Farwell! No, HELLO To The Freedom of Expressing My Own Creativity!

I feel the need to warn you that the following post bears a lot of feeling and a bit of ranting and raving. Feel free to bypass that for the card at the end if you wish.

Hello Friends!

I'm sorry that it's been a few days since my last post. I had to take a some time to unwind, think, cool down and regroup. I found out on Wednesday that Stampin Up had changed the policy regarding demos and their personal blogs. I have been with SU for 6 years now and have been mulling over the decision to leave for about 2 of those 6 years. In being a hobby demo over the last 4, I have found it increasingly difficult, with all of the changes the company has made, to maintain that level of participation. Each time they make an announcement they have always been reassuring that they" love their hobby demos." However, actions speak louder than words...even words spoken in a big cheesy grin. I decided last month that I would quietly leave Stampin Up as a demonstrator, even though I managed to officially meet the requirements in sales. In light of their recent policy announcement though, I find that hard to do.....leave QUIETLY that is.

I am thoroughly disgusted that this company would think they have the right to dictate what I say on my PERSONAL blog. To me this feels like an infringement on my FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Does that seem a little drastic of me to say? Maybe. But it's how I feel. I want to be able to share in this place, MY place, ALL the things I love. Do they realize all the wonderful things that happen when people link to each other in this crafting world? Do they understand what can happen when we all support each other?

I am appalled by their sheer audacity. How dare they think they can tell me I'm not allowed to link you to PINK CAT STUDIO, a company that is donating money in memory of a little boy who lost his life to cancer this summer. You can view that stamp and information HERE. Or to Jennifer McGuire who is having a card drive for a little girl with brain cancer.

Does this mean I can't participate in challenges? Because that's how I found out about THIS CAUSE. An Etsy shop that donates money to help fund a school for children in Morroco. They have a direct link on Traveling Mamma's Inspiration Challenge blog to this Etsy shop where cards are for sale. Therefore, it becomes a violation of SU's new policy. I guess that, technically, I can still participate in these challenges. I just can't share with you any of the information on how you can also be involved.

Imagine the affect this policy could have on the number of people who learn about these great charities and events. Not to mention all the knowledge and inspiration that can be shared through blog hopping, regardless of what company they endorse.

I believe in giving credit where credit is due. I should be able to link to the person who has inspired me with something fabulous. That is the kind of example of what may NOT happen because of this new policy. Lauren Meader has some great templates. She deserves CREDIT for sharing her talent regardless of who she designs for. I think I have made my point and I think I'm done with my linking tantrum now. Wait...maybe not.

Julie Tilman is one of my favorite people in the blog world. She amazes me with both her creativity and unselfish personality. She inspires me in more ways than one. Now here's the lesson folks.......She HAS her own company and yet she constantly endorses other companies; Stampin Up included. Why does she do that? I don't know her answer, but for me it's because of something I tell my kids all the time. "There is a place in this world for everyone!" We all have the ability to learn from each other and that includes ALL aspects of life. Not just in this little tiny piece of the world called stamping.

I'm sure it was never the intention of SU to have this kind of effect, but that's what happens when you try to control too many things. When you think only of yourself and not how every little thing that you do affects the world around you in some small or BIG way.

What I've learned in this world of competition is that no one ACTUALLY wins. What happens is that people LOSE sight of what really matters.

I want to maintain the vision of why I stamp. It's for my own therapy, yes , but also to bring a smile to someone's face. To let people know that they are special. To give them something from my heart. I've stopped smiling being a Stampin Up demonstrator. That's how I know it's time to say, "FAREWELL!" This policy was the validation I guess maybe I needed.


I read Jen Del Muro's feelings on this whole situation and felt happy to know that I wasn't alone in my own thoughts. She's said it probably nicer than I could have....

