Power Poppy - The Blog: Vibrant Thanks

Showing posts with label Vibrant Thanks. Show all posts

Tuesday

Creative Confetti: Mini Me!

Hello all and happy Tuesday! How is everyone doing this week? Here in my neck of the woods it has been a scorcher temperature-wise, so I was happy to get some time to create and stay cool and creative! Recently, I scrolled through some of my recent cards and thought about design and what I liked about certain creations and what I didn't love about others. That got me thinking about being inspired. And.... that's what helped craft the idea behind this week's Creative Confetti Challenge. Are you ready?

HOW TO PLAY: Be inspired by one of your past creations and use it to inspire a "mini" version of the original! Notice how I said, be "inspired?" If you want to get technical and create a mini layout, go for it! But, if you want to take some of the elements of the larger creation and share just a few of those on a mini card, let's see what you've got! I chose to be inspired!

Let's take a look at my creative process!

First of all, I want to share the inspiration for my mini. A few months back, I hosted the Inspire Me Monday tutorial and mashed up a few techniques to come up with what I call Embossed Silhouette. Ever since that tutorial, I've been looking for new ways to incorporate this look because it is so easy and ushers in dramatic results. So, here's a peek at some of the cards that inspired today's creation. And... HERE's a link to the original tutorial as well.

And, here's a peek at my "mini!" Instead of using the Power Poppy set Vibrant Thanks, which is currently sold out, I decided to pick one that you could actually get your hands on now! ;-) I chose the stamp set Poppies.

Instead of making a rectangle card, I decided to use some stitched circle dies to create not only my card base but the layers as well. I folded a 4" by 4" piece of black card stock and then set my die on top, leaving just a sliver of the card at the fold to keep the card's integrity and still have a circle shape. Then, I used one size smaller die for my white layer. And, I cut one smaller from that to serve as my mask so that I could sponge on that bold color.

First up, if you looked at the tutorial link, you know I stamped the poppies stamp in black ink and then colored it all up using a black marker to create a silhouette.

As you can see, I used My MISTI stamping tool to keep my circle in place because after I colored it (I didn't remove it from my MISTI), I inked up my stamp with Versamark ink and then heat embossed using white detail powder to get that detailed silhouette image. Afterward, I lined up my mask and using low tack tape, taped both the mask and the main image down real good so that it wouldn't move as I sponged on the ink. For my ink, I used Morocco and Lady Bug inks by Memento.

And then, the fun continued! Not only did I add a little pizazz to the envelope...

I added a little something extra to the inside of my mini card!

If you missed it, I also made an envelope liner using that pop of orange on the inside...

I added the "Dear Friend" sentiment from the stamp set Heart Abloom and a few iridescent sequins and.. ta da! Finished! I think it turned out so cute and you can still see the inspiration from the original creation.

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!

Until next time!

Creative Confetti: Black & White

Hi all and Happy Tuesday! If you like creating cards with a wee bit of drama, then this week's Creative Confetti is just for you! Did you see the Inspire Me Monday tutorial I posted yesterday? Well, if you missed it, you can click HERE to check it out because, my friends, this is the basis for this week's challenge!

It's all about....

HOW TO PLAY: I'm actually going to give you a couple of ways to enter this week's challenge! First, you can give my tutorial a try by following the steps HERE. Or, you can choose to design a black and white card! Just that simple!

On to my creation!

Just to give you a little bit of a glimpse into yesterday's tutorial, I showcased a super duper easy peasy way to create a graphic card with lots of visual punch! And, the MISTI stamping tool was key. If you keep your stamp positioned in this tool, it allows you to stamp overtop a previously stamped image, which opens up some different design possibilities, like the one I showcased! In a nutshell, you stamp the image, color it using a fine-tip black pen and then, situating it in the same way as when you initially stamped the image, stamp again using an embossing ink and heat emboss using a detail embossing powder. You get an embossed silhouette that is super quick, yet impactful! I started with the Power Poppy Vibrant Thanks stamp set for both my creations. Here's a closeup of both images!

Isn't that fun? I just love that sweet little flower. The sentiment I added is from Power Poppy's Lilac Time stamp set.

Now for a closeup of that Zinnia after I stamped with Versamark and added that detail back in with white detail powder. I just love the depth! I also added a sentiment that I also heat embossed. The sentiment is also from the Vibrant Thanks set as well.

And here's one more look below at the finished cards and how I layered them up. I love that this technique delivers a design punch without a ton of effort. These cards took minutes to create and are the perfect way to create a little snail mail love in a jiffy!

So, will you give this technique a try? If you do, all you need to do is link your creation below and you'll be in the running for a $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop! And, like I said you can skip the tutorial and simply make a bold and graphical black and white card -- that works too! So, get those fingers inky! I can't wait to see what you design!

Thanks for stopping by!
Julie

Monday

Inspire Me Monday: Embossed Silhouette

Hi all and Happy Monday! I have a fun and easy tutorial for you today that I know you are going to want to try in your own stamping spaces. It's a super quick creation that puts the drama of a silhouette at the center of this technique. Let's take a peek at the cards I created using this technique and then, I'll get to the step-by-step!

