Inspire Me Monday - Happy Accidents

GOOD MORNING POWER POPPY FANS! This is Nancy Sheads and I’m back today with another coloring video for Inspire Me Monday. This time I’m featuring the Go Wild Stamp Set by Power Poppy. The set includes the three vignettes as shown as well as a variety of birthday related sentiments.

When I first started coloring I watched a lot of videos and to be honest I was pretty frustrated by them. The videos were sped up so much that it was hard to follow anything technique wise. Or they were so heavily edited that you didn’t see any mistakes. Learning to color is a process and as a student it sometimes helps to see the stops and starts, do overs, and decisions made along the way to the end result.

So today I’m showing you a first attempt at coloring this image so that you the process warts and all. The video is slightly sped up, but not so fast that you can't follow what's happening. You’ll also see that I used a lot of markers as I kept experimenting to get the colors, depth, and saturation that I wanted. 

If I were teaching this stamp set in a class, I would have colored it several times so my students would see the pared down marker list rather than all of the experimentation. Out of consideration for my students, I try to limit the number of markers required for class so I end up repeating the same color combinations from class to class so that my students don't have to buy so many markers to participate.

But when left to my own devices, I'll use several BV markers to help add depth or layer multiple light BG, B, BV and even RV markers in backgrounds to help pop areas forward and push others back. I'm comfortable with my markers thanks to hours of practice. But I also remind my students that I'm not teaching paint by number. I want them to learn to how to adjust and refine their coloring rather than blindly following the teacher.

So here's this week's video, warts and all. Sometimes I get a little carried away with flicking, causing the camera to shake. Sometimes I realize that I missed an area and have to go back and add color. Sometimes I have re-evaluate something I already colored and make adjustments. And sometimes I just have to pause and think about where I'm going and how I'm going to get there.

Creativity is a process. But like Bob Ross said, "There are no mistakes. Just happy accidents."

Here's this week's happy accident.

Thanks for joining me today! Be sure you check out my Power Poppy coloring videos on YouTube.

See you again soon and stay safe!

** Nancy **

Creative Confetti: Hues to Use!

Hello all and happy Tuesday! When I first started ushering in Tuesday challenges, you might remember, it was all about color! We would scroll through Marcy's Instagram feed and choose photos that prompted a color inspiration. Remember Hues to Use? Well if you are ever in need of a palette, you can just click HERE for the full archive of every H2U challenge! Being that I am feeling a little nostalgic today, I thought I would bring back this challenge for a day!

HOW TO PLAY: Simply be inspired by my curated color cues below! Just that simple!

Here's a peek at the color combo! 

My family and I were out at our minor league baseball field catching the Billings Mustangs in action when this sunset played across the sky. It was breathtaking yet fleeting but thankfully, I had my phone and grabbed a snap!

And here's a look at my creation! 

You can see the base color scheme above! I used Power Poppy's Go Wild clear stamp set and then colored it all up with a mix of Copic Markers. I used RV32 and RV34 for the pink flower. The greens were YG03, YG24 and G20. And, the water was a mix of BG0000, BG0000, BV0000, and BV00. The window panes were brought to life with B60 and B63. You can't see in the photo above but I added some R0000 and V0000 along with BV00 around the edge of my image for some depth. 

You can see it a little better below! 

And, here's a peek inside. I used Ranger Cool Peri ink to add a little floral bit at the top and the bottom. The sentiment is also from the Go Wild stamp set! 

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!

Well, my sweet stamping friends, I hope you play along with me this week! Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time!
~Julie 

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Thank Goodness it's FRI-YAY!!!!!

Hello, sweet peeps! What's going on in your neck of the woods? We here at Power Poppy are jam-packed with good vibes so get ready for a fast moving, high powered, combustion of creativity with the latest edition of....

With the official first day of spring just a week away, I have the FEEE-VAH folks -- a bit of spring fever! That's why when I was strolling through my Instagram feed, my heart skipped a beat with this one by Karen HERE using Power Poppy's stamp set Go Wild. Don't you just love the huge blast of color and the clean design?  I sure do! Good vibes Karen -- Good Vibes! 

