Verve / Anni-VERVE-sary!

Welcome back to Day 5 of our Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops!  It's an exciting day as there's new Verve in the store this morning! 4 beautiful new sets and 2 coordinating die sets just released and they're all available to order right now. To celebrate this special 10th Anni-VERVE-sary release, we're putting on another blog hop, with a pretty cool prize!

Today's featured focus is designer's choice, so you might just sneak a peek at a whole bunch of must-haves, especially since we've got a full line-up of Divas, guests and Alumni today!

I am sharing another card made using the Bloom Brighter and coordinating Blooming Die from Verve.  I can't stop white heat embossing these flowers and using watercolors!  After heat embossing on some Bristol Smooth watercolor paper, I smooshed some Distress Oxide inks in Spiced Marmalade, Abandoned Coral, Wilted Violet, and Peeled Paint onto an acetate sheet.  Using my waterbrush, I simply colored in the blooms and leaves, letting them dry in between applications.  I love the opaque look and shading these inks give when watercolored!  I added my blooms to a trimmed white panel that had some Nuvo Embellishment Paste applied to the background for a shimmery look (applied with my finger).  My sentiment was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black and clear heat embossed.

Want to win some shiny new Verve? Today's prize is a BIG one. We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win our ENTIRE new release! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for the full hop list and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee 9. Lesley 2. Maureen 10. Christyne 3. Betty 11. Laurie 4. Charmaine 12. Kelly (Guest) 5. Marisa 13. Laurie W. (Alumni) 6. Amy S.(Alumni) 14. Tosha L. (Alumni) 7. Amy K.(Alumni) 15. Tiffany S.(Alumni) 8. Michelle W. (Alumni)

Verve / Anni-VERVE-sary!

Welcome to Day 2 of the Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops!  It's time for another day of spotlighting the Verve release with the Verve Divas and special guests! We're super excited to have a few very special Diva Alumni joining us for the hop today. Everything previewed this week will be available to order in the Verve online store on Monday, August 28. If you just can't wait, you can pre-order the entire release now as the August 2017 Buy it All Bundle at a 30% discount through August 27.

Today we're sharing our first projects featuring the Bloom Brighter stamp set and coordinating, Blooming Die Set. A fresh take on the flower from the retired commemorative set Beautiful You, this beautiful encouragement set is perfect for a variety of cardmaking occasions.

I am so excited to be once again sharing a VERVE project here on my blog to help celebrate Julee's 10th Anni-VERVE-sary!  I spent 3 awesome years designing for Verve and I can still remember opening the email from Julee inviting me to the team! ♥♥

Using the new Bloom Brighter stamp set and Blooming coordinating dies, I've white heat embossed the flowers onto Bristol Smooth watercolor paper.  To add color, I used my Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers and a waterbrush.  After die cutting, I arranged my flowers onto the right lower corner of a trimmed white panel.  My sentiment is stamped in bold black using Versafine Onyx Black.  My whole panel was adhered to a top folding notecard layered with a soft grey polka dot paper.  For that finishing touch, a few clear confetti were added with Multi Medium Matte.

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 below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for the full hop list, a little more about our new products and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee 7. Amy K. (Alumni) 2. Maureen 8. Lesley 3. Betty 9. Christyne 4. Charmaine 10. Laurie 5. Marisa 11. Kelly (Guest) 6. Amy S. (Alumni) 12. Laurie W. (Alumni)

March Verve Diva Inspiration Hop and some news!

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes: comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings! You have until April 5 to link up, so feel free to play as often as you like.

After a few month of winter, nothing soothes the soul like a burst of vibrant color. This boho kids bedroom does that and more! Feel free to take your inspiration from the photo or the color combo, whatever suits your fancy! We can't wait to see what you create.

NEWS:  This is my THIRD anniversary being a Verve Diva and I have decided to step down.  This was not an easy decision as I can vividly remember the email from Julee extending a welcome email opportunity for the Verve Inspiration Team.  It was the perfect fit!!  I love my Verve!  So, this is my LAST Inspirations Blog Hop!  :(  Thank you Julee for 3 wonderful years!

With this month's inspiration photo, I could not let it go by without doing more watercolor stripes.  I sure hope you aren't tired of me sharing them with you!  Just look at those vibrant stripes in that bedding!!!!  So in the spirit of stripes, I watercolored Twisted Citron, Wilted Violet, and Salty Ocean onto watercolor paper in a pattern that resembles the bedding.  To keep the bold vibe going, I stamped the sentiment from Be Blessed in Versafine Onyx Black in the center.  A butterfly from Blue Skies was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black, heat embossed with clear embossing powder, and die cut using the All Aflutter dies.  This give a TRUE black embossed image!  Love the results!  I watercolored my butterfly with the same color palette as the background and added some black rhinestones for "bling".

Click here to link up your challenge entries

Challenge deadline: Tuesday, April 5.
Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we're giving away a $30 gift voucher to Verve to one random commenter along the hop! 

