Project Parade Day Four ~ It's a Girl Thing

Hi everyone! It's Jackie here and today is my turn on the Project Parade! Haven't the girls projects been amazing? I've been blown away so far!!

When Jen announced this month's theme, I knew the three women I wanted to celebrate: my closest "Mom" friends. We met when my youngest daughter and their daughters were in kindergarten and we all hit it off immediately. My girls trust each one of these women and I know I can count on each of them if I need help with ANYTHING! Once a month we go out to dinner and another time during that month we all meet at the local Starbucks for coffee! I wanted to make them just a little something that told them what

they mean to me!!

I made three Rounded Wrap Up boxes from Lauren Meader's Timeless Templates line. If

you haven't tried these templates what are you

waiting for? They are fabulous for people like me who can't figure anything out!! LOL! I used the new beautiful Verve set, Because of You. I am so in love with this set! Each box was made with Kraft cardstock (thank you Jen T, Jen d and Julee!). I used just one color of ink, dp and ribbon on each box. The colors are Hibuscus Burst, Lemon Tart and Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink). I stamped the word "Friend" on the top portion of the box with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The phrase, also from this set, was stamped in Memento Black then over stamped with the silhouette flowers from the set in the coordinating ink and finally cut out with Oval Nestabilities. I added some Angel Wings Shimmerz to each of the flowers and they are super shimmery in real life! The Hibiscus Burst flower was stamped off once to tone down the pink.

Here is a close up of the box. I will be tucking in a Starbucks Gift Card to each box along with a few chocolates! I'm sure they'll love them!

We can't wait to see what you come up with for this month's Project Parade! To play along, just make a project or card that fits your style and celebrates a woman in your life. Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form IN THIS POST before 8PM Mountain on Thursday, May 14. Two random participants will be chosen and win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Have fun with this and good luck!

Project Parade Day 3: It's a Girl Thing

Well, it's me, Susan and I have to just say that I think this has been my favorite Verve Project Parade theme to date. I had a couple of different ideas for Jen's theme this time, but after talking to her a little more about it, I knew what direction I wanted to take and that it would be a perfect opportunity to make a heartfelt gift for my mom (so Mom, if you are reading this--Happy Mother's Day a little early!). The sentiment from the Because of You set seemed to be the perfect choice for a special gift and could be used for just such a gift for any special woman in your life--a mom, grandma, sister, or best friend.

The little wooden stand is an 8.5" card holder from Glue Art and Paper Studio. I found a little house-shaped chipboard album at Michaels for $1 (perfect for my mom since she works in a real estate office), but only needed the one piece from it for this project (Yay! I can make more!). Several punches, Nestabilities and shapes cut from my Slice machine were used to enhance my project, but it wouldn't be as special without the Elegant Flower stamp from Verve that I cut out and layered on each side of "mom" and on the house itself. I had a lot of fun making this and I know my mommy will just love it!

We can't wait to see what you create if you play along! To play along, just make a project or card that fits your style and celebrates a woman in your life. Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form IN THIS POST before 8PM Mountain on Thursday, May 14. Two random participants will be chosen and win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Have fun with this and good luck!

Project Parade Day Two: It's a Girl Thing

When Jen announced this month's theme for the Project Parade, I knew exactly what I wanted to make. A little while ago, I saw a video that Lauren had posted on her blog for what she named a Versatility Box. I thought it was ADORABLE and since I had a bunch of the little planters from the Target $1 Spot, I decided to make these for little Mother's Day gifts. The great thing about them is, they don't have to be for your mom. They can be for a friend, sister or any other special woman you know who is a mom. What a nice little way to let them know they're special.

I used the Mother's Day Plain Jane and the Elegant Flower Plain Jane. The little planter inside is for a Sunflower, complete with dirt and directions! :)

We can't wait to see what you create if you play along! To play along, just make a project or card that fits your style and celebrates a woman in your life. Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form IN THIS POST before 8PM Mountain on Thursday, May 14. Two random participants will be chosen and win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Have fun with this and good luck!

