Ann~-VERVE~sary Spotlight Hop - Day 5

Welcome to Day 5 of our Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops! As many of you know, Verve is celebrating its 5th anniversary this month! We'll be counting down the minutes and revealing all the new sets in our forum from 9-11pm Eastern on Friday, August 24, so make plans now to join us for our release party!

We've picked a mystery blog from today's hop and hidden a prize! So be sure to give a little shout out in the comment section as you hop around to each blog on the list. We’ll draw a random winner from all of the comments on the mystery blog to win today's featured sets and dies. Check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.

Want even more chances to win? Head on over to the Verve SCS forum and play along in our Anni-VERVE-sary release challenges. Or hop on over to the Verve Blog to find out about our Verve Card Carnival, for a chance to win the entire new release (a $300+ value)!

I made a potted floral bouquet using the flowers from the set Brighter Days, the leaves from Verve's Dream Big set, and the sentiment from the With Love set. For the flowers I used the new Scalloped Flower die and colored them with Copics. The Dreamy leaves die was used for the leaves. For the sentiment, I used a framing image and die that will be peeked tomorrow....shhhhhh...it just fit so perfectly in my little pot of flowers. ;)

The flowerpot is a Spellbinders diecut that I first dry embossed with a cuttlebug folder, then embossed it with white embossing powder to give it that enamel look.

You can hardly see it, but I used one more die along the bottom border that will be peeked in two days. I'm really breaking the rules today. yikes!!

That's it for today. Hope you're having fun hopping along!! Next up on the hop is the sweet and super creative Amber.

1. Julee 8. Andrea 2. Laurie S. 9. Charmaine 3. Maureen 10. Janelle 4. Teresa 11. Betty 5. Tosh 12. Christyne {Guest} 6. Amber 13. Laurie W. {Guest} 7. Amy

Have you heard about the Verve Customer Card Carnival? It's just one way you can participate to win some Verve.

Create a new card using Verve Stamps Post your card to your blog or gallery Include a link to the Verve store in your write up Link your card using the entry form below

One lucky participant from all the entries will win our entire new release of products! That's over $300 worth of stamps and dies! You may enter as many times as you like, and feel free to link any new* Verve challenge cards, but each entry must be a different card, use Verve Stamps, be posted in a separate post, and include a link to Verve. *Only new cards posted August 16 through August 24, 2012 are eligible. Deadline to link your cards is 5PM Eastern on Friday, August 24. The winner will be announced at our release party that night (you don't need to be present to win)! That's it for me today. Thanks for visiting!! Happy Stamping!!

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Stamps: Brighter Days, Scroll Plain Jane, Dream Big, With Love (Verve)
Paper: Kraft (PTI), Watercolor
Ink: Versamark, Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories: Scroll Die, Dreamy Leaves Die Set, Scalloped Flowers Die Set and Flourished Trim Die (Verve), Flower Pot Die (Spellbinders), Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Satin Ribbon (PTI), Gesso, Rhinestones (Pizzazz A Plenty), Small Exotic Butterfly Die (Cheery Lynn Designs), Iridescent and White Embossing Powder (SU!)

Ann~-VERVE~sary Spotlight Hop - Day 4

Hi Verve fans! Are you ready to do some more hopping? It's Day 4 of our Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops and the Divas and Guests are back with more Vervey goodness to tempt you with! So let your fingers do the clicking and peek into the creative minds of Verve's talented Divas and Guest Divas as they give you a little tour of what's releasing from Verve on August 24!

Just like yesterday we've picked a mystery blog from today's hop and hidden a prize! So be sure to give each Diva a little shout out in the comment sections as you hop around the list below. We’ll draw a random winner from all of the comments on the mystery blog to win today's featured set: Wonderfully Made and Praying For You Plain Jane.

I decided to make a tag using the Wonderfully Made set as well as the Pointed Flower die set that was featured on Friday. I just diecut 3 of the large and 2 of the small flowers, snipped every other indent and curled the edges, of the organza flower, by holding it gently over a small flame.

