A Power Poppy Halloween!

Hello all! Since we are three weeks away from 'The Night of Fright', I thought I'd share a little something I came up with on how to transform Marcella's super fun Halloween illustrations into home decor! 

I was at Michaels the other day and they have two rows full of wood pieces that you can use to create your own signs. That's where my idea was ignited! When I saw the options along with some of the fun wooden Halloween messages, I knew I had the start of something fun! 

Want to see what we are creating today? Here's a peek. 

Isn't that super fun? And, while I thought this might take me quite a bit of time to put together, I was done in a little less than 3 hours. I started by printing the digital stamp "Boo Cat & Pumpkins" at 81/2 by 11 inches. Basically, I opened it and printed it so that it would cover an entire sheet of card stock. My wooden base was 91/2 by 14 inches, so I thought this would work perfectly. Then, I continued with some loosey-goosey coloring. No need for super intricate coloring here! I used super large strokes and just colored with strokes instead of constant color. 

So this.....

Grew into this....

And, ultimately, this...

Now it was time to turn my attention to my sign! This is what I started with: a few bottles of acrylic paint, some foam brushes, the natural wooden sign, a natural Halloween sentiment and some decoupage glue. 

You can see I started painting the base of my sign black. I started wanting to cover only those cracks but quickly decided it would be better to give the entire sign a coat of black. You can see, I wasn't too careful to provide an even coat. I already knew I was going to cover this up a bit! 

From there, I took and dry brushed some purple paint over top to create a kind of weathered look. I also painted my Happy Halloween words --- although please ignore this color. After I painted this black I decided I needed a pop of color here and painted over top with a lime green shade of acrylic paint! 

And now, it's time to add my boo cat to this backdrop! I just fussy cut around my image cutting a jagged edge around the kitty so that I didn't have to cut all the little pieces of fur! After it was cut out, I attached it to the wooden base by putting some decoupage glue on the back side with one of the foam brushes. Make sure the edges of your paper don't curl. The key is to apply a super light coat, press down and then weigh the image down by covering it with a book or a few magazines to hold it all in place. 

From there, I added some layered ribbon at the top, securing with a little hot glue. I adhered the Happy Halloween wooden piece with some foam tape so that it would have some dimension. After everything was dry, it was time to add it to the hearth for a little home Halloween flair! What do you think?

And that, my friends, is it! A fun little way to use a digital stamp to create some home decor that's both frightful and fun! Until next time, 

Introducing.... Folklore Flora!

Wow... it's been a hot minute since I have posted but thankfully, Marcella over at Power Poppy gave me a reason to dust off my Copic markers and take a little time just coloring with glee. It had been so long I felt I almost forgot how to do it. But, as my breathing slowed and I studied her gorgeous illustration, I realized just how badly I missed this sensation - slowing down and getting lost in the craft. 

Today Marcella is releasing four new digital images that are oh so beautiful and have a sweet meaning behind each drawing. So, it's time to take a peek at.... 

Folklore Flora is a four-piece set that not only comes in black line but greyscale for no-line coloring. Marcy is actually doing something brand new as well! She is offering her painted artwork for download so if you want to create an instant notecard that is all beautifully colored and ready to go -- you can! She's taken the work out of it for you. While I love the coloring journey, I think that this option is so nice for those times when you need a gorgeous card in a jiffy. 

On to my creation! 

I grabbed my Copic markers and really just reached for colors as I went. The apples are mostly R30, R35, R39, R59 and a little BV00 to accent the shaded areas. I grabbed a whole host of greens, too many to list and then added a little Y32 to spots to add a little golden glow. 

The beautiful thing about this illustration is that because it is so large, you don't need a ton of extras to make it into a card. I decided to put my illustration on a slant, add a button and twine and... ta da! Done!

I will say that I knew I wanted to add the button and so I created a space for it by erasing the name "Thoreau" from the quote. So sorry Thoreau. I love your quote and I didn't mean to "dis" you by not acknowledging it! But, a gal needed space for a button! Ha! 

Here's a little closeup for you!

Want to see what the other gals did with these beautiful illustrations? A few of the designers took on the mission. Stop by to see what they have in store! 

Christine Okken 

Barb Campbell 

And, don't forget to stop by the Power Poppy Shop to see what Marcy has to say about this new collection! 

Just a little FYI -- I am hoping to color all of these and will be sharing a post hopefully each Friday until all four are colored! So, stay tuned! I promise it won't be so long until my next post. 

Power Poppy Quiet Christmas: Joy to the World!

Hi all! Happy Monday everyone! Today, Power Poppy's Quiet Christmas Release offers a little something for everyone and today's final post of our release offers a big and bodacious bouquet that might make you swoon! Check out Joy to the World Bouquet -- a set filled with Christmas botanicals and some beautiful sentiments to accompany them! 

