The BIG day is HERE!

The big day is here -- IT'S HERE! Finally, the Power Poppy stamp sets that we have been showing off are available for YOU! Just click HERE to see for yourself!

But first, The Bloom Brigade has a little bit of eye candy to show off on this big day and we're calling it the Power Poppy Hop! Grab a cuppa coffee and get ready for some fun as the team shows off a little bit more of their creative artistry! 

My sketch is actually a part of the April edition of PageMaps.com's  CardMaps! There are nearly a dozen new sketches to inspire you HERE!  Here's a peek at my sketch...

And, here's my creation!

I started by stamping my image onto white card stock using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink. From there, I picked up my Copic markers and used R81, R83, R83, RV0000. For the leaves, I used G40, G43, G46 and G20. The stems were colored with E33, E37 and E47. The shading around the flower was BG0000. I cut my image out and then mounted it on a die cut circle that I had stamped the beautiful sentiment from the Azaleas set. I die cut some white card stock using Spellbinders Labels Seventeen and while the die was still on, I did sponge on some Spun Sugar Distress Ink. From there, I layered it all up using foam tape. The rest is just matting it up -- the pink decorative paper panel does have a wee bit of paper piercing. The paper is a mix of Carta Bella and Echo Park. 

Here's a close up!  

And that, my friends is it! I just love those Azaleas in such soft pinks! I wish I had those kinds of flowers in my neck of the woods! 

Like I said, all of the Power Poppy greatness is ripe for the picking over at the Power Poppy Shop! Want a peek at these four sets in all their glory? There's Azaleas, Good Thinking: Renewal, Marcella's Mixtape Vol. 1, and Springtime Love! They can ALL be found HERE! 

And while you're hopping -- you can find more beautiful inspiration with the ladies of the Bloom Brigade below!

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

Thanks for stopping by! 

~Julie

Breathe in the Beauty!

Sweeping and free, this set simply named Azalea is begging to be colored with reckless abandon. It could inspire an outrageous upsurge in your use of pink markers, colored pencils, and paint! Use the lush blooms of these images to let a friend know how much she is missed, or to say thanks to another who is just plain amazing! This 4" by 6" set was illustrated by hand with a whole lotta love by Marcella Hawley. 

I just adore the thought of being able to go out into the garden and snip off a flowering branch just to enjoy! And this stamp allows you to do that -- all year long! I stamped my image with Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Copic Markers (R81, R83, R85, R00,  RV0000, G40, G43, G20, BG0000) and then I accented with a white pain pen and some glitter glue! I kept my layout really simple because I wanted those flowers to be the star of the show -- so to speak! Use a Stampin' Up embossing folder, add a little paper piercing, some silver cording and then.... stamp that darling little Azalea tag from the set and add it into the mix! The gems are from Queen and Co. and on one of the layers I silver leafed the edge (thanks to a silver leaf pen).

Here's a close up!

Doesn't that image just make you swoon? Don't wait to exhale, breathe in the beauty and hop on over to see the rest of the Bloom Brigade!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Tomorrow's set is sure to deliver a little dose of serenity. Need some? Check on back to see the Bloom Brigade and all its Zen-like creativity! 

~Julie

Are you ready to move to a different beat?

Get that toe a-tapping, because this set will have you Celebrating Good Times -- Come On! Build up those Buttercups in your life. Tell the crazy chicks you hang with that they are way too Superfly! We can almost guarantee you'll break into song while you stamp these musical memories. Mix and match the sentiments and graphics to create combinations that will have your besties saying, "Word Up!" This 4" by 6" set -- Marcella's Mixtape Vol. 1 -- was hand-drawn from the wonderfully creative pen of Marcella Hawley.

When I first set eyes on this set, I just FELL IN LOVE with that little tea cup of buttercups! Oh my -- so cute! So sweet! So, I just colored away. Even though this image is cute and sweet, when I saw it I just kept thinking of denim -- something easy breezy! That's why I paired up my image with some Bo Bunny polka dot paper. The yellow was a scrap I had in my bin - I thought the color was perfect! Add the sentiment, some wooden buttons threaded with burlap twine. I paper pierced the strip of blue paper and then sanded the holes so that it would look a little worn. Add some glitter to the center of the flowers -- and that, my friends, is it!