	1. Julee	7. Laurie
	2. Amber	8. Marisa
	3. Amy	9. Maureen
	4. Betty	10. Sankari
	5. Charmaine	11. Stacey
	6. Christyne	12. Teresa

Thanks for sharing a part of your day with me!

February Verve Diva Inspiration Hop!

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes: comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings! You have until March 5 to link up, so feel free to play as often as you like.

The pop of color in this industrial style loft speaks of the hope of spring in the midst of winter. Kind of like February... it's still cold and wintry, but new life is on the horizon. Feel free to take your inspiration from the photo or the color combo, whatever suits your fancy! We can't wait to see what you create.

With this inspiration photo, I loved the florals and color.  I went with a lightly sponged polka dot background in grey.  I white heat embossed flowers from Surely Goodness and watercolored with Distress Inks.  I added some watercolored diecut leaves from Leafy Sprigs and added them behind my flowers.  My sentiment, from Poppy Birthday, was stamped in grey ink onto my sponged background.  A few sparkling clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh were added as an embellishment.



Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Saturday, March 5.
Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we're giving away a $30 gift voucher to Verve to one random commenter along the hop! 

	1. Julee	8. Marisa
	2. Amber	9. Maureen
	3. Amy	10. Sankari
	4. Betty	11. Stacey
	5. Charmaine	12. Susan
	6. Christyne	13. Teresa
	7. Laurie

December Verve Diva Inspiration Hop!

 

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes: comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings! You have until January 5 to link up, so feel free to play as often as you like.

Our December challenge is Cup of Kindness

Everywhere you look this time of year there's a flurry of color. Shiny ornaments, twinkling Christmas lights, window displays decked out in the merriest of brights. And not to mention all the sweet little wassail, hot cocoa, tea and coffee cups all around. So this month we're challenging you to share a cup of kindness with us. Get inspired by the graphic or blaze your own color trail, just show us some colorful creations!

I've used a combination of several Verve sets to create my card.  I started with this bold black tag from Holiday Treats and stamped a sentiment from Coffee.  My little stack of cups (from One Cup) were stamped, diecut, and colored with Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  Everything was adhered to a watercolored background of Distress Inks.....Picked Raspberry, Twisted Citron, and Salty Ocean.  And finally, I added a black glittered "Coffee" diecut sentiment!  (Iridescent sequins from Pretty Pink Posh)

Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Tuesday, January 5.
Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines!

	1. Julee	6. Susan
	2. Amy	7. Stacey
	3. Betty	8. Maureen
	4. Sankari	9. Marisa
	5. Sarah

Thanks for sharing a part of your day with me!

November Verve Diva Inspiration Hop!

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes: comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings! You have until December 5 to link up, so feel free to play as often as you like.

Our November challenge is Rustic Winter 

The days are turning cold and the splendor of fall is changing to the magesticly rustic beauty of a winter woodland. This month we're challenging you to bring a little bit of that rustic winter to your creations. Follow the graphic or head off on your own trail, just show us your rustic winter creations!

I played on this challenge with all the wood and brown tones in the inspiration photo.  I started with a piece of wood paper from this pack of Real Wood Veneer that I won from a UK friend ages ago!  This stuff can be cut down, stamped on, and diecut!  You can find it HERE.  I drew a circle around a standard circle die and used that as my placement for my sprigs from Sprightly Sprigs die set into a wreath shape.  I embossed with white embossing powder a sentiment from Holiday Treats.  Lastly, I added red gems and a burlap twine bow.

Click here to link up your challenge entries

Challenge deadline: Thursday, December 5.
Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blogtoday for all the prize info and deadlines!

	1. Julee	6. Maureen
	2. Amy	7. Marisa
	3. Betty	8. Charmaine
	4. Sankari	9. Stacey
	5. Sarah

October Verve Diva Inspiration Hop!

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes: comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings! You have the until November 5 to link up, so feel free to play as often as you like.

Our October challenge is Black, White and Glam

October always has a bit of glamour and intrigue to it. A stroll through the craft store this time of year brings visions of glitzy pumpkins, gilded candelabras and rhinestones galore. So this month we’re challenging you to to get glamorous with black, white and metallics. Use the inspiration graphic or go off on your own tangent, just share a little bit of glam with us!

I pulled out the Bountiful Harvest set for these beautiful "striped" pumpkins.  I white heat embossed them onto black cardstock and watercolored them with metallic watercolors.  This is so hard to capture in my photo!  To add more metallic to my card, I layerd some gold glitter tape underneath my black panel and added some gold glitter enamel dots.

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blogtoday for all the prize info and deadlines!

	1. Julee	7. Maureen
	2. Amy	8. Stacey
	3. Betty	9. Charmaine
	4. Sankari	10. Amber
	5. Sarah	11. Marisa
	6. Susan

Thanks for sharing a part of your day with me!