Soul Mate Valentine

 

          I finally got around to using my brand new Verve set, “More Than Love”!  Once again, they ship soooo fast!  Love it.  I got the stamp set on Thursday and just got around to using it today – the last day to enter to win some Verve on the MOJO Monday blog!  So here goes.  This is my special card for the love of my life Thom.  We have only known each other 10 years.  It was 10 years ago at the end of January that we were matched on e-Harmony.  You should have heard our kids telling us to be careful!  The Lord used e-Harmony to bring us together.  We will celebrate 9 wonderful years of marriage in March.  He is my soul mate.  When I saw the scripture from the Song of Solomon, I knew that this stamp set had to make it into my growing Verve collection.  I had to fussy cut the hearts; I’ll be getting the dies soon!  My card is 4¼” by 5½” with a left-hand fold!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – More Than Love & Surely Goodness

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Marina Mist

·      Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Always Artichoke & Very Vanilla CS; My Mind’s Eye – Bella Bella French Flea Market Stripe (“found” in the blue section of my Scrap Rack carefully tucked away!  LOL!); The Paper Studio – Solid Glitter CS light blue

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  A Cut Above Dies by Verve – Surely Goodness die set; Spellbinders – Contemporary Hearts, Classic Rectangles Large & Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large; Stampin’ Up! – Sizzlits Little Leaves & Square Lattice EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Classic Jewels Pearls Large; Fiskars – Small Heart Punch

I changed the sketch up a bit.  I rotated the sentiment block 90° to the left and used the rectangle block under the sentiment block as a mat for my sentiment.  I decided against the small narrow banner/ribbon running diagonally across the top and used the flowers instead of the larger hearts.  I instead took the hearts and added them above the sentiment.  I like how my card came out!  I didn’t want to go too over the top with hearts and flowers so kept it fairly simple and as subtle as I could since this is a card for my husband. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking a look.  I’ve made it easy to leave a comment by turning off the verification box.  Please feel free to let me know what you think.

Until next time, have an awesome day!  The inside of the card and the MOJO331 sketch are below!

Many Blessings,

Donna

Rejoice (MOJO325)

          I know that it has been a while since my last post.  My husband was back in the hospital earlier this month – the 5^th time this year with heart related issues, our son and his dog just moved out – much dog hair to find and banish and then Christmas, and then Christmas baking.  I was tired but recovering!  God is good!  Even with all of these hospitalizations – one was a mild heart attack; there has been no change in his EKG that indicates further damage to his heart.  Praise God!  So when it came time to do a birthday card for Thom’s Aunt Dot who will be 85 on January 2^nd, this scripture from my brand spanking new stamp set came to mind!  (A shout out to Verve:  I ordered 2 stamp sets on Thursday morning the day after Christmas, and got them on Saturday.  Great customer service!) 

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Scripture Medley 1 and Lean On Me

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Real Red; Stampin’ Write Real Red and Crushed Curry markers

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Real Red, Very Vanilla, and Vellum; My Mind’s Eye – Lost & Found 3

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve – Pointed Flower Die; Papertrey Ink – XL Rickrack Border Die; Stampin’ Up! – Chalk Talk Framelits and Fancy Fan Embossing Folder

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Basic Jewels Pearls Large; Recollections - Pearls

I used one of my favorite techniques on this card – stained glass.  I embossed the flower image onto vellum using white embossing powder and then colored the back side with my SU markers.  It gives a really soft effect.  I loved the patterned paper from MME, and used the read in it to pull for my accent colors.  I chose to use flowers instead of a heart since I’m still not quite ready to do Valentine cards yet even though my colors SHOUT Valentine.  I liked this week’s sketch!  It’s always nice to have some basic ideas as to how the card is laid out as you think about the colors, patterns and texture!  The pearls are a nice finishing touch for a really wonderful woman.  They are so classic and classy!

         I hope and pray that you have a wonderful New Year ahead.  I am anticipating this New Year with joy in my heart for all of the Lord’s blessings on you and yours, and me and mine!

Many Blessings,
Donna

Surely Goodness and Mercy...

          I am a big fan of stamps that have a meaning deeper than just creating an attractive image.  Verve Stamps is a company that has some really beautiful stamps and sentiments in particular that meet my need for stamping products that go deeper than “just a pretty image” to paraphrase a saying!  This card layout is from the Viva la Verve Sketch Challenge, September 2013 Week 1.  I played around with some new paper that I ordered from PeachyCheap.com – a really great place to check out.  Their daily deals are awesome.  You can get them to your FB feed by liking their page!  The Viva la Verve Week 1 Sketch is below so that you can compare the sketch to my take on it!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve Stamps – Surely Goodness SS

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, & Elegant Eggplant; Color Box Chalk Ink – Olive Pastel; Versamark Watermark Pad

·       Paper:  My Mind’s Eye (MME) – Fiddlesticks “You & Me” Bloom & Lucky Tapestry Papers; Stampin’ Up! – Wild Wasabi, Smoky Slate, & Very Vanilla CS; and Vellum papers

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Verve A Cut Above Dies – Surely Goodness;  Stampin’ Up! – Sizzlits Large Paper Doily & Edgelits Large Scallop; Heartfelt Creations – Classic Leaf Die;  Spellbinders – Lattice Rectangles

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  MME – Cut & Paste Charm Smile Enamel Dots; Zing Embossing Powder White

          It took me a while for make this card come together.  I played with different colors of cs for the doily.  I knew I wanted to use a doily for the circle in the sketch, but I didn’t get it to work with the other elements I was using until I rotated the sketch clockwise ¼ turn.  Then for some reason the color selection came easier.  Go figure – maybe a brain glitch until the layout was “right” for what I wanted to do?  I did learn something important.  I need to invest in more of SU markers.  I used blender pens to color the vellum for the stained glass effect on the flower.  Bad idea!  Too much moisture makes the paper curl after it is colored and dries!   (I had to back it with some Very Vanilla CS, and it still wants to curl up!)  Just adding to my wish list!  LOL!  I also played with the placement of the element on the lower right of the focus/sentiment area in the sketch.  The large scallop border below the yellow gingham check on my card was my solution.  I liked how it turned out.

I was really pleased with the overall softness of the card.  It has a bit of an aged look and is pleasing to my eye.  I hope that you like it as well.  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!  I love hearing from my visitors!

Many Blessings,

Donna