Power Poppy's Newest Christmas Digi - Forest Finds

Hello, precious friends! It's been a busy time for me ––  and I'm sure for you as well. It's hard to believe that we are into November already, and I still need to make many more Christmas cards. To help me, Marcella has released a brand new set (yes, brand new), and it's darling...whimsical. 

Today's sweet digital stamp set is called Forest Finds. Here are some thoughts from Marcella:

"Embrace forest finds ––  or glass ornament lookalikes! ––  for this special holiday grouping. A vintage pinecone, tiny pumpkin, and pomegranate ornament are arranged among poinsettia leaves and a berry-bedecked twig. Color this illustration for a simple, sweet, and unique way to wish your friends and family a warm and wonderful holiday season."

Most often I color a practice piece on copy paper, and I struggled a bit with the color palette I wanted. But after finding some vintage pastel color combinations, I knew that was the direction I would go (at least for this card). I discovered a soft plaid paper that helped guide my palette, and it was an easy image to color. Once done, I used my MISTI to stamp the sentiment from Berry Sweet Holiday and used a cross-stitched square die (again giving it a vintage feel). I matted it with the designer paper and adhered it to the card base, but it still needed something. So out came my sequins, and I found several that worked...and then it was done! I always love finishing a card and now am ready to start another!

So while my card may not look like it came from the forest, it was fun to color Marcy's darling "finds" from the forest! And I printed another one and will have fun coloring that one in different colors (especially after seeing one of the teammates' cards). So many possibilities! What color combinations would you color these ornaments? I'd love to see them. 

As I was making this card, I had lovely thoughts of when I was a child and how our family celebrated Christmas. Yes, I remember vintage Christmas ornaments like these, and I especially remember our rustic creche with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, along with the sheep and cattle. We always added the three wisemen, and of course, the angel was at the top of the creche. It was a reminder of the angels' proclamation to the shepherds. Oh, that we would always remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.
Luke 2:14

Now it's time for my stamping friends to hop over to Power Poppy and purchase this beautiful digital image and use it today. Be sure to visit the Power Poppy blog. Marcy never disappoints, and I am eager to read how she was inspired to draw this sweet image! My sweet teammates have some lovely cards of their own. You won't be disappointed...I promise!

Allison Cope
Cheryl Scrivens <me>

Stacy Morgan

Marcella Hawley on Power Poppy Blog

Thank you for visiting with me today. I always love reading each of your comments. I hope to see you again soon and to do some catching up on blog visits myself. 

Blessings, dear friends,

Stamps:  Forest Finds, Berry Sweet Holiday (Power Poppy) 

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, Primrose Pink (SU!), Sugar Plum (My Mind's Eye)

Ink:  Onyx Black (Versafine), Printer
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Large Cross-Stitched Square Stackables (Lawn Fawn), MISTI tool, sequins, Diamond Glaze, white and red tape
Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word

Card Size:  5½” square

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Gingerbread Family - Oh My!

Hello, precious friends, and happy Wednesday! I am so excited to show you the newest digital image set by Power Poppy. This one was an extra special giggle for me, since I made my first interactive card...and posted a short video of it in action!  

Today's adorable digital stamp set is called Gingerbread Family. This sweet set has so many possibilities. There are front and back versions of each gingerbread couple so you could create two-sided gift tags (or interactive cards...wink!). A two-sided gift tag with the couple would be darling, and the house could be an actual holiday card as well. So let your imagination be your guide, and have fun with this set and the sweet sentiments.

After seeing Allison Cope's tutorial on her "Inspire Me Monday" post, I decided to make my own interactive card with the gingerbread boy. Since this was my first interactive card, it was a challenge. But Allison's video is wonderful, and I encourage you to watch it and try one yourself. She is so creative and has the best instructions! 

I printed the front and back sides of the gingerbread boy to fit inside the oval, found some designer paper that worked, and used red as my card base. The gingerbread boy is easy to color, and I used a fine embroidery sandwiched between my two images. The rest of the details for constructing this interactive card can be found in Allison's video. I added a banner tag and several buttons, and I added a coordinating piece of designer paper for inside the card. I quickly took a photograph of it before spinning him around for my video. Here's the card...isn't he a sweetie? Hehe! 

This is my first video that I have ever uploaded for my blog, so we shall see how it goes. I blew on the gingerbread man to get him to spin. Isn't he adorable? 

