Thank You and Goodbye

Thanks for one month shy of 11 amazing years! Our shop is now closed. 

You can still keep up with Julee over on her blog Poetic ARTistry 
or on Instagram as Vervegirl.

Update:

Julee is currently designing stamps under the

J. Tilman Designs label for Creative Worship Stamps.

 For inspiration using Verve stamps, you can check out our Pinterest boards.

Visit Verve Stamps on Pinterest

Inventory Inspiration

Hi Verve friends! Thank you SOOOOOO much for all your fabulous well wishes, emails, comments and orders. My office is down to just one 2'x6' cabinet of product (about 50 different skus). I'm blown away! My voice echoes in my office now... it startles me every time I speak! I've already moved a fourth empty unit like these out and there's another empty bookshelf on the other wall.  It's definitely getting real, folks!

Today I thought I'd hop on and share a little inspiration with a few spotlights on some of our remaining stamp sets. All of today's spotlights also have a coordinating die still available. Please consider giving them a home so they don't end up sad and forgotten in a box in my garage! :)

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Everything Nice is a favorite set of mine. I love a good Cinderella story, and add in some coffee and what's not to love.  It coordinates with the Pumpkin Spice Die Set (also still available), but is so much more than just an autumn set.  The wishes come true sentiment is my absolute favorite for birthday cards. Here's a card I made with it and the free printable that comes with the Blooming Die Set.

You can view additional inspiration with this set in our Everything Nice gallery or on our Everything Nice Pinterest Board.

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Pink Power is a beautiful breast cancer awareness set designed by the lovely Chaitali Narla in honor of her mother who was battling breast cancer at the time. She sadly lost her fight. The bald silhouette is one of the loveliest images I've ever seen and I so treasure this beautiful set. It also coordinates with our Ribbon Die. Jennifer McGuire used the Pink Power set in this video tutorial. The timeless beauty of a card below is by Teresa Kline.

You can view additional inspiration with this set in our Pink Power gallery or on our Pink Power Pinterest Board.

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Pinecone Christmas is another set designed by Chaitali. This one features beautiful pinecone, branches and poinsettia images. It's a lovely set and coordinates with the Poinsettia Pinecones Die Set. The final copies of this stamp set are sold AS-IS at a 75% discount. They are missing the solid flame, solid candle and the bottom corner two step stamping solid leaf image (I've highlighted the missing images in the photo above). This time period in my life when the boys were tiny is kind of a blur, so I'm not sure why they're missing. Probably because they didn't line up for two step stamping correctly and we had to run a reprint. I've loved stamping with this set, especially those fun branches, and I created one of the very few stamping videos I've done using this stamp set. I love the glittery way Christyne Kane used this set in the card below.

You can view additional inspiration with this set in our Pinecone Christmas Gallery or on our Pinecone Christmas Pinterest Board.

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Our final set in the spotlight today is the Hip Hop Bunnies set. I love these adorable little bunnies and the fun coordinating Bunny Hop Die Set.  I've had so much fun making little treats and cards for my boys with them.

You can view additional inspiration with this set in our Hip Hop Bunnies Gallery or on our Hip Hop Bunnies Pinterest Board.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you're inspired! Would love to see any of your Verve creations! Just link me up.  :)

A Final Chapter

Dear Verve friends,

I've been thinking. A LOT. Trying to come up with words. Sitting down to write. Then getting up and walking away, because this is HARD. How do I express in words the mixed emotions, heartache, anxiety, and struggles involved in making such a momentous decision? I guess I just put it out there...

Verve Stamps will be closing June 30, 2018.

Those are words I never thought I'd write. Over the last decade I have placed my heart and soul into Verve and I'm not really sure where Verve ends and I begin anymore. But, over that same decade I have also become a Mama. Someone I never expected to be. But someone I am, nonetheless, to two special little boys who need extra care and attention right now. Attention that has at best been divided for their entire little lives and now needs to be focused. Lately it's become increasingly apparent to me that I can't give my all to my boys and still have my all to give to Verve. So, here we are, starting the final chapter in the book of Verve.

