Asters Abuzz

Hello, sweet friends! So have you recovered from yesterday's celebration of the Fourth of July -- Independence Day? I hope you had a wonderful time and also commemorated this special day by remembering the reasons our country was founded and the sacrifices by many to give us the liberties we have today. We are truly blessed!

Today I get to share a new digital image...one the talented Marcella Hawley will explain. Wow, will you be excited, and there will be more to follow. So if you (like me) cannot get enough digital images, just pop over to read what Marcy has shared at the Power Poppy blog and then get ready for Asters Abuzz. This freshly remixed digital set comes with two sentiments, and it's available for purchase now...ready to print, color, and make a card!

After finding lots of beautiful floral images for coloring ideas, I decided I wanted periwinkle asters, pinkish clover flowers, and soft pink flowers for the thyme. But there are SO many different colors that I almost got stuck trying to decide what colors to use! 

Once again, I opened Microsoft Word, pulled in the image, resized it, and printed it. To keep it very simple, I used a sheet of patterned paper and used Copic markers to color another sheet for the matting. I cut my focal image out with a lacy circle die, and (of course) pierced around it and even pierced around the base layer. I added some ribbon, popped my focal image, and added some pearls to dress it up a bit. 

Now I have to share a hint (if you've not already discovered it yourself). When I color an image, I usually make a color copy on plain paper and use that to "audition" or "stage" a card layout...making sure what I want to do before I cut the original! Earlier this year, I ended up copying on Neenah paper by mistake. Was I surprised at how good it looked. I enhanced the colors a bit with more Copic markers, and I could hardly tell the difference from the original. So I used those copies to make more of the same card (since I like to send out multiple cards after doing all the creative work). So this is in fact a "copy" of the original colored image (after going over some of the coloring to enhance the colors that didn't copy well). I could hardly tell the difference. Nice tip, eh? Now, can you figure out what other card this year (there's only one) that I did that with? Hehe! Some colors just don't work as well, but some do. Try it sometime, and let me know how it works for you.

Be sure to stop by and see what some of the girls have done with this "sweet" image...and visit the Power Poppy blog to read and see what Marcy has for us! (And be sure to visit all the Power Poppy digital stamps!)

Cindy Lawrence
Stacy Morgan
Tosha Leyendekker
Julie Koerber

Cheryl Scrivens <me>

Marcella Hawley

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Blessings,

Stamps:  Asters Abuzz (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Almost Amethyst patterned paper pack (SU), White (PTI)

Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Lacey Circles dies (Spellbinders), Perfect Layers tool, piercing tool, Whisper White organza ribbon (SU), pearls (Jolee), Wink of Stella (on wings), Diamond Glaze, 3M dimensional tape, red tape

Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, paper-piercing

Card Size:  5¼” 
Copics used:  Asters - V20, RV00, VB02; Clover flowers - RV06, RV02; Thyme flowers - R00, RV11; Leaves - YG01, G40, G43; Bees - Y13; Background - YG30, YR31, 0; Paper edging - BV02, B41, B32

Power Poppy Instant Garden Release - June Release

Hello, sweet friends! Today we have beautiful new digital image for you from Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley called Garden Fireworks. 

Let's hear it for the red, white and blue, or pink, or purple, or...? Our newest addition to Power Poppy's Instant Garden is an explosion of color that is just in time for the Fourth of July! Color this up with a patriotic spin, or let the rainbow of colors these flowers come in serve as your inspiration. Allium take center stage with their showy blooms. When paired with Poppies and Catnip, you have a glimpse of summer in full bloom. This beauty is paired with an elegantly scripted Bible verse that's perfect for cards of encouragement. The good news? Both are ready to download, print, and color, and create as we speak!

Once again, the possibilities are endless for the colors of these beautiful blooms! I chose a soft trio of colors, but I was totally surprised at all the different colors of allium - even blue! Catnip is generally purple, and poppies grow in a wide range of colors. What fun! And tell me the allium don't remind you of the large bursts of fireworks in the sky?

