Anni-VERVE-sary 2012 Challenge: Day 2

Whew, got my last anni-VERVE-sary challenge done!  Day two's challenge was to make an anniversary card with either wood or silver accents.  This is actually my second attempt, since I couldn't get anywhere with the first one.  I'm not 100% satisfied with this card either, but the challenge deadline is approaching and I seriously need a nap.  I was up at 2:45 am to get ready for some TV interviews to promote the airshow tomorrow.  So here is my little anniversary card in all its glory!

It's pretty straightforward.  I just embossed two of the layers for texture and cut out the monkeys, stacking them on top of each other.  I tried to get a decent image using my Rich Cocoa Memento inkpad so I could do some Copic coloring, but it is a little too wet and the images came out splotchy, so I gave up and used my Dark Chocolate inkpad instead.  I stamped the little hearts on the monkeys to add at least some color.  They still look stark to me, but I'm probably being a little too nitpicky.  lol  Anyone else do that?  :)

Obviously, I used wood for my accent, both for the button and the branch embossing behind the monkeys.  The button is tied with a bit of red DMC floss.  So there you have it!  I finished all five Verve challenges in just 2-1/2 days.  That has to be a record for me.  It was fun to get out all my Verve sets and play around!  Check out the Verve store here to see their cute images.   :)

Tomorrow is the monthly Papertrey Ink blog hop, so make sure to drop by to see my post in the morning.  Speaking of, I'd better get back in the studio.  (well, after my nap!)

Stamps:  Love Monkey (Verve)
Paper:  White, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Real Red (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Real Red (Stampin' Up)
Misc:  Heart Blocks and Forest Branches embossing folders (Cuttlebug); Real Red marker (Stampin' Up); #304 DMC floss; Rustic Wood button (Papertrey Ink); 7/8" square punch (EK Success)

Anni-VERVE-sary 2012 Challenge: Day Five

Anything but a card is the challenge for day five of the Anni-VERVE-sary celebration.  I know that it's a little early for Halloween, but work with me, okay?  :)

This time I used Boo to You, a small Halloween set by Verve Stamps.  (check out their store here)  I pulled out my favor it box die and cut it out with black cardstock.  Then I simply embellished the front with some ghosts, a bit of fence, and a cute little pumpkin.  The tendrils are just tiny slivers of cardstock that I curled slightly.  I embossed the sentiment so it would pop off the black.  It turned out quite cute!   :)

Stamps:  Boo to You (Verve)
Paper:  White, True Black, Dark Chocolate, Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); VersaMark
Copic:  0, T1, E44, E57, YR12, YR15, YR18
Misc:  Favor It Box 6 die (Papertrey Ink); Woodgrain Fence die (My Favorite Things); white embossing powder (Filigree) 

Anni-VERVE-sary 2012 Challenge: Day 4

I'm back again with another Verve challenge card.  This time it had to be a CAS, or clean and simple card.  It took a little longer for inspiration to strike on this one.  I finished my day five project first!  I decided to stay "in order" and post this one now.  lol  Not that it really matters!

Yesterday, there was a post on Moxie Fab World about repetition as a design element, so that was fresh in my mind as I made this card.  Check out her blog post here to read her thoughts and also check out the other cards made for the Repetition Challenge. 

My use of repetition isn't necessarily innovative, but I like the clean, graphic style of the three butterflies in a row.  The embossed horizontal lines help draw the eye across the card.  I pulled out Fluttering By for my dimensional butterflies, along with a sentiment from Autumn Splendor. I simply stamped the butterflies directly on my card base, and then cut out another set of stamped images to place on top for dimension. The dotted butterfly is colored just slightly different than the other two to change it up a bit. 

Stamps:  Fluttering By, Autumn Splendor (Verve)
Paper:  White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Copic:  BG11, BG13, BG15 

Anni-VERVE-sary 2012 Challenge: Day 3

Why yes, I did skip day two in case you're wondering.  lol  I'm not necessarily doing these in order, unless you count the order of inspiration.  lol  Actually, I made this card first!  I had to go to high school open house with my kids tonight, so I'm going to go ahead and post this card now.  Then I'll get back to my studio.   :)

For this card, I used Beautiful Kindness.  (check out the Verve store here to see all their designs)  I love the butterflies and sentiments in this particular set.  What's funny is that I used pink and green with black instead of brown - very similar to day one's color combo and completely by accident, since I made this card first.  It looks very different though!  It just happened as I mixed patterns from the Urban Prairie paper.  The challenge for day three is a sketch as seen below.

