June Verve Diva Inspiration Hop!

Welcome to Verve's June Diva Inspirations Hop. It's the 5th of the month and that means it's hopping time again! So climb aboard Desination: Inspiration for a fun trip through Verveland today. In addition to a comment prize hidden along the hop, we're debuting our June inspiration challenge as well! Play along for another chance to win!

Our June challenge is Winged Whimsy:

Let your creation soar by featuring wings! Think butterflies, birds, feathers or related sentiments. Celebrate the beauty of flight! Whether you draw inspiration from the graphic or fly a solo mission, let's see some winged beauties!

I decided to focus totally on the butterfly for my card.  The colors were inspired by my Vera Bradley Flower Shower Hipster purse!  I've used So Fluttery and stamped my own background paper and overlayed it with a piece of vellum to soften the bright colors.  A little machine stitching attaches the vellum to my panel.  I diecut one butterfly with the matching Fluttery Die and attached it with foam adhesive over my sentiment strip.  The last detail was adding some sequins from the Pastel Sequin Mix from Verve.

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we've got a prize for one lucky commenter along the hop! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize info and deadlines, and a little bit about our brand new Diva!

	1. Julee	8. Sony
	2. Amy	9. Susan
	3. Anya	10. Stacey
	4. Betty	11. Maureen
	5. Karen	12. Marisa
	6. Sankari	13. Charmaine
	7. Sarah	14. Andrea

{thanks so very much}

Stamps:  So Fluttery,  Making a Statement (Verve)

Paper:  Hawaiian Shores, White (PTI)

Ink:  Chocolate, Tomato Red, Pink Lemonade, Pool (Fresh Ink), Fern (AMuse)

Dies:  Flutterby (Verve), Postage Stamp Frames (Simon Says Stamp)

Misc:  Foam Adhesive, Janome Sew Mini

for you........and VOTE!

***If you are here for Day 3 of the Lil' Inker Designs Release post, please scroll down!***

Another Sketch for You to Try was posted the other day over on the Reverse Confetti blog and it was perfect to use some of those awesome Reverse Confetti dies.

Here is my card.......I've used some pattern paper from the Pen Pals collection by Pink Paislee (one of my current favorites) for some of the layers of the sketch.  So I talked about using dies......I've used the large heart die from Love Note, the wavy banner from Beautiful Banners, and the large tag from Tag Me.  My heart diecuts were stamped with polka dots from Whole Lotta Dots and my sentiment and banner are from the Beautiful Banners stamp set.

Now, before you go.......I'd love to have you check out my Gallery Idol card for Round 3.  Voting ends Thursday around noon!

Vote HERE  (mine is #9) or you can click on the direct link on my sidebar!!!  Thank you so much!

{for you, with love}

Stamps:  Whole Lotta Dots, Beautiful Banners (Reverse Confetti)

Paper:  White, Blueberry Sky, Hibiscus Burst (PTI)

Pattern Paper:  Pen Pals (Pink Paislee)

Dies:  Tag Me, Love Note, Beautiful Banners (Reverse Confetti), Circle (Spellbinders)

Ink:  Night of Navy (SU)

Misc:  Foam Adhesive, Epoxy Dot (Heidi Swapp)

Lil' Inker Designs May Release: Day 3

Welcome to the Lil' Inker Designs May Release Day 3!  I'm so excited for today because the DT gets to show inspiration using the most trendy word dies yet done in.......a brushstroke font!!!  You need to pick these up while in stock!!  

You should have arrived from the  Lil' Inker Designs blog.

My first card uses the new Unscramble This stamp set along with the Peek-a-Boo Die.  This little die can be used in so many ways but I've used it here for its intended purpose......to make this an interactive type card by creating a flap!  I've also added in some other previously released goodies here......the stitched balloons from the Mini Party Die set and Stitched Mats: Rectangles.

My second card uses the new brushstroke word dies.  I did a bit of watercolor using the Hello Die.....there are no stamps.  The way I made this was that I simply inked up my Hello Die with Versamark lightly so as to not get ink anywhere except for the "cutting" portion of the die.  Then I carefully placed my inked up die onto my cardstock where I wanted it and simply pressed down.  This transfered the ink to my cardstock which I then heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Using Distress Inks in shades of blue, I then watercolored over my embossed Hello.  I simply LOVE the emboss resist technique!

