Creative Confetti: Sketch it Out!

Hello all and happy Tuesday! Being that so many of you love a good sketch, it's time for another one! Are you ready as I reach down into my bag of tricks and throw out this week's Creative Confetti???

HOW TO PLAY: It's as simple as following the sketch below! And, to give you a little creative license, feel free to change shapes or flip the sketch any which way. It's doesn't matter as long as we can "see" the sketch and feel your inspiration! 

Here's a peek at this month's sketch!

And here's a look at my creation! 

This is an oldie but goodie that I created a while back using Power Poppy's Climbing Clematis digital stamp set.  I share because I know that it is always nice having a sample to set your sights on to "see" the little sketch in action!

This card is really pretty easy peasy! I used diecut shapes to get literally every cut. The sentiment is also from the Climbing Clematis digital stamp set and the paper is a mix of Stampin' Up and some scraps from my decorative paper bin. I had a blast coloring this image and really love the vibrant colors. I used my Copic markers, of course, and reached for B60, B63, B66, RV00, G20, G21, G24 and G28. The butterfly was colored with Y35, YR04 and YR07. The whole image was highlighted thanks to RV0000 and R00. Then, when all was said and done, I did accent the little fluttering butterfly with some white gel pen and some sparkle gel pen as well!


Here's a close up for y'all!

And that, my friends, is it! Want to join me this week? Simply create, post and then link up using the linky below! As we always say, if you get those fingers inky and play along, each and every link is an opportunity to win a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop! Woo Hoo!

So, the reason why I didn't have time to create a new card is because July 15th was my daughter's Sweet 16!!! We were a little busy honoring the special day. Funny story -- for her birthday she wanted to go to one of the diner's in town. Why, you ask? Because on the menu they have what's called the "Vacation Breakfast," which consists of a huge slice of chocolate cake AND a chocolate shake - basically you pay for a food coma. Here's a little picture of her face as this beauty was arriving at the table!! LOL!

Ahhhh to be young and not worry about calories! ;-) Well, my sweet stamping friends, I hope you play along with me this week! Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time!
~Julie 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Inspire Me Monday Creative Stamping with Kathy Racoosin

Hello Friends, My name is Kathy Racoosin from The Daily Marker. How are you? I am excited to be up on the blog today for another Inspire Me Monday post.

Today I am hoping I can get you to think out of the box with some stamping in multiples so to speak. Let me just say this is an unfinished piece and that's ok too. When you are creating something to eventually frame, it should take more time.

Don't get me wrong I am excited to finish this piece and I only wish there was more time in the day but, I would bet we all feel that way.

If you take the same stamp --- in this case, the flower and foliage from the stamp set Amaryllis Bliss -- and stamp it several times you can really create a unique piece. Stamping an image off of the paper gives your project a neat graphic look like I did here with the leaves.

My favorite "no-line" ink is the amalgam ink from Gina K. Designs. I did use the large Memory Misti to create this, but it's not necessary. Once the ink was dry, I used some Tombow watercolor markers to paint the background first.

This is a little set up I have in my family room. I was using the lily as my color inspiration.

In this photo, I am adding the first layer of color with the grey.

Often, my coloring goal is to color something white or to leave it basically white like the lily is but, I always end up adding more color! I do love that adding the brown really makes the flower pop.

Hopefully, today's post will give you another way to look at your stamps and give you permission to give yourself grace and time when coloring.

Thanks for your visit today and have a good week! 

Hugs, 

Kathy

Do you need a little Christmas?

Hello sweet peeps! With all the action going on here on the ole Power Poppy blog, I sure hope you didn't miss the fabulous sale going on right now in the shop! It's a CHRISTMAS IN JULY sale and it only runs through the 12th of July! Check it out!

Choose from more than 60 images in polymer and digital format and get a jazzy jumpstart on your Holiday cardmaking. Simply use the code JOLLYJULY to save! 

