Verve Stamps Turns 5!

Verve Stamps is celebrating their 5th Anniversary (Birthday?).  During August, they had a site-wide sale, hosted creative challenges, had a terrific blog hop over 9 days with creations using their new release products by the Design Team (AKA "Divas"), and wrapped it all up with a phenomenal release party on Splitcoaststampers.  There were tons of prizes and giveaways for participating in the challenges, commenting on the blog hop, and posting on the party thread (I scored a $25 gift code to the store!!)
Truly amazing products, wonderful service and creativity, and the best, kindest design team AND customers/fans around.

These are my creations for the Anniversary Challenges.
DAY 1: Color Challenge (Use pink, brown, and green)


 I had a great time making this card.  I had some new 6x6 paper pads with beautiful choices in pinks, greens, and browns (the hard part was choosing which to use).  AND I had some lovely new-to-me Verve stamps and dies in hand from their Anniversary sale.
I used this long Irish Blessing stamp from Verve's Blessings set.  The leaves are cut with the Elegant Leaves die (I stamped with Versamark and clear embossing powder first, so they have a bit of shimmer and depth IRL).  The little butterfly is from one of my all-time favorite Verve sets, Blue Skies, and is cut out with the coordinating All Aflutter die.
I folded the brown dotted paper and cut within the edges of the Ribbon Banner Die to make it longer.
The long ticket-edged pink panels were cut with an MFT Die-namics in the Layered Label set.
And I used a little twist on Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try for August.

DAY 2: Anniversary Themed Card (Using silver or wood)

The challenge was to create an anniversary card with silver or wood (the modern and traditional gifts given for 5th anniversaries).  I opted for silver.  It's much more shiny and elegant in person. I embossed the frame and sentiment from Verve's Love Story set in silver embossing powder, used silver sparkly ribbon, and dangled a silver charm that says "love."
The camera doesn't like photographing silver, I have to tell you.  But imagine that the sentiment is shiny and the card overall sparkly, OK?  I added a bit of red Copic to the frame, a thin red mat, and a red Recollections paper rose. I also stamped the leaves from Verve's Bloom & Grow set in Weathered Wood Distress ink, first stamping off with varying degrees of pressure to make the stamps lighter and darker for depth.

DAY 3: Sketch Challenge


Day 3's challenge for Verve's 5th Anniversary celebration was a sketch challenge (my favorite).
I did add one extra long thin panel, slightly offset from the one in the sketch.  I liked the darker blue, but the whole piece showing was too overpowering.  And yet, just the bird and hexagon pattern got a bit lost by itself.  So I used them both.  ;)
The sentiment is from Verve's Here for You set, a new purchase for me, and on sale during the Verve Anniversary Sale.  It's cut out with the Embossed Oval Die, which is layered on a Spellbinders die.
Papers are MME, including some of the new The Sweetest Thing in Bluebell (love them).
I have to dedicate this one to the lovely Verve Diva, Teresa, for her use of such yummy trims.  I threaded some stringed pearls through this beautiful trim in place of the scallop edge in the sketch.  Twill wrapped with twine to form a bow, and some larger pearls finish it off.

DAY 4: CAS (Clean and Simple) Card

Believe it not, Verve's Anniversary Day 4 challenge was the most challenging to me: A CAS (Clean and Simple) card.  By nature, I unfortunately keep very few things simple in my life, and papercrafting is no exception.  So I had to reach deep to not add layers of patterned papers.  I did bring in a beautifully colored, subtle pattern in the flower, from Echo Park's So Happy Together 6x6 pad.  And the leaves are MME.
The stamps, my absolute favorite flower from Verve's Great Friend set, are cut out by hand and layered with dimensionals between, then topped with black rhinestones.  The leaves are from the Sunny Days set and cut with the coordinating Leafy Sprigs dies.
The simple sentiment (maybe that was my further attempt to keep the card CAS??) is also from Great Friend.
I scored a few lines on the edges of the front of the card.
And that's it!  I know, seems kind of a lot for being CAS, but hopefully the finished card comes across that way.

