Spotlight on Kerri Michaud

Hi again! I'm back for day 2 of our Guest Diva spotlights and today I get to shine our little Verve spotlight on Guest Diva Kerri Michaud.

Kerri won our hearts with her gorgeous entry in our Guest Diva Contest last month, and I've had such a fun time working with her for this release. Her style is classic and every creation she sent me just made me clap my hands in delight. I'm inserting a few of her projects throughout her VERVE-i-view below. To see all of her projects for this release, you can view her guest album in our gallery. Okay I'll start things off with this adorable little kleenex box gift set using the new Feel Better plain jane.



When/how did you get hooked on stamping? I, like many, got hooked on stamping after having my first Stampin’ Up party just over a year ago. I really enjoyed scrapbooking and loved to make cards, however I never used stamps on my projects. I’m a total and complete stamping addict now lol!

How often do you stamp? Almost every day! I’m so fortunate to be a stay at home mom which usually allows me some time during the day to retreat to my stamping space : )

Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury. Probably poking myself with my paper piercer. Those things are sharp!

This card Kerri made with the Forever in Our Hearts set is so serene and beautiful. The interesting color combo, shading and perfect emebellishments make this card something special. And I just love the way she stamped the bird in blue.



How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? I’m a pretty slow crafter. I will continue to change something until I’m happy with it, and the constant interruptions from my three little ones don’t help much either!

Tell me about your creative space. I have to start with a clean slate, so I clean up after each and every project. If you walk in halfway through, however, my space looks like a tornado just hit lol!

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what craft tool would you take with you? Why? This is the hardest question of all! It would probably have to be my Big Shot so that I could use my Spellbinders, embossing plates and folders, die cuts, etc. Is that legal???

Okay, time for another intermission... and a totally Verve-a-licious card using Psalm 121:1-2.



What is your biggest source of inspiration? Definitely Blogs and Splitcoast!

Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why? There are soooo many people that I admire, and soooo many different styles out there! I can take away something from everyone! I hate political answers though, so I will say that one of the first people that caught my eye and made me say I want to be like her is Amy Sheffer : ) Why? She’s just plain AWESOME!!!

What is your favorite set from this release? I truly love all things Verve, but I will have to say that my favorite set is Kindred Spirits. I just LOVE the Fleur de Lis!

Aren't Kerri's creations just beautiful? I hope you've enjoyed hanging out with us this morning and getting to know a little bit more about her. Thanks for stopping by!

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Spotlight on Christina Fischer

Hello All! I hope you had a great weekend! Our release party on Friday was a perfect start to a great weekend! Today I get to shine our little Verve spotlight on Guest Diva Christina Fischer.

I've been a fan of Christina's fabulous style for quite a while, and even though I knew how awesome she was, she still blew me away with her projects for this release. I'm inserting a few of her projects throughout her VERVE-i-view below and you'll see what I mean! To see all of her projects for this release, you can view her guest album in our gallery. Okay I'll start things off with this adorable 3 x 3 card set box using the new 1 Peter 5:7 set and the Leaves plain jane.



When/how did you get hooked on stamping? I became hooked on stamping after attending a friend's Stampin' Up! workshop about 8 years ago. Soon after that, I was introduced to Splitcoaststampers, and I haven't looked back since!


How often do you stamp? I used to try to stamp every day. Recently, though, I've decided that it's better to crank out a few projects in one day so I can have one or two days off to take care of my home and family! It's difficult to keep a balance sometimes -- I could easily let everything else go and stamp all day! :)

Tell me about your funniest or most embarrassing stamping related injury. There was this one time when my paper trimmer was starting to leave rough edges on my cardstock. I knew I had just recently changed the blade, so I thought I'd check to see if the blade was sharp. I pulled the blade out of the trimmer and ran my thumb over it. I don't know what I was thinking...

This tag Christina made with the Just for You set has me totally in the mood to start some Christmas designs. The fabulous ribbon looks just like that amazing old-fashioned peppermint candy. Gorgeous!



How long does it take you to create a project that you're happy with? I am a sloooooow stamper. I fuss and fuss with layouts and details until everything sits right with me. Most of my cards take at least an hour to make -- but I've been known to work on a card all day until I was satisfied!

