Blessed Is She

I have had this Top Dog doily die for a while - just never sure how I want to use but then I saw this second sketch for Viva la Verve and thought it would be perfect.  I found the perfect stamp from Verve to go in my center panel.

And of course I can't resist adding a butterfly!

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve May Sketch

Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes

Be still

I have a hard time putting patterned paper together.  Sketch challenges are my go-to for ideas on how to lay out different shapes and patterns.  Here I put together some scraps to highlight one of my favorite stamps from Verve's Scripture Medley 1

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The flower and leaf are cut from felt - I'm also on a felt kick lately.  I love it that it gives a different texture without being too bulky.

 

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve May Sketch

Simon Says Flowers
Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes

Pray without ceasing

My final card for the Viva la Verve sketch this month.  Whew! Loose interpretation of the sketch but glad I got it done!  I used several dies and stamps from Verve:  Verve Weary World, Sprightly Sprigs Die Set , Scripture Medley 1, and Pennant Banner die.  I like the different shades of browns - must remember that even though the dark brown looks black here.

Challenges I am playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Viva La Verve May 2015

Word Art Wednesday

Verve Sketch

It's Wednesday but it feels like Monday... so did yesterday.  Loved having the long weekend but apparently I need my routine.  Had a bit of time today so I made this simple card for the Viva la Verve challenge using the Verve Fabulous You stamp and the Award Banner Trim die.

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva La Verve May 2015

Simon Says Anything Goes

How sweet of you

I had liked using my Akashiya watercolor pens on a previous card that I wanted to give it another try.  Here I used the outline stamps from Verve Poppy Birthday and clear embossed them on watercolor paper.  I love love love how easy the blending was.  I trimmed it down but went around the flowers to give it an out of the box feeling - further emphasized by adding a black matting.  I also added a strip of lattice punch from an EK succes punch and a sentiment from Verve Happy Hello. 

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve May Sketch 

Word Art Wednesday

Micah 6:8

Here's my second Viva la Verve Sketch for May.  I used the Verve Let It Be embossed in blue and the Verve Banner Bundle die set.  Quick and colorful card!

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve May Sketch 

Word Art Wednesday

Faith can move mountains

It's been a while since I've had time to play with the Viva la Verve sketch challenge.  Here's my take on the first sketch:

As you can see, mine are not aligned like the way it is in the sketch.  I had it all straight but then when I picked up the pieces to glue them down, I knocked it just a bit and I loved the crooked look.  It just seems to go well with the sentiment from Verve Let It Be.  The arrows are also from Verve.

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve May Sketch 

Word Art Wednesday

December VLV Sketches and OSW

I tried starting really early thinking of teacher gifts... like at the beginning of summer but even then, I find myself behind on the execution of said gifts.  It's a lot of teachers... I used to have a spreadsheet to keep it all organized.  (4 boys) x (Sunday School teachers) x (2 services) x (Awanas) x (school)... It's a good thing we don't really do much for sports!  And there is only one piano teacher (whew!)  So when Julee shared her One Sheet Wonder for the December Viva La Verve Challenge, it was like rays of sunshine bursting through the clouds.  Haha!  I think these would make great set of notecards for gifts and I like how they coordinate.  I try not to give the same cards - even in a set.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Scripture Medley 1, Happy Hello, and Sip and Savor 

Paper:  Simple Stories Documented and ODBD Patriotic Collection 

Acessories:  Copics, embossing folders (Chevron, Courtyard, Flourishes, and Damask), 2 1/4 circle punch

Challenges I am playing in:

Word Art Wednesday

December Viva La Verve Challenge

Celebrate Your Day

I was enabling showing a friend the neat things you could do with Distress Inks and embossing.  I didn't have anything in mind on what I would do until I saw the sketch for Viva la Verve and a couple of other challenges that appeared on my blog reader this morning.  And all the stars aligned...  :)

I trimmed down my background sheet that I had clear embossed and sponged with Broken China and Seedless Preserves to make a tag.  I punched out two circles with the remaining scrap; added some faux stitching with my white gel pen, ribbon, twine and sequins to complete my card.  And there's a trio of trios  - 3 flowers, 3 circles, and 3 colors of sequins (white, purple, and black)!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Poppy Birthday and Verve Let It Be

Inks:  Tim Holtz Broken China and Seedless Preserves

Paper:  Black and white card stock, watercolor paper, and vellum

Accessories: Circle punches, sequins, ribbon, clear embossing powder, white gel pen and twine

  

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve September 2014 Sketch Challenge

Verve Terrific Trios September Diva Dare

FM178: We're in Stitches

Simon Says Tag It

Have a great weekend!

