August Release Project Parade--Day 9

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Well hi there friends, and welcome back this week to the Verve Project Parade for August. It's me, Susan! As a reminder, the theme this month is "Something Old, Something New". It's been forever since I've been to a wedding, so I wasn't inspired to go that direction. So I considered that since the idea of the theme was to use something old (older Verve stamps) along with something new (newer Verve stamps), just me being the "something old" wouldn't work. Teehee!

One of my very first favorites from Verve was Petals and Stems. I decided to pair it up with the Happy Hello set that was just released in August. I even grabbed something old and used something new from my stash--this little library card along with several new steel dies I've accumulated recently! I picked a few of these library cards up two years ago at the teacher store here near my house (it's authentic!).

I love how the flowers from Petals and Stems layer so cutely on top of the little felt flowers. I made the envelope myself and it really does open, but I haven't got anything inside it (yet). The library card is all sparkly, too, since I sprayed it with Marshmallow Glimmer Mist. It's a very happy little card and I can't wait to make another one like it!

We hope you get to whip up something happy and play along with us. Come on, it'll keep you young!! Here's all the details about how to try and win some VERVE!

1. Play along with us and link up your new SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW creation (posted August 25th or later) to the linky widget on the DAY 1 PARADE POST before midnight on Wednesday, September 15th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store.

2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we parade our SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW creations. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade will win the Verve stamp set of their choosing!

Ready Set Stamp Challenge: Fluttering By and Petals & Stems

Hi there, Verve fans!  It's Julee here with the next installment in our monthly Ready, SET, Stamp challenge!  Petals & Stems and its coordinating set, Fluttering By, have been some of the most popular sets here at Verve.  So this month, I'm challenging you to pull out one or both of these favorites and get inky!  These whimsical little butterflies and flowers always make me smile, so I can't wait to see what y'all create!  If you don't have Petals & Stems or Fluttering By you can pick them up at 30% off through August 15- that's the challenge deadline, so you've got plenty of time to create!

Here are a few samples from our design team gallery to get the wheels a turnin':

Designed by Amy	Designed by Shannan	Designed by Amber

For more inspiration, be sure to check out the fabulous cards from our Divas in the Fluttering By and Petals & Stems Design Team albums, and you can also check out cards uploaded by customers in our SCS gallery.

Contest Details:
To play along, submit a link to a new card or project (posted July 17 or later) using Verve's Petals & Stems or Fluttering By set before 8PM Mountain on Sunday, August 15 and we'll pick a winner to receive a $30 gift certificate to the Verve Store!

Click the red link that says "click here to enter" at the bottom of this post for the entry form. Please type your name or screen name in the Caption or Title field, then choose the link and photo you'd like to enter. If you're linking to a blog, please link directly to the specific blog post where your card is posted, and not your general blog url.}

Note: If you have problems linking your card (especially from SCS), try entering the link to your card, then choosing From File instead of From Web. Then just browse to where your picture is saved on your computer to get your thumbnail.  Keywords for uploading to online galleries are:  VSFlutter and VERVE.

Okay, good luck and have fun! 

At home with Verve

This year for our Viva la Verve challenges, we're shaking things up a bit! Last year (I can't believe 2009 is LAST year!) we had weekly twists along with the sketches but this year we're going a different direction. I'll be posting three inspiration photo's to use along with the weekly sketch.

The inspiration photos will be following our theme "At Home with Verve: A year long home walk-through"

Each month we'll walk through a different room and each week during that month, I'll post inspriation photos of that particular room or items you might find in that room. These photos are to be used in any way that inspires you. We're not laying down any crazy rules this year, lol! If you see a color combo you like in the picture, go for it! If you see some fun, fuzzy texture you like, DO IT! We want you to have fun and see where the inspiration takes you:)

The first week's sketch challenge is up over at the Verve forums at SCS!We're walking though Foyers and Entryways in January. I've posted the sketch here on the blog but see THIS THREAD for the inspiration photos to use with the sketch as well as any details I missed here, upload deadlines, and PRIZES!

Here's the sketch:

Here's my sample:

I used an old favorite set, Petals and Stems. I was inspired by the color combo and the sunflowers in the sunflower foyer picture!

