Home for the Holidays--Day 9

Hello, hello! Has this not been one of the most inspirational Project Parades you've seen? I have come away with SO many ideas for gifts this year! Can't wait to try them all:)

For my project, I've designed a little wall-hanging using chipboard coasters! I don't remember where I got them, I've had them forever and decided it was time to put them to use!

It took me FOREVER to come up with this concept, lol! The funny thing is, it's totally not difficult, but everytime I tried to create something I didn't like it! I'm not so good at 3D alterables so it was challenging! But I really love this wall-hanging and can't wait till the day after Thanksgiving when I break out the rest of my decorations;)

I used a combination of dp by SU! (sorry, I can't remember the name!), Ripe Avacado, Pure Poppy, and Ocean Tides cardstock (PTI). I used the polka dots from Bountiful Backgrounds on each letter in a different color ink. The swirls you see randomly stamped around the letters are from Express Yourself. And of course, the snowflakes are from Frosty Flakes and the sentiment on the "O" is from Christmas in the Air!

Here's a close up of the details of each letter:

Watcha think? I think you should try one! They're so fun and all the new Verve Holiday sets make it so easy!!

Would you like to play along with us? There are potential Verve bucks in it for you if you do! Just link up your project with the theme "Home for the Holidays, Decor, Gifts, and More" by midnite MST, 26 November to THIS thread! One lucky lady will win $30 Verve bucks to spend on anything in the Verve store!! Remember, Verve stamps are not required, just play along and have fun:)

Also, make sure to leave all the Diva's some love! One commenter from a random date of the parade (Nov 11-25) will win a Verve stamp set of their choice, sweet deal for showing your appreciation of all these ladies hard work!

Thanks for coming by! Have a Vervalicious Day!!!

August Project Parade - Day 13

Happy Thursday, everyone! It's Mercy! I have been blown away by the gorgeous and creative projects the Divas have been cranking out these last few days...talk about some wonderful Hostess Happiness! For my project I wanted to focus on one of my true loves...writing. Each month I get together with a few of my "wanna be writer" friends to share poetry and/or short stories that we have written the month before. Here is the Writer's Hostess Gift Ensemble for next month's hostess:
I altered an old writer's journal, and covered it with cardstock. I added a lock for privacy, and decorated the cover using one of my favorite sets Enjoy for the focal image. The sentiment in the lower right corner of the journal is from Express Yourself.

My friend has never been to our county library, so I purchased a library card for the next year just for her. I wanted to put it in something cutesy, so I decided to make a gift card holder. I used the polka dots and sentiment from Bountiful Backgrounds, the flowers from Budding Blossoms, and the butterfly from Enjoy to create this trifold library card holder.

What girl doesn't love a little something sweet while she is in deep concentration?!? LOL! I created an acetate box filled with Werther's Original candies using the sentiment from Delightful & Delicious, and the same butterfly used in the other projects.

The hostess also gets to invite three of her personal friends to the next month's meeting, so I created some 3X3 invitations in the same color scheme using the sentiment from A Cup of Life. I added the same butterfly used in the other projects to the outside of the envelopes.

That's it for me today! I had such an amazing time creating my first official Project Parade projects and post! It still seems like a dream...I can't believe that I am a Diva! LOL! Julee...thanks for such an awesome opportunity!

Do you have a fabulous hostess gift idea? We would love to see it! To play along, just make a project or card that shows us your take on the Happiness for Hostesses theme. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we love to see 'em! Just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form in DAY ONE's POST before 8PM Mountain September 12th. Two lucky participants will win a stamp set of their choice from the Verve Store. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So if you like what you see, be sure and give a little shout out in the comments of each post!

Project Supplies:

Stamps: Enjoy, Bountiful Backgrounds, Delightful & Delicious, A Cup of Life, Budding Blossoms, Express Yourself

Papers: SU cardstock, SU retired designer paper

Inks: Chocolate Chip Craft Ink, Baja Breeze Classic Ink, Whisper White Craft Ink

Accessories: ribbon, linen thread, dimensionals, clear embossing powder, heat gun, aquapainter, stickles, spellbinders nestabilities, big shot, mat pack, paper piercer, lock assembly, red-line tape, kaiser brown rhinestones, SU border punch, Martha Stewart border punch, scissors, acetate, scor-pal, SU circle punches, 3X3 envelopes, brad, sponge dauber

August Project Parade ~ Day 6!!!

It's Monday and that means it is my turn, Lynda, to share with you my project for this month's project parade. The theme this month is Happiness for Hostesses. I had a few projects in mind and finally settled on this one. I had my heart set on using the Express Yourself set and for some reason when I see this set, I see pink and black!!

