Everything's Rosy

Hello, sweet friends, and I wish you a wonderful and blessed week! How has your year started out? Have you made and kept any resolutions? 

Well, it's the 15th of the month, and I am absolutely delighted to color up the new Instant Garden digital image from Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley called Everything's Rosy. I think this is one of my all-time favorites! Marcy shares this:

"I was inspired by the sweet scenes of British teacups and mugs (and I love Cornishware, the graphic blue and white pottery), each filled with lush roses from the garden."

Now isn't this a gorgeous image? Roses come in an amazing range of hues that are so inspiring! And just Google Cornishware to see all the delightful images and colors, and visit Wikipedia to learn more about the history of Cornishware (it's fascinating). The signature color - blue and white - are the colors I chose for both teacup and mug. The teacup pattern is actually called Blue Domino. This image really needed to be front and center, and I used it all.

In Microsoft Word, I resized my image to fit into a die and printed it on Neenah Solar White. Once colored, I used a fine line marker to make a line across to give it a sense of being at a table with a linen cloth (just ready for tea time). I shaded the table portion a pale linen yellow and the wall a soft blue. I decided to add a clear sentiment from Good Thinking: Renewal using my MISTI. I used a rectangular die for the colored image, matted it with a blue scalloped die, and then adhered that to the card base. The joy of making this card was coloring it, and I know I shall enjoy using it for future cards.

As I was coloring this image, fond memories came flooding back of many wonderful teas several of my dear friends have hosted over the years. These precious gals have the gift of hospitality and love sharing it. I am thankful for the many precious friendships of those who live nearby as well as those whom I have grown to love through blogging and on Splitcoaststampers. I love all the friends I've made through my love of stamping, but of course the greatest friend I have is my Savior Jesus. That reminds me of one of my dad's favorite songs that he would sing so beautifully.

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
-- Joseph M. Scriven

Now is time to visit the rest of the Instant Gardeners. After all the inspiration, I'm sure you stampers will definitely want to hop over to Power Poppy to get this new digital release to use today and also check out the entire digital collection that is ever so quickly growing -- like gardens do, right? Are you ready to be blown away and welcome our newest Instant Gardener, Barb Walker? And don't forget to visit the Power Poppy blog.

Jennifer Dove
Broni Holcombe
Cheryl Scrivens <me>
Rhea Weigand
Debbie Olson
and welcome Barb Walker

Thanks so much for visiting and sharing a comment, thought, or question. I love hearing from you and am always happy to answer questions, so don't hesitate to email me. (I am entering this in this week's Word Art Wednesday challenge.)

Blessings,

Stamps:  Everything's Rosy, Poppies (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White and Blueberry Sky (PTI)

Ink: Black (Versafine)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, A2 Matting Basics B dies (Spellbinders), Blueprints 20 dies (My Favorite Things), MISTI, Fine Line Marker 005 (Prismacolor)
Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word

Card Size:  A2

Lovely Hellebores Abloom

Hello, sweet friends, and I wish you a Happy New Year! Yes, it's been a while, and I'm sure you have all been as busy as I have over the holidays. Can you believe it's 2016 already?

It's the 5th of the month, and I am delighted to color up the newly remixed digital image from Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley called Hellebores. Marcy shares this:

Say "Hello" to this clipped stem of winter and early-spring-blooming Hellebores (also called Lenten Rose or Christmas Rose), just loaded with flowers and nodding buds. I've paired the image with a quote by Rumi aimed to help us look at things a bit differently.... "The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen." A mojo boot if I've ever heard one. Can you think of someone who would benefit from reading that quote today?

As you will learn from Marcy on today's Power Poppy blog post, these gorgeous flowers come in an amazing range of hues that are so inspiring! I chose one of the Pink/Red Lady varieties. I resized my image to fit into a die that allowed space for a sentiment from Poppies that fit perfectly, which I stamped using my MISTI. While in the die, I sponged the focal image with some Vintage Touch Tea Dye ink from Papertrey, but it doesn't show well in the photo (but it's there and matches the paper and the ribbon/lace!). I used some designer paper and edged both with Copic markers, and then I pierced both layers (ah, you know I love to pierce!). After adhering them to each other, I wrapped some lace with seam binding on top and adhered that to the card base with red tape (anything with heavy ribbon needs something strong to stick well). And that was it! Now it's ready to mail with no extra postage - yay!

Now that we have started a new year, I've been trying to refocus a bit. Our thoughts and desires are often centered on what we don't have rather than on what we have already. And that reminded me of one of my favorite chapters in the Scripture - Psalm 103. Here's the excerpt that has called me to pause and consider all I do have, in spite of the health issues I continue to deal with. God is with me all the way - and He is all I really need. I trust that this passage will encourage you as well.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all His benefits...
Psalm 103:1-2

Now it's time to visit the Power Poppy blog and see what Marcella has to share with us, and be sure to visit my sweet friends to see their beautiful cards. 

Then hop on over to visit Power Poppy to get this new digital release to use today. While you are there, don't forget to check out the entire digital collection! Remember, they are available instantly!

Thanks so much for visiting and sharing a comment, thought, or question. I love hearing from you and am always happy to answer questions, so don't hesitate to email me. (I am entering this in this week's Word Art Wednesday challenge.)

Blessings,

Stamps:  Hellebores, Poppies (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Flourish (Authentique)

Ink: Black (Versafine), Vintage Touch Tea Dye (PTI)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Labels 11 dies (Spellbinders), MISTI, lace (May Arts), Very Vanilla seam binding (SU), piercing tool, 3M dimensional tape, red tape
Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, sponging

Card Size:  5" square
Copic Markers Used:  Flowers - RV0000, RV000, RV00, RV63, RV55, RV66; Leaves - YG03, YG61, YG63, YG67; Flower Centers - Y11, Y21; Vase - BG0000; Grounding - W1; Paper Edging - E81 and BG34