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Much Joy and Birthday Wishes

Hi friends!  I'm popping in today to change up the scenery a bit.  Today I'm sharing two cards (but if you checked out the Verve Blog for our Release Retrospective Hop you probably saw one of them already. They were both started with the exact same concept and transformed into two very different looks rather quickly.  I love when stamps are that versatile.


For both cards I stamped the medallions from Peaceful Medallions on plain cardstock in two coordinating shades of ink.  I stamped the large medallion, cut out with nestabilities and then stamped and fussy cut the flower from Happy Place to pop inside my medallion.  For both flowers I used the back side of the stamp to stamp the solid image for an easy colored in effect.

At this point, the cards looked roughly the same, just different colors.  I liked the white space on the purple card, but I then decided to stamp the Much Joy sentiment on the turquoise card and add even more medallions and the flower randomly stamped to fill in the entire background.  Next I pulled out the mini ink tool thingy with the round sponge from Tim Holtz (can't remember the name of it!)  and sponged polka dots of squeezed lemonade all over, then filled in the gaps with antique linen.  I wanted a bit more blending, so I used some white oil pastels around the edges and blended with my fingers.  I also used the tool to sponge squeezed lemonade on the flower center.  Some walnut stain around the edges finished off the look.


To finish off the purple card, I added a sentiment from Be Blessed in the corner, punched out a couple of the smaller medallions and then added some bling.  I also added a thin strip of black cardstock to ground the design.  I'm wishing I had matched the cardstock color to the scalloped circle, but I glue down for REAL, so there was no turning back!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I'll be back tomorrow with the kick off to our August Viva la Verve challenges!


Enabler's Lists

Aqua/Yellow Card
Stamps:  Happy PlacePeaceful Medallions (Verve Stamps)
Paper: bermuda bay (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: bermuda bay, pool party (SU!), squeezed lemonade, antique linen, walnut stain (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Classic & Scallop Nestabilities (Spellbinders), liquid pearls (Ranger), oil pastels (Pentel)

Purple card
Stamps: Peaceful MedallionsBe BlessedHappy Place (Verve Stamps)
Paper: perfect plum, basic black (SU!), cream
Ink: wisteria wonder, pale plum (SU!)
Accessories: Classic & Scallop Nestabilities (Spellbinders), circle punch (EK Success), liquid pearls (Ranger), rhinestones


Much Joy

Hi friends!  It's Mojo Monday on Tuesday this week for me.  Had a super fun birthday weekend, but no time for stamping until last night.  So here's what I whipped up with this week's tall & skinny sketch.  I originally had a shabby chic card in my head when I designed the sketch, but that's not where my mojo took me when I sat down to stamp.



I started with the large medallion from  Peaceful Medallions, stamped in strawberry slush and matted on a circle die cut that I pierced with a template and a paper piercer.  Next I cut my banner strips... a long skinny and a shorter, wider one which I ran through the crimper.  The sentiment is also from  Peaceful Medallions and I stamped it in strawberry slush, then added a bit of a border from the Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set to the bottom of the sentiment panel.  Next I stamped the same smaller medallion I used in the center on scratch paper and punched out just the center to attach to my Polka Dot Basics bow.  I added a glittered star to a stick pin, then some star sequins all over the place.



Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a fabulous day!

Mojo Monday 356
Enabler's List
Stamps: Peaceful Medallions (Verve Stamps)
Paper: strawberry slush (SU!), dp scraps, cream (Neenah)
Ink: starwberry slush (SU!), black soot (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Polka Dot Basics Ribbon Collection (Verve), silver star (Frost it Pink), stick pin, star sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), circle punch (SU!), circle nestabilities (Spellbinders), paper crimper (Fiskars), black liquid pearls (Ranger)


Patina Celebration and a Hop

Hi friends!  Happy Saturday!  The Divas are hopping today with our July Release Retrospective Hop.  It's a chance to share another little look at our new stamps now that you've had a little time to order them and get them in your hands.  I'm the start of the hop, so let's get started!  As usual there's a $40 gift voucher to Verve for a lucky commenter, so be sure to give a shout out to the girls as you hop along.  And don't forget to head on over to the Verve Blog today for all the details and to see how you could win our entire next release!

