Sweet Sunday Sketch #128

What the? No, your clock is not wrong. I'm actually posting my Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge sample ON TIME this week!! I KNOW. But I better hurry and write this because I'm cutting it close to the wire. So here's this week's sketch. And yes, I'm pissed about that stupid crooked panel. Karen and I still aren't talking. ;-)


And here's my sample (feel free to congratulate me on actually using a crooked panel. It was extremely painful. And I'm going to complain about it throughout this entire post. So fair warning).


I changed things up a bit from the sample. The crooked panel threw me off my game and I honestly don't know what happened. But I think it's close enough to still count. We'll just go with it and Karen is probably still recovering from seeing me actually use a crooked panel that she won't even notice that besides that stupid crooked panel it really looks nothing like the sketch! LOL. Oh well. I used my new Sweet As Can Be stamps and matching died from PTI on this card and added another glittered star (I do realize addiction is an illness). The felt ice cream is from the Felt on the Fly etsy shop - they have the best quality felt for really amazing prices (WAY better deals than I've found anywhere else, including popular stamp companies, and the quality is the same, and it comes in a ton of colors - so check them out). The polka dot paper is from the Lime Twist Happy Go Lucky collection from My Mind's Eye.

Be sure to stop by all the Sweet Sunday Stampers' blogs and see what they've done with this week's sketch.

• Dana White
• Karen Motz
• Karen Giron
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Then play along with us and post your own creation using InLinkz over on today's post on Karen's Blog!

July SFYTT - I heart You

Only a few days are left to play along with the July Sketch For You to Try girls. In case you missed my post earlier this month, we have another fabulous sponsor this month - My Favorite Things!! First, take a look at this month's fun sketch:


I pulled some MFT goodies out of my stash that had yet to see ink to create another sample and came up with this - it's another card I made to give my son. I've been giving Dean a card about once a month with a little letter written inside full of my thoughts on being his Mom at the time, funny things he's done lately, or just sharing my feelings. He doesn't care too much now but someday I hope this will be a special keepsake for him. He starts kindergarten on Monday and I wanted to write him a little note both to tell him how proud of him I am and also to capture my mix of emotions at this milestone. I wanted to make the card look more like a "Big Boy" card and I think I accomplished that.


I used the Say What die and stamp set from MFT and am so happy I finally played with this set! I'll definitely be using it more often! The papers are all super old SEI and Scenic Route DP I've been hoarding. I added a glittery heard, some buttons, a ribbon and baker's twine as embellishment. I also tried out some of my new (to me) OA Sprinklers paint misters / spray stuff. I'm not sure I like how that turned out, but I'll be experimenting with it a little more in the future. I also wanted to mention that I'm always seeing people comment about not wanting to add a ribbon or bow on a masculine card, but I almost always do. I don't think ribbons or bows are a strictly feminine embellishment at all. We typically add a bow to a boy's gift, right? I always thought that was kind of the purpose of adding a ribbon / bow treatment to a card - it's just embellishment. There are no rules. I used a glittery heart on this boy card, but I still think it looks like a masculine card. It's for a little boy - MY little boy. So I can do whatever I want. So can you. Don't limit yourself with all these "rules" because there really aren't any! If it looks good to you and it works with the message / feel of your card, go for it! (ok, stepping down from my soapbox, LOL).

OK, so I hope you'll play along with us this month! We'll be back with an all-new sketch in just a little over a week! Be sure to stop by the rest of the SFYTT Sisters' blogs to see what they've been doing with the sketch this month:

Jen del Muro with guest designer Debbie Carriere
Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Carole Burrage
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Sony Christoph
Susan Liles
Terri Moore

Here are all the pertinent SFYTT details you should know...
1. The SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY {SFYTT} will be posted on the first Saturday of each month on www.iheart2stamp.com at 8am EST and will stay open to participants until the last day of the month, unless otherwise noted.
2. This is for fun! Interpret the sketch as you wish and embellish as desired. There are no vendor restrictions, but we would love to see you use the sponsor’s stamps!
3. Each month we will have a Designer of the Month that will be chosen from past month’s participants.
4. Come and play with us on each and every sketch! On Christmas Day 2011 a prize package worth over $200 will be given away to one very lucky and loyal SFYTT stamper that participates in EVERY sketch for the year.
5. To be eligible for the prize package, you must complete ALL of the sketches by each of the deadlines AND link your creation to the link system on that month’s sketch post (the first Saturday of the month). Everyone except for SFYTT Sisters are eligible for the prize package, including Designer of the Month and international players.
6. When posting your sketch creation on your blog, please post the sketch and link back to the sketch post on www.iheart2stamp.com. When posting to online galleries, please use the keyword “SFYTT.”

