Power Poppy Day 5: Let's Take Two!

Well, it's the last day of the sneaks! Tomorrow the Bloom Brigade will be kicking off its Power Poppy Hop, letting you get another peek at the Share your Sunshine Collection before you hit the Power Poppy Shop! What fun! Today's set features an image you've seen before but its now making its debut in polymer!

Introducing.....

What's not to love about Geraniums? And this set  -- Geraniums Take Two -- offers two very different and very happy renditions of this robust flower! This potted up version in a rustic old pot next to an antique plant mister is the definition of charming! Don't you think?

On to my creation!

I had so much fun coloring up this vignette that I literally got lost in it! A splash of reds (R20, R24, and R27) for the petals. A dash of greens (G20, G21, G24 and G28) for the leaves. A few shades of copper for the terra cotta pot (E08, E31, E00) and a little C00, C03 and BG000 for the mister. Add a little W00, W01 and W03 as a bit of shading and that's pretty much it! 

I die cut my image out using Spellbinders Labels Twenty Two and while the die was still on, I did sponge on some Antique Linen and Old Paper Distress Inks. I added the sentiment from the set and then matted it all up with some Bazzill decorative paper and May Arts burlap trim. Add a little wooden button and that's pretty much it!

Here's a close up!

Want to see the rest of the Bloom Brigade share some "happy?" Then, hop on over and see these fine ladies and their beautiful creations!

Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Julie Koerber >>> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan


Tomorrow is the Power Poppy Hop so be sure to come back for one last release week hurrah! See you then!

~Julie

Power Poppy Day 4: Just a little bit Country!

Hi all! Gosh, can you feel the excitement building here? In just a matter of days, all the fabulous stamp sets that the Bloom Brigade has been showing off will be LIVE in the Power Poppy Shop and ready for the buying! Yipppeeeee! But before that day comes, we have more from the Share Your Sunshine Collection to... well... share! Today's set is another one that you might recognize! 

Introducing....

This beautiful bouquet is back in polymer and this set comes with deluxe images that you won't be able to resist! A single sprig of sage maybe? Or a stem of Cosmos? Yep, this set  called Countryside Bouquet Deluxe has both! Plus five small yet meaningful sentiments!

On to my creation! When I saw this little stem of Cosmos, my heart just fluttered. I love the simplicity of it and yet it has a sweetness to it as well! It looks like something that might be sitting in an old antique vase on grandma's dining room table -- just fresh picked from the garden!

I stamped this little image on white card stock with Memento Espresso Truffle ink and colored it up with Y32, Y35, Y00, G20, G24 and BG0000 Copic Markers. I cut the image out using a fancy paper pierced die to give it a little pizazz (this one is from Flourishes). While the die was still on, I did sponge on some Spun Sugar Distress Ink. Add a decorative paper flair with Spellbinders Labels Seventeen, a strip of pink paper, some lace trim and a wee bit of silver cording to accent my tag featuring one of the sentiments from this set! Add a doily and an embossed background (Stampin' Up) and.... voila!

Here's a close up!

And that, my friends, is it! I know after seeing some of the fun things the Bloom Brigade whipped up using this set, you'll agree this is a beautiful addition to the Power Poppy Collection! So.... stop by and see these fine ladies and I'll let you decide for yourself!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber >>> you are here!
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker


Thanks for stopping by! Tomorrow is the last day of the sneaks and this one is a personal favorite of mine! So, you'll have to come back by and say "hi!" See you then!

~Julie

Power Poppy Day 3: So "Glad" You Stopped By!

Hi all! Hope your week is off to a great start! I'm here with Day 3 of Power Poppy's Share your Sunshine Release! So far, what do you think of these new sets? I hope you love them as much as I do! Today's set is one that you might have seen before! ;-)

Introducing.....

Maybe you didn't get enough of these the first time around? Marcella has gotten so many requests for the Instant Garden flower digis to be made into clear stamps. So, she thought she should give the folks what they've been asking for! This set -- Dynamic Duos Glads & Gerberas is perfect for sending some sunshine and cheering folks on!

On to my creation!

Can I just say I love ALL of the sentiments in this set? There are 6 different senties and they are all so fun -- with a mod font that is just so eye-catching! Moving on to my card deets! I stamped my image on Cougar Opaque White Card Stock using Espresso Truffle Memento Ink and then, grabbed my Copic Markers! I only used a few and they are: RV02, RV00, RV0000, G20, G21, G24, G28, BG0000, BG00 and BG11. Oh, I almost forgot, the centers on a few of the flowers were colored up with Y02. 