Project Parade Day One: It's A Girl Thing

Welcome to the first day of the April release Project Parade. This month's theme is:

It's a Girl Thing: Celebrating The Women in Our Lives

I am kicking off this Project Parade with a project made for Mother's Day. If you want to participate (details at the end of the post), please note that your project does not have to focus on Mother's Day. You can celebrate any woman in your life: friends, aunts, step-moms, grannies, teachers...the sky is the limit!

There is no doubt that times are tough right now and making our dollar go farther is what it is all about. With this in mind, I chose to do a project that would cost a minimal amount of money, but would be something that my mom would cherish for a long time. I started with a $1 frame from Michael's, which I painted white and then dry brushed light pink on to create a slightly distressed look. For the center of the frame, I stamped the "Because of You" sentiment on patterned paper and matted it with Chocolate Chip (SU!) cardstock. For added detail, I stitched around the edges and then matted it again (with dimensional glue dots) on Old Olive (SU!) cardstock that I had embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. The word "Mom" was also stamped on patterned paper and then punched out and matted with Chocolate Chip and Old Olive, as well. I used flatback acrylic accents to embellish around the frame opening.

For the flowers, I used a combination of paper flowers cut from my Slice Noteworthy design cartridge. These could very easily be cut by hand, if you do not have the Slice machine. I gave the flowers texture by crumpling them up several times. Finally, I topped the paper flowers with Prima flowers, rhinestones and buttons. The swirls were also cut from my Slice Machine (Basics 3 Design Cartridge). To finish the entire project, I wrapped Olive grosgrain ribbon (SU!) around the edge of the frame.

We can't wait to see what you come up with for this month's Project Parade! To play along, just make a project or card that fits your style and celebrates a woman in your life. Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form below before 8PM Mountain on Thursday, May 14. Two random participants will be chosen and win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Have fun with this and good luck!

Links are now closed. Thanks to everyone who played along with our It's A Girl Thing Project Parade!

April Viva la Verve!

Happy Friday, Everyone! I just wanted to post a little reminder for those of you following along with our April Viva la Verve! sketches. The final April sketch has been posted, so you have until next Thursday to get your five April cards posted to be eligible to win our next release!

If you're new to Viva la Verve! you can play along too, you'll just have to hurry. A new sketch with a {twist} is posted every Friday on our SCS forum. There is no specific due date for each week, but you must have all of that month's sketches with a {twist} uploaded and linked to the Champions thread by the Thursday following the posting of the last sketch to be eligible for the prize. Verve Stamps are NOT required, so stamp to your little heart's content!

Here are the links to this month's sketch threads...

VLVAPR01 - VLVAPR02 - VLVAPR03 - VLVAPR04 - VLVAPR05

My sample card is for VLVAPR04, with a twist of create your own DP. I used the flowers from Miracles Blossom and a sentiment from Circular Sayings.

What's In It?
Stamps: Miracles Blossom, Circular Sayings (Verve)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Elegant Eggplant (SU!)
Ink: Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Elegant Eggplant, Kiwi Kiss (SU!)
Accessories: blender pen, rhinestones, glitter/diamond glaze mixture for sparkle on flowers, American Crafts ribbon, sponge

Okay, that's it for now, folks. Be sure to tune in next week for the start of another Verve Project Parade! Until then, Happy Stamping!

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New Release & Winners Link

Thanks to everyone who attended last night's Release Party! It was a blast, as usual! To find out if you're a winner of one of our challenges or the Sneak Preview Giveaways, check out the Winner's Thread on our SCS Forum.

Check out all the new sets at the Verve Store!

And I'll leave you with a quick little clean & simple card I made using the new Elegant Flower Plain Jane and the Sunshine Plain Jane.



What's In It?
Stamps: Elegant Flower Plain Jane, Sunshine Plain Jane (Verve)
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Kraft, Barely Bananan (SU!)
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Baja Breeze, So Saffron (SU!)
Accessories: Doily Lace punch (Martha Stewart), glitter & diamond glaze picture, pop dots, pearls

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Release PARTY tonight!