When I looked at this big and beautiful set of blossoms, while I LOVED the enormous cluster of flowers, I wanted to show a sweet and delicate card using just the smaller image in this set along with one of the sentiments. So, here's what I did! 

I loved the sentiment and chose to make it the focal point. I downloaded a dotted circle frame that I found on the net to serve as my guide for my rhinestones, then, I used the digital version of this sentiment, dragged and dropped it into the middle of my circle frame, printed on my laser printer and then, using my foil system (a laminator and some rose gold foil), I placed a piece of foil only on the sentiment and ran in through my laminator. I love this! I have to say, I did remove a portion of the circle frame by erasing it digitally so that I could stamp my flower at the edge of the frame. I did fussy cut this before I ran it through my die, making sure to lift this portion over the top of the die so that it wouldn't be cut in the process. I love the effect!

From there, I just colored up my flowers with Copic markers, using a few shades of red and green for the berries and leaves. And then YG000 and YG00 for the center portion of my lenten rose along with some B0000 to highlight some of the petals. And... ta-da! Done!

Here's a little close up for you!

And that, my friends, is it! 

Now, I have to tell you, I saw some of the samples from my fellow Bloomies, so you are going to want to pay these fine ladies a visit to see their Joy to the World Bouquet creations. So stunning!

Jenny

Leslie

Christine

Gloria 

Barbara C

Lisa 

Allison

SathyaKala

Broni

Catherine

Stacy

Thanks for stopping by! We hope you love the sets the Bloomies have been showing off this week! Did you know that you can buy either this leg of the release or the one we unveiled in October as bundles for a discount? YES! You can! Just click HERE to take a trip to the Power Poppy Shop if you love and have to have them all! Have a wonderful rest of your week and I'll see you back here soon!

Power Poppy Quiet Christmas: Forest Fellas!

Hi all and welcome to PART TWO of Power Poppy's Quiet Christmas release! Back at the end of October, the Bloomies showcased five new holiday and winter-themed sets that won so many of you over. Well, get ready for the second installment with more illustrations bound to knock your creative socks off! Today's set is for the lover of those creatures that dwell in the forest and this set comes with a whole host of sentiments that will have you reaching for this set all year long! 

Take a peek at the new set Forest Fellas! Isn't it absolutely adorable? I love each and every one of the "fellas" in this set and know I will have fun creating. Because I have an affinity for owls, I had to reach for that image first! 

On to my creation! 

When I was "Googling" owls, I realized this one bore a resemblance to the Barred Owl. Oh my gosh, click the link and you'll see -- so cute! I know, many of you might say, an owl? Cute? Yep. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

I colored this fella using the photos of the owl as my guide and literally scribbled shades of brown all over the feathers and then with the tip of my Copic, flicked color on the body to give the impression of texture. Not sure it worked! I am not the best at feathers, fur or hair. :-) After I was done coloring him up, I added BV0000 and BV00 to the background to give a kind of wintery feel and added some white gel pen to give the effect of snow. I really think it turned out cute and I will have fun sending this bit of snail mail off to a friend! 

Want to see what the rest of the Bloomies did with this darling set? Just hop on over to see these fine ladies and don't forget to pay the Power Poppy blog a visit to see the back story on this set from Marcella herself! 

Barb

Jenn Dove

SathyaKala

Leslie

Christine

Gloria

Barbara

Lisa 

Broni

Ally

Saskia

Cheryl

Power Poppy Blog!

Tomorrow's set is one with another woodland theme. It's creative and over the top fun, so swing on back and see for yourself! 

Until then! 

Power Poppy: Heavenly Peace Dove!

 

Hi all and welcome to our final day of the Power Poppy Quiet Christmas October Release! Just in case you are new to this release. There is so much that you'll need to catch up on! If you missed one, CLICK HERE to get caught up! You can click HERE to see day two. If you still need to get caught up on day 3, click HERE  and, day 4 can be found HERE! 

So, are you ready to see today's set in all it's glory! It's a beauty! You might want to sit down... 

Take a gander at that beautiful peace dove just set in the branches of an olive tree for a piece of gorgeous symbolism -- perfect for the holidays! Not only are the sentiments lovely, the banner with mix and match sayings are a treat as well! Love this one folks! 

On to my creation! 

I loved coloring up this image and truly got lost in the process. I wanted the olive branches to take on a silvery green glow and then chose to color up all the olives in green as if they are still waiting to fully ripen. I added splashes of rose to show them starting to turn. When I was done, I added BV0000 and V0000 to the background to try to bring my image forward. While you can't tell, the sentiment is a separate banner that is actually popped up with foam tape. 

