April Diva Dare WINNERS

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Hi Verve fans!  It's Julee here, popping in to announce the winners from our April Showers Bring May Flowers Diva Dare! Sorry this announcement is a bit late.  I'm suffering from another pretty severe bout of tendinitis in my wrist, so computer work is shall we say... difficult.  {grin}  Anyhow, I've had a chance to check out everybody's lovely creations for the challenge and am once again amazed by your creativity!  You all totally rock!  Here are our random winners...

Lin wins a Verve set of her choosing!

Kristina wins a $30 gift certificate to Verve!

Congrats Lin and Kristina! Email us at contests@vervestamps.com to claim your prize.

And since there were so many fabulous entries, I thought I'd finish off with a little shout-out to a few of my favorites. Do a little click to visit their cards in their natural habitat.  {wink} Thanks to EVERYONE who played along! We love seeing what you create!

Wanda Kim Niki Tanya Nicole Jen

Didn't win this time? Play along in our Get Your Diva On Challenge for a chance to be a future Guest Diva! Deadline is next Sunday, May 15, so grab an ink pad, some 80's music and start stamping your Material Girl creations!

April Diva Dare - Day 10

Good morning and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!! I hope all of you momma's out there, whether your babies have 2 legs, or 4 (like mine!), have a wonderful day filled with family and love!

I'm here on the tail end of the April Diva Dare, have you played along yet?

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge. During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers! With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring! How you interpret the dare is completely up to you! To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

For my project, I really wanted to make something I could send to my mom for Mother's Day! I've been seeing and LOVING all the hoop art on Pinterest, but can't find one of the wood hoops here in Oki. BOO. SO I decided to stamp on the aida cloth and put it in a frame instead of the hoop! Here's how my project came out...

I'm sorry for the terrible picture, but I waited until it was too late to get a good picture so I had to take it outside, and the BBQ pit doesn't exactly make a great backdrop, lol! 

Anyway, I stamped the leaves and flowers from Bloom and Grow different colored inks right onto the cloth background. I cut some flowers out of the aida cloth with my Floral Circles dies and then stamped the flowers and added buttons. The sentiment is from Love Deepens. For a final touch, I thought I'd spray some Glimmer Mist onto the cloth to age it a bit...bad idea. It blurred the ink that I hit so I quit spraying, lol! Next time maybe I'll try that first, and wait for it to dry before I start stamping. I added some pearls and ribbon and then stuck the whole piece in the frame. I really really love how this turned out and can't wait to make one for myself:)

EDITED TO ADD: I was asked what ink I used to stamp on the cloth, SO sorry I forgot to add that information:) The leaves are Rich Cocoa (Memento), and the flowers are Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, and Old Olive (all SU!)

Confession time...I was supposed to post on Friday and completely forgot, so the deadline for playing alot is passed, but here are the details anyway:)

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before midnight MST on Sunday, May 8th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

April Diva Dare ~ Day 8

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Hi Verve fans! Welcome to Day 8 of the April Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge. During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers! With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring! How you interpret the dare is completely up to you! To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

Here's how I answered the challenge:

I mixed one of Verve's newest releases Hope Blooms, with May's Stamp of the Month set Dare to Be. One of the many beauties of working with Verve images is that they all mix and match so well!!

My daughter graduates from High School next week, so I thought "Dare to be You" was the perfect sentiment to use to make a card for her with a frame of bright and cheerful flowers. All I did was stamp the largest Hope Blooms flower with Rocket Red Gold Brilliance ink, and shade the edges a bit with Persimmon VersaMagic. After the sentiment panel and flowers were dry, I added a layer of Shimmer with some Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spritz by Tsukineko. If you click on the photo below you can see it a bit better. It's very subtle.

Lastly, I added some Stardust stickles dots around the flower centers, some basic vertical embossing stripes with my Scor-Buddy, a button with embroidery thread and a punched border. Very easy!

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

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April Diva Dare - Day 7

Hi Verve fans, welcome to Day 7 of the April Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

I chose to answer the dare with my newest favorite floral set -- Hope Blooms. I love fussy cutting these flowers and manipulating the petals for some fun dimension. And the sentiments in Hope Blooms are so representative of Verve -- uplifting, versatile, cheery, and done in the most fabulous font combinations. I've used a mixture of papers from Crate Paper's Portrait collection along with some Spellbinders dies and a paper doily. The layout is the gorgeous Viva La Verve (May, Week 1) sketch by Amber:

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

April Diva Dare - Day 6

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Hi Verve fans, Andrea here!  Welcome to the April Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

I chose to answer the dare with a project. I was browsing through Good Housekeeping magazine and saw these adorable home-made lamp shades! Using some simple items from around the house and just a tad of creativeness, you can make these adorable accoutrements for your table. Take a look here:

This project was so incredibly easy to make, all I did was take a 12" X 12" sheet of white card stock and stamp the leaves and flowers from Verve's Bloom & Grow set in a random fashion. Then I printed out the template from this website here and cut out the shade shape. I border punched the bottom edge and decorated it with Liquid pearls. Lastly, I attached the ends with some Scor-tape (you do need a strong adhesive). I used a wine glass from my china cabinet and added a battery operated tea light. So simple AND easy!

