Fanspiration Diva Dare ~ Day 6

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Hello, friends, it's Amy today, with Day 6 of our Fanspiration Diva Dare. This month, we "dare" you to show us your new creations inspired by projects made by Verve fans!  You can pick any little Verve project to inspire you, as long as it is not by one of our design team members (or yourself!) {grin}. To get your wheels a turnin', the Divas will be posting their Fanspiration creations using our newly released products right here each weekday!

I think this is my favorite Diva Dare theme ever. But also the hardest, because there are so many amazing projects to choose from! I've had a blast perusing various Verve galleries, and in the end chose this very recent and very beautiful card by Kerri Michaud to use as inspiration. I love the woodgrain background and the warm Fall colors especially. Here's my take:

I started with two flowers from Lean on Me. Both are colored with Copics, die-cut with the Pointed Flowers Die Set, and topped with chocolate buttons. I added two large Dreamy Leaves die-cuts in green gingham to help frame the flowers. The paper-pieced bird and the sentiment (die-cut with one of the Tiny Sweet Scallop dies) are both from With Love. Of course I had to include my new favorite Pennant Trim die, as well as a kraft Ribbon Banner die-cut that I stamped with the Thatched Banner Plain Jane. The warm Fall colors and patterns, including the dark chocolate woodgrain background, are from the Simple Stories Take a Hike and Harvest Lane collections. Thank you, Kerri, for the "fanspiration"!

How fun is this Dare?  Don't know where to start?   Head over to the Verve Fan Gallery to peruse some projects, pick one then join in the fun...here are the details...

 

  There are two ways to win...

1. Win a $50 Verve gift certificate! Play along with our Fanspiration Diva Dare and link up your creation to the linky widget entry form. Winner will be chosen by random draw.  To be eligible, your entry must:
• Be a new creation - posted September 7 or later
• Be inspired by a non-design team created Verve card or project
• Include a link to the inspiration piece you used, as well as a brief explanation of what inspired you
• Use at least one Verve product
• Be added to the linky widget before 5pm Mountain on Sunday, September 23.
2. Win a Verve set of your choosing! Leave a little shout-out for the Divas in the comments section as we post our answers to the Fanspiration dare each weekday through September 20.  A random comment winner will be chosen from all the comments over the course of the Dare.

- Go forth and get inky! We DARE you! -

July Diva Dare 2012 - Day 1

Hola, Verve fans, welcome to Day One of our July Diva Dare! We haven't done one of these in a while, so as a reminder, here's how it works. We post a theme we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge. During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare. 

This month, we dare you to make a card or project using a BIRTHDAY theme. Did you know that July is a big birthday month here at Verve? Five of our Divas have July birthdays, including the boss lady, Julee. Let's celebrate with some fun birthday projects!  We can't wait to see how you answer the dare! (Stay tuned to see how you could win some shiny new Verve!)

Here's what I came up with …

The cupcake tote is a cut file designed by Lori Whitlock for the Silhouette store. I enlarged the pieces by 125%, then cut them on my Silhouette out of a combination of ivory card stock and papers from Crate Paper's Random collection. I tied the top closed with some jute string, added some crinkled and dyed seam binding, then topped it with a red checked button (to look like a cherry on top). I further embellished with some paper flowers and a small tag that I die-cut with Verve's Tiny Sweet Sallop Die Set. On the tag I added a sentiment using stamps from the Birthday Bash stamp set. 


While making the cupcake tote, I fell in love all over again with Crate Paper's Random collection and decided to make a coordinating card: 

The balloons are from Birthday Bash and the tiny "happy birthday" sentiment is from Small Phrases. I die-cut the heart using the Jotted Heart die and the chunky letter "u" using the I Heart U
Die Set. I finished up with a little bit of this and that here and there, or maybe I should say quite a bit of this and that here, there, and everywhere! 


Here's the pair:

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Would you like a chance to win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES? There are two ways to win:

1. Play along with our Birthday Diva Dare. Link up your creation (posted July 16 or later) to the linky widget below before 6:00 pm MT on Sunday, July 29. One lucky stamper will win a $30 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 as we share our birthday creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing.

