Goodbye, Hello & a WINNER!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Egg-stra Special Spring project parade! Your entries and comments have been a delight these last couple of weeks. The winner will be announced a little later in this post, but first off I have a few little announcements.

At the end of March we said goodbye to one of our original Divas, Bethany Paull. Bethany is such an amazing stamper and has inspired me personally so much over the last few years. Her projects on SCS always caught my eye, and she was one of the first people I thought of when I started the Verve design team. It's been such a blessing working with her. She has such a sweet spirit and she'll be greatly missed around Verve! We wish her all the best in the future. Love ya, Bethany!

And as one goodbye becomes a hello, I'm so happy to be welcoming Lynda Benden to our little group of Divas! Lynda has such a graceful style, making intricately beautiful creations look easy. She was one of our January 2009 guest designers and her fun personality, great attitude and beautiful projects made it a no-brainer when I started thinking who I'd like to add to the team. I just know you'll love the Verve projects she has in store for you! Welcome to the Diva-hood, Lynda!

We've also got a few new sets releasing this month at our release party on April 17. Playing along with us this month as our April Guest Diva is the fabulous Teresa Kline. Teresa is a loyal customer, a faithful release party and challenge participant and also part of the Mojo Monday design team. Her projects with Verve stamps are inspiring and beautiful, and I'm always oohing and aaaahing when I head over to her blog. Welcome, Teresa!

And speaking of Mojo Monday, it's a contest week, and we'll be picking 7 favorite entries to win free Verve sets, so be sure to play along!

Okay, did I lose you yet???
Enough with the wait... here's the winner of our Egg-stra Special Spring project parade:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 25
Timestamp: 2009-04-05 23:09:51 UTC

Congrats, southernscraps! You've won a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Stamps store! Please email me at [email protected] to claim your prize. Here's Fonda's entry - check out her blog to see it up close and read about her cute project!

Sneak Preview - Floral Symphony and Miracles Blossom

Hey there Verve fans! It's the 5th and final day of previews for the upcoming Verve Release! Like what you've seen so far? We have some more fabulous eye candy for you today!!

From Jen Tapler:

If you're a long-time Verve fan, you know that Julee does flowers like nobody's business!! And these two floral sets are some of her best yet! You won't believe how many different combinations of individual and grouped flowers and stems these two beautiful sets will give you. Now I'm sure at some point in one of my early math classes I learned some kind of formula for actually calculating the number of combinations you can get based on the number of each element you have...but it's been awhile since I've had to think that hard. I tried just counting, but I gave up at 20 with Miracles Blossom. That's right. I know there are at least TWENTY different combinations of "floral arrangements" using the stamps in Miracles Blossom. And you'll get 5 more combinations with Floral Symphony!!! Now that's a lot of floral variety!! And you know both sets include the perfect sentiments as well!!

I decided to use some of those combinations to create a tag and plant cutting bag for a Spring planting gift box. The cardboard box from my stash was covered with American Crafts DP and I added some Chocolate Chip ribbon to wrap it up. The tag, actually a page from a Maya Road chipboard album, was decorated with the "Where hope grows, miracles blossom" sentiment (it's hard to see in the pic) and a flower/stem combination. I used a Big Shot die to cut out a bag to hold a cutting from a Hawaiian Ti plant (a good luck plant in Hawaii, thought by natives to ward off evil spirits and to be a symbol of divine power) . I added some ribbon, hemp twine and a button to a flower pot and the gift is ready for giving!


From Bethany Paull:
Have you been getting these couple of days of sun that are shining down on me? It makes me so ready for SPRING! And on top of that, would you just look at the inspiring new stamp sets being released by Verve just in time to enjoy with this great spring like weather!? For this simple, happy creation, I stamped the flower stems in Old Olive and the tulips in Rose Romance. Then I stamped the tulips again and cut them out to adhere with pop dots, and that yummy, swirly sentiment is done in cool caribbean. The circle patterns are two rows of Doodlebug paper frills lined up together. And that ribbon is my favorite...FREE! It came tied on to my shopping bag on a recent trip to the mall. Recycle, reuse, go green! Butterfly punch by Martha Stewart, patterned paper Urban Prairie by Basic Grey.

From Jen del Muro:
When I think of Easter, I think of soft pastels, hopping bunnies and fuzzy chicks, along with jellybeans and other various goodies. So, when I got this set, I made myself think outside the box and used non-traditional colors to create this Easter Gift set. The black cardstock sets off the palette of kraft, pink and green. The Basic Grey DP incorporated all the colors and brings the project together. Of course, I couldn't go without a little something on the "traditional" side of things. For this, I used a soft green polka dot ribbon.