Tell me about your creative space. When I'm working on a project, I tend to keep grabbing things as I go. When the frenzy is over, I'm usually left with quite a mess! I do have to pick it up and start with a clean slate before I can work on the next project -- I focus better that way!

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what craft tool would you take with you? Why? I'd probably take my paper piercer. I use it all the time -- for piercing, faux stitching, brad placement, unclogging glue bottles... Besides, it might come in handy for catching some food!

Okay, time for another intermission... and a totally Verve-a-licious card using Just for You.



What is your biggest source of inspiration? Definitely Splitcoaststampers. I would never have tried new things or stretched myself creatively if I hadn't been inspired by the galleries and challenges on SCS. All the blogs I visit daily are a close second!


Who in the stamping world do you want to be when you grow up and why? Oh my gosh -- that's too difficult to answer! I have to pinch myself all the time, because I get to work with some of the best papercrafters in the business. I truly feel humbled (and a bit surprised!) when I get the opportunity to serve on a design team or be a guest designer. I just hope to keep learning and improving!

What is your favorite set from this release? That's a tough one! I would probably have to choose Forever in Our Hearts. Sympathy cards are often difficult to make, but the beautiful sentiments and images in that set make it much easier!

So, you see what I mean? Fabulous designs and a thoughtful and fresh take on colors and embellishments -- every one of Christina's creations just captures your eye. I hope you've enjoyed learning a little more about this fabulous stamper as much as I have! Thanks for stopping by!

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New Stamps Just Released!

Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate our new release! Our four newest sets and four new Plain Janes are now available in the Verve Store!

We had a fabulous release party! Congrats to all our winners. Check out this thread to see the winners of our Sneak Preview Blog Candy!

Have a great weekend!

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Sneak Preview: Forever in Our Hearts

Welcome to Day 3 of our Sneak Previews! Today we're featuring cards made with Forever in Our Hearts. This set will be available immediately following our Release Party TONIGHT. Be sure to read all the way to the end of this post to find out how you can have a chance at winning this beautiful set!

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From the desk of Guest Diva Christina Fischer:

Hi, everyone! I'm thrilled and honored to be posting a sneak preview as a Guest Diva this month! When I saw the set Forever in Our Hearts, I knew I wanted to work with it right away! Sympathy cards are often difficult to make, but the beautiful sentiments and images in this set make it much easier. One of my best friends recently recognized the first anniversary of his father's death, and I wish I had this set then!

On my card, I used Basic Grey Urban Prairie paper, organdy ribbon, and some Prima Caboodles flowers. I embossed the background paper with a Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots folder, then I stamped the leaf images over it to create an interesting texture. I stamped the leaves again on the patterned panel to create a continuous image, then I centered the flowers over them. I finished the inside of the card with the small leaf image and another of the beautiful sentiments from this set.

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From the desk of Diva Jackie Pedro:

When Julee showed us the new sets for this release I was blown away (so what's new) and when I saw one of the sets was a sympathy set I KNEW if it was coming from Verve that it would be BEAUTIFUL. Forever in Our Hearts is one of the most beautiful sympathy sets I've seen, so serene and peaceful, and fills an empty space in my stamp collection. There are so many comforting sentiments in this set and the images are perfect. I don't know anybody who wants to make a sympathy card, but this is THE set to have on hand when the need arises.

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From the desk of Diva Charmaine Ikach:

Here's a simple card using the new Forever in Our Hearts set from Verve. I just LOVE the silhouette images in this set. I would usually stamp them in black or the same color as the cardstock they're stamped on, but I decided to use my Versamark pad and pastels for this card for a softer, more delicate look.

 I also thought the Bird Call Cuttebug folder went well with this particular image. In the stamped image, the bird is in flight while in the Cuttlebug embossed image, the bird has landed and is still. I think you'll find that the sentiments in this set are PERFECT for making cards for those going through difficult times.

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From the desk of Diva Amy Sheffer:

I wish I could tell you you'll never need Forever in Our Hearts, but the truth is, this is a must-have set more than most others. Why? Because when bad things happen and we find ourselves at a loss for words, a good sympathy set is truly invaluable. The imagery in Forever in Our Hearts is peaceful and the sentiments heartfelt, making those difficult sympathy cards at least a little bit easier.