I've been loving the look of patina lately, and wanted to try recreating the look with a new to me embossing folder I picked up at Jo-Anns.   So that's where the inspiration for the card started... that and the fact Verve is turning 7 on August 1 and I thought it would be fun to make a Verve-y celebration card.


I wanted my background to have lots of texture, so I decided to glue some old pieces of a sewing pattern to cream cardstock.  Next I scraped a layer of white gesso over the panel with an old gift card.  I didn't want a completely white background, though, so I spritzed it all with water and dabbed off some so that it was still coated, but more transparent.  I zapped it with a heat gun to dry.



Next I pulled out the henna embossing folder and coated the side that would be touching the front of the panel with peacock feathers distress ink and then ran it through my BigShot.  I passed it through three times because I wanted to make sure I got a great impression through all the layers and texture I'd already added. Unfortunately, my camera died at this portion of the card and I don't have any photos of the rest of the process.

Once I pulled out my embossed panel, I sponged evergreen bough over the uninked parts.  That was a little lighter than I was looking for, so I pulled out forest moss and applied over the same area.  Next I came back in with walnut stain around the edges and swirled here and there for effect.  I finished off with just a hint of antique bronze distress stain.  Although by this point in the card you can't see too much of the original sewing pattern peeking through, the wrinkles the tissue makes on the paper add so much texture and depth, almost like a crackle effect.  Love the way it turned out!

Next I started on the flowers.  I stamped the flower from Happy Place four times in coffee archival ink and then used distress markers in coordinating colors and a waterbrush to color the flowers.  I cut two out completely and then two have just the center portions cut out, so I could pop them up for some dimension.  I sponged around the edges of all of them with walnut stain distress ink and accented with sequins from a new sequin collection coming to Verve in August.  The sentiment is from Moments Remembered and stamped onto a piece of vellum in archival ink.  Then I sponged distress inks in the three color I was using on the back of the vellum and around the edges.  I tucked this pennant behind the flowers and then cut some Sprightly Sprigs from always artichoke, sponged with the varying inks and then arranged behind the flowers.  I finished off with some more new sequins and a few distressed edges.

Alrighty, that's all from me.  Hop on over to Stacey's blog to see what eye candy she has in store for you!

1. Julee10. Jen
2. Stacey11. Sheri {Guest}
3. Maureen 12. Andrea
4. Chaitali 13. Amber
5. Marisa 14. Christyne
6. Teresa 15. Sarah
7. Kay {Guest} 16. Anya
8. Janelle 17. Betty
9. Charmaine
ETA:  Laurie wasn't able to post today due to an injury.

And just a little reminder about my birthday weekend discount:

Enabler's List
Stamps: Happy PlaceMoments Remembered (Verve Stamps)
Paper: always artichoke, early espresso, vellum (SU!), sewing pattern, cream
Ink: coffee archival, peacock feathers, evergreen bough, forest moss, walnut stain distress inks, antique bronze distress stain (Ranger)
Accessories: Sprightly Sprigs Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), sequins (Verve), paper distresser, Henna embossing folder (Darice)

Hello Birthday Girl

It's my birthday, it's my birthday! {grin}  I just love birthdays because they're all about starting fresh.  And even though it meant never having cupcakes at school for my birthday (first world problems, right?), I really like having my birthday in July.  It's the perfect time for a new start!  And the sun is almost always shining.  In fact, it was 104 degrees when I was born... a year or two ago!  {grin}


Anyhow, since it's Friday, it's also time for a new Viva la Verve! sketch and that was the inspiration for my card today.   Everything except the so saffron smile panel and the card base came from my scrap pile.  The flower from Happy Place had been previously stamped, colored, cut and glittered, but didn't make it onto a card.  I layered it onto a piece of so saffron cardstock that I stamped tone on tone with the smile sentiment from Happy Place.  A little scrap of paper makes a fun photo corner and this layer is matted with black.


