A 2017 Look Back Part 2

Hi Verve friends! I'm back again with another look back on 2017.  After getting my feet back in the release game in May, we added three new sets and two coordinating die sets in July.  They all had a coffee/tea theme, which is one of my favorite things to design around. A cup of coffee can always bring a smile to my face, even on the bleakest days.

First up was Always Time and the coordinating Kettle Time Die Set. 

 I love the dainty little tea cups and the classic kettle.

Our next featured set was the Fill My Cup set, a set built around the theme of Jesus and coffee. This set coordinates with the Happiness in a Cup Die Set.

The third set in our July release was Happiness Is, a fun coffee-themed builder set and also coordinates with the Happiness in a Cup Die Set.

Such a fun release! Stay tuned for a look back at our 10th Anni-VERVE-sary release.

If you're looking to pick up any of these sets at a great discount, be sure to hop on over to the Verve shop where everything in-stock is 35% off through January 3, 2018.

Guest Post with Kathy Schweinfurth

Hi Verve friends! Today we have a special guest blog post from the super talented Kathy Schweinfurth. Her cards and projects for this release were simply fabulous and she's back with a little more inspiration with the new stamps today. Let's hear from her about the card she's sharing with us today...

Summer is one of my favorite seasons.  I love the longer daylight hours, enjoying nature in full bloom and spending more time outdoors. I'm savoring every last drop!

My card today is full of summer savoring!  I layered lots of bright colored pattern paper and color coordinated these adorable cups from the new Verve Fill My Cup stamp set and coordinating Happiness In A Cup dies then added the sentiment from the Always Time set.  The three new coffee/tea sets and dies work so well together and the combinations are endless!

Fill My Cup	Always Time	Happiness in a Cup

A beautiful card, don't you think? I love the bold, summery colors and think I need to give this color combo a try. Be sure to check out Kathy's blog for more projects with Verve stamps, and while you're there give her a shout out for bringing such wonderful inspiration to us this month! Here's a collage of a few of her amazing release projects.  Thanks Kathy!

Guest Post with Wanda Cullen

Hi Verve friends! Today we have a special guest blog post from the super talented Wanda Cullen. Didn't you love seeing her fabulous cards for the release last week? In cased you missed them, I've added a photo collage of a few of her projects at the bottom of this post. Now let's hear from her about the card she's sharing with us today...

One of the things I love about Verve products is their versatility in the way they mix and match so well. My card for today uses the new Happiness Is stamp set and the Happiness In A Cup Die Set along with Bloom & Grow and four previously released dies: Jotted Heart, Elegant Leaves, Rounded Scallop Frame and Floral Circles.

I had so much fun creating this little collage as the focal point for my card! For my background, I used the bokeh technique after sponging some inks on paper with blending tools. I made my own ghetto stencil (a lovingly termed name by a fellow stamper!) by cutting six different sized circles out of a 5 1/2" x 6 1/2" piece of acetate. To tone down the vivid colors a bit, I lightly sponged white pigment ink using the stencil and overlapped many of the circles. I ran the heart die through a crimper tool then sponged some white ink around the edges. My tip for getting bold, crisp sentiments with black ink is to use my MISTI and stamp it at least 2 or 3 times.

I want to thank Julee again for the opportunity to guest design along with the divas for the July release!  Happiness is stamping with Verve stamps!  💕  ☕️

Happiness Is	Happiness in a Cup Die Set	Bloom & Grow	Elegant Leaves
Floral Circles Die Set	Rounded Scallop Frame Die	Jotted Heart Die

A beautiful card, don't you think? I definitely need to try out some bokeh backgrounds in the near future. Be sure to check out Wanda's blog for more projects with Verve stamps, and while you're there give her a shout out for being a wonderful inspiration to us this month! Here's a collage of a few of her amazing release projects.  Thanks Wanda!

July 2017 Spotlight Hops Day 2

Welcome to Day 2 of Verve's July New Release Spotlight Hops!  We're excited to be back shining our sneaky little spotlights on another set and die that will release on Monday, July 10. Each day through Monday we'll be putting on a daily blog hop to showcase the new products and also give you a chance to WIN some new Verve! Hooray!  If you missed yesterday's hop, here's the link to the Day 1 post.

All of the stamps and dies you see along the hops will all be available in the store on Monday, July 10.  Before then, you can pick up the entire release collection at a pre-order discount of 25% off. So if you know you need it all, go snatch one up, as the sale ends when the release goes live. {grin}

Today we're sharing our first projects featuring the Happiness Is stamp set and coordinating Happiness in a Cup Die Set.

Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured products! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Read on for the full hop list, a little more about our new products and all the prize info and deadlines!

1. Julee 7. Teresa 2. Kathy (Guest) 8. Maureen 3. Sheri (Guest) 9. Betty 4. Wanda (Guest) 10. Christyne 5. Charmaine 11. Laurie 6. Marisa 12. Lesley

Comment deadline for prize drawing is Monday, July 10.

First up in the spotlight today is a brand new set called Happiness Is.  It's a sentiment builder set themed around the different things that might bring you happiness. Since the twins were born, a teensy bit of silence is definitely on my list of happy things! Chocolate, coffee, books and you are right up there, too!

If you hopped along for the Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop. you might have already seen this card over on my blog, Poetic Artistry. I had a bit of fun watercoloring the mug from Happiness Is, then some masking of sentiments to build my own word picture sentiment. I also paired it with the previously released Coffee Helps set and the Partly Cloudy Die Set. The steam is from the Always Time set.

Enabler's List

Stamps: Happiness Is, Always Time, Coffee Helps  (Verve)
Paper: dp scraps, 7 gypsies tag, watercolor paper
Ink: early espresso (SU!), ground espresso (Ranger Distress)
Accessories: Springtime Stitches Die Set, Partly Cloudy Die Set (A Cut Above by VERVE)

Happiness Is is a set of 12 clear photo polymer stamps that will retail for $15. It includes an outline large mug for the coloring and paper-piecing lovers and a solid patterned mug for those who don't. It also includes a starry straw cup, which was part of the Three Cheers Digital Set we offered last summer. I just love this image and simply had to have it in stamp (and die) form.

Happiness in a Cup Die Set is the coordinating die set for Happiness Is. This set includes dies to cut the cups in this set as well as cups from the Fill My Cup set we'll be showcasing tomorrow. I love it when a die set can work for multiple stamp sets, don't you? It also includes a happiness word die in the same font style as our other word dies. This versatile die set of 4 steel dies will retail for $13.

Okay, if you're still with me, the hop starts over on my blog, Poetic Artistry! Come say hello.