Winter Project Parade ~ Day 12

Happy Friday, everyone!  It’s Mercy here to share my Triple Play Project Parade, but I just wanted to remind you about another release hop today!  The new sets are amazing  and the Diva's have some wonderful samples to show you.  For the complete blog hop list head on over to Julee's blog.....

I must admit that when Jen announced the theme for this month’s Project Parade I was freaking out.  I had nothing pop into my mind, nor did I have any clue as to a place to start!  LOL!  I finally had an idea hit me the day after the theme was announced, so I set to it…after all, who DOESN’T like homemade muffins? :)

I headed to my gift wrapping stash and grabbed some tissue paper, silver cording, and ribbon to create this special and one-of-a-kind gift.  I stamped the largest and smallest snowflakes from the “Glad Tidings” set in Riding Hood Red and Celery Ink onto the outside of the tissue paper.  I layered the Banana Nut muffin in parchment paper then the stamped tissue paper, and I tied a piece of Sleigh Ride Ribbon around them.  I stamped the tag from the same set in White Staz-On Ink onto a piece of Riding Hood Red Cardstock, and used the new Sweet Scallop Tag Die to cut it out.  To add some depth, I went over the outside of the snowflake with a White Gel Pen.  I added a Silver Eyelet and some Silver Cording to the completed tag, and also put a Rhinestone Stone in the center of the snowflake.  I tied it loosely to the Sleigh Ride Ribbon to complete the muffin pack.

The simple 3X3 Riding Hood Red card was created by stamping one of the sentiments from the same set in White Staz-On Ink above the strip of patterned paper from Memory Box’s Spiceberry paper pack.  I added a row of piercing on the top edge of the patterned paper, then created three small snowflakes using my Big Shot and Spellbinders’ snowflake dies.  I added some sparkle by using Crystal Stickles, and gave each flake a Button and Silver Cording center.

That’s it for me!  Now it’s YOUR turn!

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---- 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!!
--- View all the challenge and prize details and submit your Triple Play Challenge projects using the official Project Parade Entry Form and check out all the details of this month's project parade!!!!

August Release Project Parade ~ Day 14

Happy Tuesday, Verve fans!  It’s Mercy here with the final day of this month’s “Something Old, Something New” Project Parade.  Haven’t the Divas been knocking you out with their gorgeous creations days after day?  I took this theme as a personal challenge to not only combine both old and stamp sets, but to also use old and new patterned papers, cardstocks, embellishments, and techniques.  I hope you enjoy the end result as much as I enjoyed making it!

With Christmas just around the corner, I wanted to take advantage of this month’s theme to create a card using the older sets “Star of Wonder” (sentiment) and “Holly Jolly Christmas” (holly accent) along with one of the newest releases “Fabulous You” (frame).  Julee was kind enough to send me an advanced copy of yesterday’s Mojo Monday #156 to use as a template for this seasonal delight…thanks so much, Julee!  I stitched the multiple strips of patterned paper, then distressed the edges of the completed panel.  The sentiment and frame were stamped onto the same White Cardstock panel, the the holly image was stamped onto a scrap piece of White Cardstock.  After the holly was colored, I cut it out and attached it to the sentiment panel using pop dots.  After adding some dry embossing, sponging, pearls, and TONS of extra pop dots the card was complete!

That’s it for me today!  Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to enter your favorite “old” and “new” project for a chance to win some wonderful prizes!  Here’s how to enter:

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!

GOOD LUCK & HAPPY STAMPING!!!

{{{Hugs}}}

Mercy

July Project Parade ~ Day 13

Hello…and happy Wednesday, everyone!  It's Mercy here, and I am bringing you Day Thirteen of the My Hero Project Parade!  I knew exactly what I wanted to do when the announcement was made regarding the theme of this month's parade.  As many of you know, I LOVE to cook!  I feel very “at home” in the kitchen, and I enjoy trying new and different recipes several times a week.  But I must admit that my favorite foods tend to be the “everyday Italian” kind, and I absolutely LOVE the recipes written by my culinary hero, Giada DeLaurentiis.  So in honor of the cooking queen I created a special recipe book specifically for her recipes!

I created the cover of the Chipboard Book by using a color photo of Giada (courtesy of the website Home Sweet Homme.net), patterned paper from My Mind’s Eye’s Ooh La La For Her Kit, Vellum Cardstock, Photoshop Elements 8.0, and the “hero” sentiment along with some stars from Verve’s set “American Hero” (as a matter of fact, all the stamped images are from this set).  I added a piece of Saddle Stitched Black Ribbon around the entire front cover to finish it off and to hold the vellum in place.  Is she not the prettiest little thing you’ve ever seen?  Don’t you just hate her?  LOL……just kidding, Giada! :)

The index above was handwritten, then embellished with more patterned paper and another sentiment from the same set that was used on the cover. 

