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38 posts categorized "Leaves"

A Bird Adventure!
by Rachel Duong

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Hi crafty friends! It's Rachel here with a colorful bird adventure card. Actually it's not the birds going on the adventure but it's the person who is receiving this card! I can't get over how absolutely adorable these cute, round, sweet birds are! They are part of the Poppystamps latest release "Nordic Forest". "Birds of a Feather" is the die set 

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To create this card I knew I wanted to watercolor. Using watercolor paper, I cut out the birds from the "Birds of a Feather" die set. Fun fact--this set comes with dies for 6 birds (3 pairs) in all! Next I diecut the "Nordic Sweeping Branch" dies and the "Nordic Buttton Mushrooms" dies. I watercolored the pieces and then glued the pieces together. On a sheet of watercolor paper I made a wash of greens and yellows for the background.  Next I tried quite a few design compositions and went ahead and painted a 4th bird and two mushrooms!

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I don't know if you noticed, but I made my birds into parakeets. The bodies of a true parakeet are much more slender than my round parakeets but thats okay! After the paper is dry, I adhered all the pieces onto the cardfront. If there wasn't enough contrast  when placing the birds on the background, I painted darker, more intense hues on the specific area.  A good example is the blue bird on the mushrooms. The dark green behind the light grey head, helps the bird stand out and it doesn't get lost in the background. I used pop dots under the birds for dimension.

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I glued the cardfront onto an A2 white cardbase. I stamped the sentiment from the"Hooray" stamp set on a scrap piece of background and mounted it on watercolor paper for a thin border.

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Finally I added 3 fairy jewels in a cetrine green and the card is complete! I love how it turned out.

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This angled picture shows the layered pieces and how the dimensionals give the card a 3D effect. 

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This could make a great card for a graduate getting ready to start a new adventure whether it be a trip, a new college or a move to start a new career. How about  a card for a friend going on a dream vacation?! 

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Thanks again for stopping by. I hope you get a chance to check out the amazing Poppystamps latest release. You will not be disappointed! Until next time, have a bright and cheerful day. 

Rachel Floral Signature

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Sweeping Hugs
by Allison Frazier

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Hello, Poppystamps friends! I am excited to be back on the blog today sharing some new products. This card features the Nordic Sweeping Branch from the new Nordic Forest Release. If you haven't seen the release yet, check it out - it's fabulous! The beautiful Nordic Belle Butterfly is from the recent Nordic Spring Release.

I started my card by cutting the main branch five times from a cream colored cardstock. I arranged them on an A2 sized panel of Cream Woodgrain paper and once I was happy with the arrangement, I glued them to the panel with liquid glue. I added a few single leaves around the edges to fill in some empty spaces. I then took a really big blending brush and softly blended some mint green ink onto the panel. I made sure that it wasn't a solid blend - I wanted a bit of variation.

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Next, I cut the layers for the leaves from the same cream cardstock and ink blended those with two colors of mint green ink. The top two layers use the same color - I just blended the small top layer very lightly. I then glued these layers onto the leaves on my card panel. I chose not to cover every leaf. I wanted a very soft, subtle look. I love how the leaves on the branch have that dotted detail down the center, so it's still interesting even if you don't add the Nordic layers. 

For the butterfly, I used the same cream cardstock, and this time I only used one color of ink. I just blended heavier and heavier with the purple ink on the bottom layers to get that variation. This is just a reminder that you don't have to have every color of ink in your stash! The body of the butterfly is black glossy cardstock. I'm not sure what I would do if I ran out of the black glossy - it's my favorite!

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Speaking of black glossy cardstock, I also used it on the Hugs Moonlight Script! For the shadow layer, I used the same cream cardstock that I used for the rest of the die cuts, and I very lightly blended it with the lightest mint green ink that I had used. To finish the card, I scattered some black jewels around the design.

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That is it for my card today. I love how it turned out, and I hope it brings a smile to your face. Thanks so much for joining us on the blog.

Allison Floral Signature

 

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Splash Into Spring with a Froggy Pond Scene!
By Jyoti Adhikari

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Hello, crafty friends!

Today, I’m excited to share a card I created for this month’s Poppystamps Challenge—and the theme for April is Make A Splash! I immediately pictured a playful scene in a mossy pond, complete with lily pads and a sweet little frog enjoying a springtime swim. This card was so fun to bring to life, and I hope it inspires you to join in the challenge too!

Let me walk you through the creative process!