Like what you see? Well, this Verve-alicious set could be coming home to you! Just leave us a comment with the answer to the following question (see below) by Sunday March 8 at Noon (Mountain Time) and you could be the lucky winner! Winners will be announced at our release party on Sunday night (it starts at 8 PM ET in the Verve Forum on SCS - so mark your calendar NOW)! And for even more chances to win Verve goodies, be sure to participate in this week's Mojo Monday sketch contest on the Mojo Monday Blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Your Question: What's your favorite flower or plant? (Mine is tuberose, which was in my head lei, or haku, at my wedding - the scent of tuberose instantly reminds me of my beach wedding)

January Project Parade ~ Day Four

Jen really threw down the gauntlet this month with the Kid At Heart theme for our project parade, and it took some heavy thought on my part to give her an answer...but answer I did! With this Love Match memory game. I used to love sprawling out on the living room floor in the evening to play memory. I still remember some of the little animal characters that were hiding under those neatly lined up rows of red cards. But mostly I remember how happy I was spending time with my mom, and how accomplished I felt with each pair of matching cards that turned over.

So I've recreated my own version with lots of colorful hearts in this Love Match memory set. All stamps are from the Hundred Hearts set. The cards are each two inches by three inches and have the same basic gray/basic black heart pattern stamped on the backs. Each card front has either three small hearts, one large heart, or a sentiment in a mix of colors. Be sure you have two identical cards of each pattern so they'll match up during the game!

And when you're all done, your little one will be able to gather up his/her cards in this darling keepsake card carrying tote. Just think of all the loving memories your baby will have twenty-five years down the road. (Did I say twenty-five? Surely, I meant fifteen! It couldn't possibly have been that long ago.)

Want to play along and be "A Kid At Heart?" Each participant that links their project to THIS POST will be entered to win a $25 gift certificate to Verve Stamps. Please be sure that your entries are linked there no later than 8PM (Mountain) on February 5th. The winner will be announced here on February 6th.

Sneak Preview - Hearts on Fire

We have yet another Verve preview today! Are you as excited as I am? This stunning set of THIRTEEN stamps...that's right, THIRTEEN...is called Hearts on Fire and will be available following Friday night's release party.

Here's my sample using both the big, gorgeous, scrolly heart (technical terms, LOL), as well as one of the patterned designs. You're going to love all of the choices given to you for patterns and sizes in this set.

From design Diva Jackie Pedro:

When I first saw the new Hearts on Fire set I was instantly drawn to the heart with the scrolls image. I knew that would be the first stamp to see ink! LOL! I just love the elegance of this set. And don't think you are limited to just Valentine's Day! Hearts are timeless and can be used on many projects such as wedding, love or just because! It also pairs beautifully with some of the other Verve sets such as Grateful Elegance and Artful Elegance. I know I will get so much use out of this set. It's possibilities are endless! For my card I stamped the main image heart/scroll in Chocolate Chip ink and then stamped another of the heart images from the set in Riding Hood Red ink, cut it out and popped it up on a dimensional. To dress it up a bit I added some Chocolate adhesive pearls to a few of the scrolls and then to the corners of the main image. The embossed swirls on the Blush cardstock was done with the Swirl embossing folder from ProvoCraft, and I think it finished off the card perfectly.

From design Diva Jen del Muro:

Valentine's Day is one of the most fun holidays to make treat holders for...well, in my opinion at least. To make this box a little more fun, I created a swinging heart window so that the recipient can peek into the box to see the contents. The ribbon at the top keeps the whole thing secure enough so that no chocolates can escape.

Box base dimensions and score marks:

11" x 6" piece of cardstock
Along the 11" side, score at 4", 5", 9" and 10"
Along the 6" side, score at 1"

Like what you see? Well, this Verve-alicious set could be coming home to you! Just leave us a comment with the answer to the following question (see below) by Friday January 9 at Noon (Mountain Time) and you could be the lucky winner. And for even more Verve-alicious party favors, be sure to check out tomorrow's sneaky peek here on the blog as well as the Lookin' For Love Release Party Challenge on our SCS Forum. Winners will be announced at our release party on Friday night (it starts at 8 PM EST in the Verve Forum on SCS--mark your calendar NOW)!

Here's your question that goes along with the "Looking For Love" theme: What was your best or worst date ever? Share which ever you'd like.

Project Parade: Day Six

I admit, I'm more of a card type girl than a "project" kinda gal. So Anything But a Card gave me a few heart palpitations. And if it's not going to be a card, it has to be functional. At least that's how I look at it. So, here's my FUNCTIONAL Anything But a Card! It's a 3 by 5 inch pocket sized notebook. I kept the frills to a minimum so it wouldn't get beat up in your purse. One brad and some glitter. At least your purse will be festive after a few days!

