Showing posts with label Instant Gardeners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Instant Gardeners. Show all posts

Tuesday

Creative Confetti: Inspired by a Song

Happy Tuesday friends! This week's Creative Confetti is all about being inspired by song. Music plays a big part in my life and, like a lot of people, I associate certain songs with certain events or people in my life. Sometimes it's a melody that will make me think of my dad or a song title that takes me back to a summer night, the scent of lilacs moving through the air. How has the magic of song inspired you?


HOW TO PLAY: Make a card inspired by a song! Maybe the title of the song has a flower mentioned in it, maybe a certain melody reminds you of flowers received on a special date? Let your imagination run wild with this!

 On to my creation!

 I had a few ideas going through my head for this. I originally had The Rose by Bette Midler as my inspiration but then I was listening to the 60's music station on my TV when Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells came on. I absolutely love that song and it reminds me of being a kid and sitting on the stairs that led to our family room. My parents had a pool table down there and on Saturday nights they would play pool with their best friends while listening to oldies on the radio. To this day I can still picture my dad standing there with his pool stick waiting to take his shot, his head bobbing to the tunes.

 With St.Patrick's Day not too far away I decided to use the digital stamp Shamrock 'n' Roll. I'm a pretty literal person so the image is perfect for the song title plus the title of the stamp set goes nicely with the theme this week :)

 After coloring the shamrocks I decided to do the clover in pink. There is a crimson clover that is native to Europe and which has been introduced to the US but I thought that going that deep of red would make the card look too Christmassy. The pink pairs nicely with the green, giving off a nice spring feel!

I had the patterned paper in my stash and it was the perfect mix of greens to go with my image! I wanted to bring in a tad more of that pink so I die cut a panel of pink card stock and angled it underneath a piece of olive green card stock that I embossed with an argyle pattern. I printed out the sentiment from the set and then popped that up across the bottom portion of the card to complete things!

Now it's your turn Creative Confetti fans! Let's see how music inspires you!  Don't forget to link up your creation below so we can ALL see what you've whipped up and you'll be entered into our monthly drawing for a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop. You have all month to play along!

See you soon!
Lisa


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Click here to enter
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Friday

The Exciting News Keeps Coming






Yes!! We are welcoming FOUR designers to our digital design team. How exciting is that?

The Instant Gardeners usher in the Power Poppy designs we release as digital downloads. They showcase the versatility of digis and help us all see that we can use this newer media (you can download in “an instant”) in our papercrafting creations. I’m thrilled that we’ll be sharing the work of these talented, kind, and very creative ladies, and I know you will love seeing and learning from their creative styles! Without further adieu...



Hello from sunny Florida! Can you believe that Marcella has asked me to join her team? I’m a little shocked myself, but oh so EXCITED! 
So who is Catherine Anderson? The best and most important thing I can say about myself is that I am a sinner saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus! Without Him, nothing else matters. 
Growing up in the sweetest spot on earth…Prince Edward Island, Canada…I learned how to spin tales from one grandfather and how to create beauty with my hands from the other. So it is not too surprising that I became a graphic designer and freelance writer! I am privileged to be the Studio Journal Editor for Vanilla Arts Co., and the author of their website’s blog, “The Inkwell.” 
So what dragged me away from my idyllic little Island? A handsome American, named John stole my heart. Thirty-four years later of wedded bliss and I am still crazy-mad-nuts in love with this guy! (I can’t believe he hasn’t killed me after all the money I’ve spent on art supplies!) The greatest treasures we have are our son and two daughters. Together, our little family has lived in the U.S.A., Canada, Sweden and Germany.

I look forward to this new artistic journey with the Instant Gardeners of Power Poppy!
Find Catherine Anderson’s work here:


Hello, there! My name is Gloria Stengel and I am an east coast transplant to the San Diego, California area, where I've lived for the past 14 years. I have been married to Matt for 32 years and we have three (mostly) grown children. We were a homeschooling family for 18 years, but now the youngest is in college and the older two are working post-college careers. Which means I have so much more time for playing with paper!
I started rubber stamping in 1991 and scrapbooking in 1996, but have been a paper lover (and hoarder) all my life. I have been designing for scrapbooking companies, stores, and blogs since 2006, and I was lucky enough to work with some of the best companies in the business.
I try to spend time in my studio every day, even if it's just to clean and organize. My love of coloring started way back with my first 8-pack of Crayola crayons, and has morphed into a large collection of Copic markers, colored pencils, and other art media! I am thrilled to pieces to become part of the Instant Gardner Digital Stamp Release Team for Power Poppy! I have been a fan and follower for 3-4 years and look forward to all the NEW releases to come!
Find Gloria Stengel’s work here:


I have always been fascinated with paper crafting and since retiring, I had the time to continue to improve on my craft of card making. My absolute favorite is to color with Copic markers, but I love water coloring and I am working on no line coloring. We live in Wisconsin part of the year and in Florida for the other part.  My husband and I are retired, but are very active and have traveled to many places in the world. Morocco, Thailand, Egypt, Rome, Paris and London to name a few. We have 5 children and 7 grandchildren between us. When I was working, I was a nurse in the Emergency Dept. and I know how life can change in a split second. That is why I enjoy life, crafting and meeting new people and new experiences. 