This set consists of a little purse, wallet & notecard that fits on top of a gift card. I found the instructions for the little purse HERE. I did change the top flap but the purse is as per her instructions. Here is a closer look at the purse ~


For the front and back panels I used some old shiny black paper I have had for quite some time, cut it out using my Top Note die and then ran it through my Cuttlebug using the Mosaic Squares embossing folder. The top flap is just Basic Black card stock that is 4" x 4 3/4". I rounded the corners, scored at 1 7/16ths and 2 9/16ths and then pierced around the entire flap. I adhered the back flap to the back of the purse using Sticky Strip. I stamped the Just for You sentiment, which is included in the A Cup of Life set, using Basic Black ink on Whisper White CS, cut it out using my circle Nesties, adhered it on a pink (Bo Bunny Alyssa DP) Nestie Dahlia and pierced along the right edge and added clear rhinestones. To hold the flap closed, I added half of a black Velcro dot. The inside box is Pretty in Pink CS. The handle, which is black ribbon with white flowers that I picked up at Micheal's, was tied on to pewter hangers using pink fiber.

Here is a picture of the thank you note~

The sentiment is from Verve's Thankful Blossoms set and was stamped on Whisper White using Basic Black ink. I then added the flourishes from A Cup of Life set using Pink Pirouette ink. The shoe, from the Express Yourself set, was stamped on the Bo Bunny Alyssa paper using my Versamark and then heat embossed using black EP. I then cut the shoe out, mounted it using dimensionals and rounded the edges of the card. This and the gift card fit perfectly inside the wallet that measures 3 1/2" x 5 1/4". The wallet was scored at 1 1/2" and 3 3/4" and was held closed using the other half of the black Velcro dot.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing this project. We can't wait to see what you come up with! To play along, just make a project or card that shows us your take on the Happiness for Hostesses theme. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we love to see 'em! Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form in DAY ONE's POST before 8PM Mountain September 12. Two lucky participants will win a stamp set of their choice from the Verve Store. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So if you like what you see, be sure and give a little shout out in the comments of each post! Have fun and good luck!

Spotlight on Sankari Wegman

Hi Everyone! I'm back again to shine our little Verve spotlight on Guest Diva Sankari Wegman.

Sankari caught my eye shortly after she submitted her first mojo challenge card. Her designs are always intricate and rich in inspiring and unusual color combinations and accents. Each project she makes looks like it got the royal treatment, and it's always such a treat to check out Sankari's latest creations.

Before I get to her VERVE-iview, I'll start things off with this absolutley fabulous card using the new Express Yourself set. Is that not just totally awesome??? I just love the richness of it - a total treat for the eyes!

When/how did you get hooked on stamping? Last year around Valentine’s day, I thought I would make some homemade cards for my son’s class and so I looked online and saw some cute cards that looked like so much fun to create. So I headed on down to my local craft store and bought 1 stamp, 1 ink pad and some color pencils and the stamp addiction began!! It’s hard to believe that all my stamping stuff used to fit into a drawer in my desk! Around June of 2008, I thought maybe to start a blog and try new things with all the different challenges that are out there – and that began my love affair with blogland ! :)

How often do you stamp? I wish the answer to that question was ALL DAY!!! But I work 2 jobs part time and have 2 young children and so the work week really adds up. I love having craft time because it’s a luxury to have some “me” time after everyone is tucked into bed and the house is quiet. :) I try to stamp something every other day or so after the kids go to bed – but that can be a hit or a miss depending on the kids schedules. I look forward to anytime spent in my craft nook .

What's your favorite embellishment or finishing detail? I have to say that I love Liquid Pearls – simply LOVE them – but I am trying to step away from the LP scene because otherwise I don’t know how to stop – they would end up all over the card. :) I also love a corner rounder and these days have been enjoying adding a photo corner and bling to my card.

How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? Well, I am a very slow crafter (mostly because I am watching a movie while I am crafting. :) so it takes me a long time just to make anything --- so to make something that I am happy with would probably maybe take 2 movies worth.

Tell me about your creative space. I wish I was Martha Stewart while crafting – but unfortunately I am a very messy crafter. I am constantly forgetting where I put things and am surrounded by piles of scraps and papers. The reason my blog is called: Sankari’s Sunshine Corner is because it is literally in a corner! LOL! We don’t have much space in our house – so I have a little corner in the bedroom with a desk and some shelves for crafting (you can imagine how excited my DH is about that !) I try to keep things as organized as I can but usually after a card is done I am always amazed how crazy the floor and desk look with little scraps lying around. :) My dream is to have my own Martha Stewart room someday – but until then – I am glad that I have a space at all in a corner ;) and am constantly getting ideas for things that I would love to add into my dream space. Now that I think about it – I should create a scrapbook page about my dream craft space!!! LOL

What is your usual starting point for a project? Hmmmm… I think that usually it starts with a sketch – having a sketch in mind then helps me figure out which stamps would work and which sentiment would work better for that stamp. But sometimes it is also the papers and figuring out what stamp would work with those colors. I think that’s why I love color and sketch challenges because they help to order my non-organized mind.