I used my Copic markers to add graduated-style coloring to the butterfly using the patterned paper as my guide for color choice.  It really pops against the white polka-dot embossed circle.  I selectively inked my sentiment so I could fit it in the space left on the green mat, and also added some black scallop trim to the edge.  I wasn't too sure where I was going when I started, so I'm quite pleased that the card turned out so well!  :)

Stamps:  Beautiful Kindness (Verve)
Paper:  White, True Black, Urban Prairie (Basic Grey)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Copic:  Y15, Y17, R83, R85, YG93, YG95
Misc:  Scallop edge punch (Stampin' Up); Metallic Basics Mini Circle brads (Making Memories); Standard Circles die, Petite Scallop Circle Small die (Spellbinders); Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); ribbon

Anni-VERVE-sary 2012 Challenge: Day 1

Verve Stamps is celebrating their fifth year in business, or as they call it, their anni-VERVE-sary, and they have five stamping challenges to make it fun.  Obviously, I have decided to participate.   :D  I'm starting a bit late, but already have two done (woohoo!), so unless circumstances intervene, I will do all five challenges before the deadline on Friday.  I have plenty of Verve sets, after all!  Check out the store here to see all their great designs.

The first challenge is to use the colors pink, green, and brown along with neutrals to make a card.  I pulled out my Believe set and stamped the flower on some yummy pink Basic Grey paper in all three sizes, and then cut and layered it on my card.

I used narrow strips from the same Basic Grey paper pad layered on a strip of Dark Chocolate cardstock, and then placed it on top of another Dark Chocolate layer that was embossed with polka dots.  I'm just a wee bit addicted to that folder right now.  :)  The sentiment is stamped on a Spellbinders diecut embellished with another bit of that gorgeous flowered paper.  Love the result!

Stamps:  Believe (Verve)
Paper:  White, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Sultry 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink:  Rich Cocoa (Memento); Always Artichoke (Stampin' Up)
Misc:  Labels 18 die (Spellbinders); Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Thank you for your kindness

It's time for the monthly Papertrey Ink blog hop!  I made a pair of thank you cards, pulling the colors and the flowers from the summery inspiration photo.

I went for a clean and simple style.  After struggling to use all the colors on one card, I decided to do a white-on-white base using embossed texture and do a simple grouping of flowers in one color on each card.  I really like the elegant result!  The flowers are crumpled to add a little dimension.

Stamps:  Garden of Life, Turning a New Leaf, Iconic Images (Papertrey Ink) 
Paper:  White, Melon Berry, Harvest Gold, Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink);Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Misc:  Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); 3/4" square punch (EK Success)

I simply adore you

Here's my card for July's SFYTT sketch challenge.  This month's sponsor is My Favorite Things, one of my favorite stamp companies.  (hehehe)  I chose to use one of the Pure Innocence images.  I've actually had the card base with the luscious patterned paper put together for several weeks now waiting for a flash of inspiration to finish it.  Since I needed to get my sketch card done, it gave me a head start!   lol

 

link

Once I decided to paper-piece the clothes using the same patterned paper, this card came together quickly.  So cute!  (and yes, that teeny little flower was stamped and colored on white)  Both the flower print of her shirt and black distressed print of her pants came from the Urban Prairie paper collection by Basic Grey.  I used my Copic markers to color her face, hair, and shoes.  I did some selective inking with the sentiment so it could fit in the circle, since it's usually one horizontal line.  Then I just cut out my girl, adhered the layers, and added a little embossed texture to the Aqua Mist pennant.  Love it!

Stamps:  Being Cute is What I Do (My Favorite Things)

Paper:  White, True Black, Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Copic:  E000, E00, E30, E42, E55, E57, E59, R05, R20, R24, BG11, BG13

Misc:  Standard Circles die (Spellbinders); 3/4" square punch (EK Success), Swiss Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)