For my card, I've chosen a soothing blue-green-brown color scheme and kept the overall design clean and simple. The tree is stamped in brown pigment ink and clear embossed. I added just a few extras to enhance the overall design: some scoring, pleated satin ribbon, pearls, and some pretty scallops on the sentiment and along the bottom border.

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From the desk of Diva Shannan Teubner:

One of my favorite things about Verve Stamps is their versatility, and Forever in Our Hearts is no exception. Personally, I have always struggled with finding just the "right thing" to say, and I love how this set has a huge variety of traditional and so very thoughtful sentiments, as well as some gorgeous images.

I wanted to try a different approach to this image, so I misted my watercolor paper with water first, then colored my image with Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, and Real Red markers and stamped it on the wet paper. Once the image dried, I colored the image again and re-stamped a clearer image over the top of the softened one. This technique is an old favorite, and it worked perfectly for the look I was going for. I finished the card off with the large branch image and a sentiment from this set. I think this would be a great encouragement card in addition to a sympathy card...the beauty of Julee's wonderfully thoughtful stamps.

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Well, are you totally blown away by the Divas so far? I know I am!

We have one more little surprise up our sleeve for you today! Just leave a comment with your answer to the following question before 5PM Eastern on Friday, June 26 (that's TODAY!) and you'll be put in a drawing to win Forever in Our Hearts! Winners will be announced during our release party.

Question: Do you have an image that you'd love to see Verve-Style? What is it?

Sneak Preview: Just for You

Are you enjoying the June Sneak Previews so far? I know I have been blown away by all the amazing cards the Divas are coming up with this time (but then again, they always blow me away with their outstanding talent!). Today is Day 2 of the Sneak Previews and the featured stamp set is called Just for You. This set is all about placing the focus on meaningful sentiments to let that someone special know you care. Just For You will be available immediately following our Release Party this Friday night. Be sure to read all the way to the end of this post to find out how you can have a chance at winning this beautiful set!

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From the desk of Diva Susan Liles:
Well, I couldn't help myself. Don't tell anyone, but I usually have to go "in order" and finish up a project I'm working on before starting a new one. But not this time. I just had to use this new Just for You set as soon as I had a free moment. I shoved everything aside and made a tiny spot on my desk to work this card out. I have to say, I think this set is my new favorite (arent't they all?). Before making any Verve cards, I always check out what our Diva, Amber's got going on over on the SCS forum with the Viva La Verve sketches. BINGO! Her week three sketch for June (VLVJUN03) called for a circle and a lot of white space. A perfect match for this card! I did fudge it a little bit and used Confetti Cream (or white?) instead of pure white. I really like the "organic" look to it with the yellow and the natural colored buttons. OH and it smells like chocolate! The sentiment is embossed with scented EP. Sorry ya'll can't smell it through your computer. Scratching and sniffing your monitor is not highly recommended.

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From the desk of Diva Jen Tapler:
When I saw all of the super versatile sentiments in the new Just For You set, I knew it would be another of my "Go To" Verve sets that I find myself reaching for again and again. There's so much versatility with the sentiments in this set - allowing you to use it for a simple all-occasion card or for a very specific "special" card for an important and influential person in your life. Of course, as usual, Julee has chosen the perfect combination of different fonts and somehow put them together to give each sentiment a little more impact. I love the larger size of most of the sentiments and that circular "frame" has to be my favorite touch - making it so easy to create a project with a beautifully highlighted sentiment as your focal image.

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From the desk of Guest Diva Kerri Michaud:
Hello! I had so much fun playing with all of the FABULOUS new sets this month! Thank you soooo much, Julee, for giving me the opportunity to be Guest Diva! It was a true honor! For my card I used one of the sentiments from Just For You. There are many sweet sentiments in this set, as well as some that are perfect for gift giving. I first stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip, then removed the ink from the YOU and leaves using a SU Blender Pen (a tip I learned from Julee). I colored the YOU with a Stampin’ Write Ruby Red marker, and the leaves with a Stampin’ Write Old Olive marker. I cut out the sentiment using Oval Nestabilities and layered it onto Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip scalloped ovals. I stamped the daisies from Verve’s Wishful Elegance set with Chocolate Chip, and sponged them with Ruby Red. I cut them out and popped the larger middle one up on a Dimensional. I paper pieced the centers with some dp from SU Bella Rose DSP which is what I used on the entire card. I added the leaves that I punched out of Kiwi Kiss with the Martha Stewart Fern Punch and I love how they look with the leaves on the sentiment!