To quote Jen, "They need the demos more than the demos need them {in most cases}. For now, SU and I! are parting ways........I do have a ton of the paper and will continue to use it here and there, but once it’s gone it’s gone. There is more to this creative world than just SU!. It took me a long time to realize that, but I am glad that I did. That’s just my two cents. I know that not everyone will agree, and that’s ok. This world would be pretty boring if everyone thought the same way! I hope that if you are a demo that you are able to come to a decision that you are happy with and benefits you."

The only thing I have to add is that I will no longer endorse Stampin Up on my blog. I will still use the things that I have (because I have acquired a LOT in 6 years) I just won't make mention of them any longer. It is the very thing they have asked me to do, just in reverse. That may seem childish, but I believe in sticking up for what you believe in and I am a kid at heart after all. This is MY blog and I want to share ALL the things I love about this craft, about this life and about this world. I won't allow someone to take that away from me, regardless of their intent.

I hope that I have not offended anyone. That was not what I wanted. Sometimes you need a good little tantrum to move on. I apologize that you had to witness it.

I hope you come back to visit with me though because....

I have a HUGE announcement coming on Monday Sept 14th. It is something I am very excited about. Fortunately, the new policy will NOT apply to me and, therefore, ruin something I have been working hard on. I hope to make a difference in the life of someone; someone special. I hope that you can join me in making a difference as well. Please stay tuned for the SPECIAL EVENT!

Now after all that I do have a card to share. I used the Viva La Verve Sketch and got my inspiration of colors from a comforter I saw on a movie. Funny where inspiration will strike:) Over at Paper Maniac LLC they have an embossing challenge going on as well. You can enter for a chance to win a gift certificate to the new online store!



I used my Creative Memories cutting system along with a few Verve stamps. I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. This is for her. I added some glitter along the edges of the main image and some Taylor's Twinkles in black along the bottom. It's a pretty simple card. I hope she likes it.


Thanks for hanging in there through all my ranting and raving. I feel better now.

Change is good. I look forward to growing in my creative process and my own personal journey. I hope you will come along for the ride.

See you soon!

I decided to add some more glitter after looking at it all day. So here is the revised version.

What's In It?
Stamps: Serenity (verve)
Paper: DCWV off white textured, blue bayou, soft sky, black
Ink: versafine black, soft sky, versamark
Other: sponge, dazzling diamonds, glue pen, Taylor's tiny twinkles, CM cutting system, black satin ribbon (walmart), dimensionals, clear EP

"B" Is For Brilliant Birthday

Good Morning! I wanted to start my post by reminding everyone that the very first ever STAMPTACULAR SUNDAY CHALLENGE will begin THIS SUNDAY! I have been so excited for this to start. Some of you may remember that I am on this design team. My project is completed and ready to go. I can't wait to show you. However, it won't post until Sunday. Now remember this is for all of YOU to participate in as well. I don't know about you, but I LOVE a challenge. Priscilla has some great ones lined up over the next six months. You also have a chance of being a Guest Designer. Some challenges may even have a little something for participating. Simply make your creation, post it to an online site or your blog and link it to the Stamptacular Sunday blog using Mr. Linksy. You can check out all the details on the BLOG. We even have a blinkie that you can add to your blog. So please join us for some fun and inspiration. Can't wait to see your creations! Make sure you check out the design teams creations as well.

Now back to the card:)


This card is for last Friday's Viva La Verve Challenge. They are starting a new round of challenges for the month of April. If you participate in each week's challenge you can win the next release of Verve Stamps. Even if you don't win it is great to participate. Each week the challenge has a "twist". The twist to this challenge was to ONLY use a sentiment stamp. Seems like we have lots of birthday's coming up in our family. I thought this sentiment was the perfect one to use with the sketch. I had a bit of a rough time finding coordinating designer paper. I ended up using scraps. This was supposed to be a masculine card, but somehow they always turn out girly. I love adding ribbon (Walmart) and that razzly, dazzly faux button from Hobby Lobby just really takes the masculinity away. Now I have to tell you about the "B." I colored it with a green galore marker. After stamping it and putting it next to the DP I realized the color was "off." So, I took a blender pen and some Kiwi Kiss ink and ran it over the top of the green galore "B." That really seemed to help blend the colors together to get a closer shade. For another TIP: I also like to use my blender pen to touch up areas that may not have stamped well. Just touch the blender pen to your ink pad and then gently add color in the sparse areas. So easy and looks great. A marker usually leaves an obvious mark where you added the ink, but the blender pen is perfect.