You just need to remove the wire coil. Mount card stock on the notebook cover. Punch holes. And rewire.

Now it's your turn! Wanna play along? All you have to do is create Anything but a Card and link up your creation to this post by noon on Friday, December 5th. You don’t have to use Verve Stamps, but if you have ‘em, why not give ‘em some love? If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword VVPP08 so we don’t miss your eye candy! A random participant will be drawn on December 6th to receive $15 in Verve Bucks to spend at the Verve Stamps store! Good luck and have fun.

Sneak Previews: Hello Pumpkin and Tall Oaks

Yay! It's that time again...the latest Verve Stamps release is fast approaching. Which means sneak peeks and TONS of fun. There'll be three days of peeks to show you all SIX new stamp sets, starting with Hello Pumpkin and Tall Oaks today. And did I say fun? Yep! Julee is hosting a five day Holiday Release Sketch Challenge Blitz on the Verve forum at SplitcoastStampers. You can start with day one, here. Two random winners who complete all 5 sketches will each win all 6 sets and the 3 plain janes - a $99 value! Not to mention even more daily random winners. Don't miss it.

And now for Hello Pumpkin and Tall Oaks:

By designer Amy Sheffer
I love to decorate a beautiful harvest table for Fall entertaining and our big Thankgiving meal. When I saw the elegant pumpkin trio in Tall Oaks, I knew it would be perfect for place cards. I stamped in Adirondack Espresso ink and did my coloring with Prismacolor pencils, odorless mineral spirits and a blending stump. I layered onto some Twiggy designer paper and embellished with some dark brown twill, burlap string, and machine stitching. Each person's name is handwritten on an ivory strip and held in place with a mini binder clip. Most of my family and friends will roll their eyes outwardly, but on the inside they'll feel special - which they are!

By guest designer Jen Tapler

I was so excited when I saw Jen's sneak peek project. It's so colorful and makes for a great three dimensional project. How sweet would this be hanging from the door into your special little someone's bedroom? Here's the recipe for you to recreate a hanging sign for your own tiny acorn.

Stamps: Tall Oaks (Verve)

Paper: Kraft CS, Chocolate Chip CS, Bayou Breeze textured CS, Old Olive textured CS, Old Olive DSP, More Mustard DSP (all SU); Earth Tones textured CS (American Crafts)

Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU)

Accessories: On Board Book Basics small; Hodgepodge Hardware; Alpine felt ribbon; Corner Rounder punch, stampin dimensionals (all SU); sewing machine; Mod Podge; Sizzix Flower, Wedding Foliage Bigz Die; hobby blade

By designer Bethany Paull
Some Bunny is back! And this time he's my little pumpkin. What a sweetheart he/she is in this cute fall get up. I colored him with Copic markers including some pale gray for his fur, then layered on a scalloped rectangle Nestabilities die cut. Perfect to go along with sketch one of the Holiday Release Sketch Challenge Blitz. I also used some Webster's Pages Coco Collection paper, lush May Arts ribbon, and a Fancy Corners embossing folder from Cuttlebug.

By returning guest designer Jennifer Meyer

There are many things that I like about this NEW set, Hello Pumpkin. Not only is this bunny adorable in his pumpkin outfit but the sentiments are just as sweet! For my design, I created this fun pumpkin basket and filled the back with candy. Hello Pumpkin makes me smile and I am sure this set will be a big hit this season!!

Still to come:

Daily sketch challenges.

Two more days of sneak peeks with brand new Verve stamp sets.

A rockin' release party in the Verve Forums at 8 pm Eastern on Sunday, November 9th.

All six new stamp sets and three Plain Janes available on the Verve webstore at approximately 10 pm Sunday evening.

October Project Parade - Day 5

Welcome to day five of the October Project Parade. I hope you're finding lots of inspiration to do some embossing of your own, whether it be wet (heat) or dry embosssing. Today I have a heat embossing example for you. I wanted to used some of the great Verve stamps as embossed silhouettes on patterned paper. So I settled on Cupcake Affair in silver embossing. I found it easiest to match up the top and bottoms of the cupcakes by stamping all of bottoms in Versamark, embossing, then repeating with the cupcake tops.

The sentiment, on layered Cuttlebug flower dies, is from Thoughtful Florals.