Here's a close up!

So, now that you have a little tune stuck in your head, why not dance it out? Twist on over and see the rest of the Bloom Brigade!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber -- you are here!
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

Tomorrow's set is sure to take your breath away. It's a beautiful botanical that symbolizes strength and beauty! Stop on back to see for yourself!

~Julie

The BIG Day is Here!

Ok, I have to admit that I've been kind of like a kindergartner squirming in her seat this past week. I am here with some of my best stamping friends in the world about to embark on a new journey to live life in FULL BLOOM! After what seemed like a LONG wait, we are here to sneak the first set!

Our first Power Poppy set, hot off the presses, may have you hearing the alluring tones of a French accordion and whispering Ooh La La!! Springtime Love  is in the air and this set embodies romance -- with passionate petals and love-laced sentiments. Illustrated by Marcella Hawley as she went in for the kiss, this beauty of a set measures 4" by 6". Now doesn't that just sound sweet?

On to my creation!

Doesn't this image just make you sigh? I mean, it's a feast for the eyes! Daffodils, roses, tulips, poppies, some grape hyacinth, and a splash of sweet peas. Could you fit more flowers? Why yes! Yes, you can! There's bleeding hearts, dianthus, and foxlove too! Coloring this image was an absolute treat. I put on some peaceful music and literally lost track of time! I also lost track of the Copic markers I used and I am pretty sure my fingers touched nearly every marker in my collection for this one. You can see I did use a die cut circle to cut out the image and while the die cut was still attached, I did sponge on some Spun Sugar Distress Ink to add a soft glow. Mat it on a fun doily, add some lace trim, a button threaded with white and pink twine and almost done! The paper is from a 6" by 6" paper pack from Carta Bella called Wildflower. Add a little paper piercing and the fun sentiment from the set and... just like they say in France... "Fini!"

Here's a close up for you to show you these bold and beautiful blossoms!

And that, my friends, is it! Now that you've been swept away with that free-feeling Springtime Love, why not traipse around to take in some more? The Bloom Brigade has plenty to share!

Allison Cope
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Danielle Kennedy
Dawn Burnworth
Julie Koerber
Kathy Jones
Katie Sims
Leslie Miller
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker

See you back here tomorrow, when we'll have you movin' and groovin' to a spunky and fun Power Poppy beat! 

~Julie

The "Teasing" is Almost Over!

Tomorrow kicks off day one of the sneaky peeks for Power Poppy and if you couldn't tell, we're bursting at the seams! Is it the day? Is it the day? Well, it almost is! Want to see just a bit of what I've been up to????

While the Bloom Brigade has been busy in their own creative spaces, Marcella has been pulling out her watercolors, grabbing her pencils, flipping through her sketch books and dreaming up stamp sets that you will use and cherish! Each and every sketch was a work not only of art but works from the heart! She pored over floral illustration books, took a trip to the botanical gardens, and tip toed through her own back yard searching for inspiration. Want a peek into her sketch books and hear in her own words how these soon-to-be released stamp sets came to be? Just click HERE!

~Julie

Meet The Bloom Brigade!

With a little bit of the story of Power Poppy unveiled yesterday, today we get to share some of the "faces" that will help bring Power Poppy to full bloom! We affectionately call this fabulous and fierce team "The Bloom Brigade" because as you'll soon see - each one has a wild and beautiful facet that they bring with them! Want to learn a little more about this creative force of artistic talent? Marcella asked each of us a question and many of them made us say... "Hmmmm...." Here's mine below! 

Q. Who did you write fan letters to as a teen? 

A. Truth is, I haven't written a fan letter in my life! But, when I was a tween, I loved Michael Jackson. You know that young swoony kind of love? Now I look back and think it's pretty hysterical. I would spend hours dancing and dancing and singing and dancing. I had pretty much every MJ poster ever made and even had a red "Member's Only" jacket that kind of, sort of looked like his trademark "Thriller" jacket. When I was 11, my family got cable and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I could watch the Thriller video on MTV over, and over, and over again (they played it for days on a loop) and I could learn the "infamous" dance. I think that's why Marcella and I "jive" so well -- we both know beyond a shadow of a doubt that dancing is a form of communication. Feeling down? Dance! Feel over the moon excited? Dance! Need to improve your work mojo? DaNcE! Want to make your kids turn a special shade of embarrassed red? DANCE! Another fun fact? The Thriller album that I listened to from dawn to dusk as a teen is now on a shelf in my teenage son's bedroom. He thought it was pretty darn cool. Score one in the "Cool Mom" column!

