Saturday, April 7, 2018

April 2018 New Release Spotlights - Day 1

Well, hello! We're so excited to have some new stamps to share with you and we're kicking off the new release celebration today with our first day of Spotlight Hops!  The new sets and dies will be available in the shop on Tuesday April 10 and we've got four days of blog hopping planned for you  to showcase the new products and also give you a chance to WIN some new Verve! Hooray!


Hopping along with our talented crew of Divas this month is a very special Guest Diva. We're so happy to have Michele Greenwood of Whimsical Creations joining in the fun with us this month! She's got a gorgeous eye for color and a fun style that fuses mixed media with cardmaking in a wonderful way. I know you're going to love her creations. Welcome Michele! Read on for a bit more about her.


Hi, my name is Michele Greenwood. I am a mom to 3 wonderful children, we reside in Toto-land in a very small community. I work full-time outside the home for the 'father of extended stay'; he created Residence Inn, Summerfield Suites, Candlewood Suites, Value Place and now WaterWalk. My job is extremely fulfilling and I'm that one somewhat oddball person that says 'I love going to work'! In my spare time, I enjoy attending boot camp, exercising, reading and of course, creating.

Thank you for having me Julee, it's an honor!

How/when did you get hooked on stamping?
Numerous years ago, I had the joy of being at stay-at-home mom for 2 years. During this time, our neighbor introduced me to scrapbooking. It was fun, but when I discovered the immediate gratification of stamping a card; well, I was hooked and haven't looked back since...um, haven't touched those scrapbooks either! BUT, in my defense, I do document our lives now with Project Life so there will be some memories documented. ;)

How often do you stamp? 
I try to stamp 2-3 times per week; time is always limited, but it feels so good when I can squeeze in the time. GREAT for my mental health too!

What style(s) are you most drawn to creating? 
I am really digging mixed media; I recently created a birthday card - you know one of those mega mixed media cards with ALL the dimension that would never fit in an envelope - yes, I'm loving that! My typical go-to is a multi-layered clean and simple card.

What do you love most about paper crafting? 
Personally, it's so soothing; a nice little escape to do something I enjoy. With 3 kids and a full-time job, it helps keep me grounded (read that to mean sane); but I also love all the people that share inspiration! The crafting community is full of kind, warm-hearted people, the kind of people this world needs.

What technique or product is currently making your paper crafting heart go pitter patter? 
Distress Oxide Inks and venturing into the mixed media realm with lots of layers. Oh, and I must not forget, splattering ink/paint for days! LOL

Thanks Michele! We're so glad to have you with us!


Okay, now shifting our sneaky little spotlight on to new stamps! On today's hop, the Divas are sharing inspiration featuring the new Risen Savior stamp set. Look for an in depth look at this set a little later in this post.

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random comment on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured set! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances!

Risen Savior

Day 1 Hop List
1. Julee5. Marisa
2. Michele (Guest)6. Maureen
3. Betty7. Teresa
4. Charmaine


Comment deadline for prize drawing is Sunday, April 15.

In the spotlight today is a brand new set called Risen Savior. I've been wanting to create a new inspirational Easter set for several years, but with the early Easters and long winters we've been having, I keep missing the proverbial boat. So I decided whether or not this set was ready in time for Easter, it was going to production! It came in just before Easter, so I added it to the store right away without a big fanfare for those who were trying to stamp for the holiday. And now it's time for the fanfare! {grin}





While the set has an Easter theme, many of the beautiful sentiments  in Risen Savior can be used year round for encouraging cards, faith journaling and card ministries. I personally have so many visions of shabby chic creations with speckled eggs, meaningful sentiments and a rugged cross running through my head! Now if I could only find the time for it all! Haha!


Risen Savior is a 6 x 8" set of 16 clear photopolymer stamps. This beautiful Easter set is perfect for your spring time creations, complete with 11 inspirational sentiments, an old rugged cross and speckled egg images.



Okay, I know that was a super long post!  If you're still with me, the hop starts over on my blog, Poetic Artistry! Come say hello.