Stamping, Not Shopping

Instead of battling the crowds at the mall, I spent a quiet day at home yesterday with Cosmo the crazy dog, who's still suffering some side effects from all the medicines he's taking. This left me with plenty of time for stamping, so I was able to get to three of Verve's Blog Party challenges.

This first card combines this week's Viva la Verve sketch challenge with the first challenge to use olive, turquoise, black, and white. I used one of the floral images from Verve's Believe set to stamp a random pattern on a turquoise panel in matching turquoise pigment ink. A dot of White Opal Liquid Pearls is at the center of each flower for a pop of white.

I used one of the background images from Verve's Bountiful Backgrounds to stamp another turquoise panel. Both turquoise panels are matted with a slightly larger black panel. I paired the stamped turquoise panels with an olive dotted paper from a retired SU! paper pack. The "thanks" stamp was one of the images that Julee enclosed as a thank you with one of my Verve orders. I love the font it's in! I added a simple black satin button embellished bow, too. Everything's layered on a turquoise card base.

Materials Used:

Believe, Bountiful Backgrounds, and thanks stamp (Verve Stamps); Tempting Turquoise Craft ink, Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black, and Whisper White cardstock, Petals & Paisleys designer paper, circle punches (Stampin' Up!); black satin ribbon (Target); button (Making Memories); twine (Papertrey Ink); White Opal Liquid Pearls (Ranger)

The second challenge was a combination sketch challenge and thank you challenge. There's not much stamping on this one, just the words "thank you" from Verve's Thankful Blossoms stamp set. It's stamped in Enchanted Evening ink on a cream panel to match the blue in the patterned paper panel on the cardfront.

Instead of using another paper strip underneath the sentiment, I used a strip of cream lace. A green Prima flower painted with some Shimmerz is at the end of the lace. I added a blue button to the flower's center to bring in just a little more blue. This turned out a little more vintage looking than what I usually do, but I think I like it!

Materials Used:

Thankful Blossoms stamp set (Verve Stamps); Enchanted Evening ink, Enchanted Evening and Spring Moss cardstock, Enchanted Evening button, twine (Papertrey Ink); Very Vanilla cardstock (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (DCWV winter matstack); flower (Prima); Angel Wings paint (Shimmerz); lace (?)

And, finally, here's a clean and simple holiday card for the challenge to use elements beginning with the letters in the word "Verve." I started by partially embossing a vellum panel (covering both E and V here!) with a snowflake embossing folder. I added a piece of velvet ribbon with a pretty button embellished bow (V and R!) just above the embossing. The ribbon hides where the vellum is adhered to the aqua card base. I stamped the "winter wishes" sentiment from Snow Wonderful just above the ribbon to complete the card. Another design to consider for my holiday cards . . .

Materials Used:

Snow Wonderful stamp set (Verve Stamps); Dark Chocolate ink, Aqua Mist cardstock, Dark Chocolate button, twine (Papertrey Ink); vellum (The Paper Company); velvet ribbon (Michaels)