Next up is Lori Tecler's awesome sample! If you'll remember, Lori won the VLV December Gallery last month and won a position as the Sample Diva this month! I'm looking forward to seeing all the fun cards she cranks out this month!
Lori used the super popular Thankful Hearts for her sample! Don't you LOvE that color combo? Lori was inspired by the colors in the Modern Floral photo. I love her inspired card, so perfecT!

Well hop on over to the VLVJan{10}01 thread in the Verve forums to play along with us! Verve stamps are NOT REQUIRED to play along and qualify for the monthly prize! We want EVERYONE to play along! Hope you have a HAPPY, HEALTHY, and BLESSED New Year!!!

See you next week,

--Amber

October Project Parade - Day 4

Hi everyone, it's Michelle! Welcome to Day 4 of the Project Parade. If you are following along, you know the challenge this month is to emboss, wet or dry.

I needed to make a very special thank you card using my new Creative Memories DP Bountiful. The colors on this paper are so peaceful and rich I decided to emboss everything with copper and use the Abundant Blessings set again. I just LOVE the cat tails image, there is something so graceful about it. The butterflies are from Petals and Stems and the sentiment is from Artful Elegance. I cut out the butterflies and watercolored them with reinkers and used copper brads for the little heads. The ribbon bow was shot a few seconds with my heat gun, and it curls ever so slightly. This is a REALLY cool effect. Until recently, I didn't have a decent heat tool, so it never worked before. But now, I am happy as a clam :-). Some small piercing in the corners and sponging finishes off panels.

So, you wanna play along with us and have a chance to win $15 in Verve Bucks? Just upload your creation to this post by noon on Friday, October 24th. If you upload to SCS, use the keyword VVPP07 so we can see all the embossed creations in one place! A random participant will be drawn on October 25th to receive $15 in Verve Bucks to spend at the Verve Stamps store! Thanks for stopping by!

Card Deets:

Stamps - Abundant Blessings, Artful Elegance, Petals and Stems

Paper - soft sky, very vanilla, Tawny Dark prism paper, Creative Memories DP Bountiful

Ink - Versamark, soft sky and blue bayou reinkers

Accessories - copper brads, organdy ribbon, paper piercer, sponge, copper EP

Take Joy in the Little (ATC) Things

Well, here we are at the end of the parade! Have you enjoyed all the Artist Trading Cards? And then seeing them turned into cards? I, for one, love these little babes. They're kind of like Polly Pockets for stampers.

My ATC was inspired by JulieHRR's Dare to Get Dirty Challenge on Splitcoast last week, which was to make a clean, simple white card. I usually have trouble with clean+simple+white, but I really like how this ATC turned out. I made it out of watercolor paper. The embossed rectangle was done with a Nestability, and then I just did a light Soft Sky color wash inside the rectangle. I created the flower trio using stamps from Floral Whimsy, and the sentiment comes from Petals & Stems. Because the Nestability is a little narrower than the "official" ATC size, I added some paper piercing along the left. Simple and sweet.

And here's how it looks turned into a full card:



Now if you're reading this early enough on Thursday, you still have a wee bit o' time to get in on the challenge if you haven't already. At 12:00 pm (noon) Eastern Time today (July 31st) we'll be drawing two winners, one randomly drawn from all the entries, the other our favorite project using Verve stamps. Both winners will receive $15 in Verve Bucks. To enter, link up your ATC creation HERE.

Before I go, do you know what tomorrow is?! It's the first day of our much-anticipated Anni-VERVE-sary. It's all happening in the Verve Forum! Be there or be square ;)

Vervalicious ATC

There is something SO SATISFYING about making an ATC! I dunno, maybe it's the small amount of time it takes to get something accomplished? Yep, I do love that!

I know that there is really only one rule to making ATC's and that is the size (2.5x3.5) and wouldn't you know I went and busted that rule? I liked how the added scallops looked on the top though, so I couldn't resist adding it!

The floral image is from my personal favorite set, "Serenity"!

You know I love my cards so I decided to be a total copy cat and turn this baby into a card using my new favorite paper by SU! "Bella Rosa"!!!

Interested in winning $15 Verve bucks to spend in the store? Well check out THIS link for all the deets!