Creating the Frog and Lily Pads

To start building my pond scene, I reached for the Lily Pad Frog die set from Poppystamps. I die-cut several lily pads and one happy little frog, then brought them to life with COPIC markers. I used varying shades of green to give the leaves and frog some dimension, blending out the colors to keep everything soft but vibrant.

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Inky Watercolor Background

For the background, I wanted a loose, watery effect to give the illusion of a real pond. I used watercolor paper as my base and dabbed two shades of blue Distress Oxide inks onto a glass media mat. Then I smooshed the watercolor paper into the ink, focusing the color where I wanted the deepest parts of the water to be. I repeated this process a couple of times, letting each layer dry before adding the next, until I was happy with the dreamy, organic look.

 

Assembling the Scene

With all my elements ready, I started building the scene. I adhered the lily pads in small groups to give a natural, clustered effect, and perched my adorable frog on one of them. To ground the elements and add realism, I added shading underneath the lily pads—just as you’d see shadows in a real pond.

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Finishing Touches

For the sentiment, I used the Hello Spring die, cutting it from crisp white cardstock and placing it along the bottom of the card. Then, for that final bit of sparkle and whimsy, I added a few clear sequins in varying sizes throughout the water. A few white gel pen highlights on the water and leaves really helped everything pop and added that touch of shine I love!

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Join the April Challenge!

Now it’s your turn! The theme this month at Poppystamps is Make A Splash, and it’s the perfect prompt to play with water-themed scenes, inky backgrounds, or even just a splash of color. There’s so much room for interpretation, and I can’t wait to see what you create!

Head over to the Challenge Post for all the details and to link up your card. We’d love to have you join us!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’re feeling inspired to make a splash of your own this spring!

Hugs,

Jyoti

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Splash Into Spring with a Froggy Pond Scene!
By Jyoti Adhikari

B31A5E8B-CDF2-4CF6-A94E-318E15698F06
Hello, crafty friends!

Today, I’m excited to share a card I created for this month’s Poppystamps Challenge—and the theme for April is Make A Splash! I immediately pictured a playful scene in a mossy pond, complete with lily pads and a sweet little frog enjoying a springtime swim. This card was so fun to bring to life, and I hope it inspires you to join in the challenge too!

Let me walk you through the creative process!

Creating the Frog and Lily Pads

To start building my pond scene, I reached for the Lily Pad Frog die set from Poppystamps. I die-cut several lily pads and one happy little frog, then brought them to life with COPIC markers. I used varying shades of green to give the leaves and frog some dimension, blending out the colors to keep everything soft but vibrant.

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Inky Watercolor Background

For the background, I wanted a loose, watery effect to give the illusion of a real pond. I used watercolor paper as my base and dabbed two shades of blue Distress Oxide inks onto a glass media mat. Then I smooshed the watercolor paper into the ink, focusing the color where I wanted the deepest parts of the water to be. I repeated this process a couple of times, letting each layer dry before adding the next, until I was happy with the dreamy, organic look.

 

Assembling the Scene

With all my elements ready, I started building the scene. I adhered the lily pads in small groups to give a natural, clustered effect, and perched my adorable frog on one of them. To ground the elements and add realism, I added shading underneath the lily pads—just as you’d see shadows in a real pond.


Finishing Touches

For the sentiment, I used the Hello Spring die, cutting it from crisp white cardstock and placing it along the bottom of the card. Then, for that final bit of sparkle and whimsy, I added a few clear sequins in varying sizes throughout the water. A few white gel pen highlights on the water and leaves really helped everything pop and added that touch of shine I love!

Join the April Challenge!

Now it’s your turn! The theme this month at Poppystamps is Make A Splash, and it’s the perfect prompt to play with water-themed scenes, inky backgrounds, or even just a splash of color. There’s so much room for interpretation, and I can’t wait to see what you create!

Head over to the Challenge Post for all the details and to link up your card. We’d love to have you join us!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’re feeling inspired to make a splash of your own this spring!

Hugs,

Jyoti

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An Extra Jolly Holly-Jolly Christmas Card
by Sphoorti

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Hello, crafty friends! It’s Sphoorti here with a fun, festive shaker card featuring one of my favorite designs from Poppy Stamps. I couldn't resist using their gorgeous Layered Holly Branch craft die to create this cheerful holiday card! I decided to play around with colors and shapes to give the classic holly design a fresh twist, and I think it turned out super fun!