As for the sketch -- can't take credit for that one! It's last week's Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge. See? 

I basically just followed this sketch and used some decorative papers from Authentique, Rock-it Ruby, and My Mind's Eye. Now, here's the funny part. I have been loving this trend of "random" gems on a card. And this is about as random as my little OCD brain gets! ;-) I mixed up sizes and added a few pearls in too! 

I punched the sentiment out with a 1-1/4" circle punch and... ta da! Done! Be sure to see what the rest of the Bloom Brigade Lovelies created with this new stamp set. I know if you hop on over, you will NOT be disappointed that you did!


Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Julie Koerber >>> you are here!
Katie Sims
Tosha Leyendekker
Power Poppy Blog >>> be sure to check in for Marcella's thoughts on this new set!


See you back here tomorrow for another fun sneak peek! I should mention -- all of these beauties will be available August 1st and we cannot wait!

~Julie

Power Poppy Day 2: A little bit of sunshine!

Hello all and welcome to day 2 of Power Poppy's Share your Sunshine Release -- a dose of happy that celebrates the garden's bounty!  All in all, five fabulous sets will be released and I can't tell you how much fun I have had creating with these sets. So, on to today's offering!

Sunny Harvest is a dose of fall a wee bit early -- sunflowers with a happy glow, sprigs of Chinese Lantern Sprigs and Bittersweet berries. They all bring wonderful shades of autumn, just ready and waiting to be colored up!

On to my creation!

When I saw this little bunch of sunflowers wrapped in kraft paper, I smiled. Sunflowers happen to be one of my favorite flowers -- just so full of sunshine! I stamped the bouquet on Cougar Opaque White Card Stock using Memento Espresso Truffle ink. And then, I grabbed these markers and colored it all up....

I added some Stampin' Up and My Mind's Eye decorative paper. I added some ragged sewing along the sides of a few of my panels and some paper piercing. Distress up the edges and add some fun little button brads with some May Arts twine and... ta da! The sentiment is also a part of a set and was added thanks to a 1-1/4" circle punch. 

Here's a close up!

Wait until you see what the rest of the Bloom Brigade did with this Sunny Harvest! It's a treat for the eyes -- I can guarantee that!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber >>>> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Power Poppy Blog >>> check out some of Marcella's Inspiration!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to stop back for more Power Poppy goodness! Tomorrow's set is one that you've seen before, only with so much more to love! See you back here soon!

~Julie

Let the Power Poppy Sneaks Begin!

Hi all and welcome to the start of a whole BUNCH of fun! Today marks day 1 of the sneaks for Power Poppy's "Share Your Sunshine" Release!   It's a collection that embraces sharing our talents, our garden bounty and our happy spirits with others! Are you ready for day 1?

Introducing....

Farmers Market is inspired by the bounty of the local market, the freshness of our earth's gifts, the saturated colors, the rustic baskets.... all of those fun things! There's something dear about the market that creates a coziness and sense of community and this set embodies it all! I should mention, this set will be available July 31st with the other four sets being released! What fun!

On to my creation!

I have to say, when Marcella talked about doing a "Farmer's Market" set, I never in a million years imagined myself coloring up a head of cauliflower. But yet, here I am! And I love it! I just love the sentiment.. "Heads up!" Too cute for words for those "I've got news" kinds of cards and creations! 

This card is pretty easy peasy! I stamped up my image using Memento Espresso Truffle and then grabbed these Copic markers and started to color!

I matted up my creation with some paper from Teresa Collins called Memorabilia. Added some Twinery twine, a wood button and some little decorative paper flags! I should mention that I stamped the words "Fresh Cauliflower" on black decorative paper using White Staz-On ink and then cut it out and matted it on my little stamped sign. I have to say that I tried a variety of inks and techniques i.e. chalk ink, chalk, Brilliance Ink, embossing powder.... and NONE worked as well as White Staz-On. So, there you have it! 

And... here's a peek at the inside! I love all the little sentiments that fit into the sign! Eat Your Veggies is just plain cute, don't you think!

And that, my friend, is it! I love the vibe this set carries and I know you'll LOVE to see what the rest of the Bloom Brigade whipped up using the new Farmer's Market set! So, stop by and say "hey" to these lovely ladies below!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber >>>> you are here!
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker
Power Poppy Blog >>>> check in for Marcella's Inspiration for this set!