What is your biggest source of inspiration? I think my biggest source of inspiration for crafting is creating something for somebody in mind. I love making something for someone in particular. Making something for someone else, inspires me to make something as special as I can – which is a way for me to show them how important they are to me. When I am making something for someone particular – then I pick out colors, etc. that I think they would like and try to make it kind tailored to them. The best part is watching someone open a present/card that you have made and seeing their smile! I am so grateful for my wonderful friends and family and love being able to show them how grateful I am with a little token of my love!

Who in the crafting world do you most admire and why? I got into the whole blog challenges by way of Kristina Werner and met so many wonderful friends playing her lovely color challenges. And then I found Julee’s Mojo sketch challenge last summer and was in AWE when she commented on my blog entry!!! I couldn’t believe that she took the time to leave a comment! Julee is a huge inspiration just the way she creates these fantabulous creations and is so sweet with all of those who play along. I totally admire Taylor VanBruggen and her sweet fabulous style and feel beyond lucky that I get to work with her and her awesome DT. I am totally in awe of Susanna Boyd who runs the blog: Card of the Week and among her busy work and family schedule also manages to go through TON of blogs and then put it all together in her blog so that you can see all the wonderful things that everyone has made. The DT that she has assembled are awe-mazing and inspiring. Laura Davis and Kazan Clark have give me so much inspiration from their wonderful sketches and beautiful cards and their imagination. I also admire Gina K. because of her sweet encouragement and amazing craft genius and more than anything else - I admire anyone and everyone who is scared to try something different and then tries it, or is shy to enter a challenge and then does it – its hard to put yourself out there in blogland before everyone. I remember being so shy to start a blog and now I am sooo grateful that I did because I have made some wonderful blog buddies, am always meeting new blog friends and am constantly inspired by all those around me! I feel so grateful to be surrounded by such amazing artists!

What is your favorite set from this release? I have to say that I am in love with all of them! They are so beyond fun and elegant and lovely all in one release! I guess I am a little partial to the Delightful & Delicious and A Cup of Life sets because there are so many different cards that can be made from that!! Julee has such an amazing way with each stamp set, creating such a different variety of images and sentiments that are flexible with others and make creating a card a joyful and easy process!!! Can’t wait to get all Verved out and ink them all up!!!

So, you see what I mean? Absolutly gorgeous stuff. Be sure to check out Sankari's blog for her newest creations as well as the Cinema Saturday Challenge she co-hosts each Saturday. Thanks for stopping by!

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Spotlight on Mercy Kerin

Hello All! Today I get to shine our little Verve spotlight on Guest Diva Mercy Kerin.

An awesome cardmaker and a fabulous sketch artist, I've been a fan of Mercy's for quite some time. Her cards are always detailed, colorful and have the coolest layouts. I was overjoyed when she agreed to be a guest designer for us this month, and she definitely did NOT disappoint! If you haven't been checking out her projects the last week or so, you're in for a real treat.

Before I get to Mercy's VERVE-iview, I'll start things off with this adorable girly girl card using the new Express Yourself set. I just love the flirty bold pink & black combo and the very interesting circle frame. Such a beautiful card!



When/how did you get hooked on stamping? I was introduced to stamping in 2004 when I attended a 24-hour crop at a local church. The hostess had arranged for a demonstrator to come and show us how to use stamping in our scrapbook layouts. Until then I was strictly a scrapbooker, but once I had made a card I WAS HOOKED! I am so many years behind in my scrapbooking now! :)

How often do you stamp? I try to stamp at least once a day, but with a hard-working husband, two teenage boys, two dogs, and one cat it can get crazy quick at the Kerin house! LOL! I like to stamp at least every other day...I sure do miss it when I don't get a chance to do it.

What's your favorite embellishment or finishing detail? It's definitely a tie for my favorite embellishment... ribbon and/or buttons (for now), but my favorite finishing touch would be piercing...LOVE IT!

I love this card Mercy made with the quirky little teapot from A Cup of Life. Her color choices and embellishments really give this teapot personality.



How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? It really depends. There are some days that I can crank out several cards in a matter of a couple of hours, then there are days that it takes the majority of the day to complete one card that I am happy with.