For my card, I opened Microsoft Word, pulled in the image and resized it, and then added the sentiment from Dancing with Daffodils. I was inspired by some beautiful blue allium, soft pink poppies, and purple catnip. I used a sheet of diagonal plaid designer paper to guide my soft color palette, die cut my square, matted it with a soft gray, and pierced around it (by now you must know I love piercing!). I added some DMC perle cotton with a button and adhered the focal layer to the matted designer paper. I adhered that to the card base with red tape. Print, color, mat, pierce, add cotton and button, and adhere to the card base - and it's done! (And remember, while you are printing out one and have the markers out, do two per sheet and color them both...preferably listening to beautiful music!) 

Now it's time to visit my amazing Instant Gardener teammates! Be sure to visit Power Poppy to get this new digital release to use today. While you are there, check out the entire digital collection. 

Jennifer Dove
Broni Holcombe

Cheryl Scrivens <me>

Debbie Olson
Rhea Weigand

This month's Instant Garden release is extra special to me since it includes a Scripture verse that I will use both inside a card and on the front. What a blessing to know that our lives are in the hands of our loving Heavenly Father.

For I know the plans I have for you

plans to prosper you

and not to harm you,

plans to give you
hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Blessings,

Stamps:  Garden Fireworks, Dancing with Daffodils (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Smoky Slate (SU), Vintage Bliss (Simple Stories), Textured White (Bazzill)

Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Grand Squares dies (Spellbinders), Perfect Layers tool, piercing tool, DMC perle cotton #746, Fine Linen button (PTI), red tape

Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, paper-piercing

Card Size:  5¾”
Copics used:  Allium - BG23, BG01, B14, BG000; Poppies - RV00, RV02, R30, R32, RV34, RV55; Catnip - V01, BV01, V12, V04; Leaves - G40, G21, G24, YG61, YG63, YG67, G43, YG21; Background - YG30, YR31, 0; DP paper edging - T2

Teacups with a Budgie on Top

Hello, sweet friends! I hope you are having a good week so far. It's hard to believe it's Wednesday already.

Sunday afternoon I decided to check out the Featured Stamper Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. I was inspired by a card that had a stack of sweet teacups with a bit of designer paper.

I have long wanted to color up this cute little budgie (aka parakeet) atop the teacups (or coffee cups, if you so desire). I just love the detail of Marcella Hawley's artwork. The designer paper I used was my color palette, and I sponged my focal image before I took it out of the die - then added the sentiment. I used this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch for my layout design, and it took me longer to figure out the layers with their mats than coloring it. Then I punched two holes in my focal image to thread and tie the bow with a blue button to compliment the blue cup. I have always admired the bows Katie Sims "nestles" up to her images and decided to brave it...it was a bit scary, since there is no going back once those holes are punched! But it does make it all lay nicely, and that bow will not come off easily...hehe!

Just as the smallest sparrow does not fall to the ground without the will of our Father, how much more He deeply cares for us. We are called to trust in Him and to run to Him with all our cares and burdens. He's always there, no matter the hour.

Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known to God.
And the peace of God, 
which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts 
and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Blessings,

Stamps:  Short Stacks and Good Thinking: Renewal (Power Poppy)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Vintage Cream (PTI), Ruby Red (SU), The Sweetest Thing - Lavender (My Mind's Eye)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Black (Versafine), Antique Linen (Distress Ink)
Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Stitched Rectangles dies (Simon Says), Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon (SU), Linen Thread (SU), Ocean Tides button (PTI), Perfect Layers tool, Japanese screw punch

Techniques: Sponging

Card Size:  A-2
Card Size:  Cups - R30, R32, B70, B72, G40, G43, E81, E41, W0; Budgie - B000, B00, YG11, Y11; Background - E50 smoothed with 0

Camellias - Color Challenge

Hello, sweet friends! I've been busy with other things the last week or so and have to catch up on my weekly card commitment to myself. 

When I saw yesterday's Color Challenge on Splitcoaststampers, I knew it would work with this gorgeous digital image. The colors are Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral, and Basic Grey. But the best part is that "dessert" is allowed by using blue and/or green, which works for my flowers. So I had half a dessert! Thanks to this week's hostess Karen Barber, who just loves coloring flowers (and she surely makes gorgeous cards)!