DAY 5: ABC (Anything But a Card) Challenge

You got it...make anything except a card.  Easier said than done.
I was puzzling over what to make.  I have some great cutting files...little boxes or bags or 3D items.  But while browsing Joann's at an impromptu stop in (dh wanted to go to Sports Authority next door), I found these adorable tiny 3x3 canvases.  I absolutely love the inspirational quotes in the Words of Wisdom stamp set by Verve.  I decided to decorate three of the little canvases with some of my favorite quotes in the set.  I colored the backgrounds with Copics (actually much more difficult than I thought.  The ink didn't want to stay).  Then stamped with Staz-On, and added a few stamped and cut out elements from other Verve sets and added my signature bling (nothing's finished until it has some bling) in the form of alternating colors of flat backed pearls around the edges.
Very simple, but with the coordinating colors and designs, and the wonderful uplifting quotes, I like my little art pieces.  I plan to hang them up in my craft room, unless I find someone who needs the inspiration even more than I do.

Life Doesn't Have to Be Perfect

For the Viva la Verve! August Week 2 Sketch Challenge:

I noticed this terrific sentiment in Verve's Words of Wisdom set still hadn't gotten inky, and it seemed to fit the front panel sizing just right for this sketch.  I used several papers from Echo Park's So Happy Together. and quite a few punches and dies (SU's scallop border punch, TCP's Easy Rosette die, and the fishtail banners from MFT's 1st Place Awards Die-namics).
A bit of the new Ocean twine from The Twinery, a button from SEI, and rhinestones from Pizzazz Aplenty top it off.
I actually left out the half oval shape from the sketch.  Just too many colors and shapes going on for my card already.

Cast Your Cares for MOJO 253

For the Mojo Monday Sketch #253:

This card was a bit out of my normal paradigm.  First, this is a bright one.  But then, hopefully the verse from Verve's I Peter 5:7 set brings a bit of hope and joy and calls for some bright, sunshine-y papers.
These are the new MME The Sweetest Thing-Tangerine papers.
The panels are skewed.  But then, the sketch calls for it.  And I've followed sketches with skewed panels before.
Also, a bit different for me, I distressed and inked the edges.  You have no idea how much I wanted to back each layer with cardstock to make them stand out.  I love that clean look.  But I decided to go out of my comfort zone and try something a bit different.
Notice, thought, that my seam binding and bling make their usual appearance, as well as the fishtail banner (this one from MFT's 1st Place Award Die-namics).  I can't depart from all my norms...it wouldn't be MY card.

August SFYTT

For Jen del Muro's August Sketch for You to Try (SFYTT) challenge:

This month's sponsor is one of my very favorite companies, Verve.  And with a brand new 6x6 pad of the bright and sunny Echo Park "On the Sunny Side" papers in hand, I had to pull out this sentiment from Verve's Happy Hello, and the tiny sun and cloud from New Mercies.  The center panel took the form of the Sweet Scallop tag and coordinating die.
Lots of stitching, yummy orange ribbon from Raisin Boat, and a matching brad to EP's On the Sunny Side papers.

Aircraft on the Brain?

I think I must have aircraft on the brain lately.  Both my cards for sketch challenges this weekend star some for of aircraft.


MFTWSC #83
I used the MFT WSC#83 sketch challenge with the super cute Airplane Greetings Die-namics and a sentiment from PTI for this card:

I had an idea in my mind, but I'm afraid it didn't translate well.  None of my friends who saw my card in person could figure out what I was going for.  The graduated round circles, separated with foam tape, and topped with embossed vellum is supposed to represent the moon (you know, the craters and all?) in the dark night sky with wispy vellum clouds (also cut with MFT Die-namics) floating by.  Hmmm...No one gets my moon.  My husband asked, "How are they supposed to see the plane's banner in the dark?"  LOL.  That's being too practical.  Oh well.  I love the little plane.  I cut the propeller out of aluminum foil backed with heavy cardstock, and it spins on the brad.


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

I stamped one of the balloons from Verve's Up, Up & Away set (and stamped again on patterned paper to paper piece just the main central balloon portion) and a sentiment from Blue Skies for the main panel of this card.
Papers are an eclectic mix of BG's What's Up, EP's Sweet Day, and MME Paris & Co.
I used two new Twinery colors of twine, Ocean and Seaweed, as the twine made me think of the ropes tying off the hot air balloons.  A tiny clothespin finishes it off.

You Make the World a Better Place for MFTWSC

I had hoped to enter this in the MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge #82, but didn't quite finish and get it photographed, edited, and posted in time.  But I love the color combo, and again, what a great sketch from the MFT lovelies.