Next I pulled out a few scraps of paper and a doily from my scrap pile and layered them together, inking the edges lightly with black soot.  The soft sky piece is embossed with a Tides embossing folder, then I added some ribbon, thread and a button to finish things off.  Finished card size is 3.75" x 5.5"


In honor of my birthday, this weekend I've got a little gift code for the Verve Store for all of you! Enter BDAY20 in the Gift Code box at the bottom of the Verve shopping cart and click apply to receive 20% off your order placed July 25 through 28.  (Fine print:  Excludes new releases. Cannot be combined with other gift codes or vouchers.  Not valid on previous purchases or out of stock merchandise.) 


Thanks so much for stopping by today!
Be sure to pop in tomorrow for a special blog hop with the Divas and a chance to win prizes!


Viva la Verve July Week 4
Enabler's List
Stamps: Happy Place (Verve Stamps)
Paper: basic black, so saffron, soft sky (SU!), paper doily, dp scraps
Ink: so saffron (SU!), black, copic markers, black soot (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Happy Doodles Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), wood embellishment (freckled fawn), ribbon (SU!), thread, stardust stickles, button

Deconstructed Robot

Hi friends!  Happy Tuesday.  Today I have a fun little 2 year birthday card for one of the boys' friends.  His party was construction themed, so I decided to make a little construction bot for his card and this week's Deconstructed Sketch (flipped on its side) seemed like the perfect jumping off point.


I started by stamping this robot from Birthday Bots, then coloring with Copic markers.  I punched three coordinating mickey mouse ears for balloons, then popped them up on different levels of dimensionals and drew in the strings.  The yellow one is colored with copics, the smoky slate and basic grey ones are just cardstock wiped around the edges with pewter distress stain.  Because even robots love Mickey Mouse, right?  The silver piece is smoky slate cardstock embossed with a clockworks embossing folder then rubbed with the pewter distress stain.  The other layer is basic grey and I embossed the turning and the 2 from Geared Up in silver, then added a few sprinkles of Metal Mix Sequins.

The party was a blast and the boys actually ate cake for the first time ever.  They've refused it every time we've offered until Saturday.  It was chocolate and messy and I'm pretty sure the sugar content was enough to fuel them for a month!

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Have a great day!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Birthday Bots, Geared Up (Verve Stamps)
Paper: basic gray, smoky slate (SU!), white
Ink: black, copic markers, pewter distress stain (Ranger)
Accessories: Metal Mix Sequins (Verve), silver embossing powder (Ranger), mickey mouse punch (EK Success), clockworks embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Smile

Hi friends!  It's Monday again and time for another Mojo Monday sketch.  I had originally planned a card with a doily for the circle element, but when I sat down to stamp I decided I wanted to paper piece the flowers from Happy Place, so went with circle dies and an old pack of paper I don't think I've ever used.




The flowers are stamped onto the circle and also onto a yellow polka dot print, then cut out the tops and paper pieced onto the circle.  I used a strong liquid glue around the edges and then a small pop dot in the center of each flower to give them a little dimension and shape.  The stems are colored with a pear pizazz marker.  I matted the circle with sage shadow and used the same card stock with the  Scalloped Trim Trio die for the border.  A couple hand cut pennants, a seam binding bow and some liquid pearl accents finish things off.

Hope you're having a great start to the week!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!


Mojo Monday 355
Enabler's List
Stamps:  Happy Place (Verve Stamps)
Paper: On the Sunny Side (MME), sage shadow (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: pear pizazz (SU!), black, antique linen (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), Signature Ribbon Collection (Verve), Classic & Scallop Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), buttercup liquid pearls (Ranger)

A Chance to Fly

Hi friends!  I can't believe it's already Friday.  What a week!  Anyhow, it's time for a new sketch over at Viva la Verve and this week is also inspiration week, so Moe has a great little sketch and pic to jump start your card making.