Now it's your turn! Use those Cuttlebug folders, pull out a brass stencil, or heat up those embossing powders. We want to see your embossed creations! Upload your creation to the original challenge post by noon on Friday, October 24th. If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword VVPP07 so we don't miss your creations! A random participant will be drawn on October 25th to receive $15 in Verve Bucks to spend at the Verve Stamps store!

Gettin' Krafty Day Three: Kraftly Floral Blessings

For this month's Verve Project Parade, I paired my kraft paper with black and Wild Wasabi, and some soft white edges. I love how crisp black is on kraft and the great look you can get with chalk, craft or hybrid inks, like I did here with VersaMagic's tea leaves color. Those Abundant Blessings flowers just pop in real life. I added just a tiny contrast of color to all that green with a pink Prima flower accent.

What's In It?
Stamps: Abundant Blessings (Verve)
Paper: wild wasabi, black, kraft (SU!)
Ink: onyx black (Versafine); cloud white, tea leaves (VersaMagic)
Accessories: ribbon (May Arts), ribbon tag trio and circle dies (Spellbinders), Score Pal, paper piercer (SU!), flowers (Prima), black licorice brads (Lasting Impressions), dimensionals

Have you pulled out your kraft paper yet? Or how about some other natural fiber material like hemp, twine, string, cotton, etc.? We can't wait to see YOUR project parade creations! Then link your project to this post for a chance to win $15 in Verve Bucks. Deadline: September 30. Keyword: VVPP06

So Happy For Abundant Blessings

Actually, the title should read "So Happy AND Abundant Blessings." These are two of the sets that will be available on Wednesday, September 10. We hope that you will join us for the release party tomorrow evening in our SCS Member Company Forum HERE. We'll kick off the party at 10pm EST and you'll get to see set reveals, more sneak peeks and it wouldn't be a Verve party without some PRIZES!! Right now you have a chance to win the ENTIRE RELEASE by participating in the OSW (One Sheet Wonder) challenge. You can see all the details HERE.

We have several sneak peeks for you today, plus a chance to win these two sets, so I'll get on with the show...

From Verve Guest Designer, Suzanne Dean:

When I first saw this stamp set I knew I had to make a "Gratitude" Notecard Box with it. We all need these cards on occasion and what better gift to give someone. The great thing about this set is you can mix it up and make so many different sayings and sentiments with it. I also used Verve's Filigree Fantasy and Fairy Tales stamp sets for this project. That's what I love best about Verve, you can easily mix and match so many of their stamp sets. The notecard box is actually from Verve's own DT member Laurie Schmidlin's tutorial on SCS. Quick and easy to make, but wow what a lovely gift for someone to show your own gratitude.

From Verve Diva, Susan Liles:

When I first saw this set, Abundant Blessings, I fell instantly in love with the flower images in it! I love that there are three different sizes, making it easy to cut them out and layer them in so many ways. I had a really hard time choosing how I was going to stamp it with so many possiblities: Stamp in black and color? Then, Copics or Prismacolor pencils? Stamp them onto colored cardstock? Make my own background paper? Sponge them around the edges? Emboss the outline only? Seriously!! Endless possibilities here!! So as you can see I used a couple of those methods and I really like the simplicity of my end result! Much more playing to be done with this set...stay tuned!!

From Verve Diva, Bethany Paull:

I fell in love with Abundant Blessings the first moment I saw it, especially the silhouettes.  They make for such quick and elegant cards, like this one.  I knew I wanted sophisticated, so I chose my color palette of vanilla, black and kraft.  After stamping the florals (those are three separate stamps), I layered the panel with different sized borders.  The solid black vintage dies, as well as the vanilla strip behind them, add to the graphic feel of the card.  I added a few softening accents with the ribbon and tiny gemstones on the flowers and by the sentiment, which is from Artful Elegance.

From Verve Diva, Amy Sheffer:

The variety of images in Abundant Blessings is amazing, but I have to say it's the silhouette images that make this my all-time favorite Verve set to date. I've always wanted to try a Michelle Zindorf-inspired brayered scene, so I chose two of the Abundant Blessings silhouettes to frame an ocean horizon under a moonlit night sky. The water is coated with Stardust Stickles to make it glisten, just like the real thing. The moon, which is an ivory circle sponged with hints of yellow and blue, holds a sentiment from So Happy. With its mix-and-match format, So Happy is destined to become a staple in many stamp rooms!

From Verve Diva, Amy Westerman:

This new Verve set has the biggest images yet, and that makes me really happy! If you love large images like I do, Abundant Blessings is sure to please. The set is simplistic and filled with elements of nature, so my card took a simplistic turn too. No designer paper, and for the most part, no layers. Only two ink colors, white and brown, combined with two cardstock colors, Baja Breeze and Whisper White (on a Kraft base). What I love most about this set is the flexibility it gives you to take your cards in so many different directions. You can go simplistic and organic or bold and beautiful. The options are endless!

