A Cheery Hello!

Hello and happy Friday folks! I have a super quickie post to share today because -- in all honesty? I am surrounded by boxes as we speak! I mentioned a couple times here on the ole blog that we spent the last few months building a home and last weekend brought moving day! It's wonderful but the hard work starts trying to find a "home" for all your stuff! So.... long story short, this post is going to be short! ;-)

When I first got my hands on Power Poppy's Spring Fling Collection, I fell in love with the set Sweet Memories featuring snippets, bits, and tendrils of Sweet Peas! I think these fanciful flowers are so delicately beautiful, I just find joy coloring them up. I have colored sweet peas many times over the years but I have almost always reached for shades of pink. This time, I mixed it all up!

On to my creation!

I only reached (surprisingly) for a few markers -- V01, V04, and V06 for the violet shades and G21, G24 and G28 for the greens. The image was shaded with BG10, BG000, and BG0000. After I was done coloring, I did add a few dots thanks to a white gel pen. 

The layout is pretty darn simple. I had a few different small pieces of decorative paper that I cobbled together. I added a bit of lace and die cut my image thanks to a stitched fishtail die. Here's a little close-up for you!

And that, my friends, is it! A Cheery Hello that will one day be mailed to a cheery friend! Speaking of friends, you have to check out what my fellow Bloomies created this week just to share with YOU! Stop by and see.....

Allison Cope

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Julie Koerber >>> you are here!

Katie Sims

Stacy Morgan

Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for stopping and spending a bit of your day with me! :-) See you back here soon!

~Julie

It's the BIG DAY!

Hello all! Well, today is the day that we've all been waiting for. It's the day that all the sets (and dies) that the Bloom Brigade has been talking out this week are ready to grab up in the Power Poppy Shop! Say "Hello" to the Spring Fling Collection! 

Today, we have one more fabulous set to unveil! You might have seen this set -- Tiger Lily XL --already HERE with Kathy Racoosin of thedailymarker.com's fabulous show and tell as she kicked off her 30 Day Coloring Challenge! Or HERE as she showcased how to color up this beauty with colored pencils. But, if you missed that for some strange reason, take a gander, will you?

The final introduction is something new for Power Poppy! Wait until you see how XL this Tiger Lily really is! It's a 5" by 5" canvas and this bad boy takes up almost all of that space. Marcella added in a few leaves and a fabulous sentiment as well. The goal was to be able to get in and really color up this highly detailed work of art! We hope you really love the XL size because if you do, there's more where that came from! Think of all the flowers that could be amped up in an extra large size!

On to my creation!

When I saw this image, I wanted to make mine more like a Stargazer Lily coloring. See HERE? Mine didn't turn out as vibrant as these beauties are in real life but I did have fun grabbing those lovely shades of pink and green! Next time, I think I'll stamp the lily in a lighter shade of ink to really let the beauty of the flower sing when it's colored! Here's a peek at the markers that I used.....

After stamping and coloring, the rest is just matting it all up! I added a chartreuse background paper and rose, a little gold cording and then used only a portion of the sentiment from the set so that it just focused on the word "Peace" thanks to a little masking magic. The full sentiment is actually a quote from Mother Teresa which says, "Peace begins with a Smile." I love that! It's a beautiful thought that will be great for all occasion cards. 

Here's a close up! You can see that in addition to the Copic Markers,  I did a little impact thanks to a white gel pen... 

And that my friends is it! Now be sure to run on over to the rest of the Bloomies' Blogs to see how they rolled out this final day of release! I know you will be wowed! And then, hop on by the Power Poppy Shop to see this amazing collection yourself! There are so many fabulous illustrations and creative opportunities with this set of 8 brand new stamp sets! 

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

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be back Friday with another Power Poppy Hop and I hope you'll join me then!

~Julie

Power Poppy Sneaky Peek Day 4!

Hello folks! Can you even stand it? We are nearing the end of sneaky peeky week at Power Poppy! Tomorrow is the big day peeps! Tomorrow, all of the stamp sets that the Bloom Brigade has been showing off will be ready for the buying! Today, we have two more sets to sneaky peek and.... They. Are. FUN! 

Introducing....

Peony Muse features two big fat peony blooms, a bud, several leaves, a stem along with two berry clusters to create any kind of arrangement that your little heart desires! What's even more fun is that after you stamp, this set has a coordinating die set to make cutting and arranging these blooms a breeze! Go simple, go robust! It's all about customization with this one. Handlettered sentiments in this set are by Marcella herself! 

Artful Display offers a grouping of decorative objects that folks can play with to create "room scenes" with dishes, platters, and even a vintage Oyster plate. There's even a little Staffordshire Dog figurine and bouquet of Ranunculus that can be used all on its own to make a statement! I love how Marcella made a splash with this set that's completely inspired by decorating trends right now. Check out these fun inspiration pieces!

Source

Source

Now, with a little ink, you can create the same feel with fun sentiments to match!

On to my creation! I just had to pick up Peony Muse for my creation because I just knew I wanted to snip and create my own little bouquet to frame this beautiful sentiment! 