You're all invited to join in the fun at our release party tonight in our SCS Forum. We'll be anouncing the winners of our giveaways, revealing our new sets, chatting up a storm, and counting down to the release!

Party starts Friday night at:
9 PM Eastern 8 PM Central 7 PM Mountain 6 PM Pacific
5 PM Alaska 4 PM Hawaii*

Where: this thread on our SCS Forum

*Please Note: We're on Daylight Saving time right now, so f your location doesn't do daylight savings, the time listed is an hour forward
(that means 3PM would be the correct party time for Hawaii).

Deadline for all of our Release giveaways is 8PM Eastern tonight!

Show us your Verve Contest
April 2009 Release Week Challenges

Sneak Preview Giveaways on the Verve Blog

- Day 1 Plain Janes

- Day 2 Wishful Elegance

- Day 3 Because of You

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Sneak Preview: Because of You

Welcome to day 3 of the Verve Stamps sneak peeks. You are sure to love the samples that the Divas have created with the new set, Because of You.

From Diva Jen del Muro:
When I sat down to make this Mother's Day card, I had light pinks and yellows laid out before me. It wasn't long before I was digging through my stash to find some bright fun colors to make this card come to life. I'm seriously addicted to polka dots and this card was not spared from 2 different polka dot papers. I thought that they might clash, but I actually love the way that it all came together. The silhouette is stamped in VersaMark and then I stamped the sentiment over it in Brilliance Graphite Black.

From Diva Jen Tapler:
Hey there Verve fans!! Aren't you loving all these beautiful new Verve creations!?! When I saw the new Because of You set, I instantly fell in love with the cluster of flowers image. I can imagine so many possibilities with that image alone!! My favorite way to use that flower cluster is in the corner of a sentiment panel, and this set has some amazing sentiments (as usual)!! You could paper piece the flowers, color them with Copics or pencils, or fill them in with your favorite glitter or flock - seriously, the possibilities are just endless!!! For my project, I made a card and matching gift box to hold the spa gift certificate we give my Mom each year for Mother's Day. I used the DP from SEI as inspiration for the colors and chose my cardstock (from SU) to match. The box is a cheap paper mache box that I covered with DP, using Mod Podge as adhesive. After paper piecing the flowers and popping them up on dimensionals, I added some champagne dew drops to the centers. I used a circle punchout as a guide to create a wide curve in lower left corner of my image/sentiment panel. A few pieces of folded ribbon and I was done!!

From Diva Lynda Benden:
I hope you have been enjoying the wonderful sneak peeks so far!! I absolutely LOVE all of the new stamps but because of my fondness for Grateful Elegance, I was instantly drawn to the Because of You stamp set. Oh my gosh, wait until you see the complete set, you will LOVE it!!!! For my card today, I chose one of the silhouette flowers and one of the beautiful sentiments included in this set. I used no patterned paper, just card stock. I wanted a soft, subtle look to put the emphasis on the beautiful stamps. The card is 4 ½” square and the black and Kraft background was embossed using a leaf Cuttlebug folder. I added Bashful Blue accents for the butterflies, rhinestones and ribbon. I stamped the image and sentiment on Kraft using Basic Black ink and cut it out using one of the Labels Four Nestabilities. I used Julee’s shading technique to add the “glow” around the sentiment as well the rest of the card. I then added some piercing, light blue rhinestones and a decorative brad.

From Diva Laura Fredrickson:
I love cards where the sentiment is the focus, and Because of You has even more of the amazing sentiments you have come to expect from Verve. I chose the title sentiment for my card which works beautifully for Mother's Day and equally well for a best friend card. I love the words and message and it fit so perfectly into the card with the gorgeous blossoms from the set framing it. I kept the colours simple and incorporated them into the sentiment by piecing several of the key words. The images are as fabulous as the sentiments...trust me, this will be your next "must have" set and will soon become your "go-to" for cards for the women in your life.