Now for the fun part!  There is a $15 gift certificate up for grabs for one lucky commenter along the way!  One lucky winner is chosen for each day!!  

Here is the blog hop list to get you started:

Laura Pryor

Amy---->you are here

Erin Lee Schreiner

Heather Campbell

Jen Carter

Karen Baker

Kristen Foreman

Lea Lawson

Lisa Henke

Mary Dawn Quirindongo

Maureen Merritt

Sarah Jay

Lil' Inker Store

{Happy Birthday}

Stamps:  Unscramble This (Lil' Inker Designs)

Paper:  White, Aqua Mist, Pure Poppy, Harvest Gold (PTI), Linen Vellum (PTI)

Pattern Paper:  Hello Sunshine (Pink Paislee)

Dies:  Stitched Mats: Rectangles, Peek-a-Boo Die, Mini Party Die Set (Lil' Inker Designs)

Ink:  StazOn Black, Pure Poppy (PTI), Onyx Black (Verasfine)

Misc:  Crochet Thread

{Hello}

Paper:  White (PTI), Night of Navy (SU)

Ink:  Chipped Sapphire, Faded Jeans, Salty Ocean, Broken China, Stormy Sky (Distress Inks), Versamark

Dies:  Hello Die (Lil' Inker Designs)

Misc:  Water Brush, Enamel Dots, White Embossing Powder, Foam Adhesive, AirBrush (Tim Holtz), Night of Navy Marker (SU)

Lil' Inker Designs May Release: Day 2

Welcome to the Lil' Inker Designs May Release Day 2!  Laura just keeps outdoing herself with the releases......did you see that she sneaked another die set into the lineup in the store front?   You will see samples using the new word dies starting tomorrow on the DT blogs.  You should have arrived from the  Lil' Inker Designs blog.

Today I'm sharing a card made using the new Piece of Me stamps and Puzzle Piece dies!  I love that these puzzle dies fit together but here I've left one out so my sentiment is perfectly nestled in that space.  The sentiment is one stamp so I did cut out the small heart so I could stamp it separately and don't worry, it fits right back into place with the sentiment.  My puzzle pieces were layered onto an Anytime Tags Die. 

TIP:   I didn't have any gray crochet thread, so I colored some white thread with my T6 Copic marker and allowed it to dry.  A perfect match!!!

Here are the word dies that just have me drooling------I used one on my Gallery Idol card for last week!!!  Get these while they are in stock!!

Now for the fun part!  There is a $15 gift certificate up for grabs for one lucky commenter along the way!  One lucky winner is chosen for each day!!  

Here is the blog hop list to get you started:

Laura Pryor

Amy---->you are here

Erin Lee Schreiner

Heather Campbell

Jen Carter

Karen Baker

Kristen Foreman

Lea Lawson

Lisa Henke

Mary Dawn Quirindongo

Maureen Merritt

Sarah Jay

Lil' Inker Store

{We just fit}

Stamps:  Piece of Me (Lil' Inker Designs)

Paper:  Basic Gray (SU), White, Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise (PTI)

Pattern Paper:  The Good Life (Fancy Pants)

Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine), Pure Poppy (PTI)

Dies:  Anytime Tag Dies, Puzzle Piece Dies (Lil' Inker Designs)

Misc:  Crochet Thread, Copic Marker, Foam Adhesive

Gallery Idol 2014--Round 3

Hi everyone!  

I'm back because I made it to the Top 15 in the Paper Crafts Gallery Idol 2014 card contest!!  I wouldn't be here if it weren't for all the votes for my card last week.  That I am truly grateful!!!

You can see the Paper Crafts post HERE!  You can vote using the link on my side bar!!!

This contest works just like American Idol and we rely on votes to make it to the next round.  Today starts Round 3.  The theme for Round 3 is all about using STENCILS.  

You can check out all the details on the Contest page HERE.

My card uses TWO stencils in TWO different ways.  I've used a stencil to apply the Distress Ink onto my paper and then another stencil to apply Heidi Swap Color Shine to add a pattern.  All the supplies are listed at the bottom of my post.

To start, I applied my stencil to my cardstock with Painter's Tape and then using Distress Inks started at the top right corner with a balloon stenciled in with Mustard Seed Distress Ink.  Without taking my balloon stencil off, I applied my striped stencil over the top with more Painter's Tape.  At this point, I did need to add some copy paper to "cover up" the rest of my white cardstock because then I applied Heidi Swapp Color Shine Mustard over the striped stencil.  (I spritzed about 3 times so that the color would show over the balloon image.  I use a small box and lay my project in it and spritz away!)