As I was making this card, I was reminded of how much God takes delight in giving us good things. God reminds us to seek Him and to bring our requests to Him. He loves to give us good things (according to His will and purpose in our lives).

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more will your Father
Who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:11

So I hope my stamping friends will hop over to Power Poppy and purchase this new digital release and find inspiration from the cards Nancy, Elizabeth, and I have shared. And be sure to visit the Power Poppy blog to see what Marcella Hawley has to share.

Nancy Sheads
Elizabeth Zaffarano

Marcella Hawley

I am always so grateful for your visits and love reading each of your comments. Thank you for visiting with me today...and I hope to see you again soon. May God bless you richly today.

Blessings, dear friends,

Stamps:  Gingerbread Family (Power Poppy) 

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card, Solar White #110 (Neenah), True Black (PTI)

Ink:  Printer
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Oval STAX 1 and Pierced Oval STAX dies (My Favorite Things), Banner Stacklets dies (Taylored Expressions), Poppy Red and New Leaf buttons (PTI), embroidery thread
Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, interactive card, fussy cutting

Card Size:  A-2

Poinsettia Hugs

Hello, precious friends! Well, as many of you have welcomed fall, we are still enjoying our "summer" weather here in South Florida. But it's definitely time for making Christmas cards, because Christmas always seems to sneak up on me. 

Today I am sharing one of the most beautiful poinsettia images ever, Poinsettia and Pomegranates.

"An instant classic for Power Poppy, this showy holiday image is finally available as a digital stamp — ready for you to resize, flip, flop, or edit to fit any project you've dreamt up. Elegant poinsettia leaves burst from a whorl of pine needles and sprays of baby pomegranates. Whether you take it on at full speed with punchy reds, inject it with pinks or oranges, go for chartreuse and white, or a subtly shimmering metallic, this image is pretty much an instant knockout. Comes with a lighter version for no-line coloring, plus two new sentiments that are not available in the clear stamp version."

Once again, I could not resist coloring this entire image and giving it center stage. It truly is a lovely arrangement! I resized it and nestled in the sweet sentiment. With all the amazing detail, I decided to use colored pencils, and I am so grateful for the wonderful Kit and Clowder real-time video classes with Alyce Keegan. They are worth the time invested, and I've listed the pencils I used in my "recipe" below. I started with the darkest color and worked to the lightest, and then I finally burnished them for a smooth blend.  

Since this is such a classic image, I decided to make a traditional card using a shaped die and designer papers. I sponged the focal image while it was still in the die, and then I very carefully gilded the edges in gold...and then added some enamel dots. I added some DMC Perle cotton to serve as "ribbon," and finally I popped the focal image with dimensional tape. I actually like the vintage feel of the card, don't you think?

I absolutely love red poinsettias and still remember all the beautiful ones that my mom would array throughout their house during the Christmas season. It was a special time to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is said that the star-shaped leaf pattern of the poinsettia symbolizes the star of Bethlehem.

And behold, the star that they had seen
when it rose went before them
until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Matthew 2:9b-10

Now it's time for my stamping friends to hop on over to Power Poppy and purchase this beautiful digital image and use it today. And be sure to visit the Power Poppy blog today to read more and see who else is joining me!

I am entering the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge, along with the first anniversary of The Flower Challenge. (I would not be eligible for the Power Poppy prize.)

Precious friends, thank you for your visits and comments that I love reading. Please join me in praying for the victims of the hurricanes and for the horrific tragedy in Las Vegas. God is close to the brokenhearted. Your prayers and love continue to mean so much to me and many others! Thank you, and may God bless you.

Blessings, dear friends,

Stamps:  Poinsettia and Pomegranates (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Rustic White (PTI), Soft Suede (SU!), Classic Christmas (Simple Stories)

Ink:  Shabby Shutters Distress Ink, printer
Tools/Accessories: Prismacolor pencils, Grand Labels 11 die (Spellbinders), Mini Perfect Layers tool, gold paint pen (Craft Smart), enamel dots (Recollections), DMC #840 Perle Cotton, Copic E43 for edging, 3M dimensional tape, red tape, white tape
Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, sponging, pencil coloring

Card Size: 4½” 5½”
Prismacolor pencils used: Poinsettia Petals – PC925, PC924, PC923, blended with PC938 and PC940; Poinsettia Center – PC1034, PC940, PC923; Greenery – PC1097, PC1005, PC989; Pomegranates – PC922, PC923, PC1034, blended with PC940

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