The first recipe was also handwritten, and I stitched the tabs (which was part of a border that was included in the patterned paper kit) directly onto the 4X6 index cards to indicate the different sections of the book.  I used the small stars swag image to indicate how much I liked the dish after I made it…the White Bean Dip & Pita Chips received 3 stars out of 4.  I punched the score out with a Circle Punch, then attached it to the index card with some Mono Adhesive. 

This next recipe, Roasted Chicken With Balsamic Vinaigrette, received 4 stars out of 4.  I punched the rating out with a Square Punch, and attached it to the index card with more adhesive.  This specific recipe is my favorite chicken recipe of all-time…IT IS OUTSTANDING!  Thanks, Giada!!! :)
That’s it for me!  Be sure to read the rules below for a chance to win some amazing goodies!  Until later......
{{{Hugs}}}
Mercy
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!

New Release Spotlight - Day 2!

Hello everyone, it's Teresa and I am thrilled to be able to introduce the new set Always On My Mind.  Jen d, Mercy, Sankari, and myself are bringing you the peeks for today.  This release is amazing, full of great quotes and sentiments using fantastic fonts.  Be sure to leave a comment for a chance to win this set!

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From Diva Jen d.


I just {heart} this set!  It's inspirational, caring and fun all in one.  I thought that this sentiment would make a good baby card and since baby blue decorates most of my house these days, I went ahead and made a boy{ish} card.

I used my pinked circle and star Nesties to create the focal point with the sentiment.  Each of the rectangular panels is stitched around the edge...I love doing that on baby cards!  And how about this FONT!!...oh my!  I love it and will be reaching for this set often because of it! 

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From Diva Mercy

Julee always has such a great eye for design, and always comes up with the best fonts in the whole world! This release is very whimsical and fun with lots of swirly fonts and fantastic images. Every set is a winner, but I wanted to peek one of my favorite sets called Always On My Mind.

I stamped one of the hanging elements three times in Black Ink onto a piece of PTI Cream Cardstock, then colored them with Copics Sketch Markers.  I stamped one of the sentiments in the set into the lower right corner, then added some Hot Pink Rhinestones for a little sparkle.  I reached for my October Afternoon Farm Fresh and Fly A Kite paper pads to coordinate with the colors of my little hearts.  A little stitching, distressing, numerous Dimensionals, and Spiral Punch later...you have my completed card.

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From Diva Sankari

HI Verve Fans - its Sankari here - and I simply adore this awesome release that Julee has created! The sentiments in this (like every) release are so perfect - they express exactly what is in your heart! I loved this sentiment "You're in every one of my thoughts today" - it really expresses something so heartfelt and full of love and its almost like you are sending a piece of your heart when you give this to someone.

I wanted to create a feeling of the love from my heart emanating outwards - so I created little rays and waves flowing out by curing some paper and popping it up with dimensionals - of course I had to add a little liquid pearls to embellish (what can I say - I am addicted to liquid pearls and Verve :)) I love this sentiment - and can't wait to create more cards with the beautiful stamps in this lovely set!

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From Diva Teresa


This set is a must have, but hey all Verve is a must have, don't ya think?  I adore the sentiments, they are perfect for lots of occasions.  I could not help but think about those men and woman who are serving in the Armed Forces and the family members who are back home waiting for there safe return while making this card.  I had to add the heart from Hundred Hearts, I even made it blue to symbolize the missing you.  

I used one of the sketches for the Verve Release Challenges, this is from Viva la Verve Archives May '10 Week 1.  I used Chloe's Closet designer paper from Making Memories, I stamped the sentiment and flower onto the designer paper and heat embossed them.  I added a gemstone to the center of the flower and to the blue heart.  Enjoy!

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To celebrate this new release, there are some Release Week Challenges going on over at the Verve Forum!  Not only are they a fun way to jump start your creativity, but if you complete all of them, you will be entered for a chance to win the ENTIRE VERVE JUNE RELEASE!  OH yeah, that's what I'm talking about!  :-)

Speaking of the new release, we would love for you to join us for the Release Party over at the Verve Forum this Friday (June 25th) at 9 p.m. ET!!  We will be there chatting it up, sharing projects made with the new stamps, announcing all the contest winners, and of course revealing the new sets!

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

May Project Parade ~ Day Four

Happy Thursday, everyone!  It's Mercy here, and I am bringing you Day Four of the Sizzlin' Summer Fun Project Parade!  I knew exactly what I wanted to do when the announcement was made regarding the theme of this month's parade.  It's almost summertime, and that means that it's time to get ready to play in the pool...so I created a POOL KIT that anyone could grab on the way out to next pool party!

