Well, it's the 5th of the month and time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop! There are two ways to win Verve prizes.. comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) to see their take on the inspiration, then go get inky and link up your take on the challenge to be eligible in our prize drawings!
The hop started over on Julee's blog HERE and you should have hopped all the way through to SARAH's Blog and then here. I'm glad you made it!
Our February challenge is Vivacious Valentine...

Nothing says "I love you" like a handmade Valentine in your signature style.
Use the inspiration graphic as a starting point, or head off in your own direction - just make us swoon with a fabulously flirty creation!
Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Thursday, Feb. 19.
Prize: $40 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

Nothing says "I love you" like a handmade Valentine in your signature style.
Use the inspiration graphic as a starting point, or head off in your own direction - just make us swoon with a fabulously flirty creation!
Earlier this week, Julee posted THIS CARD on her blog and I was blown away by the watercoloring on it! I commented on it on Facebook and said she was 'making me want to watercolor'. She told me to do it, so I accepted the challenge and came up with this. I started with the latest sketch from Freshly Made Sketches (172) because I love the simple design.
I did a watercolor wash for my background piece using water and inks on the lids of my Stampin' Up pads in various pinks onto Canson watercolor paper. I wanted a subtle "band" across my card, so I stamped off in gray once and then stamped my watercolored piece with the background from the BETTER TOGETHER stamp set. I stamped the heart from the LOVE NOTES set and filled it in with the XOXO and the "hugs" sentiment, and then cut it with the JOTTED HEART die.
I love the touch of green in the inspiration photo, so I just had to add a flower from the PETALS & WINGS stamp set (I couldn't find my dies for these, so they are handcut), with the leaves cut from patterned paper using the DREAMY LEAVES die. Once I got it all layered up and adhered, I wanted some sparkle, so I just ran a line of Rock Candy Distress Stickles across the top, bottom and top of my big heart (yes, I have a big heart), and "painted" them on out with a paintbrush. Super easy and super sparkly!
So how do y'all think I did with the watercoloring? I'm not quite ready to say I know what I'm doing yet, but I am looking forward to getting some real watercolors and playing around! It's time to keep going on the hop, so head on over to see what MARISA did for your inspirational enjoyment. I'm sure it's nothing less that gorgeous!
I did a watercolor wash for my background piece using water and inks on the lids of my Stampin' Up pads in various pinks onto Canson watercolor paper. I wanted a subtle "band" across my card, so I stamped off in gray once and then stamped my watercolored piece with the background from the BETTER TOGETHER stamp set. I stamped the heart from the LOVE NOTES set and filled it in with the XOXO and the "hugs" sentiment, and then cut it with the JOTTED HEART die.
I love the touch of green in the inspiration photo, so I just had to add a flower from the PETALS & WINGS stamp set (I couldn't find my dies for these, so they are handcut), with the leaves cut from patterned paper using the DREAMY LEAVES die. Once I got it all layered up and adhered, I wanted some sparkle, so I just ran a line of Rock Candy Distress Stickles across the top, bottom and top of my big heart (yes, I have a big heart), and "painted" them on out with a paintbrush. Super easy and super sparkly!
So how do y'all think I did with the watercoloring? I'm not quite ready to say I know what I'm doing yet, but I am looking forward to getting some real watercolors and playing around! It's time to keep going on the hop, so head on over to see what MARISA did for your inspirational enjoyment. I'm sure it's nothing less that gorgeous!
Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Thursday, Feb. 19.
Prize: $40 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