My favorite saying is by Abraham Lincoln: 
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Find Barbara Campbell’s work here:


Hello there! I'm Lisa and I live in beautiful Alaska with my husband and our 4 dogs and cat. Hubby and I are empty nesters, our 4 kids are scattered across Alaska and the Lower 48. I work nights for our local school district and try and squeeze in at least an hour of crafting every day before work. I was introduced to stamping shortly before my oldest was born, almost 26 years ago! I was immediately hooked and have been doing it ever since. I'm a pretty clean and simple stamper and copics are my main coloring medium. When I'm not at work or stamping I love gardening, reading and photography, especially wildlife and landscape. I love being out in the snow and cold and watching the moose and other animals that come around.
Find Lisa Johansen’s work here:

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On Fridays we share the latest work from the Bloomies, aren’t we the luckiest? Here are a few gorgeous cards to get you inspired for the weekend:

•  Stacy Morgan  •  Christine Okken  • 

Thank you all, and again, welcome to our new design team members, I am soooo excited to get to work with you!

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A Few Exciting Announcements ...


Happy Friday, everybody!

It’s Marcella with you on a sunny morning — and I am overjoyed to share that we have two very talented women joining us as new design team members here at Power Poppy. 

With so many inspiring people designing, coloring, and creating clever cards and projects, I operate in a constant state of awe. And sometimes, when we are consistently blown away, we ask a person to join our team. The women who are joining the Instant Gardeners each bring a unique artistry, upbeat vibe, and illustrative style that makes my heart sing. I know you’ll not only enjoy seeing their cards in the coming months, but will learn a lot from them. 

Let’s raise our coffee cups and welcome these fabulous ladies! I would love for you to leave a comment below or on our Facebook or Instagram — they deserve all the claps. 


I’ve long admired Jenny Colacicco’s work, and have shared her beautiful watercolors and colored pencil creations with our readers many times. Jenny’s attention to detail and combinations of type and image are always on point. Some of her projects remind me of the illustrations in children’s books — tiny pencil strokes, washy backgrounds, delicate dots — you will pick up serious style from Jenny! Here are a few words from the artist herself:

Hi. I’m Jenny! I came from England, but I’ve called New York home since 2010 where I live with my husband and daughter. I’ve been crafting my whole life but started making cards after my move to the US. Cardmaking is my chill time after a day working in NYC. I’m inspired by everyday surroundings — life is a gift, and I love to see the beauty in everything! My coloring medium of choice is usually watercolor — you just get to let it do its thing. Aside from crafting, I love hiking with the family and watching movies. 

Find more of Jenny Colacicco’s work here:




I feel a wave of joy and wonder whenever I see the stylish coloring of Saskia van den Berk. In her clean and simple layouts, Saskia highlights the illustrations, and creates a special glow with her markers and pencils using the no-line coloring technique. This is a style that I’d love to see more people do, and I’m excited that Saskia is joining our team to help spread the word! Here are a few words direct from Saskia:

I am 50 summers old. I live in Oss, a medium-sized city in the Netherlands, with my friend Marco and our dog Morris. We have no children together, but I love to pamper my nieces and their children. I work as a Service Support Officer at Kingspan Light & Air in the village of Uden. Besides my work, colouring and cooking are my biggest hobbies. I started colouring about 25 years ago as a hobby, and for the past 6 years, I can call myself a European Copic Colouring Master. You can earn this title if you can show that you have mastered all Copic marker techniques. After my work and household, I always try to relax by colouring for an hour. I also teach colouring lessons, with both pencils and Copic markers. I like to watch movies and read, and during the weekend I cook, as I am a real lover of BBQ and smoking. We are currently building our own smoker, so we can smoke fish and meat ourselves. I am a real Burgundian, as we call it here in the Netherlands, someone who is really a real lover of good food and drinks.

Find more of Saskia van den Berk’s work here:


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But wait, that’s not all the news — on Friday we share the latest cards from the Bloomies, and these gals have fresh ideas: 

•  Stacy Morgan  •  Julie Koerber  •

PLUS.... did you see Allison Cope’s celebration of PLAID on Inspire Me Monday? Girl, if you’re making fall cards this weekend, get over there and check it out for tons of inspiration.