I used a sentiment from MFT's Vertical Greetings set, cut with the first Vertical Greetings Die-namics.  Lots of other MFT dies play a roll in this card, too.  A Mini Tab Die-namics diecut peeks out from beside the sentiment.  That  yummy paper rose is cut with the second largest of their Rolled Rose Die-namics.  And the Jumbo Scallop and Scalloped Scallop are Die-namics, also!  (The leaves, however, are Sizzix.  LOL).

Papers are Vintage Vogue by Pink Paislee.

Birthday Set for Verve's July Diva Dare

I made this matching purse gift holder and card for Verve's July Diva Dare:

The challenge was to create a project with a birthday theme.  I used sentiments from Verve's Birthday Bash set, and one of the flowers (in two sizes) from Sunny Days.  The leaf die shapes are from their Leafy Sprigs dies.
The gift bag/purse was cut using SCAL and a great set of svg files from SVGCuts, called Amelie's Accessories.  I sized it wide enough to fit a gift card, and a few candies or lip gloss, etc, could fit in there, too.
I stamped and handcut two smaller and one larger of the flowers, snipped between the petals and shaped the flowers by rolling a pen cap in the center and pinching and curling the petal tips with my fingers and the pen.  Then they are layered with some foam adhesive to give dimension and height, and a beautiful MME brad poked through the middle.
Papers are MME Lime Twist (and some pearlized cardstock from Prima).
Brads and Liquid Pearls finish it off.

I also used the Viva la Verve! July week 5 sketch challenge for my card (here are close ups of both):

 

Thanks for looking!

You Rock! Card for VLV

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

Wanted to tell an awesome coworker how much I appreciate her "can do" attitude.  The "You Rock" sentiment from Verve's Sweet Treats set with the bold, bright colors of MME Lime Twist seemed to fit the bill.  I stamped the sentiment and Verve's Vintage Oval Frame around it, and cut out with the coordinating die (by the same name).  Added a die cut flower made with MFT's Prima Donna Die-namics and some rhinestones in the center, and wrapped a bit of dotted green ribbon and bow around the front panel.

Missing You for MFT WSC

For the MFT Weekly Sketch Challenge #81:

I used one of the PI girls, Picture Perfect, from the new VIP collection.  She's actually full height, holding a frame in front of her.  But I selectively stamped and paper pieced parts of the stamp to make it look like she's looking out a window (at least, I hope that's what I accomplished).  I fashioned some paper curtains for her, sliding one part under her and popping the other so she looks nestled between them.  The sentiment is from the older MFT Flopsey Flowers set, cut out with one of the Sentiment Strip Die-namics.  A small Rolled Rose (MFT Die-namics) with rhinestone, and lots of bright cheery papers from Basic Grey.

The MFT VIP releases are monthly, limited in quantity, and bundle a mixture of a few stamps and Die-namics for a great price.  You can purchase the stamps and Die-namics a couple weeks later (at the release), but there's usually one extra set of sentiments that are never available again.  I thought this collection was too cute.  I LOVE, LOVE the arrow Die-namics, and am so glad I snapped up the extra bonus sentiments.

Other MFT products used:

MFT Guest Designer Contest

I made this card for the My Favorite Things (MFT) Guest Designer Contest for August, hosted on Splitcoaststampers.  This month's challenge is a sketch challenge--my favorite!  And what a sketch it is. Love all the layers and the tilted panel.

I used this "Dream until your dreams come true" stamp from MFT's new 6th birthday celebration release, My Favorite Sentiments, for my main panel.  It's so great, and the font and size and flourish underneath make it so substantial (and let me admit now, I was humming "Dream On" by Aerosmith the whole time I was making the card.  LOL!)  I accented the center of the flourish with a tiny blue rhinestone.

The "Life is what you make it" sentiment was part of the extra sentiments in the VIP Sunflower Who's That Girl collection, which are each only available for a limited time.  Love these sentiments.  The sentiment is stamped and cut with just the edge of the Textile Rectangle Die-namics.  It fit so nicely, and gives even more flexibility in using the Die-namics.

The fishtail banner peeking out at the bottom was cut with the thicker Die-namics in the MFT First Place Award Ribbon set.  To make the entire piece longer, I folded the cardstock and placed the fold within the edge of the one end of the die, so only one end was cut in the V shape.

My flower was made with MFT's Rolled Daisy Die-namics.  I rolled it loosely in the center so I could nestle a wooden button tied with some Queen and Co. multicolored twine deep in the middle.  I curled under the petals to add fullness.  MFT's rolled flowers are some of my favorite dies (check out the Rolled Flower I used as the center of my sun in this post).