I have to say that this idea was sparked after I saw THIS video from the fabulous Jennifer McGuire. She showed how you can take lined stamps and give them new life when you make them into a silhouette. You'll have to watch the video to see what I mean. In a nutshell, she stamped the detailed image and then, using a fine-tipped marker, made that lined stamp a silhouette. Clever, huh?

I loved the technique and then I started to think. What if you did that, but took the Silhouette one step further by reintroducing all that detail back into the picture? Thanks to the MISTI stamping tool, this technique is so easy! So, let's get started and you'll see what I mean!

I started with the Power Poppy Vibrant Thanks stamp set and situated my paper right along the bottom corner of the MISTI....

And this is what my sweet little flower looked like after stamping...

From there, I took a fine tip multi-liner black pen and colored all the little nooks and crannies of the image so I ended up with a silhouette.

I knew I wanted to add some bold color and did one of my favorite effects, which is to mask off a section of my panel using a ripped edge Post-It Note and then add color with sponged ink.

I used the Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters and Broken China with some little sponge daubers to apply the ink.

And this is what it looked like above after I ripped off the Post-It Notes. From there, I rubbed an anti-static chalk pouch over my image so that when I stamped and embossed the detailed image overtop, the embossing powder would stay where I wanted it to. I used Versamark Ink and white detail embossing powder but you can really use any color combo. I just loved the dramatic look of a black and white color combo against the bold background colors.

And here's a closeup of the image itself...

Isn't that fun? I just love that sweet little flower. The sentiment I added is from Power Poppy's Lilac Time stamp set.

I did want to point out something that happened while I was making my second card. I stamped and the image didn't stamp completely...

You might think that is the worst thing ever but because I knew I was going to be coloring in my image, no worries! It didn't matter! I just went about masking and inking and then added my black pen to create my silhouette.

And here's a gander at the two colors I used in order to create that bold backdrop for my stamped image.

Now for a closeup of that Zinnia after I stamped with Versamark and added that detail back in with white detail powder. I just love the depth! I also added a sentiment that I also heat embossed. The sentiment is also from the Vibrant Thanks set as well.

So, will you give this technique a try? I hope so! I am working on a few more versions that I hope to share in the future, so stay tuned! And, if YOU give this a try, please link up your creation in the comments section. I'd love to see!

On that note... Happy Monday and have a wonderful week! I'll be back tomorrow with another Creative Confetti Challenge so be sure to stop back and see what I have in store!

Until then, Enjoy!
Julie

Tuesday

Creative Confetti: Make it Shimmer!

Hi all! Ready for another fun-filled Creative Confetti Challenge? It's a time when we throw up some ideas to pique a little interest and spark a little creativity when you hit your crafting spaces! But first, did you happen to see Ally Cope's tutorial yesterday? Woah! It's right up my alley because you know I love my glitter and sparkle! Check it out HERE as she shows us a fun way to add a little glimmer!

And with her fabulous tutorial in mind, I decided we should ALL add a little shimmer to our projects this week! Check it out!

HOW TO PLAY: Use mica powders, sparkly embossing powder, shimmer sprays, glitter glue, diamond glitter... I could seriously go on all day with this one! Just use a little something that brings a little shimmer, a little sparkle to your project!

On to my creation!

You might look at this card above using Power Poppy's Vibrant Thanks and say, "Wait a minute here... where's the sparkle!?!?" And, I would agree -- it's hard to see, until you tilt it to the light! The little tutorial I am going to share today gives your stamped images a pearlescent look that's just too lovely! And, you use this fine stuff... Pearl Ex! How many of you have a gazillion mica powders that haven't seen the light of day in a while? Yes, I see you! I am with you too!

So, I started by grabbing Pearl White Pearl Ex, it is just a plain white shimmer. They have so many though -- Duo Blue Green, Duo Blue Pink, White Gold, it's crazy all the colors!

And this above is my foundation! I stamped one of the flowers from the Vibrant Thanks set using Memento Tuxedo Black and then went to town with my Copic markers, using a range of greens and purples. I wanted to bring some of the purple into my backdrop, so I highlighted using BG0000 and then went over the top with V0000 to give it more of a purple-ish glow.

And here's where it gets fun! This is what I grabbed - a large soft brush, Versamark Ink and the Pearl Ex.

I took the Versamark ink pad and just covered my image with it. This was NOT easy at first because I honestly wasn't sure this would turn out so covering something I just spent time coloring was a bit of a "close one eye and let's see what happens" moment. After my image was completely covered with ink, I took my wide, soft brush, dipped it into the Pearl White Pearl Ex and then brushed it over top. After I was done, I took a dry Swiffer sheet and burnished the Pearl Ex into the ink. This releases the extra powder and helps it to stay put. This effect is one that makes it appear like you stamped and colored on pearlescent paper. It's kind of dreamy!

