Viva La Verve 3

Three down one more to go. The twist for this Viva La Verve Sketch, VLVFeb02, was to only use cardstock, no patterned paper. I thought the Natural Beauty set from SU was perfect for this sketch. The words worked out great on the panel, and the flowers fit perfectly in the oval. I colored the flowers with copic markers. I cut out the circle with the circle scissor, and embossed it with the cuttlebug textile embossing folder. I added ink to the embossed circle to add texture. The ribbon is a sheer ribbon by Offray.

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Viva La Verve 2!

Here is the next Viva La Verve sketch that I completed, VLVFeb03. The twist for this challenge was to use a monochromatic color scheme. I chose to use pink! Who doesn't like pink?! The patterened paper is from a Basic Grey 6x6 paper pad, Bittersweet. I added two embossed lines for some texture, and of course some bling! I also added some bling to the sentiment in the center of the flowers. The flower is a prima flower.

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Viva La Verve!

Verve Stamps is getting ready for a March release, and they have given us an opportunity to win the entire March release by completing all four the the Viva La Verve challenges. This is the first one that I completed VLVFeb01. The twist for this challenge was to use embossing wet or dry. This isn't usually a color combo that I use, but I feel like I always use the same colors. So at first this was a little bit out of my comfort zone. Seeing the card complete I am happy with the colors I chose. This layout is really great for using the cuttlebug embossing folders that I love! I also like the simplicity of the layout. I could focus more on the coloring of my image and use some fun embellishments. I used dew drops for accents, it is hard to see but they are clear and speckled with pink. I haven't used these before and wasn't sure how to attach them. I ended up using glue dots and they worked great! The stamp is a flower from Gina K's stamp set called Happy Harvest. I colored the image with copic markers (still practicing). After I colored the image I cut it out and embossed it with the plain oval nestabilities. Then I used the nestabilities as a template and sponged around the edge. I love how the stenciling looks! You get the look of an extra layer without an extra piece of paper! The ribbon is Martha Stewarts twill ribbon.

That's all for now. Off to work on the other sketches.

Mojo Sketch 74 and Stamp Simply 75

This card did not turn out at all like I had planned. Isn't that how it goes sometimes?! I had cuttlebug pieces cut out and a different image stamped!! Since my original plan changed I strayed pretty far from the Mojo Sketch, but I did stay true to Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply Challenge. The challenge was to stamp with only black ink.

For the sketch I left off the ribbon and the tag...but at least the basic layout stems from the sketch. I stamped the main image and cut it out and embossed it using the square nestabilities. I adhered this with pop dots to a 3x3 inch black square that I embossed with the tapestry CB embossing folder. In place of the paper strips on the sketch I die cut the swirls from the Sizzix Die Cut Flower and Vines #2. In place of the tag I stamped a sentiment on the base. This is from an acrylic set by Inkadinkado called Garden Flower.

Recipe: Stamps: Magenta, Inkadinkado; Paper: Paper Trey Ivory Cardstock, Deep Heritage Black; Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Tools: Sizzix Flower and Vines #2, Plain Square Nestabilities, CB tapestry embossing folder

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Ribbon Storage

I have been hit with the flu bug again. It is one of the consequences of being a 4-year-old kindergarten teacher I guess. You can only can coughed on, sneezed on, or clean up vomit so many times before you get hit by the bug yourself! But thank goodness I am perking up today, ready to start all over again tomorrow :) So I haven't actually been creating anything this week, but I have been wrapping ribbon. I found this storage solution Amazing Ribbon Storage from the Amazing Paper Grace Blog over the summer. I thought it looked wonderful! But I also thought it would take a lot of time. I have been on bit of an organizing spree, so I decided to jump in and get started. The first picture is of the empty containers where I had all of my ribbon. I also had ribbon that I bought by the yard in resealable bags on a large ring. That is what is sitting on top of the storage container on the left.

I know it would have been more impressive to see these full of the ribbon, but I didn't think to take a picture before I got started. I never thought that I would be able to fit all of my ribbon in one of the three drawer containers. But to my surprise, it DID!!! You can see above how nice and tidy this looks! I love it!!! It is definately easier to store this container compared to the five containers I had them in before. I also sorted the ribbon by color, which will make my crafting easier as well. Here are a couple of pictures of what the drawers look like open.