I like the options this new set, So Happy, gives me to mix and match my card sentiments! You can use the words as is, singly, or you can build your own small meaningful sentiments that are sure to touch the heart your recipient. This set contains only 12 words, yet the possibilities are endless. As you can see, I made a card that lets my recipient know that I am so thankful for them. Images from Abundant Blessings were used to create my own background paper, as well as a big, bold, beautiful layered flower! I love it! I am so excited to see all the fun cards and projects I can make using both these sets!

From Verve Diva, Laurie Schmidlin:

There are so many things that I like about this set...but my favorite is this flower! I love how there are different sizes...perfect for layering. This set is sure to become a Verve "classic"!
I paired the flowers with some more of my favorite things...red and white (I added some Kraft for contrast), an apple cinnamon candle, vellum, a tag, and of course some bling!

From Verve Diva, Jen del Muro:

The first thing that I thought when I saw these sets is "Oh the possibilities!" As I am sure that you have noticed, there are many! In a recent post on my own blog, I mentioned KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). There are so many times when I think that more is more, but some times the power of less stuff paired with vibrant colors is actually the more that I am looking for. Whatever your style is, I am sure that these stamps will be a perfect match!

We hope that you have enjoyed the previews of these 2 sets. Are you still wondering about that CHANCE TO WIN??? Just leave a comment on this post telling us one thing you're thankful for before Tuesday, September 9 at 8:00 Mountain time (10 PM ET, 9 PM CT, 7 PM PT) and we'll pick a random winner to receive both So Happy and Abundant Blessings. The winner will be announced during our release party that night on the Verve SCS Member Company Forum.

Be sure to check back tommorow when Verve Stamps will take flight with more sneak peaks! See you then!

Project Parade - Day 11

I don't even drink coffee and this challenge has been making me drool for over a week now! If you can pull yourself away from your coffee long enough to stamp something, we'd love to have you play along with this pink and brown inspiration challenge. Get all the deets, learn how you can win $15 in Verve Bucks, and link your creation HERE!

I thought these colors would work perfectly with the new Fairy Tales stamp set. The frame in that set has been calling me to add a picture ever since I first saw it. I stamped the frame in Jumbo Java VersaMagic, and embossed with clear embossing powder on kraft card stock. A 1-3/8 inch circle punch is a great fit for this frame. So I easily punched out the center. I embossed the sentiment in the same way on the circle I had just punched out and added a glazed brad. After layering everything together I stitched double lines around the bottom half with brown thread. Another decorative brad, some flowers with Stickles, and a few ribbon scraps finished it off. It's a little more shabby chic than my usual style, but I think it turned out so cute.

What's In It?
Stamps: Fairy Tales (Verve Stamps)

Paper: chocolate chip, kraft, pretty in pink (Stampin' Up!); Sultry (Basic Grey)

Ink: jumbo java (VersaMagic)

Accessories: sewing machine and thread; ribbon: polka dots(American Crafts), tafetta and grosgrain (Stampin' Up!); 1-3/8" circle punch (SU!); paper flowers (Prima); brads: glazed (Basic Grey's Sultry), pearl (Michael's); clear embossing powder (Stampin' Up!); fruit punch Stickles

Sneak Preview Day Two: Fairy Tales

I know you can't wait to get a looksy, so here's another Verve set, available Wednesday, August 13. It's called Fairy Tales, and it's absolutely charming! A thirteen piece set that will have you stamping happily ever after.

From Amy W:

What an elegant new set! I love Fairy Tales! Everything about this new set is elegant…the swirly font, the sentiments, the images. I wanted to make a really fun, bold wedding card for my sneak peek….so I chose to make it red, black and white. Don’t you just love to see weddings with these colors? Oh so elegant! My card is a joy-fold. When opened up, there is an additional sentiment on the inside from Wonderful Wishes. Black gingham ribbon and pearls adorn the front of the card, taking this card from ordinary to extraordinary….just like the bride and groom it’s intended for! This set is a must-have!

From Charmaine:

When I first saw the Fairy Tales set, I knew exactly what the first thing I'd make was. . .a set of Fairy Tale cards! A while ago, I bought these Cuttlebug embossing folders with the intention of using them for and with my 4 year old daughter. She LOVES anything Disney Princess. The cards came together very quickly and make such a nice gift. Perfect for the little princess in your life! :)

From Bethany:

Of course I thought of weddings when I saw this Happily Ever After sentiment. So right away I wanted to make this box, perfect for a wedding or bridal shower favor with some yummy chocolates tucked inside. I used the 2-5-7-10 box instructions with a few personalized adjustments. I can not get over how romantic that label is with all of the beautiful swirls. I also used a smaller stamp from the set to add white flourishes all over the box.