When Moe showed the team the inspiration pic, she pointed out that little Canadian flag, so I knew I needed to give a nod to Canada somewhere in my card.  So my starting point for the card was the cherry cobbler banner, which I stamped tone on tone with one of the maple leaves from the Happiness Found set.  It's not super noticeable, more of a Where's Waldo kind of nod, but love that it's hidden in there.  Next those little yellow straws made me think of the yellow doilies I got recently, which just happen to be perfect for Moe's challenge, since she is the doily queen.  {grin} Ended up adding a piece of the cut off portion of the doily to the corner of the red pennant and just love the look.

For the other pieces, I pulled out the new Happy Place stamp set.  The large flower is stamped tone on tone as a background on the pool party piece, the sentiment is stamped onto a circle die cut and the butterfly is stamped, colored and then cut with the coordinating Happy Doodles Die Set.  I added a little Scalloped Trim Trio die cut for the scallop border, then accented the butterfly with stardust stickles and black pearls. Then I added a little dotted accent to the trim as well as the bottom of the pennant with some white enamel accents. It's been a while since I used them and I uncharacteristically was stamping 3 hours before my usual wake up time since I couldn't sleep, so I forgot to shake the bottle and there had been some separation of the pigment from the gloss.  Oops.  After a cup of coffee, I could see that it wasn't drying the white color it should, so I shook it up and applied some over the tops. Am writing this post while I'm waiting for them to dry to see if I get the white that should have happened from the start!  (Nope, they didn't dry as white as they should have, but oh well.  You win some, you lose some, right?  {grin}

The white embossed background is a new to me embossing folder in the Tides set from We R Memory Keepers.  When the boys were at the zoo with Mark last weekend, I actually got to go to Michael's for the first time in several months.  Picked this up with a 50% off coupon and love, love, love it!

I hope you have a super fun and creative weekend!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Viva la Verve July Week 3
Enabler's List
Stamps: Happy PlaceHappiness Found (Verve Stamps)
Paper: pool party, cherry cobbler, white
Ink: cherry cobbler, pool party (SU!), black, Copic markers
Accessories:  Happy Doodles Die SetScalloped Trim Trio Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), classic circles nestabilities (Spellbinders), paper doily (Freckled Fawn), Tides embossing folder (WRMK), black pearls (Pizzazz Aplenty), stardust stickles, white enamel accents (Ranger)

Graffiti Change

Hi friends!  I got a little pocket of time to stamp yesterday, so decided to play along with the current Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge.  It's their 1st anniversary and Verve and a whole bunch of other companies are sponsoring prizes, so be sure to check it out.


I was itching to do a little mixed-media, so as I looked at the inspiration photo all those squares reminded me of a lattice stencil I just got.  So I pulled it out along with some light modeling paste and slathered it on pretty quick to create the texture on a piece of white cardstock.  I let this die and then began adding distress stains and paints to cover the background, then tore a portion of it to fit my card.

Next I stamped the Gandhi quote from Moments Remembered in archival black onto transparency and layered over my colored "wall" to give a pretty graffiti look to it.  Next I finger painted some of the leftover paint onto some white cardstock, hit it with the heat gun and then stamped the large feather from Moments Remembered in archival ink over it.  This piece is hand cut and popped up over the sentiment and "wall.".  I added a little background piece with a piece of white cardstock embossed with the square lattice embossing folder and then added everything to a kraft card base, sponged with walnut stain and distressed a bit.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful day.

Enabler's List
Stamps: Moments Remembered (Verve Stamps)
Paper: white, kraft, transparency
Ink: tumbled glass, spun sugar, worn lipstick distress stains & paints, walnut stain distress ink, Archival Black ink (Ranger)
Accessories:  light modeling paste, brilliant yellow green soft body acrylic paint (liquitex), lattice stencil (Heidi Swapp), square lattice embossing folder (SU!), paper distresser (Tonic

Medallion Congrats

Hi friends!  Did y'all  have a great weekend?  Mark braved the zoo with the boys alone and I got a little time to myself on Saturday!  Woohoo!  But it's Monday morning again, and that means it's time for another Mojo Monday sketch! I used a couple of Verve sets that released on Friday for my sample.