Thank you all, and again, welcome to our new design team members, I am soooo excited to get to work with you!

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Saturday

Digi Stamp Sale & 18 New Downloads


Storewide Digi Sale Going On Now

 I’ve created 18 unique digital downloads from stamp designs you know and love in clear polymer — AND — put the ENTIRE collection of digital images on SALE. No coupon code needed.


Come and see cards made especially for today’s Digital Blitz release by these fabulous ladies:

 Barbara Walker
Broni Holcombe
Leslie Miller
Nancy Sheads



Hope you find something that tickles your fancy!
Wishing you a gratitude-filled Memorial Day weekend.

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Instant Garden Release: Bowl of Beauty


We have a brand new digital introduction today, and it is one of my most VERY favorite images I’ve ever drawn. I hope you love it as I do. Featuring a lovely tree peony in a bouquet with ferns, Spanish bluebells, and hellebores, this one is pretty epic.

Introducing: Bowl of Beauty


Get a load of that giant flower!


So many tantalizing petals to color, arching ferns, polka dots, emerging buds.... it’s an encapsulation of spring. 


The Bowl of Beauty digital download comes with two variations — with the bouquet tucked into a café au lait bowl, and without. You also get no-line (light grey) versions of each. I just know you’ll enjoy working with this one, I’ve tried to draw this one with a great amount of “oomph”!

Come and see what our Instant Gardeners have done with it, because I am on the verge of tears looking at their beautiful work.



and special guest, the Bloom Brigade's
Allison Cope

Come and get your download RIGHT HERE and let’s spend the weekend making life a more colorful place.

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Sunday

Instant Garden January Release: My Favorite Pair


Sometimes the 15th of the month turns into the 20th of the month. 

Introducing: My Favorite Pair


Happy January! I’m super stoked to share the second image in a series I’ve been working on: bouquets nestled into vintage French café au lait bowls. The vessels are rustic and charming, with simple patterns that you can coordinate to the flower colors. My Favorite Pair is a refreshing mix, one I don’t know that you’ve seen before in an image for coloring: pears on the branch and African violets accented by meandering ribbons.


African violets (Saintpaulia) are plants native to Tanzania, but have come to be known to be wonderful, cheery windowsill plants for those of us not in tropical climates. Their color range is vast: every shade of blue, purple, magenta, pink, through to coral, white, even bright green. Their glaucous leaves have lovely indentations, and are a nice foil for the bright green, spotty flesh of our pears! There’s a lot too love about My Favorite Pair.

 The Instant Gardeners have created some GORGEOUS cards for today’s release - and will be sharing cards through to January 25th.


I want to share some inspiration images... I really do enjoy “playing” with textures, styles, and colors that I think will go well together and be lots of fun for you to work with. Here’s a little combination featuring African violets in salmon with a rosy edging — notice how you can work in a bit of a pinkish-salmon flush on the pears, and then bring in a pink tone in your café au lait bowls. The ribbon is a muted pink with tinges of pale green. I mean, come on, people, this stuff is so much fun!!



My Favorite Pair is a detailed drawing that comes both with and without my handlettered sentiments. And I’ve included light grey versions of each for “no-line” coloring.


Always remember that you can enlarge the image or crop in if it seems too daunting. That’s part of the fun of digital stamps. 

Enjoy seeing the cards of today’s release cards in their entirety — the Instant Gardener team went above and beyond.

Broni Holcombe
Cheryl Scrivens
Jennifer Dove
Leslie Miller


Thank you, than you, for your GORGEOUS WORK, ladies!

If you’re interested in taking a class RIGHT NOW featuring My Favorite Pair, you are in luck, my friends. Amy Shulke of Vanilla Arts has just launched a class sharing the fundamentals of complementary colors — and where to add those colors. 

Isn’t that fantastic?? Color along with Amy in her livestream — and get a special discount on this digital stamp. Click here for info.

 Visit us here for Inspire Me Monday hosted by yours truly. I’ll share my painted version of My Favorite Pair along with some of my favorite tips! 

 Thank you for coming by today, sweet ones. xoxoxo

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Thursday

Instant Garden November Release: Snowdrops and Tea Roses


Friends, I am seriously getting into the Holiday mood. How does one switch so quickly from fall flair to “O Tannenbaum”? 
One wakes up to a full-fledged snow day in November.

I have yet to rake the leaves, and there will be snowman-making today. Why, there is already a fire in my fireplace and hot coffee in my cup (so very grateful for both!). How about adding a cozy new digital image to download and color up during this snow day....


