Verve New Release Spotlight: Many Blessings

Today, Verve Stamps begins three days of New Release Spotlights. I've used Many Blessings, a sweet new set that includes a trio of flowers and the "Many Blessings" sentiment.

The layout is *inspired by* Verve's current World Card Making Day/Release Week Sketch Challenge #5. I strayed considerably from an exact interpretation, but at least you can see where I started.

I stamped the two flowers onto ivory card stock, then die-cut it into a circle. The leaves and flower heads are stamped onto designer paper and paper pieced. The papers are from Crate Paper's Restoration Collection. (Those playing cards were cut from one of the patterns.) I heavily distressed the background layer with ink and a distressing tool. The vertical stitching along the left is inspired by this card by fellow Verve Diva Laurie.

I'm so excited about all the gorgeous eye candy you'll see from the Divas today! Here are the links:

1. Mercy	8. Laurie
2. Jen T.	9. Jackie
3. Tosh	10. Sankari
4. Teresa	11. Shannan
5. Andrea	12. Amber
6. Lynda	13. Julee
7. Amy

Be sure to leave some comments along the way for a chance to win! And don't forget about the current sketch challenges -- more great chances to win!


Thanks for visiting!



Stamps: Many Blessings
Paper: Prism Simply Smooth Ivory card stock, Crate Paper Restoration collection
Ink: Ranger Brushed Corduroy, Old Paper, and Walnut Stain Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders circle Nestabilities die, foam adhesive, needle and thread, sewing machine, Making Memories button, hemp, distressing tool

He Has Made Everything Beautiful

I'm happily humming away in my stamp room today, but wanted to quickly pop in with another peek at one of the new Plain Jane Scripture stamps that Verve will be releasing this Friday - Ecclesiastes 3:11.

I used Verve's World Card Making Day/Release Week Sketch Challenge #2:

The papers are from Prima's Fairy Flora collection. The punched border is new to me -- Martha Stewart's Swirling Lace (an around the page border and corner combo). The ovals are Spellbinders die-cuts that have been antiqued a little with Distress Inks. Other embellishments: crinkled seam binding, Prima mini roses, paper piercing, and Dew Drops.

[ETA: Ooops, forgot to link to the challenge. All five sketch challenges are posted HERE on the Verve blog. Enter individual sketches for chances to win or enter all five for a chance at the grand prize! Good luck to you!]

Thanks for visiting!



Stamps: Ecclesiastes 3:11 Plain Jane (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Prismatics Dark Brown Suede and Simply Smooth Ivory card stock, Prima Fairy Flora designer paper
Ink: Ranger Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Peeled Paint and Walnut Stain Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Labels 10 and Petite Ovals Nestabilities, Martha Stewart Swirling Lace corner and border punch set, crinkled seam binding, Prima mini roses, Dew Drops, paper piercer, foam adhesive
Size: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

Reap a Harvest

I mentioned yesterday that a new Verve release is coming up this Friday, October 8 and that official peeks will begin Wednesday. But today, I'm thrilled I get to show an early peek at a new Plain Jane, Galatians 6:9.

I used Release Week Sketch Challenge #1 for my layout:

'Tis the season to bring the maple leaf dies out of hiding, so I swapped the focal square for a lovely maple leaf. I stamped the Scripture onto the leaf, then sponged the edges with Ranger Old Paper Distress Ink before removing the die. The background, Prismatics Dark Birchtone card stock, is dry embossed with the Cuttlebug Seeing Spots folder. Other embellishments include some natural twill, Maya Road leaf trinket pins, and a skeleton leaf. (When was the last time you saw one of those? Pack-rattin' pays off!)

Remember, you can win prizes for completing just one sketch, or if you complete all five, you're eligible for the Grand Prize! Sketch Challenge details and entry forms can be found HERE. Good luck!

Thanks so much for visiting today!




Stamps: Galatians 6:9 Plain Jane (Verve)
Paper: Prismatics Dark Birchtone and Ivory Simply Smooth card stock, Stampin' Up textured Kiwi Kiss card stock, Making Memories Autumn Splendor designer paper
Ink: Ranger Walnut Stain and Old Paper Distress Inks
Accessories: Spellbinders Nested Maple Leaf Shapeabilities, 5/8" natural twill, button, Maya Road trinket pins, Martha Stewart Optic Dots border punch, Stampin' Up skeleton leaf, Cuttlebug Seeing Spots embossing folder

Stamper's Dream Sale!

For two days, you will receive 10% off your total purchase at Stamper's Dream by using the Coupon Code 10OffOct (no spaces) on the checkout page. The minimum purchase to activate the code is only $20. AND...if an item is reduced in price, you will get an additional 10% off!

The coupon code for the sale is only good on Monday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 5! Hurry for the best selection!

Verve Release Sketches

You may have seen the latest Verve release info on the Verve blog yesterday, but in case you didn't, here's the 4-1-1. The next release will be this coming Friday, October 8. Leading up to Friday's big release, we have five fun release week sketch challenges you can play in for lots of chances to win new Verve goodies. The sketches and more details are posted HERE on the Verve blog.

Peeks take place Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I can hardly contain my excitement about what's coming this week and then again at the end of the month!

Happy Sunday!

Lantern Light

Happy World Cardmaking Day!

Today's card uses a gorgeous holiday image from Stampendous called Lantern Light. I stamped onto watercolor paper, watercolored with my Tombow Brush-Pen Markers, then sponged around the perimeter for some depth. Some of the branches are topped with Frosted Lace Stickles and the berries are dotted with Christmas Red Stickles (wish I hadn't done that, though, it's a little much). Around the perimeter of the image, I added a bead of liquid glue and dipped it in some Cat's Pajamas silvery Glitzy Glitter. Along the top and bottom of the main image I added a curvy mat, which are just parts I trimmed from a Spellbinders Labels Sixteen diecut. Lantern Light comes with a beautiful sentiment ("May His love light your way at Christmas time and others"), but I was working in SFYTT mode and needed something smaller. JustRite to the rescue! The "All the brightest and the best of the season" border from Holiday Cheer seemed a wonderful fit for this image (and for the sketch). The designer papers are from the Holly Jolly collection by My Mind's Eye.

So here's Jen's Sketch For You To Try (which, let's see, I rotated 90 degrees and flipped mirror-image):

Be sure to visit the SFYTT Sisters for some GORGEOUS samples. And give a warm welcome to our October guest designer, Lesa Smaligo! Welcome, Lesa!

Jen del Muro with guest designer Lesa Smaligo
Amber Hight
Amy Rohl
Carole Burrage
Jenn Diercks
Jodi Collins
Kelly Lunceford
Leigh O'Brien
Megan Lock
Sonja Christoph
Susan Liles

Have a fantastic weekend!

Whimsical Snowflake

A while back, before the "real" Christmas papers began hitting the stores, I was playing around with Basic Grey's Oliver 6x6 collection to make some holiday cards. The red and green pieces are all scraps left from other projects. A quirky Christmas color combo with that gray background, but I'm sure I can find a quirky recipient for this one {wink}.

The snowflake and sentiment are from JustRite's Whimsical Christmas 2" Round Borders & Centers. In addition to the Oliver designer papers, I added a strip of ricrac that I die cut from sheet music. The Turquoise Wave Vintage Crochet Trim is by Maya Road, the silver pearls are from Michael's, and the dry embossing is with the Seeing Spots Cuttlebug folder. The snowflake is colored with Copic markers and accented with Stardust Stickles.

Have a happy Friday!