I have loved bringing uplifting stamp designs and inspirational cardmaking challenges to you. It's been a great delight in my life seeing your cards and creations, chatting with you, emailing, and partying on Splitcoast in the olden days. The friendships and purpose I've found in this business are the things that have kept me going through many dark days. And while this decision was hard to come to and is even harder to explain without going into the ins and outs of our personal struggles, as soon as I made it, I KNEW it was the right choice. I have a peace and general excitement about being "just a Mom" that has never been there before. And as I've never been just that, I'd like to see how it works. {grin}

I don't know what the future holds for me. I'm definitely going to enjoy a summer with my boys. My first real time off in almost 11 years! If you're interested in where I end up and what journey I take from here, hop on over to my blog, Poetic Artistry, and subscribe.

As of today, everything in the shop is currently marked 55% off (with the execption of our two new limited edition sets). All sales are final.  We'd love it if you could help us find homes for our remaining inventory so we can reclaim another room in our house! As of June 10, we will stop shipping services to International and Canadian destinations. So if you are not in the United States and would like to order, please do so prior to Sunday, June 10.

Thank you for all your love and support over the years. You have been a great blessing in my life and our family thanks you from the bottom of our hearts! It truly does take a village. I've (hopefully) listed below all of the amazing contributors who have shared in our releases over these almost 11 years. Each and every person on this list has a special place in my heart. Thanks, thanks and ever thanks!

With love,
Julee, Mark, Kellan & Trevor

Shannan Teubner (Diva)
Lila Holgate (Diva)
Kim Ross (Diva)
Jen del Muro (Diva)
Bethany Paull (Diva)
Amy Westerman (Diva)
Dana Seymour (Diva)
Laurie Schmidlin (Diva)
Charmaine Ikach (Diva)
Taylor Van Bruggen (Guest)
Susan Liles (Diva)
Cindy Keery (Guest)
Ana Wohlfahrt (Guest)
Karrie Baker (Guest)
Julie Campbell (Guest)
Paula Goff (Guest)
Kim Reid (Guest)
Ida Krause (Guest)
Silvia Mabie (Guest)
Paula Williamson (Guest)
Debbie Olson (Guest)
Amy Sheffer (Diva)
Carole Burrage (Diva)
Laura Fredrickson (Diva)
Amber Hight (Diva)
Natasha Trupp (Guest)
Jackie Pedro (Diva)
Cyndi Bundi (Guest)
Michelle Woerner (Diva)
Janine Tinklenberg (Guest)
Lindsey Botkin (Guest)
Jennifer Meyer (Guest)
Suzanne Dean (Guest)
Jen Tapler (Diva)
Maria Gurnsey (Guest)
Sarah Gough (Diva)
Lynda Benden (Diva)
Stephanie Kraft (Guest)
Jodi Collins (Guest)
Kelly Lunceford (Guest)
Teresa Kline (Diva)
Tosha Leyendekker (Diva)
Christina Fischer (Guest)
Kerri Michaud (Guest)
Sankari Wegman (Diva)
Mercy Kerin (Diva)
Kristina Biederman (Guest)
Betty Wright (Diva)
Jessie Rone (Guest)
Melissa Sauls (Guest)
Rosie Hughes (Guest)
Brooke Stockman (Guest)
Edna Morrisedie (Guest)
Denise Marzec (Guest)
Carolina Buchting (Guest)
Christi Flores (Guest)
Maureen Plut (Diva)
Sonja Christoph (Diva)
Andrea Ewen (Diva)
Debbie Carriere (Guest)
Piali Biswas (Guest)
Betty Wright (Diva)
Dawn Easton (Diva)
Janelle Stollfus (Diva)
Cresta Woodruff (Guest)
Melissa Hubert  (Guest)
Robin Shakoor (Guest)
Marisa Ritzen (Diva)
Vickie Zimmer (Guest)
Gretchen Belknap (Guest
Wanda Cullen (Guest)
Christyne Kane (Diva)
Laurie Willison (Diva)
Jen Shults (Diva)
Amy Kolling (Diva)
Anya Schrier (Diva)
Jess Diedrich (Diva)
Karen Giron (Diva)
Tiffany Solorio (Diva)
Jen Mitchell (Guest)
Stacey Schafer (Diva)
Chaitali Narla (Diva)
Kay Miller (Guest)
Sheri Gilson (Guest)
Monika Davis (Guest)
Diana Nguyen (Guest)
Nancy Thomas (Guest)
Shantaie Fowler (Guest)
Amy Tsuruta (Guest)
Kelly Gettelfinger (Guest)
Lori Craig (Guest)
Rosemary Dennis (Guest)
Amy Rohl (Guest)
Lee-Anne Cross (Guest)
Vicki Dutcher (Guest)
Mackie Robertson (Guest)
LauraJane (Guest)
Hillary Harris (Guest)
Autumn Clark (Guest)
Lisa Blastick (Guest)
Kathy Schweinfurth (Guest)
Michele Greenwood (Guest)