So, with all the festive feels flying around, I thought it would be fun to get in the Christmas Spirit by throwing a little Creative Confetti!

HOW TO PLAY: All you need to do is create a holiday-themed creation - it can be anything! Whip up a tag. Doll up a Christmas gift card holder. Create a Christmas card. Fashion a holiday gift box. If it is Christmas inspired, it counts!

ON TO MY CREATION! 

I have to admit, I didn't have time this week to whip up a new creation, so I am sharing an oldie but goodie! I promise I will play along this week and will share my card hopefully by Friday when the Bloomies get together to share some of their creations!

I wanted to share this fun little snow guy because honestly, he completely makes me smile -- every time I look at that darling illustration! It's a part of Power Poppy's Snowkissed polymer stamp set. Being a knitter, I also love the stitched Nordic designs that compliment the main image -- just such a fun set to spread some holiday and winter cheer! And... this little guy is on SALE now! That's even more fun! If you want some of the details behind this card, just click HERE for all the deets! 

And that, my friends, is it! I hope you join me for a little Christmas in July celebration and show us what you've got! Don't forget to share because each and every entry gets thrown into the hat for a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop -- so get those fingers inky, will you?

Until next time!

~Julie 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Inspire Me Monday:

Hi all and welcome to another Inspire Me Monday with yours truly, Amy Shulke. Let me ask you a question Power Poppy fans. Do you want to improve your colored pencil technique? Have you tried a few colored pencil projects only to walk away feeling like you never really got the hang of it? I mean, it looked so simple after all. Let me tell you, colored pencil is deceiving. Those little wax-laden pencils are sneaky! Since this guest post is all about colored pencil, let me share my first six tips to help you get off on the right finger with this craft. You need to get a grip! If you want to read my step-by-step approach on improving your pencil grip, just click HERE for a post I wrote on the topic.

Now let's get to the heart of this post and some additional tips that I wanted to share to light up your world -- literally. I took Power Poppy's Cuppa Cupcake and wanted to do a little experiment with this sparkler-laden delight. I wanted to print and color it up all aglow on black. Let me share the finished project, then I'll get to some tips on how I got the job done thanks to the help of not only a few photos but some key tools as well. (Stay tuned to the end because I'll have details on an upcoming class where I guide you through the entire process.)

Tip 1: To start, the realism here is created by all those folds and shadows. So, tip one is to use a photo reference to help your eye see that detail. The purpose of photo references doesn’t have to be to match color. Here, I’m using the photo to guide me into more realistic folds and waves for the frosting. I’m looking at lights and darks here. It’s not about blue, it’s about shape and shade.

Tip 2: Next comes the pleats and making sure they really stand out on that dark paper. In my experience, tutorials for pleats don’t really work. If you think about it, objects like skirts and cupcake wrappers are wrapped around a body/cake. That changes the perspective of the pleats. In the center of the cupcake, you see into the pleats. From the sides of the cupcake, you see the sides of the pleats. So it doesn’t work to simply color every other line. Stop trying to hack the shape with a technique. Just pull out a photo reference and color what you see. It’s so much easier and the pleats will have an accurate structure.

Tip 3: This next tip is all about having success on dark colored papers. Unlike many tutorials for coloring on colored paper, I don’t recommend basecoating everything with white before adding layers of color. You’ll fill up the tooth too quickly that way. Instead, choose pencils that have opaque cores. By picking your pencils wisely, you’ll get glowing color but also lots of layering potential!

Tip 4: What you see, is not always what you get. Many times, we see a highlight and assume “Hey, it’s a highlight, it must be white!” But that’s not often true. The polka dots on my red cup are very white but the highlights are not. I’m using layers of red and white pencil to create light red highlights which feel crisp in some spots and soft in others, but they are never pure white, anywhere. Also, resist pulling out that white gel pen. You just don't need it!

