Thursday, August 23, 2012

Happy Anni-VERVE-sary!

Over on Splitcoaststampers, Verve Stamps is hosting a set of challenges to celebrate the company's 5th anniversary.  I've been working on some projects over the past days, but decided to wait and post them all at once, so this will be a long post!

The first challenge is a color challenge to use pink, brown, and green.  I used a beautiful Mojo Monday sketch by Carole for my layout.

Here's my card.  The green paper was stamped with a leafy branch from Verve's "Sunny Days" to break up that large panel of solid green.  Only a few more scraps left from that Basic Grey "Sultry" paper pad now that I used up that chunk of green!  One of these days, I will manage to use those last few scraps.......


Supplies used:
Stamps:  Verve "Thankful Accents" for circle flourish and sentiment, Verve "Sunny Days" for leaves stamped on green
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa and Versafine Onyx Black
Papers:  White, brown, K & Co. "Kelly Panacci Blossom", green paper from Basic Grey "Sultry"
Other:  Recollections pearl flourish and flower, Nestabilities circle and petite scalloped circle dies
Card size:  6" square

The second challenge was to make an anniversary card that used wood and/or silver which are the traditional and modern anniversary gifts.   I combined my AVS challenge card with the VLV sketch for week 2. 


The pennants shown in the sketch I guess are a new die that Verve will be releasing on Friday.  I used a Spellbinders border die in its place.


I added silver as glitter on the heart and 2 sizes of rhinestones that I added to the scallops and centers of the design in the background paper.

Supplies used:
Stamps:  Verve "Love Story"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black and SU! "Real Red"

Papers:  Ivory, black, dps from K & Co. "Black & Ivory Fusion"
Other:  My Favorite Things scalloped border die, Spellbinders Floral Doily Accent, circle, and heart dies, Stickles "Crystal" glitter, Recollections rhinestones

Card size:  6" square

The third challenge is a fun sketch challenge from Julee.


I combined this AVS card with Basic Grey's Anything Goes challenge.  I thought the bright papers fit this fun quote from Dr. Seuss.



Supplies used:
Stamps:  Verve "Beautiful You"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, SU! "Poppy Parade" sponged really lightly around sentiment

Papers:  White, black, dps from Basic Grey "Gypsy"
Other:  My Favorite Things scalloped border die, black brads, sponge, Nestabilities dies:  circle, petite scalloped circle, and big scalloped circle, black satin ribbon, Bow Easy, hemp cord, button from stash, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, black brads, foam tape (under sentiment panel)


The fourth challenge was to make a Clean and Simple (CAS) card.  I made a one layer card with just an image and a sentiment.  I added a little panel by scoring at 0.5" from the card edge using my Scor-Pal.


Supplies used:
Stamps:  Verve "Let It Shine"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper:  White
Other:  Copics, Scor-Pal
Card size:  A2

The final challenge was to make anything but a card.  I found this idea for a chipboard clipboard from Carla and thought I'd give it a try. 


I'm going to use my little clipboard to keep a checklist of my school assignments.  I really like being able to cross things off my list!


I made enough sheets for the first semester plus a couple of extras.  I stamped two different flower designs from Verve's "Sunny Days" without reinking the stamps between use.  I used A Day to Remember as the title of each note sheet so I can track my deadlines!


It's a little hard to see the pattern on the dp in the picture, but I added a scrap of dp to my binder clip also along with some bright pink and dark purple ribbon strips.



Supplies used
Stamps:  Verve "Sunny Days"
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, SU! "Tempting Turquoise" and "Melon Mambo"
Papers:  White, dp from Basic Grey "Euphoria"
Other:  1" Binder clip, chipboard, ribbon scraps

Theres's a chance to win some free Verve product by posting a link to the Verve store and entering your projects in the Card Carnival.  Here's hoping I'm lucky!  I'd love to win some new goodies!

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Fairy Dust

I started this card the other day and really wanted to finish it in time to enter it in a couple of challenges!  I'm really dog tired tonight, but I finished the card and that makes me happy!

Here's this week's Sketchy Challenges layout from Kylie.


This layout was perfect for the Cute Card Thursday challenge to use a tag.

I'm also playing along with Simon Says Stamp's Bingo challenge.


I used die cut, free, and glitter.  I used some of the other choices, too!

Here's my card.


Here's the card with the tag removed.  The sentiment says, "May your birthday be as special as you are."  The glitter is all around the edges of the wings.  It's a little hard to see in this picture.  I tried to place the bling flourish to look like a wave of glittery fairy dust coming from her flower wand.  I sponged the edge of the focal circle and the whole tage with SU! Mambo Melon ink. 


Supplies:
Stamps:  Magnolia image, sentiment from Verve "Birthday Surprise"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, SU! "Melon Mambo" for sponging
Papers:  White, dps from Basic Grey "Euphoria"
Other: Nestabilities circle and petite scalloped circle dies, Magnolia Tilda's Tag die, Recollections bling flourish, Prima mini rose, organdy ribbon from stash, Bow Easy, embroidery floss for tag bow from stash, MS doily lace border punch, sponge, Copic markers

Card size:  6" square

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Come to Me

A woman at church recently lost her father.  I wanted to make a sympathy card for the family, and here's what I created this afternoon.