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love progress shots showing coloring in action. They all remind me of my "happy place," when I can take a deep breath, grab my favorite coloring medium and... color. So, that's why I picked this little snapshot HERE by Kathy Jones using Power Poppy's Graceful Still Life.  Ahhh... love! I can't wait to see how Kathy finishes up this little colorful wonder!

Good Vibe #3 is all about the Power Pup! It's been a bit since we've seen the notorious Mr. Tibbs in action. This one shows him out with one of his fearless leaders, Doug. I am not sure which is more regal, the rich-in-history St. Louis statue in Forest Park... or the four-legged gentleman Mr. Tibbs! I don't know about you but I just really wish I could crash through the computer screen to get a little cuddle from the Power Pup himself!

Tomorrow is the big day when we can pretend that we are all a wee bit Irish! So, why not let the luck 'o the Irish rule the day and snap up one of Power Poppy's luck-inspired digital stamp sets??? Did you see this lovely set  --- Wish You Luck --- is on sale now through tomorrow for just a buck and 25 cents? Yep, you heard me right -- $1.25! You can't even buy a coffee for that! Hit the Power Poppy Shop before the sale ends on this digi designed to bring nothing but good vibes!! And, if you're looking for some ways to use this fun stamp set, Ally did a video showing how she colored up this set and even has a schnazzy little Irish tune underneath her coloring tutorial! Click HERE to check it out!

 

This last little snippet just made me happy at first sight. Look at that little baby succulent. It appears as if it is just "reaching" for the sunshine to soak it all in! Christine Okken shot this little guy, who just happens to be hers. So, soak up the happy and reach for the sunshine in your own lives -- #moregoodvibes! 

Well sweet peeps -- how's that for some good vibes? Hopefully, you'll leave here smiling just a little bit more than you were before you came this way! 

We have a few... just for YOU!  First up, have you checked out our monthly Power & Spark Challenge? This one is hosted by the fabulous Ally Cope! All you need to do is dig into your fabric stash and be... inspired! Check out the challenge HERE that could send you to the Power Poppy Shop as the winner of a $50 Shopping Spree! Yipppppeeee! 

And, of course, you can always get in on the action with our weekly Hues to Use. This week, we pulled the lid off on a new trio of colors that are springy and fun and just begging to be used the next time you hit your crafting space! Click HERE to see for yourself!

And fine folks, it's that time when we turn things over to the ever-fabulous Bloomies, who would love nothing more than for you to hop on over to their place on the web to see what beautiful things they've whipped up to share with YOU!

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Julie Koerber

Katie Sims

Stacy Morgan

Tosha Leyendekker

Thanks for popping in! Enjoy your weekend and we'll be back here real soon to share a little kick of creativity to brighten your day!

~Julie 

Talented Peeps A Plenty!

Hello Peeps! Is it FRIDAY already? What a treat! I always love this day because honestly, with all the beauty in blog land, I see these creations and just want to spend the rest of the weekend in my happy place coloring and creating!! Oh, you card makers inspire! 

First up, we are on the final day of our way fabulous sale for all you lovers of our Instant Garden, a.k.a. our digital stamp line. Check it out — use code COLORMEHAPPY for 25% off your purchase of digital stamps:

Now that we got this fabulous housekeeping note in, it's time to unleash some excitement that we found the web this week! You better buckle up because man, oh man, do we have quite the ensemble of creative peeps to showcase! 

SHALL WE BEGIN?

Maggie sure has been busy with the Daily Marker's 30 Day Coloring Challenge and -- she has put Power Poppy in the spotlight more than a few times! This image from the Power Poppy set Go Wild caught my attention because I just love the sweet way she colored it up! But, she also has an amazing creation using the rose image from this set -- click HERE to see. 'Whoa!' is all I have to say about both of them!

Spring is surely in the air with this clean and classy wonder done by the hands of Meg Shea!  I just love this time of year when the flowers we stamp can match the flowers that we are starting to see sprout out in real life yards and garden spaces! Meg used Power Poppy's new stamp set Natural Beauties for this one. If you want to get a real chuckle check out her IG post HERE to see one of the side effects of getting her fingers inky! I can honestly say, in my 17 years of stamping, I have never pulled off a feat like that! HA! 