The sentiment was stamped on some scrap packaging that had an interesting texture, and the sweet little banner was made using the Pennant Trim die on some canvas. I also diecut some hearts using the From the Heart die set.

I hope you've been enjoying the hops these last few days. Be sure to visit the Verve Blog for all the details about how you can win some Verve!! Julee has some wonderfully fun ways to participate!!

1. Julee 8. Andrea 2. Laurie S. 9. Charmaine 3. Maureen 10. Janelle 4. Teresa 11. Betty 5. Tosh 12. Sony 6. Amber 13. Christyne {Guest} 7. Amy 14. Laurie W. {Guest}

Thanks once again for visiting!! Happy Stamping my friends!! :)

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Stamps: Wonderfully Made (Verve)

Paper: Scrap Packaging

Ink: Onyx Black (Versafine)

Accessories: Pointed Flowers Die Set, Pennant Trim Die and From the Heart Die Set (Verve), Canvas Tag (Maya Road), Wire Pins (Tim Holtz), Sparklet (Kaisercraft), Pearls (Pizzazz a Plenty), Felt, Gesso, Lace, Satin Ribbon (PTI), Burlap Ribbon, Alpine Ice Rose Starburst Mist (Lindy's Stamp Gang), Sweet Clover Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels)

Ann~-VERVE~sary Spotlight Hop - Day 3

It's day three of our Anni-VERVE-sary spotlight hops, and we are featuring Doodled Occasions. In case you haven't heard... ;)... we're celebrating Verve's 5 year anniversary, so there are lots of prizes to win, and a variety of ways to win them. So click HERE for all the details.

For my little trio today (2 1/2" x 3 1/2"), I thought it would be fun to make itty-bitty chalkboards. So I embossed the images onto black cardstock with white embossing powder and colored them with color pencils.

I love making these mini-cards for that little extra something attached to a gift, or tucked in a backpack or suitcase for one of my kids.

Aren't these images just fun and whimsical?

1. Julee 9. Charmaine 2. Laurie S. 10. Janelle 3. Maureen 11. Betty 4. Teresa 12. Jen d. 5. Tosh 13. Christyne {Guest} 6. Amber 14. Laurie W. {Guest} 7. Amy 15. Jen S. {Guest} 8. Andrea 16. Susan

Hope you're enjoying the Spotlight hops. Tomorrow I have a tag to share with you. The stamp set being peeked is one of my faves of this release, and the project is close to my heart too.

Happy Stamping my friends!!

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Stamps: Doodled Occasions (Verve)
Paper: Black and White (PTI)
Ink: Versamark, Onyx Black (Versafine)
Accessories: Labels dies 1, 3 and 18 (Spellbinders), Border Punch (Martha Stewart), Color Pencils (Prisma), White Embossing Powder, Scor-Buddy

Ann~-VERVE~sary Spotlight Hop - Day 2

It's Day 2 for our Anni-VERVE-sary blog hop, and we're featuring the Lean on Me stamp set as well as a PJ and 2 dies. There's quite a lot happening since it's Verve's 5 year anniversary, so be sure to check out all the details HERE.

Using the Lean on Me set, I chose to layer the flowers and I added some Ice White Pearl Pen Gel (Viva Decor) to the center with crystal glitter. I added some stamped leaves from the Sunny Days set (Verve), that I diecut using the Leafy Sprigs die set.

I'll keep this short so you can continue on the hop. There's a lot to see, and nothing should be missed.

1. Julee 7. Andrea 2. Laurie S. 8. Charmaine 3. Maureen 9. Janelle 4. Teresa 10 Betty 5. Tosh 11. Christyne {Guest} 12. Laurie W. {Guest} 6. Amy 13. Jen S. {Guest}

Be sure to check out the Verve sale too. There's a lot of Vervey goodness to be had!! :)

Thanks for dropping by!! Be sure to stop by tomorrow. There's more to share!

Happy Stamping!