Winners will be announced on Monday, July 30 right here on the Verve blog.

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Click the "Click here to enter" link at the bottom of this post for the Diva Dare entry form. Please type your name or screen name in the Caption or Title field, then choose the link and photo you'd like to enter.  Please link directly to the specific blog post or gallery page where we can view your creation.  If you're having problems linking, try entering the link to your card, then choosing From File instead of From Web. Then just browse to where your picture is saved on your computer to get your thumbnail.

April Diva Dare ~ Day 6

Happy Wednesday, Verve fans! It's Amy here, and I'm excited for a new Diva Dare. The projects so far have been fabulous! Here's what we're up to this time:

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - All Aboard!   It has been Grand Central Station around here lately, Julee gave birth to two beautiful baby boys and has had her hands full!  So I am challenging you to use chipboard, corrugated cardboard, or kraft on your creation or project!  We can't wait to see how you answer the dare!  Stay tuned to learn how you could win some shiny new Verve!!


I happen to love using chipboard, corrugated cardboard, and kraft on my cards, so I incorporated all three into my shabby creation:

I used a Jillibean Soup corrugated cardboard piece to frame the little girl image (from Prima's Nature Garden 6x6 paper pad), then accented at the top with two chipboard hearts and a sentiment flag. "Celebrate today" is from the Joyful Blooms set. Other details include a twill bow, a border of fabric roses, some crochet trim, buttons, and small touches of silver glass glitter (which sparkles sooooo beautifully in real life!). Everything is mounted onto a kraft card base. Chipboard - check, corrugated cardboard - check, kraft - check. (But don't feel obligated to use all three - one works just as well!) 

Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new All Aboard creation (posted April 20 or later) to the linky widget on THIS POST before 6:00PM MST on Thursday May 3.  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 as we share our All Aboard creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Friday, May 4th right here on the Verve blog

Now it's YOUR turn! We DARE you to show us your creations!

Holiday Diva Dare - Day 6

Welcome to the Holiday Diva Dare! I have been so inspired by both the Diva creations and the challenge entries uploaded so far. I hope you have too!

For those of you who are new to this challenge, here is how it works: Following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with and you'll then have two weeks to complete the challenge. During those two weeks, the release team will be posting their creations and sharing how they answered the dare!

This month's theme is A Handmade Christmas! The theme is pretty broad and can be interpreted in so many different ways...from a lovingly made card, to heartfelt gifts and homemade decorations! With the Holidays right around the corner, this will be the perfect time to get a jump start on your card and gift making!

So, we DARE you to make a Handmade Christmas card or gift!

I answered the dare with an ornament that I created using the tree die from the new Winter Fun Die set and a sentiment from Glad Tidings.

I started with a decorative oval chipboard frame, then added a Classy Label diecut, a paper rosette, a layered felt tree, and a sentiment flag. I attached a rusty jingle bell at the bottom and some ivory vintage buttons at the top. I distressed the chipboard and paper elements with Frayed Burlap Distress ink for a somewhat rustic look.To create the layered felt tree, I die-cut three trees from green felt, stacked them, and then stitched vertically through the center. Press open the seams for a more 3D effect if desired. Fairly quick and easy to make! I think these will work especially well with kraft gift bags or packages wrapped in kraft paper. For the recipient, the ornament can go right from the package to the tree for a gift that keeps giving.

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new A Handmade Christmas creation (posted November 18 or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before 9PM Mountain on Thursday, December 8. 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 as we share our A Handmade Christmas creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing! Winners will be announced on Friday, December 9 right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn! We DARE you to show us your creations!

September Diva Dare ~ Day 9

Happy Wednesday, Verve fans! It's Amy here today, checking in with Day 9 of our September Diva Dare! This month, we've come up with a fun challenge, we DARE you to Case-a-Diva!  With nineteen Divas (see the photos and links on the right sidebar), the inspiration is vast!  For those of you that are wondering...CASE means to copy and share everything.  And that is just fancy talk for copying!  What you copy is up to you!  It can be a layout, color scheme, or even something more subtle like a certain embellishment cluster!   