Goodness gracious -- would you check out this eye-popping, jaw-dropping creation from Gloria Stengel? The robust reds and vivid yellows just make my heart sing with "happy!" Gloria used the Power Poppy digital stamp set Tulips in Hobnail Pitcher to whip up this pure delight for the eyes! 

Karen Wallace fashioned a card that is positively pretty in purple! I love the depth in Karen's coloring and that pop of blue is just the perfect touch! Just in case you were wondering, Karen used Power Poppy's digital stamp set called Everything's Rosy! 

And if that inspiration just isn't enough, why not click on over to see THIS CARD by Emily White -- such a breath of spring! Or, you could also hop on over and leave a little love in the form of a comment to Nancy for THIS card. Or, pop in and see THIS vibrant beauty by Patti Willey! Goodness sakes alive -- so much inspiration out there folks! I honestly could go on with about a dozen other links!

BUT...... WE HAVE MORE EXCITEMENT TO SHARE TODAY! In just a matter of days, a brand new member of our Instant Garden will be rearing it's pretty little face -- just in time to share a little spring! I couldn't resist sharing a little sneaky peek! While this image below is probably less than 10% of the overall image, it is even stunning in my humble opinion. So, my digital gardeners -- mark your calendar for April 5th and know Marcella has another beautiful bunch of blossoms that you will soon be able to color up with reckless abandon!

And on that fine and beautiful note, it's time to stalk the Bloomies to see what fun ways they've put the creative sides of their brain to use!

Stacy Morgan

Tosha Leyendekker

And that, my friends is it for us today! We hope you leave with so much mojo that you just can't contain yourselves!! ;-) Coming up Monday, more creative influence is headed your way. Why? We will have a very special guest in the house! Mindy Baxter of "My Creative Scoop" will be hosting another episode of Inspire Me Monday... so you will definitely want to tune back in to see what she's whipped up to help you kick off your creative week!

See you then!
~Julie

It's Bloomie Friday!

Happy Friday Y’all! It's time for another fun-filled episode of Bloomie Friday! That's what I am going to affectionately call today since we love to share the parade of projects whipped up by the clever and artistic hands of our Bloom Brigade each Friday. It’s a great end to the work week and a great kick start to your creative weekend! 

Speaking of creativity, we love to scour the web looking for the latest Power Poppy inspiration dreamt up by YOU -- our Power Poppy Peeps. And, dear stamping friends, this one by Becky Egecrone caught our eye with not only her fantastic use of pattern but her oh-so-sweet coloring and fabulous zig-zag stitched layout. LOVE! 

Just in case you wondered, Becky used Power Poppy’s charming set titled Go Wild. She also decked it out with some colored pencils and mineral spirits for that perfect blend! Ohhhh la la! 

Before we move on to our Bloomies, did you see we kicked off a new challenge last week? Check it out folks!

HOW TO PLAY: All September long, share your gifts from the heart and showcase ways you might creatively package up goodies, adorn them with stamped tags, or set them in handmade bags or boxes. Have a fun gift card holder? Share it! This Power and Spark Challenge is all about your creative gift presentations or handmade gifts! Show your art.... and your heart!

As the entries start to come in, we immediately fell in love with this one from Nancy Kirk. Not only do we love the embossed handmade box annd bow, but that tag in wintery blues and cardinal reds just POPS! I wonder what kind of fun trinkets she'll tuck inside! ;-)

Why not join Nancy in this challenge and show us your ideas for using a little stamping on your next gift? You can read up on all the Official Rules and link your creation right here on THIS CHALLENGE POST. The winner will get a choice of a free or digital stamp set from the Power Poppy Shop! Who wouldn't want that? Contest runs through September 30th at 8PM EST. 

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for -- our Bloom Brigade Parade! Go check out what these lovlies have been up to and don't forget to say “hi” while you're there!

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Julie Koerber

Stacy Morgan 
Leslie Miller

Thanks for sharing a bit of your day with us! Be sure to tune in on Monday when Ally Cope joins us for another edition of Inspire Me Monday! See you back here then!

~Julie

Foraging for flowers, fruit, and fun

Good day to you! Thanks for stopping by during our release week previews for June’s Cultivate Love Collection. I so hope you’ve been soaking up the sneak peaks and marvelous cards from the Bloom Brigade. Those ladies show off my work with such diverse talent and skill, beauty, creativity, and loving words—it’s a celebration every day of the release and I appreciate each of them SO VERY MUCH! (Where’s that little heart-shaped emoji thingamabob when you need it?!) So far we’ve shared a burst of bold beauty from tissue-papery Poppies, and the sweet country charm of an herb garden in Sage Advice.