Here's a little close up for you! 

While I didn't color this up in traditional holiday shades, I am going to enjoy coloring this up again with splashes of red and green! And that, my friends, is it! 

Just a few notes about this release! You can purchase the clear stamp we’ve revealed OR you can purchase the digital download versions of the illustrations and sentiments — IMMEDIATELY. No waiting. Purchase, download, print, and you can be making a card within 10 minutes. Fun stuff, right? 

And, a new feature, which I am super excited about. Power Poppy --for the first time ever-- is offering release bundles for a limited time! You can pre-order the 5 stamp sets that we’re sharing in October. You can also pre-order the 5 stamp sets that we'll be sharing in November (yes, even before we unveil them! Oh, you know you'll love them. This isn't a high-risk purchase! LOL!) You can check it all out in the Power Poppy Shop! 

Want to have a little more peace flow over you from looking at this brand new set? Well, be sure to visit these ladies and see what they've created! 

Allison
Christine 
Gloria 
Broni

Barbara C
Lisa 
Leslie 
Nancy 

The Power Poppy Blog!

Thanks so much for joining us this week! Remember, part two of the fun kicks off on November 12th with FIVE MORE days of fun! There are some additional Christmas images mixed in with beautiful scenes of winter that will make your heart smile! So, mark your calendar now!

Until then! 

Power Poppy: Garden of Gratitude!

Hello happy stampers! Welcome to DAY THREE of Power Poppy's amazing new holiday release -- QUIET CHRISTMAS! -- Are you liking what you see so far? I am absolutely loving these images and today's set that the Bloomies are sneak peeking is about as sweet as can be! I can't wait to show you all! Take a look at Garden of Gratitude!

I have to admit, it's hard not to squeal when you see a set like this. I mean, look at those lush poinsettias, amaryllis and Lenten rose popping out the top of those wellies! And that trellis tree? Brilliant! 

On to my creation! 

When I saw this set, I knew. I just KNEW that I had to use the wellies with those lush, beautiful blossoms! I mean, look at them! Just too pretty for words! I did what I love to do and I stamped and then grabbed my Copic markers, a clip board and parked myself on the couch while I watched the World Series to color this one up. I was so entranced, I have to say I missed a couple of great plays. Thank goodness for instant replay! ;-)  After I was done coloring up the flowers, it did need something, so I took a super sharp white colored pencil and I added in some detail on not only the poinsettia and some of the leaves but on the boots as well. On the berries, I added some white gel pen to help those berries POP! 

Here's a little closeup for you! 

And here's a peek at the inside! I wanted to accent the inside too and used not only a sentiment but those darling little scissors with the berry! 

And that, my friends, is it! 

Before I let you go.... just a few notes about the release -- if you haven't noticed, instead of sharing these new sets each morning, the Bloomies are moving instead to a happy hour format! ;-) We're posting every evening at 5 PM Central, for five nights in a row! 

Each night you'll have a few options to tickle your creative tastebuds! You can purchase the clear stamp we’ve revealed OR you can purchase the digital download versions of the illustrations and sentiments — IMMEDIATELY. No waiting. Purchase, download, print, and you can be making a card within 10 minutes.

And, a new feature, which I am super excited about. Power Poppy --for the first time ever-- is offering release bundles for a limited time! You can pre-order the 5 stamp sets that we’re sharing in October. You can also pre-order the 5 stamp sets that we'll be sharing in November (yes, even before we unveil them! Oh, you know you'll love them. This isn't a high-risk purchase! LOL!) You can check it all out in the Power Poppy Shop! 

And now, my friends, it's time to see what the rest of the Bloomies did with this garden-inspired beauty! I know you won't be sorry if you hop on over and see.... 

Ally
Leslie 
Gloria 
Broni 
Barbara W  
Stacy
Christine
Nancy
Barbara C
Lisa 
Jenny 
Sathya

Power Poppy Blog  -- for all the deets! 

Be sure to swing by tomorrow for a set that is so perky and fun, you just might jump straight out of your shoes with excitement. It's one of those that has so much potential, you'll be dreaming of ways to use it for weeks! ;-) So, come on back for day FOUR of the Quiet Christmas Release!  

Until then!

Power Poppy: Enchanted Branches

Hello happy stampers! It's DAY TWO of Power Poppy's amazing new holiday release -- QUIET CHRISTMAS -- and I have to say Marcella is bringing us some of the most charming images ever! If you missed DAY ONE, please click HERE to travel back to the Power Poppy blog and get caught up. If you're ready for more, you're in the right place because today's stamp set is all about the peace of the holiday and the reason for the season. Set your gaze on this beauty, will you?