You will find the links to all the Diva's blogs on the right sidebar, or you can visit their individual Verve galleries!

I am honored to be CASEing the amazing Tosha! Her style is elegant and gracious and always filled with expert details. And she can seriously do it ALL! Multi-layered and dimensional, clean and simple, heavily distressed, crisp and clean all-white, 3D/altered -- it's all there! 

Some things that jump out most when looking through her gallery: distressing, vintage elegance, sheer beauty, layers, and lots of embellishing (we're kindred spirits there!). She's a genius with stamps and dies, using them in surprising and uber-creative ways that leave me scratching my head wondering why I didn't think of that.


Here's what I came up with ...  

... based on this recent beauty in Tosh's gallery. I used Tosh's overall layout and combination of elements, changing the colors and theme to Christmas. Tosh is a big fan of My Mind's Eye papers, so I stuck with MME, just a different line than the one she used. I love Tosh's punched border along the bottom and was tickled to have the same Martha Stewart punch in my aresenal. 

For the focal point, I started with a Rounded Scallop Frame that I die-cut from one of the rich burgundy patterns in My Mind's Eye's Lost & Found Christmas collection. On top of that is a Curvy Bookplate diecut that I stamped with the matching frame in Tag Time and a sentiment from Merry Wishes. As a CASE of Tosh's out-of-the-box thinking, I used the larger of Verve's Leafy Sprigs dies, the corresponding leafy sprig image from Sunny Days, and some white pearls to creative a mistletoe accent for the tag cluster (at least I hope it looks like mistletoe!):

That's it for me today! I can't wait to catching up on all of your gorgeous challenge entries so far! If you haven't played along yet, there's still plenty of time!

Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new Case-a-Diva creation (posted September 16 or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE post before 9pm Mountain on Sunday,October 2nd. 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 as we share our Case-a-Diva  creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday,October 3rd right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

Have a fabulous day!!

August Diva Dare - Day 4

Good morning, it's Amy here today with the fourth installment of our August Diva Dare! For those of you who are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge. During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month's theme is Sending Some Sunshine: we DARE you to make an uplifting and encouraging card AND send it to someone in need of a little pick-me-up! There's nothing like opening your mailbox and seeing a handmade card...especially with some of Verve's encouraging sentiments on it!  :-)

I answered the dare with a bold creation for a dear friend of mine who is going through a really rough stretch right now. For month's she's been saying she can't handle one more thing and then not one, but two or three more things end up in her lap. I see her in person regularly, so I think she'll be extra surprised and pleased to find this in her mailbox. I used flower images and a sentiment from Sunny Days, a fabulous set for pick-me-up cards! I also used Verve's Curvy Bookplate and Charming Oval dies. The layout is last week's Mojo205 sketch.

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new Sending Some Sunshine creation (posted August 26 or later) to the linky widget at the bottom of THE DAY 1 POST before 9PM Mountain on Sunday, September 11. 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 as we share our Sending Some Sunshine creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing! Winners will be announced on Monday, September 12 right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn! We DARE you to show us your creations!

July Diva Dare - Day 5

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It's Amy here today, with Day 5 of our July Diva Dare. This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - Sentimental About Paper!  It's time to dig into all that gorgeous patterned paper you've been hoarding saving (we know you have some!!)!  Showcase all those amazing sentiment stamps (no images) to create a new and never before seen project!  Paired with pretty patterned paper, Verve's famous sentiments will take center stage!  While it is not necessary to use Verve stamps to enter, we would love to see them if you've got 'em!  To sweeten up the challenge even more, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

But first, here's how I answered the dare: 

I used some playful Webster's Pages patterns (from Yacht Club) to create a nostalgic summer scene. I just adore the sweet children pulling their wagons! I added a second and third pattern along the bottom, along with  some twine and a scalloped border. The clouds along the top are die-cut with additional Webster's Pages patterns. I stamped the sentiment, notched the end, and wrapped it around a lollipop stick. I love the large font size of the Life is Good Plain Jane -- it really holds its own on this sentiment-only card!