Today we’re showcasing a stamp set that celebrates the simple beauty of flowers and foraged finds arranged in different vessels. This set has a little of everything: wildflowers, roses, herbs, berries on the vine, and, well, let’s just take a look behind the images, back to the seed of inspiration.

Many of you know by now: I crave the energy and ideas available to all of us from the natural world. Sometimes, that means dropping everything to run outside to soak up my surroundings and then conjure arrangements, vignettes, and scenes for you to stamp (or in some cases, print out) and color. We’ve talked about how soothing and joyful that experience can be — for me as an artist, and I hope for YOU as an artist!

Of course, admiring flora and fauna outdoors is one thing. But what about when you snip a few sprigs and bring them indoors to enjoy? And what if you place the foraged goodies into quirky containers? Above, the kitchen windowsill was the perfect perch for a sunflower the kids grew from seed, plunked into a vintage Gemco vinegar bottle. (By the way, even the stopper/top of that bottle is pretty cool, it’s bright green! I had it cozied up to the base of the bottle so it wouldn’t feel left out.)

Snapped these fresh white, perfectly perfect daisies a few days ago at Shaw Nature Preserve. Fear not, I don’t ever pluck flowers from the wild or from other people’s gardens. But I do photograph them like a madwoman. I wonder if they see me coming at them like a nature paparazzi.

At the OK Hatchery Feed & Garden shop the other day, I couldn’t help but notice this jumbo glazed pot just overflowing with strawberries! Do the arching stems of strawberries remind you of a certain digital stamp set we introduced last year? Hmmm.....

Did you know that before blueberries are blue, they are gorgeously green? And on this specimen, they are chalky blue-green with rosy pink, purple, blue, chartreuse.... I mean, they are like the ultimate berries! Had no idea they could be this cool until I came upon this developing fruit during one of my jaunts. These blueberry bushes happen to live in the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

What do all of these random pix have to do with one another? Well, I’ve brought together snippets of nature’s fine offerings and arranged them in a birthday-and-friendship-sentiment set called Go Wild. Check it out:

Go Wild can be as wild or as tame as you want it to be! As a fan of the windowsill garden-snip gallery (that is, taking whatever breaks off when you’re outside weeding, the extra fronds from your pruning, or just to showcase a gorgeous bloom that might otherwise go unheralded), I have THREE unique images that will offer loads of cardmaking and coloring possibilities!

The main windowsill image has a mishmash of repurposed bottles (I can’t be the only one who has so many of these things I refuse to get rid of, as they make the perfect vessels!), and these bottles hold single rose, a cutting of scented geranium that’s already started to root (they DO start almost immediately, it’s fascinating!), a few Coreopsis (the beautifully nicknamed “tickseed”... can we see somebody about getting that name changed?), and finally, a stalk of bushy basil in flower.

Of course, we all know that YOU can make these foraged snippings into whatever the heck you want!

Another Go Wild image that you’ll see today in our designers’ feeds features blueberries (that we now know don’t HAVE to be blue!) with a mix of flowers in a Mason jar. The other day I saw a tea towel that was fancifully handlettered with the words: Everything’s cuter in a Mason jar. Amen to that! Bring on the cuteness, we can’t get enough. Ever. Never enough.

And lastly... if you were a fan of our Arranging Roses digital image, and have been hoping it would someday come out in clear, well, your wait is over! The roses and strawberries are ready to be inked up and stamped (well, they will be after June 8th), and this version has the tiny fallen petals as their own little stamps, so you can make a background or an accent, or whatever you fancy.

Paired with lots of sentiments for birthdays and friendship, you really can’t go wrong with this one!

OK, enough talking, and on to the Bloom Brigade’s parade of beauty and bounty!

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

I know it seems crazy, but we still have TWO MORE SETS to reveal over the next two days. And I know tomorrow’s set is going to be an eye-opener, it’s different from anything else we have in the store... are you up for a wild ride that has nothing to do with wildflowers? :)