Tags, Tins and Treats: Day 12

Hi everyone! It's Michelle here and WOW, the Divas are pulling out all the stops this month. TONS of Tags, Tins and Treats goodness so far, huh? I have a very simple take on the challenge. Last year on clearance, I bought a box of Martha Stewart Hearts Favor Bags (20 pieces) for $2.00! Yeah baby, and I have been saving them this whole time JUST for this year's Valentine treats!! Here is what I started with. I just loved Julee's inspiration picture, but it just didn't jive with the brown/pink combo I had to play with -bummer.
The bags are super cute on their own and always being short on time, I merely stamped on them, added a bit of bling and ribbon! Bam -DONE! Easy peasy. First, I dusted the bottom of the bag with my Embossing Buddy (THE key to embossing onto dark paper). I stamped and embossed the sentiment first. Then I stamped the flowers or row of hearts along side and on the pink heart flap. Next, I added some rhinestones and tied a piece of silk ribbon to the handle. And last, I punched a small heart or flower and glued to the center of the bow.

Here is a close up of a couple bags. I chose to stamp flowers on some because these are going to teachers and I thought flowers were cute for casual aquaintences. The sentiment came from used the Heart's Desire set along with, the tiny hearts came from the Thankful Hearts set, and the little flower came from the Love's Flower set. I love how bling can come sooo super tiny, to fit into the little hearts -happy sigh...


So, now it's your turn! We'd love for you to play along with us and show us your Tags, Tins & Treats! 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 NEW creation (posted Jan. 25 or later) to Mr. Linky on THIS post before midnight MST on Monday, February 15. One lucky stamper will win a $25 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 (Jan 25 - Feb 14) will win their choice of any Verve set.

At home with Verve

This year for our Viva la Verve challenges, we're shaking things up a bit! Last year (I can't believe 2009 is LAST year!) we had weekly twists along with the sketches but this year we're going a different direction. I'll be posting three inspiration photo's to use along with the weekly sketch.

The inspiration photos will be following our theme "At Home with Verve: A year long home walk-through"

Each month we'll walk through a different room and each week during that month, I'll post inspriation photos of that particular room or items you might find in that room. These photos are to be used in any way that inspires you. We're not laying down any crazy rules this year, lol! If you see a color combo you like in the picture, go for it! If you see some fun, fuzzy texture you like, DO IT! We want you to have fun and see where the inspiration takes you:)

The first week's sketch challenge is up over at the Verve forums at SCS!We're walking though Foyers and Entryways in January. I've posted the sketch here on the blog but see THIS THREAD for the inspiration photos to use with the sketch as well as any details I missed here, upload deadlines, and PRIZES!

Here's the sketch:

Here's my sample:

I used an old favorite set, Petals and Stems. I was inspired by the color combo and the sunflowers in the sunflower foyer picture!

Next up is Lori Tecler's awesome sample! If you'll remember, Lori won the VLV December Gallery last month and won a position as the Sample Diva this month! I'm looking forward to seeing all the fun cards she cranks out this month!
Lori used the super popular Thankful Hearts for her sample! Don't you LOvE that color combo? Lori was inspired by the colors in the Modern Floral photo. I love her inspired card, so perfecT!

Well hop on over to the VLVJan{10}01 thread in the Verve forums to play along with us! Verve stamps are NOT REQUIRED to play along and qualify for the monthly prize! We want EVERYONE to play along! Hope you have a HAPPY, HEALTHY, and BLESSED New Year!!!

See you next week,

--Amber

Blog PaRtY: Challenge 5

Hi Everyone! Its Jen and Sankari here hoping that you had a great Thanksgiving and have been enjoying all the lovely challenges, peeks and reveal of these beautiful stamp sets that our lovely Julee has designed! We are here with the last Verve Challenge for the night (Challenge #5) which we are calling the Gift Card Challenge!

During the holiday season, we often want to thank so many people around us for all of their service and hard work all year long (like the mailman, the hair stylist, etc.) and its nice to have some gift card holders on hand! So our challenge to you is to create a gift card holder of your own. You can create a gift card holder for birthdays, as a thank you, for anniversaries, for the holidays - whatever theme you would like! We are enclosing some links to some gift card making tutorials to help get your mojo going!

