Inspire Me Monday: The Flower Bomb (that nearly bombed!)

 

WELCOME BACK FRIENDS! I'm here today with a project that almost didn't happen. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Yet somehow I'm here with a card that turned out just fine. 

OK - so first let me tell you the card. It features a detail from the Flower Bomb Digital Stamp with a sentiment from In Praise of Sunflowers (now retired). 

So right about now I would be telling you about the coloring video I created for you. Or I would be if the camera hadn't shifted the exposure so that all you could see was - well, nothing! So no process photos, no witty commentary on what I did, and no opportunity to dazzle you with my technique. Instead, here's the list of markers I used. 

Next problem -- the layout I had in mind just didn't work. The papers that I had selected didn't enhance the colored image and the whole thing just looked over engineered. Sometimes the card you see in your mind's eye is much better than reality. The original image that I colored was actually a bit bigger so I trimmed it down a bit and set off to create a simpler card design.

However, that involved trying to select a new set of design papers. I could have gone with a white background except that I used X-Press It paper for the image and it has a gray tinge that looks odd against really white paper. None (and I do mean none) of my solid card stock coordinated with the marker colors I used. The B60s are hard to match with cardstock so I thought it would be easier to coordinate greens and pinks for the background. 

I created a lovely stenciled background using a pale pink cardstock, a brocade stencil, and texture paste. But apparently there was a bit of black ink somewhere on the stencil that transferred into a portion of the paste so that area of the design was now dark gray. No worries! I applied white embossing powder and heat set it after the texture paste was fully dry. 

And voila! A beautiful background that STILL didn't work with my colored image. Back to the drawing board. Or more accurately, at this point, it was late in the evening so I just went to bed!

The next morning, now refreshed and renewed, I announced that I was going to my studio and would not emerge until I had a completed card. My loving husband decided to bring me a light breakfast for sustenance - an English muffin with strawberry jam. Breakfast also included a beverage which turned out to be sangria because my husband -- who doesn't drink -- thinks you can use it as a substitute when you're out of orange juice. And while I didn't drink the sangria, the ensuing laughter seemed to break my design block and a card finally emerged.

Notice that I found a purplish-blue paper for the background! And while it's not the card design that I started with, I think that it's now even better. Sometimes you just have to jump through ALL the hoops to get to where you need to be in the end.

Don't forget! If you are new to digital images, we've got you covered. Check out this DIGITAL TUTORIAL by Julie Koerber with creative tips for working with our digital images as well as this step-by-step tutorial by the Bloom Brigade’s Allison Cope for working with digital images using GIMP, a free downloadable photo-editing program. And I have a YouTube video showing show I use Microsoft Word to print out digital images.

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

Nancy

Inspire Me Monday: Make it like Batik!

Hi all and welcome to another Inspire Me Monday with yours truly.... Julie! I have a fun and quick little tutorial today that was sparked by a freebie I got! Not too long ago, I replaced my inkjet printer. Well, in the box was a stack of 4 by 6" photo paper. I set it aside not really knowing what I would do with it and then, I remembered a fun technique I learned FOREVER ago. I'll use that paper to give it a try again! I call it the Batik Background technique but I just made that name up. I know there has to be an official name for it. 

What got me thinking about this technique is this fabric....

I had it pulled out because I was on a mask-making frenzy, sewing to outfit my family and my friends. I was basically throwing masks and whoever might want/need one! ;-) I love, love, love Batik fabric. Okay, now that' you've seen my inspiration, let's get to what I created using that freebie photo paper! 

Aren't these colors so vibrant and fun? I love how the photo paper really soaks in the ink and never seems to dull! 

So, I started by stamping my image onto the photo paper using Versamark ink. You can use any clear pigment ink. Way back when, they taught you to use clear embossing ink. For my samples, I did hit my paper with an embossing fun to make sure the ink was set and dry. 

For this first card, I used the Power Poppy clear stamp set called Poppies! 

Now comes the fun part. Since batik isn't a blended fabric that moves easily from one color to the next, I had to remind myself of this and just go for a more rough, less blended look. So, this is what I did....

I literally did an old school direct to paper technique and rubbed my ink pad over my paper. As you can see below, the results look rough, but that's the beauty of it! 