I used the new "Relax" stamp set to create a decorative insert for the kit along with some patterned papers from October Afternoon's Farm Fresh Paper Pad.  The images were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, then colored with Copic Sketch Markers.  I added some stitching and 1" Red Ribbon to the panel, then slid the insert onto the front of the Clear Drawstring Bag.  I filled the bag with some summer necessities: sunblock, chap stick, snacks, goggles, nose plugs, bottled water, sunglasses, diving sticks, and some extra cash.  Now I can hit the pool in style and totally prepared to have fun in the sun! 

That's it for me!  Be sure to read the rules below for a chance to win some amazing goodies!  Until later......

{{{Hugs}}}

Mercy

Now it's your turn!!!  As with all of our Project Parades, we’ve got some wonderful prizes...and 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 Day One's parade post before midnight 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 them if you have them! 

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!

We can't wait to see how you make your summer sizzle, so GO CREATE!!! :)

New Release Spotlight - Day Two

Happy Wednesday, Verve fans! It's Mercy, and I am here to sneak a couple of stamp sets for you. I know you all are having a ball with all of the challenges and sneak peeks that will be yours to purchase later this week!  I am here with a few of the Divas to show off Dude and Happy Days. Dude is a 4X3 sentiment set, and Happy Days is a 4X8 set filled with gorgeous fonts, beautiful hibiscus flowers, and a large flourish...you can just feel the tropical breeze off of the white, sandy beaches when you use these two sets!
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From Diva, Teresa:

Hey gals, it is partay time..lol....it's Teresa and I don't know about you but I am super excited, I can't wait until Friday!  I hope to see you there.  For my card I wanted to make a background word stamp with all of these fabulous words, so I first stamped all the words from the Dude set on top of a piece of Bell Blvd. designer paper.  I placed it under the main image, it looks like designer paper, don't ya think?  The fun thing about making you own word designer paper is that it does not have to be perfect, sometimes I can get caught up in wanting everything perfect.  The main image is from the Relax set that was peeked yesterday, such a cool set.  I paper pieced the surf boards and added a few stitches down the side.  The sun is stamped and cut out and I added stickles to the center.  That's it for me until Friday night, we will have many more great creations to share, let the fun begin!  Enjoy.

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From Diva, Amy:

Duuuuuuuuuude ... Verve's really got it goin' on with this release! I cannot wait 'til Friday!! I'm spotlighting Happy Days, a set that includes a gorgeous hibiscus image, a stylin' circular flourish, and tons of mix-and-match sentiment components. I love that its images and sentiments (both the words themselves and the font treatments) are such perfect complements to yesterday's set, Relax, but that it's also versatile enough to take in a completely different direction. For today's card, I've used Julee's Beach Party Sketch Challenge #3 for my layout. Aren't these release sketches phenomenal? On the focal point circle, I first stamped two sentiment components, with the smaller brown part slightly overlapping the larger orange part. The circular flourish is stamped, trimmed out, popped up, and positioned to highlight the sentiment. I then added the pair of bright orange hibiscus midway around the circle flourish. The hibiscus are colored with Copics and adorned with a touch of Orange Peel Stickles. The three panels of designer paper (from October Afternoon's Fly A Kite collection) pick up on the current Beach Party Color Challenge (#1). For the horizontal strip on the sketch, I combined Stampin' Up's Bermuda Bay dotted ribbon and a Tangerine Tango card stock strip that has been punched with EK Success's dotted wave border punch. I swapped the three circles on the sketch for three ribbon pleats. Everything sits on a Kraft background, which is machine stitched and adhered to a scalloped Kraft notecard base. 

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From Diva, Sankari:

Hi Everyone, its Sankari here. Well, Julee has done it again! This month's stamp release is just fabulous - beautiful designs, sentiments, fonts for every occasion! After surviving another cold and long Iowa winter, it was a huge joy to play with awesome and gorgeous images that made me dream of sunny weather! I created this card using the Happy Days stamp set and used the funtastic sketch from the Verve Beach Party Release Sketch challenge (VSAPRBP3). I am a huge fan of swirls and LOVE this swirly design that Julee has designed that you can stamp inside of among other things. I stamped the swirly shape in shades of red, orange and pink and then the sentiment: "You're so Awesome" in the same color shades. I had to add some liquid pearls and finished it off by adhering the stamped flower onto the ribbon with glue dots. You are gonna love every single stamp in this set and in all the sets this release! Get ready for a rockin' release party!!! Big hugs to all!

