Happy Power Poppy Friday!

Hi there and a happy Friday to you!  Are you ready for Christmas?  Got all of your shopping done?  I am ready for time with family, but I still have some wrapping to do!  I have a quick little card to share with you today.  No coloring, no die cutting, no buttons......this came together in a snap!  I thought this sweet image from the Heaven and Nature Sing stamp set would be so pretty stamped in red.....and I love how it turned out.

I planned on adding some extras here and there but then changed my mind at the last minute and kept it really clean (for me, anyway).  The finished card is 3.75" square.  I stamped the image and then added the sentiment from the Bottlebrush Holiday stamp set in Memento's Rhubarb Stalk on to Papertrey Ink's Rustic White card stock.  I attached the image panel to a dark grey card stock (PTI's Smokey Shadow) layer and did some stitching around the edges.  Next, I adhered the panel to my card base.  I added some shimmer with a Wink of Stella clear brush pen  to the leaves, berries and parts of the birds and sponged on a little Chamomile ink from Papertrey Ink to give the paper an aged appearance.  Lastly, I added a bit of silver cord and some Ranger Glossy Accents to the berries.

To soften the gray card stock a bit I went back and sponged some Fresh Snow ink from Papertrey Ink.  I wish you could see the gloss and shine here....I really love how it turned out....I just had a hard time trying to capture it in a photo!  I have always loved this image and even though it really is so much fun to color, I have to say that I think this really shows all of Marcella's fine details off beautifully!  Don't you think this could be the most gorgeous fabric?  A Christmas toile in Marcella's images....oh my!  I'm not sure my heart could take it!  ;)

Well that is all for my little card today, but please make sure you check out what some of my Bloomie sisters have created for you.....leave a little blog love while you're there too.  I am so glad you were able to stop by for a visit and here's wishing you the merriest of Christmases!  Until next time, take care!  :)

Allison Cope 

Christine Okken     

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

~Katie

Power Poppy October Release-Day 3!

Hello there friends!  I hope you have been having a great week thus far......if you have caught the peeks the last couple of days on the Power Poppy blog then I know you've had a great week!  ;)  Marcella really pulled out all of the stops for this amazing release....new additions to her Happiest Holiday Collection!  These beautiful images will make you fall in love with Christmas all over again....and again.....and again.  I am thrilled to be able to join in for today's stamp set feature, Wreaths Plain & Fancy....just get a load of this beauty....

The first time I saw this image, I had a little chorus of "This Little Light of Mine" pop in my head and it has pretty much been there ever since....;)  This gorgeous set comes with two different wreaths and several sweet little images and sentiments that you can plop right in the center of a wreath or use as an accent or however your little heart wants to use them!  I chose the darling single candle to put in the center of the larger wreath.......

Now I ask you...has there ever been a more precious little wreath and candle image in existence?  I don't think so either!  I also need to add that I had an absolute blast coloring her up (as you can tell from my extensive list of Copic colors below.....sheesh, I think I got a little carried away....lol).  I decided to do a circle shaped card to mimic the wreath shape and layered it up to give it more depth.  I chose my copic colors to echo the colors in the patterned papers I used so even though there is a lot of pattern and layering here, I don't think it looks overly busy.  I added a little Wink of Stella clear glitter pen to the candle flame and the berries and then added some Ranger Glossy Accents to the berries for more shine and then.... I added a little gold leafing with my Krylon 18KT gold leafing pen....I just couldn't help myself...

Can you believe all of the detail that Marcella can pack into a single image?!  I am always blown away!  If you are new to coloring, do not let all of this small detail intimidate you.....you do not have to be precise here....trust me!  You can dab a little of this and that like I did and come up with your own little work of heart.  If you will notice, I did not color all of the wreath in completely.....I left bits of very lightly colored areas to really make some of the other needles and leaves stand out more.  I also think this would be completely stunning stamped in a single color and left uncolored......gasp, did I just say that?!  That is the beauty of Marcella's images.....they are show stoppers as is!  :)  

So that is all for my little card today but you know that my incredibly talented Bloomie sisters have so much more in store for you.....so go check it all out and make sure you leave them a little blog love while you are there.  I will be joining back in the fun on Saturday with my next project so I hope to see you then, but trust me when I say tomorrow's Power Poppy offering is going to delight you to no end....I just know it!  :)  Until then, take care!

Allison Cope 

Christine Okken      

Katie Sims <------You are here 
Stacy Morgan 
Tosha Leyendekker
and Marcella Hawley

~Katie

Supplies not listed above:  Paper- Rustic White card stock from Papertrey Ink, Patterned papers from Simple Stories' "Handmade Holiday" 6x6 paper pad; Ink-Ranger Distress ink Forest Moss; Other- Spellbinders' die sets in Standard Circle Small, Classic Scallop Circle Large, Grand Circles, and Grand Scallop Circles, Stampin' Up!  Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch, and these Copic colors-E40, E41, E42, E44, E47, E49, E51, E55, E81, E84, E87, YG21, YG61, YG63, YG67, YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG99, G21, G24, G29, G82, Y21, Y26, YR31, R14, R17, R24, R46, and R81.

Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday Challenge #254

Hi again, everybody!  Are you all still reeling from last weeks' stamp release at Flourishes?  I know I am.....lots of beautiful images to admire and if you wish, make your own!  :)  I know I am going to enjoy playing with my new sets.  Today, the Friends of Flourishes Blog Team has a new challenge for you.  The incredibly talented Jenny is our hostess with the mostest and boy does she have a timely challenge for you....you will need to read all about it here!