When you are done adding color, just wipe off the paper with a dry and clean paper towel to remove any excess ink that might just be sitting on the surface. As you can see, the Versamark ink resisted the ink perfectly and beautifully! Look at that rich color! 

And here's a peek at the ink pads I used for this version...

And here's a peek at the finished card! The sentiment was heat embossed and I used the stamp set Loving Tulips. 

And, since I was having so much fun, I decided to make two more cards! This next one, I used these colors, and the stamp set Folk Heart.

And here's a peek at the final card! Bling had to be added... of course! ;-)

And, here's a look at the third one! For this card, I used the same colors of ink as my first card, I just didn't use that much of the barn red ink. The stamp set here was In Praise of Sunflowers. 

And... here's the finished card! For the sentiment, I used the "hello" from the Loving Tulips set and then accented by cutting it out using the coordinating die.  And, loved adding a little bling to the exclamation point! 

So friends, if you have some Versamark, photo paper and fun inks, you can do this! I hope you give it a try because it creates very, very vivid creations in a jiffy! I had fun making these and I didn't even get my fingers TOO inky! ;-)

Thanks for stopping by!

Creative Confetti: Make It Your Way!

Hello all and happy Tuesday! Are you ready for a one-of-a-kind challenge, catered just to YOU? Not sure what I mean? Well, you are about to find out and it is super fun! Let's get right into it, shall we?

HOW TO PLAY: I had some fun creating a key and all you have to do is answer the questions and create accordingly! What will be super fun is the fact that no two cards will be based on the same key! Isn't that fun?

And, here's your creative key! 

So.... in order to play along in this challenge, all you need to do is follow the key. Find your birth month and then use your initials to determine what colors you'll use to create! Just that simple!

On to my creation!

Since I was born in November and J and K are my initials, I knew I needed a "thank you" card made in shades of yellow! So, here goes...

I love the sunshine feel of this image from Power Poppy called Sunflower Power. It is a digital stamp set but, if you are a clear stamp lover, you can find this image in the In Praise of Sunflowers stamp set as well! 

I colored the main image with Copic markers and chose Y02, Y08, Y35, Y38 to color up the flower. E53, E55, E57 and E59 to color the center and then YG03 and YG06 to color up the little leaf. When I was done, I thought it looked really stark but wanted to do something different for my background. I know many stampers use watercolor to flick on accents of color. I thought, why not use a reinker instead and use a Copic solution? As you can see, I took a palette and dropped some color from a BG10 and BG000 reinker. 

Well, here's the deal. This works, but you use a lot of solvent in the process. My paintbrush soaked up the ink drops like the bristles were the Sahara desert and I needed to add MORE reinker. I did flick on some color as you can see below but, it ended up fading quite a bit when it dried. Also, my image must not have been fully dry because parts of my flower look blue. Oh well, it was worth a try and the result wasn't SO bad that I wanted to scrap it altogether! 

Since I was following this challenge, I added this little sentiment on the inside. It's not your typical thank you card but it does share a note of gratitude and so... it fits the bill!

From there, I matted up my image using yellow and splashes of black, adding a sentiment that was part of a decorative paper pack. I attached it using foam tape and then set it on top of some twine that I wrapped around my main image. And... ta da! 

Here's one last peek at my finished card!

And that, my friends, is it! Want to join me this week? Simply use the key above to create -- HAVE FUN -- 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!

Until next time!

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Creative Confetti: Silver & Gold & more!

Hello all! As I was getting ready for this week's challenge, I actually went through all of the old Creative Confetti Challenges just to make sure I was "keeping it fresh!" ;-) Can you believe this is our 52nd challenge together? Yes! We've been doing this a whole year and I couldn't be having more fun! One challenge that I thought might get quite a few of you to give a try is the one I came up with for today! Who loves to add a little glitz to their cards in the hues of silver, gold, or even copper? Then, my friends, this challenge is just for YOU!

No real explanation here folks! Just use a metallic paper, an embellishment, emboss it, add a metallic ribbon -- you just need something on your card or creation that has a metallic glint to it!
On to my creation! 