Recipe: Stamps: Because of You (Verve), Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Old Olive, Georgia Peach DP(All SU!), Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU Markers Accessories: Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, scallop border punch (SU!), Stardust Stickles (Ranger), foam tape, pop dots


We hope you've enjoyed the sneak peeks of the today! If you're feeling lucky, one lucky commenter on this post will win this set that we've shared today! Just leave a comment with your answer to the following question before 8PM Eastern on Friday, April 17!

Question: Who is the most inspirational woman in your life?

Sneak Preview - Wishful Elegance

Hey there, Verve Fans! Are you lovin' the previews so far? We have another day packed full of eye candy for you today! This time you get a peek at a new set called Wishful Elegance. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

From diva Shannan Teubner:

When I first laid eyes on Wishful Elegance, I was so excited to see another background, Verve style! Fresh, elegant, and versatile are all things that you have come to expect from Verve, and this set is no exception. I was inspired by this ribbon (from May Arts) to go with this color combo. I stamped the background in Versamark on Kraft cardstock and embossed it with white embossing powder. I then stamped the flower image three times on the main panel, and added the sentiment. I masked the sentiment with a piece of scrap paper and stamped some stems with the stem image from Thankful Blossoms. I then stamped the flower three more times on white cardstock and colored them with Copics, cut them out, and popped them up with dimensionals. Some buttons with twine and a few black accent layers finished off my bright, fun birthday card.


From diva Laurie Schmidlin:

Just when I think I know what my all-time favorite Verve set is....Julee goes and makes another gorgeous set that takes over that fave spot! That is exactly what happened with the new sets that are being released this month!! Wishful Elegance is so versatile, and I can definitely see this becoming my "go-to" set! For my project today, I used the large and small daisy stamp (all colored in with Copics). The photo holder is one that I picked up at JoAnn's in the "dollar bin". Even though it was decorated in a cheer leading theme, I saw possibilities! I took off all of the existing images, repainted it in black, and added my flower images (each side has a different color flower that coordinates with the card). I wanted a curved edge on my card, so I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig and some masking to emboss the Birthday Wishes sentiment along the curved edge. For embellishments, I added a few buttons, some ribbon, & rhinestones.


From diva Susan Liles:

Hello Verve fans! Well, it looks like that genius we all know and love as the Verve-alicious Julee Tilman has done it again! She has come up with some more WOW sets for April! My card for today uses Wishful Elegance. This set covers all the bases from Birthday to Anniversary, to Wedding. It can be dressed up or down to fit any style as well. Here I went for a more "scrappy" look, following a trendy color scheme of black, pinks and aquas. I love how the sentiments are a combination of block letters and script, too. The pattern on the dark pink layer was made with a background stamp included in the set that is so easy to line up to keep everything nice and straight. So if you're "wishing" for a little "elegance", Verve's got you covered this month!



From diva Jackie Pedro:

When I saw this month's new sets I literally swooned!! I don't know how Julee does it month after month, but you are going to swoon, too, when you get a peek at these new sets in their entirety!! When I sat down to create a card with the new set, Wishful Elegance, I was immediately reminded of a sunflower, hence the color combo! The layout I chose is from this week's Sketch For You To Try from Jen del Muro. I layered two of the flowers from the set and added a little chocolate sugar coating glitter to the flower centers to give them some zing. I am always in need of a birthday card so I chose the Birthday Wishes sentiment, but this set is also perfect for anniversaries or weddings! All of the cardstock, designer paper and ribbon is from Papertrey Ink.

And last but not least, welcome our fabulous guest diva Teresa Kline:

Well, I guess you could say this is my favorite Verve release. Not only are the stamps wonderful but, to be designing along side some fabulous talent is a dream come true.
My card base is blush blossom used with SEI Sweet Pea DP. I accented with black, sewing around the bottom panel and tied it with black twill ribbon. The flower blooms are from the new set Wishful Elegance, I luv the way they pop. I colored them with copics R02, YR02, and YR07. I then added glittery blush colored brads to the center. I cut them out and popped them up with glue dots. The stems of the flowers are from an older Verve set called Thankful Blossoms. For me the Wishful Elegance set will be one to remember!