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Stamps: Lean on Me and Sunny Days (Verve)
Paper: My Mind's Eye, Vintage Cream (PTI)
Ink: Gray Flannel (Memento), Sage (a muse), Antique Linen (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Leafy Sprigs Die Set (Verve) Labels 1, Parisian Motif and Twisted Metal Tags and Accents dies (Spellbinders), Copics, Silver and Ice White Pearl Pens (Viva Decor), Natural Burlap String (May Arts), Button (PTI), Crystal Glitter

For the Love of Single Stamps ODBD hop.

(For the Anni-VERVE-sary Release Challenge post, click HERE.)

Welcome to Our Daily Bread Design's Alumni Team's bi-monthly For the Love Blog Hop. This week the Alumni team along with some of the ODBD designers are featuring a hop For the Love of ODBD single stamps! Check out each link and leave a comment. If you get lost along the way, check the ODBD blog for full list of links. One of the post is a hop hot spot and a name will be drawn from that list of comments to win a $15 ODBD store gift certificate. So, all you have to do is hop along and see all the creations and leave a little love! You have until Wednesday, August 29th at 6 pm. Enjoy all the beautiful designs using For the Love of ODBD single stamps!

If you've arrived here from Deb's blog, you are right on track.

(Click on the photo for a more detailed view of the frame.)

I chose to use the 1 Corinthians Scripture image because it's one of my daughter's favorite verses and I'd like to give this to her the day she leaves for her Sophomore year of college. She'll be over 2000 miles away from home, so I'm hoping it will remind her of home and the love that surrounds her no matter where she is.

Since this is a "Single Stamp" challenge, I thought it would be fun to make it a "single" layer card too. I don't believe I can call it a CAS card though since I have a bit of embellishing included. ;) I've included a photo below to show how I taped off the edges of the die so the ink only showed in the middle. I'm a sloppy stamper, so taping the edges off is easier for me. Otherwise I know I'd have green in a variety of spots around the frame.

That's it for my take on this week's "For the Love of Single Stamps" challenge. Next up on the hop is the sweet and talented Chris.

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Stamps: 1 Corinthians (Our Daily Bread Designs)

Paper: White (PTI)

Ink: Shabby Shutters and Milled Lavender (Ranger Distress), Onyx Black (Versafine), Versamark

Accessories: Romantic Rectangles die (Spellbinders), Branch with Leaves die (Sizzix), Flowers (Wild Orchid Crafts), Small Exotic Butterfly (Cheery Lynn Designs), Iridescent Embossing Powder (SU!), Rhinestones (I-Rock), Stardust Stickles

Anni~VERVE~sary Spotlight Hop - Day 1

Click HERE for the Our Daily Bread Designs post.

Welcome to our Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops! As many of you know, Verve is celebrating its 5th anniversary this month and the party is just getting started! Come join us over the next 9 days as we showcase the 23 new stamps and dies releasing from Verve! We'll be counting down the minutes and revealing all the new sets in our forum from 9-11pm Eastern on Friday, August 24, so make plans now to join us for our release party!

In the meantime, we've got a fun filled hop for you today! So let your fingers do the clicking and peek into the creative minds of Verve's talented Divas and Guest Divas as they give you a little tour of what's to come! Inspiration abounds, and so do the PRIZES!

That's right! We've picked a mystery blog from today's hop and hidden a prize! So be sure to give a little shout out in the comment section as you hop around to each blog on the list. We’ll draw a random winner from all of the comments on the mystery blog to win today's featured sets and dies. Check out the Verve Blog for all the prize details and deadlines.

Want even more chances to win? Head on over to the Verve SCS forum and play along in our Anni-VERVE-sary release challenges. Or hop on over to the Verve Blog to find out about our Verve Card Carnival, for a chance to win the entire new release (a $300+ value)!

So, how about a sneak peek?

Today we're showcasing the set With Love, the Plain Jane Birthday to You, and a Pennant Trim Die. I love the loopy heart in the With Love set, as well as the "LOVE" font. They're not too fancy so they can be used as elegant or sweet. In fact, this set is full of sweet images and beautifully fonted sentiments.