Papers are MME.  I left the "Listen to your soul" on the white paper peek out from under the main panel.  I thought it tied in nicely to the whole sentiment of the card.

Rejuvenation (I'm Back)

     I'm back from a hiatus from posting to my blog.  I was a little overwhelmed with finishing my Master's degree, but I've graduated and am back to a more calm existence for now.  I must admit that it feels a bit pointless sometimes to continue to spend time posting here with no one reading my posts.  I maintain galleries on both Scrapbook.com and Splitcoaststampers.com, so this feels redundant.  But as I look back at my previous posts, I do feel happy to see my evolution as a crafter.  And I do include some extra details about why I made a particular card, or background to a scrapbook page's creation.

     However, I return now because for some time I've wanted to progress to submitting for publication, or at least to a guest designer spot with one of my favorite companies.  My Favorite Things requires it's guest designers to maintain a blog, and so, I've decided there is no better time than to resurrect mine.  I will not bore any potential visitors with rehashing all of my creations for the last 6 months, though.  I'll just pick up with July.

     I most like sketch challenges, and my favorite challenges to participate in are Verve's weekly Viva la Verve! sketch challenges on Splitcoaststampers.  So I post here this month's entries, in addition to my July entry for the Sketch for You to Try (by Jen del Muro).  She has monthly challenges, and you must participate the whole year (12 sketches) to qualify to win a wonderful prize pack on Christmas Day!  And, well, I really like the card I made this month.  ;)

A Work of Heart for July's SFYTT (Sketch for You to Try)

The sponsor this month was none other than, My Favorite Things, one of my favorite companies.

I used a stamp from their special 6th birthday celebration set, "My Favorite Sentiments."  I stamped it in both dark red and brown, and cut out the "Heart" portion in brown and popped it.  

Papers are Echo Park and Teresa Collins.

I dry embossed the blue paper, and added some BG pearl flourishes.

Happy Birthday for VLV July week 1 sketch

I used a sentiment from Verve's Small Sentiments set in the middle of one of the Four Frames stamps from Stampin' Up, and cut out with SU's Decorative Label punch.  Papers are My Mind's Eye.  The pearl flower is by Basic Grey.  Some additional flat backed pearls in the corners of the flowered paper panel, a small tab of orange seam binding and some paper pierced faux stitching.

You are Fabulous for VLV July week 2 sketch

I used a sentiment from Verve's Fabulous You, and layered flowers from their Joyful Blooms set, cut out with the coordinating dies.  

Papers (and the decorative brad) are Teresa Collins. 

The fishtail banner strip was cut with MFT's Sentiment Strips Die-namics.

Wishing You Sunny Days for VLV July week 3 sketch

I chose to interpret the sketch a little differently.  I first pictured some fun twine wrapped around and meeting under the circular shape.  But an idea took root while looking through my Verve stamps and coming upon the sweet "Wishing you sunny days" sentiment from the Sunny Days set.  

I created angled strips from several of my yellow scraps (BG, MME, Cosmo Cricket, and Fancy Pants!) to act as sun rays.  I used the cute sun Dienamics from MFT, and added a loosely rolled flower using another of their dies as the sun's center.  The blue banner strip is also from an MFT Dienamic.  

Some stitching down the sun's rays and a tiny yellow pearl to highlight the sentiment.

And for good measure, I am sharing my recent scrapbook layouts:

Tag Reader

I cannot say enough good things about LeapFrog's Tag Reader.  My son had a slew of books (featured in the smaller picture), but he had a handful of favorites.  He would recite T. Rex's Mighty Roar by heart at only 3 years old, and learned concepts like compound words from Cars.  I used some fun Nikki Silvis' papers and silhouette the owl from a page of complementary cutouts in the line (cutting out his belly area and lining it with the striped paper behind).  

and Busch Garden's Sesame Street Safari of Fun (2010)

I realize the papers are a throwback (Basic Grey Color Me Silly), but aren't these colors and patterns so perfect for the funky safari feel and bright primary colors of this part of the park?  I'm afraid my son has outgrown these rides (he's much more interested in reaching the height to ride the "big boy" roller coasters), but we have fond memories of our time in the Sesame Street Safari land.  I used the Easy Rosette Cut-ups Die from The Cat's Pajamas (TCP) to form the medallions.  And I found an Elmo image to trace in my Sure Cuts a Lot (SCAL) software and cut with my die cutter.

