Sites of the week

It’s a HOP! I’m hoping that you started at Betty’s blog and made your way here from Jackie’s blog. If not, make a U-turn {or as Ellie used to say when I did one driving…a do over} and don’t miss a thing!

Well, I am back from CHA and getting back into the groove of things. Susan and I had a blast and we even got to meet a couple Verve peeps! Here’s us with Tosh and Laurie {2 of the coolest chickies there!}…

Fortunately, I made a card for this hop before I took off to sunny SoCal, because if I hadn’t I would have a whole lotta nothing to post today. Real life was in overdrive this week!

I’ve been working a lot with white {space} lately. So much that Tony even made a comment about it when I showed this card to him {do you gals show your cards to your hubbies, too?}. I guess when I think of making a clean and simple card, my mind associates white with that.

Although there is a lot of white space, I did manage to use 4 different Verve products. I used one of the sentiments from Celebration of Thanks, which is an essential set for any card maker. The All Aflutter die is quickly become a favorite of mine and {of course} I used the Elegant Leaves die to cut the leaves from the Bloom & Grow set {<--I'm starting to think this set should just live on my desk}.

Detail shot...

I think this would easily be switched into a sympathy or even a birthday card. Sadly, I need another sympathy card so I will probably be doing that sooner than later.

I won’t keep you here any longer, as there is a lot more inspiration to see. So, I am sending you off to my pal, Jen T.’s blog. Happy hopping!

Happy 1st Saturday of the month! It’s time for another SKETCH FOR YOU TO TRY {aka SFYTT}, along with another fabby sponsor…YOUR NEXT STAMP!

I just want to recap some of the changes we have made to SFYTT. {No, I won’t be posting this every month/SFYTT post, just want to make sure no one has missed some of these details right now.}…

You may have already noticed the new post time…11am EST. Also there will be more uniform posting throughout the month. I will be posting the {monthly} sketch each Saturday along with links to the SFYTT Sisters that are posting that day. Just so you know how it will work…All of the Sisters will post on the first Saturday of the month, then 1/2 will post on the 2nd Saturday and the other 1/2 will post on the 3rd Saturday and then we all come together again during the last week {not necessarily the last Saturday for all of the designers} of the month. Clear as mud? LOL! Hopefully, this will help SFYTT Fans know when and where to seek and find inspiration and samples.

YAY for February’s sponsor, who also has a new release coming up next week!…

This month’s sketch, which I actually took from THIS YNS CARD {scroll down a little on the linked post} that I posted last year…

My take on the sketch, using the new release set, WORLD LOVE…

Each and every month, we choose an SFYTT participant to join us as the Designer of Month. For February, we are lucky to have the super talented ANGELA THOMAS join us!

A little about Angela in her own words…

My name is Angela Thomas and I am a self-proclaimed stamp addict. Yes….I admit it!! It is the first step after all isn’t it? LOL. I am currently a Teacher on Call (when there’s actually work available) and in my spare time enjoy card-making. My style is somewhat eclectic as I love a CAS card but also love to pile it on, as well. I’ve been stamping for approximately 5 years and can’t imagine my life without it (and a martini every now and then…LOL…). When I make a card, I’m always on the lookout for a fantastic layout so joining all the ladies at SFYTT is an out of this world amazing experience. I’m here with stamping royalty!!!! I’m honoured to have been asked to join the girls this month!!

How fun…Angela flipped the sketch {too bad she didn’t get her YNS stamps yet!}…

Want to play along, too? The link system is at the end of this post and here are the details you should know…

Check out what all the SFYTT Sisters came up with, too!…

Amber Hight
Amy Sheffer
Becky Carafa
Carole Burrage
Iwona Palamountain
Jen Tapler
Jodi Collins
Kerry Johnson
Megan Lock
Susan Liles

and… Jen Roach and Veronica Zalis from the YNS DT

Ok, now it’s your turn! Happy stamping and for all you that are playing along each and every month…GOOD LUCK!!

I’ve been working on increasing my stash of Thank You cards and on Tuesday I was able to create a whole bunch {ok, like 4} using my Verve stamps and dies. In addition to avoiding cleaning me house by camping out in my stamp room, I have also been perusing Pinterest and came across a card {that I cannot find the link to now…ugh} and I just LOVE the layout, so I thought that I would give it a go myself…

The butterfly is cut twice from the new All Aflutter die set and is stamped with the grid from the Making a Statement set {same set as sentiment}…

There is a whole bunch of patterns and textures going on with this card and I love the way that they come together. I get asked {a lot} how I choose my papers. I honestly don’t put a lot of thought into it, especially when they come from the same paper line {Authentique}. Many times, I just pick up a few scraps that happen to have fallen next to each other. Is that dumb luck or an eye for design? Six to one, half a dozen to the other, I guess I try to vary the size and white/neutral space of my patterns. Also, you can see that I tied the blue in several places, making it dominant without even having a lot of it on the card. In addition to the pattern papers, I try to add texture. The white textured panel {Sizzix embossing folder} creates a pop of {un}color and sets off the blue butterfly. I don’t know that I have actually explained anything about my paper choices here. It seems like I have really just discussed what I notice when I look at this card. Anyways, for those that want to know my thoughts on paper choices, this is a start. I will try to revisit this subject a few more times, as I pay more attention to the “why” in my choices.

Have a beautiful day!

* * * Scroll Down for SFYTT Post Below * * *

While browsing through blogs and such the other day, I came across THIS set of cards from Val Stangle. Needless to say, I fell in LOVE with them. Simple style in a dynamic card…not to mention pretty cute, too! Val’s cards were definitely my inspiration for this Verve clean and simple creation using BETTER WITH YOU …

I paper pieced the cup snuggies and used a combination of the coffee splat, steam and sentiment on the main image panel…

Detail shot of the pattern paper panels {say that 3x fast!}…

There are lots of fun sentiments in the BETTER WITH YOU set and since this card is so sweet and simple, I am thinking that a card gift set might be in order for a coffee lover!

I hope you are having a great weekend. I’m keeping this short and sweet so I can have some family time!! See ya’ll Monday!

Oh my goodness…more new stamps to kick off the new year in crafty style! It’s been a blast the last few weeks playing with all the new these new goodies! Each company that I work with brings out a different stamping style in me. Sometimes it’s clean and simple, other times it’s a bit on the “more is more” side. Today, you can see that it’s representative of the latter as I played with some of the new VERVE stuff mixed with some previously released stamps and dies…

Sentiment from the new WINGS OF LOVE set…

I absolutely LOVE this new ALL AFLUTTER butterfly die! I cut out 3 butterflies from pattern paper {Crate Paper}, scored them down the middle and then adhered them together to create this dimensional butterfly…

The butterfly is topped with a heart from the FROM THE HEART die set and is flying off toward some die cut ELEGANT LEAVES {stamped from the BLOOM & GROW set}. I thought this card was finished when I had leaves just on the lower left corner, but Ellie pointed out that there should be leaves on the top, too. I think that she might just have an eye for design! Future Dirty Dozen?…a mom can dream, right? LOL!!

All of the new stamps {3 set, 4 Plain Janes} and dies {count ‘em…1,2,3,4!} will be available this evening after the release party. Won’t you join us? Click on graphic below for more info and to be directed to the Verve forum on SCS…