I started with this gorgeous sketch by Jen.  I knew that I wanted to use scripture on this card, and this sketch seemed like the perfect starting point to create a focal image panel where I could feature the verse.



Here's my take on the sketch.


I layered two different white organdy trims from my stash.  They were so thick where I wrapped them around to the back of the card that I couldn't get the big panel to adhere flat to the base.  I decided to use foam tape all around the perimeter of the large panel and adhered the section where the trim wraps around with Scor-Tape.  The Scor-Tape held it down securely without adding additional height to that section.  I think it gives the card a little more dimension as well.

On the inside of the card, I added a sentiment and left a space to add a personal message.



I'm also playing along with Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge 118 which is to make a card with scripture and Word Art Wednesday's Challenge #40 Rejoice.  It might seem somewhat strange that I chose to make a sympathy card for a rejoice challenge.  I was (and still am!) so thankful for the comfort I received after my Mom passed away last year from my faith.  I rejoice in having my faith to support me through difficult times when the burden seems too heavy to bear.

Supplies:
Stamps:  Our Daily Bread Designs "Scripture Collection 4" and "Calla Lily"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black
Papers:  White, dp on inside from American Crafts "Dear Lizzy Neopolitan"
Other:  Spellbinders picot edge circle die, Nestabilities circle die, foam tape, 2 white trims from stash (layered), May Arts 1.25" pink silk ribbon, Bow Easy, Recollections pearls, MS butterfly punch
Card size:  6" square

I start Pharmacy School tomorrow, so I will probably have a lot less crafting time!  I'm hoping to still be able to post at least a couple of times a week and keep participating in the various challenges that I love so much.  We'll see how that goes......  {smile}

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Edited to add:  Thank you to Our Daily Bread Designs for choosing my card as one of this week's Shining the Light Award recipients! 


Happy Anniversary!

I needed to make an anniversary card for Ryan as today is our 17th wedding anniversary.  I decided to use this week's Mojo Monday sketch as the circle panel would be perfect for the owl stamps I wanted to use, and I could squeeze a sentiment onto the little pennant.

Here's Julee's sketch.


Here's my take on it:


I stamped the owls in two different colors that coordinated with my papers, and then punched them out with the coordinating punch.  I used foam tape to pop up the owls and the heart.  I cut a little branch freehand and then added some leaf punches for leaves at the end of the branches.  The pennant paper was sponged with the same two inks I used for the owls, and I'm really happy with how well it matches the dps! 

Hubby's comment was "Very cute."

Supplies:
Stamps:  Owls from SU! "Punch Bunch" SAB set, sentiment from Verve "Love Story"
Ink:  Versafine Onyx Black, SU! "Cherry Cobbler" and Vintage Photo Distress Ink
Papers:  White, black, dps from K&Co. Brenda Walton "Mira"
Other:  SU! owl punch for owls and the little heart, Nestabilities circle and big scalloped circle dies, Spellbinders nested pennants, sponge, MS leaf punch, Copic marker R89 to color the heart, black satin ribbon in 2 widths, Bow Easy, foam tape
Card size:  6" square

Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings,
Sarah

Friday, August 10, 2012

Can you make a lime green wedding card?

So this card started last Friday with a simple request, "Can you make me a wedding card by the 9th?  The bride's favorite color is lime green."  She also wanted to have their names and the wedding date included on the card.  I said I would try......  I didn't have time to start working on this card until the morning of the 9th, so nothing like a little gotta get this done pressure to fuel the creative juices!

Now I like bright colors but I don't seem to use them a lot in cardmaking.  To me, it seems that they can just be so overpowering if the proportions of bright and neutrals aren't just right.  So, I turned to some Basic Grey papers that had some lime green in them, and just worked from there with a great sketch, and even managed to incorporate some challenges!

Challenges I'm entering:
Papertake Weekly:  Anything Goes
Basic Grey #74:  Bright and Bold I used Basic Grey "Gypsy" papers on my card.
Lovely Hanglar and Sweet Magnolia #49:  Flowers
Magnolia Down Under Challenge #158:  Sketch

Here's Kathrin's sketch.  I love all of the details she's included!


Here's my attempt at a lime green wedding card! 



Adding the names and date really was throwing me for a loop until I decided to make an easel style card.  The green strip is to cover the couple's name and wedding date just for this blog posting. I printed out the names and date in a curly script font and then cut it out using a Nestabilities oval die.



Here's the whole base of the easel card.  You can see there's still a little white space so that a personal note can be written.  Sorry that it is a little out of focus.  I think the camera was fighting to focus on the swirly stuff and the sparkles on the button.  Again, that strip of green paper is just for privacy while photographing this card for my blog.


Supplies:
Stamps:  Magnolia wedding couple and kubitz corner
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, SU!  "Garden Green"
Papers:  White, lime green, dps from Basic Grey "Gypsy"
Other:  MFT doily die, lime green organdy ribbon from Michael's, Bow Easy, vintage lime green button from Grandma's button stash, lace from stash, EK Success swirl punch, Copic markers, Nestabilities oval and petite scalloped oval dies.   The lime green paper flowers, large green gem, roses, and epoxy roses are all from Recollections.

My client was thrilled with the card, and I was thrilled to use up some supplies that I had been wondering how I'd ever manage to use!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!
Blessings,
Sarah