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From the desk of Diva Amber Hight:
The sets being released this month are another fantastic bunch of stamps! I am especially loving the sentiments in the new set Just for You. I had so much fun playing with this set and I know that you'll love it too!
The card base is a 4.25 square piece of Rich Razzleberry cardstock. I embossed the flowers using my cuttlebug on a piece of black cardstock and glued it down. Next, I stamped the swoosh from Filigree Fantasy. I stamped the sentiment in Rich Razzleberry on Whisper White and cut it out with my circle nestabilities. The smaller circle was created using distress inks and Perfect Pearls by Ranger. I stamped the small branch in Versafine black ink. I added some fun pearls randomly around the card and finished it off with a chipboard butterfly by K&Co!
I hope you enjoy the rest of the wonderful sneak peeks!

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From the desk of Diva Jen del Muro:
When I first saw this sentiment in the Just for You set, I knew that it was the one that I wanted to use for my sneak peek card. I think it's a very versatile sentiment that can be used on Mother's Day, Father's Day or even a special teacher's card. It can easily be modified into a masculine or feminine project. Mine is obviously a little more feminine with the satin ribbon and pearls. I hope that everyone is enjoying the sneak peeks and is ready for the release tomorrow!

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Wow! Pretty hot stuff, huh? Stay tuned tomorrow for another fabulous set debut!

We've got another little somethin' in the Verve Candy Jar today!Just leave a comment with your answer to the following question before 5PM Eastern on Friday, June 26 and you'll be put in a drawing to win Just for You! Winners will be announced during our release party that night.

Question: What meaningful phrase or sentiment do you wish was offered by Verve?

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Sneak Preview: Kindred Spirits

Welcome to Day 1 of our Sneak Previews! We've got some fabulous new sets to share with you this week, so lets jump right in. Today we're featuring cards made with Kindred Spirits, a set with timeless fleur de lis imagery and classic sentiments to honor those special friends in your life. This set will be available immediately following our Release Party this Friday night. Be sure to read all the way to the end of this post to find out how you can have a chance at winning this beautiful set!

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From the desk of Diva Tosha Leyendekker:

I couldn't be happier!! This is my first sneak peek with Verve, and when I saw this set I was like...*this is so me*!! Woot!! I love the different sizes of the images, and the sentiments are fabulous! I don't know what to call the main image shape, but the instant I saw it I thought how perfect the little one would fit into the stamped off larger one. What fun!! This set is so versatile I can see myself coming back again and again to these images.



I used Frayed Burlap Ranger Distress Ink, and stamped off the main image. The smaller one was stamped directly over it (no stamp positioner was needed since they're clear) with the same color. All the edges were ink distressed with Frayed Burlap also. I framed this fabulous image with an oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders), and provided a pierced bg that I made with an Ornare template. The swirls and flowers are SU! diecuts, and the punched border is fiskars. I added a touch of bling with Kaisercraft pearls and rhinestones, and Zva Creative Multicolored Mini Rhinestones. I had so much fun using these images, that I decorated the inside of the card and an envelope also. (Two things I rarely take the time to do!!)

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From the desk of Diva Michelle Woerner:

Oh, Julee did it again! This set is amazing! I love how you can mix and match the images and create your own backgrounds - so versatile. The sentiments are all perfect for sending cards to your very special girlfriends. I stamped the damask-ish image in alternating colors and punched the sentiment with the SU large oval. Some ribbon, a large flower and a button finish off the card.

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From the desk of Diva Laurie Schmidlin:

"Timeless Elegance" is the best way I can describe the new Kindred Spirits set! I just LOVE it! There are so many possibilities with this set, and I just adore how Julee adds different sizes of the same image for even more versatility!

For my card, I chose to showcase the Fleur de Lis border paired with one of the sentiments included in the same set. I used a slightly modern color combo (black, gray, & coral) but added a vintage feel with the layered and distressed horizontal strips.