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new Sentimental About Paper creation (posted July 15 or later) to the linky widget on the Diva Dare Day 1 post before 9PM Mountain on Sunday, July 31. 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 as we share our Sentimental About Paper creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, August 1 right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

Click here to go to the Diva Dare Day 1 post and link your blog post up on our Linky Tool!

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April Diva Dare - Day 7

Hi Verve fans, welcome to Day 7 of the April Diva Dare!

For those of you that are new to this challenge, here is how it works...following each release, we will post a theme that we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge.  During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - April Showers Bring May Flowers!  With the warmer weather, new growth, and all the fresh and beautiful blooms that abound, it is easy to be inspired by Spring!  How you interpret the dare is completely up to you!  To sweeten up the challenge, stay tuned to learn how you could win some brand new Verve!

I chose to answer the dare with my newest favorite floral set -- Hope Blooms. I love fussy cutting these flowers and manipulating the petals for some fun dimension. And the sentiments in Hope Blooms are so representative of Verve -- uplifting, versatile, cheery, and done in the most fabulous font combinations. I've used a mixture of papers from Crate Paper's Portrait collection along with some Spellbinders dies and a paper doily. The layout is the gorgeous Viva La Verve (May, Week 1) sketch by Amber:

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Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us 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 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.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!

March Diva Dare - Day 9

Welcome to Day 9 of the March Diva Dare!! Here's how our Diva Dare works... following each release, we post a theme we dare you with, and you'll have two weeks to complete the challenge. During those two weeks, the release team will post their creations and tell you how they answered the dare!

This month we dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme -Color Me Spring! Whether you are shoveling snow off of your sidewalks and only dreaming of warmer weather or you are already enjoying the first blooms of the season, this challenge is sure to put a spring in your step! How you interpret the challenge is up to you! Stay tuned to learn how you could win some shiny new Verve!!

Here's how I answered the dare:

When I think of Spring, I think of new life, fresh beginnings, a renewed sense of hope and optimism. Verve's new Hope Perches Plain Jane is perfect for this month's Diva Dare. I used some lovely, flowery Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden papers for a fresh, Spring feel, then made a focal point using a Prima paper bird, a paper rosette, and a Spellbinders new fancy tag die-cut.

The layout is this week's {April, Week2} Viva La Verve sketch by Andrea:

And a few close-ups:

 I added chunky glitter to the edges of the rosette:

Want to know how you can win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES?

1. Play along with us and link up your new Color Me Spring creation (posted March 28 or later) to the linky widget on the DAY 1 POST before midnight MST on Sunday, April 10. 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 as we share our Color Me Spring creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!  Winners will be announced on Monday, April 11th right here on the Verve blog.

Now it's YOUR turn!  We DARE you to show us your creations!!

January Diva Dare - Day 7

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Hi Verve fans, are you ready for another week of Diva Dare projects? It's Amy here today, and we're already on Day 7! Here's the challenge:

We dare you to make a card, project, layout, or whatever fits your stamping style using this month's theme - Baby Love!The baby part could be for a new little someone...or a special someone! Be sure to look for the details on how you can win some new Verve goodies at the end of this post!





I answered the dare with this shabby little number (inspired by Cher!):

Way back when my husband and I were dating, I made him a Valentine's Day mix that included, among other things, Cher's 1990 remake of Baby, I'm Yours. That may have been the first and only time I {indirectly} called my DH "baby" (we have terms of endearment, "baby" is just not one of them). Nonetheless, the "Baby, I'm Yours" lyrics have been running through my head ever since this month's Diva Dare theme, "Baby Love," was announced. So, with lyrics in mind, I've answered the dare with a "baby" {giggle} card for my husband. I'm hoping to find the original cassette and give him a CD remake, or put together an iTunes playlist, for Valentine's Day this year -- our little portkey back to the early days of our relationship. A good 19-20 years have passed since I gave him the original!

Anyhoo, my card is one of those that took on a life of its own. I just kept adding and adding and adding! But keep reading ... most of it has a purpose.  I began with Tosh's awesome Viva La Verve January Week 3 sketch (shown left) and Play Date Cafe Challenge PDCC#64 (from a couple of weeks ago), which was a light blue, kraft/beige/tan, and gray/silver combo. 