I started by stamping some of the blooms and leaves in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then I let my Copics go to town with shades of pink. I used R81, R83, R85, RV00, RV02, G21, G20, G24, and G28 with Y32 and Y35 for the centers with a little YR04 dotted as well. It's pretty bold, but I think it's happy! I want to try this card again only with super soft shades like THIS. 

And, here's a close up for you! 

And that, my friends, is it! Guess what? Only one more day until all of the stamp sets that we've been sneak peeking are in the Power Poppy Shop! Woot! Woot! And, remember, four of the stamp sets will have coordinating dies to make creating not only a breeze, but downright fun along the way!

The Bloomies are on standby right now, ready and waiting to show you what they've created using these two new sets so, stop by and see them, will you? ;-)

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

Tomorrow -- Release Day-- be here (please)! Until then,

~Julie

Power Poppy Sneaky Peek Day 3!

Hello Folks! Are you super excited yet? Only two days -- TWO DAYS -- until the Power Poppy Shop sprouts some brand new clear stamps as a part of the Spring Fling Collection! And, aside from the fact that there are 8 Fresh and FUN new stamp sets, four of those sets have coordinating dies to make creating extra easy and breezy! 

Before I get carried away, let's take a peek at the two sets being sneaked today!

Introducing.....

Stop. Smell. Savor the virtual sweetness of Sweet Memories! It's a set that offers little flouncy blooms that look like they were just snipped and clipped ready to enjoy as a bouquet, arranged as a border, grouped or even seen as a solo on a card. Want a little more "oomph?" Try adding sweet little tendrils, leaves or even little peas in a pod! 

Loving Tulips offers one of the images that flew off the digital shelves at the Power Poppy Shop --
Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher. Now creative peeps have a clear stamp option that comes with so many "extras!" Marcella paired this image with an exuberant Hello script and yet more polka dot accented sentiments and hearts to make this set sing with a fun and spunky flair! 

On to my creation! When I set my sights on the "hello" in this set, I just knew it would be perfect for sweet and simple creations that you could make in a jiffy. So, I stamped the image with Versamark ink and heat embossed with silver detail powder. Afterward, I went to town adding various sizes of small rhinestones -- just to get that extra bling on! 

You can see I added that bit of bling around some of the curves of the word as well as on the little heart! I had fun pairing this apricot orange with a fun black and white pattern. Punchy & Fun! 

This one was a ten-minute creation for sure! And, it is one that I could recreate in a whole host of colors for a fun card set! I really wanted to showcase this card because I know how many of us struggle when we need to make a card in a jiffy. Well, sweet friends, this is one that you could get done and popped in the mail in no time! ;-)

While I love this sentiment, there's so much more to this set and the Bloom Brigade is on stand by to show just how far you can take this set creatively! So, hop on over and see....

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

Remember -- these sets go live in the Power Poppy Shop on March 14! And, four of the brand new fresh and fun sets have coordinating dies to match! So fun! 

Be sure to swing back by tomorrow for yet another sneaky peek! This one offers an eclectic display of decor and a robust set of blooms that's just ready and waiting to be mixed and matched! Have I piqued your curiosity?? Hope so!

See you then!

~Julie

Power Poppy Sneaky Peek Day 2!

Hello all! The fun continues today with not one but two new sets from Power Poppy that will be unveiled really soon! Want to take a peek at TWO more from the Spring Fling Collection?

Introducing....

Burst of Kindness is a giant bouquet that made a digital splash HERE in the Power Poppy Instant Garden. Well, now sweet polymer loving friends, you can now stamp your little heart out with this 4" wide image full of unique blooming spring flowers!

Succulent Singles  -- what can I say about these bunches of plump succulents? Marcella made this set to compliment the clear set she released three years ago called Sassy Succulents. This fresh and fun set offers varieties of different succulent plants, perfect for creating little mix and match groupings! AND.... when release day hits on March 14th, you'll even be able to order a coordinating die set with this stamp set to make creating with it even more fun!

On to my creation! 

OOOooOOOoo.... don't you love all the creative opportunities with this one? Each individual succulent can be stamped and arranged however you like for a gazillion different variations! I chose a bunching because I actually made my card base first. (I am trying new creative things these days!) 

I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black and then grabbed my Copics and used a mix of YG greens plus V01, V04, V06, RV00, RV02. I love the way these little plants just explode with unique color. Each plant seems to have its own unique flair. Love it! 

Here's a close up for you! You can see that I cut out each plant and popped it up for a little extra dimension. 

And here's another close up showing this fun and snarky little sentiment in the set. Too funny, right? I can't wait to send this one to one of my gal pals to spark a smile! 

And that, my friends, is it!  Be sure to mark your calendar folks! Stamps go on sale March 14th with dies available that same day for pre-order! Woo Hooooooo!

Thanks so much for popping in and saying "hi!" I hope you swing back by tomorrow to see tomorrow's sneaky peek which offers a pair of flouncy blossoms that will melt your heart and ignite your creativity! I just know it! Be sure check out my fellow Bloomies' take on today's two sneaky peeks! Prepare to be inspired!

