Friday, February 16, 2018

Hope Abloom


I think Marcella Hawley is upping her artistic game.  Truly!  She has always brought us such beautiful and whimsical creations for card making, but WOW, it seems she’s taking it to a whole other level lately.  Today’s amazing illustration is brand new from Power Poppy, a stunning digital image called Heart Abloom, part of her Color Stories series this year.  Just look at the beauty!  

Here’s how Marcy described all the details:  A tapestry of spring flowers fill a large, lush heart shape in this Color Story adventure! The flowers for this heart were expressly chosen to celebrate yellows, greens, blues, and purples. We have Daffodils and Narcissus, a myriad of single and double Hellebores, Trout Lilies, and then the surprise guest: Blueberries! 

It was an outright joy to colour this one up in a very spring-like palette.  I happen to really love hellebore - or lenten roses, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned before.  They are so delicate, but also so varied in the colours they come in.  I used a pretty cohesive palette focussing on deep pinks and purples, with the pop of yellow in the narcissus. I’ve mentioned before this combo really works because the yellow and purple are complementary colours.  


I decided to trim the whole heart out with a wee border and place it on a intricate oval die which I covered in glitter.  It helps create the feeling of a victorian Valentine.  To soften the yellow cardstock, I added a layer of embossed vellum behind the heart.   Check out those gorgeous blueberries nestled in there...and then that sweet little snail!  


The image comes with the center banner blank, and with the word hello in it.  I chose the blank one and then added the word hope in bounce lettering, which I’m practising more of.  I wouldn’t say my lettering is super successful because of the curve of the banner - that was a bit harder to letter in a way that made the proportions look right, but I still love the word hope embedded into all these spring flowers.  It gives in an Eastery feel.   

I used a crazy amount of Copics, 34 I believe, so I took two photos of them.  




For more beautiful inspiration today, be sure to visit the rest of the Bloom Brigade playing along, and for more of Heart Abloom, check out the Instant Gardeners Team from Power Poppy, they’ve done some beautiful work with the images from this set!  

Christine Okken
Julie Koerber
Stacy Morgan

and Marcy at the Power Poppy Blog

10 comments:

Gretchen Wilson said...

Absolutely stunning!๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿค—

KarinsArtScrap said...

gorgeous Christine

gr karin

CherylQuilts said...

Oh, Christine! This is absolutely exquisite, and your coloring keeps on getting better and better (if that's possible). And, yes, Marcy sure is upping her artistic game...that gal is amazing! I am in love with this image and haven't tackled it (just the single hellebore), but you have truly brought this beauty to life and then added the perfect sentiment - "hope!" Yes, He is our hope and strength, and oh the beauty He has blessed us with here on earth. Can you imagine Heaven? I love how you've fussy cut this image and laid it over the die and the the embossed vellum. You surely know how to do yellow! Warm and sunny hugs, precious friend!! xoxo

Traci M said...

Your card is gorgeous, Christine!! So like nature’s lovely pallet of spring flowers unfolding...your card brings it all to life!! I also love the softness the vellum adds!

Helen said...

Christine, this card is so beautiful. I love the ditigal heart of flowers but I especially like the "frame" you've added. It showcases the floral images so well. tfs

ellyscard creatief said...

Gorgeous card Christine.

Stacy Morgan said...

Christine this is just gorgeous. Your coloring is beautiful and the springy feel is wonderful. I adore how you cut the heart and added the decorative oval behind. Gorgeous card.

Leslie Miller said...

Incredibly gorgeous! Your coloring leaves me breathless. So lovely the way you added the vellum and glittered die cut oval. All those colors... but so beautifully blended and coordinated. Love that this image has blueberries! Lots of coloring, but you make it look easy, sigh. It does take a lot of Copics!

Conniecrafter said...

Oh wow that is just lovely, such great look of dimension in your bouquet, lovely coloring and framing!

Patti Willey said...

Precious image! Your flowers look so sweet!