A Final Chapter

Dear Verve friends,

I've been thinking. A LOT. Trying to come up with words. Sitting down to write. Then getting up and walking away, because this is HARD. How do I express in words the mixed emotions, heartache, anxiety, and struggles involved in making such a momentous decision? I guess I just put it out there...

Verve Stamps will be closing June 30, 2018.

Those are words I never thought I'd write. Over the last decade I have placed my heart and soul into Verve and I'm not really sure where Verve ends and I begin anymore. But, over that same decade I have also become a Mama. Someone I never expected to be. But someone I am, nonetheless, to two special little boys who need extra care and attention right now. Attention that has at best been divided for their entire little lives and now needs to be focused. Lately it's become increasingly apparent to me that I can't give my all to my boys and still have my all to give to Verve. So, here we are, starting the final chapter in the book of Verve.

I have loved bringing uplifting stamp designs and inspirational cardmaking challenges to you. It's been a great delight in my life seeing your cards and creations, chatting with you, emailing, and partying on Splitcoast in the olden days. The friendships and purpose I've found in this business are the things that have kept me going through many dark days. And while this decision was hard to come to and is even harder to explain without going into the ins and outs of our personal struggles, as soon as I made it, I KNEW it was the right choice. I have a peace and general excitement about being "just a Mom" that has never been there before. And as I've never been just that, I'd like to see how it works. {grin}

I don't know what the future holds for me. I'm definitely going to enjoy a summer with my boys. My first real time off in almost 11 years! If you're interested in where I end up and what journey I take from here, hop on over to my blog, Poetic Artistry, and subscribe.

As of today, everything in the shop is currently marked 55% off (with the execption of our two new limited edition sets). All sales are final.  We'd love it if you could help us find homes for our remaining inventory so we can reclaim another room in our house! As of June 10, we will stop shipping services to International and Canadian destinations. So if you are not in the United States and would like to order, please do so prior to Sunday, June 10.

Thank you for all your love and support over the years. You have been a great blessing in my life and our family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts! It truly does take a village. I've (hopefully) listed below all of the amazing contributors who have shared in our releases over these almost 11 years. Each and every person on this list has a special place in my heart. Thanks, thanks and ever thanks!

With love,
Julee, Mark, Kellan & Trevor

Shannan Teubner (Diva)
Lila Holgate (Diva)
Kim Ross (Diva)
Jen del Muro (Diva)
Bethany Paull (Diva)
Amy Westerman (Diva)
Dana Seymour (Diva)
Laurie Schmidlin (Diva)
Charmaine Ikach (Diva)
Taylor Van Bruggen (Guest)
Susan Liles (Diva)
Cindy Keery (Guest)
Ana Wohlfahrt (Guest)
Karrie Baker (Guest)
Julie Campbell (Guest)
Paula Goff (Guest)
Kim Reid (Guest)
Ida Krause (Guest)
Silvia Mabie (Guest)
Paula Williamson (Guest)
Debbie Olson (Guest)
Amy Sheffer (Diva)
Carole Burrage (Diva)
Laura Fredrickson (Diva)
Amber Hight (Diva)
Natasha Trupp (Guest)
Jackie Pedro (Diva)
Cyndi Bundi (Guest)
Michelle Woerner (Diva)
Janine Tinklenberg (Guest)
Lindsey Botkin (Guest)
Jennifer Meyer (Guest)
Suzanne Dean (Guest)
Jen Tapler (Diva)
Maria Gurnsey (Guest)
Sarah Gough (Diva)
Lynda Benden (Diva)
Stephanie Kraft (Guest)
Jodi Collins (Guest)
Kelly Lunceford (Guest)
Teresa Kline (Diva)
Tosha Leyendekker (Diva)
Christina Fischer (Guest)
Kerri Michaud (Guest)
Sankari Wegman (Diva)
Mercy Kerin (Diva)
Kristina Biederman (Guest)
Betty Wright (Diva)
Jessie Rone (Guest)
Melissa Sauls (Guest)
Rosie Hughes (Guest)
Brooke Stockman (Guest)
Edna Morrisedie (Guest)
Denise Marzec (Guest)
Carolina Buchting (Guest)
Christi Flores (Guest)
Maureen Plut (Diva)
Sonja Christoph (Diva)
Andrea Ewen (Diva)
Debbie Carriere (Guest)
Piali Biswas (Guest)
Betty Wright (Diva)
Dawn Easton (Diva)
Janelle Stollfus (Diva)
Cresta Woodruff (Guest)
Melissa Hubert  (Guest)
Robin Shakoor (Guest)
Marisa Ritzen (Diva)
Vickie Zimmer (Guest)
Gretchen Belknap (Guest
Wanda Cullen (Guest)
Christyne Kane (Diva)
Laurie Willison (Diva)
Jen Shults (Diva)
Amy Kolling (Diva)
Anya Schrier (Diva)
Jess Diedrich (Diva)
Karen Giron (Diva)
Tiffany Solorio (Diva)
Jen Mitchell (Guest)
Stacey Schafer (Diva)
Chaitali Narla (Diva)
Kay Miller (Guest)
Sheri Gilson (Guest)
Monika Davis (Guest)
Diana Nguyen (Guest)
Nancy Thomas (Guest)
Shantaie Fowler (Guest)
Amy Tsuruta (Guest)
Kelly Gettelfinger (Guest)
Lori Craig (Guest)
Rosemary Dennis (Guest)
Amy Rohl (Guest)
Lee-Anne Cross (Guest)
Vicki Dutcher (Guest)
Mackie Robertson (Guest)
LauraJane (Guest)
Hillary Harris (Guest)
Autumn Clark (Guest)
Lisa Blastick (Guest)
Kathy Schweinfurth (Guest)
Michele Greenwood (Guest)