Sweet Sunday Sketch #127

It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge and I'm on a roll with being late!! That's right folks, I figured I might as well stick with my now-4-week-strong tradition of posting my sample card late. LOL. Seriously though, I can't seem to get my crap together this summer! Oh well. Good thing the boss lady is so cool or I would have been fired from this gig a long time ago!! ;-) Anyway, here's a look at this week's sketch:


It looks pretty easy, but I struggled this week for some reason. I think it's more because of missing mojo than the sketch though, because I like the sketch. I'll definitely be coming back to it to play again and see what I can come up with. I also think this would be a good sketch to rotate 90 degrees - I see lots of possibilities that way!


Once again, I created a Verve flavored hybrid card for my sample this week. It had been awhile since my Many Blessings stamp set had seen ink, so I decided to play with that one. All of the papers are printed digi papers from the Those Who Want to Sing kit by Zoe Pearn (Sweet Shoppe). The rest is pretty self-explanatory I think.

Be sure to stop by all the Sweet Sunday Stampers' blogs and see what they've done with this week's sketch.

• Dana White
• Karen Motz
• Karen Giron
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Then play along with us and post your own creation using InLinkz over on today's post on Karen's Blog!

Sweet Sunday Sketch #126 - late again

Hi there! Well, here I am - more than 24 hours late with my Sweet Sunday Sketch sample once again! Summer seems to be getting the best of me when it comes to stamping responsibilities! But I have a good excuse - making memories with my family!! We had a fun (albeit COLD at 6200 ft elevation!) weekend camping up at Polipoli State Park on the slopes of Haleakala. But anyway, since I'm already so late, I'll just get right down to business. Here's a look at this week's sketch in case you haven't already seen it:


I created a no-stamping, all-hybrid sample this week:


All those yummy papers, the sentiment and the sun image are printed digi goodies from the new My Only Sunshine digi kit by Meghan Mullens and Amanda Heimann (Sweet Shoppe). I simply added a ribbon, button and twine for embellishment and was all done! Simple and easy!

Be sure to stop by all the Sweet Sunday Stampers' blogs and see what they've done with this week's sketch.

• Dana White
• Karen Motz
• Karen Giron
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Then play along with us and post your own creation using InLinkz over on today's post on Karen's Blog!

Sweet Sunday Sketch #125 - FINALLY!

OK, OK - here it is!!! I finally got my "creative" AND technical issues resolved...well, the technical issues anyway! ha! This is definitely not one of my favorite cards I've ever created, so I won't claim that the creative issues were fully resolved! But, it's done. Here's a look at this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch:


Once again, I pulled out some Verve stamps and printed digi papers and created another hybrid sample this week:


Did you have a chance to check out the new releases from Verve that went live in the shop Friday evening? If not, you're missing out!! I used the new sentiment set Small Phrases on my card. The set of 22 sentiment sets is definitely going to be one of my new most-used Verve sets for sure! I also couldn't resist my old favorite label stamp from Love Notes, perfectly cut out with the Classy Label Die of course! And how about those fun patterned papers? They're all printed digi papers from the new Dog-Eared kit by Traci Reed and Meghan Mullens (Sweet Shoppe). I added a corrugated chipboard, glass-glittered-edged butterfly from Jillibean Soup as embellishment and was done!

Be sure to stop by all the Sweet Sunday Stampers' blogs and see what they've done with this week's sketch.

• Dana White
• Karen Motz
• Karen Giron
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Then play along with us and post your own creation using InLinkz over on today's post on Karen's Blog!