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And Last....From Me:

We all know I lurve me some Verve!  Julee's clean and fresh designs bring a smile to my face, and put a song in my heart! Gorgeous fonts and phrases, and whimsical-yet-elegant images that show her unique and impeccable sense of style. Well this month is no different!  I adore the beach-inspired images and sentiments, but I truly fell in love with these fabulous Hibiscus flowers in the "Happy Days" stamp set!  I started my sample with a White Cardstock base, then stitched a piece of patterned paper from the Ooh La La For Her collection by My Mind's Eye directly to the base.  I added several Black Rhinestones to the centers of each medallion on the piece of patterned paper, then stamped one of the sentiments in Black Ink directly onto the card base.  The flowers were also stamped onto White Cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, then colored each with Copic Sketch Markers. The blossoms were cut out and attached to the base using Dimensionals to complete this clean and simple card.  Feels like I'm on the Big Island...now all I need is a Mai-Tai and some sunscreen! :)
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Like what you’ve seen so far? Just leave a comment here on this post before 6:00 PM Eastern on Friday, April 23, and you’ll be put in a drawing to win this fabulous set! The lucky winner will be announced at our Beach Party Release Party Friday night. And for even more chances to win some new Verve, be sure to check out the Beach Party Challenges going on in our forum! Stay tuned tomorrow for another release spotlight!

March Project Parade - Day 13

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  It's Mercy here, and I am rounding out the 13th and final day of the March 2010 Project Parade!  I have been creating cards that are more along the clean-and-simple side lately, so I wanted to continue the trend today.

I needed a card for a sweet friend of mine who has always brought a smile to my face and sunshine into my heart, so I immediately reached for the "Let It Shine" stamp set.  I love this set because not only are there several images to use to create a sun, but there are also just as many images one can use to create cool flowers.  These images were stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto White Cardstock, then colored with Copic Sketch Markers.  I created the sun by layering the three similar images in the set, then used the smallest of the three as flowers.  I stamped the sentiment "little miss sunshine" in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink onto a piece of Pumpkin Cardstock, then punch the upper edge with a Spiral Punch.  I added a border punch, and created grass by simply cutting the Wasabi Cardstock with scissors.  The stems on the flowers were stitched using my Janome Sewing Machine, and all four corners of the Kraft Cardstock panel were pierced with a Mat Pack and Paper Piercer.  I also kept the embellishments simple by punching a hole through the creating a slit in the upper right corner, running a piece of Pumpkin Striped Ribbon through it, then tied it off with a piece of Linen Thread.

That's it for me!  Be sure to read the rules below for a chance to win some amazing goodies!  Until later......

{{{Hugs}}}

Mercy

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

1. Link up your new Fun With Flowers creation (posted March 22nd or later) to the Mr. Linky widget on Jen's post before Midnight on April 8th. One lucky stamper will win a $25.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store.
2. Be sure to leave the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we parade our creations using this month's theme. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade (March 22 ~ April 7) will win his/her choice of any Verve stamp set!

Spring Fling: Sneak Peek 4 Let It Shine

Happy Spring Fling, Verve fans! It's Mercy, and I am here to sneak another stamp set for you. I know you all are having a ball with all of these challenges and sneak peeks at the new sets that will be released later on tonight! I am here to show you the set called "Let It Shine". This fabulous 4X8 set boasts of 5 various sunshine-like shapes, and 7 beautiful sentiments in clean and whimsical fonts. You are going to be overjoyed with the versatility of this fun and fantastic set!

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From the uber-talented Diva, Charmaine:
I am SUPER excited for this Verve release. I get excited for every release, really, but I especially love this one because there is a lot of sunshine this release! I have loved previous sentiments like "Hey there, Sunshine!" and this set, Let It Shine, is all about sunshine! Wonderful "sunny" sentiments accompanied by suns of different sizes and designs make this a must-have set in my opinion! For my card, I chose to use one of the sun images stamped twice, cut out and layered. I used one of the smaller images to create sunflowers and a scene. Some faux stitching, Stardust Stickles and jute provided the perfect finishing touches for this happy card!

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From Diva.....ME! :)

Month after month, Julee's designs bring a smile to my face and sunshine to my soul. Gorgeous fonts and phrases, and whimsical-yet-elegant images that show her unique and impeccable sense of style. I started with a Kraft Cardstock base, then created a mountain scene by tearing a piece of Kraft Cardstock and sewing it to a piece of patterned paper from the Love Me Do collection by My Mind's Eye. I stamped the large and small suns in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, then colored each with Copic Sketch Markers. I added some Crystal Stickles to the larger image for some sparkle, and attached Silver Brads to the corners of the focal panel. The sentiment was stamped in the same black ink, the suns were cut out, and attached to the panel using Dimensionals.