I know that it was just a few weeks ago that I said I was not ready to move on from summer and yet, here I am! Making a fall-themed card! There is something about sunflowers that just makes me sigh. Who's with me??? Anyone? I just love the rich colors and how wild and free these florals tend to be. If I were a flower, I would want to be a sunflower for sure. :-)

I started this creation by stamping the bouquet from In Praise of Sunflowers by Power Poppy using Memento Rich Chocolate ink. I then went in and colored all the petals using pretty much every orange and yellow Copic marker I own! I know it might look like I used just a handful of colors but I really tried to make each flower look a little unique. I used YG91, YG93 and YG95 to color the greenery and then used shades of BV to color the vase. Around the outer edges of my flowers I used V0000 and V01 to add a little shading. You can't really see it, but it's there! And then, I used BV20 to "ground" my image and add a little shading under my vase. 

So, where's the metallic? It's in my background. And... it's in the fun little embellishment anchored by some rustic twine. See?

I just love those little embellishments. Can you believe I have owned them for more than 10 years at least? I bought this little tin at, of all places, Walmart, in the scrapbooking area forever ago and I pull one out every few years! But, I love having this kind of embellishment on hand. They don't take up much room and are fun to dig into just when you need that special embellishment!

One more thing before I let you go! You might be able to see the background peeking out behind my main image. I really didn't let a ton of it show but if you "stay tuned," next Monday on Inspire Me Monday I will be showing you a handful of fun backgrounds to create using out of the ordinary methods! So, you'll want to join me!

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by y'all! I hope you have a fabulous week and remember, to play along, all you need to do is create, link up your creation below and then, once a month, we draw one random and lucky stamper to win $25! Can't wait to see what you come up with.  

DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR AN UPCOMING CHALLENGE? Email me at juliekoerber@gmail.com and fill me in! If your idea is used, we'll honor you on our blog for the week! 

Until next time!
~Julie 

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Inspire Me Monday - Paint for fun!

Hey everyone! Jessie here with you today! For this Monday, I decided just to play. No pressure, no real project. Just me, some of my favorite paints and stamps, and some new paper!
.
If you came to see the amazing Kathy Racoosin, she will be back next week!

I did record a complete process of this one! Using the In Praise of Sunflowers stamp set! 

Thanks so much for stopping by,
Hugs
Jessie

Creative Confetti: Sketch It Out!

Hello all!  Since today is the last Tuesday for this month's challenge, I thought I'd try to start a bit of a trend -- let's see if I remember to keep it going! ;-) I thought I'd make this week's challenge all about the sketch! If you didn't know it, I love, love, love sketches! So, why not make it a regular feature here on Creative Confetti?

HOW TO PLAY: Use the sketch below to create. Just that simple! Here's the fun part -- you can flip the sketch any which way. Use it upside down, on its side, the world is your oyster! If you like, you can also change the shape up a bit -- just don't change it so much that we can't really tell that you used the sketch for inspiration! ;-)

And, here's a peek at my creation! I do have a confession to make. This creation is one that I previously posted on my blog. Yes, my silly little craft room move is STILL ongoing. You'll have to stay tuned to my blog in the coming weeks for a reveal. ALSO... I would absolutely love it if, in the comments section here, you could share some of your favorite organizational tips. I am going to be organizing things out of boxes here shortly and am somewhat lost.

On to my creation! 

Like I said, this one was created by me a while back but is still one of my favorites. I love the angles, the colors and, of course, the image, which is from Power Poppy's So Grateful stamp set. The little sentiment on the flag is from the In Praise of Sunflowers stamp set.

After stamping, I colored everything up with Copic markers. I started with the bluish purple flowers and grabbed B60, B63 and I blended with V01 and V0000. The centers were done with Y15, Y35, and YR09. The berries were colored with R24 and R39. The dahlias were a bit more intense when it comes to color. I moved from YR00, YR04, YR07, R14 and then I blended some of the flower with Y02 and Y11. The leaves were colored with G21, G24, YG00 and G20 and accented a bit with a wee bit of rust. I honestly don't remember what shade I grabbed, however. I added some shading with YR0000 and YR00. I also accented a bit with the help of a white gel pen.

Here's a close up....

And that, my friends, is it! Now it's your turn to take this sketch and make it your own! Can't wait to see what you come up with! Don't forget to link up your creation below once you do create because... as we always say... each and every link up is one more chance to win a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop! Who wouldn't want to win that? 

Happy Creating!

~Julie

a.k.a. Creative Confetti Thrower

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Inspire Me Monday: The Best of FALL!

