Inspire Me Monday: Wintertime Wishes

 

Hello! Welcome to 2021 and the first Inspire Me Monday of the New Year! My inspiration idea is two-fold. First, I want to inspire you to use some of your Christmas and holiday stamps in non-holiday creations such as thank you notes, birthday cards, and thinking of you gifts. Second, I want to inspire you to USE YOUR PRODUCTS!

I have created a "cool" winter-theme card that could be a birthday card, a thinking of you card, or a thank you note. I used the digital Mittens and Merriment image and a sentiment from the Cozy Cupfuls clear stamp set. Both of these stamp sets are Christmas/holiday style, but both can be used for wintertime wishes!

I printed the image at slightly smaller than 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" using the no-line version. I ended up creating an oval card rather than the standard rectangle. the finished card is 7" x 5 1/4".  The sentiment was stamped in watermark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.

To create a wintertime vibe, I used lots of blues, lavender, white, and cool green rather than the tones normally used for Christmas. I have a very pink idea for this image that will be perfect for Valentine's Day!

Now, let's talk about my favorite topic: using your supplies! I am part of many coloring groups on social media, and so many people spend more time buying supplies than actually using them! Myself included! Many folks feel that if they just had "top of the line" supplies they would be a better artist. That is simply not true! Use what you have! Play! Practice! Enjoy the process! Learn! You really do not need a $300 set of pencils to color a great picture!

This image was printed on paper that cost $10.49 for 250 sheets! This is a white cardstock (80lb Vellum Bristol, 175gsm) that is a "normal" weight for cardmaking and has a bit of texture ("tooth" in coloring terms). There is nothing special about this paper! In fact, it is not even my favorite paper, but it is inexpensive, so I can use it up without thinking twice!

The colored pencils I used cost $25.49 for 168 pencils! That is about 15 cents a pencil! (Prismacolor Premiere pencils cost about 63 cents per pencil, for comparison.) The pencils are a VERY budget-friendly, oil-based colored pencil, which work well on my slightly toothy paper! We are in business! 

Because these pencils are a bit on the harder side they hold a fine point for tiny details. They are oil-based, which allowed me to add layers plus the fine details on top of already colored sections. Which is how I colored the ribbon. However, I could also just use a three-color blend, which is how I colored the leaves.

With a blending stump and a bit of blending solution, I was able to color the background with just two pencils! I added a bit of white gel pen to the puff balls and the background. I also allowed the texture of the paper to aid in making the mittens have texture, looking like they were made of yarn.

I did not use any of my more expensive coloring products on this card. I kept true to my own style of coloring and card making, despite using my "cheap" stuff! And I enjoyed myself very much! Which is the most important thing! 

Do not wait to have fun with your coloring supplies! If you have inexpensive tools, you can still color and use all the coloring techniques you are learning! Plus, is you use a lot of paper just experimenting, you only lost $10 of supplies. If you grind up a few pencils, you can buy a whole new set for under $30. If you use some of the student-grade pencils, you can spend even less! I have s set of Crayola pencils that I love to use. (I may show you those next time!)

I confess, I do love my expensive pencils and my Copic markers, but I don't think I have to always use them. I also like to mix and match my supplies. It is true that sometimes the pricey option gives better results, but I am a firm believer in staying within your budget. Learning good techniques is far more important than the price of your supplies!

I hope you are inspired to grab an image and some supplies and just color for the joy of it! Come visit me any time at Scraps of Life Blog!

Note:

Paper used: Springhill White 8.5” x 11” Cardstock, 80lb Vellum Bristol, 175gsm, 250 Sheets (approx. $10.49 USD)

Colored pencils used: Wanshui 168 oil pencils (approx. $25.49 USD)

 

Creative Confetti: Mad about Plaid!

Hello all and Happy Tuesday! And... happy 8 days before Christmas! I hope you have cookies in the oven and sugar plums dancing in your heads! ;-) Since there is such a hustle and bustle this time of year, I thought I would make this week's Creative Confetti, super dooper easy for you all to play along! Ready to see what I have in store? 

HOW TO PLAY: I don't know about you but I think Buffalo check plaid is about the hottest thing this Christmas season and I have loved seeing it play out in decor! From tree accessories to tree skirts to wrapping paper and ribbon. Heck, some are even decking out their entire tree in the theme! It is everywhere! So, I thought, why not add a little plaid to our cards? Keep in mind, you can use ANY style plaid that you have in your stash, no need to match the buffalo check above! So, let's see what you can whip up and show us all how you are Mad about Plaid!