Basic recipe:
Stamps: Party Hearty
Ink: Green Galore and Brilliant Blue markers, Kiwi Kiss
Paper: Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue, Various DP, Whisper White
Other: Swiss Dots Embossing folder, cuttlebug, scallop circle nestabilities, button, ribbon, corner rounder punch

Thanks for stopping by!

Pink Monday

Good Monday Morning! We are back from our trip to Michigan and had a fabulous time. It was pretty cold the day we left. Only 10 degrees...brrr! Sutton's Bay is absolutely beautiful even with snow. It was a fun time!

I'm sorry for my lack of posting lately. I have been very busy with other things. "Fun stamping" has been at a minimum. I did finish a card this morning for the Viva La Verve challenge this week. Unbelievable as it is, March is almost over. That means if you have participated in all four Viva la Verve sketches you have a chance to win the new Verve release for April. This week's "twist" was to only use ONE embellishment. I hope that my stitching didn't count as an embellishment because it's too late now. I gave this card a shabby chic feel I think.





This card is a 5 1/2"square of whisper white that is layered with some CTMH designer paper from LONG ago. I also used some of that pink DP from Bella Rose. I really love that stuff. I have been using a lot of pink lately. I think because I am so in love with the new In Color Pink Pirouette. It is so soft. It's the perfect pink if you ask me. I used the technique called Gamsol Magic to color in my flower.

Here is the basic recipe:
Stamps: Beautiful You (Verve), Easter Beauty (SU)
Ink: Choc Chip, Tim Holtz Distress Vintage Photo, Basic Brown
Paper: CTMH, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Bella Rose
Other: Sponge, Sewing machine, Paper Piercer, Cutter kit, Scallop Circle Die, Ribbon, dimensionals

Meet Dick and Jane

We found this really fun art gallery in Sutton's Bay. This piece reminded me of my kids. I wish my daughter had her hair in pigtails that day. Would have been even better. The woman in the shop was nice enough to let me take their picture together. Isn't the resemblance uncanny:)?


We also ran into this really cool "HEAVY METAL BAND". This art gallery was so fun. We spent a good while just trying to figure out all the different parts that were used to create this piece. It was so interesting. The art gallery and candy store were the favorite attractions. If you ever have the chance to visit Sutton's Bay I highly recommend it....just do it in the summer. I'm sure it is much better when it is warm:)

Have a great day!

Happy St Patrick's Day

By the time you read this post we will have been on the road for a few hours. We have headed off to an area around Lake Michigan. It is an early "spring break" for us. We plan on staying at Great Wolf Lodge and having a blast on the water slides. I do have a few cards made up ahead of time that I plan on posting through the week. Don't hold me to it though. I don't want to take away from our family time. I do want to share a card for the Viva La Verve Challenge that was posted on Friday. This time the "twist" was to make a birthday card. I have been very bad about sending cards lately. I have a few birthdays coming up, so this is a great challenge for me.


I used white as my base and then cut a smaller piece of white to layer on top. This one was embossed with my cuttlebug and swiss dots embossing folder. Next I used some of the designer paper that is in the SAB catalog. I layered those with the same colors: Bashful Blue and So Saffron. This is tied with ribbon from the Ribbon Bundle in the SAB catalog also. My image was stamped in black stazon on white cardstock. It is from Friends are like Flowers. One of my favorite sets. I colored it with prismacolor pencils and baby oil. I tried to make my own scalloped square with the scalloped edge punch. Um...that needs some work. The sentiment was stamped in bashful blue and punch out with a horizontal slot punch and then adhere with dimensionals. A relatively easy card to put together. I hope you can have a go at the challenge.