We have two more days of sneak peeks, right here on the Verve blog. And there's still tons of fun (as in, ahem, prizes!!!) to be had at the Verve Forum, right up to the release party Tuesday night. Please join us, and enjoy!

Challenge Junkie

I think I'm getting addicted. I used Julee's Mojo Monday sketch for this week, Susan's Meet the Diva button challenge from the Verve Forum, and of course, this July Project Parade challenge to make an ATC. That's Artist Trading Card. You have until noon Eastern time on July 31 to make your very own mini masterpiece if you'd like a chance at winning $15 in Verve Bucks. Check out all the fine print here.

And now for my pocket sized Picasso. I'd say it's pretty straight forward. I stamped the star and swirl, then cut it out to layer on the circles. I chose to actually sew on my buttons, which double as a scalloped edge, because I wanted the white thread to match the other white layers.

What's In It?
Stamps: Seeing Stars (Verve Stamps)
Paper: old olive, night of navy, pumpkin pie (Stampin' Up!); harmony: stripe (Paper Salon); pearlized white (Paper Accents)
Ink: night of navy (SU!)
Accessories: swiss dots cuttlebug folder (ProvoCraft); buttons (Dollar Store); ribbon (American Crafts and SU!); circle nestabilities dies (Spellbinders); thread; dimensionals

Introducing Asian Flair and Your Chance to Win

Here at Verve, we're starting another round of previews leading up to our June 25th release day. I am so excited to introduce to you Asian Flair. This set of 13 sentiments, graphics and images is so stylish and sophisticated. You're going to love it! After checking out these samples, read on to see how you could be the lucky winner of this set.

From Susan:
Hey everyone! I am so loving the new Asian Flair stamp set! It's very versatile and comes with a fabulous array of images, some of which can be used multiple ways (not just Asian). I chose to use the little leaves and create a "forest" of bamboo. I simply drew sweeping lines with a couple different colors of Copic markers for a little depth across the white panel and added the little "joint" lines with a Prismacolor marker. I then stamped the leaf image in various shades of green to make the bamboo. I also decided I wanted to try out the Cracked Glass technique having NEVER done it before (you see, I'm not much of a technique person--I just make a big mess), and after a small snag of accidentally rubbing my bounce sheet all over the image (normally done in regular embossing when you don't want the extra powder to stick. In this case you want ALL the powder to stick!--oopsie!), I finally got it to work! I added the simple hemp cording and sentiment on white for some pop with a little round Asian accent and some gold brads. Now all that's missing is Kung Fu Panda!!

From Laurie:
Just when I thought I had a favorite Verve set...Julee comes up with something even better! I love this Asian Flair set! It has such unique design elements...all done with Verve style! And, of course there are the incredible sentiments/quotes that have become such a Verve trademark!

I created a tall card (3 1/8" x 6 1/2") with the emphasis on the quote by Thoreau. I popped up the butterflies for a little added dimension. I didn't have the right color of ribbon, so I dyed some Ivory taffeta ribbon with my Olive Copic marker.

Recipe
Stamps: Asian Flair Paper: Pearlized Ivory c.s., Night of Navy c.s. (Stampin' Up!), Blue Awning patterned paper (K & Co) Ink: Night of Navy craft ink, Old Olive (Stampin' Up!), Antique Linen Distress Ink Accessories: Clear detail e.p., Tag dies (Spellbinders), Ivory taffeta ribbon, Olive Copic marker, Hemp, Decorative brad, Paper piercer


From Bethany:
I went with a clean, bold style for this Asian Flair design. It's just what comes to mind for me. I guess you could call this an overlapping gate fold style. One front panel is slightly larger so the opening is off-center.

Stamps: Asian Flair (Verve Visual)Paper: basic black, whisper white, real red (Stampin' Up!)Ink: basic black, real red (SU!)Accessories: clear bubble (JoAnn Scrap Essentials); black (SU!); Swiss dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); circle dies (Nestabilities)











From Natasha:
Here’s a card from Natasha Trupp…we liked her creations so much last month that we asked her to stay on as our guest for another release. Stay tuned to see who our other guests are!


Stamps: Asian Flair, Here for You (Verve Visual)
Ink: Basic Grey, Purely Pomegranate (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: Basic Black, White, Basic Grey (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: pop dots (Dollarama)




And now for that Chance to Win. Just leave a comment on this post with the answer to the following question by 10PM MT (midnight ET) on June 24. We'll reveal the winner and the full set June 25th. Don't miss it!