Good Buy 2017 SALE and a Look Back

The end of December means year-end inventory counts are quickly approaching, and I like to do as little counting as possible so I can spend more time with my little guys!

So I've got some super Good Buys to share with you! 

All stamps, dies, digis and embellishments are 35% off!

Go ahead and pick up a little something for yourself and share the love of handmade kindness with others throughout the new year! Sale valid on in-stock merchandise through January 3, 2018.

Looking back on 2017, Verve's creative year started a bit late, after a prolonged sickness for myself and my family. After a rough start to the year, I was so happy to finally release Butterfly Grace and the coordinating Graceful Butterflies Die Set in May 2017.

It's centered on grace and has some wonderful sentiments and scriptures along with beautiful butterfly imagery. A perfect combination.

Thankful for YOU Sale and Holiday DIGITAL Release

Hi Verve fans! You may remember me writing some of this last year, but it still applies...

The retail world is all decked out in its little black dress today. As a small business owner and Mama to two incredibly cute boys, I opt to spend this time with my family, putting together puzzles, decorating for the holidays and making precious memories to last a lifetime. So you won't see a bunch of marketing blasts or new sales that change daily or hourly.  We've got a simply fantastic sale that gives you a chance at some pretty awesome (if I do say so myself) stamps and dies at a great price, and allows me the flexibility to pack orders during football and basketball watching and (insert sarcastic laugh here)... "quiet" times.

I truly love to see what you do with Verve products and take joy in packaging every order myself.  As I package each order, I think about what you might create and the lives that might be touched by the handmade kindness you share with these stamps. It warms my heart, and I envision myself as a happy little stamp elf. 

Kellan in red, Trevor in blue.

Photo credit: Lifetouch Photography

So if you choose to spend your hard earned dollars at Verve, just know that my family truly appreciates it from the bottom of our hearts. Be it Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, or any day ending in the letter y, we're thankful for the opportunity to give you the tools to create. And we're blessed to be able to use the income I make to send these sweet boys to Montessori school where at 5 years old Trevor is reading and writing up a storm and Kellan is rocking multiplication, long division, negative numbers and both boys are teacher's assistants in their chess class. Our family is oh-so-blessed that I have a job that allows me to spend the afternoons with my boys and quite often take more sick days than work days through the winter months as we battle their asthma. So a great big thank you from our family to yours! We couldn't do this without you. 💗

Okay, so here's the sale info. I just love a good deal, so I've amped up the bargains for this year's annual BF-SBS-CM-(Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday)-Just-Plain-Thankful-For-YOU-Sale! Grab a little something you've been wishing for or stock up on some great gifts for friends and family, either way there's plenty of savings to be had. No codes needed, the shopping cart does all the work. Sale ends Thursday, November 30.

• 30 - 60% off all physical stamps, dies and sequins
• 70% off retiring products
• 30% off our NEW line of DIGITAL Stamps

Last week I released 5 brand new digis! Those sick days I talked about earlier are no joke and due to lots of holding my littles I missed my manufacturing deadlines for a physical holiday stamp release this year. But I did have quite a lot of ideas, so decided to do an entirely DIGITAL holiday release this year. All of our digital sets come with a zip file of the individual png and jpeg files as well as a PDF printable of the images sized for cardmaking and laid out to print on an 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper.  And the download means you don't have to wait for shipping!  Yay!

With these 5 new digis and a re-release of a couple of our digis from Christmas past, we now have 8 digital sets available in the store.  Check them out in the shop.

Here's a beautiful card that Teresa made with the Winter Peace DIGITAL set...

And one I made with the Good Cheer DIGITAL Set...