That's all I have for this week. Thanks for stopping by!! And Have a Super Week!!

Mojo Monday 72

I look forward to the Mojo Monday Sketch every week. I don't usually have time to complete the sketch until Sunday, but then I can think about what I want to do all week. Then hope that it turns out the way I pictured it!! This week I needed to make a card for my husband's grandma. It is her birthday this week...I can't believe it is already February! I started with a white base, this is Gina K's luxury cardstock. I absolutely love this cardstock, it is very thick and works really well for a card base. It also is perfect for coloring in images using Copic markers! The next layer is a charcoal cardstock I bought at Archivers. The patterned paper is from a K & Company paper pad, it is called Wedding Multi Mat Pad. Next, I cut out a charcoal strip of cardstock and created a scallop edge using Fiskars scallop scissors. I attached the ribbon, the flower, and then attached it to the card. I stamped the main image from SU Garden Silhouettes and matted it on the charcoal cardstock. I altered the sketch by making the scallop circle the bottom of the main image. I tried placing the circle as shown on the sketch, but I liked it better this way. I created the circle image by stamping my sentiment and punching it out with a 1 1/4 inch circle punch, I punched out a 1 3/8 inch circle out of the patterned paper, and the scallop was cut out with the smallest scallop circle from the large scallop nestabilities set.



Recipe: Stamps: Hero Arts Acrylic Set (a mini set I bought at Archivers), SU Garden Silhouettes; Ink: Memento: London Fog, VersaMagic Chalk Ink: Midnight Black; Paper: Gina K Luxury Cardstock 120 lb, K & Company Wedding Multi Mat Pad, Charcoal Cardstock from Archivers; Tools: 1 1/4 & 1 3/8 inch circle punches, nestabilities scallop circle, Fiskars Scallop Paper Edgers; Accessories: White Flower: Bazzill Wings Bitty Blossoms, Blue Flower:Prima Flowers, Bazzill Opal Brad, Ribbon by Creative Accents, Horizons Fabric Inc.



Thanks for stopping by, have a great week!

My First Post!

Welcome to my first post on my new blog. I am excited to start this adventure, and hope that I am able to inspire you to create. I hope to include tutorials along the way in addition to my card creations.


I made this card for the Cupcake Challenge from Taylored Expressions. This is the first time I am participating in one of Taylor's Sketches. It was a fun sketch to start with! I started by stamping the bees and cutting them out with the petite oval nestabilities. I colored them in with the copic markers, and matted it on the next size nesty. After the marker art was dry I went back and added glitter to the wings with a glitter pen, and outlined the image with Prismacolor Cold Stone. I then cut out the pattern paper and adhered it to the base of the card. I punched out the scallop border, and attached the cuttlebug border on top of it. I stamped the sentiment using my stampamajig (it was a two line stamp). Then I attached the sentiment to the bottom. Then added the pink and red strip, and attached the main image. I cut out the heart buttons from my sizzlit and attached a white circle to the back so you could see the button holes. Then I added pop dots to the hearts and adhered them to the card.

Recipe: Stamps: Stampendous, Inky Antics; Paper: Doodlebug; Tools: Cuttlebug embossing border, Fiskars Apron Lace Border Punch, Sizzix Sizzlit Buttons, Petite Oval Nestabilities, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig; Coloring Tools: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers: RV21, R14, R59, R27, Prismacolor: Cold Stone (for the outlining), Sakura Glitter Pen


Then I made this coordinating Gable Box. I kept the design simple like the card. I used the Martha Stewart mini scallop heart border punch to trim the box. And I punched a 2-inch scallop circle and punched hearts out with the 1/8 inch heart hand punch by fiskars to coordinate with the scallop border. I can't wait to fill it with treats and give it to my niece. She will love it!

Recipe: Stamps: $ Stamp from Michaels; Paper: Doodlebug; Tools: Martha Mini Heart Scallop Border Punch, EK Success 2-inch scallop circle punch, Fiskars 1/8 inch heart hand held punch, SU oval punch, 1 1/2 inch circle punch, Sizzix Sizzlit Button die cut; Coloring Tools: Ancient Page Cardinal Ink; Accesories: 1/8 inch white grograin ribbon

Thanks for stopping by!