It's Verve Time!!!

Hi everyone!!! So sorry it's been foreverrrrrrr since my last update.....being sick isn't great for the creative mojo!

I have great news though.....this month Verve have some amazing new releases, and even better I get to play with them all as one of the guest designers for November! Stay tuned over the next few days as I share some of my sneak peaks and I hope you'll join us in the Verve forum at SCS for the release party on Sunday the 9th at 8pm (EST) that's Monday at 2pm here in New Zealand!

Also, don't forget to check out the Verve blog for the amazing sneak peaks by the Diva's and guest designers. As a special bonus Julee has created some amazing sketches for a Holiday Release challenge - be in to win the entire Verve release!

Here's one of the cards I've made with this month's Plain Janes. I'm still amazed, every single time, how beautifully Verve sentiments stamp. They're just gorgeous - I dare you to try and get a bad impression with one! The idea behind this card was to make the ATC sized layer removable so it can easily be popped in a purse, or on the fridge for inspiration on the go! Lots of shimmer and shine on this one in real life, I'm a true glimmermist convert lately!



Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Proverbs 3:5 Plain Jane
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou
Paper: Offbeat by Basic Grey
Punches: Threading Water, 1/4" Circle
Accessories: Primas, Self adhesive Rhinestones from KaiserCraft, Glimmermist - Silver Bells, Satin Ribbon, Chipboard Bracket by American Crafts, Long Rectangle Nestabilities, Stampin’ Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive.
Stamps by Verve. Some supplies available from Stampin' Up!

Where have I been? SENZ 2008!

'Nuff said!

Late Night Inspiration!

....Or maybe that should be early morning inspiration! It's almost 1am here after a very long day, but I knew there was no way I could sleep tonight if I didn't get this card down on paper and out of my head!
Aren't the colours for this weeks Colour Inspiration Challenge gorrrrrgeous? I've used Old Olive in place of Kiwi Kiss and I still love the combo! I was so inspired by the plate too, I had to use this similar image....
The images from Mostly Flowers were stamped then punched with the 1 1/4" Square. The hardest part was lining them up into the grid (this is a 4 1/4" Square card by the way) but once you get the center one ok, you're good to go.

There's a little piece of cardstock in between the ribbon layers keeping it supported, and the brad "butts" are hidden in between the ribbon layers too.

Ok, I think I can sleep now that this is made!


Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Mostly Flowers by Stampin' Up!, Beautiful You by Verve
Ink: Pumpkin Pie
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Old Olive
Punches: Threading water punch, 1 1/4" square punch.
Accessories: Styled Silver Hodgepodge, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, SU! Markers, Stampin’ Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive.
Some supplies available from Stampin' Up!

Blushing Gift Ensemble

This project originally started last night as a card. This project also originally started as my entry for Laura's Diva Challenge...to use tags. Obviously it became more than a card, and as a result, I missed the deadline! Not to worry, I used natural fibers - there's still time for the Verve September Project Parade!
I'm really happy with how this turned out. It's kinda shabby chic dontcha think? I love, love, love shabby chic....but the planets have to be aligned right for me to pull it off! Inside the box (designed by Heather Summers) is a jumbo paperclip bookmark and a covered post-it note pad. I would love to include a pen, but need to find a good source for RSVP pens in New Zealand!
I started with the paper - Admire from the Basic Grey Blush range. It's too gorgeous....but what on earth to pair it with? Ruby Red and Sage Shadow worked really well.....even if the Ruby Red has photographed a little orange!
I used lots of Verve sets while making this. Abundant Blessings for the silhouette image, Fairy Tales for the background swirls stamped in Versamark and the sentiment on the post-it and So Happy for the sentiment on the box.
All sponging was Close to Cocoa. I used my threading water punch....a lot! I knew I'd love that thing! Best of all, I still have more than half the sheet of paper left...yippee!

Off to check emails, I slept in and am so slack this morning!



Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Fairy Tales, Abundant Blessings and So Happy by Verve.
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Brilliance Graphite Black, Versamark
Card stock: Ruby Red, Sage Shadow
Paper: Admire - Blush by Basic Grey
Punches: Small and Large Tag punches, Scalloped Circle, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Threading Water punch.
Accessories: Primas, Kaisercraft pearls in Blush, Oval Nestabilities, Sponge Daubers, Hemp, Cutter Kit, Stampin’ Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive.
Some supplies available from Stampin' Up!

Some Bunny Loves You!

When Verve released their new sets at the start of the month, I of course fell in love with them all. But most of all, I loved this uber cute little set, Some Bunny! It's a little bit goofy, but over the 11 years we've been together, I've made Shanan lots of little cross stitch samplers - one of his favourites was a little bunny I stitched from a magazine, and I stitched this exact sentiment underneath it. I know...we're SO sappy! But that's what you get with high school sweethearts!
So of course, the first card I made with this set has to be for him. I don't think this is TOO girly, I did debate the "ear ribbons" with myself....but I figure, I'm the some bunny...and I'm a girl...so the ribbons work, right?

The ribbons are from another new Verve set, Black Tie Birdies. After cutting them out I polka-dotted them with my white gel pen. I've had those brads in my stash forrrrrrrrrrrrrrever, it made me so happy to finally use some of them.

The sketch is from Julee's Mojo Monday #54. I used Kraft cardstock for the Verve Project Parade Challenge this month. The colour combo is from an old SCS challenge. Lastly, this is my entry for the Spoon Full of Sugar challenge...to use a "charming character" I think this bunny is ultra charming!

Wooohooos for the week:

• Spring cleaning...getting everything in it's place.
• Keeping my stamp room tidy - yippee!
• Getting my SENZ ticket all sorted, so excited for this!
• Coming up with my swap pin for SENZ (I went all cutesy on this)
• Not spending any money on craft supplies so far, a la SOS challenge!

Stampin Supplies:
Stamp Sets: Some Bunny and Black Tie Birdies by Verve
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black
Card stock: Kraft, Soft Sky, Basic Black
Paper: Notebook DP
Punches: Threading Water and 1/2" Circle punches
Accessories: Brads I've long forgotten the maker of!, Cuttlebug, Spots and Dots Embossing Folder, Black Grosgrain, Stampin’ Dimensionals, SNAIL adhesive.
Some supplies available from Stampin' Up!