Each time I stenciled the balloon and then did the stripes working across my cardstock panel in various colors.  To do this, I did have to mask off each balloon.  I did this using one of the matching Balloon Dies to diecut a mask that I used.  

My sentiment and star accents were diecut using Glitzy Glitter cardstock in silver.  This paper is by FAR the best glitter cardstock out there!  To add some interest, I left all the little "pieces" in the word dies which with this glitter cardstock is easy!

Here is a look at my stencil set up:

And there's my version of using STENCILS!  I hope I've shared enough to sway your vote! 

You can vote......HERE.

Thanks so much for sharing a part of your day with me and for taking the time to VOTE!  :)

{Happy Birthday}

Stamps:  Birthday Balloons (Simon Says Stamp)

Paper:  White, Raspberry Fizz, Tropical Teal (PTI), Glitzy Glitter Stack (DCWV)

Ink:  Peacock Feathers, Mustard Seed, Picked Raspberry Distress Inks (Tim Holtz/Ranger), Versamark

Dies:  Balloon Dies, Mini Stars (Simon Says Stamp)

Stencils:  Balloons and Patterns (Simon Says Stamp)

Mist:  Teal, Primrose, Mustard Color Shine Sprays (Heidi Swapp)

Misc:  Foam Adhesive, Fine Tip Pigma Micron Pen

Lil' Inker Designs May Release: Day 1

Welcome to the Lil' Inker Designs May Release!  Fabulous new dies and stamp sets are coming out this week.....just you wait!  You should have arrived from the  Lil' Inker Designs blog.   We have some new members to our Lil' Inker family this month both of whom I'm BIG fans of!  Please welcome:  Lisa Henke, Lea Lawson, and Mary Dawn Quirindongo!!!!  Yay ladies....welcome to the team!!!  

I'm sharing a card made using the new Scattered Sequin Die and Thumbs Up stamp set.  I totally went for a card that could be given to my kids......either one would love it!  I mean seriously, who doesn't like a shaker card??

I've die cut my sequins out of the foil paper from DCWV.  I absolutely love this paper.  You do have to be careful as it's easy to scratch or mark it up.  I made my shaker using the Instant Camera Die and adding in my foil cardstock sequins.  

Now for the fun part!  There is a $15 gift certificate up for grabs for one lucky commenter along the way!  One lucky winner is chosen for each day!!  

Here is the blog hop list to get you started:

Laura Pryor

Amy---->you are here

Erin Lee Schreiner

Heather Campbell

Jen Carter

Karen Baker

Kristen Foreman

Lea Lawson

Lisa Henke

Mary Dawn Quirindongo

Maureen Merritt

Sarah Jay

Lil' Inker Store

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Something Simple

photo source: Pinterest

We have an awesome new sponsor, Unity Stamp Company!  Unity provided each of the Curtain Call designers with an Itty Bitty stamp set for the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Something Simple!  The LEAD of this challenge will receive this package of goodies from Unity Stamp Company!

I worked with the Itty Bitty stamp called Bouquet Bunch of Thanks.  With this stamp being a bit more detailed, I decided to use some very quick watercoloring with Tim Holtz Distress Inks.  I know the challenge was "something simple" but seriously this IS simple to do!!!  I had to throw in some 4mm Sparkling Clear sequins from Pretty Pink Posh for good measure!!!  :)

Something Simple Designers

Unity Designer, Stephanie Muzzelin

Amber Kroening

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Gayatri Murali

Kim Singdahlsen

Lisa Henke

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Sarah Gough

Stacey Schafer

Tenia Nelson

Tracey McNeely

Stop by the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Something Simple and play along with us!

{Thanks a bunch}

Stamps:  Bouquet Bunch of Thanks (Unity)

Paper:  Soft Stone (PTI), Watercolor Paper (Tim Holtz)

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Distress Ink:  Peeled Paint, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Picked Raspberry (Tim Holtz)

Dies:  Notebook Edge (MFT)

Sequins:  4mm Sparkling Clear (Pretty PinkPosh)

Misc:  Foam Adhesive, Twine (The Twinery)