Question: What color combo comes to your mind for an Asian design?

Check back the next couple of days for more sneak peeks and more chances to win.

Rounding Out the Parade

Oh my word! I have loved checking out all of the designers' samples for this month's project parade. And now I can't wait to see what you all have added to the mix. Don't forget, this is your last day (noon today) to enter a card for your shot at $15 in Verve Bucks. Get all the details and post a link to your entry here.

My inspiration came from the pattern in the quilt, as well as the curve of the nightstand leg. Doesn't this Nana's Nursery paper really mimic that quilt?

Stamps: Floral Whimsy (Verve Visual)

Paper: Pearlized White (Paper Accents); Nana's Nursery Baby Girl (DCWV); So Saffron, Basic Black (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: Onyx black (Versafine); Pretty in Pink, Sahara Sand (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: paper piercer and template (Stampin' Up!); black Gelly Roll pen (Sakura); rhinestones; Forever Flowers #4 (Prima)

Now, here's one final "Thank You" to Carole for her get-to-know-you suggestion!

1. When/how did you get hooked on stamping? A friend of mine had a Stampin' Up! party back in 2002. I faded out for a little while, then Splitcoast, and especially the challenges, got me back in the groove.

2. How often do you stamp? Almost every day. If I don't have the time or the motivation, I don't push it. Unless of course I'm facing a deadline.

3. Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury. It's not an injury. At least not to me, just my carpet. I run out of desk space one time and tried to heat emboss on the floor. Guess what? Carpet melts!

4. How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? Usually about an hour. Sometimes longer if things aren't working for me. I'm so envious of quick stampers. I do a lot of trial and error. Nothing gets glued down 'til it's all done.

5. I am usually a little messy in my creating. Tell me about your creative space. I have to be organized or I can't think straight. I make a mess while I'm creating but clean up as soon as I'm done. In fact, I tend to put everything away before the aforementioned final gluing. Sometimes I'll even have to stop half way through a card and put away everything I'm done with.

6. If you were stranded on a deserted island, which craft tool could you not live without? Why? Well, I guess brads. They're so easy to add and often give just the little bit extra you need.

7. What is your biggest source of inspiration? I love sketch challenges. But I also look to designer papers and advertising to name a few things.

8. Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why? Ya know what? I love the work of so many people and learn from everyone, but I just want to be myself. I don't have to be the best. I stamp for enjoyment, and that works for me.

9. What is your favorite part of the creative process? I really like seeing the finished product. Like I said, my cards are a work in progress until the very end. I love gluing the pieces together and seeing that it all worked out.

Previewing Filigree Fantasy and Your Chance to Win!

It's the second day for you to take a peak at one of Verve Visual's May 16th releases. Today we're featuring Filigree Fantasy, an elegant set of 13 versatile stamps.


From Laurie Schmidlin:

I absolutely love the elegance and versatility of this set! This can be a stand alone set, or would be perfect paired with other Verve stamps!
I chose to showcase this beautiful set with a Joy Fold card. I love embossed copper, and wanted to pair it with this S.E.I. patterned paper...but my copper embossing powder was a little too "pink" looking to match it well. I decided it needed just a little more yellow undertones, so I mixed in a little bit of gold embossing powder (2/3 copper e.p. and 1 /3 gold e.p.) to achieve the color that I wanted. To hold the top flap closed, I used some Basic Grey magnetic snaps (I hid them under the patterned paper layers).










From Amy Sheffer:

Tuxedos, evening gowns, and wedding dresses. Those were my first thoughts when I saw the elegant images in Filigree Fantasy. I love how easily these images can either be combined and repeated to create beautiful scrollwork backgrounds, or used individually, as I've done here. I started this wedding card with a single filigree image stamped in black. The secondary ring around the main image is done with the word "Love" from Wonderful Wishes Remixed. Several scalloped layers and lots of sparkle all combine to create an elegant medallion focal point. I've featured it against a backdrop of rich texture and lots of dimension to finish off this "black-tie" look.

From Bethany Paull:

I wanted to use some deeper colors with these great flourishes, so I started with olive, navy, mustard and ruby red. I stamped the center flourish first, then turned it 90 degrees to stamp the outer images. The sentiment is also included in the set. Yay! You're going to love all the different styles you can accomplish with Filigree Fantasy.


Want to be the proud owner of this new set?
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 on May 16, when we’ll announce the lucky winner and reveal the new Verve sets!

Question: What's your favorite sentiment, motto, verse or quote?

