Where Flowers Bloom ...

I took the dare, have you???

What in the world am I talking about? The current Diva Dare challenge over on the Verve blog, of course! Our theme this month is "April Showers Bring May Flowers" and I answered the dare with my current favorite Verve floral set -- Hope Blooms. Visit me over at the Verve blog for more challenge and project info.

Where there's Verve, there are prizes. You know that, right? We have quite a few chances to win some Verve right now ...

1. Play along with our Diva Dare challenge 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 (on the Verve blog) 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. 

 3. Play along with each week's Viva La Verve sketch challenge, and at the end of the month you'll qualify for the Sketch Champions prize drawing. My Diva Dare card uses the Viva La Verve (May, Week 1) sketch by Amber. Take a look at this fun one:

4. And last, but not least, if you missed Sunday's Diva Inspirations Hop, be sure to go back and catch up. Leave some comment love along the way for a chance at a mystery prize hidden on one of the blogs. Here's the hop list:

1. Julee 8. Sony 2. Betty 9. Susan 3. Dawn 10. Teresa 4. Jen d. 11. Andrea 5. Jen T. 12. Charmaine 6. Lynda 13. Maureen 7. Shannan

We've hidden a little mystery prize on one of
today's hop spots. For a chance to win,
be sure to leave a little comment love 

as you hop around!

Comment Deadline: 11:59pm Mountain, May 5
Prize: $30 gift certificate to Verve

That's some serious giving!





Stamps: Hope Blooms (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Papertrey Rustic Cream and Black card stock, Crate Paper Portrait 6x6 collection
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Vintage Photo Distress
Accessories: Copic markers, Papertrey buttons and twine, Spellbinders Labels Sixteen Nestabilities and Fleur de Lis Doily Accents Shapeabilities, Wilton doily, foam adhesive, sanding block, sewing machine
Size: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

You've Been So Sweet

I've surely mentioned before how much I like the newest batch of Spellbinders dies. For today's card, I started out with the Fleur de Lis Doily Accents Shapeabilities set and a scrap of a seed packet pattern from Webster's Pages Spring Market Petite Papers collection. I dressed up the seed packet strip with the Fleur de Lis border, some zigzag stitching, burlap string, and a gathered piece of trim from Webster's Pages Spring Market Trim Card. I didn't want to cover up too much of the pattern, so I chose a small circular sentiment from JustRite's Vintage Floral Labels that fit perfectly within one of the Fleur de Lis Doily Accents die-cuts. To add a little interest, I used Classic Circle Nestabilities dies to cut the "You've Been So Sweet" portion of the sentiment (stamped in black) into a ring, which I then popped up over the same sentiment stamped in sage.

Have a great weekend, friends!




Stamps: Vintage Floral Labels (JustRite)
Paper: Webster's Pages Spring Market Petite Papers, Papertrey Kraft and Rustic Cream card stock
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Bundled Sage and Vintage Photo Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Doily Accents Shapeabilities and Classic Circle Nestabilities, Webster's Pages Spring Market Trim Card, May Arts natural burlap string, Papertrey button, Maya Road fabric flower trim, paper piercer, needle, thread, foam adhesive
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

A Good Day

April is winding down, which means there's only a short while left to enter this month's Sketch For You To Try. Have you played along yet? The entry widget over on Jen's blog is FILLED with the most gorgeous creations! Stop by, have a peek, and of course, upload yours if you haven't already. The deadline is April 30. April's sketch sponsor is Unity, so one lucky sketch participant will win some stamps from Unity's Itty Bitty Collection.

I've used the It's A Good Day Itty Bitty, which I think is just darling! At the beginning of the month, I went for a boyish, grunge-like look for my sketch sample. This time, I've upped the volume with some super colorful papers and patterns from Pink Paislee's Hometown Summer collection. I changed up the main image panel from a square (shown in the sketch) to a layered set of Nestabilities shapes -- Labels Five with a Scalloped Circle and Classic Circle on top.

Have a great day!



Stamps: It's A Good Day (Unity)
Paper: Papertrey Rustic Cream and Black card stock, Pink Paislee Hometown Summer
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Ranger Tumbled Glass and Brushed Corduroy Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Classic Circle, Lacey Circle, and Labels Five Nestabilities, sanding block, Jillibean Soup cardboard flower button, Stampin' Up white crochet flower, Papertrey buttons and twine, foam adhesive, paper piercer, needle, thread, pinking shears
Size: 5 1/4" square

Miss You Like Crazy

Hi stampers! I survived Spring Break - yippee!! Actually, I'm only teasing. I enjoyed nearly every second the kids were home and was really sad to send them back to school this week. In addition to celebrating Easter with my parents and my brother and his wife and girls, we also celebrated my youngest one's fourth birthday on Sunday. I know it's horribly cliche, but really, where does the time go? Yesterday, out of the blue, he asked me, "Mommy, are you my girlfriend?" Melted my heart completely -- especially knowing a real girlfriend will come along far before I'm ready. For now, I'll just keep soaking up every precious second as the center of his world. It won't last much longer -- that much I know.