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check back tomorrow for a set that is literally full of sunshine! It's one of my faves this release and I can't wait to share! See you then!

~Julie

It's a Big Birthday Challenge!

Hi all and Happy Wednesday! Hope you are having a wonderful week so far! I actually got to spend some time in my crafty place and enjoyed just coloring! Want to see what I've been up to??

When I first started stamping, my mom and I would LOVE to color up some of Art Impressions Golden Oldies -- we'd make all kinds of silly cards for friends! When I cleaned out my stamp room recently, I found a couple shoe boxes full of these stamps and realized they needed some love! And, while I was looking to see if these stamps were still in production, I stumbled upon the Art Impressions blog a they were hosting a challenge too!

So, what's the challenge? Well, it's all about BIRTHDAYS! So, I decided to dig into that box and make a fun card for a friend who has an upcoming birthday!

On to my creation!

I have to tell you this sweet angelic lady was fun to color up! Ironically, my family was watching World War Z when I decided to break out the Copic markers to color. Nothing like coloring up an angel when you're watching a zombie movie! LOL! 

I digress! I stamped Birthday Glory on Cougar Opaque White Card Stock using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and then, as I said, grabbed my Copic markers and went to town! After I was done, I did add a little razzle dazzle with some glitter glue. I cut the little lady out and popped her up on my card front. All of the papers are a mix of Echo Park patterns. Add a little seam binding ribbon in white and some bling and.... ta da! 

Here's a close up!

And here's the fun part.. the inside! I love this little sentiment -- Angel Food! I also stamped the angel in a light blue off to the side. See?

And that, my friends is it! If you want to check out the Big Birthday Challenge for yourself, just click HERE! In the meantime, I have some other Golden Oldies just begging to be colored up! Stay tuned for some more fun with those! 

Hope your hump day is shaping up nicely! See you back here soon! 

~Julie

Hello Friday!!!

Hello all and happy Friday! I don't know about you, but the weekend is sure welcome here in my house! We've been traveling so much for sports that my laundry pile is starting to look like it might just attack me! So, I'll be getting "domestic" this weekend! ;-)

Well, Fridays here on my blog mean it's time to share some Power Poppy goodness! Can I get a "Yee-haw?" :-) I knew when I created this card I had to make a birthday card for a sweet lady who I really, really, really need to catch up with! So, here goes!

I used Marcella's Mix Tape Vol. 1 for this "punched up with color" creation. The paper is a mix of Echo Park's Everyday Eclectic. I stamped the little party horns on Cougar Opaque Classic White using Memento Tuxedo Black and then picked up some of my Copic markers in coordinating colors to color them up. You can also see that I added some razzle dazzle with the help of some Diamond Stickles.  The ruffle border is thanks to a Stampin' Up trim. I added a button (BasicGrey) threaded with some Twinery twine. The fun orange polka dot is Candy Dots Fabric Tape from Maya Road. 

Here's a close up of all that sparkle!

And that, my friends, is it! Did you remember each week you could be a Power Poppy Peep of the Week? Each week the Bloom Brigade chooses a couple customer creations (based on their fabulousness) and those creations are honored on the Power Poppy Blog and also on the Power Poppy Pinterest boards! Woo Hoo! You can check it out HERE! 

And, as you are hopping, don't forget to pay these fine ladies from the Bloom Brigade a visit. They have plenty of inspiration blossoming over on their blogs!


Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber >>>>> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for stopping by folks! I hope you have a blessed weekend -- one full of sunshine and creativity! 

See you back here soon,

~Julie

Let's all... PLAY BALL!

Hi all and happy Friday -- can you believe it's the weekend already? We are off to the state softball tourney for my daughter and so..... my card today is VERY appropriate! In just a few days my darling daughter will be 11. So to celebrate, I decided to honor her special day with a softball theme thanks to Power Poppy's Play Ball stamp set! ;-)

It's funny.... until this year, I didn't know girls who played fastpitch had a different colored ball. I thought softballs were all the same. I mean, when I played, they just looked like an oversized baseball. Not so..... they are all BRIGHT YELLOW! See?

Since I didn't have a fluorescent yellow Copic -- I chose a more sunny shade and made that yellow just my theme all the way through. I stamped the main image with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then colored up my image with a mix of neutral shades. I would share but honestly I think I used almost every brown I own! E31, E23, E25, E27, W00, W01, W03, E40, E42, and E50 just to name a few! The reds were R20, R24, and R27. The yellows were Y00, Y02, Y06 and Y08.