The patterned papers are from Basic Grey's Capella collection. On the tilted panel, I included two hearts that I die-cut with Verve's Jotted Heart Die. The light blue one is dry-embossed and spritzed with shimmer spray. The cardboard one is lightly painted around the edges with acrylic paint and topped with some bling. Tying the two together is a banner with the "Together Forever" sentiment from Love Notes (totally goes with the song lyrics!), and a rolled flower. Thinking the flower resembled a nest, I added three little pearls, one for each of our kiddoes. Along the bottom, for the two horizontal strips in the sketch, I placed a variety of layered ribbons and trims in a sort of "his" and "hers" arrangement, a rustic, simple "his" above (the woven burlap trim), and a more complicated, fussy "hers" below (looped trim, crochet trim, and satin ribbon). In a nod to the well-loved, worn, broken-in nature of our 17-year marriage, I gave the card a shabby look with some dry-brushed acrylic paint around the edges and heavily distressed edges.

Sorry for all the heady symbolism -- what can I say, I was an English major! 

So......will you answer the dare? If so, here are some details:

1. Play along with us and link up your new Baby Love creation (posted January 14th or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE Diva Dare post before midnight MST on January 29th. 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 as we share our Baby Love creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing! Winners will be announced on Monday, January 31st right here on the Verve blog.

So go ahead and show us your Baby Love creations...we DARE you!

Winter Release Project Parade - Day 3

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Hi Verve fans, it's Amy here with Day Three of our Triple Play Project Parade. Our challenge, and yours too, is to create a terrific trio of yumminess! This can be to create three different things that all coordinate (like a bag, a card and a tag) or to create three different cards or three different tags. What a fun theme, huh? And how about Sankari's and Shannan's projects so far? Oh my!

For my trio, I've put together a set of Christmas ornaments:

The first one features the "Noel" sentiment and wreath image from Glad Tidings:

The second one features a sentiment combo from Merry Wishes:

The last one features a sentiment combo from Merry Wishes and a two-layer snowflake made with images from Glad Tidings. I've also used Verve's new Vintage Oval die - love this shape!

And a couple of detail shots:

 I had so much fun putting these together - everything looks better in multiples! I hope you're inspired to play along with us. Just wait 'til you see what you could win for your Triple Play project! Check it out:

Challenges and Prizes:

---- One lucky contestant who plays along with the Triple Play Challenge, will receive the entire January Release AND will be our Guest Diva for the month of January!!! WOOHOO!!!

---- As always, we've hidden a little prize along the parade. A lucky random commenter on one of the  official Parade Posts (11/17 through 12/7) will receive a $25 Verve gift certificate!! Woot!!!

View all the challenge and prize details and submit your Triple Play Challenge projects using the official Project Parade Entry Form.

August Release Project Parade: Day 8

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Hi Verve fans, it's Amy here today with Day 8 of our current Something Old, Something New Project Parade. Our challenge this month is to use a previously released Verve stamp set with one of the new sets that was just released on August 20th. Julee's designs are far too timeless to ever get "old," but papercrafting trends do come and go, and new products and tools are coming out all the time, so this theme is giving the Divas (and you!) a fun chance to work some fresh magic on all those glorious previously released sets. Hope you'll join in the fun!

One of the things I know we all love about Verve is the fantastic assortment of sentiments. It's often the tiny sentiments that I'm drawn to the most - they're so perfect for adding sweet little whispers of affirmation to your projects. One of my favorites is "You put a song in my heart," from the September 2009 set Swan Song. I thought it would pair perfectly with the gorgeous heart image from the new Love Story. Once I got started looking through my Verve stash, I couldn't stop with just one "old" set, so I also added a flower from One Person, along with two subtle clear-embossed borders using a stamp from Grateful Elegance.

I can't wait to give this to my husband when we celebrate our seventeenth anniversary later this Fall!

Ready to mix up your old and new and play along? If you don't have the newest Verve sets - no worries, just mix an older set from your stash with a "new to you" stamp set and join the fun!

