I've Got April Mojo Cards

---

Happy Thursday everyone!  April will be over in just three days and then we can practically blink to get through the month of May. This month has just gone by so fast that I can't believe it.

I wanted to write up a little post, which you know me and my short posts, so it really will be as little as possible on words but big on projects.

I had two other cards created for the Verve release this month, but didn't get them done in time for the Spotlight Hop week. A third card to play more those awesome Verve flowers from Love Deepens set.

This is my Shabby Bloom and Grow card that hidden somewhere is the Mojo 185 sketch. Look real close...it's really there.

A Handmade (as in name of the designer paper) Called Blessed card that I used the Mojo 186 sketch. I've got a theme going here!

My Hello Friend card is hiding Mojo 187 sketch in it somewhere. Yep, it's another squinter. Hey, I just realized I've done almost all of the Mojo sketches for the month of April. I might have to try and squeeze in one more this weekend. Here's hoping for some craft room time!

A quick mention on this last card. Seeing all the gorgeous cards from Verve Diva Sankari this last release, I began to wonder how long it would take to create a card with all those liquid pearl dots. I didn't have any liquid pearls but I subtly added Black Diamond Stickles wherever I thought I could. This card doesn't come close to the amount of time per dots she puts in her cards, but I now have even more appreciation for her craftsmanship.

Details:
Shabby Bloom and Grow Card:

Stamp: Hope Blooms & Bloom and Grow (Verve)

Paper: Cream (Wausau), Tan Catalog (Paper Pizzaz), graph paper (unknown)

Ink: Cocoa (CTMH), Tea Dye & Walnut Stain (Ranger), Really Rust (Stampin’ Up), Green fabric Paint (Tulip)

Accessories: Elegant Leaves Die (A Cut Above by Verve), gauze fabric (unknown), Fun Flock (Stampendous), Scallop edge punch (Recollections by Michaels), wax paper, lace (RAK from Lori B.), Pinking Shears (EK Success), gold brad (), white glitter (Martha Stewart), Ticket punch (Stampin’ Up), Sew Easy Tool (We R Memories), tatted butterfly (handmade)

Handmade Called Blessed Card:

Stamp: Proverbs 31:28 Plain Jane (Verve), Great Friend (Verve)

Paper: Handmade by Cara Marie (K & Company), green and gray cardstock (unknown)

Ink: Cocoa (CTMH), Charcoal (Colorbox)

Accessories: Floral Circles die (A Cut Above by Verve), Labels 3 and Classic Square die (Spellbinders), Sew Easy Tool (We R Memories), embroidery floss (DMC), mini Stapler (Tim Holtz), Scallop edge punch (Recollections by Michaels)

Hello Friend Card:
Stamps: Hope Blooms (Verve), Bloom and Grow (Verve)
Paper: Amy Butler Lotus Faded China (K and Company), white (Neenah), Black (Stampin' Up)
Ink: Midnight Magic (VersaMagic Tsukeniko), Colonial White (CTMH)
Accessories: Corner and border punch (Martha Stewart), Dots embossing folder (Sissix), gingham ribbon (Michael's store), white lace (unknown), tag punch (Stampin' Up), hole punch (Fiskars), miniature clothespin (Dollar Store brand), corner rounder (We R Memory Keepers), green ribbon (unknown), Black Diamond glitter glue (Stickles - Ranger, Ink)

---

Enjoy Today with Flowers

---

It's been a bit busy around here in the craft room, but I've been tagged to my computer instead of my crafting table with all my new Verve.

You'll be seeing a repeat today if you were at the release party last Friday night. It's a bright and cheery card, that was pretty easy to put together. I love those floral circle dies because they aren't just scallop or plain circles, they have a whimsy to them that make it easy to use for flowers are a layered mat.

That's it for now... thanks for stopping in today!

Details:

Stamps: Bloom and Grow (Verve), Hope Blooms (Verve),  Chicks Rule (Verve), Woodgrain (Hero Arts)

Ink: VersaMark, Colonial White (CTMH), Cocoa Bean (CTMH)

Paper: Early Espresso and Chocolate Chip (Stampin’ Up), Kraft text paper (Wausau), scraps of colorful paper

Accessories: Floral Circles Die (Verve), Elegant Leaves die (Verve), Flutterby die (Verve), Ancient Enchanted Gold Embossing Powder (Ranger), Forest Branches Embossing Folder (ProvoCraft)

---

Hope and Love - Verve Spotlight Day 4

---

It's been 4 fabulous days of sneak peeks and it's all wrapping up today! I'll get through the deets super fast, as my 3 year old son would say, so that you can get on a hopping through mine. 

