Be Unabashedly Upbeat!!

Hello folks! I hope you've enjoyed this month's Instant Garden escapades so far over at Power Poppy! Today, I'm here to usher in even more fun! I've got a little challenge for you and it's all about mixing it up, getting inspired and letting your creativity take you in new directions!

What's this you say? It's a chance to see if this album cover by famed American jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk could be a card. How? Well, you've got to let the rhythm move you! See those splashes of blue? Those lines in black? The shading in grey? The overall feel and layout? Well, all those things could be transformed into inks, cardstock and, dare I say, embellishments! Just like Thelonious himself -- you could come to be known here for your own unique, improvisational style! (Just in case you didn't know -- we happen to love the fact that Thelonious Monk used to stop playing music and let his band continue just so he could dance for a bit before getting back to the piano. We encourage you to do the same as you create with reckless abandon!)

THE CHALLENGE:  Turn this album cover into a card -- in any way that it inspires you. Take the colors, the layout, the style and use it to help you create! Just that simple. This one is open to interpretation! Just be sure to use one of Power Poppy's digital stamps to make your card or creation! You can read up on all the official rules HERE. 

On to my creation! 

I have to say, this wasn't a 10 minute card, but it wasn't a whole lot more than 20! I started by printing off the Gladioli image and then really went to town adding some background color with the help of some background stamps! I used a mix of inks. One is Heavenly Blue (a discontinued ink from Close To My Heart), Lavender and Bermuda Blue Vivid! inks. Afterward, I took a few Copic markers ( BG000 and BG0000 with BV00, BV02 and BV23) and just "flicked" on some color. I didn't even blend -- just created messy strokes until I added a soft bit of color! 

From there, the rest is matting it up! The sentiment is from the Good Thinking: Renewal stamp set. I used a Stampin' Up brad that I embellished with a rhinestone, added some paper piercing and an embossed background (Cuttlebug Textile Texture) and.... ta da!

Here's a close up! 

And that, my friends, is it! Need a little inspiration to move and groove with???? Turn up some tunes and head on over to see...

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Julie Koerber - you are here!
Danielle Kennedy

There are more ways to WIN Power Poppy Goodness!

• Don't forget that if you follow the Power Poppy boards over on Pinterest you could win the entire release for June! We'll be drawing a random follower to win! If you don't follow us yet, you have until May 30th! Just click HERE and then click on the red "Follow All" button. 
• Want to win a stamp set of your choice? Join us for the Pop Goes the World Challenge HERE!
• Winners will be announced over on the Power Poppy Blog on June 2nd! 

~Julie