BTW, I think I have finally settled on a blog design. I really liked my polka dots, but then I saw them on my old computer......Yikes! It was like looking into the sun. Way too bright. So I have opted for this new background...for now. I'm not one for keeping things the same for long creatively. Sorry if I am confusing you.

Thanks for stopping by~!

Late Saturday Post and BLOG CANDY!!!

I am so sorry this post is late. I meant to do it before basketball today but I was busy making 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies for the team. They are "The Best EVAH Cookies" and I really think they are just that. I usually like the dough better than the actual cookies. These, however, are pretty great! I got the recipe on Julie Buhler's blog HERE

Let me just say that this recipe make a BIG batch. It can easily be reduced by half for your family. I used vanilla pudding in mine and they were great. The kids loved them. Today was our last game and I'm sad for that to happen. This was my son's first year playing. I am happy to say he fell in love with it and improved so much. The great thing about this age is that everyone cheers for everyone. It doesn't matter which team. Wouldn't it be great if it stayed like that?

Here is my "ALL STAR"....look at that form:)

Oh yeah, did you stop by for a card and the mention of blog candy? Well, I am so happy to say that my counter tripped 5,000 on Thursday. I know that may not sound like a lot, but to me it felt like a milestone. I wanted to thank those that take a peek into my life each week and comment on my stories and creations. Thank you! I have the following up for grabs.

This is a Salebration set from last year called Merci and a whole bunch of 6X6 designer paper. Some is from SU and some from Making Memories. All you have to do is leave me a comment and tell me your favorite Girl Scout cookie. Please only one comment per person. I will have my kids draw a name next Sat.

Now for the card....... But first my link for my ebay sale HERE


This is for this weeks Viva La Verve Challenge. Also, check out the Verve Blog for some chances to win a few new sets that are being released tomorrow. You can check here for the release party on Sunday March 8th at 8pm. Don't forget to change your clocks or you'll be late:)

My card is pretty straight forward so I'll just give a basic recipe. BTW, I colored in the flower on the sentiment panel IRL. I guess I deleted that picture...oops. This card is for my daughter. My kids have been really making me proud lately and I wanted to let them know how beautiful I think they are INSIDE and out.

Stamps: Beautiful You ( verve)
Ink: Black Brilliance, RHR, Rose Red
Paper: Old Olive, Watercolor, Regal Rose, My Mind's Eye DP, retired SU DP
Other: Making Memories Snaps, Regal SU Grosgrain, Martha Stewart glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds

KRISTINA'S COLOR CHALLENGE

I love when I have a specific person in mind for the card I'm making. I also love when it comes together even better than I imagined. This card is for our friends in Michigan whose little girl was in the hospital. I requested prayers for them a few weeks ago in this post. I am happy to report that they are now home and Brianna is on the mend. Thank you to all who said prayers. Please continue to pray for them over the next month or so. Brianna has a lot of healing to do.

I combined Kristina's Color Inspiration and last Friday's Viva la Verve Challenge to come up with this card.
The base of my card has 3 layers: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette and Pink DP from Bella Rose. I then took a strip of Chocolate DP that is retired and stitched in onto the center. The sentiment was stamped in Choc Chip Craft ink and clear embossed. It is from Verve's Beautiful You. I cut it out with my oval nestabilities and then sponged pink pirouette while it was still in the die cut. It is layered with a Chocolate DP from Bella Rose that was cut with the oval scalloped nesties. The pink satin ribbon is from Walmart and in threaded through the ovals. That whole "hanging sign thing" is a facade. After tying the ribbon through the holes it ended up being too short. So I cut it and adhered the ribbon on the back to secure the knots. I then cut another section to make the upside down "V". I tied a bow by itself and added the SU button using zots. The flowers on the right are from Target dollar spot and I used some Mocha pearls by Kaiser for the centers. Those also adorn the swirls on the left that are cut from Close to Cocoa using my cuttlebug and SU's Scribbles sizzlet.

