Procrastinator's Special

I've been crazy busy this week. My oldest son turned 8 on Monday. He ended up sick, so we had to postpone his "party" (not really a party, just a few friends heading off to the water park for the day). We rescheduled it for today, but since it was supposed to be rainy (and is), we had changed it to bowling. He's still not fully well, so now we're looking at moving it to sometime in September. Bummer for him - he's so upset! School starts next week, so there's shopping and some PTO stuff to do. DH is going in to work in the late afternoon and working all night this week, which always makes dinnertime and bedtime kinda hairy. And I'm trying to help my mother get ready for a baby shower next weekend. Plus all the "usual." Anyway, it's all good (except for the sick stuff).

I've also been madly trying to finish up some of my design work for the month, and the good news there is that I have six Verve cards to show today. This first one I posted on SCS Tuesday for the color challenge: Rose Red, Black, and Kraft. What a fun color combo!



I absolutely LOVE the "Beautiful You" sentiment that the stamp set was named after. Beautiful You is made up of special quotes and phrases from the Verve design team members. This one was Laura Fredrickson's genius choice - just an all-around fantastic sentiment for so many things. I'm sending this card to my mom, who celebrated her birthday on Tuesday. My poor mom, I'm always so caught up in my son's birthday the day before that I'm never ready for hers anymore. Hopefully, her 60th birthday gift eight years ago (first grandchild) makes up for all future tardies :)

These next two cards are both made with Fairy Tales. On this first sample, I can't decide which I like more, the edgy color combo of black and Stampin' Up's new Kiwi Kiss or the awesome sentiment, "Make Your Own Happiness." No matter what the circumstances around us, I'd like to think we have the power to choose happiness over sadness or despair, to choose to see the good over the bad, to actively seek out that which satisfies. I just love it!!



This next sample shows an out-of-the-box combination of the ring from Fairy Tales and the flourishy circle from Artful Elegance: a Christmas ornament! The hook stamp came from a retired Stampin' Up set called Fun With Shapes. The tree branches are from another retired SU set, Peaceful Wishes. The sentiment is from SU's All Holidays.



Next is a 4 1/4" notecard using a sentiment from Notes of Prayer. I love Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Chocolate Chip together. I added some dry embossing with the Argyle Cuttlebug folder for a bit of a masculine look and feel.




Last but not least is the totally gorgeous Cupcake Affair set. I'm certain I've never seen prettier cupcake stamps!





I'm sure I say this each month, but this month's Verve sets are the best yet! For many, many more samples, be sure to visit the Verve gallery!

"See" you again on Saturday for my regular Saturday challenges - Jen's Sketch For You To Try and a new challenge from Our Creative Corner.



Most of the supply lists are available in the Verve Gallery. Here are direct links: Beautiful You, Make Your Own Happiness, Merry Christmas, Our Prayers are With You, and Cupcake.

Cupcake Trio:
Stamps: Cupcake Affair (Verve); Polka Dot (SU!)
Paper: Certainly Celery, Rose Red (SU!); Stamper's Select White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copic markers, classic and scalloped rectangle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon, oval punch, Dazzling Diamonds glitter (SU!)