Viva La Verve Week 3

Good afternoon!!  Today's card is for the third sketch in the Viva La Verve Friday challenge.  I'm using the first inspirational photo with colours of aqua, white, kraft, black and a splash of purple :)  I've rotated the sketch 90 degrees and am using a flower for the small rectangle :)  Yes, breaking the rules and on a Sunday!! LOL  Although we are allowed to do that but doesn't "breaking the rules" sound more interesting!! LOL  Notice the aqua dp?  It's actually the cardboard base that comes with the Verve stamp sets.  I transfer my stamp sets onto white card stock and store them in binder sleeves in a (Verve) blue binder.  After doing this the last time, I just thought it was a shame to throw these pieces of cardboard out so I kept them for just the right project...today's card :)  I love the splash of purple in the photo and had to make sure I added this as well :)  The flower is made of kraft tissue stamped with the SU French script.  I hope you have a lovely Sunday...tomorrow starts the Verve release week...I hope you have the chance to play along. 

What's in it?
Stamps: Verve because of you, SU french script
Ink: SU close to cocoa, Stazon black
Paper: PTI white, black, shimmer white, aqua shimmer, Verve cardboard
Accessories: satin ribbon, PTI blossom dies, tissue paper, Grandpa's button, linen thread, cuttlebug ef, gemstones, nesties labels 12

Delightful & Delicious

Good afternoon, coffee lovers!!! And for my tea-loving blog buddies, please substitute any or all "coffee" references with "tea."  :)  Julee at Verve is having a fun little challenge this week.  Her popular Delightful & Delicious set has been sold out for awhile but is now back in stock and on sale.  For some fun, she posted a challenge on Splitcoast...make a card or project with the set :)  Lucky me bought this set during its release last year...love my coffee sets!!  As you can see from my pictures, I've added some other fun coffee stamps, Lattebella and the border stamp from the retired SU What's Brewing.  I will never (yes, I said, "never!") get rid of these stamps :)  As soon as someone says, "Make a coffee card," I think of Lattebella, perched upon her barstool, holding her favourite latte with a big grin on her face.  I do not have Copics  and I don't even attempt to colour with markers (streaks), but I can paper piece!!  LOL  So Lattebella's clothes have been paper pieced and I've used SU ink with a blender pen for the smaller parts of the image.  How YUMMY is that sheer yellow ribbon?  It tastes like lemon meringue...no, seriously, I tried it and it does!! LOL, LOL, :D 

Here is the whole set.  I had to drop off my car to get my summer tires on (hey! I live in Canada, LOL).  So on my walk home, I stopped at Starbucks and picked up some VIA packs.  A dollar store was close by so I stopped in hoping they would have small kraft bags...no luck.  Instead, they had little carton party favours so I picked up a 4-pack.  These are adorable, but you need to use Staz-on ink on the glossy finish (my fingers are brown if you know what I mean).  I had to re-cover the front of the box with white cardstock and punch a hole where the window was...whew...pretty good lining up of the circle, eh?!! That's "faux" coffee in the box.  I also made a little stack of VIA packs with a tag.  They would be fun to add to a little package for a friend.  Here's the inside of the card.  I like to add a pack to the inside for a little "thank-you."

Well, that's it!!! Gee, I was a bit long winded today!!! LOL  Must be all the coffee I've had so far:)  I hope you are having a lovely day...make sure you enjoy your favourite coffee or tea or drink :)  Cheers!!


What's in it?
{Delightful & Delicious card}
Stamps: Verve delightful & delicous; Lattebella
Ink: versafine onyx, SU choc chip, close to cocoa, rose romance, summer sun
Paper: PTI cream,raspberry fizz, kraft, SU curry, MME quite contrary, various dp scraps for paper piecing
Accessories: sheer ribbon, prima flowers, gemstone


{coffee box}
Stamps: Verve delightful & delicious, SU What's brewing
Ink: SU close to cocoa, choc chip
Paper: PTI white, kraft; SU curry, choc chip; MME quite contrary dp
Accessories: circle nestabilities, fiskars border punch, PTI buttons, sheer ribbon


{coffee tag}
Stamps: Verve delightful & delicious
Ink: SU choc chip
Paper: PTI craft
Accessories: SU horizontal slot and ticket corner punches, sheer ribbon, gemstones

You are so Sweet (sweet, sweet, sweet!)

TGIF!!!! Ah, my favourite day at work...yes, it's a Friday, but it's also a fun, no pressure day at work (for me and the kids!)  Library, P.E., fun math, story and centers...what's not to love?  Oh, and a cold one on a patio somewhere in this beautiful sunshine!! But enough of that...onto today's card.  Mercy has done it again with a fabulous sketch this week.  I had originally wanted to use some kind of Cosmo Cricket notebook paper on this one, but as I went through my scrap bag I saw these polka dots and then this pink plaid...I just had to use them!!  (The pink plaid is on the reverse side of this paper...love the versatility!)  I thought of some button flowers, but was so determined to use another one of Heather's library cards.  I just love them.  And you can print them to your heart's content :)  I love that...you can make as many mistakes on them and have more to use!!  "Having" to use my new bloom dies again, I carried on with the school theme and made a cork flower and added a sweet library clip.  No matting needed...I thought too many layers would take away from the sweet little details.  Thanks for stopping by...what are your plans for the weekend?  I hope something and/or someone you love is on the agenda :)  Cheers!!