We hope you've enjoyed the sneak peeks of Wishful Elegance! One lucky winner will receive a free Wishful Elegance set...will it be you? All you have to do is leave a comment with your answer to the following question before 8PM Eastern on Friday, April 17, and we'll draw a winner and post it before the release!

Question: What is your favorite wildflower?

Be sure and check back tomorrow for previews of the final set of the month! In the meantime, if you'd like to win some new Verve Stamps, check out the challenges that Julee is having for release week HERE!

Sneak Preview - Plain Janes

Are you ready for another Verve release? I know I am! :) On April 17th at 9pm EST, please join us in the Verve forum on SCS for our next release party! Over the next couple of days you get to see some sneak peeks here on the Verve Blog, so stay tuned! Today's sneak peeks are of the FOUR new Plain Janes that will be released! Enjoy!

from Diva Amber Hight:
The stamps being released this month are nothing short of exquisite! I think we can all agree that Julee has that special touch and can turn anything into gold! I chose to work with the Medallion PJ because I saw a couple matching medallions on a much smaller scale in the new Wishful Elegance set. I thought it would make a really nice background so I created my own dp! I hope you're enjoying the peeks this week, much more goodness to come!





from Diva Amy Sheffer:
I've been a big fan of Verve's Plain Jane line ever since it was introduced, and I'm an even bigger fan now, because this month, in addition to two new sentiment stamps, for the first time, Verve is introducing two image stamps as well! I was especially drawn to the Medallion image. It is quintessential "Verve" -- sophisticated, elegant, timeless. Plus it's versatile enough to use as a focal point or as an accent or background. I paired it with some formal papers from the La Creme stack by Die Cuts With a View to make an anniversary card. Fancy paper piercing and dry embossing, black satin ribbon, bling, as well as two different decorative borders all help play up the elegance. To keep the focus on the medallion, I placed the sentiment on the inside, which is also decorated to coordinate with the card front. While this image works beautifully as a focal point, long-time Verve enthusiasts are sure to appreciate how well it goes with so many of Verve's previously released sets.


from Diva Michelle Woerner:
This month's Plain Janes are amazing! It's the return of the amazing 6 petal flower from Grateful Elegance!! My card uses the Mother's Day Plain Jane. The size of this stamp is big enough to be the focal point of the card. I love how the "O" in Mother is that gorgeous flower! I colored the flower with a copic marker and put a tiny rhinestone in the center. The other flowers are colored the same way and stamped from another set to be peeked soon!! The designer paper is Basic Grey Infuse and the lovely taupe silk ribbon is from Sharon Johnson's Ribbon store. Doesn't it make the most lovely bows??







from Diva Charmaine Ikach:
When I first saw the Plain Janes for this month's release, I chose my favorite right away! The Sunshine Plain Jane is so perfect for me and the "everyday" kind of cards I make. It might also be because "You Are My Sunshine" is an all time favorite song of mine and one that I sing to my kids regularly. :) Who wouldn't smile if they opened up a card with this sentiment? I also used the Wishful Elegance set to create the background for my card. You'll see peeks of that set tomorrow! :)

We hope you've enjoyed the sneak peeks of the Plain Janes today! If you're feeling lucky, one lucky commenter on this post will win all four of the Plain Janes we've shared today! Just leave a comment with your answer to the following question before 8PM Eastern on Friday, April 17!

Question: What is your favorite song from childhood?

Be sure and check back tomorrow and the day after for the other two sets to be released! In the meantime, if you'd like to win some new Verve Stamps, check out the challenges that Julee is having for release week HERE!

April 2009 Release Week Challenges!

Hey Everyone! It's release week here at Verve, and we've got some special challenges going on. Play along for your chance to win some new Verve stamps!