I also made this card CAS for the Anni-VERVE-sary release challenges going on over at the Verve SCS forum. Charmaine is hosting today, and I have the honor of being her co-host. We'd love to see your Verve CAS ideas. So be sure to check it out. There are fabulous prizes to win too!!

I made a negative heart space at the bottom of the main panel using a Heart die (Spellbinders), and just embossed the heart with Silver ep (SU!). The sentiment was embossed the same way and I used a circle punch to create the edge.

That's it...CAS all the way. :)

Now, be sure to stop by every day through the 24th. I'm excited to share the projects I've made with these fabulous new sets!!

Included is a hop list below, in case you miss a stop along the way.

1. Julee 8. Andrea 2. Laurie S. 9. Charmaine 3. Maureen 10. Janelle 4. Teresa 11. Betty 5. Tosh 12. Christyne {Guest} 6. Amber 13. Laurie W. {Guest} 7. Amy 14. Jen S. {Guest}

Thanks so much for stopping by. Sorry I've been so inactive with my blog lately. We took a family vacation, I had family visiting for awhile, and my kids are moving and heading back to college. So things have been a bit crazy around here. Lots and lots of stamping projects to share for the next week-and-a-half though!!

Happy Stamping!! :)

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Stamps: With Love (Verve)
Paper: Beautiful Moments (Carta Bella), White (PTI)
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Heart die (Spellbinders), Circle Punch (SU!), Rhinestones (Pizzazz a Plenty), Sewing Machine, Silver Embossing Powder

For the Love of Scenic Stamps ~ Our Daily Bread Designs

Welcome to Our Daily Bread Design's Alumni Team's bi-monthly For the Love Blog Hop. This week the Alumni team, along with some of the ODBD designers, is featuring a hop For the Love of ODBD scenic stamps! Check out each link and leave a comment. If you get lost along the way, check the ODBD blog for a full list of links. One of the posts is a hop hot spot and a name will be drawn from that list of comments to win a $15 ODBD store gift certificate. So, all you have to do is hop along, see all the creations and leave a little love! You have until Wednesday, August 15th at 6 pm. Enjoy all the beautiful designs using For the Love of ODBD scenic stamps!

I have the privilege of starting this week's blog hop, so I'll get right to my card.

Click on the photo for a closer and more detailed view.

I chose to use the scenic stamp set called Porch because it reminds me of my childhood. I have a lot of fond memories of visiting on our front porch as a child. We lived in a small town, and my mom and I would sit on the porch swing husking corn, hulling strawberries, or snapping beans throughout the summer. Many friends and neighbors would stop by to either take a break from their walks or bike rides. What fun times! Living in the country now, I miss those times. Although living on a farm has advantages too.

It's probably pretty obvious that I love making cards with a predominantly white background. I feel sometimes it really aids in making the image pop. And since this image had a lot of details, I wanted the background to be minimal. I also like to add punched borders to the bottom of my cards, as well as some scoring.

The image was stamped onto kraft cardstock with Versamark. I then embossed it with white ep and colored it with Copics. The layered panel consists of Tim Holtz's Core'dinations Kraft Core Nostalgic collection. I just added some Gesso to it and sanded it to give some texture. I thought the sentiment "He restores my soul...Psalm 23:3" was a perfect fit for this scene. Especially considering the memories it brought back. My mom and I were best friends, and good memories are a great balm to the soul.

That's it for my CAS (Clean and Simple) card today. Next along the hop is the sweet and talented Betty. I know she'll have a project to share that's filled with delightful colors and perfect embellishments.

Thanks for visiting!!

Happy Stamping!

Viva la Verve and Ink Isolating Tutorial

Have you had a chance to check out the last Viva la Verve sketch for this month yet? If you use all the sketches, and upload them HERE, you have an opportunity to win a $100 Verve Gift Certificate...just sayin'....:)

Well, inspired by this week's CAS (I know...I got carried away and didn't do very well in the CAS department...it happens sometimes...*grin*), I created this fun coffee card using a couple of techniques.