Stayed tuned for one more challenge at 7:00 pm! Be sure to jump on over to the SCS Forum @ 7:00 Mountain for our Spring Fling Chat where you will see more sneak peeks and be able to chatter with the Divas!

Can't wait to see you there!

Tags, Tins, and Treats - Day 14

Happy Thursday, Verve lovers! It's Mercy here with Day 14 of the Tags, Tins, and Treats parade featuring the latest releases from Verve Stamps. Valentine's Day happens to be one of my favorite times of the year...mainly because I get CHOCOLATE! LOL! I wanted to share a cute and simple gift idea for this chocolate...I mean Valentine season. :)
I created a Coaster Treat Box from chipboard coasters covered with patterned papers from Jenni Bowlin's Town Square Mini Papers Pack. I stamped one of the sentiments from "Love's Flower" onto a piece of Kraft Cardstock with Memento's Rich Cocoa Ink Pad. I pierced the upper and lower edges using a Mat Pack and Paper Piercer, then sponged all four sides with a Sponge Dauber and Sahara Sand Ink. The sides of the coaster box were tied off with some Cocoa Ribbon, and I added some Red Shredded Papers to the inside of the box for decoration.

I filled a Medium Cellophane Bag with some candies, closed the bag with more cocoa ribbon, then created a tag for the outside. The sentiment and leaf flourish were stamped in cocoa ink on kraft cardstock, then cut out with a Labels 8 Nestabilities from Spellbinders. A hole was punched in the upper left-hand corner with a Crop-a-dile, and an Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelet was attached. The flower was stamped onto Neenah White Cardstock in cocoa ink, then colored with Copic Markers (R29, R27, R24). I cut out out each part to create a layered look, then added a dot of Stardust Stickles in the center. A row of Red Rhinestones were placed below the sentiment, then the completed tag was attached to the ribbon with a piece of Linen Thread.

That's it for me! I know you've been enjoying the parade so far....these Divas are the BOMB, and their projects just keep getting better and better!

Now for the important part: we want YOU to play along with us! Are you ready to show us your Tags, Tins, and Treats? I hope so! Verve stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em, why not show 'em a little love?

As with all of our project parades, we've got prizes!

There are two different chances to win:

1. Link up your NEW creation (posted January 25 or later) to the Mr. Linky widget on THIS POST before midnight, Monday, February 15. One lucky stamper will win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve store.

2. Be sure to leave the Divas a little shout-out in the comments as we parade our creations inspired by this month's theme. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade (Jan 25-Feb 15) will win her (or his) choice of any Verve stamp set.

Celebrating You & Love Monkey Sneak Preview

Happy Tuesday everyone! It's Laurie here, and I have the incredible honor of kicking off the Sneak Peeks for this month's all new Verve release!! All week there will be peeks of brand new sets right here on the Verve blog...which leads up to the Release Party over at the Verve Forum!

Today, we're sharing peeks of two sets - Celebrating You (a set of 7 ) and Love Monkey (also a set of 7)! Here's what some of the Divas have to show you...
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From Jen del Muro...

(Artist Trading Card)

Julee is at it again!! She has created another series of wonderful image stamps and sentiments for this release. For this card, I used the new set, Celebrating You, which will be released on the 15th. I first created an ATC and then used it as a focal point on the card. This is kind of a new way for me to create a card. I usually work from the base up on a card, but using this design "technique" I work from the top to the base. It's a fun way to get the mojo going since you really only have to concentrate on a 2.5" x 3.5" focal point.
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From Mercy Kerin...

Hi Everyone! It's Mercy, and I'm here with a little peek at one of the new sets being released this month called "Love Monkey". If you're looking for a cutie-patootie and whimsical set, then this one is for you! I adore this little monkey, and there are also several sentiments to choose from in order to convey your particular thought or wish. I stamped and embossed this sweet little fella in chocolate onto watercolor paper, then colored him with blush and caramel inks. I created a chipboard frame to showcase him, and covered it with a piece of paper from the Love Me Do patterned paper collection by My Mind's Eye. I added some sewing around the large kraft background panel, and pierced one edge of the plaid patterned paper strip at the bottom of the card. I punched out three heart sections from one of the pieces of patterned paper with a 1/2" Circle Punch, and added some sparkle to each one with some Christmas Red Stickles. I added another patterned paper heart to the lower left corner using the Heart-to-Heart Punch, and sponged the edges in red ink. A little distressing, numerous Dimensionals, and a whimsical sentiment later...you have my completed card. I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peek, and I hope that you will be back tomorrow to see what some of the other Divas have up their sleeves!
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From Susan Liles...