Let's see.

• Hop
• Comment (each day has a hidden prize for the Spotlights featured that day... "FREE VERVE" ladies and gents)
• PARTY 9pm Eastern, 8pm Central, 7pm Mountain, 6pm Pacific and 3pm Hawaii. (I personally think it's the best part of release week once the Spotlight Hops are over. *wink*)

Two cards to show for the spotlight stamps and die set today. The first has Proverbs 16:9 Plain Jane verse. Such an amazing verse.

The second card uses the flowers and one of the fantastic sentiments from today's Spotlight set Hope Blooms (another favorite from this release), but I couldn't leave it alone without adding a few leaf branches from the Bloom and Grow set.

Have a grand time on the rest of the hop! (If you've just found this post and want to know more just jump over to the Verve blog and get all the deets.) See ya at the party tonight!

	1. Julee 8. Jackie 2. Tosh 9. Charmaine 3. Amber 10. Janelle 4. Amy 11. Teresa 5. Maureen 12. Laurie 6. Cresta 13. Sankari 7. Andrea 14. Melissa
TODAY'S PRIZE: Hope Blooms, Proverbs 16:9 Plain Jane and Floral Circles Die Set

Details:

Card: Filed Under: His Steps
Stamps: Proverbs 16:9 Plain Jane (Verve)

Paper: Buckaroo Blue (Stampin’ Up), pattern paper (Black Market Paper Society and Bo Bunny)

Ink: Marvelous Magenta (Stampin’ Up), Chocolate Chip (Stampin Up)

Accessories: File Tabs die (Tim Holtz - Sissix), Labels 14 die (Nestabilities - Spellbinders), Cocoa Bean Silk Ribbon (Martha Stewart), organdy ribbon (Offray), button (unknown), Rhinestones (KaiserCrafts, Queen and Company, Chatterbox), scrap of lace, gesso (Daler-Rowney)

Card: Green Flowers Bloom

Stamps: Hope Blooms (Verve), Bloom and Grow (Verve)

Paper: Flower Shower Pattern paper (DCWV), Old Olive (Stampin’ Up), Pale Yellow (unknown)

Ink: VersaMark, Bliss Blue (Stampin’ Up)

Accessories: Floral Circles Die (Verve), Lettuce embossing powder (Adirondack – Ranger), button, green silk ribbon, aqua baker’s twine (Divine Twine), paper piercer tool, corner rounder

---

Love Deepens - M is for Mom - Spotlight Day 3

---

Today's stamp set sneaky peek is the black dress, IMHO, of this release. You'll know what I mean when you come to the release party on Friday night (April 15th, 9PM Eastern, 8PM Central, 7PM Mountain, 6PM Pacific, 3PM Hawaii) and see it for yourself. {wink}


I used two stamps out of the Love Deepens set for my split sentiment and that muslin fabric flower is made with the Floral Circles dies (about 3 of each size in the set), the leaves are from the Bloom and Grow set that was on spotlight yesterday.

1. Tosh 8. Janelle 2. Teresa 9. Jackie 3. Maureen 10. Charmaine 4. Laurie 11. Andrea 5. Julee 12. Amber 6. Cresta 13. Melissa 7. Sankari 14. Amy TODAY'S PRIZE: Love Deepens, Proverbs 31:28 Plain Jane and Elegant Leaves Die

How'd she make that?  I made the letter out of regular cardstock that was first run through the Stampin' Up paper crimper and then cut out with an adhesived sprayed letter template off of my computer. The rest was just a matter of measuring twice and folding and gluing once... well maybe I measured once and folded then measured again and folded a new strip of paper... you get the idea. I sponge distressed the edges and then sloppily added white primer gesso. It dried surprisingly fast so the decorating could happen within minutes! The muslin fabric flower was die cut from the Floral Circles Die a few times and then pierced through all the layers to push through a brad. I pulled out the craft ink spot in Cameo Coral and brushed directly onto the edges of fabric. To get it to stay "fluffed" up I squirted hot glue in a few spots and let it cool before letting go of the fabric on top of it. This explains the random post about glue gun labels from last week.