On to my creation! 

While I didn't have buffalo check plaid, I did have this sparkly plaid that looks a cousin of that check print! I thought it looked super cozy with the image I chose from Power Poppy's Cozy Cupfuls stamp set. I stamped using Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then colored my image up with Copic Markers sticking with vibrant reds (R32, R35, R37) kraft colors (E51, E53, and E55), shades of gold (Y21, Y32, Y35 and Y28) and then touches of green (YG61, YG63, and YG67). I did add some shading with R0000 and R00 on the top (which you can barely see in the photo) and BV00, BV000 on the bottom. Add a strip of kraft paper, some fun ribbon and a little popped up sentiment and... done!

Here's a little close up for you! As always, Christmas cards need a little glitter! ;-)

And that, my friends is it! Let's see you get "Mad About Plaid!" and see what fun you can craft with this bold pattern as a backdrop or accent on your creation! And, as I mentioned, when you're done, just link up your creation below so we can all see AND so you can have a shot at winning a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hopefully, we'll see you back here real soon! ;-)

~Julie
Creative Confetti Thrower

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Creative Confetti: Make it Shimmer!

Hi all! Ready for another fun-filled Creative Confetti Challenge? It's a time when we throw up some ideas to pique a little interest and spark a little creativity when you hit your crafting spaces! But first, did you happen to see Ally Cope's tutorial yesterday? Woah! It's right up my alley because you know I love my glitter and sparkle! Check it out HERE as she shows us a fun way to add a little glimmer! 

And with her fabulous tutorial in mind, I decided we should ALL add a little shimmer to our projects this week! Check it out! 

HOW TO PLAY: Use mica powders, sparkly embossing powder, shimmer sprays, glitter glue, diamond glitter... I could seriously go on all day with this one! Just use a little something that brings a little shimmer, a little sparkle to your project!


On to my creation!  

You might look at this card above using Power Poppy's Vibrant Thanks and say, "Wait a minute here... where's the sparkle!?!?" And, I would agree -- it's hard to see, until you tilt it to the light! The little tutorial I am going to share today gives your stamped images a pearlescent look that's just too lovely! And, you use this fine stuff... Pearl Ex! How many of you have a gazillion mica powders that haven't seen the light of day in a while? Yes, I see you! I am with you too! 

So, I started by grabbing Pearl White Pearl Ex, it is just a plain white shimmer. They have so many though -- Duo Blue Green, Duo Blue Pink, White Gold, it's crazy all the colors! 

And this above is my foundation! I stamped one of the flowers from the Vibrant Thanks set using Memento Tuxedo Black and then went to town with my Copic markers, using a range of greens and purples. I wanted to bring some of the purple into my backdrop, so I highlighted using BG0000 and then went over the top with V0000 to give it more of a purple-ish glow. 

And here's where it gets fun! This is what I grabbed - a large soft brush, Versamark Ink and the Pearl Ex. 

I took the Versamark ink pad and just covered my image with it. This was NOT easy at first because I honestly wasn't sure this would turn out so covering something I just spent time coloring was a bit of a "close one eye and let's see what happens" moment. After my image was completely covered with ink, I took my wide, soft brush, dipped it into the Pearl White Pearl Ex and then brushed it over top. After I was done, I took a dry Swiffer sheet and burnished the Pearl Ex into the ink. This releases the extra powder and helps it to stay put.  This effect is one that makes it appear like you stamped and colored on pearlescent paper. It's kind of dreamy! 

If you have a Workable Fixatif on hand in your craft room, it's not a bad idea to seal this with a light spray. It helps the powder from rubbing off, even if it is just slightly. 

And, here's a close up for you! You can see I matted it up, playing up the green and purple and adding just a few accents. The sentiment was from the Power Poppy set Potted Primrose. I love that sentiment -- one of my favorites! 

And, one last look at my card! 

And that, my friends, is it! Before we get to the linky, I have a huge apology! I forgot to draw a name for our July $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop from all of those fabulous July Creative Confetti entries! So, let's get to it!

After throwing all the virtual names into a hat, random.org drew this number....

That means the winner is...

*** DONNA WHITTEN ***

Take a look at Donna's darling creation will you? Just in case you wondered, she used Power Poppy's Cozy Cupfuls.