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From the desk of Diva Lynda Benden:

I am SO excited to show you my card for today’s sneak peek! I was SO drawn to this set and could hardly wait to use it!!! The 3 strips of DP are from SU!’s Rockabilly Specialty paper collection. The bottom Fleur de Lis border is actually one of the stamps included in the Kindred Spirits set and was stamped with Kiwi Kiss ink. I added some small black rhinestones using my Quickie glue pen.



I stamped the oval Fleur de Lis 2 times on Whisper White card stock. One time using Basic Black ink and the second time using Kiwi Kiss ink. I cut the entire Basic Black Fleur de Lis oval out and set it aside. I punched just the oval out, using my large SU! Oval punch, of the Kiwi Kiss Fleur de Lis and then stamped the sentiment in the center using Basic Black ink. This piece was then mounted on top of the Black Fleur de Lis using dimensionals. Before I adhered this piece to the center of my card, I added 3 black strips of narrow grosgrain ribbon and then added a Kiwi heart button on the oval using a glue dot. I hope you enjoy all the sneak peeks coming up this week. I KNOW the Diva’s will have some gorgeous creations to share!!!

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From the desk of Diva Julee Tilman:
I have a soft spot in my heart for fleur de lis imagery, so I had to design a set around these classic symbols. In my initial sit down with this set I cranked out 3 cards in less than an hour and the ideas just kept flowing - there are just so many options.



My card uses the VSJUN03 sketch from our Verve Release Week Challenges. The large oval fleur de lis frame is stamped on Regal Rose and then again on classic cream. I punched the regal rose piece with the Marvy Mega Oval punch (mainly because my oval Nestabilities were temporarily lost) and the inner oval with the SU! wide oval punch. I created a little border on the cream layer with the dotted line stamp and the small fleur de lis. Then I muted the stamping a bit by layering with a piece of vellum cardstock that was embossed with the Swiss dots folder.

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Okay, so what do you think? Did the Divas rock this set, or what? Stay tuned tomorrow for another rockin' set debut!

We've got a little bit of somethin' somethin' in the Verve Candy Jar today, so we're doing a giveaway! Just leave a comment with your answer to the following question before 5PM Eastern on Friday, June 26 and you'll be put in a drawing to win Kindred Spirits! Winners will be announced during our release party that night.

Question: What's the #1 Verve set on your wishlist?

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WINNERS & Release Week Challenge Links

Thanks to everyone who particpated in our It's a Guy Thing Project Parade! I had such fun looking at all your little tributes to the men in your lives. You're such a talented bunch! And wow, the Divas amazed me once again with their creativity! So many great ideas for masculine projects! Here's a look back at all the fabulous projects the Divas created.

Okay, on with the winners announcement...

Congrats to our 2 lucky participants chosen by Random.org:
21. Andrea Vernagus
35. Deborah Young

They each receive a Verve Stamps set of their choice!

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And our lucky commenter Gift Certificate was hidden on Tosha's post. Congrats to the 12th commenter:
Cheri Howard said...
Sooooo cute (can I use that word for a "manly" gift? heehee) Great inspiration!

She receives $25 in Verve Bucks good for anything at the Verve Stamps Store.

Okay, congrats Andrea, Deborah and Cheri!!! Just send an email to contests@vervestamps.com to claim your prize! If you won a set, please include the name of the set you would like and your full name and shipping address.

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If you're not a winner today, there's lots more chances to win stamps this week.

It's release week at Verve and we've got Release Week Challenges! Play along and complete all 5 challenges for 5 chances to win some Verve, plus a grand prize of our entire release!
June Release Week Challenges Link

And don't forget about the deadline for this month's Viva la VERVE! challenges. You still have until MIDNIGHT CST on Thursday, June 25 to get your entries in. One lucky winner will win our entire release!
Week 1 Link *** Week 2 Link *** Week 3 Link *** Week 4 Link

Have fun and good luck!!! We'll see you back here on Wednesday for the start of our Diva Sneak Peeks and probably some more chances to win Verve!

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Project Parade Day 12

Hey there! Jen Tapler here to share my It's a Guy Thing project with all you Verve fans (get ready, this is gonna be a long-winded post!!). I don't know about all of you, but the other divas have been knocking my socks off with their amazing projects this month!!