May Diva Inspiration Winner

Hi Verve fans! It's Julee here, popping in with a little winner announcement from our May Diva Inspirations challenge! Thank to everyone who uploaded their pretty in PINK creation!

Our random challenge winner is Bernadette Bliss! 

Congrats Bernadette!

Send an email to contests@vervestamps.com to claim your $30 gift voucher to the Verve store!

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Thanks to everyone who played along!

Here's one last look at our May challenge entries...

An InLinkz Link-up

Spring Summer Coffe Lovers Blog Hop

It's time for the Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop! I just love seeing all the caffeinated creations along this hop and can't wait to do a little hopping myself! Verve has been a sponsor since the very first hop, and we're continuing that tradition today, offering up our two new limited edition stamp sets for a participant along the hop. There are oh-so-many fabulous Super Sponsor prizes up for grabs for those who link up a newly created Spring/Summer themed coffee, tea or cocoa project over on the official Spring/Summer 2018 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop post. The linkup is open through June 1, so I hope you have a fabulous week of getting inky!

Our Super Sponsor prize for the hop is the two brand new limited edition stamp sets that just released this morning! We have a limited amount of these sets available for purchase in the shop. They won't be re-ordered so now's the time to snatch them up if you see something you have to have!

Just Like You is a fun, masculine set, perfect for honoring the father figure in your life. A big, hearty coffee mug allows for customization with some of the other stamps in the set. Scroll down to see my first take with the set.

Living on Coffee is a lovely, floral coffee set that includes some beautiful blooms and a host of fun, all-occasion sentiments.

For today's coffee card, I am featuring the Just Like You set. I made this as a card for Mark from the boys. When they were babies, we dressed Kellan in blue and Trevor in green to tell them apart, so I thought Mark would get a kick out of the symbolism behind the two coffee mugs. Plus, with twins, 2 cups minimum are essential for a morning! Haha! I stamped the mugss on white, then stamped different sentiments on each cup and colored with Copics. A third circle for the sentiment finished off the stamping.

The background is designer paper, sponged with pumice stone ink. I wrapped a bit of linen thread around the panel, then layered my circles to complete the layout.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Happy hopping!

Enabler's List
Stamps: Just Like You (Verve Stamps)
Paper: dp, white, black
Ink: intense black (Hero Arts), pumice stone distress (Ranger), copic markers
Accessories: stiched circle stax (MFT), linen thread

May Diva Inspirations Challenge

Hi Verve fans! It's time for another Diva Inspirations challenge. The end of the school year is upon us and things seems to be busier than ever. The Divas are taking a break from our monthly hop this month, but we've still got a fun challenge for you!