I used watercolor paper and "fussy water-colored" this image - a first for me. A couple of weeks ago I watercolored my first flower with great abandon. But not this one...hehe! Next I fussy cut this image (it was a lot of work), and then I colored the edges with a black marker for a finished look. My Empressor tool and an old mouse pad were used (on the back of the image) to give the flowers and leaves dimension. (Oops, and I nearly forgot that I added some clear Wink of Stella for some glimmer.) Wanting a pretty background, I used the main Tranquil Moments die in white against Crisp Cantaloupe, and matted it with Basic Grey. There are many itty-bitty pieces of 3M dimensional tape behind this fussy-cut image to adhere it to the background (using tweezers!), along with some regular adhesive for the branches. Added the word "joy" between a couple of the leaves, and it was done and ready to be mailed to a very special person in our lives. She is a joy to us.

When I was looking for ideas for coloring my camellias, I found some vibrant colors and was surprised at how vivid some of them were. Isn't it just amazing how many beautiful flowers and colors God has created? I can only imagine how much more beautiful heaven will be some day. We truly are so blessed! It reminds me of the wonderful hymn by John Rutter that we used to sing in choir. Here are the first two stanzas.

All things bright and beautiful, 

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The LORD God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,

Each little bird that sings,

He made their glowing colors,

He made their tiny wings.

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Blessings,

Stamps:  Camellias (Power Poppy), Mixed Messages (PTI) 

Paper: Watercolor paper (Strathmore), Solar White (Neenah), White (PTI), Basic Grey and Crisp Cantaloupe (SU)

Tools/Accessories: Distress Inks (Ranger), Tranquil Moments dies (Spellbinders), Perfect Layers tool, Wink of Stella, Empressor tool for dimension, 3M dimensional tape, Glue n' Seal adhesive

Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, watercoloring, fussy cutting

Card Size:  A-2

Power Poppy Instant Garden Release - May Release

Hello, sweet friends, and today we have beautiful new digital image for you from Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley. Remember, you can buy, download, print, and color the digi images - in an instant - today!

Our newest addition to the Instant Garden Collection just happens to be one that's a tall beauty...not only colorful but a dramatic beauty. This set, Bees in Foxglove, features three lush stalks of foxglove (Digitalis) with three plump bumblebees buzzing around doing their bumblebee thing! Add a cheery all-occasion sentiment, and you have one stunning set that is ready to download, print, color, and create with!

As soon as I saw the image, I found so many beautiful photos of foxglove and was truly surprised at the variety of colors. And so many of the photos showed the little "bee bottoms" too (they sure love the nectar)! This image was my inspiration - her name is "Digitalis Polkadot Polly Hybrida" (how cute, eh?).

So say hello to my "Polly." I used the entire digital image and colored her a sort of peachy/apricot color with touches of yellow inside her cup. A touch of Wink of Stella is on the bee wings. I wanted this image to take "front stage" on my card and used an oval die with a mat and (of course) paper-pierced just inside the matted oval. For some texture, I used a large embossing folder and matted it as well, adhered my oval, and then added a sheer ribbon that I dyed with two Copic markers to match (adding a little "for you" sentiment from Good Thinking: Renewal...along with a dyed pearl). I adhered that to the card base with red tape, and it was done!

Now it's time to visit my amazing Instant Gardener teammates...and  the Bloomies are joining us today for a fun blog hop - it's Friday! Be sure to visit Power Poppy to get this new digital release - today. While you are there, check out the entire digital collection. (Now, don't miss anyone...you won't be disappointed!)

Jennifer Dove
Broni Holcombe

Cheryl Scrivens <me>

Danielle Kennedy
Debbie Olson
Allison Cope
Cindy Lawrence

Julie Koerber
Kathy Jones

Katie Sims
Leslie Miller

Stacy Morgan
Tosh Leyendekker
Power Poppy Blog

Can you just imagine the delight God had in creating all the beautiful flowers we so enjoy? We are so blessed!