1. Play along with us and link up your new SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW creation (posted August 25th or later) to the linky widget on the DAY 1 PARADE POST before midnight on Wednesday, September 15th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store.

2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we parade our SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW creations. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade will win the Verve stamp set of their choosing!

July Project Parade - Day 5

Hi Verve fans, it's Amy here today with Day Five of our My Hero Project Parade. I'm loving all the red, white and blue this week! And Charmaine's cutie-pie scrapbook page? So clever and adorable! I have a scrapbook page to share today, too, in some patriotic red. white, and blue attire, but first a little backstory ...

In 1941, at age 25, my paternal grandfather was a lieutenant with the Coast Artillery branch of the United States Army, stationed with his young family at Fort Kamehameha at the entrance to Pearl Harbor. On the fateful Sunday morning of December 7, he was standing in front of his bathroom mirror shaving when the Japanese attack began. "Air raid, Pearl Harbor. This is not drill." While my grandmother rushed my aunt and father (3 and 8 months old at the time) to an emergency shelter, my grandfather and his platoon set up a mobile anti-aircraft gun on a nearby tennis court. They shot down one of the first enemy planes. My heart swells with pride as I think of him and his service to our country. I'm also filled with sadness and regret that I never heard his first-hand account of his Pearl Harbor experience and that he passed away a mere two months before the 50th anniversary remembrance ceremonies.

When the Divas were given this month's Project Parade theme, I knew right away that my project would be some sort of tribute to my Grandad.

I didn't have a lot to work with, just a handful of low-resolution photo scans and some second-hand accounts. Even so, this 8x8 page will be proudly displayed in my home, not just as a reminder of my grandfather and all those who serve or have served our country, but also as a reminder to spend time with the elders among us both wisely and purposefully while we still have those opportunities.

I used two different sentiments and two of the star images in the American Hero set. The papers are from the "Old Glory" line by We R Memory Keepers and the Basic Grey Basics Manilla 6x6 pad. At the bottom right, I placed a Maya Road Kraft envelope to hold journaling and an additional photo. The Maya Road chipboard pennants are covered in designer paper, tied with twine, and adorned with accordian-fold rosettes, stamped stars, and the "u," "s," and "a" chipboard letters.

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As with all of our project parades, there are prizes!!!!

1. Play along with us and link up your new My Hero creation (posted July 12th or later) to the linky widget on the DAY ONE parade post before midnight on July 30th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but we LOVE to see ‘em!

2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we parade our My Hero creations. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade (July 12 ~ July 28) will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing!

Can't wait to see all the entries!

New Release Spotlight - Day 3!

Let's hear it for the red, white, and blue! Today, we're looking at American Hero, a fabulous set for honoring all those who proudly serve the USA, for thanking everyday heroes, and for showing American pride! In true Verve style, you'll find the most meaningful, heartfelt sentiments, along with some patriotic imagery with a touch of delightful Verve whimsy. Let's get started!

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From Diva Amber:

This month's releases are RIGHT up my alley, as you can probably see with the set we're peeking today! American Hero makes my heart go THUMP every time I see it! The sentiments are so sweet and meaningful, they bring a tear to my eye when I think of everyone deployed, protecting our country. I know the people out there. They are young, they are brave, they are willing, and they do it all for us. I just want to make a whole bunch of cards with this set and send them to every single soldier out there, but I don't have that kind of time, lol!

I think you're going to love this set because it's not only the PERFECT patriotic set, but it can be used for any hero in your life! I went the traditional route!

I stamped the stars in Cherry Cobbler and Night of Navy ink on Kraft cardstock and then added some Stardust Stickles. The sentiment is also stamped on Kraft and I used some Enchanted Evening ribbon and some random buttons! I love the rustic feel to this card, I wish I had left the Stickles off, but I really love the sparkle too!

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From Diva Charmaine:

The American Hero set has such a whimsical feel to it. I just love that it can be used for a cute and fun card as well as something more vintage. As with all Verve sets, it contains wonderful sentiments. This is a great set to round out (and spice up) your collection of patriotic stamps. I used the Old Glory Collection from We R Memory Keepers for my card as well as the Stars Cuttlebug folder.

