Life Is Better Together

 

          I made this card with items my husband got me for our anniversary which is tomorrow, March 26^th.  I just had to figure out how to get my hands on them BEFORE our anniversary.  The opportunity arose when the book he was getting for our anniversary arrived.  I had a bargaining tool, and I took advantage of it.  Oh, what I won’t do to get my hands on new Verve!  LOL  I’ll confess to him tomorrow when he opens this card for our anniversary!  I loved putting this card together.  I found this perfect patterned paper by Authentique and knew that it would make the perfect background.  Don’t the colors make you think of a warm sunny day with a deep & bright blue sky?  I wanted bright and airy and not feminine.  There are No flowers on this card and the other one I’m posting today.  Will wonders never cease?  LOL  This is another entry for the Viva la Verve March 2014 Challenge!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Better Together & More Than Love

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Bermuda Bay & Sahara Sand

·       Paper:  Authentique – Seasons “Summer One”; Stampin’ Up! – Sahara Sad, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Daffodil Delight & Bermuda Bay

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  A Cut Above Dies by Verve – Wavy Hearts; Spellbinders – Classic Circles Large & Classic Scalloped Circles Large; Stampin’ Up! – Chalk Talk Framelits

I played around with the sentiment circle.  I tried stamping the arrow on the Very Vanilla CS but it never looked straight, and I must have straight!  So I stamped the arrows on Bermuda Bay CS with Bermuda Bay ink and cut them out by hand – are there dies out there that match  these arrows?  The heart shape from More Than Love SS was a perfect complement to the chevron paper.  I love the graphic feel to this very sunny feeling card.  My husband will be sure to see all the love I have for him in this card.  He is the love of my life!  Life is better together with you!  I love you, Thom!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and taking a look!  Let me know what you think if you are so inclined!

Many Blessings,
Donna

Doing the Polka Birthday Bash!

 

          We are having a busy week in our family this week.  Our son-in-law’s birthday is on March 26^th and our 9^th wedding anniversary is also on the 26^th.  We also have bought a new car to replace a relative new but unreliable 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee!  Left the Chrysler products and went for a RAV4!  I am using this card in 2 Verve Challenges for this month.  One is “Do the Polka Diva Dare” and I used the Viva la Verve March 2014 sketch for week 1.  This was a fun sketch and really enjoyed going a bit outside my box creating a card that isn’t feminine – well for me anyway!  LOL  But I did go “dottie” with the dots on the patterned paper and both embossing folders.

·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Word Play, Oh, Hello, & From My Heart; Heartfelt Creations – Tattered Background

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Early Espresso & Coastal Cabana

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla, DSP Pattern Stack 2012-2013(ret.); Basic Grey – Serenade Half Penny & 50 Pence; The Paper Studio – Solid Glitter Champagne

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Stampin’ Up! – Oval Framelits; Marianne – Cupcake Creatables; My Favorite Things – Washi Tape Die-Namics; Provocraft – Cuttlebug Poka Dots & Swiss Dots Embossing Folder 

The card came together easily.  All the images were edged in Early Espresso to go with the shabby look I was going for to coordinate with the Basic Grey paper.  The oval was stamped with the oval shape from Oh, Hello, cut out with the Framelits and then run through the Swiss Dots EF.  The yellow dotted patterned paper was embossed with the Polka Dot EF.  I cut out the “Washi Tape” from one stamped image and 2 papers (see above).  I used the candle die from the Marianne die to add some bling to the card – after all, the candle does need to sparkle a bit!

Thanks for taking the time to drop by my part of the blogging world!  Please feel free to leave me a comment.  I love hearing what you think!

Many Blessings,

Donna

Sunny Grace For You

 

          Hello from the weather crazed North Carolina!  On Friday, we had a ½“of ice on top of sleet and snow, and since Friday, we’ve enjoyed temps in the 60s!  I’m thinking that the earth is in the birth pangs prior to the return of Jesus.  It certainly hasn’t been a normal NC winter, but signs of spring are everywhere!  When I saw the two March Diva Dare & Diva Inspirations Hop, I knew that I wanted to do a light, bright and cheery card with an uplifting scripture to inspire faith for all!

I will be using this card for entry into 3 challenges this month/week!  This is contest week over at MOJO Monday, so this is my submission for MOJO335 plus "Do The Polka", March Diva Dare and Spring Has Sprung Verve's March Diva Inspirations Hop.  One card = 3 entries!  Nice!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Surely Goodness & Scripture Medley 2  

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Raspberry Ripple and Stampin’ Write Markers in Pear Pizazz, Pistachio Pudding, Primrose Petals, & Raspberry Ripple; Versamark – Watermark Stamp Pad

·       Paper:  Echo Park – Everyday Eclectic 6x6 pad; Stampin’ Up! – In Color 2012-2014 DSP (ret.) & Whisper White, Blushing Bride, & Pistachio Pudding CS & Vellum

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders – Classic Squared & Classic Scalloped Squares Large; A Cut Above Dies by Verve – Surely Goodness; Provocraft – Polka Dots EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Archiver’s – Shabby Pink EP; Stampin’ Up! – Jewels Basic Pearls Large   

My card is 4¼” by 5½” with a left side fold.  I embossed the flower and leaves with the Shabby Pink embossing powder (love the touches of gold) on vellum and colored in the flower with Stampin’ Write Markers – the flower in Primrose Petals and Raspberry Ripple and the leaves in the both greens.  The “For You” is a thank you single stamp that I got with my last order from Verve!  I took some liberties with the layout from MOJO335, but I think it works this way, too!  I did cut out a window in the large scalloped square and place the stamped sentiment behind it.  It is popped up off of the card base.

 Thanks for stopping by and hope you’ve enjoyed your visit.  Please feel free to leave me a comment!

Many Blessings,
Donna

Treasuring Moments

 

          While getting caught up on my e-mails today, I looked at PTI’s blog, Capture the Moment.  I ran across this month’s Color Play Combo and Signature Sketches – the 3^rd one featured.  I loved the simplicity and style of the sketch and the colors made me think of springtime.  I think the whole country has had enough winter and is longing for spring flowers, green trees and grass.  The sketch itself made me think of the PTI Summer Hills stamp set that was one of the first I bought!

·       Stamp set(s):  Papertrey Ink – Summer Hills

·       Ink(s):  Memento – Tuxedo Black;  Stampin’ Up! – Stampin’ Write Markers in Gumball Green, Pear Pizazz, Melon Mambo, Rose Red, Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Soft Sky, Early Espresso Smoky Slate & Basic Gray

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White and Basic Black CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Provocraft – Cuttlebug EF, Paper Lace II

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Verve – Seam Binding Ribbon from Truly Madly Deeply Ribbon Collection

I used a few more colors on my coloring than the Color Play Combo listed, but I did use them in very small doses to make the sketch work – like the Early Espresso on the tree trunks, the Daffodil Delight for the windows and Real Red on the barn door.  Of course, the trees are colored pink for the flowering trees I love seeing in the spring.  I also colored the sky with Soft Sky.  This whole stamp set and some of the other companion stamp sets with this release made me think of my mother and her quilts so the sentiment made sense as I treasure the memory of my mom and her quilts – like the tiny clothes line with quilts on it in this image!

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look and reading my inklings.  I appreciate your time!  The sketch from the blog is below!

Many Blessings,

Donna

PS:  Does anybody have some tips on taking pictures of your projects?  This one looked straight until I went to my laptop!  Frustrated with this aspect of my blogging!