Don't forget to check out the Viva La Verve thread tomorrow for a new challenge. When you play each week you have a chance at the end of the month to win some free Verve stamps. They have a new release coming up with some REALLY cute sets. Can't wait to see them all together!

Lily of the Valley

Just a very quick post today. I have to get ready to sell Girl Scout cookies tonight. I wanted to
participate in the last Viva La Verve Challenge for this month so I can get in the running for some free Verve stamps. You still have until next week to play if you like.

When I saw this set in the catalog I knew I had to have it. Lilly of the Valley is one of my most favorite flowers. It reminds me of when I was a little girl at my grandma's. Grandma Harvey was a special person in my life. More so because she wasn't even my "real" grandma. That was only in the sense of genetics though. She taught me many lessons that I still carry with me and always will. She was a true inspiration. Someone who had so little and gave sooo much. She is one person that I miss terribly in my life. So whenever I see this flower I always see her waiting for me on her "lily of the valley-lined" porch. I can see her waving and smell the beautiful fragrance of these tiny, delicate flowers. They always make me smile.

I used Cert. Celery for my base. It was stamped with the same ink using the retired Stitches background stamp. I ran a DCWV Text piece of cardstock (grayish color0 through my Birds and Swirls embossing folder and cuttlebug. I then sanded the raised areas. The yellow cardstock is also text. DCWV. I stamped in basic brown onto watercolor paper the lily from the new set Easter Beauty. I then used my SU Pure Color Pencils, Prismacolor Pencils and mineral oil to color the image. This technique is know somewhat as Magic Gamsol. I didn't want to use Mineral spirits so I just used baby oil. I also used some blending stumps. This was my first try at this and I think I need to practice. I used ribbon from the Salebration brochure and some Lush Kaiser pearls that I got from Taylor's store. Just an FYI...."lush" means GREEN. I did not know that. I never thought I would use them and wouldn't cha know, they are the first thing to get used. Never say never! I used my sizzlits tags from yesterday and cut out an acetate tag that I then embellished with the white tin "celebrate" tag I had laying around and more "lush" pearls. The acetate tag also got run through my cuttlebug. It's hard to see. That was the twist for this weeks challenge....use acetate. Here is a close up of the tag.

Gotta get going. Off to SELL, SELL, SELL. Which is better than what I have been doing which is EAT, EAT, EAT!
Darn Thin Mints! They may be thin but I sure won't be if I don't get them out of my house soon.

Have a great day!

Gold Cross and the MOJO'S Gone

I guess I used all on my mojo on that one card for the Mojo Monday Challenge. I REALLY struggled with this card. This is from a sketch for the Viva la Verve Friday Challenge. I had this idea and then it just fizzled out. BLAH! And things went downhill from there. I adhered my Large eyelets too tight and they punkered ( is that a word?) the suede paper. BTW, suede paper is just as hard to keep clean as real suede. I got water marks on it from cleaning my stamp too close. I promised I would post today so that is why I am putting it up. I try to keep my promises no matter what the cost. Even humiliation. No, it's not that bad. It's just not what I had envisioned.

I am just going to give a simple recipe. I have to get into town for a dr. appt. I guess I am getting really old because I have TWO dr appts. today. Sorry to be such a downer. Hopefully the sunshine will bring back some spark of creativity in me later.
Happy blessings to you!

stamps: Jeremiah, Hearts Afire (verve), French Script
Ink: Gold Encore, Close to Cocoa, Choc. Chip
Paper: Choc. Chip, Close to Cocoa, Vanilla, Vanilla Suede
Other: Cuttlebug, sponges, Large pewter brads, Pretties kit, Crop A Dile, Gold Paint Pen, bead glue

Going Acrylic!