All the details can be found in this thread in the Verve Forum.

Deadline for prize drawings is Friday, April 17 @ 8 PM Eastern

Goodbye, Hello & a WINNER!

Thanks to everyone who participated in our Egg-stra Special Spring project parade! Your entries and comments have been a delight these last couple of weeks. The winner will be announced a little later in this post, but first off I have a few little announcements.

At the end of March we said goodbye to one of our original Divas, Bethany Paull. Bethany is such an amazing stamper and has inspired me personally so much over the last few years. Her projects on SCS always caught my eye, and she was one of the first people I thought of when I started the Verve design team. It's been such a blessing working with her. She has such a sweet spirit and she'll be greatly missed around Verve! We wish her all the best in the future. Love ya, Bethany!

And as one goodbye becomes a hello, I'm so happy to be welcoming Lynda Benden to our little group of Divas! Lynda has such a graceful style, making intricately beautiful creations look easy. She was one of our January 2009 guest designers and her fun personality, great attitude and beautiful projects made it a no-brainer when I started thinking who I'd like to add to the team. I just know you'll love the Verve projects she has in store for you! Welcome to the Diva-hood, Lynda!

We've also got a few new sets releasing this month at our release party on April 17. Playing along with us this month as our April Guest Diva is the fabulous Teresa Kline. Teresa is a loyal customer, a faithful release party and challenge participant and also part of the Mojo Monday design team. Her projects with Verve stamps are inspiring and beautiful, and I'm always oohing and aaaahing when I head over to her blog. Welcome, Teresa!

And speaking of Mojo Monday, it's a contest week, and we'll be picking 7 favorite entries to win free Verve sets, so be sure to play along!

Okay, did I lose you yet???
Enough with the wait... here's the winner of our Egg-stra Special Spring project parade:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 25
Timestamp: 2009-04-05 23:09:51 UTC

Congrats, southernscraps! You've won a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Stamps store! Please email me at info@vervestamps.com to claim your prize. Here's Fonda's entry - check out her blog to see it up close and read about her cute project!

Project Parade Day 14 - The Last Hurrah!

Have you been having fun watching the Divas kickin' it Easter style? I don't know how many times my jaw has dropped when I've tuned in over the course of the parade. Today is the last day of our parade, and I have a special little project that Guest Diva Jodi Collins made. Can you say ADORABLE? Couldn't you just pinch her DD's little rosy cheeks?

But, oh, I'm getting ahead of myself! First off I've got a winner to announce!

Vickilyn said...
These are adorable!! I still need to get some of those March sets!!

Congrats Vickilyn! You’re the lucky winner of any Verve Stamps set of your choice (up to $24 value)! Please send an email to info@vervestamps.com with your set choice and shipping address to claim your prize!



Okay, now back to the adorable little cheeks! Isn't this Easter frame pure CUTENESS? Jodi plans to take a photo of her daughter all dolled up on Easter morning and give it to her mom. What a perfect little gift. I absolutely love all the gorgeous little details on this project. The wavy border, the rhinestones, the ribbon, the colors, all work in perfect harmony. And that little sentiment treatment in the corner? Divine! Jodi stamped a flower from Miracles Blossom in the center and then stamped over it with the Happy Easter sentiment from Chocolate Bunnies. These are layered on some Nestabilities circle die cuts in chocolate and regal rose, and then she added little tabs of ribbon all around the back of the circle to form a flower shape.

What's In It?
Stamps: Practically Perfect, Chocolate Bunnies (sentiment) and Miracles Blossom (the flower behind the sentiment) (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Regal Rose (SU!), Chocolate Chip (SU!), Choice White (Taylored Expressions), Sweet Always Designer Series Paper (SU!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Wood Frame (Darice), Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Valet Ribbon Originals (SU!), Regal Rose Grosgrain Ribbon (SU!), Rhinestones (unknown), Dotted Wave Punch (EK Success), Copic Markers and Dimensionals

Today is the last day of the parade, so that means it's the last day for all you procrastinators (like me!) to get your inner Diva on and win some VERVE! One lucky participant will win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Stamps store! All you have to do is create an egg-stra special spring project or card and link it up with the Mr. Linky form HERE. Entries will close at 8PM Mountain on Saturday, April 4 (that's tonight!) Verve Stamps are not required, but we do LOVE to see 'em if you got 'em!

