Welcome Baby with Viva la Verve

 



          Our church family has grown by two precious little ones in the past few weeks so I needed to send some cards out to welcome the new additions to the church!  The first card goes to the family with the little girl since ladies go first!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Be Blessed; Stampin’ Up! – Petite Pairs

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Strawberry Slush & So Saffron

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Very Vanilla, Strawberry Slush, So Saffron & Lucky Limeade (ret.); My Minds’ Eye – Bloom & Grow Eye Candy (2009)

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  A Cut Above by Verve – Petal Points Die, Sprightly Sprigs & Banner Bundles; Stampin’ Up! – Sizzlits – Beautiful Wings; Spellbinders – Labels 10; Provocraft – Polka Dots EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon(ret.)  & Subtles Candy Dots; Verve – Shine Bright Sequin Mix   

         If you have read any of my past blog posts, you know that I am a self-confessed paper hoarder.  I buy paper with one project in mind, especially the older papers when I thought I was going to be doing a lot of scrapbooking, and then don’t want to use it.  But this piece of paper was a single piece of this lovely collection hanging around in my Scrap Rack so I pulled it out.  I love the sketch that Chaitali did for this week and had some trial and error coming up with the curve for the papers.  I found that the Spellbinders Labels 10 cut the paper to the curve and size I wanted when the width was 4 1/8”.
          I’d been really wanting to pull out my newly arrived Be Blessed set and those lovely flowers.  Add some greenery using the Sprightly Sprigs die, a butterfly, some sequins, ribbon and my new candy dots from Stampin’ Up! for the flower centers.  I love those things.  Just got those in for the first time from SU.  They will be a regular from now on.  They are so easy to use and love them with flowers.

 

For my second card, I had a little boy to welcome into the world so I changed up the colors, kept the layout the same and changed up the elements a bit.  Here are the supplies that I used:

·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Petite Pairs

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Bermuda Bay & Rich Razzleberry

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White, Old Olive, Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, & Daffodil Delight; Basic Grey – Lemonade Picnic Table (2009)

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Cut Above by Verve – Banner Bundle, Sprightly Sprigs; Spellbinders – Labels 10; Stampin’ Up!  - Embosslits/Sizzlits, Beautiful Wings, Buttons #5,  Floral Fusion & Chevron EF                                  

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Brights Collections Buttons, Jewels Basic Rhinestones & Lucky Limeade Bakers Twine (ret.)

         I wanted to make a less feminine card yet keep it young since a baby whether boy or girl is such a precious soft bundle with no hard edges.  So I used some less traditional colors but still added some softer touches, after all butterflies are still technically bugs!  LOL  Instead of flowers, I used some button dies and a simple flower with a button center for some layer and depth.

I know that this is a longer post than usual but with the cards being so similar, I wanted to post them together.  I hope you’ve enjoyed your visit!

May you and your family have a safe and blessed 4^th of July as we celebrate our nation’s birthday!

Many Blessings,

Donna

 

Thinking of You with WPlus9 Design Studio

 

          A few months ago, I won a prize package from Papercrafts & Scrapbooking Magazine valued at about $150.  In that prize package were 2 WPlus9 items – Very Vintage Florals and a matching die for the label/frame stamp in the set.  As you can see by many of my posts, not only am I using a lot of Pear Pizazz card stock – probably my favorite green, but I am also making my own floral patterned paper by using stamps to make my own.  Love this idea!  I love florals – it is a theme on my blog, lol – but making my own matching papers is just perfect for me.  Every attempt is different!

          I needed 3 cards – two for my church card ministry and one for us to send.  So I played and these 3 cards were what I came up with.  I thought that the ODBD Corrie ten Boom quote was appropriate for all 3 cards though I just now realized that by using the same sentiment on the inside, I gave away my identity to the recipient of 2 cards – one from the church and one from me and my husband!  Little slow there!  LOL  All 3 cards measure 4¼” by 5½” with one having a different orientation than the other 2.

·       Stamp set(s):  WPlus9 – Very Vintage Florals; Our Daily Bread Designs – Corrie ten Boom (inside of all 3 cards); 2^nd & 3^rd card, inside:  Stampin’ Up! – Flowering Flourishes; Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Additions

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – 1^st Card:  Rose Red, Blushing Bride & Pear Pizazz; 2^nd & 3^rd Card – Wisteria Wonder, Elegant Eggplant, Pear Pizazz & Garden Green

·       Paper:  1^st card: Stampin’ Up! – Rose Red, Whisper White, & Pear Pizazz; 2^nd & 3^rd Card: Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder & Pear Pizazz

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  WPlus9 – Labels Layers 3 Die

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  1^st Card: Stampin’ Up! - Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon (ret.); 2^nd & 3^rd Card – White ribbon from stash; sequins; Stampin' Up! - Basic Jewels Rhinestones

          The making of the two different pattern papers were the most time consuming especially with the smaller floral from the WPlus9 set.  I made a whole page with the PTI images that you’ve seen in previous posts.  I played around with placement on this one.  This is one of the few times recently that I haven’t had a sketch to use for the layout.  Fairly simple card to make with all of the nice elements in the focal stamp set.  The WPlus9 set can be layered up to create different looking flowers for a really pretty effect.  I will use this one a lot, I think especially the frame.  The photopolymer stamp allows you to mount a sentiment from the set inside the frame and stamp both the frame and sentiment at the same time.  Really nice!!!

          Thank you for taking a look at my creations.  Please feel free to browse around my blog!