First of all I Emboss Resisted. I stamped the coffee stain image, from the Verve set Better with You, onto Kraft cs, with Versamark and embossed it with Clear Embossing Powder. I then inked the panel with Walnut Stain (Ranger Distress Ink) using a sponge dauber. After getting the deep color I wanted, I used my heat tool to go over the embossed coffee stains once more to get rid of the shine of the embossing powder making it look a little more rustic. The paper lines are an image from the Verve set Making a Statement.

For the background, I just stamped the "java" image all over the main panel. I wanted to use the small beautifully fonted "java" sentiment as a little banner flag so I decided to isolate it from the other fonts using repositioning tape.

Now, I'm sure someone has used this technique before, and there's probably a youtube video out on it, but I thought I'd show you how I did it here anyway.

I just taped over the areas of the image I didn't want to show,

Inked up the image with Teal Zeal (Memento),

and removed the tape to reveal the lone part that I wanted inked. If your ink has dried a bit, just "huff" on it and it should moisten the ink enough to get a good crisp image.

It's really easy.

The colored panels were created using the Modern Cube Large Edge Punch (EK Success). I just added some colored squares behind it using Ranger Distress Inks. I thought it would be fun to add some actual coffee beans too. They even smell good. :)

I want to quickly remind you that Verve is having a fabulous sale and Goody Bag offer right now too. So be sure to check that out. Just click on one of the images to the left or above, and you will be directed over to the Verve Store.

That about sums up today's card. I'm working on an Our Daily Bread Designs card for the Alumni Hop later this week, so be sure to visit again soon.

Happy Stamping!!

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Stamps: Better with You and Making a Statement(Verve)

Paper: Vintage Cream and Kraft (PTI)

Ink: French Roast (a muse), Walnut Stain (Ranger Distress), Elderberry, Teal Zeal, Pistachio, Peanut Brittle, and Toffee Crunch (Memento), Versamark

Accessories: Modern Cube Large Edge Punch and Round Binding Edge Edger Punch (EK Success), Burlap Ribbon, Memo Pins (Tim Holtz), Coffee Beans, Distrezz-it-All (Zutter), Clear Embossing Powder

Waltzingmouse Blog Waltz with Pouchmart Bags

Waltingmouse meets PouchMart. Several of the WMS Design team members are using Waltzingmouse stamps to embellish bags from Pouch Mart - a web store that sells bags made with a wide variety of fabrics and materials in all shapes, colors and sizes. The folks over at PouchMart generously sent us some bags to work with and they are also offering a $25 Pouch Mart gift certificate for one lucky commenter. See all the prize details at the bottom of my post.

I chose to alter this darling little 7" x 6" Orange Sinamay Bag. It reminded me of a mini-beach tote and I thought it would be fun to include some pampering products inside for a friend of mine who works really hard and rarely takes time for herself.

All I did was stamp the "Relax" sentiment from the Waltzingmouse set My Island, with Black Onyx Versamark, onto a rectangular piece of canvas. (I swear Claire designed this sentiment just for this little gift I wanted to give. It's PERFECT). I then spritzed the canvas with Alpine Ice Rose and Bells of Ireland Green Starburst mists from Lindy's Stamp Gang. Once the canvas was dry, I hand-stitched around the edges using a bright pink embroidery thread and frayed the edges.

Since the webbing of the bag is spread out, it would be hard to sew the canvas directly to the bag, so I hot glued the panel to the bag using a slightly smaller rectangular canvas piece inside, behind the main panel. It gives it a clean look on the inside also. It was so easy to do, and the bags from Pouchmart are so reasonably priced.

I also made a card to go with my little gift using some background images, as well as a Hawaiian "thank you" sentiment (because she's always doing so much for me). I used the Waltzingmouse sets My Island, Heirloom Patterns and Off Beat Backgrounds.

That about sums up my project for today.