Thanks so much for visiting us for another parade! We had a blast and hope you did too! Stay tuned on Monday for a very special Verve announcement, plus the winner of the Project Parade drawing!

Project Parade Day 13 - Cupcakes!

Hey everyone, it's Julee here. I've been enjoying this parade so much! I just can't believe the amazing projects the Divas have come up with. Aren't they great? Don't forget that your Egg-stra Special Spring projects or cards are due Saturday, April 4 by 8PM Mountain. {Click here} to link up your creation!

Today's scrumptious project comes from Guest Diva Kelly Lunceford. I didn't think I could love cupcakes any more than I already do until I saw Kelly's awesome project! Here's a little bit about her adorable cupcake toppers in her own words...




As I thought about what I would be making for the Project Parade, my mind was racing. I couldn't decide on the *perfect* project until I was at the grocery store last week on the Easter aisle. I saw the selection of cupcake liners, sprinkles and frosting and the light bulb went on! Cupcakes! Who doesn't love cupcakes?

I have fallen in love with all of the new images from the March release, so I thought it would be fun to combine a few of them for a fun Easter presentation. I used images from the Chocolate Bunnies set, Floral Symphony and Miracles Blossom. I have been making my own cupcake toppers for years now, partly because they are so easy and I love how I can make everything coordinate! Who wouldn't love a plate full of delicious cupcakes with delightful Easter toppers? They only take a little bit of time, but the recipient will know how much they are loved!



You can use toothpicks or sucker sticks, depending on how tall you would like them. I chose to use toothpicks, because the designs I was using are delicate and small. I stamped the various images onto white cardstock using Palette Noir ink. Each image was then colored with an assortment of Copic and Prismacolor markers. Once I had them all colored, I punched them out with various punches. I kept the color palette simple and springy for a cohesive presentation.



The toothpicks are adhered to the back of each topper using a small piece of clear tape. Once you have your cupcakes frosted and sprinkled, simply add your toppers. I chose to use lemon cake and lemon frosting with a simple nest of coconut topped with a trio of chocolate eggs. Yummy! I hope you have fun personalizing your Easter festivities this year!

So have you made your Egg-Stra Special creation yet??? Play along with us for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Stamps store. All you have to do is create an egg-stra special spring project or card and link it up with the Mr. Linky form HERE. Entries will close at 8pm Mountain on Saturday, April 4, so don't be late! Verve Stamps are not required, but we do LOVE to see 'em if you've got 'em!

And we'll be picking one more random commenter during the parade who will win her choice of any Verve Stamps set. So if you see a project you like, be sure to leave some love! :) Good luck and have FUN!

Project Parade - Day 12 and a Winner!

Hi, it's Amy today - welcome to Day 12 of the Egg-stra Special Spring Project Parade. Before I show my project, I get to announce the newest random winner! This winner comes from the comments left on Michelle's post yesterday. Without further ado .... Mary, come on down, you've just won any Verve Stamps set of your choice (up to a $24 value)!

Mary said...
What a tasty (looking) combo!! So fun!

Congratulations, Mary! To claim your prize, please send an email to info@vervestamps.com with your set choice and shipping address.

Now, back to the parade. I've been having such a fun time checking the blog each day to see the newest Vervalicious creation. Such amazing stuff - hope you've been getting some great ideas!

For my project, I decided to get a little crafty in my kitchen as well as my stamp room. Take a look:



I thought these hatching chick candy molds by Wilton would be perfect paired up with the "Just Hatched" sentiment from the Chocolate Bunnies set. I followed the directions on the mold using white and colored candy melts, then added lollipop sticks while the candy was still melted. After the candy set up, I tied the raffia bow and button accent to the stick.