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Blessings,

Stamps:  Bees in Foxglove, Good Thinking: Renewal (Power Poppy) 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), White and Peachy/Apricot (Bazzill)

Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Grand Oval and Circles dies (Spellbinders), Garden Lattice M-Bossabilities reversible embossing folder (Spellbinders), Perfect Layers tool, piercing tool, Daisy White sheer ribbon dyed with Copic markers (CTMH), Wink of Stella, pearl colored with Copic markers (Recollections), Japanese screw punch, dental floss dyed with Copic markers, red tape

Techniques: Digital images using Microsoft Word, fussy cutting, paper-piercing

Card Size:  5½” x 7¼”
Copics used:  Flowers: RV000, RV00, RV04, RV21, YR000, YR00, YR01, YR20, Leaves: YG11, YG03, YG03, YG25, YG67, YG21

Watercolored Hydrangeas

Hello, sweet friends!  Today I finished a card and posted it for this week's Featured Stamper and Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. After church today, we enjoying relaxing and made it a day of rest. We even got to swim today after I finished my card.

I started this card on Friday (my first attempt at watercoloring) and then saw Saturday's Inspiration Challenge. Audrie gave us a wonderful Pinterest board with an amazing collection of postage stamps. This week's Featured Stamper is Francie, who has a beautiful gallery filled with cards using vibrant colors and amazing designs...and she is such an encourager. I used a hydrangea like she did with a different layout and gilded my edge rather than sponging it. This sentiment has special meaning for us, since we both have lost our moms and were recently sharing about missing them.

I stamped my hydrangea with Versamark ink and used a variety of Distress Inks. My friend Becky and I decided we would try it together on Friday, and this is my third try (don't think the first two will ever "see the light of day"). I started to enjoy being "free" to swish the water around and add ink both from an ink pad and reinker onto acrylic blocks. On Saturday I looked at this piece and decided to add more depth with darker colors, and that seems to have helped. I'm so used to Copic markers, that this was a real stretch...but it's good to get out of our creative comfort zones. I added this wonderful sentiment from the Simply Camellias stamp set, gilded the edges, and matted it with blue on a cream-colored card base...and it was done. I do think I will try watercoloring again, but it is definitely easier to use images that are larger in scale. I hope to try a digital image to see how that works...stay tuned (smiling).

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! And may we all rejoice today and celebrate the beauty God has given us in His magnificent creation!

Blessings,

Stamps:  Jumbo Hydrangea (Stampendous), Simply Camellias (Power Poppy)

Paper: Watercolor cold press paper (Strathmore), Marina Mist (SU)

Ink: Black (Versafine), Distress Inks - Shaded Lilac, Spun Sugar, Seedless Preserves, Tumbled Glass, Broken China, Chipped Sapphire, Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn (and perhaps a few I missed?)
Tools/Accessories: Gold leafing pen (Krylon), Perfect Layers, red tape

Techniques: Watercoloring

Card Size:  5 3/4"

My Techie Bear

Hello, sweet friends!  Today I finished a card and posted it for this week's Featured Stamper and Sketch Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. My goal has been to post at least one card each week.

I started this card on Sunday for this week's Featured Stamper, Mary J, who has a beautiful gallery filled with lovely cards. And she sure can color. I used the same bear named James, but my bear is working hard on his laptop...hehe! I decided to use this week's Sketch Challenge to finish the card and added colors to match the designer paper I chose. I added a small scallop border on the center piece, paper-pierced (have I can resist?), and added some DMC perle cotton with a button...and finally the sentiment. 

This card is headed to New Jersey as a thank-you note to our youngest son John who visited us last week. He is a teddy bear and gives the very best hugs...and we had lots of them! He is very techie, and we had such fun during our visit. Miss him already, but he is coming again next year...and he's coming earlier so we can make a spring season baseball game - yay!

Thanks so much for "stopping by" and sharing a comment, thought or question, and I hope you have a wonderful week! And warm hugs to all!

Blessings,

Stamps:  James - Laptop (Lili of the Valley), Take Note (PTI)

Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Vintage Cream (PTI), Soft Suede (SU), Sunshine (My Mind's Eye)

Tools/Accessories: Copic markers, Square dies (Spellbinders), DMC perle cotton #840, piercing tool, Perfect Layers, 3M dimensional tape

Techniques: Paper-piercing

Card Size:  A-2
Copics used: E0000, E41, E43, E57, BG90, YG61, YG63, BG10, YR30, YR31, N0