Introducing: Snowdrops & Tea Roses
This is the first in a new series I’ve been working on. Bouquets nestled into vintage French café au lait bowls (they are rustic and quite charming, with simple patterns and prints that you can coordinate to the flower colors!). Snowdrops and Tea Roses is a pretty arrangement that also includes Variegated Holly — which is holly with a lighter-colored edging. The effect of the lighter edging gives you a bright look rather than merely dark green.


Just look at this range of options with the hybrid tea roses, there are so many ways you can go — from pinks and peaches to rosy reds. Or how about golden yellow? Sparkling white and ivory! What if you mixed it up and had three different colors!?! The Instant Gardeners have REALLY done it up for today’s release!!


Thought I’d share a little inspiration with you here... as I’m coming up with the combinations for my florals, I really do have a ball “playing” with textures and colors that I think will go well together. I put them together in my mind, then start sketching to see how they might work...


Oh, what fun! Snowdrops and Tea Roses is a detailed drawing that comes with a light grey version for “no-line” coloring, along with two sentiments.


Always remember that you can enlarge the image or crop in if it seems too daunting. That’s part of the fun of digital stamps. 

You’ve got to see today’s release cards in their entirety — the Instant Gardener team went above and beyond.

Broni Holcombe
Barbara Walker
Cheryl Scrivens
Jennifer Dove
Jesse Banks
Leslie Miller
Nancy Sheads


Thank you, than you, for your GORGEOUS WORK, ladies!

 We will be announcing a special partnership with Kit and Clowder’s online coloring classes a bit later today. Stay tuned!

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Friday

Good Vibe WEEKEND!


Hello sweet peeps! This little post is so late this Friday that I am just going to rename today's post the....


So, sit back, relax, take a sip of your favorite beverage and get ready to be WOWED by good vibes and fun crafty stuff!


Your Good Vibe 5 Hit List

1. Giving Thanks I have to say that Stacy nailed it on the autumnal feel of her Friday creation! You'll have to hop on over HERE and see the beautiful way she used Power Poppy's Olive & Oak Expanded set. I can almost smell the spiced cider and hear the crunch of fallen leaves underfoot when looking at this beauty!

2. Colored Pencil Magic Okay, so I might just be on a fall theme kick here today but my jaw dropped when I saw this colored pencil creation from Frankie Bell. Oh. My. Gosh. Isn't it just delish? She used Power Poppy's Maize for Days digital stamp. Sigh... just too pretty. Click HERE to check it out in full glory!

3. The Sunshine of Life Want a little freebie lesson on how to color up Power Poppy's Sunflower Power digital stamp set? Well, Cynde Whitlow is doing just that! Just look at that colorful depth folks? I know... pretty amazing, right? Click HERE to check out all the deets!

4. Miraculous Mushrooms! Our own Bloomie Tosha brought out the absolute best in Power Poppy's Miraculous Mushrooms digital stamp and she did it while taking one of Jennifer Dove's Copic Bootcamps! Yes, THE Jennifer Dove who is on Power Poppy's Instant Garden team. Doesn't it just give you warm fuzzies to think of those two in a room together sharing creative vibes? Click HERE to see all of Tosh's ab fab creation!

5. Marce Hits the Bright Lights, Big City! Check out this little photo snapped by Ms. Marcella herself entering The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Solei in Vegas. Can you imagine? She'll have to jump on here and tell us all about it because it looks pretty incredible. Live shows with good friends, that is indeed a good vibe! I hope she comes back! ;-)

Now we have one more GOOD VIBE to share with you! If you didn't know it, Marcy snuck a brand new holiday image under the radar and released it earlier this week! It's called Ultimate Poinsettia, and just because I know you'll want to SEE... take a gander my friends!


If it looks familiar, you're good! You know your Power Poppy images! This absolutely breathtaking illustration was released last holiday season in clear. It's the Winter Wonderland stamp set. Well, after it's release, Marcella got note after note from digi lovers begging her to release the image in digital form. So, this Christmas, your wishes were granted! It's a bouquet with a flouncy poinsettia surrounded by anemones, pepperberries and the leaves of dusty miller. Breathe it in people!



And with every Digis on the 5s release, we have that fabulous gang of gals known as the Instant Gardeners who lend their creativity to bring these images to life! So, be sure to stop by and see the gorgeous ways they colored up Power Poppy's Ultimate Poinsettia! 

Rhea Weigand



Thanks for popping in to share in this week's Good Vibes! Ally Cope will be in the house as we kick off the week for another edition of Inspire Me Monday! You'll want to swing back by for that because, as we ALL know, that girl has mad skills!

See you then!
Julie 
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