What's in it?
Stamps: PTI Say it with Style, Beautiful Blooms 2, Heart Prints
Ink: Versafine onyx, PTI raspberry fizz, SU rose romance, groovy guava, kiw kiss
Paper: PTI cream, hibiscus burst, SU river rock (I think!), MME and PTI dp
Accessories: Heather Nichol's library card (digital image), PTI bloom dies, Grandpa's button, floss, cork, SU library clip, corner chomper

Vellum Flowers

Hi everyone!!  This card has been sitting on my desk for a few days.  I wasn't sure what to do with the main panel.  I had the flowers and sentiment, but too much white.  I embossed the background shimmer white cardstock to give it some contrast against the label (apparently that's my go-to technique...or what I said in my Embellish write-up!! I had forgotten I said that last Fall...it is true, but it's only one of them.)  Since this card took on a more casual feel to it with the plaid paper, I only added some ribbon through a slot, no bling.  I think the panel looks a little plain, but the focus is on those fun vellum flowers!!! ACK!!!  When I saw Nicole make these on her blog last month, I knew I had to have those dies :)  Have a wonderful day...we've been having the most amazing weather this week.  I told my dh that if tomorrow is as nice as yesterday, he will be taking me to a patio for cold drinks after work!! Wishing you sunshine where you are...

What's in it?
Stamps: Verve Because of You
Ink: SU choc chip
Paper: PTI lavender moon, shimmer white, spring moss, Basic Grey sugar rush dp, pink and white vellum
Accessories: stitching, cuttlebug ef, nesties label 4, SU horizontal slot punch, PTI medium scallop and blossom dies, PTI ribbon and buttons, SU linen thread

SMILE (and some fun news!)

Good Wednesday morning, everyone!!  Today's card is a bit out there for me with those side panels...but I went for it.  I picked up this "smile" stamp in the big bin of stamps at Michaels on the weekend.  I have several "smile" stamps, but this one had such a fun font, I couldn't resist (or the $1.50 price tag!).  This is the new sketch over at the Card Positioning Systems blog.  I've been following it for several weeks now.  I find, like many of you, that you just can't follow everything...so I focus on a few at a time to see what they're like.   

Okay, now for the fun news!!  Many of you know that Ashley Cannon Newell, has been working on a new e-zine (web magazine) called Embellish.  She has a very active Embellish blog with challenges every 2 weeks.  Last Fall, she sent a card call out for the first publication.  I was fortunate enough to have 2 cards published :D  (2 more seconds of fame!)  The magazine is ready now and you can subscribe on line HERE.  It's only $3.00!! You will love it!!  Ashely has really done an incredible job setting everything up and has included interesting articles about colour, twine and trends.  She has even done write ups on all the designers!!  It really is a beautiful publication if you are looking for inspiration :)

If you have seen it, let me know your thoughts...thanks!!  Have a wonderful Wednesday...2 more days to go :)

What's in it?
Stamps: studio g
Ink: SU basic grey
Paper: PTI white, lavender moon, basic grey sugar rush dp
Accessories: stitching, PTI ribbon, cuttlebug ef, MS butterfly punch, gemstones

Save the Date

Good morning and thanks for visiting :)  Today's card is for the new Embellish challenge.  The requirement this time is to make a card celebrating parties.  I always like to have a use for the cards I make so I thought of a fun card that may well be the prototype of an upcoming celebration for my dh :)  He turns the big "5-0" next February and if someone wanted to throw a big party for him, this would be the "Save the Date" card we would send out.  I so wanted to use some sheer ribbon on this one, but tried to keep it as masculine and fun as possible.  Yes, that's an old, old, old retired SU stamp from "It All Adds Up."  I can't part with this set as I love it so.  I love the equations.  I originally bought it for the wedding stamp that I used to make 70 thank-you cards 3 years ago for our wedding.  I also go through little mini rants that I can't keep up with the "industry" and just want to enjoy my stamps...old ones and all :)  This is a flat card and on the back it says "Sssshhhhh....Tony is turning 50...hope you can make it to his surprise party.  More info to follow in December."  How's that for preplanning?  LOL  Have a wonderful day...oh, and when he turns 50, like I always say, "Baby, it's like having two 25 year olds...lucky me!"

What's in it?
Stamps: PTI polkadot basics, SU It all adds Up
Ink: versafine onyx, SU real red
Paper: PTI kraft, black, white
Accessories: grosgrain, SU linen thread, prisma glitter, computer generated date and sentiment, corner chomper

You Are So Fabulous

Good morning!!! I got to play with some new toys this weekend and participate in a few challenges.  Today's card is for the Curtain Call Colour Challenge.  What a bright palette :)  I so wanted to use my new PTI bloom dies again...they cut like "buttah!"  Even through cheap felt from the Dollar Store :)  These are so fun to make :)  The white panel was looking a little too white so I embossed it and raised the sentiment up.  I love how this little bit of texture fills in the "white" space (literally!! LOL).  I hope you all have a fabulous day :)  Thanks for sharing a few minutes with me :)

What's in it?
Stamps: PTI Say it with Style
Ink: Versafine onyx
Paper: PTI hibiscus burst, white, SU wasabi,
Accessories: PTI medium scallops and bloom dies, buttons, floss, satin ribbon, cuttlebug ef, gemstones, corner chomper