Tell me about your creative space. I am totally OCD when it comes to organization and accessibility. I like to have everything within an arm's length when I am creating, so I have a compact and well-organized workspace...I always tell my friends that I have a label maker, and I'm not afraid to use it! LOL! I am a pretty messy stamper in the process of creating, but I like to clean up and re-organize between cards/projects...that's just how I roll! :)

What is your usual starting point for a project? As of late, I really like having a sketch to go by. I use Photoshop to resize them to exact card size, print them off, and then take exact measurements for each layer...I told you that I was OCD! I can always work in a color challenge, stamp set, inspiration, or embellishments with a sketch as they are needed.



What is your biggest source of inspiration? I love SCS, but I find that I am spending more time at sketch and other challenge blogs/threads. I also love cardmaking magazines!

Who in the crafting world do you most admire and why? Honestly, there are so many wonderful ladies out there that have touched my life at one time or another, so it isn't really fair to pick only one. There are some that I adore simply for their creativity, but then there are others that have been kind and encouraging when they didn't have to be. But if you are going to make me choose one....then it would have to be the-one-and-only Shannan Teubner! She has been such a wonderful and funny friend!

What is your favorite set from this release? I love them all, but if I had to pick one favorite, it would have to be Enjoy. I love the fact that you can create either a gorgeous flower or stunning butterfly with it. It is such an elegant and versatile set...I love using it!

So, you see what I mean? Beautiful designs and a fresh take on colors -- every one of Mercy's creations just captures your eye. I hope you've enjoyed learning a little more about this fabulous stamper as much as I have! Mercy's been crafting up a storm lately with her new Verve, so be sure to check out her blog for her newest creations as well as her Tuesday Sketch Challenge. Thanks for stopping by!

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Sneak Preview: Express Yourself

Welcome to Day 1 of our Sneak Previews! We've got some fabulous new sets to share with you this week, so let's jump right in. Today we're featuring cards made with Express Yourself, a set designed with girly pizazz and polka dot flair. Express Yourself will be available immediately following our Release Party this Friday night. Be sure to read all the way to the end of this post to find out how you can have a chance at winning this set!

So, are you all ready for another Verve release? I know I say this with all of them, but you will seriously LOVE what Julee has in store for you this time around! :)

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From Diva Laurie Schmidlin:
Oh my gosh, I am loving this set!! It has just the right mixture of fun and elegance...all done in Julee's classic Verve style! I chose a bold color combo (Raspberry, Chocolate, & White) and softened it a bit with some bows, and a little flower. Some of the extra details I added are: embossed polka dot background, embossed border (around the card base), scalloped border, three bows, and a rhinestone in the flower center.

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From Diva Lynda Benden:

Hello! Are you ready for the sneak peek kick off?!? I hope so as you will be AMAZED at the awesome sets being released Friday!! When I saw the new sets, the first one that jumped out at me was the Express Yourself set. I have had such a great time playing with this set!! It is no secret that I LOVE bling and this set is perfect for me to use that bling!!! For the layout of my card I chose to use Julee’s Anni-VERVE-sary sketch 202. I did flip it so my oval would be horizontal. For this card I used Pink Pirouette, Whisper White and Basic Black CS and the pink DP is from SU!’s Bella Birds Collection. I stamped the heels 2 times on the decorative pink paper using Black Craft ink and then heat embossed using clear embossing powder. I cut the heels out and mounted one directly on the Whisper White oval and the second next to it using dimensionals. I used my Spellbinders Pierceabilities to pierce along the bottom as well as a little design next to the heels. I then added some small black glitter flowers with clear Martha Stewart rhinestones in the centers. Instead of strips of paper at the top, I added some black & white May Arts ribbon. I finished the inside as well using a sentiment from another set which will be released on Friday! You can find additional details and photos on my blog. In case you didn’t know, there are LOTS of fun things going on at Verve to celebrate the 2 year Anni-VERVE-sary AND I might add, LOTS of chances to win prizes!!! The Anni-VERVE-sary sketches can be found HERE and the Diva’s will be posting fun giveaways each day as well and those can be found HERE!!

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From Diva Charmaine Ikach:

When I first saw this set, I just fell in love! Girly things and polka dots. . .who wouldn't love this set? LOL I decided to create a girly little purse box for my peek. This would be great filled with candy, a gift card or even an invitation to a girl's night out! We know you're going to find all sorts of girly things to create with this set!

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As Lynda mentioned in her blurb, there is LOTS going on in the Verve Forums on SCS with lots of chances to win Verve prizes! Be sure to head on over to those links to find out how you can win!

We have one more little surprise up our sleeve for you today! Just leave a comment here on this post before 6PM Eastern on Friday, August 14 and you'll be put in a drawing to win Express Yourself! Winners will be announced during our release party.

We hope you enjoyed the sneak peek today. Check back each day this week for peeks of the other sets! You definitely don't want to miss them. . . and we look forward to chatting with you on Friday!