Happy Power Poppy Friday!

Hi there and Happy Friday to you!  Hope all has been well with you.  I have a quick post for today's Power Poppy Friday....this card features the stamp set Go Wild for the image and also the stamp set Geraniums Take Two for the sentiment.  There's a story about what inspired me to use this image for today's card.  We just recently started participating in a local farm's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.  Each week we get to pick up an assortment of organic produce...we are already enjoying our bounty and this week one of the offerings was organic strawberries...they are so pretty and petite and they actually reminded me of this image with its wee berries in the arrangement....so there you have it....it was completely inspired by my love of strawberries....:)

I stamped the image and sentiment on to Papertrey Ink's Rustic White card stock using Memento's Tuxedo Black ink.  I die cut the image using a Spellbinders' Classic Circle Large die set circle using the "Out of the Box" technique to allow that little rosebud and leaf to extend past the edge.  There is an excellent tutorial for this on Splitcoast Stampers site here.  Next, I colored the image with Copics, sponged on some Ranger Distress Ink in Iced Spruce and added gold leafing around the edge with my Krylon 18KT Gold Leafing pen.  A little bit of shimmer on the blooms and berries with my Wink of Stella Clear Brush pen finished off my image.

Next, I die cut my card base using a Marianne Design die set, Petra's Square Frames and some Ocean Tides card stock from Papertrey Ink.  I used a square die from Spellbinder's Classic Squares Large set to die cut a bit of patterned paper from a My Mind's Eye's 6x6 paper pad, layered it with a larger trimmed square, stitched them together and adhered them to my card base.  Then, I adhered my image circle and added a couple of threaded buttons.

I can never get enough of Marcella's beautiful florals!  All of that beautiful detail packed in to each image is truly remarkable.  If you haven't taken a stroll through the Power Poppy store to see first hand all of Marcella's illustrations, you really should....what a sight to behold!  :)

So that is all for my card today but some of my incredibly talented Bloomie sisters have a few creations for your Friday inspiration....so go to take a peek and make sure you leave a little blog love while you are there.  I am so glad you could stop by today.  I hope you have a great weekend, and until next time, take care.

Cindy Lawrence     
Katie Sims <------You are here 
Tosha Leyendekker

~Katie

Copics used:R05, R20, R22, R24, R27, R29, YG01, YG61, YG63, YG67, G29, G40, G46, E40, E41, E42, E44, YR21, YR30, YR31, Y17, Y26

Power Poppy's June Power & Spark Challenge~Pencil Me In!

Hi there and a Happy Friday to you!  Can you believe it is already time for Power Poppy's Power & Spark Challenge again?  It seems we were just fussy cutting to our heart's content with this past challenge and now, that super sweet and amazingly talented Christine Okken has thrown down the gauntlet with this theme...

That's right....it's time to pull out those pencils (or in my case, I had to borrow some!)!  You can read all about this challenge on the Power Poppy Blog!  Now Christine can color with pencils like nobody's business so I know her project is going to be incredible and will definitely get you in the pencil spirit!  :)

I was still in the tag frame of mind, so I decided to make a tag for my card.  I used a Papertrey Ink tag die, then stamped my image and sentiment from Power Poppy's new Go Wild stamp set in StazOn Brown Timber ink onto Papertrey Ink's Rustic White card stock.  Next, I colored my image with some Prisma pencils that my good friend let me borrow for this occasion.  I have a few pencils that came over on the Mayflower and they were just not working out.  I used Gamsol to blend my colors together.  Now, I don't know if you've noticed, but I just don't use pencils for anything.  Me and my Copics have been inseparable for so long, that I really just don't use any other medium.  I have tried water coloring a few times.....it never went well. Then I got my Copics and never looked back...so, here is the first image I have colored with pencils in a very. long. time.  I definitely need more practice, but I really enjoyed the challenge of trying something new, and I think I'll be looking for some pencils soon....so if you have any suggestions on type or brand, I am all ears!  :)

I added a few highlights here and there with a Stampin' Up! Stampin' Chalk White marker and used a Wink of Stella Clear pen to add some shimmer to the petals and jar.  My card base is A2.  My other layer is 4" x 5 1/4" and I embossed it with a Papertrey Ink wood grain texture plate. (Both of these layers were made with more Papertrey Ink's Rustic White card stock.)  I added a couple of strips of patterned paper from My Mind's Eye's Dilly Dally 6x6 paper pad, some stitching, and distress inks in PTI's Chamomile and Chai.  I also sponged on some Ranger Distress inks in Frayed Burlap and Evergreen Bough.  The ink spatters were made using a SU! spritzer tool with SU!'s markers in Soft Suede and Crumb Cake.  The ribbons, twine, and button were added to finish the tag off before adhering to my card panel with foam dimensionals.