 

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A Festive and Colorful Shaker

Shaker cards are always such a fun way to add a little interactive magic to your creations, and for this card, I knew I wanted to incorporate some bold, vibrant colors. The Layered Holly Branch die makes for a beautiful background, and by adding seed beads behind the die-cut openings, I created a festive shaker element that's as fun to shake as it is to look at! The seed beads are in various holiday colors—red, green, purple, gold, and silver—giving the card an extra pop of cheer.

 

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Bold and Playful Color Scheme

For this design, I opted for a bold and playful color palette with jewel tones. The combination of rich reds, vibrant greens, and sparkling purples gives the card a modern take on the traditional holiday colors. I love how the colors work together, creating a festive vibe without being overly traditional. The addition of glossy black splatters around the holly leaves adds a touch of sophistication and gives the card that extra bit of flair!

 

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A Shaky Experience: The Struggle of Shaker Cards

Now, I’ll be honest—this card came with its own set of challenges. The process of double-layering the foam tape (to give the shaker some height), then carefully filling the skinny, detailed openings of the holly leaves with the seed beads, all without letting them mix together or stick to the foam tape, was *not* easy! It’s definitely a task for those with steady hands, which is not always my case. My hands tend to be a little shaky, so keeping everything in place while trying not to spill the beads was a bit of a juggling act! But despite the challenges, the end result was so worth it. If you're up for a fun challenge, a shaker card like this one will definitely keep you on your toes!

 

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Custom Sentiment

To complete the look, I used the "Merry" sentiment from Poppy Stamps’ script dies. I kept the sentiment black to contrast against the bright colors and to maintain a clean and modern aesthetic. The sleek and elegant design of the sentiment gives the card a polished finish that lets the shaker elements shine without overwhelming the design.

 

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Simple Techniques, Big Impact

This card is proof that sometimes the simplest techniques can create the most striking results! The process involved die-cutting the holly leaves, adding seed beads to form the shaker elements, and adding some splatter with black ink. It’s a quick and easy way to make a fun, interactive card that’s sure to bring joy to the recipient.

 

 

Would You Try It?

What do you think of this shaker card design? Are you a fan of holiday shaker cards, or do you prefer other types of interactive designs? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Happy crafting!

 

Love,

Sphoorti

Sphoorti Floral Signature copy

 

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A Holly Jolly Shaker Card!
by Sphoorti

 

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Hello, Poppy Peeps! It’s Sphoorti here, bringing you a festive and elegant holly-themed shaker card—because who doesn’t love a little interactive holiday magic?

 

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A Holly-Leaf Shaker with Extra Dimension

I used the 2537 Layered Holly Branch craft die to create this intricate, nature-inspired design. The delicate die-cut holly leaves form an organic shape, and instead of just layering them onto the card, I turned it into a shaker element by filling the cutout spaces with seed beads. This gives the illusion of softly falling snow behind the leaves—simple but so effective!

 

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Coloring the Leaves with Alcohol Inks


The leaves were die-cut from Neenah Solar White 110 lb cardstock, but I didn’t stop there—I colored them using alcohol inks to get that beautiful depth and variation in shades of green. The texture and details pop, making them look almost real!

 

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Glossy, Lifelike Berries (With Easy Substitutes!)


The holly berries were cut using a die from a set that has sadly been discontinued, but don’t worry—you can easily substitute them by cutting small circles from cardstock or even using flat sequins for a little extra shine! To give them that plump, juicy look, I coated them with Glossy Accents, making them stand out beautifully on the card.

 

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The Perfect Holiday Greeting (With a Twist!)


The "Happy Holidays" sentiment comes from the ST018 Holiday Wishes Foil Greetings White Tabs set, but I wanted it to blend seamlessly with the design. So, I inked over it with Distress Inks to soften the look and make it match the color scheme. Who says you can’t customize pre-printed elements?

 

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A Little Controlled Splatter for That Extra Touch


You might notice the golden specks around the holly leaves—that’s not just any splatter! I used a Sakura glue pen and coated them with Decofoil once dry to create a controlled splatter effect, adding an elegant shimmer without the mess of traditional paint splatters. The shine brings everything together, making the card feel even more festive and luxurious.

 

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Want to Make Your Own Shaker Card?


If you love this shaker effect, I’m linking to other dies that work great for creating shaker elements like this! Whether you want to do holiday foliage, geometric cutouts, or intricate patterns, there are plenty of die options that can help you achieve the same effect with a unique twist. Check them out and see what inspires you!

 

 


Would You Try It?


Do you love making shaker cards or working with alcohol inks? Let me know in the comments! Hope this card brings you some holly jolly inspiration!

Love,

Sphoorti

Sphoorti Floral Signature copy

 

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