy #28 challenge: 

I used MFT's Blooming Good Day Pure Innocence girl, and a sentiment from the Green Thumb mini set.
Papers are MME Lime Twist and Stella and Rose lines.
I used MFT's two small mini rolled rose Die-namics in the top corner, and used the smallest one tucked inside the rolled daisy Die-namic (I cut off part of the rolled daisy after I had two layers of petals).
The banner die is from Taylored Expressions, and the sentiment is on a portion of a Spellbinders Labels One die.  
Liquid Pearls finishes it off.
Thanks for looking!  

A few cards from a weekend crop

I got together with my local scrapbooking group for a home crop on Sunday.  I have no time or energy to plan layouts right now, but had a small pile of card challenges laying on my desk that I was hoping to find time to work on, so I brought them along instead.

This is for the Sketch For You To Try July 2011 challenge by Jen del Muro.

The hostess had these cute brown polka dot napkins...the texture was perfect...so "fabricy" but light and scrunchable).  So...I made a flower out of one!  LOL.  The other ladies in my group always think I'm a bit crazy, but when inspiration strikes...

Anyway, I cut two layers each of three of the Blossom Spellbinders Nestabilities, scrunched and layered, then topped with some paper shapes and brad from MME.  I love it. 

Papers are BG Porcelain, and I think go like they were made for my napkin flower.  ;)

The sponsor for the sketch this month is My Favorite Things (one of my favorite companies), and so I used a sentiment from their Great Outdoors set and cut it with a die from their First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics and stamp set.

Tucked some Sizzix leaves behind the flower and added some flat-backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Love the flower.  Easily my favorite card of the day.

And a close-up of the flower:

Next up is the Mojo Monday Sketch 198 challenge.  Although I finished it on time, I failed to get it loaded and linked on the set for the contest cut-off.  But it was still super fun to make, and makes me smile when I look at it (so well worth the effort).

The sentiment is from Verve's Always on My Mind set (love the font...and the set was part of my favorite release from Verve).  The star is from Gina K Design's Stars set, Stickled and traced in Liquid Pearls.

Papers are MME Lime Twist.  I hand-stitched with red twine and added some rhinestone flourishes.

And last is the Viva la Verve! July week 2 sketch challenge:

I started this card by using some beautiful multi-colored seam binding with the Hana-Ami Flower Loom, wrapping every other peg, to create the flower/medallion shape.  I topped it with the smaller rosette Cut-ups die from TCP and a pearl brad.  

The sentiment is from Verve's Heartfelt Phrases, cut with a die from  MFT's First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics and stamp set and trimmed down.

I also used a sentiment from Gina K Designs inside the card, which reads "I know I can't change anything, but I'm always here if you need me."

Papers are LilyBee Designs and MME Stella and Rose.  Finished the bottom with SU's scallop border punch topped with flat-backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Thanks for sticking around to check them all out.  

Hello Friend for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! July week 1 sketch challenge:

I used a sentiment from Verve's Hope Blooms set.  Papers are all BG Curio except for the bottom right square, which is Cosmo Cricket.  The yellow panel is embossed and a little ink added (the paper in the Curio line already has distressing, but I wanted to bring out a bit more of the embossing).  The red layer is cut with a Spellbinders Lacey Circles Nestability.  Some shabby wrinkled ribbon and flat backed pearls finish it.
Thanks for looking.

Grandma of the Year for MFT challenge

I looked ahead for upcoming events that I might like to have a card for, and Grandparents' Day is in September.  We will be seeing my mom in August (family trip), and I know my son would love to have something special to give her.  So, I used the MFT WSC Getting Sketchy #26 challenge on Splitcoaststampers to create this fun, bright card.

The circular border and sentiment was pieced together from the MFT First Place Award Ribbon set, as well as the matching Die-namics (and the orange circle from a Spellbinders Circles Large mats the middle perfectly).  The flower was created from one of the mini rolled rose Die-namics from MFT, on top of the smaller Easy Rosette CutUps die from TCP.  I did fold it, but then unfolded it, cut along one of the folds, and overlapped one scallop so that the die "cups."  The rosette fits nicely in the center.  The leaves are from the MFT Sheltering Tree die.  
Papers are MME (Lime Twist and Stella and Rose).  It's a rather simple card, but my favorite part aside from forming the flower was the "ribbon."  I colored some white seam binding with my Copics and scrunched it, creating my own perfectly colored shabby ribbon.  So fun!
Some rhinestones finish it off.
Thanks for looking!

