Friday, August 25, 2017

Verve's 10th Anni-verve-sary! Day 2-Bloom Brighter


Welcome to Day 2 of the Anni-VERVE-sary Spotlight Hops!  It's time for another day of spotlighting the Verve release with the Verve Divas and special guests! We're super excited to have a few very special Diva Alumni joining us for the hop today. Everything previewed this week will be available to order in the Verve online store on Monday, August 28. If you just can't wait, you can pre-order the entire release now as the August 2017 Buy it All Bundle at a 30% discount through August 27.
Today we're sharing our first projects featuring the Bloom Brighter stamp set and coordinating, Blooming Die Set. A fresh take on the flower from the retired commemorative set Beautiful You, this beautiful encouragement set is perfect for a vareity of cardmaking occasions.
Want to win some shiny new Verve? We'll be picking a random commenter on one of the hop spots below to win today's featured products! So be sure to leave a little comment on all the blogs below to increase your chances! Check out the Verve Blog today for the full hop list, a little more about our new products and all the prize info and deadlines!
Bloom BrighterBlooming Die Set

Day 2 Hop List
1. Julee7. Amy K. (Alumni)
2. Maureen8. Lesley
3. Betty9. Christyne
4. Charmaine10. Laurie
5. Marisa11. Kelly (Guest)
6. Amy S(Alumni)12. Laurie W(Alumni)
ETA: if you've come looking for my "keeping Christmas" post, it will be postponed until Tuesday after the Verve blog hop! Welcome back! Once again, I've gotten carried away with samples! I really enjoyed experimenting with these new sets! These flowers are so fun to play with. For this first card, I heat embossed the largest flower using white powder onto watercolor paper. I watercolored them using an aquapainter and ink refills. Watercoloring over embossing is one of my favorite techniques and is so easy to do. 

Once they were dry, I die cut them and adhered them to a panel of vellum using foam squares. The sentiment is stamped in white onto the vellum as well. I contemplated heat embossing it so it would show up better, but I didn't want the vellum to warp so I left it. I actually wanted a soft look, so I am happy with the result and in person it is more visible. The vellum is adhered to a soft stone card base and I used adhesive behind where the flowers are. The finishing touch is Duck Egg Nuvo Drops here and there. They are the perfect color!

My next card is a companion to the first card in color and feel. I really liked watercoloring those flowers, so I decided to try it as a background. I really like the result.The sentiment is once again stamped onto a vellum strip and then wrapped around the watercolor focal panel. The entire piece is adhered to a soft stone card base. I wanted to give a nod to the classic tissue paper that every Verve order comes wrapped in! I just love the blue and silver! 
This next design adds in the solid floral image that I embossed in gold mixed with the watercoloring of the larger bloom. I just love how they work together. To get started, I created a watercolor panel using blues and pinks. I really like how it turned out. That is what is fun about using watercolors; you never really know how it is going to turn out. Sometimes you're hating it right before you fall in love! LOL!
I heat embossed the both the solid and line images using gold embossing powder and then watercolored them as I did in the first two cards. Like I mentioned before, I really like using this technique. I heat embossed one of the amazing sentiments onto the middle of the watercolor panel using the same gold. I REALLY like the brushstroke sentiments included in the set. I can see myself reaching for them often.
The flowers are arranged in clusters on two corners of the card and then I used my paper trimmer to square everything up. Tip for the day: when cutting watercolored panels, it best to cut it by turning it upside down. You get a sharper cut that way, especially if you're impatient and the panel hasn't dried completely. (wink) I added quite a few gold nuvo drops to add in some extra detail, but I really wanted the sentiment and flowers to be the main attraction!
The final project for today showcases how easily you can create a large focal image by using one tiny stamp. I thought the little fern-like image included in the set could make a great wreath...and I was right! It is the perfect frame for one of the fabulous sentiments. Thank for joining me today and thanks for fluttering by!

47 comments:

New Creations said...

I am enjoying all your superb creations with such fun! All are so beautiful!

Donna Ellis said...

Beautiful card designs, and such elegant embossing on each card! Loving the soft colors in our vellum creation!

Lesley said...

Gorgeous work again, Kelly!!

Gloria said...

love the embossing

Karthikha said...

Beautiful creations! Love the addition of dew drops!

Sheri said...

WOW! You outdid yourself. So pretty

Sheri Gilson said...

Beautiful cards! Love them all!