We Can All Twinkle, for MFT Guest Designer Challenge

I made this card for the MFT Guest Designer Challenge this month using the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club Sketch #52.

Featured is the Pure Innocence "Being Cute Is What I Do" girl, with a sentiment from "The Great Outdoors" set.  The technique for the GD challenge was paper piecing, so I pieced her outfit, but these images are so perfect for doing that, anyway.  Papers used are Cosmo Cricket's Odds and Ends.  I pieced the legs separately to keep the stripes running parallel with her legs, and lined up the flowered paper so that a stem and flower lined up with the stamped flower on her shirt.  I just added a tiny bit of Copics to fill in the rest of the stamped flower.
Also featured are several MFT Die-namics.  I used the larger fishtail banner from the 1st Place Award set, the Stacking Stars, and the border under the main image is the bottom half of the negative part of the Star Border!
To go along with the "twinkling" theme, the center of the star is glitter paper, and I added some rhinestone flourishes.

A Lego Countdown to Christmas (2011)

We got a Lego Star Wars' Advent calendar for my son for Christmas.  He loved opening the little doors each day to find a small figurine or ship to build.  I documented this favorite gift in a gridded photo layout and used lots of old and new products.
Papers are Scenic Route and Dream Street.  I used sticker strips and circles from Scenic Route and Basic Grey.  I accented the centers of the circles and the little flowers on the one strip with a Viva Pearl Pen in black.  The title was cut using SCAL.  And the small scalloped shapes on the right and bottom were cut using the Verve Tiny Sweet Scallop dies.  The bottom one with the year is stationary, but the one on the right that says pull accesses my hidden journaling.

A Few Last-Minute Holiday Wrappings

Made with the new SVG cutting file "One-Piece Boxes" by SVGCuts.  Super quick, cute, and easy gift box, about 3"x3"x2.5".  I used OLD BoBunny Classic Christmas papers and stickers (one of my favorite Christmas collections), and the Easy Rosette Cut-Ups die from TCP.

I made this quick and easy gift card holder using the tutorial from Gina K Designs' StampTV site.  The ribbon slides off, and the gift cards "pop up," tucked in a fold inside.  Cool, huh?  The Holly Jolly stamp and shaped die on the front are from Verve Stamps.

A Few More Christmas Creations

I made a small calendar for my son's teacher for the holidays. Sizing the pages and using a CD case, up to (6) pages can rest in the ridge (when you open the CD case and turn it back on itself), and the rest can be stored under the back section resting on the desk. 

These are all (12) pages of the calendar. I used a wide variety of stamps (from Gina K Designs, My Favorite Things, Stampinbella, Taylored Expressions, and even an old Stampendous Changito stamp), a digital image by Mo Manning, some quotes referencing teaching I found on the internet and printed, and October Afternoon papers. I added just a few touches here and there, but no bulky embellishments so the pages remain flat for sitting in the CD case. 

And of course, to wrap the gift, I needed some homespun wrapping.  I made a box using My Time Made Easy's SVG cutting file, "That's a Wrap."  The box is sized to fit A2 cards, so I had to enlarge it a little, but I think it came out nicely.  Best part is that I had the older paper (BG Fruitcake) and ribbon in my stash.

For my son's classmates, I made these after watching Robyn with My Pink Stamper's video.  They hold hot chocolate for (6) 6oz. cups, marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips, and are supposed to resemble an ice cream cone.  I handmade the tags using a cute snowman stamp in the Totally Tags-Holiday set by Taylored Expressions.  

Lastly, I made these small holders using My Time Made Easy's Fancy a Cuppa SVG cutting file.  I scaled it down, as it is made to hold two thermal cups for coffee.  I had seen some variety packs of bath gels and lotions at Joann's deeply discounted, and thought pairing them would be so cute in this holder.  But when I went back, they were all out of the lotions.  I picked up the bath gels anyway, and went on a hunt to find something for the other side of the holder.  I stumbled on these oh-too-cute loofa scrubbers, topped with snowmen and penguins (there were also santas and reindeer) at Wal-mart.  Perfect!!  I like them even better.  The stamps I used on all three are from Verve.

Thanks for looking!  Hope you got some time to craft and enjoyed coming up with fun ideas this holiday, too.