Below is a list of the WMS Design Team Members who are also participating today's hop.

Leave a comment at each blog - one lucky commenter will win a $25.00 gift certificate to Pouch Mart - and another lucky commenter will win a Waltzingmouse Stamp set! You have until Sunday July 29th 11:59 pm EST to leave your comments!

Winners will be announced on Julia's blog Monday July 30th.

Anya Schrier

Bonnie Sharp

Julia Aston

Kelly Schirmer

Lynn Mercurio

Mona Pendleton

I hope you've enjoyed this little hop, and have been inspired.

Thanks for visiting and have a fabulous weekend!!

Happy Stamping!

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Stamps: My Island, Heirloom Patterns and Off Beat Backgrounds, (Waltzingmouse Stamps)

Paper: Kraft

Ink: Black Onyx (Versafine), Fresh Snow (PTI), Peanut Brittle and Elderberry (Memento)

Accessories: 7" x 6" Orange Sinamay Bag (PouchMart), Canvas, Embroidery Thread, Raffia Flower (Prima), Gift Products (Bath and Body)

Verve Diva Dare July 2012

Hello my friends! I'm hosting the Diva Dare challenge over at the Verve Blog today, and this is the card I made in answer to the Birthday Theme. I usually go all embellishment crazy on a card, but as I was creating this one, I ended up with a pretty clean and simple look using the Ribbon Banner die, Plain Jane Fringe Flower, and a birthday sentiment from Joyful Blooms.

I love texture, so I stamped the Fringe Flower image, using Black Stazon, onto some felt and added a button, as well as a sweet little canvas tag with the birthday sentiment on it. As a backdrop to the sentiment, I added a little banner using Verve's Ribbon Banner die.

You could win some Verve Goodies too, so be sure to stop by the Verve Blog to see how.

Thanks so much for visiting. I hope you've had an awesome week and are looking forward to a nice weekend!

Happy Stamping!

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Stamps: Plain Jane Fringe Flower, Joyful Blooms (Verve)

Paper: Country Boutique (Fancy Pants Designs), Vintage Cream (PTI)

Ink: Jet Black (Stazon), Pumice Stone (Ranger Distress)

Accessories: Ribbon Banner die (Verve), Mini Canvas Tag (Maya Road), Rhinestone Flourish (Zva Creative), Snowflake Fancy Floss (We R Memory Keepers), Button, Quickie Glue Pen, Crystal Glitter, Border Punch (EK Success), Sewing Machine, Lace (Stamp Simply Ribbon Store)

For the Love of ODBD Embossing Plates!

Welcome to Our Daily Bread Design's Alumni Team's bi-monthly For the Love Blog Hop. This week the Alumni team, along with some of the ODBD designers, are featuring a hop For the Love of ODBD Embossing Plates! Check out each link and leave a comment. If you get lost along the way, check the ODBD blog for full list of links. One of the post is a hop hot spot and a name will be drawn from that list of comments to win a $15 ODBD store gift certificate. So, all you have to do is hop along and see all the creations and leave a little love! You have until Wednesday, August 1st at 6 pm. Enjoy all the festive inspiration using For the Love of ODBD embossing plates!

If you've arrived here from Deb,s Blog, you're on the right track.

I used a sentiment from the Our Daily Bread Design's Scripture Collection 7, and the Vintage Border Embossing Plate.

I chose to use the Faux Fabric Embossing Technique found HERE.

Also, ODBD is having a CHA Show special that is running through the 20th, of this month, at Midnight EST. Here are the deets:

Orders of $100.00-$149.00 may use code CHA10 to receive 10% off the order!

Orders of $150.00-$199.00 may use code CHA15 to receive 15% off the order!

Orders over $200.00 may use code CHA25 to receive 25% off the order!!

PLEASE NOTE: Stamp set bundles and Gift Certificates are NOT included in this offer. We will not discount any of these items and your invoice will be adjusted if you purchase them.

Next on the hop is the super sweet and talented, Betty.

Hope you've been inspired!!

Happy Stamping!!