Tutorial 1 Link
Tutorial 2 Link
Tutorial 3 Link

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Designed by Jen Tapler


I made 2 sample gift card holders. This first is a simple 4x4 card folded in half and uses both the Thankful Hearts and Thankful Accents sets. The inside card has two slits cut in it for the gift card to slide into:



Here is the second sample with the sentiment, "You're So Sweet" from the Thankful Accents set:

Simple instructions for this holder:
- Cut cardstock to 4 1/4 x 7 inches, Score at 1 1/2 and 4 1/2 inches (along the 7-inch side), Fold 1 1/2 inch section in and use brads to adhere to middle section - forming the gift card "pocket".
- Fold remaining "flap" over the top and use either ribbon, velcro, or something else creative to hold it closed!

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Designed by Sankari Wegman


Hi everyone! I also made two sample gift cards. The first one uses the new Thankful Hearts set and is an A2 card with a top note die cut that I folded in half and attached to the front of the card. I made a little pocket in it and created a detachable note that can hold a gift card). When you take the note out of the folder you can open up the inside of it to reveal the gift card:



This was such a fun and easy card and I couldn't wait to create another one :) This gift card is a die cut of a trifold card that has a half a heart on either side that when closed looks like heart. I created a little pocket inside for the gift card and decorated the outside with one of my fave sentiments from Thankful Hearts: "You Touched My Heart" - here is a view of it and when you open it up - on the inside of the heart it says "You are too Kind":

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To play along, just make a new gift card or money holder for any occasion. 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!

Blog PaRtY: Thankful Hearts Reveal

It's time for another set reveal! Thankful Hearts has 10 small sentiments with a thankful theme, all designed at about 1 1/8" wide, so they'll work perfectly with all sorts of punches and dies. I just love how easy it is to make quick little thank you cards with these sentiments!

{Note: You can give the image to the right a little clicksy to embiggen it and preview the whole set in all its glory.}

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Designed by Jackie Pedro...

Hi everyone! It's Jackie here! Don't you think this blog party is a blast? I hope you've all recovered from your Thanksgiving feasts and are geared up for another fantastic Verve release! I'm thrilled, and oh so thankful, to be sharing a peek of the new set Thankful Hearts! Verve is known for fantastic sentiments and this set will definitely not dissapoint! It is chock full of different "Thankful" sentiments such as "Merci Beaucoup" and the sentiment I used today, "You Touched My Heart." This will definitely be a "go to" set for me! For my card I used this fun pink polka dot dp from October Afternoon and paired it with Kraft and Vintage Cream cardstock. I also decided to throw in a little So Saffron for a little punch of color. The sentiment was cut out with Heart Nestabilities and while the cardstock was still in the die, I sponged on some So Saffron ink with a sponge. The Vintage Cream panel and the Kraft strip across the front were both embossed with embossing folders (Swirl and Swiss Dot) using a Cuttlebug. Some beautiful satin ribbon and buttons and the card was complete!

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Designed by Charmaine Ikach...

Here is a peek using one of the newest Verve sets to be released, Thankful Hearts. It is no secret that I ADORE all of the sentiments that Julee creates for her sets. As a matter of fact, I know a lof of you feel the same way! They are always perfect and say exactly what I need to say. The fonts are always just gorgeous as well! I particularly LOVE the fonts Julee used in this set. They actually remind me of Julee's own handwriting. I would LOVE to have handwriting like her, but this set is the next best thing. . .well, other than having Julee make the card herself! :) I know you are going to love all of the sentiments in this set too!

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Okay, are you ready for another giveaway? Just leave a comment on this post to be entered in a random drawing for a Thankful Hearts Prize Pack! The pack will include the Thankful Hearts set, {which we've revealed in this post}, as well as some luscious ribbons, papers and embellishments! Deadline to enter is Monday, 11/30 at midnight Mountain time.