Today's card is just a bright, cheery little somethin' to let a friend or relative know she's missed. The sweet sentiment is from Verve's new Hope Blooms set. I stamped it onto clear acetate (I used an overhead transparency sheet from Staples), die-cut it with a scalloped circle Nestabilities die, lightly painted the edges with an off-white acrylic paint, then placed the die-cut over a corrugated cardboard circle from Jillibean Soup. The glittery clear gems flanking the sentiment (from Pizzazz Aplenty) are hiding the adhesive that holds the acetate to the cardboard. Other details include a pinked swatch of patterned paper (everything is from Cosmo Cricket's Upcycle collection), a notebook edge, hand stitching, bling, and some different trims.

In other Verve news ... with every new release, the Verve Divas host a Diva Dare challenge. The theme this time is "April Showers Bring May Flowers." You'll find the rules, prize info, and the entry form over at the Verve blog. Every weekday, beginning last Friday and continuing through May 5, the Divas will take turns posting on the Verve blog with their project and a little info about how they answered the dare. Hope you'll take the dare, too!

Also, just a reminder, there are a few more days to save 15% on Verve's April Stamp Collection. It's one of my favorite releases to date! Julee ships lightning fast, too, so you'll have plenty of time to use your new goodies for this year's Mother's Day cards.

~Offer good through April 30, or while supplies last.~

So glad you stopped by. Wishing you a fantastic week! 






Stamps: Hope Blooms (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Upcycle Mini-Deck, Papertrey Rustic White and Smokey Shadow card stock
Ink: Staz-On Jet Black
Accessories: clear transparency sheet, Pizzazz Aplenty glittery gems, off-white acrylic craft paint, Spellbinders Scalloped Circles Nestabilities, seam binding, Cosmo Cricket gray scalloped velvet trim, other {ivory} trim unknown, edge distressing tool, MFT Die-namics notebook edge die, paper piercer, needle, thread, foam adhesive, black rhinestone flourish (source unknown)
Size 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Friends are Key to Happiness

I fell head over heels in love with Who's That Musical Girl? by My Favorite Things the second I saw the first preview a couple of months ago. I'm not especially good at it, but I absolutely love playing the piano, so there was no question -- she had to come home with me. The sentiments in this set are just crazy awesome, too. Check 'em out:

MFT has a fantastic sketch this week for their Wednesday Stamp Club, so I'm playing along with that...

The image is stamped onto Neenah Classic Crest Solar White card stock, then paper pieced and colored with both Copics and Prismacolor pencils. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket's Upcycle Mini Deck, and the corrugated cardboard frame is by Jillibean Soup.

I just blogged this yesterday, but it's worth repeating ...  while Michelle (owner of Stamper's Dream) is off vacationing, she has left behind a fantastic coupon code and some blog candy. Visit her blog for all the details!

Thanks for visiting!




Stamps: Who's That Musical Girl? (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Papertrey Kraft and Basic Black card stock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, Cosmo Cricket Upcycle 6x6 Mini Deck
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black, Papertrey Fresh Snow
Accessories: Copic markers, Prismacolor pencils, Spellbinders classic circle die, Jillibean Soup frames corrugated shapes, Papertrey button, ribbon, and Eyelet Border die, The Twinery twine, sanding block, paper piercer, needle, thread, Seeing Spots Cuttlebug embossing folder, Pizzazz Aplenty turquoise 2mm rhinestones, foam adhesive
Size: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Stamper's Dream SALE

 Michelle Rodgers, owner of Stamper's Dream, is off soaking up the rays in beautiful Cozumel, Mexico, for the next few days. I'm thinking she didn't want to be the only one having fun, because she has left behind a pretty fab Stamper's Dream coupon code for all of us, AND a chance at some SWEET blog candy. Check it out:

Head on over to Michelle's blog to get your coupon code and to enter the blog candy giveaway. Good luck and happy shopping!

Lil' Inker Designs -- Pinwheel Die!

If, by chance, you have not yet seen the new pinwheel die and coordinating stamp set that Laura Pryor of Li'l Inker Designs has come up with, then allow me the pleasure of introducing it to you...

Is it not the cutest thing ever?! I think this is just a supremely clever idea for a die! And the sentiments in the coordinating stamp set are adorable! Now, I know you can make a four-point pinwheel out of a square of paper, but I love the curvy design of this way better, and I love that you can make it as full as you want just by adding extra die-cut pieces (I used six here).

Here's a close-up:

I followed the instructions Laura has posted on her blog, and found it quick and easy to put together. I can't wait to play around with this some more! I think these would make great flowers or bows for packages, too -- just add a few more pieces for a fuller look.

Here's something cool. As I was setting up my links just now, I noticed that Lil' Inker Designs is sponsoring the current Color Throwdown Challenge and that the Color Throwdown DT is featuring the pinwheel die. So hop on over to the Color Throwdown blog for lots more pinwheel inspiration!

I hope to play along with CTD another time, but for today, I've played along with this week's  Embellish challenge. Love these yellow and aqua colors!!

And {twist my arm, why don't ya}, the added requirement is crochet trim! I ended up using three different trims -- one of them I ruffled just a little for some added interest.

Thanks so much for stopping by!






Stamps: Pinwheel (Lil' Inker Designs)
Paper: Pink Paislee Hometown Summer, Papertrey Kraft
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Lil' Inker pinwheel die, MFT Jumbo Scallops Dienamics die, Maya Road Bone White Vintage Crochet Trim, Melissa Frances trim, Wright's trim, Wilton lollipop stick, Jillibean Soup Frames Corrugated shapes, Papertrey buttons, May Arts burlap string
Size: 3 3/4" x 5 1/2"