Supplies:

Stamps-Serenity, Petals and Stems (Verve Stamps)

Paper-Riding hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Bella Rosa dp (SU!0

Ink-Riding Hood Red

Accessories-Olive Poly Twill, Slit Punch, Ruby Red brads, Ticket Corner punch (SU!); Oval Nesties (Spellbinders), Red ribbon (CTMH), Burgundy Shimmerz

Inspired Prayer

Is this not the best parade you've ever been to? How's the view from the boulevard? Up close and personal? Thanks to Julee (our fabulous Grand Marshall) for having a parade to show off our creations up close and thanks to Carole (one of SCS's newest dirty inductees) for the opportunity to reveal our thoughts in the ever-so-personal realm we so belovedly call The "Verve-iview"! But before I get to the meat of this post (my innermost thoughts), let's discuss the "parade float" at hand before it turns the corner onto Herald Square. Not even near 40 feet tall, my card today is a little sway from the "normal size" A2. I had to make it 4.25 x 6.25 to accomodate the Making Memories tag that was a perfect match for the inspiration photo. I also loved playing off the black accents with the little splash of yellow here and there. (I love More Mustard--can I get a hot dog over here? This IS New York, right?) Ope, there it goes, passed us right by without getting stuck on a building. So just as Santa heads up the rear of the Macy's parade, who everyone really waits for, I give you my "Verve-iview". Go have some turkey.

1. When/how did you get hooked on stamping? I was introduced to it about 8 years ago and thought everyone at the party was crazy. Anyone in the market for some retired 4th of July stamps? Re-introduced to it by a fabulous SU demo 3 years later and never looked back.

2. How often do you stamp? I try to stamp everyday, but my friends keep calling me. (you know, Mr. Clean, the Scrubbing Bubbles and someone who just wants to Cheer all the time.)

3. Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury. giving this interview--I will now be scarred for life.

4. How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? It depends on when you consider the starting point. When I'm dreaming of them while I'm sleeping? Then it would be about 12 hours, but if you are only considering once I have a real idea in my head that is actually doable, then 1-2 hours (Keeping in mind that doesn't account for making the paper and melting the rubber into the molds by hand. Add 30 minutes for that.)

5. I am usually a little messy in my creating. Tell me about your creative space. (I'm sorry you have that issue, Carole.) I have a small space. Some call it a bedroom corner. I call the entire room my studio and we just happen to sleep in there. Having a small space allows me to be messy while in "the zone", but I am always one to have to clean up before starting my next project. I told you Mr. Clean calls me too much.

6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which craft tool could you not live without? Why? Chocolate. 'nuff said.

7. What is your biggest source of inspiration? My squarehead boyfriend speaks to me through these things called blogs, and a website called Splitcoast. When he talks, I listen.

8. Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why? I would drop a few names here, but I'm afraid I would sorely misrepresent. So the perfect stamper would have this name:
Belaurentina del O'Stainturragener

9. What is your favorite part of the creative process? All of it! Oh, and the Chocolate.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Jen's parade entry!
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Ok, if you stuck with me through that, you deserve to know how to win $15 in Verve Bucks!! All you have to do is play in this Vervalicious challenge with us! Leave a comment with a link to your project on this post by 12:00 pm (noon) Eastern Time on June 21st, and you will be entered for a chance to win! Using Verve stamps is not a requirement, although it doubles your chance of winning. We will have two winners, one randomly drawn from a pool of all entries, the other will be selected as our favorite from all the projects using Verve stamps. Both winners will receive $15 in Verve Bucks. We will announce the winners later that day.

So, it's time to get inspired! Use the photo to let your creativity soar. There are no guidelines - take your inspiration from the images, designs, patterns, colors - whatever strikes your fancy! If you upload to Splitcoast, please use the keyword VVPP03 so we can all see your creations!

Picture This by Amy Westerman

When you read this, I'll actually be in Lutsen, MN! Thank heavens Blogger finally got with the program and developed the option to automatically schedule your posts while you're gone.

This month's inspiration photo inspired me to make a photo album from our trip last summer to our church camp, Cathedral of the Pines. Thats where we are right now! The cover is acrylic, which I stamped on using black Stazon and Verve's Petal & Stems stamp set. The red and white background paper was stamped with Petals & Stems on Real Red cardstock. It was mounted on thick chipboard and is the first "page" behind the acrylic cover. On the opposite side of the front page is the page with the camp song (below).
I guess it's time now for me to share with you a little bit about myself....lets hope I came up with some interesting enough answers to hold your attention, LOL! I'm not as witty as some of the more colorful members of the Verve Design Team, but I'll give it my best shot!!!