Well folks, we are now a few days into one of the most colorful seasons of the year -- my personal favorite -- Autumn! And, what better time to pull out the orange, crimson and amber shades of decorative paper, ribbon and buttons than now! We thought since we are fresh into fall, it would be fun to comb through the Inspire Me Monday archives to find some of the best tutorials that truly capture this beautiful time of year.

ARE YOU READY FOR OUR TOP 5?

5. Sunflower Spinner! 

Click on over to Ally Cope's tutorial where she puts the spin on one of our favorite harvest time blossoms (Sunflower Power) with a truly unique and fall-themed spinner card! 

4. Dimensional Wonder 

Have you ever used embossing paste? Well, Christine brings out the feel of fall with this beautiful background and then puts a gorgeously colored autumn scene on display! (So Grateful) Psst. if you like this image in clear, I have a little hint for you... you might want to check back for tomorrow's digital stamp set release. Yep, that was a hint! ;-) 

3. Ink Smash! 
Sometimes, we just gotta get messy and let that vibrant color take over. That's exactly what Dina Kowal did with this fun technique called Ink Smash. Click the link and you'll even find a video showing you a step-by-step video giving you all the deets you need to pull off this look with Power Poppy's Sunny Harvest set. 

2.  Coloring Up Fall
Colorista Mindy Baxter shows us exactly how to color up these fall fruits in rich hues using Copic Markers. Cue up this tutorial, grab your markers, your Fall Haul digi stamp if you have it and a cuppa your favorite beverage and that's what I call a great way to spend an afternoon!

1. Chalkboard Sunflowers
Use the trendy look of chalkboard behind your digital stamps in this ab fab video by Ally Cope. She used a chalkboard design behind Power Poppy's Sunflower Power image, but honestly, if you follow the tutorial, you can add all kinds of patterns behind any one of Power Poppy's digital stamps. This, my friends, is one of those "can't miss" tutorials! We happen to love it now because of it's fall flair!

We hope you've enjoyed this "Best Of Inspire Me Monday," and we hope you found some inspiration! Sometimes, you just need to scroll through past tutorials to realize how many there are in the Power Poppy archives that maybe you didn't try yet or really need to try again!

Have a wonderful week everyone! Be sure to tune back in tomorrow for another Instant Garden release. I can't wait to see what new image "sprouts" in the Power Poppy Shop! 

Until next time!
~Julie 

September Power & Spark Challenge: Get Krafty!

Hi all and happiest of Fridays to you! Goodness -- are you ready already for a brand new challenge designed to bring a little design power thanks to a creative spark? We sure are and today, the ever-so-talented Christine Okken is challenging us to....

HOW TO PLAY: Dig deep into that paper stash and pull out your kraft colored cardstock! That's all you need to succeed in this fun-filled challenge! Here's what Ms. Christine has to say about this month's Power & Spark challenge...

“With summer winding down in the Northern Hemisphere, let’s get warm and cozy by creating with Kraft card stock as our stamping/colouring layer!”

Well, I personally can't wait! I've already printed off some fun new digis on kraft cardstock just to get ready! Hopefully, I'll be able to share my endeavors next week on my blog! Until then, if you need some creative inspiration, Christine has a heavy dose of that for you! 

It looks like Christine sure had fun with Power Poppy's stamp set In Praise of Sunflowers, don't you think? Not only did she color this up in breathtaking fashion, check out the texture she added thanks to a wood-grain embossing folder! If you'd like the specific deets on how she created this beauty, be sure to stay tuned for our Bloomie link list later in this post! 

Meantime, we can't wait to see you get those fingers inky as you join us in this month's Cozy Krafty Coloring Challenge! If you are our lucky winner in our random drawing, you'll win a....

$50 SHOPPING SPREE AT THE POWER POPPY SHOP! 

THE OFFICIAL RULES:

• Use Power Poppy stamps if you have them. If not, it is a great way to win some! 
• Link your creation below using our Linky (please use the exact URL from your post instead of a generic blog address.)
• Please mention Power Poppy in YOUR blog or gallery post with a link back to THIS challenge!
• The winner will receive a $50 SHOPPING SPREE TO THE POWER POPPY SHOP! 
• Enter as many cards as you’d like, as long as they fit the theme of the challenge!
• Deadline to enter is September 30th @ 8:00 PM EST. At that point, we’ll draw the winner randomly and make the announcement right here on the first Friday in October.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So, drum roll please, time now to draw that winning name from our August Power & Spark Mix & Match Challenge! If you didn't traipse through the link list to check out all the entries. WOW! You need to-- just click HERE to see for yourself! There was some intense talent this past month! 