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1. Julee | 7. Sankari | |
2. Amy | 8. Sarah | |
3. Anya | 9. Susan | |
4. Betty | 10. Marisa | |
5. Jen | 11. Maureen | |
6. Karen | 12. Verve Blog |
Stamps: Better Together, Love Notes, Petals & Wings (Verve)
Paper: Vintage Cream (PTI), Steel Blue (MFT), Watercolor Paper (Canson), Dots and Stripes (Echo Park)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Pixie Pink, Rose Romance, Pretty in Pink (SU!)
Accessories: Jotted Heart, Dreamy Leaves (A Cut Above Dies by Verve), Rock Candy Distress Stickles (Ranger), Hemp Twine, Linen Thread, Pearl Flatbacks (Pizzazz Aplenty), Foam Boosters
Finished Size: A2
Wonderful card! Love that background ♥
ReplyDeleteI love how fun & bright this is - great background!
ReplyDeletePretty card with a pretty background. Love it.
ReplyDeleteSusan so pretty... love the xo font!!
ReplyDelete=] Michele
I love it! Great card Susan.
ReplyDeleteYour card is beautiful. Love it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh because her card made me want to watercolor, too. And after seeing yours I just got out mine to play a little today. lol.
Crafty hugs,
Dawn
DesignsByDragonfly {blogspot}
So beautiful! Love your water coloring.
ReplyDeleteThis is so soft and pretty. I love that background and the shimmer. I love all the hearts too (never too many hearts for me;) )
ReplyDeleteDarbaby on SCS
I like the stickles on the watercolor background!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I really like the dotted pattern on the leaves die cut.
ReplyDeleteI love the stamp-filled heart!
ReplyDeletepretty pink card :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful--love the watercolor background.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I love your background and the way you've arranged all the elements of the card is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteLove your watercolor background!!! I'm glad you accepted the "challenge"!
ReplyDeleteI love watercolouring, and I love your background. Great inspiration!!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the water coloring - it looks great! Beautiful card with a great design!
ReplyDeleteVery cool Susan! Great job with the watercolor background. I like the idea of the stamped border because it doesn't add another layer to the card. And I think it's great that you added the flower. It gets lost in the inspiration pic but it is in fact there.
ReplyDeleteoh this is just beautiful... love your take on the sketch!
ReplyDeleteThis is so super cute, love the fabulous design.
ReplyDeleteLove how you used the flowers with the hearts and the pop of green polka dots on the sprig is awesome!
ReplyDeleteso pretty, Susan!
ReplyDeleteLove your card! The watercolor background looks amazing! Great take on the sketch!
ReplyDeleteLovely card with such a playful touch.
ReplyDeleteYour water colored background is fabulous! Beautiful Valentine.....so many wonderful elements! Glad you shared it at FMS!
ReplyDeleteSusie, you did a great job with the water colouring on this bold card. True the splash of green is great too. Lovely card.
ReplyDeleteSue
wonderful and super lovely card!
ReplyDeleteLovely card, so pretty.
ReplyDeletethe watercolor background is wonderful. Love the pop of green. Great card :D
ReplyDeleteWow Susan, this card is so soft and pretty! I love all of the details you added but that watercolor background is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteGreat take on the sketch. The embellishment layers look great.
ReplyDeleteLove love love this to bits <3 one of my favorite colour combos <3
ReplyDeletePretty card! Love the watercolor background:)
ReplyDeleteThe watery background is very pretty and the heart with the kisses and the pretty layered flower with the hearts and leaves finishes it beautifully. x
ReplyDeleteI love the pop of color the flower and leaves give. The xoxo heart is sweet! Good take on the sketch, too! I forget to use my border stamps.
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful card, the background is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteHow pretty! Love what you did on the heart!
ReplyDeleteI love the heart with the XOs.
ReplyDeleteDarling card.
thanks for sharing
Very pretty card!
ReplyDeleteLove how warm and soft this looks!!! So pretty!
ReplyDelete<3 J
jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com
Wonderful background and I love the cluster with all the dies.
ReplyDeleteLove it! Way to throw down some watercolors! ;)
ReplyDeletePretty card! Love the layers and the sparkle!
ReplyDeleteWonderful card...love the layered elements in one side just like the sketch.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun, bright, beautifully done, sweet, charming card that certainly packs a wallop!!! So awesome and well done!!!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty - love the background and the embellishments..
ReplyDeleteisoscia at aol dot com
Love the watercolor with the black base. It really pops.
ReplyDeleteGreat card, love the colors, the watercolor and the layers. TFS.
ReplyDeleteLove the creative stamping. What a great use of the XOXO stamps.
ReplyDelete