Happy Sunday! It is an amazingly beautiful day here. The sun is sooo bright. I mean it's SUNday. I'm going to try and get this post in before church. The card I made this morning is for the Viva La Verve Friday challenge. I just realized that if you participate in every challenge for the month you have a chance to win FREE stamps....my favorite four letter "F" word:) So, I'm definitely going for it. I have fallen for Verve stamps over the last month. I have always been somewhat "anti" acrylic. But, I realized that there are pros and cons to both rubber and acrylic. I think Verve's stamps are very nice acrylic. Some of the cheaper ones aren't so great. The only con I have found is that they seem to be sticky after clean up and can attract particles. But that is easily remedied by storing and cleaning them properly. One of the things I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE about them is being able to see exactly where I put them. I could never have done the heart pattern you see around my card below with rubber stamps. I take that back. I probably could have, but it would have been very tedious and oh so time consuming. Something else that has made me fall in love with Verve Stamps.....the story behind the company. Julie seems to be an amazing, giving person who does it all. She is the founder and only employee of her company. She is constantly giving things away. HOW GENEROUS! So head on over and check out her blog and company. Send a little love her way on this very loving month of February. She's got some rockin' heart stamps sets to choose from. This also covers the OCC challenge this week. We had to use 2 hearts. Definitely got that covered:)

Before I present my card to you all today (BTW... this sooo did NOT get done before church. And although I am feeling very forgiving since attending, I still must share this tidbit.) Do you remember me telling you a few weeks ago about my husband's comment that I had "man hand's"? Hmmm, do you? Well, he read my blog and had a good chuckle over it. However, being a MAN, he didn't learn a DARN thing!! His recent 2 comments to me....are you ready?.... I have good " breeding hips" and when I told him to stop patting me on the duppa (that's behind in polish. Pronounced DO PA.....not sure of the spelling though) he said "oh, but it's sooo soft". Oh yeah...I am so keeping a tally on this. Is anyone else's husband this "loose lipped" with nothing in the melon? I don't know how he ever got me either. I know you are wondering what he did to deserve me. I'm wondering myself. But he tolerates my stamp addiction so I guess it's a fair trade off*wink*. All kidding aside, I truly do LURVE him:)!

Now....here's my card
The base is Kraft cardstock with a layer of Choc Chip on top. The top portion is cuttlebug embossed with the Argyle embossing folder. I then put a strip of SU designer paper through the center and some red ric rac along the bottom of that. I stamped the heart in red and the sentiment in Choc Chip Craft and clear embossed. Both are from the Verve set Hundred Hearts. The circle was cut using my Coluzzle cutter. I then stamped the circle of connected hearts by curving the acrylic hearts from Hearts Afire onto my acrylic block and inking only 4. I then just stamped around the circle. I could see right where to put them:) This is mounted with dimensionals. The heart brads are from Making Memories and the buttons are from FOREVER ago:) I used linen thread for the center of the buttons and mounted them with ZOTS.

Thanks for checking in today. I hope to post tomorrow but we'll have to see. I need to go break up the inch of ice on my driveway before the next big storm hits tonight. Cross your fingers that it misses us. I don't think I can stand having the kids home from school one more day! EEK! Love them to death but I need a break. Toodles!

Dirty Bird

My title is a bit strange I know. I really like this card except for that bird...he looks, well, dirty. I'm not very happy with "him". But I needed to get this card done and posted this morning. This is for the Viva La Verve Friday Challenge. You can check out the sketch here. I hope you can play along. The hardest part in making a card for me is the layout. So, I love when it is already made up for me.

This card uses Basic Gray for the base. I used the Urban Garden designer paper from SU. The sentiment is stamped on White in Basic Gray ink and is from Stampendous. I used the ticket corner punch and then layered this onto a piece of basic gray. Each corner is dotted with half pearls from HL. The flowers are from Joann's. I used the set Always for the stamped bird and flowers. I stamped the bird in versamark first and then in Baja Breeze and clear embossed it. I then rubbed basic gray over the top. I used my white gel pen to highlight areas. This is adhered with dimensionals. The scalloped rectangle was made with my scalloped edge punch. I stamped the flower in Baja Breeze and then sponged the edges with basic gray. I used the Gray Taffetta ribbon underneath on tied a separate bow on the side that is adhered with glue dots.

