August Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop!

It's time for the Verve Divas to bring you our monthly Diva Inspirations Challenge and Blog Hop!

There are TWO $30 gift vouchers to the Verve store up for grabs this month and two ways to win! First, comment on the design team's blog hop posts (linked below) for an entry in the first giveaway. Then to be entered into our challenge prize drawing, go get inky and link up your take on the challenge. You have until September 5 to link up. Feel free to play along with the challenge as many times as you like. Verve stamps aren't required to play, but we do smile a little brighter when we see them!

Summer brights fade into earthy tones for the dog days of summer. With the hustle and bustle of the end of summer coming, a breezy, free-spirited graphic is what we have in store for you this month. Follow the color pattern, or be inspired to journey where the creative winds may take you. We can't wait to see what you create!
Click here to link up your challenge entries
Challenge deadline: Monday, September 5.
Prize: $30 gift voucher to the Verve online store!

I started with watercolor paper.  I inked the small leafy image from Verve's New Mercies stamp set and did some spritz stamping with distress inks to create my background.  Once my background was finished, I added some gold splatters using a gold paint pen mixed with some water on an acrylic block.  I set it aside to dry. I took my versamark pad and swiped around the edges and heat embossed in gold.  I brushed away the gold embossing powder I did not want before I heated it.  

 For my flowers, I stamped and watercolored a trio of flowers using the flowers from Verve's Beautiful Things stamp set.  Once the flowers were dry I die cut them using the coordinating Beautiful Flowers die set.  For my  leaves I used Verve's Sunny Day stamp set and Verve's Leafy Sprig die set.  I did a color wash of distress inks onto the watercolor paper in hues of greens.  I let it dry.  I die cut the leafy sprig, stamped with coordinating image, then took a waterbrush to softened/distress the leaves. 

  For the sentiment I die cut a piece of vellum using Verve's Stitched Pennant die set.  I embossed in gold a sentiment from Verve's Words of Wisdom stamp set.  I added some loose gold threading and a few gold sequins from Verve's Holiday Sequin Mix. 

Need a little inspiration? Check out the blogs linked below to see what the other Divas did with the challenge! It's sure to be a treat, and speaking of treats, we're giving away a $30 gift voucher to Verve to one random commenter along the hop.  Just leave a little love as you hop about for a chance to win!

1. Julee	7. Marisa
2. Betty	8. Maureen
3. Charmaine	9. Stacey
4. Christyne	10. Susan
5. Laurie	11. Teresa
6. Lesley

As always thanks so much for hopping by!

Betty