Many Blessings,

Donna

Beautfy For Ashes (VLVJune2014, wk1)

          I was in need of another sympathy card this week for my church card ministry.  Always a sad time for our families when they lose a loved one, but she is now waiting for them on the other side of the veil; they will be reunited!  I seem to be in my purple faze right now so again, I did a purple flower but this time, I had the dies to cut it out! 

          My care is 4¼” by 5½” with a left hand fold.  I did use the Viva la Verve June 2014 week 1 sketch for this and was also going to enter it in the Wings Diva Dare, but I did not have the time to get it posted.  Too, too busy!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Scripture Medley 1 & Chevron Love; Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Addition; Stampin’ Up! – Simply Sketched (Hostess, retired on inside)

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Pear Pizazz, Wisteria Wonder & Elegant Eggplant

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White, Pear Pizazz, & Elegant Eggplant

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – All A Flutter; Papertrey Ink – Delightful Dahlia Die; Stampin’ Up! – Adorning Accents Edgelits & Bigz Top Note

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Buttons Vintage Faceted; Recollections - Pearls   

          My card was fairly straight forward as I followed the sketch.  The focal image of the scripture was a bit bigger than the sketch, but I really wanted to use the Top Note die with its stitching and the gorgeous blooms from Papertrey Ink’s Dahlias.  I tried to do the 3 layer stamping on the images without success.  I just need to play with the some more and find the PTI tutorial on the image again!  I’m always open to suggestions!  The pattern paper for the back ground is made from stamping the dahlia images onto Whisper White card stock.  I really love making my own background papers at times to get the perfect match!

          That’s all for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by and feel free to leave a comment as I love hearing your feedback!

 

Many Blessings,

Donna

 

Viva la Verve June 2014 Fathers' Day

 

          Would anybody believe that I have made a card without one bit of bling?  I can do it when it’s for the very special man in my life, my husband Thom.  I really appreciate his love, deep caring and responsibility he displays as a loving husband, father and stepfather!  He leads our family like the man of God he is.  When I first saw this Jeremiah 17:7, I knew that I had to get it for this Fathers’ Day!  It is a perfect sentiment to describe this man of mine!  Thank You, Lord, for the gift of a loving husband and father!

          I used the Viva la Verve June 2014 week 2 sketch!  I really love the off angle panels, but they are a challenge for me; I like how the panels turned out!  I did take a little license with the sketch to accommodate the scripture’s size using the ovals with a mat, and the banner was moved to the back of the sentiment panel!  My card is 4¼” by 5½” with a left side fold.  I will be posting this to Splitcoaststampers, VLV June 2014 and the Verve Diva Dare, “A Man’s World”.

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Jeremiah 17:7 Plain Jane; Stampin’ Up! – Oh, Hello

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Night of Navy & Real Red

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Night of Navy, Sahara Sand & Real Red card stock; Denim Stars and Stars on Gray – from my old stash – I mean seriously old!!  LOL

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – Starry Die & Banner Bundle; Lifestyle Crafts – Nesting Ovals; Stampin’ Up! – Square Lattice Embossing Folder   

          Once I decided on how to accommodate the size of the scripture that I chose for this card, I needed to up the color quotient from the navy and gray colors.  I little pop of red for the banner really livened things up without one bit of bling!  BUT, it still needed a touch of color and some embellishment.  I pulled out the Stampin’ Up! Oh, Hello set that has a chevron oval stamp in it.  I inked it up in Real Red & Night of Navy; they were stamped on the Sahara Sand cardstock and used the Starry Die to cut out the stars.  I also cut out some stars in the Real Red and layered them as you see them.

          I am very pleased with this afternoon’s time in my craft room, and it is done a day early!  Even better!  Thanks so much for stopping by and looking at my take on this week’s VLV sketch. 

Many Blessings,

Donna



MOJO 348 Pink & Girly Birthday

 

          Well, it’s another MOJO Monday contest week and here I am trying to try my hand again at winning some free Verve!  I have become such a fan of this company.  Love their stamps with coordinating dies!  Absolutely brilliant!

          With this MOJO I am doing something a little different – practicing to be a grandmother maybe?????  We have a birthday party to go to for a 3 year old on Sunday and at the same time a going away party for this small family who is moving to Korea for 3 years.  I decided to use this retired Stampin’ Up! stamp set.  After finding the paper with the flowers for the background, I decided to use my newly acquired Dream Big scalloped flowers that perfectly imitate the flowers in the patterned paper.  So exciting when this comes together!  In order to make it all work, I rotated the elements a bit to make the design come together on a horizontal orientation.  My card is 5½” by 4 ¼” with a bottom opening.

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Dream Big; Stampin’ Up! – Moving Forward (retired)

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up!  – Strawberry Slush

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White & Strawberry Slush card stock; My Mind’s Eye – Pretty Please “Full of Flowers” (2009) – yes, I am a paper hoarder!  LOL

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – Scalloped Flowers Die & Banner Bundle Die;  Spellbinders – Labels 8

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Verve – Shine Bright Sequin Mix (Love this product!)   

         I really love the new scalloped flowers on the Dream Big stamp set with the coordinating dies.  I made a 2 layer flower and put a little scalloped flower punched out of glitter paper for the center.  I added the bird and bird flight path to the focal image of the balloon; scatter a few of these lovely, shiny sequins, and my little girl birthday card is done.  I think it turned out really cute and very pink.  The little girl that this card is going to is a bit of a tomboy so I thought the pink dirigible was a perfect compromise.  I hope her mom and dad like my tribute to their 3 year old bundle of energy!

 Please hang with me on my blog.  I am still dealing with a few health issues making me slow way down, but allergy season will soon be behind us!  Thank you God!  Pollen doesn’t last forever!   Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.  Please feel free to let me know what you think!

 

Many Blessings,

Donna