1. When/how did you get hooked on stamping?
I blame my girffriend Lue!!! We were at a retreat together; I was scrapbooking, she was stamping. When I got bored one afternoon, I asked her if I could stamp a card for fun. That was nearly three years ago. The rest is history!
2. How often do you stamp?
Most weeks, I am able to stamp everyday, in some way, shape or form. Sometimes it's only for a minute as I rush to whip out a card for someone's birthday that I forgot, or, if I'm really lucky, I am able to stamp for a couple hours at a time. Mom's happiest when it's the latter. Stamping is a stress reliever for me--I'm constantly telling the Hubster it's cheaper than therapy! I'm not quite sure that's really true, but HE doesn't need to know that, LOL.
3. Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury.
Oh, this is easy. I usually make 4 cards of each design. I do it very"assembly line" like. One day, I was in the process of stamping all the main images. I matted each image and set them aside until I was ready to mount them on the card bases I had pre-folded. As I was assembling the cards, I could NOT, for the life of me, find one of the main images I had stamped....it had disappeared right before my eyes! Hate when that happens. Anyways, I move on without the lost image, and mounted all the rest of the main images on the fronts of the cards. As I was putting away the THREE cards I had made (remember, I lost one of the images), I miraculously found the missing image....on the OPPOSITE side of one of the card bases....I had inadvertantly mounted a main image on both sides of the card base!!!! What a doofus!!!
4. How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with?
That totally depends on one factor. If my MOJO is in the house or not. If it is, I can whip out 4 cards in 30 minutes, if it's missing in action, one card can take me hours to get right.
5. Tell me about your creative space.
I redid my space about 2 years ago. I have my own room downstairs in our finished basement. I've got it set up so I have an area for my freelance media work, and a separate space for my stamping. I absolutely love it. Unfortunately, we didn't invest in an automatic cleaning system for the room (don't you wish there was such a thing?), so it's messy more than it's clean! Seriously, it's a disaster most of the time. I think it drives my hubby and kids crazy.
6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which craft tool could you not live without? Why?
Gosh, this is a hard one. I couldn't live without my cutter. Sometimes I forget it going to a friends house to stamp, and I feel naked and unable to accomplish anything without it!
7. What is your biggest source of inspiration?
Color, color, color. Without it, I wouldn't be able to make anything....the colors in a piece of designer paper are often all I need to get the creativec juices flowing!
8. Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why?
I run into problems when I try to be someone else, when I try to copy the stamping style of someone I admire. So, I think I'm going to pass on this question and focus instead on being satisfied with who I am creatively and celebrate everything that involves!
9. What is your favorite part of the creative process?
Bringing colors and textures and patterns together in ways conventional wisdom says isn't possible or proper!

Enough about me, now its your turn to be inspired by the fabulous Pottery Barn ensemble in the post below! It could just win you $15 Verve bucks! Leave a comment with a link to your project on this post by 12:00 pm (noon) Eastern Time on June 21st, and you will be entered for a chance to win! Using Verve stamps is not a requirement, although it doubles your chance of winning.

There will be two winners, one randomly drawn from a pool of all entries, the other will be selected as our favorite from all the projects using Verve stamps. Both winners will receive $15 in Verve Bucks. The winners will be announced later that day. If you upload to Splitcoast, please use the keyword VVPP03 so we can all see your creations!

Joyfully Inspired

Can I admit that I struggled at first with this inspiration challenge? The first couple of days I looked at the picture, I was more inspired to crawl into that gorgeous bed than I was try to create a card from it. But after a few days, inspiration finally came, first from the vertical rectangles of negative space between the bed's iron bars and second from the subtle play between the white sheets, the white walls, and the grayish shadows. Of course I had to pull in lots of that rich, bold red, along with a spash of yellow (my happy color).

Are you inspired to create something Vervalicious? Leave a comment on Shannan's June 9 post with a link to your project. [Edited to Add: You can view the inspiration piece and get all the challenge details -->HERE<--.] Deadline is noon Eastern Time, June 21st. We're choosing two winners: the first will be randomly drawn from all entries; the second will be our favorite from those entries that use Verve stamps. So if you have Verve stamps, you'll want to use them!! Both winners will receive $15 in Verve Bucks.

Have you enjoyed the fun questions the Verve Divas have been answering this week? Here are my answers (and yes, I'm the lucky one who gets to follow the Verve class clown. Someone's gotta go next ;).