Thanks for your support and I hope you have a blessed start to the holiday season!

Happy World Card Making Day

Hi Verve fans! It's World Card Making Day, which is the unofficial start to the holiday crafting season. And we've got a little sale going on this weekend (prices valid through October 9)  to help kick off your creating....

40% off winter holiday stamps & dies

30% off autumn & coffee themed stamps & dies

30% off the pre-order of our October Buy-it-All Bundle

Our newest release is hitting the shop on Tuesday, and you can pre-order the October Buy it All Bundle this weekend at a 30% discount!  If you loved the images in our new Coffee Please Digi, but aren't into digis, this clear stamp set has a similar look and feel. In Autumn Leaves, the leaves are provided in outline and solid form for easy 2 step stamping or background creating. And the matching dies make fun fall cards a breeze. The cup image has a leafy design, too, and includes a steamy swirl, pefect for coffee steam or recreating a blustery autumn scene.

Plus...

20% off our Coffee Please DIGITAL Set

70% off clearance products

And, as always, FREE US Shipping on orders over $55.

If you're wanting to create a card today, why not give our October Viva la Verve sketch a go? Play along all month long for a chance to win some Verve! 

And tune in right here next Tuesday for our October New Release Blog Hop!

Sale Extended and a Mojo Monday Contest

Happy January, friends! I'm just popping in to let you know that I've extended our sale through January 10. Here in Idaho, we're in the middle of a winter storm with more snow than we've seen in 30 years. School is closed yesterday and today, and one of my boys is sick with a fever and requires lots of holding. All of this means I have had no time to change out the website, so our sale continues.

Through January 10, save 35% off all current stamps and dies and 50% off all retiring products in the shop.  And save an additional 15% off your purchase with gift code SNOWDAY.  Sale prices and gift code valid on in-stock merchandise through January 10, 2017. Code must be entered to receive discount.

It's also contest week over at Mojo Monday! Come play along for a chance to win some Verve! We add a winner for every 50 entries, so the more the merrier. Hope to see you over there!

Mojo Monday 478 Card Sketch

To get you started, here's the card sample I created with the sketch and the Faith Medley stamp set.

Card by Julee Tilman

and here's a sample from Marisa using the Scripture Medley 3 stamp set.

card by Marisa Ritzen

Thanksgiving Weekend Sale

Hi Verve fans! The retail world is all decked out in its little black dress today. As a small business owner and Mama to two incredibly cute boys, I opt to spend this time with my family, putting together puzzles, decorating for the holidays and making precious memories to last a lifetime. So you won't see a bunch of marketing blasts or new sales that change daily or hourly.  We've got a simple sale that gives you a chance at some fantastic stamps and dies at a great price, and allows me the flexibility to pack orders during Mickey Mouse episodes and (insert sarcastic laugh here)... "quiet" times.

I truly love to see what you do with Verve products and take joy in packaging every order myself.  As I package each order, I think about what you might create and the lives that might be touched by the handmade kindness you share with these stamps. It warms my heart, and I envision myself as a happy little stamp elf. 

Kellan in green, Trevor in blue.
Photo credit Memory Lane Photography

So if you choose to spend your hard earned dollars at Verve, just know that my family truly appreciates it from the bottom of our hearts. Be it Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, or any day ending in the letter y, we're thankful for the opportunity to give you the tools to create. And we're blessed to be able to use the income I make to send these sweet boys to Montessori school where at 4 years old Trevor is excelling at reading and Kellan is rocking multiplication, division and fraction work... and they're both loving every minute. Our family is oh-so-blessed that I have a job that allows me to spend the afternoons with my boys and quite often take more sick days than work days through the winter months as we battle their asthma. So a great big thank you from our family to yours! We couldn't do this without you. 💗

Okay, so here's the sale info. All the promotions work together, so you can stack up the savings. Promotions run through 11:59pm Mountain on November 28. Have a fabulous weekend!

1. 25% off ALL in-stock stamps, dies and embellishments
2. EXTRA 15% off orders over $50 (based on subtotal after any other discounts)
3. Buy one stamp set, get its coordinating dies for 50% off
4. 40% off retiring plain janes


And just for the holidays...

Free first class shipping on US orders over $30 through 12/23/2016. Offer not valid on US Priority, International or Canadian shipping methods. Free shipping is calculated on your subtotal after any discounts or gift codes.

In honor of Black Friday, I'll leave you with a card I made earlier this year featuring black...

by Julee Tilman featuring the Beautiful Things stamp set and Beautiful Flowers Die Set

Free Shipping Promo for Labor Day Weekend

Hey Verve fans!  As we head into the long weekend, I thought I'd pop in and let you know we're running a shipping promo through Tuesday, Sep. 6.