Stop back tomorrow for the third and final sneak peak!

Father Figure Sneak Preview and Chance to Win

Only one more day to go before Verve Visual will be releasing two new stamp sets! And today we're whetting your appetite with FATHER FIGURE samples. You are going to love these nine great mix and match sentiments for the men in your life. That's right, I said men, plural, because we've got you covered for both fathers and husbands. Without further ado, check out what the design team has put together.

From Shannan Teubner:

Like so many of us, I have such a block when it comes to creating masculine cards! I really enjoyed working with the new Father Figure set because it has such a fresh and different look. All of the different sentiments can be mixed and matched to create the perfect card for your dad or husband. For this card I used one of Julee's Mojo Monday sketches turned on its side. My dad doesn't like all that "fussy" stuff, so I kept it really simple for him. I hope you like it!

From Amy Westerman:

Father Figure is one of two fabulous new stamp sets Verve is releasing on Friday, and I couldn’t be happier to see that one of them is a set geared toward the MEN in our lives. Since my husband’s dad is so special to us, I wanted to combine the sentiments from Father Figure with another one of Verve’s sets called Seeing Stars to create a special Father’s Day card. It was wonderful to have a sentiment on hand that had the perfect words to let him know how we feel. I was thrilled Julee had the insight to realize stamps celebrating men are in short supply in this industry! Now, my mind is churning with fun ideas for a Father Figure sequel set that I’m going to try and convince Julee that we need to go along with this new set!

From Amy Sheffer:

If there's a set that takes the challenge out of masculine cards, Father Figure is it. The sentiments are simple, straightforward, yet heartfelt, and they work just as well stand-alone as they do paired with other images. Here I've stamped the "I'm so glad you're my" part of the sentiment onto twill (use pigment ink) and the large "Dad" sentiment onto one of the papers from Basic Grey's new Archaic line. The "dirty" blue-green-brown colors of these patterns are perfect for guy cards! I added some jumbo eyelets and fibers, along with some heavy sponging in Chocolate Chip ink, to finish off the overall grungy, masculine look. No more being afraid of guy cards -- this set drips with manliness. Can't you almost see the chest hair growing?

From Charmaine Ikach:

When I first saw the Father Figure set, I knew I wanted to get some scrapbook pages done. My husband has been after me to create some framed scrapbook pages for the entryway in our home. I kept putting it off. This set really inspired me to start creating some pages. This one is for my husband. We were taking a walk on the trail one day. Our 4 year old daughter wanted to ride her bike and our 21 month old daughter didn't want to ride in the double stroller that mommy was pushing. As my husband and the two girls were walking and riding along, I decided to stop and take a picture from behind. I printed the picture out using the Antique photo option on our printer. All of the words are stamped with Jet Black StazOn on acetate (transparency sheets). I cut apart the paragraph of words and used them to line the photo. I stamped the row of dots in Whisper White Craft ink to line the photo on the striped patter ned paper. I used the punched circles of patterned paper to tie the stripes and dots together. The page fit in an 8x10 frame that my husband had painted white to go with our pale yellow walls in the entryway. Now I can't wait for him to hang it on the wall!

From Bethany Paull:

This card is not only for my husband, but also inspired by my husband. How? I was working with this Father Figure set on another card and wanted to make sure I had the right "manly" feel. So I ask Josh, "Do you think this is a good guy card?" His answer was basically that guys really don't care unless it's shaped like something, like a beer mug or a golf ball. While I don't believe that his opinion speaks for all "man"kind, it sounded like a good start. I figured I could do a golf ball.

Emboss one sheet (about 4.25 inches square) of thick white card stock with the Cuttlebug spots & dots folder. Cut that sheet and a second sheet with the largest Nestabilities circle die. It will flatten your embossing only a little bit. Now sponge lightly with Sahara Sand ink. For the grass, use about a 2 x 8.5 inch piece of certainly celery card stock, scored at 4.25 inches. Use scissors to randomly cut out little triangles, making grass. Sponge with Old Olive. Stamp sentiment in brown and add three little dots. Stamp plain white circle with your choice of sentiment and dotted line. Glue both white circles to the insides of the grass. For tee holder, glue thin strip of chocolate chip card stock into a circle around the tee. Now, glue to card front. This way the tee can be slid right out of the loop. Because I figure Josh is going to want his tee back. LOL.

And now for that "Chance to Win" part of the title:

Want to be the proud owner of this new set? All you need to do is leave a comment on this post by 10PM MT (midnight ET) on April 24. Then be sure to check back on April 25, when we’ll announce the lucky winner and reveal the new Verve sets!