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From Diva Jackie:

Hi there Verve fans! Are you ready for another great release? Just wait until you see these sets in full.....that's all I'm sayin'! I was thrilled to work with the new American Hero today! This set makes me proud to be an American!!! I can honestly say I will never need another Patriotic set in my stamping arsenal as American Hero covers it all! It's chock full of the most wonderful sentiments and some pretty fabulous images! I chose to work with just one sentiment for my card today, and believe me it was hard to choose! I finally settled on "Thanks For Protecting Our Freedom" I went the traditional red, white and blue route, with a pair of my old denim jeans acting as the blue. I used Star Nestabilities to cut the denim star, added some ruffled red and white gingham ribbon and a blue button. I used the Corner Chomper to round all the corners (a new favorite look of mine) and added some cross-hatch stitching and adhesive gems to finish it off!

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From Diva Amy:

I am both honored and proud to show you a peek at American Hero. This set's fabulous mix of powerful sentiments and patriotic imagery had me choked up when I first saw it! Look no further for heartfelt ways to express both your gratitude and your American pride. And check out the super cool font - love it! I chose to feature the sentiment, "Humbled By Your Willingness To Serve," along with one of the three stars in this set. An assortment of Girls' Paperie On Holiday papers carries out a traditional red, white, and blue color combo in a fresh, fun way.

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It's not too late to participate in our Release Week Challenges over at the Verve Forum! Complete all of them for a chance to win the ENTIRE VERVE JUNE RELEASE! (You know you want it!) Short on time? Each individual challenge also has a $25 Verve gift certificate for one random participant.

Join us tonight at 9 pm EST at our Release Party. We'll chat it up, share projects made with the new stamps, announce contest winners, and of course reveal the new sets!

Like what you’ve seen so far? Just leave a comment here on this post before 6 PM Eastern tonight, Friday, June 25th and you’ll be put in a drawing to win this set! Winners will be announced during the party. Good luck!

May Project Parade ~ Day 11

It's Amy here, for Day 11 of Verve's Sizzlin' Summer Fun Project Parade. Today in the U.S., it's Memorial Day, so before I get to my project, I'd like to pay tribute to all the American servicemen and servicewomen who have fought for freedoms both here and abroad.

Now, back to our Project Parade ... the Divas have knocked this theme out of the park, don't you think? WOW! So many sizzlin' fun ideas! I decided to create a tiki hut treat box:



This was surprisingly easy to make. I started with a simple 3 1/4" x 2" x 2" rectangle box made from Kraft card stock, then covered all four sides with some BoBunny designer paper. On the front panel, I stamped the words "Dude," and "You rock" (both from Dude) onto the designer paper, then attached two paper-pieced surfboards (from Relax) and a paper-pieced wave (also from Relax). The designer papers are from BoBunny's Paradise and Mama-razzi collections. For the thatched roof, I folded a 4" Kraft card stock square in half to make an A-frame roof. Each side is covered with four layers of crumpled, fringe-cut Kraft wrapping paper. Here's the project from another angle:



The posts are simply rolled scraps of Kraft wrapping paper (thinner and more pliable than card stock) held in place with hot glue. Minutes before I walked out the door for a holiday getaway, I had a better idea for the posts: take four bamboo skewers per post, cut them down to the length you want, and wrap them together with twine. I tried it with one post - looks great and is much more sturdy.

I filled the tiki hut with a cello bag of tropical flavored Mike 'N' Ike candies, which happen to be my son's teacher's favorite treat. I just hope he won't mind being called "dude" ;)

As with all of our Project Parades, we’ve got prizes! There are two ways to win:

1. Play along with us and link up your new Sizzlin’ Summer Fun creation (posted May 17 or later) to the linky widget on the Day 1 parade post before midnight on June 7th. One lucky stamper will win a $30.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but we LOVE to see 'em!

2. For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we parade our Sizzlin’ Summer Fun creations. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade (May 17 ~ June 4) will win the Verve stamp set of their choosing!