These wonderfully dynamic women all have different "sides" to their lives! See what makes their creativity click! Learn a little more as you hop on over 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 Leyendekker

Tomorrow, we get one step closer to the big sneaks with a peek into Marcella's sketch books. What inspired her first Power Poppy release? She'll share with all of YOU!

~Julie

The Story of Power Poppy!

For the past ten days the fabulous and fierce Bloom Brigade (a.k.a. the Power Poppy Design Team) has been busy suggesting all kinds of fun and downright goofy things to get you moving and grooving to the Power Poppy beat. Behind the scenes, we've been sweating the details, keeping it real, and loving every minute of it. While you can see a sneaky peek of what's to come above in the days ahead, today the mistress of ceremonies, Marcella Hawley herself is going to tell you all a little story -- HER story -- of how this beautiful company came to be! Be sure to stop by HERE to read all about it!!

~Julie

New Goodies Up For Sale!

Added some new goodies to my stamp sale page HERE! Check it out -- there are some beauties up for grabs! ;-)

~Julie

Can you Dig It?

Did you know you're marvelous?

Mama DOES Know Best!

Turn up some tunes because.....

Do I need a helmet for that?

Who doesn't need a good laugh?

Good Things Are Cookin'!

OoooOOOOO La La!

So Excited... we could POP!

We've got a bit of excitement to share!

Cleaning my Stamp Room Sale!

Cleaned out my stamp room and need to get rid of some goodies! Everything listed is in good condition, just need to make some space in my small crafting space! If there are items you would like, simply take the item names, make a list and email me at juliekoerber@gmail.com. All prices are without shipping, which is additional. All buyers will be charged actual shipping. Pay Pal is the preferred form of payment. Thanks for looking!

Click on the links below to see the different categories of things for sale!


Flourishes Stamps
Other Stamps
Dies
Storage and Scraps
Punches

Thanks for looking!

~Julie

A Sweet Project & A Sweet 60 % Off Sale!

Today is the day all of you bargain hunters have been waiting for! Prices are now officially as low as they can go in our Gambler's Sale at Flourishes -- meaning everything left in the store is 60% off. That's right -- EVERYTHING!

The gamble is over and now the rush is on to pick up anything left in the store that you've had your eye on. We're not sure when these deals will end, so snatch them up before the items you want sell out! Simply use the code GAMBLERS60 in the coupon box at the time of check out to get this fabulous discount!

One of the stamp sets that is still up for grabs is about as sweet as can be! It's called Berry Sweet Frames and it is fabulous for not only cards but 3-D items as well! Here's a peek at this fun-filled set!

And here's the die set that matches it! Perfectly Pierced Frames...

And here's how I put these two together to make a cute candy jar!

I started by stamping the gingham background and label stamp on Flourishes Classic White. See how these perfectly match the dies?

From there, I cut the images out. I also had a berry shape cut out of Flourishes Classic White thanks to the Silhouette Cut File Berry Sweet Frames.

As you can see, I colored up the berries with Copic markers and used the Poppy, Fields, Iced Aqua and Sunflower collections grouped by Flourishes HERE. 

Now.. to put the candy jar together, I attached the die cut and stamped frame using glue dots.

I attached ribbon, securing using glue dots in the area where the label and berries will covered. 

And here's a look again at the final project. As you can see, I did attached some ruffled gingham ribbon and then accented the project not only with a little glitter glue but some wooden buttons that I colored with R27 Copic Marker and accented with some green and white twine. 

And that, my friends, is it!  The Flourishes Design Team has been at it again -- creating beautiful cards to show off and inspire! So, head on over and see.....

• Allison Cope
• Christine Okken 
• Cindy Lawrence
• Julie Koerber -- you are here!
• Stacy Morgan

Thanks for stopping by and again, don't forget to use the code GAMBLERS60 for 60% off your entire order!

Before you go -- I cleaned out my stamp room and have a bunch on ....

Click HERE to see some of the goodies up for grabs at a BARGAIN! :-)

~Julie