I'm sorry that my post today is rushed. I have a very busy day. Have lots to get done in before the big snow storm hits. Woohoo! LOVE THE SNOW! My mom is not so happy. She is not much of a winter person. We'll just keep her tucked inside:)

Have a great day! Don't forget to check out the sketch for MOJO MONDAY. You can click on the left of my blog for details. Hopefully I'll get a chance to play tomorrow. Don't you hate when regular life gets in the way of stamping? Geesh! Just kidding!

Simple Card Sunday

I just have a very quick post today. My hopes are to challenge myself each week to a "simple" card. That's very hard for me. My first card to show is not something I'm particularly happy with, but I am forcing myself NOT to add more elements to it:) I really wanted to emboss, add ribbon and brads. But restraint is good. So here it is. I will just give a basic recipe at the end.Stamps: Hundred Hearts, Hearts Afire, Sweet Valentine (by Verve)
Paper: Pacific Point, Off white textured, Green Galore, Vanilla
Ink: Real Red, Pacific Point
Other: paper piercing, dimensionals, versamarker

My next card is for the Viva La Verve Friday Challenge. It is definitely NOT simple. But I LOVE it!Here is a picture of the inside as well. I used my Bella Rose Designer paper and Chocolate Chip as my base. We needed to have some pink on this card for a "twist" to the sketch. I used Pink Pirouette and I love that Polka dotted paper. I am in love with polka dots at the moment:) I used Sweet Valentine and embossed the double hearts with Choc. Chip craft ink and clear EP onto watercolor paper. I will show you how I cut the out into circles at a later post. Riding Hood Red is the ink on the inside using the technique from my last tutorial. I stamped an extra set of hearts and put it on top of the center hearts for a bit of dimension. Not sure if you can tell in the picture. The heart brads are from Making Memories. The scallop on the side was made with my corner rounder. The Chocolate Satin ribbon is from Walmart. The hugs sentiment is also embossed in the same manner as the hearts. It is a stamp from Hero Arts. Everything else is pretty self explanatory. The hearts on the inside at the bottom are from the Verve set called Hearts Afire. I really am loving my Verve Stamps!

Viva La Verve Challenge Fridays

Verve Visual is a company I have really been intrigued by as far as stamps go. I don't have any of their stamps yet but I'm waiting for the new release that starts this Friday. I am excited to see what they have available. They are issuing a sketch challenge every Friday over at Splitcoaststampers. This is the first one and I really wanted to participate. So here is my sample of the sketch. Just click on the link above if you want to play along. A chance to win free stamps is involved. How fun is that?!
I went for a kind of shabby chic feel. The floral designer paper was my inspiration and is from a company called Hot Off the Press. The designer blue is something I have had forever and the celery is from a designer pack that is retired from SU. All are first "dirtied" with a little sahara sand ink and sponge. Then I stitched them all separately on my sewing machine. I used my cuttlebug and nestablilities for the scalloped circle and the Creative memories circle cutter for the center circle. The scalloped one is dotted with my white gel pen. I used stazon ink and a combination of markers, blender pen and watercolor pencils to color in the image from A Flower for All Seasons (current SU!) The base of my card is textured cardstock from DCVW. I tore the edge and grunged it up a bit as well. I used some retired lavendar grosgrain for the bow. The little plaque on the lower right is a metal tag (clearanced:) and a purple rhinestone brad to set it off. I ended up adding a scalloped strip of Lavendar Lace to the inside to balance out the purple. These are really my colors but I loved that paper. I think the person I send it to will really enjoy it though.

Well, I hope I made the deadline for a chance as a guest designer for next friday's challenge. Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Sunday!