The pail came from the Target $1 spot a while back. (It came in a pack of three, and was labeled as a wedding favor item). First, I gave the pail a little skirt using a combination of scalloped green polka-dot paper, some yellow and brown paper and pink pom-pom trim. The pot is filled with a small piece of florist foam topped with some paper Easter grass. When the pail was finished, I stuck the lollipop stick into the florist foam. It was a little wobbly, so to stabilize it, I gently pulled the stick and foam back out, stuck a large glue dot on the end of the stick, then put the whole thing back in the pail. Here's a closer look:



The packaging is a clear gusseted cellophane bag. In the bottom is a piece of thick chipboard covered with matching green polka-dot paper. The pail is attached to the base with a large glue dot. For the topper, I layered the green polka dot paper onto white, folded in half and secured to the cello bag using two silver brads. I stamped the eggs in brown ink, colored with Copics, and trimmed them out. The white egg was cut with an oval Nestability, then stamped and cut with a freehand zigzag at the top. Here's a close-up of the topper:



So do you want some new Verve??? Play along with us during our Project Parade for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Stamps store. All you have to do is create an egg-stra special spring project or card and link it up with the Mr. Linky form HERE. Entries will close at 8pm Mountain on Saturday, April 4! Verve Stamps are not required, but we do LOVE to see 'em if you've got 'em!

I do believe we'll be picking one more random commenter during the parade. Just like today's winner, she (or he) will win her choice of any Verve Stamps set. You never know which Diva will be drawing, so if you see a project you like, be sure to leave some love! :) Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Project Parade - Day 11

Hi everyone, it's Michelle! Have you all been enjoying all the Diva's Egg-stra special projects so far??? I sure have!

CHECK OUT THIS COOKIE! Yep, that's a cookie. I was at my local bakery a couple weeks ago buying my DH's birthday cake and hanging from a wire were dozens of these Spring/Easter cookies. The more I stared at them, the more I realized they were a PERFECT match for the new flower designs in this month's sets!! Even down to the flower pot. So, how could I resist? LOL!

For my projects, I used my FAV new set, Miracles Bloom. I colored the blooms and pot to match the colors in the cookie using Copic Markers then painted with Angel Wings Shimmerz. The paper from DCWV Citrus Pack had the perfect colors and I used a piece of Tangering Tango with a kraft base.

This card is 5 1/4" square and I used a variety of Nestabilities dies to create a recessed kind of a look. Both blooms, the pot and the frameare popped up on dimensionals. The sentiment is from Chocolate Bunnies and is stamped on the matching yellow DP. I then stamped another bloom at the end and colored it to match the main image. The ribbon is Persimmon craft seam binding by Martha Stewart.

I also made a tag to match for the cookie! These are so super easy to make and they pack quite a punch! I just trimmed around the stamped sentiment with a bit of room at the top and bottom, then punched the top with my SU Tag punch. Add a bit of sponging, some scraps from the card and done!

I would love to say that this cute ensemble went to my son's preschool teacher, like it was intended. BUT... I totally lost control and took a huge bite from the cookie the other night (what can I say?). Have to tell you, it wasn't as good as it looked. I gave the rest to the boys as a special after dinner treat! Of course they LOVED it!! They said it was the BEST COOKIE EVER! I think it sure is the VERVIEST cookie ever.

So do you want some new Verve??? Play along with us during our Project Parade for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the Verve Stamps store. All you have to do is create an Egg-stra special spring project or card and link it up with the Mr. Linky form HERE. Entries will close at 8PM Mountain on Saturday, April 4! Verve Stamps are not required, but we do LOVE to see 'em if you've got 'em!

And to put a little spring in your step, we'll be picking five random commenters over the course of the parade who will win their choice of any Verve Stamps set. There are still a few winner left to choose...You never know which Diva will be drawing, so if you see a project you like, be sure to leave the girls some love! :) Good luck and thanks for stopping by!!

Thanks for stopping by!