I started with the medallion piece, stamping the big medallion from Peaceful Medallions on cream cardstock and then cutting with circle dies and coloring with Copic markers.  Next I stamped the peacock from Moments Remembered on crumb cake and soft sky, then punched out the crumb cake piece and paper pieced the soft sky face and neck onto the crumb cake circle.  I colored with markers, then matted this piece with an early espresso circle.

My soft sky panel is stamped tone on tone with another medallion from the Peaceful Medallions set and then I made the fun feather panel by stamping the two feathers from Moments Remembered in Early Espresso on cream and then coloring with Copics.  I LOVE how it turned out and am a bit sad that I had to cover up so much of it, but I know I can make more!  :)  The congrats sentiment is from Moments Remembered and stamped onto a die cut from the Flag It Die Set, then I accented with twine layered over a slim ribbon.  The crumb cake background is embossed with the stars & swirls embossing folder I love so much, and I finished with a few chocolate liquid pearl accents on my medallion piece.

If you haven't checked it out, all of Verve's new releases are 10% off, plus there's a Christmas in July special with 25% off our favorite holiday and birthday stamps.


Thanks so much for stopping by today!  I hope you have a fabulous week!

Enabler's List
Mojo Monday 354
Stamps:Peaceful Medallions, Moments Remembered (Verve)
Paper: crumb cake, soft sky, early espresso (SU!)
Ink: early espresso (SU!), copic markers, walnut stain (Ranger Distress)
Accessories:  Flag It Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), pinking and classic circles nestabilities (Spellbinders), circle punches (EK success), hemp twine (Hemptique), stars & swirls embossing folder (Sizzix), chocolate pearl, chocolate liquid pearls (Ranger), ribbon (SU!), clear embossing powder (JudiKins)

Laughing Flowers and a Release Hop

Hi friends!  It's Verve release day and I'm so excited that all of the products we've been spotlighting this week are now available in the Verve store.  Have you been loving the Diva's cards with these sets, I sure have, and am so glad that there's one more blog hop today featuring these wonderful sets.  And today's blog hop prize is a doozy!  One lucky commenter along today's hop will win our entire July Release Collection! Woohoo!  Let's get to it!  {grin}


My card today features the new Happy Place and coordinating Happy Doodles Die Set.  It's Friday, and that means there's a new Viva la Verve sketch and this sweet layout from Anya just called my name.  I started by stamping the single flower from Happy Place on soft sky, tangerine tango and so saffron cardstock, then punching out with a 1-1/8 circle punch.  Next I stamped the flower three times in a row on a piece of crumb cake and colored all the stamped pieces with markers.  I cut out the butterfly from the Happy Doodles Die Set, then stamped the coordinating butterfly stamp and also colored with markers.

The sentiment is stamped on cream cardstock and I stamped the flower again at the bottom of the sentiment panel in the coordinating ink colors.  Each panel is sponged lightly with walnut distress stain and I accented a lot of the stamping with glossy accents.  For the sky, I started with soft sky card stock and then used one of the butterfly die cuts from the Happy Doodles Die Set as a stencil to sponge soft sky ink across the page to form a cloudy background.  A little twine and some goosebump rhinestones and I was finished.


Before I leave you with the hop info, I thought I'd let you know all of our new releases are on SALE! Through the end of July, you can buy the new release stamp and die sets individually at a 10% discount, or double your fun and purchase the whole enchilada at a 20% discount.  Woohoo!

Okey dokey, next up on the hop is Stacey!

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 along the way to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines, and another card from me using Happy Place!