Hello Verve fans! It’s me, Susan. Are ya’ll ready for another Verve release? If so, hold on tight, because it’s going to be a wild ride! The stamps this time are exquisite, but we don’t expect anything less from Julee, now, do we? I’m sharing a card with you today using the new Celebrate You set. It consists of 7 stamps; 6 of which are some fabulous and unique sentiments and the last one is that fun flourish I used to make an awesome handcut border on this card. I thought the sentiment called for a masculine look, so that’s the direction I took (this time!). The sentiment and border is heat embossed. It reminded me of the trendy “tattoo” look in menswear, as I paired it with argyle paper and a little fleur de lis texture with some shimmer on the black panel. I can almost smell the cologne counter in Macy’s! Hunky!_____________________________________________________________

From Laurie Schmidlin...

Woooowie! That's what I said when I saw these new stamps!! Seriously...I was giddy with new stamp excitement! Julee has outdone herself...and I can't WAIT for you to see them!! There is something so unique about Julee's style...fun and whimsical meets grown-up elegance and sophistication! Even this sweet, sweet monkey...I mean, HOW CUTE IS HE!?!?!!! I tell ya, he stole my heart the minute I saw him!
I created my card with a masculine theme in mind...something I could give to my DH. Because I had to refrain from using my beloved lace, pearls, and bling I came up with another way to add interest to my card - a pull-out tag! I used some string to "hold" the tag in place and added just a few embellishments - all fitting my "non-frilly" guy theme!
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Like what you’ve seen so far? Just leave a comment here on this post before 6 PM Eastern on Friday, January 15 and you’ll be put in a drawing to win this set! Winners will be announced at our release party Friday night.

And for even more chances to win some Vervey goodness, be sure to check out the Release Week Challenges going on in the Verve Forum this week!

Blog PaRtY: Challenge 1

Welcome to our Thankful Hearts Blog Party! We'll be posting new posts every hour on the hour until 9PM tonight with fun challenges, set reveals and some fun giveaways leading up to our release and blog hop tonight.

"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way.. things I had no words for." - Georgia O'Keeffe

As crafters, one of the things we're all thankful for are the many colors that allow us to express our creativity and make this world a more beautiful place. So, Mercy and Teresa are kicking off our first challenge of the day with an ode to color.

And here's some sneaky peeky inspiration from Teresa and Mercy using some of the new stamps we'll be releasing tonight...

Designed by Teresa Kline
Teresa's sample uses stamps from the Celebration of Thanks and Thankful Accents sets.

Designed by Mercy Kerin
Mercy's sample uses stamps from the Celebration of Thanks and Thankful Accents sets.

To play along, just make a new handmade creation using turquoise, olive, black and white. Post a picture of your creation online and link us to it using the Mr. Linky widget below. Enter by 10pm Mountain on Monday, 11/30 for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Verve!

Here are the rules, they're pretty easy:

• Each entry must be unique and new
• Please do not combine any of today's 5 blog party challenges
• You may combine with any other types of challenges (SCS, blogs, etc)
• Verve stamps are NOT required
• If possible, please link back to this post when you upload your creation
• Have fun!

Home For The Holidays : Day 10

Happy Friday, everyone! It's Mercy here with another inexpensive and easy project for you all during this holiday season. All of the Divas have done such a phenomenal job showcasing beautiful gifts, decor, and more...and they've done them all for under $10! Now it's my turn to share my project with you.

I was able to make a stamped candle with a coordinating 3X3 card and envelope for under $5! I purchased a vanilla-scented candle and a pack of white tissue paper from an "everything is a dollar" store for $2. Then I used leftover bits and pieces of patterned paper, cardstock, and satin ribbon. The cost of papers couldn't be more that $1, and I actually got the ribbon from the end of a huge roll of satin ribbon for FREE. The candle and card were both stamped with the ornament shapes and sentiment from the "Holly Jolly Christmas" set, then the candle was placed into a large cello bag that cost only 10 cents...yes, I said it...10 CENTS!!! The envelope was actually from a gift card that I had received with one of my Christmas presents last year, so I thought I would reuse it instead of paying for a whole pack of new 3 X3 vanilla envelopes...especially since I only needed one!

That's it for me! So, now it's your turn! We'd love for you to play along with us and show us your homemade goodies for the upcoming giving season! Verve stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em, why not show 'em a little love?