Becca Yahrling said...

Wow, you've been quite busy making some beautiful cards!
I love wreaths (I'd collect them if I had room to do so!)
so I really love the last card. And the blue flowers - stunning!!

Andrea Shell said...

Gorgeous cards! Love your watercoloring!

JoAnn said...

Beautiful creations. Love the blue one as blue is my favorite color.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous cards from Kelley. You always make such pretty statements with your cards!

Hetty said...

Wow, Kelly, again you are showing so many different ways of using this stampset.
Love the gold embossed flowers.

Mary Holshouser said...

The cards are fantastic.
I do love the first (and the other
that was patterned after it) the
best. That background is
wonderful and the flowers are
so pretty.
thanks for sharing.

Sue Crease said...

All so beautiful 😍. Love your embossing today. Great use of the firn leaf. X

Arianna Barbara said...

Wow! Gorgeous cards!!! Your colouring is amazing!!!

Christine said...

Your beautiful cards are such an inspiration. Love the depth and breadth of your creativity! So glad you are helping to "show off" the new Verve!

solarj said...

I can't decide which of your cards I like best! Love the idea with the ferns!

Janis said...

Oh, my goodness....these are absolutely amazing!!! Each one is a work of art and I can't choose a favorite. I adore the gold embossing and I love the pretty blues and your use of vellum. The wreath of fern-like leaves is so creative and beautiful. What an awesome array of wonderful cards!!
<3 J

jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

Darlene Gabriel said...

Wow - what gorgeous cards. I love how you created the wreath using the leaf stamps. I absolutely adore the cards with the soft blues and white - the vellum - the embossing/watercolouring.......beautiful work.

sandie said...

super cards-love the gold with the red, fab showcase of these gorgeous stamps and dies x

Migdalia said...

All beautiful cards!!Love the embossing and touch of gold!
Have a wonderful day,
Migdalia
Crafting with Creative M

Talitha said...

Each card is just beautiful. Love the gold embossing.

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

Beautiful new products and beautiful work with them!

Janelle said...

These are all SO PRETTY! I think I like the leaf wreath the most.

Sue D said...

Very pretty cards. I like the embossing.

Pennie said...

Beautiful cards!

craftymom205 said...

Love the cards.

Colleen said...

Gorgeous cards

stampfoldandrepeat (Jeanie) said...

Wow, so many wonderful creations! I think both the white and gold embossed flowers are amazing. And that wreath is so creative!

wannabcre8tive said...

Your cards are all just beautiful. I love the gold embossed card.

Marjorie DUMONTIER said...

Very beautiful card bundle. I might have a slight preference for the blue flowers trio.

Rosemary said...

WOW!!! your cards are absolutely amazing!!

CherylQuilts said...

Oh, Kelly, it's so nice to see you again with Verve! Your cards are AMAZING, and I love how you've really used the new sets with the latest techniques and styles! Beautifully done and so inspirational! Got me all excited about seeing these new items in my room! Hugs!

Moira said...

Wow! amazing cards-love those blues!

Jill Rauenhorst said...

You always blow me away...beautiful cards!

Heather said...

Wow, again! These are all so beautiful! LOVE the second card!! Those are my blues and it just feels so soft and dreamy.

Unknown said...

Beautiful cards. I especially love the gold embossed watercolor flowers one.

stampwithsandy said...

Oh my, such a stunning gallery of cards, and such variety! Love your watercoloring!

Beverly S. said...

Beautiful floral stamp set....you did it justice with all your lovely samples!

Miriam Prantner said...

Gorgeous florals! Loving how you mixed the gold with the watercolored on the first card!

Super Stick Chick said...

Wonderful cards, love all of your fabulous techniques and designs.

Unknown said...

All of your cards are lovely and pretty colors. Thanks for sharing.

Linda D.

StirYourCreativity said...

Such interesting cards with beautiful colors and designs.

Karenladd said...

So many different looks and techniques!! I love the heat embossing and your gorgeous water coloring

Julee (Vervegirl) said...

These floral cards are so lovely. I can't believe how many amazing, awesome, wonderful cards you made for this release, Kelly! You're a total rockstar! Thanks so much for sharing your talents with us. Big hugs!

sandie said...

Gorgeous set of cards and love the gold you used in the first one x

Carmela said...

All your cards are wonderful! Love the fold embossed flowers and that wreath. What a clever use of the stamp set.