Stamps: Love Deepens (Verve), Bloom and Grow (Verve)

Paper: Crumb Cake (Stampin’ Up), Cream (Wausau), tissue paper (Verve – packaging), Blue (unknown)

Ink: Mellow Moss (Stampin’ Up), Cameo Coral (Stampin’ Up), Antique Linen (Ranger Ink), Tea Dye (Ranger Ink), Vintage Photo (Ranger Ink)

Accessories: Elegant Leaves Die, Floral Circles Die, Charming Banners Die and Charming Oval Die (Verve), Tattered Florals Die (Sissix – Tim Holtz), Paper Crimper (Stampin’ Up), gesso primer (Daler-Rowney), glitter brads (We R Memory Makers)

---

Bloom and Grow - Spotlight Day 2

---

It's time to spotlight another stamp set AND more dies! Yay!!!!!!!!! First, lets talk about some deets for this week Spotlights and Release Party...

Four days of hops and we are on No. 2, and that means half-way to...

Release Party, Friday night, April 15!!!

9PM Eastern, 8PM Central, 7PM Mountain, 6PM Pacific, 3PM Hawaii

See the reveal of 3 new sets, 4 micro sets, 2 plain janes and 2 new dies. The prize winner's will be announced too! (Just for those dropping in today, there's a prize hidden along the hop today. Just comment as you go and you just might be the next owner of some new Verve!)

Today's sneak peek is an amazing flower set called Bloom and Grow. I so love this set. It has some amazing flower silhouettes and in perfect Verve style they layer, and they coordinate with the Floral Circles Die set. So my affection for leaves has tripled with the stamps AND coordinating Elegant Leaves die from today's sneak peek. Oh my stars! Just a fabulous and exciting duo.

The oval frame I used is one of my favorites from Verve's Dad's Day set that I used to complement the Thanks A Bunch sentiment also in the Bloom and Grow set.

Let's keep on a hopping, shall we?

	1. Amber 8. Julee 2. Amy 9. Laurie 3. Andrea 10. Maureen 4. Charmaine 11. Teresa 5. Cresta 12. Tosh 6. Jackie 13. Sankari 7. Janelle 14. Melissa
TODAY'S PRIZE: Bloom & Grow, Elegant Leaves Die and Floral Circles Die Set

Details:
Stamps: Bloom and Grow (Verve), Dad’s Day (Verve)
Paper: Smooth White (Neenah)
Ink: Rose Romance, Lavender Lace, Green Galore, More Mustard, Taken with Teal (Stampin’ Up), Graphite Black (Tsukeniko - Brilliance)
Accessories: Elegant Leaves Die (Verve), black lining fabric, sewing machine


 

---

Verve Birthday Phrases - Spotlight Day 1

---

Verve Release Week starts today! I'm ecstatic to be hanging out again and in great company with Melissa Hubert and Cresta Woodruf as April Guest Diva's.
 
There are four Spotlights sets on the hop and my CAS card and envelope set is using the fabulous Birthday Phrases stamps. Possibly the easiest set of cards I've evah made!

Here's some single shots to show off each sentiment... because they are awesome!

We're going to be hopping today through Friday and because Verve likes to share, there is a prize hidden on one of the hops today and each hop day this week! Leave a shout-out in each Diva's comments box and you could have some free Verve all your own! It's all going to be revealed, the sets and dies too, on Friday night at the release party. Hope you'll join us!

Are you ready?

	1. Andrea 8. Julee 2. Jackie 9. Tosh 3. Charmaine 10. Amber 4. Janelle 11. Amy 5. Teresa 12. Maureen 6. Laurie 13. Cresta 7. Sankari
TODAY'S PRIZE: Bunny Shake, Birthday Phrases, Faithful Phrases and Happy Phrases

Sometimes links can get a little sketchy, so if you get lost in the hop, head on over to the Verve blog for the master list.

Thanks for stopping and hopping by!