Allison Cope 

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Julie Koerber >>> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker
Marcella on the Power Poppy Blog

See you all back here tomorrow!
~Julie

Hello all and welcome to a giant dose of happy today on my blog! Why? Well, today is the very first day of the Power Poppy Sneak Peeks for our March Release. And, I have to say, we have so many surprises that you will be doing the happy dance before the week is over! ;-)

Today's stamp set is a literally a breath of spring! Check it out, will you please?

When Marcella put her ever-so-talented pen to paper to create the new set Natural Beauties, she envisioned a border of garden goodies -- think primroses, daffodils, cowslips, tulips along with other woodland flowers and foliage. Goodness, this one is a feast for the eyes and GUESS WHAT? This set also comes with coordinating dies that will soon be available for pre-order! Also, look for a special bundle price when you purchase both the stamp and die set together! Woot! Woot! 

On to my creation! First up, you can see another card using this new set HERE but for today's post, I thought I'd share a trio of little cards whipped up using these darling and dainty illustrations! I had bought some of those little bankers envelopes (coin envelopes #7) because I thought they would make up cute card sets! So here's the trio of cards I made up! 

Sweet and simple! Don't you absolutely love that Trillium with those darling little mushrooms? Sigh... just makes me happy it's so cute! I love that this set has fun little sentiments perfect for everyday cards. Senties like "Just a Note," "Hello Friend" and "Sending Happy Wishes!" So perfect! 

Here's a peek at the first card! 

 Second card for you!

And the third featuring a little bunch of Lily of the Valley!

And that, my friends, is it! You'll have to make the rounds to see how the rest of the Bloom Brigade put their own creative spin on this brand new set -- Natural Beauties!!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Julie Koerber >> you are here!
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker
Power Poppy Blog -- see Marcella's inspiration for this set! 

Be sure to come back tomorrow for day two of the sneaky peeks when the Bloomies will showcase not one, but TWO new stamp sets that will soon hit the shelves at the Power Poppy Shop!


See you soon!

~Julie

Color YOUR World!

Hello Folks! Are you ready to grab your markers, your colored pencils or paints and color your world? 

Kathy Racoosin of The Daily Marker is unleashing a world of color on her blog and Instagram (@kathyrac) this month, and she wants all of us to join her in the fun!



The Daily Marker 30 Day Coloring Challenge energizes us to color something every day — even if only for a few minutes. Whether your love markers or prefer paints, colored pencils or crayons, all media is welcome! CLICK HERE to find out where to share what you are coloring and join the encouraging community of happy colorists. You'll also find answers to questions you may have along the way, participate in contests and more! If you share your work on social media, don't forget the hashtag: #thedailymarker30day and if you use Power Poppy stamps or digis, add the hashtag #powerpoppy

On to my colorific creation! 

When Kathy announced that she would be kicking off her 30 Day Coloring Challenge in grand style, I knew I wanted to grab one of Power Poppy's soon-to-be released stamp sets -- just to tease you all a little bit! ;-) 

This stamp set -- called Natural Beauties -- is a part of Power Poppy's March Release, which will start being unveiled on March 10th! That stamp is actually designed as a repeating border, allowing you to stamp and keep on stamping this illustration in one beautiful row... to infinity and beyond! 

I stamped in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and then grabbed close to every color of Copic marker that I own to doll this image up! I stamped it on an angle, just to give it a little extra interest and then added the sentiment from the set below, also on an angle! Add some paper piercing, a scalloped edge and some minimal, yet fun decorative papers and.... Voila! 

Here's a close-up! 

Guess what? You have a chance to win this set, along with 7 other never-before-seen clear stamp sets as well! How? With this.....

GET READY FOR A POWER POPPY GIVEAWAY!

To kick off the challenge, Power Poppy’s Marcella Hawley has a surprise of epic proportions! She’s giving away Power Poppy’s SOON-TO-BE-UNVEILED MARCH CLEAR STAMP SET RELEASE! That means EIGHT of the freshest, most fun Power Poppy designs to hit the market yet. It's a $144 value! Plus you can enter a friend to win.

Read all the details here!

Winners will be announced on the Power Poppy Blog/Instagram/Facebook on Sunday, March 12th, and also over on thedailymarker.com.

THERE'S ALSO A SUPER SPECIAL DEAL THIS ENTIRE MONTH AS WELL! 

Power Poppy is offering 25% off all digital stamps for folks all month long to tie in with the Daily Marker's 30 Day Coloring Challenge! Just enter the code COLORMEHAPPY at checkout! This is good on digis only to help you enjoy this beautifully colorful month!

Some of my fellow Bloomies are joining in the fun today, so be sure to pay them a visit.....


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


AND THEN -- pop back over to the Power Poppy Blog for the full link list of today's huge 30 Day Coloring Challenge Hop! Kathy Racoosin assembled a HUGE hop to give your creativity a jump start with some of her favorite stamp companies and Online Card Class Partners -- you won't want to miss out!

Thanks for stopping by -- remember to mark your calendar for Power Poppy's HUGE MARCH RELEASE, which will kick off March 10th! 

See you back here soon!

~Julie