Moving on, we have a winning name to draw from our July Power & Spark Challenge! After random.org put all of the names in the virtual hat, the number drawn was...

That means our lucky winner was....

JANE CRISCI!!!

I think the Power Poppy Power Puppy Mr. Tibbs pulled some strings with random.org to get this number to pop up -- just so he could get some extra play. As you might remember, we featured Jane's artistry last week on our Good Vibe 5! Well, here's an instant replay for you, thanks to Jane's good fortune! ;-) Jane, can you leave a note in the comment section to let us know how if you drew that Corgi or if he was a digital stamp as well? Inquiring minds (mainly mine) would love to know! Just for the record, Jane also used Power Poppys Easy Breezy Coneflowers digital stamp set! 

CONGRATS JANE! You've won a $50 Shopping Spree! Contact us at bloom@powerpoppy.com and we'll send you your shopping code!

With all of that color bursting forth today, time now to turn things over to some of the most talented card designers in all of blog land!

Stop by, say “hi” and see what these fine ladies have been up to this week!

Cindy Lawrence

Christine Okken

Julie Koerber

And, be sure to stop back by on Monday when one of my favorite people on the planet joins us to host Inspire Me Monday! The fabulous Tosha Leyendekker will be in the house sharing some tips and tricks to get the most out of your digital sentiments! Woo Hoo! Can't wait! 

Speaking of can't wait, did you hear the news that Power Poppy will have a special reveal TOMORROW for the kick off of the next 30-Day Coloring Challenge with Kathy Racoosin? Yep, we sure will and man, oh man, it's a trio of beautiful designs that I know you will want to snatch up after you see what Kathy does! 

Until then, live life in full bloom! 

~Julie

An InLinkz Link-up

Sunny Fun for Hues to Use!

Hello Friends! Are you ready for a tantalizing color combo designed to help you spark a little card making, creative fun? Well, I have a trio today that has a taste of fall. I know. I know. Many of us are not even close to ready to say the word let alone think about an end to summer but Marcella's IG photo was too hysterical not to take center stage in a Hues to Use. Check it out peeps!

You might look above and say.. "Huh?" But imagine Marcy's perfect timing to snap this shot at a stop light. This was her hysterical reaction.... 

• "marcellahawleyKind of startling to be next to this bus ad at a stoplight. 🚥🦉"

Now, if that doesn't give you the giggles, I am not quite sure what will! ;-) Being that this palette is perfect for fall, I just had to grab Power Poppy's In Praise of Sunflowers for this week's little color combo! Perfect subject, don't you think?

This card is rather simple after you get the coloring wrapped! I stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and then grabbed all the rustic yellow shades of Copic that I could find. Think Y21, Y35, Y38, YR04, blended with Y00. The centers of the flowers were colored with E40, E42 and E44 as was the vase. I found this really matched the krafty brown shades perfectly! The greenery was done by reaching for some add color combos. Y03, G20 and YG67 and a little YG11 mixed in. Not sure why I grabbed those but I think it works! ;-) The shading below the vase was done with BV0000 and BV00. Add a little white gel pen and... ta da! It's a wrap! 

The matting was a breeze, I embossed some kraft card stock, found some bits of yellow decorative paper for the little sentiment flag. Added a little twine strung wooden button and... that is pretty much it! I am not sure if you go through card desiging "phases" but mine is definitely moving more toward simple card layouts. I find I enjoy the coloring part of card making so much that I really just want that to be the focus when I get around to making it up into a card! 

So, do you want to help bring this creepy owl to card making fame by using this week's Hues to Use? Simply use this color combo as inspiration for your card or creation and then link up your project below so we can all "Ooooo" and "Ahhhh!" over your card making skills! Who knows, your card might land you in the spotlight in a future "episode" of Hues. That's right. We are selecting guests hostesses based on those who play along! What fun, right?

We can't wait to see what you whip up!

~Julie 

An InLinkz Link-up