Stretch Yourself with a Power Poppy Power and Spark Challenge!!

Hello everyone!!  Today I'm sharing my first project of the New Year, and it's for the Power and Spark Challenge over on the Power Poppy Blog.  I have the honor of hosting it this month, and I inadvertently pushed myself right out of my box.  

First of all, let me tell you about the challenge.  The New Year is a time to start fresh, and often we challenge ourselves with resolutions.  Those can be tall orders for some of us depending on the goals we set.  So, for today's Power and Spark Challenge, I'd like you to Stretch yourself and create a "Tall" card, while using something "new-to-you" on it.  It could be a technique, a stamp, some paper, or dies...whatever you can come up with.

Awhile back I found a watercolor video tutorial by Jennifer McGuire using the Gansai Tambi Watercolor set.  Now, I've never colored with watercolors before,  (I've used Tombow markers, but never actual watercolors.) and Jennifer explains her technique so well.  These watercolors are pure creamy goodness and so easy to work with, especially the way Jennifer explains it.

I started by stamping Power Poppy's Potted Primroses, with Versamark, onto Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Cardstock like Jennifer suggests.   I then heat embossed them with Super Fine Detail Black Embossing Powder (Ranger).  After watercoloring them, I fussy-cut them out and diecut them using the Stitched Rounded Rectangle (Die-Namics) so they would fit perfectly on another piece of watercolor paper that I diecut with the same die.  I also colored a couple of "lone" primroses and adhered them along with some vellum cut Feathers (Spellbinders).  

I thought the sentiments from the Good Thinking Renewal (Power Poppy) set fit perfectly for the start of a New Year, so I added one to the top, and one to a tag.  I also added some flags using the Stitched Fishtail Flag die (Die-Namics), and a cut-out panel using Stitched Basic Edges (Die-Namics).  Everything listed, as well as the paper (Wish Seasons by Fancy Pants) is new to me, and was fun to put all together.

That's it for my project.  For some more inspiration, check out my fellow Bloom Brigaders.  These gals have some serious skilz!!!

• Allison Cope
• Christine Okken
• Cindy Lawrence
• Julie Koerber
• Katie Sims
• Leslie Miller
• Stacy Morgan
• Tosha Leyendekker---you are here
• Power Poppy 

Thank you so very much for stopping by!  I hope you'll find time to play along with our Power and Spark Challenge this month.

Happy Stamping!

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Stamps:  Potted Primrose and Good Thinking Renewal (Power Poppy)

Paper:  Distress Watercolor (Tim Holtz), Winter Seasons (Fancy Pants), Vellum

Ink:  Versamark

Dies:  Stitched Basic Edges, Stitched Rounded Rectangles, Stitched Fishtag Flags (Die-Namics), Folding Tag (Waltzingmouse), Feathers (Spellbinders)

Accessories:  Gansai Tambi Watercolors, Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Silver Cord,, Organza Ribbon, 1" Corner Rounder (EK Success)