Thanks for Protecting Our Freedom (for VLV challenge)

With July 4th looming, I thought there isn't a better time to thank our troops with a card sent through OWH.  I'm always thankful and proud of them, but felt inspired with the newest paper line from BoBunny, Liberty, to work on one for the Viva la Verve! June week 4 sketch challenge:

I used a sentiment from Verve's American Hero set with the Verve Vintage Oval Frame stamp and backed with the coordinating die.  The star is from the same set, and backed with a die from My Favorite Things, the Stacking Stars Die-namics.  The star border is also MFT's, the Star Border Die-namic.  

Happy Birthday for VLV challenge

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

Just decided to make a birthday card to add to my stash.  I realized I was running low on them when I went to pick one out for a friend recently.
I used a sentiment from Verve's Birthday Bash set.  Papers are MME Stella and Rose.  I used a lot of dies/punches for this one. For the bottom section, I used the Mini Filmstrip Dienamics from MFT, cutting out every alternating vertical line and backing the little windows formed with the different papers.  For the fishtail piece in dark grey, I used a die from Papertrey Ink, cutting in half and adhering part above and part below the flowered panel.  The scallop is the SU punch.  
I also added a MFT Rolled Daisy Dienamics and Sizzix leaves with a touch of Sakura glitter pen for the veins.  A few flatbacked pearls on the sentiment panel finish it off.
Thanks for looking!

MME Father's Day card for VLV Challenge

For the Viva la Verve! June week 2 sketch challenge:

I used a sentiment from Verve's Dad's Day set on a Spellbinders' Fancy Tags Three die popped over the front. 
MME Stella Rose papers. I accordian folded the striped paper to make the bottom panel, and stitched around the edges, which is holding the pleats in place. 
Scallop punched the bottom edge and added a few flat-backed pearls. 
I embossed the kraft card front with a houndstooth folder, but almost all of it is covered by the main panel. It still added a nice texture and looks cool on the inside.

Father's Day card for my stepdad (for VLV challenge)

For the Viva la Verve! June week 1 sketch challenge:

I made this father's day card for my stepdad using the largest tree in Unity's Bella Trees set and the sentiment from Verve's Happy Phrases set.  The sentiment is cut with Verve's Charming Banner dies.  The tree is silhouette cut and mounted on a Spellbinder's oval and scallop oval.  Some paper piercing and flat-backed pearls.
The tree paper is Basic Grey Pyrus, and the orange and blue-green papers are MME Lime Twist.
I'm not sure why, but I've come to use either stars or trees/plants (not flowers) for male cards.  I'm stumped for what other images are masculine enough otherwise.  I don't know that I've ever really made a conscious choice that stars are masculine.  And I'm sure there are plenty of feminine plants and trees.  But it works for me.  
Thanks for looking!

Dad's Day card for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! May week 5 sketch challenge:

I used a sentiment from Verve's Dad's Day set to make this card for my son to give his father.
The rear panel with the "Know This" text is a stamp by Teresa Collins, which I silhouette cut around.  The front panel was stamped from the Lovely Labels set by Gina K Designs and cut with a Nestability.  The oval shape with the sentiment is also from Verve's Dad's Day set, and is popped on top of the GKD label.
Papers are MME Lime Twist.
I used the Easy Rosette Cutups dies by The Cat's Pajamas to make the medallion, and topped with a button and baker's twine.

All Things Grow Bella Trees

I made this for the Mojo Monday Sketch 191 challenge:

The tree stamps are from the Unity Bella Trees set, masked/layered and paper-pieced; and the sentiment is from Verve's Bloom & Grow set. The papers, which I thought went so perfectly with the tree stamps, are from the new MME Lime Twist line. I used the sentiment flag die from Lil' Inker Designs twice, and accordion-folded them. The sentiment is cut with a circle Nestability, and then a Lacey Circle Nestability. 3mm and 4mm flat-backed pearls finish it off.
Thanks for looking!