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

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April Verve Diva Dare ~ Day 5

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Good morning Verve fans!  It's Maureen and Day 5 of the April Diva Dare!  For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!  Okay, here’s how I answered the DARE…

I have been having a ball lately making paper flowers with my stash of sheet music paper (from Janelle!).  So I cut out 4 layers of paper with the large and medium Floral Circle dies, scrunched and inked them up with a bit of tea dye ink and attached all the layers with some crystal brads.  For the leaves, I die cut some balsa wood with the Elegant Leaves die and stamped the matching image from Bloom and Grow in chocolate chip.  I found that green wasn’t bold enough to show up against this fabulous Basicgrey paper.  The Classy Label die with matching stamp image from Love Notes was the perfect shape and size to hold the Love Deepens sentiment.  Now, I just couldn’t stop at a card…remember these flower pots on Splitcoast Stampers?  LOL  I saw these 2 years ago and fell in love with the idea so I thought I’d revisit it!

I tried keeping the flowers relatively flat so that this could eventually be used as a book mark.  Again, I made the flowers using the Floral Circle dies and stamped the bookmark with 2 sentiments from Love Deepens.  This time, however, the Elegant Leaves are just die cut from cardstock….balsa wood is very fragile, especially after being flattened in the Cuttlebug so it wouldn’t last very long on a book mark (my little FYI to you! lol). 

Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

April Diva Dare - Day 4

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Hi there!  It's Charmaine with Day 4 of this month's Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

Here is my answer to this month's dare.  When I think of Spring, I think fresh, clean and colorful.  All of the leafless trees and dull grass become alive with colorful buds that seem to sprout overnight.  The now muddy and wet yard suddenly has plush, dry grass.  I went with a white card base to signify the "clean", "fresh" Spring air.  I layered different colors for the flowers from Bloom & Grow and die cut them using the Floral Circles Die Set.  I added some glitter and rhinestones to make the flowers glisten.  The leaves were stamped and die cut using the Elegant Leaves Die.

I stamped the sentiment and then drew a frame with a ruler and black pen.  I matted the focal piece on black cardstock.  The card base is embossed with the Dots Embossing Folder by Darice. 

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget on THIS POST before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

April Diva Dare-Day 3

Hi Verve fans!  It's Teresa here and I want to welcome you to Day 3 of the April Diva Dare!
For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!
This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

For my turn at the dare, I knew I wanted to use the flowers from Hope Blooms.  I luv layering these and making them shabby.  I stamped them onto Stella Rose designer paper by My Mind's Eye and then randomly cut part the way down the blooms.  Then I took my stylus and curled the edges. I kept the rest of my card super simple, because I wanted the flowers to pop in the gorgeous red!  I added a little stitching, distressing, and bakers twine.  The Hope Blooms set is full of wonderful sentiments, the "life is good" is also from that set.  I cannot wait to see what you create, have a wonderful day...enjoy!

Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget below before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

 

April Diva Dare ~ Day 2

Hi Verve fans!  It's Jackie here and I want to welcome you to Day 2 of the April Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

This is how I answered this month's dare!  I took the flowers part of the dare serious!  LOL!  I used the new set, Bloom andGrow and paired it with some fun Jillibean Soup Blossom Soup papers.  The flowers were stamped in Cherry Cobbler and Peach Parfait inks and were cut out with the new A Cut Above Floral Circle Dies.  The leaves were stamped in Old Olive and were cut out with the A Cut Above Elegant Leaves Die.  The sentiment was stamped in Cherry Cobbler Ink and was cut out with Oval Nestabilities.  Some adhesive pearls and a couple rounded corners finish the card!

Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget below before midnight MST on Saturday, May 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

April Diva Dare - Day 1

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Hi Verve fans!  Welcome to the April Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

This is how I answered the dare!  No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.  I actually made a clean and simple card!  :-)  I adore this flower (from the newly released Hope Blooms set) so much and wanted to give it center stage on my card.

I started with a small 4 x 4 square card base.  I then stamped the sentiment Enjoy Life (also from the Hope Blooms set) four times and then connected them with a thin black marker.  The flower is colored with Copics and then glitterfied (teeheehee)!  To finish it off, I added a button and some string!

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new April Showers Bring May Flowers creation (posted April 22nd or later) to the linky widget below before midnight MST on Sunday, May 8th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would  LOVE to see ‘em!
2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our April Showers Bring May Flowers creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, May 9th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!