My guy-themed project is a little mini-album I made for Joel, my hubby, for Father's Day featuring about 8 of my favorite photos of him with our son Dean from the day of his birth through last month. The album itself is a tabbed MDF Kaiser Crafts album I picked up at a scrapbook store on the mainland last week. I used printed digital papers from Dani Mogstad's Tough Guy kit (Sweet Shoppe Designs) along with Chocolate Chip and Kraft CS (SU). I added various ribbons, buttons, hemp twine, staples and punches for embellishments and used several new and old Verve sets (all stamped in Chocolate Chip ink) throughout the album. Here's a look at some of the pages...

For the front cover, I used the large "Dad" image from Protector as well as some of the star outlines from Seeing Stars:On the next set of pages, I used a few of the images from the new Dad's Day set (click image for closer view):I love combining my Verve sentiments and for the "Rockstar Dad" sentiment on this set of pages, I masked a sentiment from Starlight Starbright and combined with "Dad" from World's Best, then added more stars from Seeing Stars.On this page, I used another sentiment from World's Best and my Trio of Tags Spellbinders die to create a little photo tag:And finally, for the back cover I used the same printed papers as the front cover, but this time combined the Father's Day Plain Jane with some stars from Seeing Stars.
I think Joel is going to love this little album and it will make a nice addition to our collection of keepsake mini albums!

Remember, just for playing along with our theme, you'll have a chance to win a Verve stamp set of your choice! Just link your creation to the Mr. Linky form on the Verve Blog Day 1 post before 8 pm MT on Saturday, June 20. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So be sure to check out each day of the parade, and leave lots of comments along the way! Have fun and good luck!

Project Parade - Day 11

Hi, it's Charmaine sharing my It's a Guy Thing project for this month's Project Parade! I don't know about you, but I've been LOVING what the Divas have shared so far for the Project Parade. So many great ideas for the men in our lives! :)

For my project, I continued with my husband's wish of filling our entryway with framed scrapbook pages. Now he has three that are his very own! LOL It's funny, but all three of them were created using Verve Stamps! For this frame I used the Protector and Father's Day Plain Jane sets. The papers are Intense Teal from Prism Papers and the patterned paper is from the Lil' Man Collection by Cosmo Cricket.

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 man in your life. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em, we love to see 'em! Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form HERE before 8PM Mountain on Saturday, June 20. Two lucky participants will win a stamp set of their choice from the Verve Store. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So if you like what you see, be sure and give a little shout out in the comments of each post! Have fun and good luck!

Project Parade ~ Day 10

Hi everyone! It's Jackie here and it's my turn on the Verve Project Parade! Haven't the Diva's done a fabulous job so far? Oh my word....awesome projects!! I decided to alter a frame this time...but let me give you a little background on me....I DON'T ALTER THINGS! LOL! It's not to say that I have never altered anything, but it is really out of my comfort card making zone! I decided I needed to challenge myself a little more, thus the frame! I bought this three tiered frame at Michael's a few months back. It came unfinished with a really ugly ribbon hanger! LOL! I painted it with white acrylic paint and went about working on the individual frames.


This is a picture of the top frame. The DP is from Stampin' Up! and is called Urban Oasis. I used the new set from Verve, Dad's Day and a classic Verve set called Seeing Stars. The sentiment was stamped in Basic Gray (SU!) and punched out with a Wide Oval Punch (SU!). The stars were punched out with two different star punches. (SU!)


This frame holds a picture of both of my girls, Lauren on the right and Sarah on the left. I really wanted a picture of my hubby WITH my girls, but the three just wouldn't cooperate, so I settled on a recent pictures of the girls from my stash instead!


On this frame I used another new Verve set, Protector. "DAD" was stamped in Basic Gray (SU!) and cut out with Curved Rectangle Nestabilities, but before removing it from the die I sponged some Kiwi Kiss classic ink (SU!) around the edges. That is how I achieved the white edge. LOVE that look! The dotted strips came from one of my favorite Verve sets ever, Father Figure. I added some Kiwi Kiss striped grosgrain ribbon as the hanger and I was done! Not so scary at all!! LOL!

Remember, just for playing along with our theme, you'll have a chance to win a Verve Stamp set of your choice! Just link your creation to the Mr. Linky form ON THIS POST before 8PM Mountain Time on Saturday, June 20th. We've also hidden a $25.00 gift certificate to the Verve Store somewhere along the parade for one random commenter. So be sure to check out each day of the parade and give a little shout out!! Good luck and have fun!