Here's a close up....

The paper is all BasicGrey with the exception of the strip of red decorative paper that came from my scrap bin. Add a little paper piercing, some decorative flags and a wood button threaded with twine.

And for the inside, I created my sentiment with the little pennant banner in the set. Love that!

And that, my friends, is it! I have a couple fun things to share before I go. First up, did you see Power Poppy's Peeps of the Week challenge? Each week, new talent is chosen to grace the Pinterest Power Poppy Peeps board (basically, a customer appreciation gallery). All you have to do is make a card -- any theme and any design - and upload it over on the Power Poppy blog! One lucky entrant will be chosen each month for a free stamp set -- FUN! So, check it out here! 

And, while you're hopping, be sure to stop on by and say "hi" to some of the other fine members of the Bloom Brigade! They have some eye candy to show off today! ;-)

Allison Cope
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber >>> you are here!
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker


Thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me! Have a fabulous weekend and I'll see you all back here soon!

~Julie

Happy 4th of July Folks!

To all of the crafty peeps living in the U.S. of A., Happy 4th of July! I sincerely hope today means a day spent with family enjoying the true freedoms we have living in this great land! And, to honor our home country, Power Poppy is ushering in a challenge for all! It’s the LET FREEDOM RING Challenge!

HOW TO PLAY: To play along with us this week, all you have to do is follow this little formula below! 

1 point for everyone who uses Power Poppy stamps or digis!

2 points if you use Power Poppy images with a patriotic theme representing YOUR country

3 points for everyone who follows the first two steps plus uses one of Power Poppy's digi freebies!

Each point you earn means the number of entries you’ll have in the end of the month Power Poppy Peeps of the Week Challenge for a free stamp set of your choice! FUN! Please, if you play, be sure to add a link back to the Power Poppy Challenge post over on the Power Poppy Blog HERE and please only use Power Poppy images. To see the FUN DIGI FREEBIES and enter your creation you can also click that link! 

On to my creation! I, of course, had to take part in the patriotic part of this challenge being that today is the FOURTH OF JULY! 

I started by printing the Countryside Bouquet image onto Cougar Opaque White card stock and then, I picked up these Copic Markers below....

And, here's a close up showing what my little colored flowers look like! I added some glitter to the centers of my Cosmos. Yes, I know Cosmos don't exist in this color scheme but I took some creative liberty as we celebrate our liberties today! ;-)

And here's a look at my sentiment, one of Power Poppy's Digi Freebies! Woo hoo! 

The papers I used are pretty much all BasicGrey and Stampin' Up papers! Add some silver cording, a star button and .... ta da! That's pretty much it!

So, be sure to hop on over to the Power Poppy Blog if you want to take part in this Let Freedom Ring Challenge! And, while you're hopping, some members of the Bloom Brigade hopped on this fun-filled challenge too! Stop by and see.....

Christine Okken
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber >>>> you are here!
Stacy Morgan

Thanks for taking time out of your day to stop by! Have a fabulous holiday and as the fireworks fly may blasts of creativity hit you as well!  ;-)

See you back here soon!

~Julie

It's a Power Poppy Hop!

Hi all and Happy Tuesday! Did you know it's time for........

It's a day when all of the Power Poppy designers a.k.a. The Bloom Brigade roll out the red carpet for the brand new release and show off one more creation with these beautiful and new images! You can find all of the new digital images HERE in the new Bloom Wildly collection by Power Poppy!

For my creation, I chose to layer the image from the Countryside Bouquet. I chose a 3.5 inch by 3.5 inch canvas and then I moved the bouquet so that it would accent two corners. I adjusted the color a bit and added in the sentiment. If you wondered how I did it, check out my tutorial on using digi images with Photoshop Elements HERE!

After I printed my image, I colored it up with Copic Markers in some very pale shades. I wanted my image to almost look sun-bleached and antiqued in a way -- easy breezy! I used YR00, V01, G20, R00, and shaded some of the petals with W00. That's it! I really love the look...

The rest is just simply matting it up! I added some paper piercing, some BasicGrey and Authentique paper and the little bits of bling are from Prima - ta da! Here's one more look!

Want to see what the rest of the Bloom Brigade whipped up for this oh-so-special Power Poppy Hop? Stop by and see.....

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber >>>> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha LeyendekkerDina Kowal


Hope you had fun hanging out with me these past few days! Have a fabulous week and I'll see you back here soon!

~Julie