Enchanted Branches features a whole host of imagery that can be used on its own or as tiny glass ornaments delicately hanging from an evergreen branch. The sentiments are beautifully scripted and really bring about the peace of this beautiful season! 

On to my creation! 

I have to say, I was completely enamored with the angel in this set. She is so beautiful and while I used her as an ornament, I could see so many ways to put this beautiful illustration into play. I also doubled up on the branch, just to give a little more greenery at the top. From there, I colored up my image using Copic markers. I decided to keep with the red and blue theme that I started with THIS card yesterday. Do you ever decide to use scraps from a previous card and say -- hey, why are all my cards the same color scheme? Yep, I do that! ;-) 

I also wanted to look like light was being cast down on the angel. So, I used a mix of yellow Copic markers and flicked color in that direction. 

Here's a little closeup for you! 

And, super fun thing! Because the sentiments in this set are also available in digital format, I printed off the sentiments using my laser printer and then foiled them using a rose gold foil. See? 

Love that! I think a splash of gold on a Christmas card is almost mandatory. :-) 

Before I let you go.... just a few notes about the release -- if you haven't noticed, instead of sharing these new sets each morning, the Bloomies are moving instead to a happy hour format! ;-) We're posting every evening at 5PM Central, for five nights in a row! 

Each night you'll have a few options to tickle your creative tastebuds! You can purchase the clear stamp we’ve revealed OR you can purchase the digital download versions of the illustrations and sentiments — IMMEDIATELY. No waiting. Purchase, download, print, and you can be making a card within 10 minutes.

And, a new feature, which I am super excited about. Power Poppy --for the first time ever-- is offering release bundles for a limited time! You can pre-order the 5 stamp sets that we’re sharing in October. You can also pre-order the 5 stamp sets that we'll be sharing in November (yes, even before we unveil them! Oh, you know you'll love them. This isn't a high-risk purchase! LOL!) 

    CHECK IT ALL OUT IN THE POWER POPPY SHOP!

And now, my friends, it's time to see what these fine ladies whipped up using the brand new set Enchanted Branches: Nativity! Beauty abounds in these samples, I have to tell you! 

Nancy 

Allison 

Gloria 

Broni

Lisa

Stacy

Barbara W

Christine

Barbara C 

Leslie

Catherine

SathyaKala

Power Poppy Blog  -- for all the deets! 

Be sure to swing by tomorrow for a set that will share the vibes of the season, and satisfy that green thumb of yours! It's such a darling set, so you will have to come back to see this set in its glory! 

Until then!

The Power Poppy Quiet Christmas Release is HERE!

 Hello all! It's an exciting time here on the ole blog! Why? Because Power Poppy is gearing up for a holiday-pa-looza with all new stamps, all new digis and lots of fun-filled samples from the Bloom Brigade! Check it out! 

I have to say that I am over the moon excited to share all the amazing illustrations freshly drawn by the hands of Marcella! She has really outdone herself with this release and I know, once you see what she's whipped up, you'll agree!

So today, the Bloomies are showing off the first set in this Quiet Christmas release! It's a beautiful set that I had such a blast coloring up! Paperwhites are one of my favorite holiday flowers. If you've never tried to grow them from bulbs, I strongly suggest it -- so fun, especially if you have kids who like to watch things grow! 

Check out the set: Mossy Pots with Paperwhites! 

On to my creation! 

I chose the largest image in this set because I just love, love, loved all that moss and thought it would be a blast to color up. Guess what? It was! I used my Copic markers and chose to lay down a layer of YG00 to set off the moss with a kind of glow as I layered darker greens over top. I used BG70, BG72, and BG75 for the blues, RV25, RV23, and R32 for the pinky reds and then BV000 and BG000 to add depth to my paperwhites with shadows. The greenery was done with a range of YG shades of green and the entire image was highlighted with RV0000 and RV00. I did add a little BV00 at the base to add some shading!

Here's a close up for you! 

And the rest is just matting it up! I used some Stampin' Up decorative paper and played on the shades of blue, adding a bit of sparkle to pick up on the pinky reds in the ribbon. What fun! The whole thing reminded me that I do need to pick up some paperwhite bulbs and get that process started so that they are ready to bloom for the holidays! 

Want to see what the rest of the team did with this beautiful set? Well, you'll have to hop on over and check out their beautiful interpretations!

Jenny 

Leslie 

Broni

Barbara C

Nancy 

Christine 

Gloria 

Allison 

Cheryl 

Stacy 

Barbara W 

Jenn 

Lisa 

Catherine 

SathyaKala 

Power Poppy Blog 

Be sure to swing by tomorrow! This set might just be my favorite of the release. It covers some new ground since Marcella has never done a set quite like this! You'll have to come back to see what I mean. 

See you tomorrow!