I just love that little mason jar!  I have several old blue ones with the original zinc lids that were my husband's grandmother's.....they have a special place of honor in the kitchen china cabinet.  :)  Well, that is all for my card today....whew, it has been a big week for me....first Marcella has me coloring motorcycles and now Christine has me coloring with pencils!  :)  And no one is more surprised than me to read this, but I enjoyed every minute of it!  :)  Now, make sure you check out what my incredibly talented Bloom Brigade sisters have penciled in for you and then why don't you create your own pencil masterpiece and come play along with us?!  You could win a stamp set.....how's that for some inspiration?  ;)  Thanks so much for stopping by...I can't wait to see what you create, and until next time, take care!  :)

Christine Okken     

Julie Koerber 
Kathy Jones 
Katie Sims <------You are here
Leslie Miller 
Stacy Morgan

~Katie

Power Poppy's June Release-Day 3 AND a Surprise!

Hi there and welcome back for Day 3 of Power Poppy's June stamp release!  I hope you have been enjoying the peeks so far.  Just think, we are only half way through too!  Today's stamp set has a bit of the familiar mixed with some fresh and new images....so let's Go Wild!

Now, before we really get going here there is something you should know....today is a very special day for one very special lady!  I think she thought that today's posts would go by with not a word mentioned but we just couldn't let that happen.....not when it's the birthday of the Bloom Whisperer, herself!  Marcella, I am wishing you a day full of all the things you love the most and here's to another wonderful year of good times, the love and support of family and friends, and more stamps!  Hee.....I just had to add that last little thing.... :)  Sending many hugs your way, birthday girl!

So, for my image I went for this sweet pitcher of roses and strawberries.  It made it's debut as a digi but now Marcella has given it a place of honor in this lovely set.  I stamped it off with Memento's Tuxedo Black onto white card stock and colored it with Copics.  Next, I added some Ranger Crackle Accents because I just didn't get enough of it on my card on Monday....:) and let that dry.  I die cut some layers for my card and made a simple square card base.  I stitched my patterned papers and added some distress inks to everything.  This sentiment stamp from the set is actually all on one line so I inked a portion of it at a time and stamped it on my oval die cut so it would fit in the space.  Once my pitcher was dry, I added gold leafing around the edge and used a hole punch to notch out a place so the image panel would fit snugly against my bow.  I assembled the layers and used foam dimensionals to pop up the image panel and sentiment oval.  

I also added gold leafing around the sentiment to give it a little extra shimmer.  Oh, and I used my Atyou Spica Clear glitter pen to add some shimmer to the blooms and berries.

One last peek.....

Make sure you check out all of the gorgeous creations by my Bloomie team mates for Marcella's big day!  Oh, and pop on over to the Power Poppy Blog and you can leave some birthday wishes there too!  Ok, three down and three more to go, so I hope you can stop back by tomorrow for a little bit of the unexpected.  If you listen really close, I think you can hear a faint chorus of "Bad to the Bone" playing....;)  Until then, take care!

Allison Cope 

Christine Okken 

Cindy Lawrence    
Julie Koerber 
Kathy Jones 
Katie Sims <------You are here
Leslie Miller 
Stacy Morgan 
Tosha Leyendekker
and Marcella Hawley

~Katie

Supplies not listed above:  Paper-Simple Stories "Summer Fresh" 6x6 paper pad, Flourishes Classic White card stock, Stampin' Up!'s Naturals White card stock; Inks-Ranger Distress Ink in Antique Linen and Scattered Straw, Papertrey Ink's Chamomile and Chai inks; Other- Marianne die set Petra's Square Frames, Spellbinders' Classic Squares Large set and Fancy Framed Tags Two set, Krylon 18KT Gold Leafing pen, Ribbon from Michael's, button from PTI, hemp cord, and these Copic colors:  YG61, YG63, YG67, YG91, BG93, BG96, W00, W0, W1, W2, W4, W5, W7, W8, C0, C4, C7, E11, E30, E35, E40, E50, E53, E55, E57, R21, R24, R29, YR30, Y15, Y21, Y26, and Y32.