This month we'd love for your to show us your pretty in PINK creations. 

Verve Stamps are not required, but we do love to see 'em out for a spin.  

To get you started, here's a little inspiration from the team...

Card by Julee Tilman using the Favorite Mom DIGITAL Set and the Lacey Frames and Lacey Trim Duo die sets.

Card by Betty Wright using the Hip Hop Bunnies, Little Ones stamp sets and the Flourished Tag and Bunny Hop die sets.

Challenge deadline: Thursday, May 31.

Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

An InLinkz Link-up

April Diva Inspirations Winner and Fabulous Finds

Hi Verve fans! It's Julee here, popping in with a little winner announcement from our April Diva Inspirations challenge!

But first, I thought I'd mention that our new Viva la Verve sketch is up! Play along with this month's sketch and link up to the linky widget on the VLV Sketches blog for a chance to win a Verve gift voucher!  Deadline for the linkup is Thursday, May 31, so there's plenty of time to get inky! 

Now on with the winner announcement for our April Diva Inspirations challenge to use YELLOW.
I just loved seeing you light it up with your handmade sunshine this month! 

Our random challenge/hop winner is Christine! 

Card by Christine using the Kindness Matters and Cake & Candles sets

Congrats Christine!

Send an email to contests@vervestamps.com to claim your $30 gift voucher to the Verve store!

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Thanks to everyone who played along in April!


There were so many lovely cards, I thought I'd pick a few of my favorites (in no particular order) to highlight.

20. Amy Marshall

17. Autumn Clark

47. Lori Tecler

30. Lyn

38. Marlena

Okay, so that was a little more than a few, but there were so many fabulous entries it was hard to choose!  Take one last look-see at the whole link up and see for yourself!

An InLinkz Link-up

We'll be back with a new challenge on the 10th!

See ya then!

New Digi and Promo Code NSD2018

Hi Verve fans! Happy May! There's a new digi in the shop this morning, perfect for your last minute Mother's Day creations. Anyone else think this year is flying by?  My boys graduate Kindergarten next month and it feels like they just barely started the year!

Before I get to the new digi, I thought I'd let you know we've got a promo code in the shop for you this weekend to celebrate National Scrapbook Day!

Use  gift code NSD2018 for 30% off your entire order
 through May 7, 2018. 

Code must be applied at checkout.  It's an additional 30% off, so you'll save even more on new products and anything in our sale category!  Hooray!

Now on with the introduction... I was in the mood for some spring flowers, so whipped up the Favorite Mom DIGITAL Set with Mom in mind... because Mother's Day is just a little over a week away!  Eeek! But don't panic, if you're a procrastinator like me, I've got you covered with this new digi. {grin}

Our digis are downloadable in a compressed zip file, which you can unzip and use either the pngs or jpegs individually in word processing or photo editing software. If you'd much rather get to the business of creating, I also include a PDF file that is already laid out to print all of the images on one regular 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. I like to use a laser printer, which allows me to use Copic markers with out bleeding, but inkjet printers will workl for other coloring mediums. If you don't have a printer, you can also send the PDF to a local copy shop to have it printed there.

My first card with this new set uses the May Viva la Verve sketch.  I had a blast coloring the flowers and adding little white gel pan accents. Fussy cutting relaxes me, so this card was a lot of fun to put together. You can read the details over on my blog at Poetic Artistry.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend!

April New Release Spotlight Hop Winners

Hi Verve friends!  Oh happy day! It's time to announce the winners from our April New Release Spotlight Hops. A few lucky people will be sporting some new Verve pretty soon!