1. When/how did you get hooked on stamping?
About six years ago, a scrapbooking pal of mine, Christie, came into our sons' Little Gym class waving a cute little card she had made at a Stampin' Up workshop. I couldn't get over the fact that she had made it herself, and I wanted to know all about these "stamps" she had used. I had always walked right past the rubber stamps in craft stores, thinking they were ridiculous. I mean, what's so creative about the same image over and over again? The following weekend I spent several hours at her house drooling over her catalog, completely amazed at the creative possibility. I'm still amazed six years later, in fact!

2. How often do you stamp?
I try to stamp every day - it keeps me in the creative mindset.

3. Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury.
I can't think of a stamping-related injury that I've had. Now my bank account is a different story. (Massive hemorrhage comes to mind. Chronic, too.)

4. How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with?
Usually 1-2 hours. Is that crazy? I'm a pretty slow designer, and tend to be a perfectionist, so it takes me a while to declare something finished. Honestly, I've given birth faster than I've made many of my cards.

5. I am usually a little messy in my creating. Tell me about your creative space.
You know the saying "a place for everything and everything in its place"? I took a permanent detour halfway down that path and have never made it to the end. I actually like my creative chaos, though. The problem with clean and tidy is that I'd probably want to leave it that way.

6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which craft tool could you not live without?
I'm glad Carole clarified yesterday that the island would, in fact, have the standard-issue supplies. In her words:

stuff like cardstock, patterned paper, inks, stamps, ribbon, scissors,
adhesives, paper trimmers, and Copic markers

Good, because I'm planning to offer up the Copic markers to the first passing sailor in exchange for passage back to the nearest English-speaking country. I hear they're worth it. Until then, I'll wait happily with my trusty little paper piercer.

7. What is your biggest source of inspiration?
I find inspiration everywhere ... store displays, catalogs and magazines (especially clothing and home decor), print ads, product packaging, you name it. And of course I love to browse through the SCS galleries and stamping blogs.

8. Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why?
There are several, and pinch me, I'm on a design team with them!! And I must add the uber-talented Nichole Heady, Debbie Olson, and Beate Johns. But I don't really want to grow up -- I think I'm among the oldest around here already ;)

9. What is your favorite part of the creative process?
I love the whole process, but I have to say my favorite part is the sense of accomplishment I feel when a project is complete. In my non-stamping life, I always seem to be surrounded by works-in-progress, so it's nice to have this one arena where things get finished. Plus finishing one project always means moving on to another!

Are you still with me? Great! Tune in again on Monday for more of our Project Parade. Until then, have a great weekend!!

Please Welcome May & June's Guest Designer!

I am soooo thrilled to introduce Natasha Trupp (aka tashers) as the Verve Visual Guest Designer for May and June! I had the priviledge of meeting her at CHA in February, and she is just a sweetheart. I am such a big fan of her work, and when I saw her samples for this month's release, I was droolin! You can see more of her work on her blog, Palmtrees and Pogosticks.

Here are some fun questions I sent to Natasha so we could all get to know her better, and here is what she had to say!

1. When/how did you get hooked on stamping? I guess I really became hooked the autumn of 2004. It started out with that one little catalog. I poured over it daily, making wishlist after wishlist. Shortly after I found SCS, then I started making sketches on any scrap paper I could find and continually adding to my "resources" (aka more stamps! etc).

2. How often do you stamp? I try to do a little every day. If I don't get the chance during the work week, then I try to have a mini stamp fest on the weekend.


3. Tell me about your funniest or most embarassing stamping related injury. Even though I'm quite clumsy, I haven't given myself any really entertaining injuries. The most common one is with the ribbon scissors and my thumb. I never put that much force into cutting, so it's never been more than a bit of broken skin on either side of my thumb. Tip: always look at what your cutting, and be sure to move any digits out of the way!


4. How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours. It depends on the look I'm going for.

5. I am usually a little messy in my creating. Tell me about your creative space. My creative space, despite my best efforts and monthly clean-ups, is a disaster. I like to have everything at an arm's reach away, but there just aren't enough convenient storage spaces. So I keep storing stuff on my table
top, and what once was a table that could easily sit 4 people, now only has my 18x12 inches of workspace, plus a whole lot of stuff.