Sweet Sunday Sketch #125 - delayed

It's coming - I promise!! My sample card for Sweet Sunday Sketch #125 is going to be late. I started out having "creative" problems (translation: no MoJo), finished my card about half an hour past the posting deadline and now I'm having major technical issues so am posting this from my phone (and am SERIOUSLY impressed with myself that I figured out how to do that! LOL). It's actually Saturday night here in Hawaii and we're headed out the door for some fun, so my sample will just have to wait until tomorrow. Sorry guys! But head on over to Karen's blog to see the sketch and for links to the rest of the team's creations - ya know, the ones who weren't total slackers!! :-)

Viva La Verve!

Hi there! Have you all been checking out the Verve Sneak Peeks this week from the release team? If not then you're missing out!! Head on over to the Verve Blog and take a look at the New Release Spotlight Hops that are going on this week leading up to the Release friday night! There are some really fun and beautiful new sets that I know you'll definitely want to get your hands on! (And as always, the oh-so-generous Julee has some fabulous giveaways going on this week...)

I'm not sharing anything new with you today but instead I pulled out one of my favorite and most-used Verve sets from the not-too-distant past and played with last week's Viva La Verve sketch.


Isn't that fun and cheery? The yummy papers are from the Lime Twist Life of the Party Collection and I stamped the smallest flower from Dream Big in ink colors to match (SU's Bermuda Bay, Kiwi Kiss, Ruby Red). The sentiment is from Birthday Phrases (currently on sale!!). I kept the embellishments pretty simple - just adding some twine-tied buttons to the flower centers and a little machine stitching and it was done!

Here's a look at the July Week 1 Viva La Verve sketch if you'd like to play along. If you complete all of this month's sketches before the end of the month you'll be entered for a chance to win next month's ENTIRE release! All of the details can be found HERE in the Verve Forum at SCS.


Have fun!

Sweet Sunday Sketch #124

Hi there! I hope all of my U.S. readers are enjoying their nice long 4th of July weekend! We're having a fun relaxing weekend full of mornings at the beach and lazy afternoons at home! Tomorrow evening we're headed out on a sunset boat trip on a Catamaran around to Lahaina side where we're watch the fireworks display from the boat before heading back to Maalaea harbor after dark. Please keep your fingers crossed for calm waters as I get EXTREMELY seasick - I haven't been on a boat in YEARS for this reason. I don't go on whale watches or snorkel cruises because it's just not fun to have your head in a bucket puking your guts up the entire time!! And no, none of the wrist bands or ginger candy or anything else on the market works for me (I think I'm the most sensitive person I've ever met - sometimes I even get seasick when I surf, sitting on my board waiting for waves and I'll just have to go in. I also only go paddleboarding or kayaking early in the morning on FLAT days or else I'll be sick). Dramamine doesn't even work for me. I do use prescription Scopolamine patches, which I think work better than anything else I've tried, but unless it's really calm I'll probably still be hanging over the side making chum for the fish all evening! So yeah, fingers crossed OK? ;-)

Anyway, you're probably not here to read about vomit, right? So it's Sunday. That means it's time for another fabulous Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! I had lots of fun with this week's sketch and this one went straight into the "Use Again" folder!!


I created a fun and easy hybrid sample this week...


The papers and that super fun margarita element are all printed digi goodies from the SPF 45 kit by Traci Reed (Sweet Shoppe). That oh-so-appropriate sentiment is from the Chillax stamp set from Taylored Expressions. A simple twine-tied button was all the embellishment it needed!

Be sure to stop by all the Sweet Sunday Stampers' blogs and see what they've done with this week's sketch. A few of the girls are taking the week off this week due to fun stuff, but stop by anyway - their blogs are always full of inspiration!

• Dana White
• Karen Motz
• Karen Giron
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Then play along with us and post your own creation using InLinkz over on today's post on Karen's Blog!

July SFYTT

I can't believe it's July already! I mean really - where does the time go? It's the first Saturday of the month and that means it's time for a new Sketch For You to Try Challenge! We have another awesome sponsor this month - My Favorite Things!! I don't know about you guys, but I have a GIGANTIC wish list of MFT goodies and it was super hard to decide what to play with for my sample card! Because it's summer (and I live in Beach-tastic Maui of course - so it seemed appropriate) I decided to grab my very first Pure Innocence sweetie with the adorable Beach Bum set. I couldn't resist the Sunshine die-namics as well! All of the patterned papers on my card are from the Splash line from Echo Park.


