Let's Repurpose!

Hi folks! Hope your week is ending on a high note! I have just a short lil post today because, I'll be honest, I'm not feeling so hot this week. I am not sure if you follow the news but the entire northwest seems to be on fire these days and this was our sky Thursday night. Cloudless sky with sun and nothing but smoke getting in the way of it shining.....

So sad...... if you're the praying type, let's pray this ends and soon. I can't imagine being a firefighter fighting on the front lines or the property owner who's land is scorched or in jeopardy. :-(

Moving on! Way back in January, I posted THIS tutorial showcasing how you can use digital stamps to create custom calendars that are one of a kind month in and month out! This was a peek at my January calendar featuring Power Poppy's digital stamp Winter Pick-Me-Up....

After I was done using these calendars for the month, I wondered what I could do to repurpose them? I didn't want to just throw each page away! So, I grabbed my paper cutter and decided to trim up the outer portion, like so!

Before I knew it I had matted it up, added some decorative paper, a sentiment from the Good Thinking: Renewal Set, which I thought was perfect for this image. I added some cotton lace and.. ta da! A colored up image that got double duty!

Here's a close up of the image to show off the little sparkle that I had added on the pussy willows....

I was glad that I thought to re-use these colored up blossoms. No use putting this in the "circular file" when you can find joy in an image all over again! And that, my friends is it! 

Speaking of joy, it's time to hand things over to my Bloom Brigade sisters! They've got some craftiness to share and I know they would love it if you stopped by to say hi! 

Christine Okken

Julie Koerber

Katie Sims

Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan

Thanks for spending a little of your day with me! I hope your day is blessed!

~Julie

T.G.I.F!

Hey folks! T.G.I.F! I have a little Power Poppy fun to share! And, guess what? There's some fun that YOU can get in on too! So, stay tuned!

First up, I am not sure if you caught the latest Inspire Me Monday tutorial from Ally Cope over on the Power Poppy blog, but it was a fun one! Click HERE if you missed it! Here's her lesson in a nutshell -- you can create a background behind your digital stamps with the blackboard effect using just a few clicks and some photo editing software!

On to my "take" on it! I found this chalky circle on the net and then followed Ally's step by step to remove the background on Power Poppy's  Ranunculus Digital Stamp and layer it on my circle background.... see?

After printing, I colored up my image using these Copic markers: G20, G40, G43, YG000, RV00, R81, R83 and R01. And since I wanted to play along in this month's Power and Spark Challenge hosted by the lovely Cindy Lawrence to create a card with a shabby chic flair, I added a little antiqued doily, some crinkled ribbon, a fun vintage brad and some sponged distress ink accents! 

Here's a close up!

And that, my friends, is it! I should mention, the sentiment is part of the new digital stamp set that will be released TOMORROW over at Power Poppy! So, you'll have to hop on over then to learn more about this beautiful addition! And, while you're hopping, the blog  HERE will have details on how you can join us in a coloring contest for a shot at winning a $25 gift certificate to the Power Poppy Shop! There will also be a special on one of Power Poppy's newest digital stamps! So, hit up the Power Poppy Blog tomorrow for all the deets!  So much going on! And, so much fun that YOU can share in!

Speaking of fun, I love when I get to share the link list of some of my stamping sisters on the Bloom Brigade! Since you're hopping around the blogosphere, be sure to pay these fine ladies a visit to see what fun they've whipped up this week!

Christine Okken
Julie Koerber
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a fabulous weekend and I'll see you back here soon!

~Julie

Sending a bit of Sunshine!

Well Hi-De-Ho there stamping friends! Guess what? It's the 5th, which means it's time for a little Power Poppy Digi on the 5s release! If the date has a "5" in it, Marcella has a little digi fun to deliver that day! Today's "catch" is one that is sure to deliver sunshine both near and far! Here's a look!

Here's a peek at my creation!

I absolutely adore sunflowers and so this image -- Sunflower Power -- is going to be one that I print off and color with reckless abandon -- I just know it! I should mention, before I printed this image, I did do a wee bit of digital editing. If you look above, you'll see the full image. I only wanted the main flower, not the little flower that just is about to open up. So, using my eraser tool, I erased that one and then closed the stem with the help of a Copic Multi-liner. Easy peasy! That's why I LOVE digital images! You can truly use them to make all kinds of variations -- perfect for card sets or just to get some diversity with each card!

Moving on! I printed on Cougar Opaque card stock (I use the 65 pound), and then let my fingers do the coloring with these Copic Markers!

From there, it was just matting it all up! I did cut out my image and then fussy cut only along the left side. I added some paper piercing and some fun sequins and... almost done! The sentiment was printed, punched with a 1-3/4" circle punch (I reduced the size of the sentie just a bit from the original file) and then, I mixed and matched some green and yellow decorative paper!

Here's a close up! I almost forgot, I did add some dots of white paint pen to the center of my flower too.....

And that, my friends, is it! Like I mentioned, Sunflower Power, is ready and waiting for you to buy, download, print and color it up to share a little sunshine with anyone who needs it! I will say we have a mix of Bloomies and Instant Gardeners on hand to show off some of the other beautiful things you can do with this digi! Hop on over and see.....

Debbie Olson
Cheryl Scrivens
Julie Koerber
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for stopping by! I'll see you all back here real soon! ;-)

~Julie

Time for a Power Poppy Hop!

Well, nothing like joining the party at the tail end, eh? My family and I took a wee bit of a trip and are just getting back to the land of the living - that's why I missed the start of Power Poppy's big reveal for August! Aren't there some fabulous images to work with in the aptly called Color Me Grateful Collection? Me thinks so!

Since this was my first go at using these stamps, I HAD TO use a few of the images from the new Well Played set! Afterall, this was my daughter just days ago after she used ALL of her birthday money to pick out a new set of Skull Candy Crushers! LOVE!

So, here's my DD-inspired creation! She helped pick the colors for this one! ;-) 

What's fun about this card is the fact that it is actually a fusion of four images from the set. The cord, the headphones, the heart and music bubble and the "soul sister" sentiment! I stamped and then colored it all up with my Copic markers! 

And, here's a peek at the inside with the fun little 45 adapters! Isn't that cute and don't you remember those? I do! I would lose a gazillion of them and then my mom would have to go buy me more. When I was 8, she bought me a little turn table for my birthday along with all the top 45s on the hit list. I look back and think -- man -- what a cool mom. I got David Bowie, Paul Simon even a little ABBA!

Anyway, I digress.....  the inside! I have to say that I thought the sentiment from the set Marcella's Mixtape was a perfect fit to use this set for a birthday! 

And that, my friends, is it! Why not let the good times roll on over to the rest of the Bloom Brigade to see what they cooked up for this Color Me Grateful Power Poppy Hop? Remember, the sets are LIVE and ready to be added to YOUR stamp room now! Squeel!!!!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber >>> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for stopping by! I'll see y'all back here real soon!

~Julie