And, as with all of our project parades, we've got prizes!
To enter, just link up your Home for the Holidays creation to the Mr. Linky widget at Day One's post before midnight MST on Thursday, November 26. One lucky stamper will win a $30 gift certificate to the Verve Store. And for another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout out in the comments as they parade their fabulous creations inspired by this month's theme. One lucky commenter during the course of the parade (Nov 11 - 25) will win their choice of any Verve set.

Sneak Preview - Blessed Christmas & Star of Wonder

It's Day Two of the October Sneak Peeks, and we are only just beginning! This week is going to be filled with the reveal of even more gorgeous stamps sets and breathtaking samples, so be sure to check back every day! Today we are featuring cards made with the two new sets Blessed Christmas and Star of Wonder. These versatile and classy Christmas holiday sets include several images and sentiments in the classic style that can only be achieved by the-one-and-only, Julee Tilman...so you can rest assured that the images are exquisite, and the sentiment fonts are beautiful and elegant. These sets (along with five others) will be available after our Release Party this Friday Night, October 23rd. You will have a chance to win some of these sets during the week, so be sure to read all the way to the end of the post to see what you need to do.

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Designed By Susan Liles

Hi there, Susan here, and I’m excited to share a card I made with the new set, Blessed Christmas. It’s a very traditional set that faithfully celebrates the true meaning of Christmas. I wanted an “old world, vintage” feel to my card, so I started with some Cosmo Cricket paper from the new “Oh Joy” collection that I LOVE and found one of the new release sketches (OCT09E) to be a perfect fit for this card. After I did a little inking around the edges, added some distressing and some stitching, all that was left to do was make the main panel. I stamped the cross in Close to Cocoa to go “behind” the sentiment. I stamped the sentiment in black and then clear embossed over it for the finishing touch, making it really stand out. It really didn’t take that long to complete. This set makes it so easy to create something so beautiful (but don’t all Verve stamps do that? LOL!)!___________________________________________________________________

Designed By Tosha Leyendekker

I love making Christmas cards! And I love making Christmas cards even more with Julee's images!! Each and every set this month is fabulous, and I had a hard time picking which set I wanted to use for the release. After much deliberation, I finally decided I wanted to feature the beautiful cross from the Blessed Christmas set. The Cross and sentiment are embossed with gold dp, and I colored the cross with Tombows. The Labels 4 frame was embossed with with a Sizzix folder while still in the die, so I could get the clean framed edges. The sentiment was stamped onto Neenah Natural White that I diecut with one of the Fancy Tags by Spellbinders, and the frame behind the Labels 4 was made with Labels 8 (Spellbinders). Finally, I added a bit of embellishing with some flowers and pearls.
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Designed By Laurie Schmidlin

I instantly fell in love with the Star of Wonder set! With it, you can create simple and elegant cards that celebrate the true meaning of Christmas...in record time! These images and beautifully scripted sentiments can stand alone and still make a huge impact!
For my card, I embossed one of the stars using Copper e.p. directly onto some patterned paper and then placed a matching rhinestone directly in the center. I then added a tag embossed with the "peace on earth" sentiment, some ribbon, a charm, and a punched border!

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Designed By Mercy Kerin

What else can you say about Verve stamps and their designer, Julee Tilman, except perfection?! I love Christmas, so I was beside myself when I saw the new releases for this month. My attention immediately turned to Star of Wonder set. As with all of Verve's sets, I am drawn to the gorgeous and elegant font that all of the sentiments showcase...so this one is no different! I embossed the sentiment on the focal panel with Black Embossing Powder, then sponged around it to create a twilight landscape. I stamped the stars on the Old Olive panel to create my very own coordinating patterned paper. I wanted to keep my card pretty simple, so I added minimal embellishments: Silver Brads, Olive Ribbon, and an Olive Button tied with Linen Thread. After all, the distinguished beauty of Verve Stamps always shines through!
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Like what you’ve seen so far? Just leave a comment here on this post before 6 PM Eastern on Friday, October 23 and you’ll be put in a drawing to win this set! Winners will be announced at our release party that night. And for even more chances to win, be sure to check out the Release Week challenges going on in the Verve Forum for your chance to win our entire release! Okay, that’s it for today, we’ll see you back here tomorrow for another peek at some more new sets!

Encouraging Words : Day 8

Happy Monday, everyone...and welcome to Day 8 of our "Encouraging Words" Project Parade! The title of this month's theme set my mind into motion, and the first thought I had was to create something that could be seen and used each and every day. I wanted it to be both encouraging and colorful...so here is what I came up with:

I created a door hanger and coordinating card for a friend of mine that has been having quite a rough time lately. This was made for her to hang on her front door, so she would see it each time she left her house. I used the new "Happiness Found" stamp set from the September Release to create this focal panel. Julee always has such a knack for designing stamps that are not only fun and elegant, but that are also inspirational and versatile. I love the size of this sentiment, and this gorgeous set can also be utilized to make cards for both men and women at any time of the year.