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Project Parade ~ Day 9!!!

Hi Verve fans, Lynda here! Today is my day to share with you my project based on this month's Project Parade them of "It's a Guy thing". I am SURE I am not the only woman in the world that has a husband that wouldn't know how to buy a gift unless it jumped in his cart at Home Depot or Gander Mountain!!! LOL!! I have already received my fill of fishing poles, Waders, yard tools, etc... so for this challenge, I took a different route since my husband is different!! LOL!!!

To help him APPEAR to be thoughtful and giving, I made an Origami box along with matching cards for his Dad, Mom, our Son and our Daughter. I felt like an idiot making a card for myself so I'll just do without!! LOL!!! He may not be the best shopper but he is a fantastic Father and a wonderful Husband! LOL!!!

I found the instructions for this box on SCS HERE for one of their Technique Challenges. The instructions are really easy to follow! The decorative paper I used on the box as well as all of the cards if from SU!'s "To the Nines" Collection. The card stock I used were the colors that coordinated with the DP. What I will do is provide a shopping list for each card & the box so you won't get tired of reading while I ramble on!!! LOL!!!

Origami Box Shopping List ~

Stamps ~ Verve ~ Protector (used on the Frame) and World's Best (used for the sentiment inside the label hardware) Ink ~ Sahara Sand, Bravo Burgundy & Chocolate Chip
Paper ~ Sahara Sand, Bravo Burgundy, Sage Shadow and To the Nines DP Other ~ SU! Pewter Hodgepodge, Sticky Strip, Martha Stewart Sage Twill, dimensionals, Square Nestabilities, sponge, Chipboard sheet, glue stick, Scor-pal, Picture of CUTE kids!!!

Here is a closer look at the frame I made with my square Nestabilities and my Verve Protector stamp ~


The 4 cards are all 4x4 and fit perfectly inside the box! Of course the envelopes don't fit but that's ok because I am sure I will be the one sending them and luckily, I know where the envelopes are!!!



Floral Symphony Shopping List ~

Stamps ~ Verve ~ Floral Symphony and Miracles Blossom (the flower pot), Ink ~ Sage Shadow, Pink Pirouette, Sahara Sand, Paper ~ Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Pink Pirouette and Sahara Sand CS and To the Nines DP, Other ~ SU! Scallop border punch, Cotton Candy Stickles, Prismacolor Pencils, Martha Stewart Sage Twill




Whimsy Tree Birthday Wishes Shopping List ~

Stamps ~ Verve ~ Whimsy Tree and Wishful Elegance (Birthday Wishes sentiment inside), Ink ~ Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, Paper ~ Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow and To the Nines DP, Other ~ Prismacolor Pencils, Chocolate Chip grosgrain, Oval Nestabilities, SU! Pewter Hodgepodge buckle, EK Success tree border punch, Dew Drops, dimensionals.


Because of You Birthday Wishes Shopping List ~

Stamps ~ Verve ~ Because of You and Wishful Elegance (sentiment), Ink ~ Bravo Burgundy, Sage Shadow, Paper ~ Shimmery White, Sahara Sand and Sage Shadow CS and To the Nines DP, Other ~ Square Nestabilities, dimensionals, Burgundy Swarvoski Crystals, Photo Corner Punch, Scallop Square Punch (SU!), Mellow Yellow Shimmerz, blender pen


Up, Up and Away...Shopping List ~

Stamps ~ Verve ~ Up, Up and Away, Ink ~ Bravo Burgundy, Sahara Sand, Sage Shadow Paper ~ Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Bravo Burgundy and To the Nines DP, Other ~ Martha Stewart fine clear glitter, dimensionals, square pewter brads from We R Memory Keepers, EK Success border punch

So, how would you like to play along with us? Do you have a special guy in your life (Dad, Husband, Grandpa, etc...) that you'd like to create a project for? This is the time to do it! To play along, just make a project or card that fits your style and celebrates a man in your life. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we love to see 'em! Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form in --->{THIS}<--- post before 8PM Mountain on Saturday, June 20. Two lucky participants will win a stamp set of their choice from the Verve Store. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So if you like what you see, be sure and give a little shout out in the comments of each post! Have fun and good luck!