I just love Donna's choice of papers, her ab fab coloring and that adorable gingham bow! Just too cute! Donna, to claim your code, all you need to do is email us at bloom@powerpoppy.com and Ms. Marcella will get that code right to you! 

Thanks for stopping by y'all! I hope you have a fabulous week and remember, to play along, all you need to do is add a little shimmer to your creation, link up your card below and then, once a month, we draw one random and lucky stamper to win $25! Woo HOOOO! So, as I love to say, go ahead and get those fingers inky! 

Until next time!
~Julie 

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Berry-licious Hues to Use

Yee-haw!! Is it Tuesday already? It is! It is! With this special day of the week comes a brand new trio of color cues for you to use when you hit your craft space for your next creative endeavor! So, let's get to it, shall we?

This week's Hues to Use are a breath of fresh air -- pink hydrangea, russet Coleus, wild red raspberries, and gorgeous foliage to back it all up! Check out this delicious dose of color peeps!

HOW TO PLAY: It's as easy as 1-2-3! Yep, just that easy! All you need to do is incorporate all THREE of these colors into your card or creation. Once you're done, just link up your project below so that we can all see and then "Oooooo!" and "Ahhhh!" over it! You never know -- that card just might land you a spot as a guest designer for an upcoming Hues to Use Challenge! What fun, right?

And guess what's even better than this delish trio of colors? We have a Guest Designer to help show these hues off! Say hello to this lovely lady, will you?

I have a card-making crush on Lee Ann Barrett's style. She is an amazing card designer and we are sooooooooo honored that she agreed to host this little ole post here on the Power Poppy Blog! So, let's let Lee Ann introduce herself and get to her gorgeous creations for the week!

"Hello! I'm Lee Ann. I live in St Louis. I have one adult son and a rescue greyhound. I am thrilled to be guesting for Power Poppy; Marcella's images are some of my favorites because I love nature and I love to color; currently Copics are my go to medium. Besides crafting, I love to travel-especially to the mountains. I also love interior decorating, which is why my house is a continual work in progress! Recently, I have started training for a 5K- the big day, my first race- is this weekend. Wish me luck!

On to my card for this week's Hues to Use! I actually have two to share with you all....

This first creation uses Power Poppy's Peony Muse stamp set. I stamped the large peony in the corner of the card front, then masked it off and stamped the smaller peony above it. I masked that off as well and stamped the leaves, then masked the leaves as well and stamped the third and final peony. 

Lastly, I added the berries, masking off the peonies before stamping them. All of the images are colored up with Copic markers. I heat embossed the sentiment in white embossing powder on vellum and then adhered to the card front by folding the left side of the vellum layer underneath card front. Using dots of Tombow Mono liquid glue behind the embossed sentiment, I adhered the right side of the vellum layer down to the front of my card. I also added some sequins for an extra pop of sparkle. 

Here's a close up...

For my second card, I picked up Power Poppy's Cozy Cupfuls.  

Using the MISTI, I masked off the teacup and then stamped the Christmas tree on watercolor paper with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink. Using a paintbrush, I brushed on small amounts of water to move the color around. Once dry, I stamped the tree again in Mowed Lawn, to redefine the branches. Once dry, I used a micron fine black pen and outlined the ornaments. Next, I masked off the tree and stamped the cup using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink. The ornaments and cup were colored with Copic markers. Once all was colored, I added Crystal Effects to the large ornament in the saucer. While that was drying, I layered, patterned papers, a doily and sentiment strip on the card base. The image panel is popped up on dimensional tape. 

Here's a close up...

Lee Ann, these cards are truly beautiful, both of them! What a fun display  -- showing two very different cards using the exact same color schemes!

Now peeps, it's your turn to take this week's Hues to Use and see what fun cards you can whip up using this fun-filled color recipe! Once you do, don't forget to link up your creation below. It's a never-ending linky, meaning you can enter your creation at any time! And as we always say, your creation could spark an invitation for YOU to be a guest designer for one of our upcoming Hues to Use blog posts! We put you in the spotlight and you get a fun new digital image to create with. So, as I always say, Get those fingers inky and play along with us!


Thanks for stopping by! We can't wait to see what you create!
~Julie

An InLinkz Link-up

Inspire Me Monday: Fun Grid Back Ground Building

Howdy all!  Welcome to another Inspire Me Monday here at Power Poppy! 

I’m your hostess Ally and today I’m sharing an easy tutorial on how to make some fun back grounds using a grid technique.