Today's Prize: July Release Collection
1. Julee9. Charmaine
2. Stacey10. Jen
3. Maureen11. Sheri {Guest}
4. Chaitali12. Laurie
5. Marisa13. Andrea
6. Teresa14. Amber
7. Kay {Guest}15. Christyne
8. Janelle

Enabler's List
Stamps:  Happy Place (Verve Stamps)
Viva la Verve July Week 2
Paper: soft sky, crumb cake, tangerine tango, so saffron (SU!), cream (Neenah)
Ink: soft sky, tangerine tango, so saffron, pear pizzazz (SU!), walnut stain (Ranger Distress), black
Accessories: Happy Doodles Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE), 1-1/8" circle punch (EK Success), glossy accents (Ranger), goosebumps rhinestones (Queen & Co.), hemp (Hemptique)

My Happy Place and a Blog Hop

Hi friends!  Here we are at Day 3 of our new release blog hops and that means we're just 1 sleep away from new Verve!  Hooray!  I'm the start of the hop, so settle in and get comfy for another hop through Divaland! And since we love to give our Verve away, be sure to leave a little shout out in the comments as you hop about for a chance to win today's featured products!


In the spotlight today is a set called Happy Place, illustrated by me.  I was so inspired when I was working with Chaitali's illustrations to get them ready for our manufacturer that I snuck a tiny bit of time out to just play around.  Those peacock wings were just calling out to be a whimsical little butterfly and I loved the look of the feathery images so much, I created a fun multi-petaled flower.  And I threw in a few doodled flowers, adding in touches of the petals for leaves in order to tie all the designs together.

Mark is always the first person to see my designs and a few releases ago he told me that he always reads the sentiments as if they were written about him.  So when I sat down to choose sentiments for this set, I just had to include the next to you is my happy place sentiment just for him.  As soon as he read it on the set, he looked up and said, "So TRUE!".  {sigh}

Anyhow, on with the card.  Another crumb cake creation (although I think I hit my last sheet so the streak might not continue for very long).  I started with my favorite image from Happy Place, the flower duo, embossing it in black onto crumb cake and then cutting with the coordinating Happy Doodles Die Set.  Next I pulled out the cloud and grass cut-ups from The Cat's Pajamas to create a little scene.  I cut one grass diagonally from lucky limeade paper and then did another one and cut off just the portion I wanted to layer over the bottom grass.  Next I stamped the big flower and the sprig of feathery leaves randomly all over to give the grass some texture and depth.  I cut the clouds down to just two, sponged the bottoms lightly with soft sky and then tucked them behind the flowers.  The flowers are colored with prismacolor pencils and then highlighted with a white gel pen.

The sentiment is stamped onto a kraft panel, sponged with walnut stain ink and then I finished with a pink polka dot bow from the Pastel Polka Ribbon Collection.

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 along the way to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for a full set reveal and all the prize info and deadlines!


Okay, next up on the hop is the talented Stacey!
Oh and by the way it's her birthday, so be sure to give her an extra little shout out!

Today's Prize: Happy Place, 2 Corinthians 12:9
 (illustrated by Julee Tilman)

and Happy Doodles Die Set 
1. Julee9. Charmaine
2. Stacey10. Jen
3. Maureen11. Sheri {Guest}
4. Chaitali12. Laurie
5. Marisa13. Andrea
6. Teresa14. Amber
7. Kay {Guest}15. Christyne
8. Janelle
Enabler's List
Stamps: Happy Place (releasing 7/11/14 from Verve Stamps)
Paper: crumb cake, lucky limeade (SU!), white
Ink: lucky limeade, soft sky (SU!), black, prismacolor pencils
Accessories: Happy Doodles Die Set (A Cut Above by Verve), Pastel Polka Ribbon Collection (Verve), Cloud Border and Grass CutUps (TCP)

Sneaky Joy and a Blog Hop

Hi friends!  I'm back today with the start of Verve's Day 2 Spotlight Hops!  Leave a little comment love as you're checking out the Diva's first looks of the new Peaceful Medallions set and you'll be entered into our blog hop prize drawing!