Thanks for being awesome

Hi!  Hope you are having a great Sunday and a wonderful start to the week.  I had a request for some thank you cards and I was all too happy to ink up this stamp from Verve Better Together set.  I love love love the mix of fonts and the big bold words.  I used the first Viva la Verve Sketch and color challenge this month.  I sewed along the edges of my back panel and stitched my banner on.  I must admit I always get a little nervous when I decide to sew on my cards - but I just love the effect when others do it!

Recipe:  

Stamps:  Verve Better Together

Paper:  Colorbok Pastel Breeze and Kraft

Dies:  Sprightly Sprigs Die Set and Banner Bundle Die Set

Accessories:  Mulberry Flowers and white embossing powder

       

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve Sketch September 2014

Word Art Wednesday

Simon Says STAMP It

CCNS43: Gingham thank U.

Today I am using one of my favorite color combinations:  red and kraft.  I tucked a die cut from ODBD Beautiful Borders before I laid the gingham on top with Scor-tape.  I stamped the "u" in Creamy Caramel and then again in Close to Cocoa and the third time in Creamy Caramel - I was trying for a solid "u" but loved this effect because it looks just like cork to me.  Happy surprises.  :)  To get the thank u perfectly centered, I used Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A to cut it just right - this is so much easier than trying to center your stamp or trimming it with a paper cutter.  I matted the sentiment and then popped it all up.  Another trick I used on this card is to cut tiny strips of the red cardstock to thread through my buttons for a perfect match.  Lastly, I used my Bow Easy to create my little gingham bow.

I continued the sentiment and design into the center of the card:

Thank you so much for looking!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve You and I

Dies:  ODBD Beautiful Borders and Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A

Accessories:  Bow Easy, Gingham ribbon, buttons

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva La Verve Sketch week 2 - July 2014

Verve July Diva Dare - Inside Out

Psalm 3:3

I love tulips; they are one of my favorite flowers but they might not survive this weird winter season of freeze/heat cycle that is just plain old confusing.  They pop up a couple of inches, get covered in snow that is melted in a couple of days by 65 degrees weather and then covered in snow again.  That's the great thing about card making - I can make it any season I want. ;)  For the tulip, I stamped off once to get a softer look so it would not compete with the Bible verse.

Recipe:

Stamps: Verve Scripture Medley 2, Anna Griffin Tulip

Paper:  K&Company Essentials Light Hue

Ink:  SU Rose Romance, Sage Shadow

Dies:  SB Standard Circles, White satin ribbon

   

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva La Verve March Sketch Challenge

Word Art Wednesday

Really Reasonable Ribbon:  Welcome Spring

Proverbs 31 Woman

Playing along with this week's Viva la Verve sketch challenge and I totally chickened out on the 5 panels in the sketch.  I have the hardest time matching 2 different papers...no hope of 5 or even 3!  So I opted for an all white background with a couple of different embossing folders and a ribbon... I added the row of black rhinestones to help distinguish between the different textures.  :)

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Scripture Medley 3

Dies: SB Splendid Circles and Standard Circles, Cheery Lynn Foliage Flourish

Accessories:  Cuttlebug Swiss Dots and Darise Chevron embossing folders, rhinestones, ribbons, fiskar flower punches

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve March Week 2

Simon Says Mother's Day or Special Girl

Word Art Wednesday

Verve March 2014 Diva Dare "Do the Polka"

Trustworthy Anchor

I love this verse and the images that come in this Strong Anchor set from Verve.  It's great for masculine cards.  Aren't the rope circles just great?  I combined stamps from the set with the Viva la Verve Sketch for January Week 1.  There was also a color palette I could have combined with it but I totally forgot about it.  I switched up the circles and squares but other than that, I followed the sketch pretty closely.  Thank you so much for looking!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Strong Anchor

Paper:  Bazzill and Recollection

Dies:  Verve Nautical Die Set

Ink:  Versamark Black and Sepia

Accessories:  Twine, Corner Punch

Challenges I am playing in:

Word Art Wednesday

VLVJan2014

Flowers of Tomorrow

I still had my purple papers from the last couple of cards so this inspiration challenge was great!  I love the purples with a pop of yellow.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Flowers of Tomorrow PJ

Accessories:  Fiskar and ek success flower punches, Cheery Lynn Foliage Flourish, Spellbinders Label Two, Satin Ribbon, Doily