Project Parade - Day 8

Woohoo! It's my turn to share my project for this month's Project Parade "It's a Guy Thing"! I happen to be sharing my house with lots of guys (my DH and three wonderful sons) so this was a great opportunity for me to make something for them! My middle son Bryan (who is 5), came to me the other day and told me how "pretty I stamp...and could I please make him something sometime". Talk about a heart melter! Well, as I sat down to make him a little "something", I realized that I couldn't make something for just one of my boys...so that is how this little "treat trifecta" came to be! :-)



I just love the new Sweet on You set!! The sentiments are so clever and perfect for little treat containers! These actually came together SO quickly!! I found some amazing templates online (I'll share the links in just a second), printed them out on to colorful c.s., added some stars (made with the Seeing Stars set, punches, & Star Nestabilities) and the coordinating sentiment tags! That's it! I could not believe how easy these were...and I plan on making more for upcoming birthday parties!! Oooh, wouldn't these make fun party favors??!? :-) So fun!

All three templates are from Splitcoast Stampers! You can find the Fry Box HERE, the Sweet Treats Surprise Box HERE, & the Acetate Box HERE.

So, how would you like to play along with us? Do you have a special guy in your life (Dad, Husband, Grandpa, etc...) that you'd like to create a project for? This is the time to do it!
To play along, just make a project or card that fits your style and celebrates a man in your life. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we love to see 'em! Then just add a link to your creation to the Mr. Linky form in --->{THIS}<--- post before 8PM Mountain on Saturday, June 20. Two lucky participants will win a stamp set of their choice from the Verve Store. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So if you like what you see, be sure and give a little shout out in the comments of each post! Have fun and good luck!

Project Parade - Day 7

Hi everyone, it's Amy here today with Day 7 of our "It's A Guy Thing" Project Parade. I'm so excited to share my project because it's been rattling around in my brain begging to get out for weeks!

Before I share my project details, I'll confess that when I first saw Sweet on You, I completely missed the whole candy connection: Thanks 100,000 Times Over = 100,000 Grand candy bar, I Love You to Pieces = Reese's Pieces, etc. Rather than blame it on my ditziness (I certainly wouldn't want to offend all the other Divas who also missed the connection - there were a few of us smacking our heads - you know who you are, ladies! *giggle*), I'm blaming it on the fact that I was totally distracted by the idea of doing something puzzle-related as a play on the "I Love You to Pieces" sentiment.

So that's what I have to share today - a custom photo puzzle for my daughter to give to her sweet Daddy for Father's Day. To start, I chose a photo of them together as they were heading out to their annual Father-Daughter Valentine's Dance, and ordered a custom photo puzzle online. There are numerous online vendors for these puzzles. You just upload or email your digital photo, then choose from some different options for size and number of pieces. For a smaller, DIY version, you could easily adhere your photo to lightweight chipboard (think cereal box weight) and die-cut it with one of the puzzle dies on the market (Cuttlebug and Spellbinders both come to mind).

The one I ordered comes in a drawstring bag, so I've put together a box that will double as a gift box and storage box:



For the box, I started with an inexpensive 30-piece store-bought child's puzzle from Target that I already had on hand. I covered and decorated the box top with papers from Stampin' Up's Parisian Breeze collection. Then I used the box bottom as a template and made a new bottom out of the same Parisian Breeze dp. To strengthen it a little, I added white chipboard panels to the inside, both on the bottom and the four sides, then layered on some coordinating dp to dress up the chipboard a little. (In case you're wondering, the reason I did it this way was that I found if I covered both the box bottom and the box top, they fit together so snugly that it was difficult to get the lid off.) This photo shows how the top and bottom fit together:



It's always helpful to have a picture of the puzzle to look at, rather than doing it blind, so I've included the picture in a pocket on the front...



... and again in the bottom of the box, where I also included a sweet sentiment from Dad's Day.



I'm hoping this will be something my husband and daughter will enjoy doing together, and when she outgrows it, it will still be a wonderful keepsake.

Remember, just for playing along with our theme, you'll have a chance to win a Verve stamp set of your choice! Just link your creation to the Mr. Linky form on the Verve Blog Day 1 post before 8 pm MT on Saturday, June 20. We've also hidden another $25 gift certificate somewhere along the parade for a random commenter. So be sure to check out each day of the parade, and leave lots of comments along the way! Have fun and good luck!