Today's featured set is an elegant Indian inspired medallions set illustrated by Chaitali Narla. We worked together to make sure the set had lots of layering capabilities with common sizes of circle punches and dies and the possibilities with this set are endless.

For my card, I pulled out more crumb cake.  I've totally been on a little crumb cake streak lately, haven't I? I cut two circles with classic circles Nestabilities and then stamped the large medallion on one in island indigo.  On the other, I built the sentiment, then stamped the small circle medallion twice and then a smaller star image in Versamark.  I then used the same small circle medallion punched out and matted on a 1.25" punch of island indigo to pop up in the center of my large medallion.  These two pieces were then sponged with walnut ink distress stain and then matted on pinking circles Nestabilities.

For the background of the card, I stamped in VersaMark ink the other large medallion image randomly over the entire piece of crumbcake, then went back and stamped the smaller loopy medallion in the center of each medallion and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I sponged the edges, added some island indigo ribbon, layered my two medallions and then accented with a beautiful butterfly from my stash.

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 along the way to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for a full set reveal and all the prize info and deadlines!

Okay, next up on the hop is the talented Stacey!

Today's Prize: Peaceful Medallions (illustrated by Chaitali Narla)
1. Julee9. Charmaine
2. Stacey10. Jen
3. Maureen11. Sheri {Guest}
4. Chaitali12. Laurie
5. Marisa13. Andrea
6. Teresa14. Amber
7. Kay {Guest}15. Christyne
8. Janelle

Enabler's List
Stamps: Peaceful Medallions (releasing 7/11/14 from Verve Stamps)
Paper: crumb cake, island indigo (SU!)
Ink: island indigo (SU!), VersaMark (Tsukineko), walnut stain (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Classic & Pinking Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), circle punches (EK Success), butterfly (Prima), island indigo ribbon (SU!), clear embossing powder (JudiKins)

Be the Change and a Spotlight Hop

Hi friends!  It's Verve release week and today is the start of our July Spotlight Hops!  We've got 3 new sets, a plain jane and a coordinating die set releasing on Friday, July 11, so we'll be hopping all week long!  I'm the start of the hop, so grab yourself a little something refreshing and settle in for some wonderful inspiration from the Verve Divas and our super awesome Guest Divas, Sheri Gilson and Kay Miller.


Today's spotlight is on a set illustrated by Chaitali Narla, with a little of my font flair added to the sentiments. It's a super fun set, and this Gandhi quote has been a favorite of mine for a very long time.  So glad to be adding it to Verve's offerings.

To begin my card, I stamped and embossed the peacock image from Moments Remembered  in early espresso twice on white card stock and then colored with Copic markers.  I wanted a bit of dimension, so I cut a loose border around the full image, then fussy cut the head/neck section and the front wing and popped them up on different layers of dimensionals for a paper tole effect.  I finished the piece off by adding some glossy accents over the feathers and swirls.

Next I stamped the two feathery accent images tone on tone in lucky limeade for a fun background.  The Gandhi quote is stamped onto crumb cake and then I distressed all the edges with a bit of walnut stain ink.  My only embellishment was a piece of island indigo ribbon as I wanted the peacock to take center stage.

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 along the way to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for full set reveal, an introduction of our 2 lovely guest divas, and all the prize info and deadlines!


Okay, next up on the hop is the talented Stacey!

Today's Prize: Moments Remembered (illustrated by Chaitali Narla)
1. Julee8. Janelle
2. Stacey9. Charmaine
3. Maureen10. Jen
4. Chaitali11. Sheri {Guest}
5. Marisa12. Andrea
6. Teresa13. Amber
7. Kay {Guest}14. Christyne


Enabler's List
Stamps: Moments Remembered (releasing 7/11/14 from Verve Stamps)
Paper: lucky limeade, crumb cake (SU!), white (Neenah)
Ink: early espresso, lucky limeade (SU!), walnut stain (Ranger Distress), copic markers
Accessories: clear embossing powder (Judikins), glossy accents (Ranger), island indigo ribbon (SU!)