Tip 5: I'm sure many of you feel you fail at colored pencils simply because these coloring tools shed colored bits of dust. It’s heartbreaking to brush it away with the side of your hand and accidentally leave colorful streaks. That's why I use a small hake brush to frequently dust my project but any soft clean brush will work. In travel situations, a well-cleaned makeup brush from an old blush compact will often do the trick. 

Tip 6: So, you're done coloring. You've just worked your way through a cardio version of coloring. You step away and love what you've accomplished.  Please, oh please, oh please oh please, do not use hairspray to seal your work. Colored pencil projects require a sealant coat to preserve the color and help bond the pigments to the paper. That’s what artist grade fixative does. It preserves the life of your artwork. There are some online who swear by hairspray. I am here to tell you that the only result you'll get with this spray is bouncy, beautiful windproof goddess locks. Trust me. Hairspray is NOT for art!

So, now that you've witnessed a few of my tried and trusted colored pencil tips, who's ready to celebrate? Join me on Saturday, July 13th as we ditch the markers and focus solely on the pencils. As you've just seen, dark paper adds drama and intensity to your coloring projects but if you've ever tried coloring on intense colored paper, you know how dull and dingy the colors can look. I'm here to help you make sure your colors stay crisp and true. It's more than just technique. It's matching your supplies and making sure they are up for the challenge. Keep in mind, this Power Poppy Live Stream lesson will work for black, navy, deep purple, pine green, chocolate brown and even some deep grays. 

Oh, did I hear you're not a fan of pencils? Well, I say why not give it a try! Improving your pencil technique will help your Copic coloring since these mediums together equal beautiful results.

Just click HERE  to learn all about the upcoming class, sign up and grab that supply list! All class participants receive 20% off the Cuppa Cupcake digital stamp!   Can't make the live class? No worries! This Cuppa Cupcake lesson will be available until December 2019!

Thanks so much for stopping by and joining me this Monday. Hope to see you for my colored pencil challenge a.k.a. my next Power Poppy Livestream class this coming Saturday!

Start your holiday weekend with some GOOD VIBES!

Hello sweet peeps! For those in the States, did you have a star-spangled day yesterday full of fun and a few fireworks too? Well, we are continuing the party today with a few more reasons to celebrate! We have a giveaway to get in on, a sale you'll not want to miss and a few fun little goodies to spare!

SO LET'S GET TO IT, SHALL WE? 

GOOD VIBE #1: A chance at a fabulous giveaway! Just click HERE for the Power Poppy and Ellen Hutson blog hop link list. To enter for a chance to win, make sure to leave comments at each stop along the hop. Two random & lucky commenters will win! Comment before Sunday, July 7th at 11:59pm PST and the winners will be notified by email!

GOOD VIBE #2: A lesson in light! Okay, take a peek at that above. Seriously. It knocked my star-spangled socks off. Look at how amazingly light reflective Amy Shulke's creation is using Power Poppy's Cuppa Cupcake! The good news for all of us is that she is hosting a live class where she ditches the Copic markers and picks up her Prismacolor pencils. She's showing us all how to add that drama and intensity on dark papers! Sigh... I think it's pretty amazing. AND... fun tip! Amy will be in the house for Inspire Me Monday next week to share some more tips!

GOOD VIBE #3 It's Christmas in July! That's right, stock up now for this year's Christmas cards and take THIRTY PERCENT OFF using the code JOLLYJULY. Yes, my friends, that's a good vibe indeed! Just click HERE for all things holiday!

GOOD VIBE #4  It's a new month, which means a whole new crop of Creative Confetti Challenges! And the one we just kicked off last Tuesday is about as fun and easy as it gets! Seen as we had 6 days of sneaky peeks for Power Poppy's new Enchanted Garden release, the challenge was to take a hop through release week,visit the designers and use one of their cards or techniques to inspire you! The card above is the snippet of how I was inspired this week! You'll have to take a trip HERE to see the rest of the card! ;-) So, play along and then link up your creation HERE!