Free first class shipping on US orders over $30 Sep 2 - 6, 2016.
Select US Shipping as your ship method at checkout and discount will be calculated automatically.
Offer not valid on US Priority, International or Canadian shipping methods.
Free shipping is calculated on your subtotal after any discounts or gift codes.

Our new release, along with some very sweet sets are 20% off, too!  

So don't forget to check out the Sale Page!

And if you'd like an excuse to stamp over the weekend, the first September Viva la Verve sketch posted this morning...

You can come take a peek at my sample card over on the VLV Sketches blog...

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a happy and safe last hurrah of summer!

Family Vacation

Hey Verve fans! Our little family is headed out on vacation! As always, the shop is still open for orders (and our storewide Anni-VERVE-sary sale is still going strong!). However, shipping and customer support (that's me) are closed. All orders and emails received through August 21 will be processed after our return on August 22. Thanks for your patience while we're out making memories! Have a wonderfully creative week!

Oh, and I just added a brand new sequin mix to the shop.  Nothing like doing things right up to the last minute, right?! Verve's Gold Package Sequin Mix is a heaping spoonful of slightly cupped and starry sequins in three beautiful gilded shades. These golden pieces will make the perfect accent for your autumn and holiday cards.

See you back here next Tuesday for the start of our Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops!

Red White and Blue Sale

Hi Verve fans!  We're celebrating Independence Day this weekend here in the States, and it's one of my favorite times of year.  I'm an all-American kind of gal and the red, white and blue waving all around makes me so happy and thankful for the personal freedoms so many have sacrificed that I might have.

In honor of the 4th, we've got a sweet little firecracker of a sale going on this weekend.  25% off orders over $40, plus FREE shipping on US orders over $30.  And that's in additional to our already fabulous summer clearance sale prices. No code required, sale ends July 4, 2016 at 11:59pm PT.

Wishing you a happy and safe weekend filled with happiness, wherever you may call home!  Before I go, here's a little Americana inspiration from our gallery to spark your creativity!

by Susan Liles using American Hero and the Starry Die

by Julee Tilman using Sparkly Dreams and the Butterfly Dreams Die Set

by Julee Tilman using Shining Star and the Starry Die

by Julee Tilman using Let it Be and the Starry Die

Easter Vacation

Hi Verve fans!  Just a little note to let you know our family is taking its first ever little road trip to explore the mountains of Idaho and the Verve office will be closed March 24 - 27. Orders and emails received after 5pm Mountain today (3/23) will be processed when I return on Monday.

Thanks for all your awesome support of our new release!  Since I won't be around for the next few days, I've added a little free shipping promo to the store!  Enjoy and have a blessed Easter!

Enjoy free first class shipping on US orders over $30 through Monday, March 28.  Offer not valid on Priority, International or Canadian shipping methods.  Discount calculated on subtotal after any gift codes.

Thankful Sale and Free Shipping

It's a Thankful Sale! Save 30% on all products!

Sale prices valid on in-stock merchandise, while supplies last, through 11/30/15.

And just for the holidays...

Free first class shipping on US orders over $30 through 12/23/2015. Offer not valid on US Priority, International or Canadian shipping methods. Free shipping is calculated on your subtotal after any discounts or gift codes.

We've also just restocked 20 sets, including our very popular Good Works set, so if you've been waiting on something, head on over to the Verve store today!

Back in Stock

Hi Verve fans!  I'm just popping in today with a little restocking update.  A portion of our huge restocking order has finally arrived and the rest should be arriving soon!

All of our newly back in stock products are 20% off through September 4.  Add that to our Anni-VERVE-sary savings of 10-50% off everything in the store, and you're in for a treat!

Here's a little stroll down memory lane of cards sampling  a few of the sets that just arrived.

featuring the Coffee stamp set and Coffee Word Die

featuring Love Story and the Scalloped Trim Trio Die Set

featuring Learning to Sail and Wings of Love

featuring Merry & Bright, Award Banner Trim Die, Stormy Skies Ribbon and Pastel Sequin Mix

featuring Scripture Medley 1, Scripture Medley 2 and  Flourished Trim Die

featuring Poppy Birthday, Build a Poppy Die Set and Sprightly Sprigs Die Set

featuring Love's Flower and the Rounded Scallop Frame Die

featuring Joyful Blooms and the Charming Oval Die Set

Cyber Monday Sale

Verve Stamps Cyber Monday Sale Over 50 products marked 50% off plus 20% off everything else! It's Cyber Monday and we have some sweet deals today only! We've marked 50 products 50% off, plus extended our 20% off everything sale through the end of today! Sale prices valid on in-stock merchandise on December 1, 2014 only.