Day 1 Spotlight Winner: Rosemary

Wins: Risen Savior

winner selected randomly from comments on Charmaine's post

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Day 2 Spotlight Winner:  Sue D
Wins: Hope Lifts and the Lifted Hope Die Set

winner selected randomly from comments on Maureen's post

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Day 3 Spotlight Winner: Greta

Wins: Sentimental Wishes and the Lacey Frames and Lacey Trim Duo die sets

winner selected randomly from comments on Betty's post

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Day 4 Spotlight Winner: Super Stick Chick

Wins: April Buy it All Bundle

winner selected randomly from comments on Julee's post

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Congrats to our Spotlight Hop winners!

 To claim your prize, please send an email to me at contests@vervestamps.com and let me know which day's prize you won and your shipping address.  If you're placing an order for other items, you can just place the order and leave a note in the order comments that you are a winner and I'll ship your prize with your order.  

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Thanks to everyone for celebrating our new release with us!If you still need to pick up the release, it's a great time with our free shipping promo good through 4/17.

Free US shippipng on orders over $35 placed in the Verve shop April 13-17, 2018.
Select US Shipping as your ship method at checkout and discount will be calculated automatically.
Offer not valid on US Priority, International or Canadian shipping methods.

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If you're looking for our April Diva Inspirations Challenge scroll down or click here.

April 2018 New Release Spotlights - Day 4 and April Diva Inspirations Challenge

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Hi Verve fans! It's release day! I'm so happy to say that brand new Verve stamps and dies are available for purchase in the Verve shop today!  Hooray! To celebrate the release, we're hosting one last spotlight blog hop, with a pretty awesome prize... the entire April release. Be sure to read to the bottom of the post for the hop list and all the prize details!

Since it's the 10th of the month, we're also combining today's hop with the kick-off to our April Diva Inspirations challenge. I had so much fun getting back in the swing of things last month and checking out all your green creations. This month we're challenging you to show us some handmade sunshine with the color YELLOW! I can't wait to see what you create! Hope you'll play along.

Verve Stamps are not required, but we do love to see 'em. You can enter as often as you like, but must create a new creation for each linkup. You have until May 5 to link up at the bottom of this post for a chance to win the random prize drawing for a $30 gift voucher to the Verve shop.

For today's card I decided to pair the Sentimental Wishes set with the small outline flower from the previously released Bloom Brighter stamp set.  I stamped the flower three times, then colored with Copics and cut with the coordinating Blooming die set.  I then die cut the square from the Lacey Frames die set three times in white and used a mini ink blender to sponge scattered straw distress ink onto the center of each square, then popped the flowers up on each square for a little dimension.  I did the same sponge treatment with the circle die, then stamped the hello friend sentiment from Sentimental Wishes in the center.  I added some subtle stripes to the yellow and white panels with an embossing folder, then finished off with one of the Lacey Trim Duo border dies and a sweet little bow.

What's in it?
Stamps: Sentimental Wishes, Bloom Brighter (Verve Stamps)
Paper: daffodil delight, smoky slate (SU!), white (Neenah)
Ink: scattered straw (Ranger Distress), pure graphite (Altenew), Copic markers
Accessories: Lacey Frames  Lacey Trim Duo and Blooming die sets (A Cut Above by VERVE), striped embossing folder (Sizzix), glitter glue, taffeta ribbon

Now it's time to get on with the business of hopping!

Be sure to hop on over to the Verve shop when you're done hopping to check out the new products and our April sale.

Want to win some shiny new Verve? Today's prize is a BIG one. We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win our ENTIRE new release! The April 2018 Release Collection includes Risen Savior, Hope Lifts, Sentimental Wishes, and the Lifted Hope, Lacey Frames and Lacey Trim Duo die sets. So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! 

1. Julee 5. Laurie 2. Michele (Guest) 6. Marisa 3. Betty 7. Maureen 4. Charmaine 8. Teresa

Comment deadline for our Blog Hop prize drawing is April 15.

Today's hop starts on my blog, Poetic Artistry.  See ya there!

And if you're playing along with our challenge, link up below...

An InLinkz Link-up