Baby, it's cold outside so Jenny wants us to "Button Up"!  :)  I don't think there has been a corner of the US that hasn't been down right frigid this past week.  Sheesh...even here in Peach Country it was 5 degrees one day and the wind chill made it -12!  Now, there are some folks that may be used to that, but not here!  My poor little dachshund had a hard time with it...he definitely did not want to go outside.  Anyways, it has warmed up some now, so we are all good.  

For my card this week, I used two stamp sets....Warm Winter Wishes and Snow Scenes.  I was making this card for a dear friend as a thank you.  On the coldest day we had this past week, my friend drove to my little town to take me out to lunch.  Now, it's a good little drive for her, but she did it because that is just the way she is...sweet as can be...and she knew I needed a pick me up.  We had the best lunch and caught up on all the news and just had a great day.  This will be in the mail by the time this post is up because I know when she reads this....and she will read this, she will know I am talking about her!  :)  

Isn't that the perfect sentiment?  I added several stamped snowflakes in a couple of shades of blue around my sentiment. Then I colored up these adorable mittens with copics, fussy cut them out, and added them plus these cute die cut snowflakes and a button to my card.  I did some stitching before putting all of my layers together and I did use a sponge dauber and various Ranger Distress inks to age everything up a bit.  Some random pearls and a few touches with my Atyou Spica clear glitter pen finish this little card off.  

I can't get over that darling sentiment!  I decided to give you a little peek at the inside of this card....I don't usually add that to my posts but I just couldn't resist this time...

Isn't that little "Thank You" the cutest thing ever?!?  I just had to use it to finish off the inside of this card and I know that my friend is really going to get a kick out of it!  :)  Unfortunately, we did not get snow with our deep freeze (which I feel cheated about...I mean, really, if we are going to be in sub zero temps, couldn't we get just a little snow to pretty things up a bit....but noooo...a busted pipe, yes...but no snow!) but I had to use this anyway!  :)  I used a heart tag and another snowflake and more stamped snowflakes to decorate the inside.  

Well, that is all for my card today, but you know you just have to go check out what my team mates have created for your viewing pleasure and inspiration today!  After you leave them some blog love, why don't you make your own wintry button creation and play along?  You can win a prize and your chances go up if you use Flourishes stamps on your project! I am so glad you were able to stop by today and I'll be looking in the gallery for your awesome creations!  Hope you have a great day and keep warm!!  :)  Take care til next time....

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Katie Sims-that's me!

~Katie

Supplies:

Stamps:  Warm Winter Wishes, Snow Scenes

Paper:  Flourishes Classic White card stock, Flourishes Classic Ivory card stock, Color Made Easy Tonal Neutrals. My Mind's Eye 6s6 pads "Lost and Found-Sunshine" and "The Sweetest Ting-Bluebell"

Dies:  Spellbinders A2 Fancy Postage Edge, and Mat Basics A and B sets; Snowflake die, Heart tag die

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Memento Espresso Truffle, Ranger Antique Linen Distress Ink,  Ranger Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, Ranger Tea Dye Distress Ink, Stampin' Up! Baja Breeze and Bashful Blue

Other:  Button, twine, pearls, Atyou Spica Clear Glitter pen, foam dimensionals, Scor Tape

And these Copic Colors:  W1, W4, W5, Bg11, BG53, BG57, BG75

Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday #247

Hi there everyone!  I can hardly believe it, but it is Tuesday once again!  The days really are flying by this month.  I am so glad you were able to stop by today and I do have another Flourishes Timeless Tuesday card to share with you.  Deborah is our fabulous hostess this week and our theme is "Winter Scene"(FTTC247).  You can read all of the details here.

I knew exactly what stamp I wanted to use for this project!  Isn't this image from the Vintage Postcard set gorgeous?  It is a recently retired set.  Now, I know I didn't actually create the scene, but I think I can still squeak by...lol.  I did do something completely out of my norm...not a single Copic marker was used on this card....gasp.....I know, can you believe it?  AND....not a single Krylon leafing pen was used either.....what is the world coming to, right?  I have been wanting to do a red and white card for a while and so I decided this would be the card.....I LOVE how this image looks stamped in red and you can't go wrong with red gingham on a Christmas card so I added that along with the medium red paper from the  Color Made Easy Poppy collection.  I stitched a zig zag around my frame to give it a little more detail.

I used a couple of Spellbinder dies to frame out this wonderful image.  My tag is stamped with images from the Handmade Snowflakes set.  A little glittered flourish, bit of ribbon, a gem, and some silver jingle bells finish off my card.  I did use my Atyou Spica clear glitter pen to fill in the trees and church on the image but you can't tell from the photos.   

Ok...I am officially in the Christmas spirit now!  I am ready for my Christmas music, comfy pj's, and a nice hot cup of cocoa.....what about you?  But don't stop here.....you really need to check out all of my team mates' creations....they are sure to be amazing and provide you plenty of winter inspiration!  Make sure you leave them a little blog love while you are there and then create your own winter scene and play along with us!  Remember, if you use Flourishes stamps, your chances of winning go up!  I can't wait to see what you create!  Hope you have a wonderful day and thanks so much for stopping by!  :)

• Allison Cope
• Cheryl Lea
• Deborah Anton
• Jenny Gropp
• Judy Rozema
• Katie Sims-that's me!
• Connie MacFarlane- November's Guest Designer!

~Katie~

Supplies

Stamps:  Vintage Postcard, Handmade Snowflakes

Paper:  Flourishes Classic White card stock, Color Made Easy Poppy, Red Gingham-Making Memories

Ink:  Primrose Petals-Stampin' Up!, Ranger Antique Linen Distress Ink

Dies:  Flourish die-My Favorite Things, Spellbinders' Card Creator Fancy Postage Edge and A2 Card Creator A sets

Other:  White ribbon and gem-SU!, jingle bells-Michael's, glitter-Martha Stewart Crafts, Atyou Spica Clear glitter pen