For the 3X3 coordinating card, I decided to use the "Wishing You" set to decorate both the inside and the outside of the card...which is something that I seldom do! The "wishing you" is one stamp, and it has a number of coordinating phrases to complete the thought you wish to convey. Here's a look at the outside...

...and here's a look at the inside utilizing one of the complimentary sentiments:

So what do you think? I know you have enjoyed the fabulous work that the other Divas have been sharing during our Project Parade, but now it's your turn! Create a card/project that is focused on encouraging words, and link up your creation to the Mr. Linky widget on the DAY 1 POST before midnight MST on Sunday, October 18. As with all of our project parades, we've got prizes! One lucky project parade participant will win a $35 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Be sure to show some love for the Divas each day (Oct.5-17) for another chance to win, because ONE lucky commenter will also win their choice of any Verve set. We can't wait to see your creations...Happy Stamping!

Sneak Peek - Day 1: Swan Song and Wishing You

Hi there! Jen Tapler here with the first day of Sneak Peeks of another FANTABULOUS Verve New Release!! Today the Divas and I are sharing a few projects using the new sets Swan Song and Wishing You. They’ll be available for purchase immediately following our Release Party this Friday night, so you don’t have long to wait! And be sure to read all the way to the end of this post to find out how you can have a chance at winning these sets for your very own!

First up is this beautiful card by Diva Tosha Leyendekker. Julee never ceases to amaze me with each new release!! And this time she included one of my all time favorite images: swans. My heart went all aflutter when I saw the set Swan Song. I'm so excited to be able to work with this new release. For this card, I stamped the swan and sentiment with Smokey Gray (Versafine) and paper toled the swan with 6 layers. I created the sentiment medallion with the Lattice Pendant, Labels 3 and Circle Nestabilities, and added some sparkle to each piece with some glitter. Finally, I topped it all off with some sewing, pearls, and a large Ivory bow.

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From Diva Mercy Kerin:
I am so stoked to be writing my first Sneak Peek post as an official Diva! It still feels like it's all been a wonderful dream! As with all the other Verve releases, I have loved each and every set that has come out...but there is always one that stands out to me a little more than the others. For this month it was Swan Song! As soon as I saw it I knew exactly what I wanted to do...that doesn't happen often, so when it does you know you have to roll with it! LOL! I stamped the swans on watercolor paper in Basic Black Craft Ink, embossed them with clear embossing powder, then colored them with an aquapainter and an ink pad. I added some yellow stickles, black rhinestones, yellow ribbon, and silver cording to finish off the card. I absolutely love the way it turned out, and I know that you will love this set as much as I do!

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From Guest Diva Kristina Biederman:
Hello Everyone! I am thrilled beyond words to be a part of this amazing release celebration! I think I almost fell out of my chair when an e-mail from Julee showed up back in July. Then, the stamps arrived and I ran through the house to find my roommate and show her how incredible they are! When I saw there was another sentiment set, Wishing You, I knew I had to get them inky right away. I love sentiment sets and Julee always makes the absolute best with the most gorgeous fonts!

I used Wishing You for my card and kept it pretty simple, keeping the words as the main focus point. I also snuck a little Beautiful Kindness onto my card - I can just see using these sentiments partnered with so many other sets!

Thanks again to Julee and the absolutely incredible Divas for letting me be a part of this wonderful release!!

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And from me, Jen Tapler:
Once again, Julee has outdone herself with this release! So many gorgeous sets!! Picking a favorite is nearly impossible, but I am a sucker for sentiment sets - and Wishing You is absolutely AWESOME!! I LOVE the idea of combining the "Wishing You" stamp with any one of the other 9 stamps in this set to create so many different sentiments. You could stamp them together as I did here to create a single focal sentiment, or divide them up (and this set is PERFECT for those of you crazies out there who take the time to finish the insides of your cards!!). I kept this little notecard-sized card simple, letting that "Wishing You the Best Day Ever" sentiment (a combination of 2 of the stamps from this set) be the focus. Some small Prima flowers were really all the embellishments this little card needed!

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Like what you’ve seen so far? Just leave a comment here on this post before 6 PM Eastern on Friday, September 18 and you’ll be put in a drawing to win these two sets! Winners will be announced at our release party that night.

And for even more chances to win, be sure to check out the Release Week challenges going on in the Verve Forum for your chance to win our entire release! Okay, that’s it for today, we’ll see you back here tomorrow for another peek at some more new sets!