Here's a look at this month's sketch:


Be sure to stop by the rest of the SFYTT Sisters' blogs to see what they've been doing with the sketch this month:

Jen del Muro with guest designer Debbie Carriere
Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Carole Burrage
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Sony Christoph
Susan Liles
Terri Moore

We're sad to be saying good-bye to the amazingly talented Kelly Lunceford who is stepping down from the SFYTT team as she prepares for the arrival of another little bundle of joy. Congrats Kelly - we'll miss you!

To play along with the July SFYTT, just make a card or other project using the sketch and link it up HERE anytime before the end of the month. Those who participate in all of the 2011 sketch challenges will be eligible for a mega prize drawing at the end of the year. All of the contest details and rules and such can be found on Jen's blog. And remember, all future guest designers are chosen from current participants!

Happy Stamping!

Verve Diva Inspirations July Blog Hop

Sit tight for a super long post - but it's worth it!! Welcome to the July Diva Inspirations Blog Hop! Really? JULY!? This summer is FLYING by! Our Diva Inspirations team and several special guests from the Release team are here to start your month off right with a little Verve inspiration! Take a little peek at each of the fabulous blogs below for some Verve-alicious eye candy and you just might win some Vervey goodness of your very own!

1. Julee 9. Susan 2. Betty 10. Andrea 3. Dawn 11. Charmaine 4. Jen d. 12. Teresa 5. Jen T. 13. Maureen 6. Lynda 14. Amber 7. Shannan 15. Amy 8. Sony

We've hidden a little mystery prize on one of today's hop spots, so be sure to leave a little comment love as you hop around for a chance to win!
Comment Deadline: 11:59pm Mountain, July 5
Prize: $30 gift certificate to Verve.

I realize I'm cutting things a little close to the wire with just now finishing up a Patriotic project like this just a few days before the 4th of July, but once I got the idea for this in my head I couldn't resist creating this Americana Banner using a handful of my favorite Verve stamps! And I tried to keep it generic enough that it really could be used for a variety of occasions (birthdays or other celebrations). All of those yummy papers are printed digi papers from the Liberty digi kit by Libby Pritchett (Sweet Shoppe) - aren't they fabulous!? And I used a combination of stamps to create the central / focal banner piece - Dad's Day for the oval frame thing (LOVE that stamp - it's so versatile and I'm glad I recently rediscovered it - you can be sure you'll be seeing it much more often in the future on all types of cards and projects!) and Birthday Bash (currently on SALE!) for the celebrate sentiment. I added a few color-coordinating little buttons to this one and some Martha Stewart silver glitter to the edges of all my rosettes.

Each of the other banners features little cut-out stars stamped from the Seeing Stars set, the larger ones with a silver brad added to the center (love that look!). The I also added a copic-colored firecracker image from American Hero to the banner on the left.

The banner on the right is my personal fave. That red and cream rosette? It was created using one of the stamps from the Bountiful Backgrounds set - isn't it PERFECT? I also added a few red and silver glittery bits and pieces cut from some random floral sprays I pulled out of my Christmas stash - they were the perfect finishing touches!

Now, I mentioned a little something earlier about a sale - did you catch that?

July is birthday time here at Verve, with five Diva birthdays, including my own AND the head Diva Julee herself! To start the celebration in style, our July Stamp of the Month is one of my absolute favorites... Carpe Cupcake! And at 40% off during the month of July, Carpe Cupcake is one SWEET deal!

That's not all - A brand new month also brings along a new sale here at Verve!
During the month of July, save 20% on all of our birthday stamps! Check out all the birthday goodness on our SALE page.

And finally, Verve's Gift to YOU!
What's a birthday party without goody bags? We've gathered together some of our favorite things... doilies, My Mind's Eye paper, tags, ribbon, plus a few other goodies and put them in brown paper packages! And during the month of July, if your order is $75 or more, you'll receive one of these goody bags free! There's nothing to add to your cart, we'll just be sure to include it when your order ships! Celebrate good times, c'mon!

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