6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which craft tool could you not live without? Why? Hmm, it's a toss up between an embossing gun (and an electric source, of course) and a crop-a-dile. I absolutely love the effect of embossing, it can really add that little extra something to your project. The crop-a-dile just does so much, it's easy on my hands, it's quiet, and I'm sure it could come in handy on that island ;)


7. What is your biggest source of inspiration? My biggest source of inspiration are sketches, any kind of sketches. I take down sketches from cards I have seen from other stampers, from manufactured cards, weekly
challenges, advertisements, scrapbook pages, anything. I cannot get enough of them. Whenever you are stuck, they can really guide you to a nice finished product. I've finally started keeping a serious "sketches" book. They're all in one place, and it's growing quickly!

8. Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why? I have always found myself leaning towards Valerie Stangle's projects. When I first joined SCS, her cards always caught my eye. I love her style, the colour palettes she uses, and the way she uses patterned papers on her projects. It's just always perfection!


9. What is your favorite part of the creative process? My favorite part is the planning- deciding on a layout, deciding what colours I'll use, what kind embellishments will work, that sort of thing, and then after the planning, seeing it all come together. There's nothing better than having an idea on your mind, and being able to bring that idea to life exactly how you wanted!



I have shown you some of my favorite projects that Natasha sent. To see them all, visit her Verve Gallery!

Simple Pleasures

So, are you loving this color challenge? We hope so! We'd LOVE to see your creations using this color combination and who wouldn't want to win $15 in Verve bucks? Be sure and leave a comment linking to your creation on this post before Midnight (Mountain time) on May 31st. If you have any Verve Visual stamps, please use them, but it's not a requirement. The winner will receive a $15 shopping spree at the Verve store. If you upload to Splitcoast, make sure you use the keyword VVPP02 so we can all see your creations!

For my card, I used the butterflies from Fluttering By and Petals & Stems, and a sentiment from Floral Whimsy. The large butterfly was stamped twice, once on the white cardstock and once on vellum. The vellum butterfly is dotted with glitter. Keep checking back for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team! You won't want to miss Laura's creation tomorrow!

SUPPLIES USED: Stamps- Fluttering By, Floral Whimsy, Petals & Stems (Verve Visual); Paper- So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Sky, Regal Rose (SU), white (Georgia-Pacific), patterned (DCWV)vellum; Ink- Onyx Black (Versafine), Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, So Saffron (SU); Accessories- Regal Rose wide grosgrain, Dazzling Diamonds glitter (SU), scallop border punch (Martha Stewart)

Sneak Previews and a Chance to Win!

It's day three of sneak peeks of the new releases for Verve Visual. Today we are featuring two of the four new sets being released tomorrow, Friday, May 16. Be sure to see the end of this post to see how you can win one of these sets!

From Carole Burrage:

I love wreaths, and have lots of different ones I hang on my front door depending on the season. There are a couple of times a year, though (Easter to July; August to Fall) when my door is sadly bare. As I sat down to play with Verve's delightful new Petals & Stems set, I looked at the fun blossoms and polka-dot centers and decided to create the wreath I was wishing for out of paper. Here are the results! I think I could probably get my florist to whip something similiar up; now to just get someone to paint my door a cheery blue gingham... ; )

From Jen del Muro:
It's that time of year when all of us moms start thinking about teacher gifts. While my daughter is only in a Mother's Day Out program, I still want to do something nice for her "teachers." I plan on giving them each a set of cards using the Fluttering By set and some fun DP.


From Susan Liles:
For my sneak peek this month, I chose to do a project instead of a card. I actually made this simple and quick little gift card holder for my mom for Mother's Day and used the new Verve set called Petals and Stems to create a band to hold it shut. It's a great floral set with many possibilities including layering different sizes of these fun and hip flowers, not to mention it includes this sweet sentiment--one of my favorites ever! The flowers are super easy to cut out, so this is a great set to get your vervacious 3-D flower mojo going!!



Want to be the proud owner of these two sets?
All you need to do is leave a comment on this post with the answer to the following question by 10PM MT (midnight ET) on May 15. Then be sure to check back tomorrow, when we’ll announce the lucky winner and reveal the new Verve sets!
In your comment, be sure to answer the question that follows...

These stamp sets that are featured today scream "Summer" to me. Summer is my favorite season by far because of the warm weather and all the outdoor fun to be had. Plus in Texas, we have Sno-Cone stands that pop up everywhere. YUM-O! So I ask you this... What is your favorite month and why?