Details: (Card size 3 x 3 - inches)
Stitched Wish Big Card:
Stamps: Birthday Phrases (Verve) 
Paper: Hazel Papers (Stella & Rose: My Mind’s Eye), Smooth White (Neenah)
Ink: Charcoal (Colorbox)
Accessories: Fabric Sheets (Colorfast - June Tailor), embroidery floss (DMC), paper piercer, Mat Stack (Stampin’ Up), Scalloped Square Small Nestabilities die (Spellbinders Paper Arts), Dragon Back scissors (Paper Shapers)

Stitched Birthday Wishes Card:
Stamps: Birthday Phrases (Verve)
Paper: Hazel Papers (Stella & Rose: My Mind’s Eye), Smooth White (Neenah)
Ink: Charcoal (Colorbox)
Accessories: Fabric Sheets (Colorfast - June Tailor), embroidery floss (DMC), paper piercer, Mat Stack (Stampin’ Up), Dragon Back scissors (Paper Shapers)

Stitched Make A Wish Card:
Stamps: Birthday Phrases (Verve), Hope Blooms (Verve)
Paper: Hazel Papers (Stella & Rose: My Mind’s Eye), Smooth White (Neenah), Gray (unknown)
Ink: Charcoal (Colorbox), Black Soot (Ranger Ink)
Accessories: Fabric Sheets (Colorfast - June Tailor), embroidery floss (DMC), paper piercer, Mat Stack (Stampin’ Up), Labels 4, Nestabilities die (Spellbinders Paper Arts), Dragon Back scissors (Paper Shapers), ticket corner punch (Stampin’ Up), charcoal embossing powder (Zing – American Arts)

Stitched Let’s Party Card:
Stamps: Birthday Phrases (Verve)
Paper: Hazel Papers (Stella & Rose: My Mind’s Eye), Smooth White (Neenah)
Ink: Charcoal (Colorbox)
Accessories: Fabric Sheets (Colorfast - June Tailor), embroidery floss (DMC), paper piercer, Mat Stack (Stampin’ Up), Blossom Nestabilities die (Spellbinders Paper Arts), Dragon Back scissors (Paper Shapers), round plastic canvas piercing guide

Matching envelopes: (no photo)
Paper: Hazel Papers (Stella & Rose: My Mind’s Eye), Smooth White (Neenah), Gray (unknown)
Accessories: scoring board and score stylus (Martha Stewart), corner rounder (EK Success), straight cutter (Fiskars)

---

Frontyard Botany

---

Happy Friday everyone!  I have been super busy with so many projects this week that I haven't finished a single card to show you all week. I apologize and I feel like I've neglected all my recent crafting purchases, so they are sad too. LOL

Not to worry though because I'll be showing you all that I've been working on  because next week I'll be hanging out with the Verve Divas, again. Julee sent me a "Wanna Play" email and I was so excited I yelled for anyone in the house to hear, "oh YEAH! I'm gonna play! WHHHHEEEEEEEE!". Can I just say it is such a pleasure to be a guest with Verve and the Divas, a fantastic memory to cherish FOR SURE.

So this morning I realized my son was rather quietly playing and then the front door would open and close... and again... and again... so I mentioned to him that he needed to let me know when and where he was going to play outside to be safe. He had a surprise to show me. He stepped away from the table to reveal a piece of paper with three nicely organized piles of plant material. I was so impressed at his organizing skills I just had to share.

Have a wonderful day!

Details:
Stamps: God's Hands
Paper: Tree bark and branches, leaves
Ink: Sun, water
Accessories: Mind of a 3 year old

---

Beware! Or should that be...

---

SURPRISE!

(Click to enlarge photo)

While looking for the temperature option on my glue gun this past weekend I noticed a spelling error. I wonder if you would get a better deal if you do exactly what they say? Still, I'm not sure it's worth the pain. OUCH!

Have a pain free day, please.. 8~)

---

Remembering Our Song

---

How's your day going? I hope you have had a bit of YOU time this morning even if it meant a couple of minutes awake in bed before your household started to wake up and ask for your attention. I know I'm always trying to find some time to reflect and register in to what my day should be. So anywho...

I made a simple card to show you today that uses a new to me stamp line and also a stamp set that I bought completely for the images in it, but when I was searching for a sentiment this set came with it's game face on.

The oval frame is from the Jubilee set from The Girls' Paperie. It's a cute set that has a few items I've been searching for in a stamp set, but the frame was callin' my name.

The sentiment is from the February featured set at Close to My Heart. It has the object collage stamps of a butterfly, bird, dress form, etc. Very cool and I'll be pulling that set out again very soon.

Details:
Stamps: Jubilee clear stamp set by The Girls' Paperie, Find Your Style by Close to my Heart (January SOTM)
Paper: DP from Pink Lemonade pack, metallic silver, textured gray, light blue
Ink: VersaMark, Rose Red
Accessories: Gray grosgain ribbon, scallop circle punch from Stampin' Up, scoring board by Martha Stewart

---