Last Friday I introduced two fun cards showcasing some cool hand made back ground paper.  Check them out…

These two cards showcase the “Cozy Cupfuls”, “So Grateful” and “Good Thinking: Love Notes” stamp sets. Sooo cute, right?

So today, I thought I’d share how I made that back ground.  All you’ll need is some paper, a few smaller sized stamps, a pencil, a ruler, an eraser and some imagination!

Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join me in my scraproom.

Here’s another close up of our grid inspired back ground card featuring the stamp sets “Good Thinking: Love Notes”, “Bough Wow Wow” and “Potted Primroses”.

Take a look at the layered vellum blooms…

And the cute little peek-a-boo window to show off the sentiment…

Thanks for joining me today.  I hope my tutorial and cards inspire you try this fun technique on your next card.

~ Allison Cope ~


Supplies
stamps: Power Poppy (Good Thinking: Love Notes, Bough Wow Wow, Potted Primroses)
inks:  Memento (Tuxedo Black), Versamark, Copic Markers
embossing powder:  Stampendous! (Detail White)
cardstock:  Neenah (Solar White), Recollections (110lb White), Vellum
patterned paper:  Lawn Fawn (Let’s Polka Mon Amie 6x6)
dies:  Avery Elle (Dotted Die), Simon Says Stamp (Stitched Squares)
sequins:  CraftMedley
other:  ribbon

Holiday 2015 Collection: Time for Something Cute!

Well hello there, everybody! We’re on our very last day of new Holiday set peeks here at Power Poppy. If you’ve been following along with us this week, I’m feeling pretty confident that you’ve seen at least a FEW cards to get your mojo kickin’ to make sensational seasonal cards. I know it’s helping me get into the spirit to see my illustrations all colored-up and presented with ribbons and pearls like they’re going out to the ball!

So, if you liked the new tree set, or maybe the wreaths, or even those nostalgic pomanders — hold the phone! I have one more set to share today! This fella is designed to bring a touch of cozy to your craft table, with three vignettes that will make three very different cards. Each image delights in the little details, with lots of whimsical bits to color and add your unique touch! Take a look...

Captures of coziness in these cards by Stacy Morgan, Leslie Miller, and Tosha Leyendekker.

Whether it’s a fancy teacup, café au lait and latte bowls, or a down-home cocoa mug, I’ve filled each one with an unexpected surprise!

Are you ready to see our last addition to the Happiest Holiday Collection for 2015? Because I’m ready to show it off, and I sure do hope you’ll find it pleasing. Herrrrrre’s Cozy Cupfuls!

I can see using these images as the focal images on Holiday cards, but they’re also perfect for gift tags! And one of the best things about this set... the Cardinal boy and girl is a scene you may turn to year ’round! I have to confess that I chose to use Cardinals as an homage to my hometown St. Louis baseball team... who were just eliminated from the National League playoffs by our longtime rival, the Chicago Cubs. But fear not! Their memory will live on in this stamp set... (Go Cards!) xoxo

Another image in this set is a proper teacup with a big gulp of... spruce! I’m not exactly sure how you would water this one in real life, but I know I loooove the idea of teacups full of Christmas trees! So why not make it happen in our creative cardmaking, I ask? Maybe I’ll even try it on the mantel this year. (But where shall I put all those bottlebrush trees?)

And lastly, Cozy Cupfuls features a vignette of packages ready to be delivered or placed beneath the tree. Somebody has just been wrapping her little heart out.... you can tell because she is having a hot cocoa with whipped cream and even popped a peppermint stick in there! (Maybe she also gave herself a dash of peppermint liqueur as an added reward? We may never know!) Whatever the case, you can have a lot of fun coloring up these gifties in any which way for a very cozy scene indeed.

Would you like to see what our Bloom Brigade has done with the images and sentiments in Cozy Cupfuls today? I know I’m ready!

Christine Okken
Stacy Morgan
Katie Sims
Cindy Lawrence

Leslie Miller
and our special guest Bloomie today...
Dina Kowal

Have fun running around the designers’ blogs today, and I hope you’ll leave a little love to let them know how much you appreciate their beautiful work!! They are the most wonderful group of women, and they are REALLY making me look good this week (and every week... so blessed to have my Bloomies!) 

Now, tomorrow we’ll be here with a BIG OL’ BLOG HOP and all of the sets will be available in the store and will start shipping this week! Thank you all so much for coming by, and I wish you a happy weekend!