If you have a Workable Fixatif on hand in your craft room, it's not a bad idea to seal this with a light spray. It helps the powder from rubbing off, even if it is just slightly.

And, here's a close up for you! You can see I matted it up, playing up the green and purple and adding just a few accents. The sentiment was from the Power Poppy set Potted Primrose. I love that sentiment -- one of my favorites!

And, one last look at my card!

And that, my friends, is it! Before we get to the linky, I have a huge apology! I forgot to draw a name for our July $25 gift code to the Power Poppy Shop from all of those fabulous July Creative Confetti entries! So, let's get to it!

After throwing all the virtual names into a hat, random.org drew this number....

That means the winner is...

*** DONNA WHITTEN ***

Take a look at Donna's darling creation will you? Just in case you wondered, she used Power Poppy's Cozy Cupfuls.

I just love Donna's choice of papers, her ab fab coloring and that adorable gingham bow! Just too cute! Donna, to claim your code, all you need to do is email us at bloom@powerpoppy.com and Ms. Marcella will get that code right to you!

Thanks for stopping by y'all! I hope you have a fabulous week and remember, to play along, all you need to do is add a little shimmer to your creation, link up your card below and then, once a month, we draw one random and lucky stamper to win $25! Woo HOOOO! So, as I love to say, go ahead and get those fingers inky!

Until next time!
~Julie

Creative Confetti: Roll the Dice!

Hello folks! It's time (well, actually past time) for another fun-filled edition of Creative Confetti! Julie here, your trusty Creative Confetti thrower! Today, I thought I'd mix things up and let the creativity roll --- literally! I was struggling to come up with a challenge this week because I was downright wishy-washy! So, I figured, why don't I let it roll and let a little shake of the wrist decide! Want to see what I mean?

Let's get to it!

HOW TO PLAY: Simply roll the dice, any die will do and see what number pops up. Then, based on the number rolled, create accordingly! Just match the die to the number below! If you're feeling like an over-achiever, why not roll a few times and make a few cards. This one is so fun, we know you might like to play this one more than once!

So, in order to see which challenge I'd be pursuing, I had to roll the dice myself!

Which means I was about to be CASE-ing one of my old creations! I spent some time scrolling through the Power Poppy blog and decided that THIS card would be a fun one to copy. And so.... off I went! Here's a peek at the finished card....

You can see I kept the composition and the colors pretty much the same. I used Power Poppy's Vibrant Thanks stamp set too! The only real difference is one of the papers and the shape of the punched sentiment accent. I also colored this all up with Copic Markers. In my first card, I used waterbased markers and a Wink of Stella glitter pen to color it all up. Here's a little closeup for you!

And here's another fun fact for you! I might have mentioned a few weeks ago that right now most of my craft room is boxed up while I get situated in a new room. Well, that's still the case folks! We have some painting to do and counters to install so, I am still in limbo! So, as I was searching for some gold paper and not finding it, I decided to make my own! I punched a circle, covered it with Versamark ink and then covered it in gold embossing powder! Just that simple!

And GUESS WHAT? This isn't the only card I created! I actually created a trio using Power Poppy's Vibrant Thanks stamp set. I'll share those cards later this week on my blog.... so stay tuned! I'll have those to show off in my Friday Bloom Brigade Parade post! ;-)

Once you're done, don't forget to link up your creation below so that we can all see and be amazed! ;-) Remember, each time you enter is one more chance at a $25 trip to the Power Poppy Shop! Who wouldn't want that?

Thanks for stopping by everyone & happy creating!

~Julie
a.k.a. Creative Confetti Thrower

Monday

Inspire Me Monday: Assembly Line Creating!

Hi all and welcome to another edition of Inspire Me Monday! Today, I am going to give you some tips and pointers on mass producing cards. I will admit, this is not something I am great at! I tend to get lost in the details and instead of sticking to a game plan, go off script. So, something that is designed to be easy and pretty and fun, becomes cumbersome and, well, not fun! ;-) I wanted to change that!

So, I used some basic principles to get me started!

1. Find a card or layout that inspires! I chose THIS card from a SU kit that I wanted to recreate using Power Poppy supplies! (It's the one on the lower left corner)

2. Pick a paper pack with color coordinated papers to keep things easy and pleasing to the eye...

3. Grab the supplies you need to recreate your inspiration card. I used the Abundant Petals Stamp Set & Abundant Petals Dies along with the "Thanks" sentiment from Vibrant Thanks! I also chose some stitched dies and a banner die as well.

4. Treat it like an assembly line, cutting each element needed, one at a time until you have the number needed to mass produce. I created six cards at a time.

5. Assemble everything but the colored pieces. If you want, you can leave these card bases and take your time coloring, adding these elements as you go.

Want to see how I did it? Click on the video below to see the steps!

And here's a peek at the finished product!

Hope these little tips helped! I will say that I was able to create 6 cards in a little more than an hour using this method. Now, I have 6 thank you cards ready to send in a jiffy, which means folks won't have to wait months for me to create one just for them! ;-)

Happy Monday everyone & thanks for stopping by!

~Julie