GOOD VIBE #5 Take a look at that 1972 Beauville Beauty in Blue in all its quilted velour glory!  Marce and her hubby Doug picked it up this past week and promise that it's going to be a hot spot for some rad road trips! Not only is this family fun-mobile a sight to be seen, those smiles are pretty classic too! Can't wait to see this baby blue beast on Marcy's Instagram feed, showing off some of the adventures she and the fam takes! I just love this so much.... 

And that, my friends, is it! Thanks so much for stopping by! Normally, we have a link list showing off some of the Bloomies creations for the week but we are already chocked full of inspiration from them with our Enchanted Garden release! If you missed a day, be sure to scroll through the blog here and catch up! You won't be sorry you did!

Until next time!

~Julie 

30% OFF HOLIDAY STAMPS + DIGIS

We’re ready for a celebration! Choose from over 60 images in polymer and digital format and get a jazzy jumpstart on your Holiday cardmaking.

SHOP NOW with code JOLLYJULY

Creative Confetti: Be Inspired!

Whew! What a flurry of activity here on the ole Power Poppy blog with the Enchanted Garden Release, eh? It's been quite the exciting week with so much eye candy that I am sure thankful that this kind of "candy" doesn't come with a calorie count! We'd all be sunk! ;-)

Being that there has been so much going on, I thought it would be fun to do a bit of a rewind on some of this past week's events and give you a little creative jolt! That way, if you missed some of the goodies, you have a chance to go back and check them all out! So, let's get on with this week's Creative Confetti and....

HOW TO PLAY: Well happy stampers, it is just as easy as the graphic says! Just take a little hop through our release week and if you stumble upon a card or technique that inspires you, use it as a launching pad to create a card in your own stamping space!

I know that I have been more than inspired this past week! There have been so many cool techniques showcased that I thought I would share a few as potential inspiration points for YOU!

DID YOU SEE? 

Ardyth Percy-Robb had a great video and post HERE on spotlight stamping! Why not try to put an image in the spotlight and use her creation as inspiration?

Sally Allnock created a handful of monochromatic creations that are jaw dropping! Check them out HERE and, who knows, maybe they will help spark inspiration in one of your future creations! 

Therese Calvird created a buzz with her creation by using just one image and one bold sentiment! She just did a little turn, stamp and repeat! Here's a peek below but if you want a little more in the way of details, just click HERE! 

And, last but not least, this grouping of cards really knocked my socks off with their crisp and clean simplicity. In fact,I didn't get to make a sample for this challenge but I am thinking this one below might be my inspiration! Kelly Griglione created interest by masking off a section of her card -- just enough space to add a sentiment. All I have to say is WOW! I love this look. So clean and classy! 

So, there you have it, folks! TONS of inspiration for you! We hope you take a trip back through this week's blog rolls in search of a fun technique, a cool layout or a fun color combo and be inspired! Once you find that dose of inspiration, simply create and then link up your creation below! 

Being that this is the first challenge of July, we do need to take a break and put all the names of those happy stampers who played along with us during the month of June and draw a lucky name! After all the names were thrown into the virtual hat, random.org drew this number....

And that means the winner is.....

**** KATHY ASPER ****

Kathy is a stamper who I love to call "prolific!" She creates -- it seems -- non stop! Every time I visit her blog, I see a half dozen new creations all handmade with love and creativity! Take a look at her winning creation below! Cute, huh? Don't you love the sentiment and the creativity behind it? I sure do!

Kathy, to claim your prize and a $25 shopping spree to the Power Poppy Shop, all you need to do is email us at bloom@powerpoppy.com and we'll get your winning code right to you! Congrats! 

And that, my friends, is it! We hope you take a little trip, get inspired and then create to your hearts desire! Don't forget to share because each and every entry gets thrown into the hat for a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop -- so get those fingers inky, will you?

Until next time!

~Julie 

p.s. Did you see if you comment on all the blog links HERE you also get a chance at winning a $25 Power Poppy gift code as well as $25 to the Ellen Hutson Shop? FUN STUFF FOLKS! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter