Loving Seahorses!

Seahorses are such unique little creatures. Did you know there are about 40 different species of seahorses? And they like to swim in pairs with their tails linked. How sweet is that!

I finally got to play with the Seahorse stamp from TJ.  This lil guy is so adorable! 

To make this card, I started with an A2 card base in white. I used Distress Ink in Broken China and inked the entire base. Next, I diecut an oval shape into a smaller piece of Neenah cardstock. I lightly penciled in on the card base where the oval would be. Using a stencil I made with my Silhouette Cameo, I sprayed some Art Anthology Colorations Spray (Siesta Key). I added some clear Wink of Stella on the background to add a little sparkle.

On another piece of Neenah CS, I stamped the Seahorse with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. Using Spectrum Noir Colored Pencils, I colored and fussy cut the image.  I added some gold Wink of Stella to just the seahorse to give him a little shimmer.

I then attached the oval panel using foam adhesive, and added "bubbles" to the entire card using Nuvo Crystal Drops in Morning Dew.

I love how this card turned out. I chose not to add a sentiment on the front so the inside could be customized for any occasion.

If you would like to save 10% on any of the products used here (and many other products!), simply use my code:

And don't forget to play along with our Technique Challenge (see side bar)!

Til next time,
Keepin' It Inky!

REMEMBERING WITH GRATITUDE

Greetings Junkies!!!  

This date is the official Memorial Day here in the USA.  Once called "Decoration Day", it's day set aside to remember those who died in the service or our country.  It started after the Civil War and continues today.  Back in the 1971, an act of congress changed the date to be the last Monday in May.  

Growing up, I remember Memorial Day was a day when members of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) passed out red poppies and took donations to help maintain a fund to buy flags to place at the graves of deceased veterans.  

The story of the red poppies being a symbol of Memorial Day has two parts, it was inspired from a poem "In Flanders Field" written by a Canadian, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrea in 1915.  Inspired by this poem, an American Moina Michael wrote her own poem and conceived the idea to wear the red poppy as a symbol to remember those who gave their lives in war.    

The card I made today is honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for world freedoms.  

When I saw the poppy stamp in the Technique Junkies store, I knew I wanted to have it in my collection.  It's simplicity is stunning and can be easily colored with whatever medium you choose.  I used Copic Markers here.  

I first stamped the poppy on a card layer, colored it and masked it.  I then inked the poppy again with Pumice Stone Distress Ink and stamped some more images around the mask.  For additional texture, I used Herringbone Tweed background stamp inked with the same DI ink in Pumice Stone.  That gave it a "linen" look.  

I couldn't stop there, so keeping the mask in place, I mixed up some black acrylic paint and water and splattered it across the layer for even more texture.  The sentiment was made with my old label maker.  (That puppy comes in handy so often.) 

If you'd like a little discount for some awesome Technique Junkies Stamps, here's a discount code to help with that.  

I hope you didn't mind the history lesson and I pray we never forget those who sacrificed everything defending freedom.  It's a precious gift.  

Woohooo!!! Only two more days and it will be the first of the month and time for a new release from Technique Junkies!!!!  We'll be hopping with all the new stamps on Thursday, June 1.  You don't want to miss it!  

Thanks for stopping by today.  See you Thursday!  

Be As a Bird

I used the lovely new May Technique Junkie release of Watercolor Birds - http://techniquejunkies.com/watercolor-birds/  to create this card.  The  verse comes from an older word set called Wings Quotes - http://techniquejunkies.com/wings-quotes/   which was heat embossed on vellum.  I ran the vellum through my Xyron machine and while the vellum was still attached to the backing, I sponged the edges to give it some definition.   The birds were painted with Twinkling H20s and the sky was sponged.  Bling was added as an embellishment.   

Have a great day, and get inky.

Judy Jackson

Everything's Coming Up Roses

Good Morning! 

It's Vicki here with a CAS share from the May Release.

I ADORE this pretty little stamp

Rose Doodles

Even the name is super cute, dontcha think?

Although this card is simple, I think it's sweet and a great card to make in a pinch when you don't have a lot of time to create.

I stamped the Rose Doodle image onto a 5.75" Square of Cardstock.

I coloured the image with my Zig Clean Brush Markers.

The sentiment can be found in the Sentimental Sayings Stamp Set

I Love this sentiment set and know I'll use it over and over!!!!

LASTLY, if you know me well, you will KNOW I love a little pizzazzle on my cards.....Pizzazzle?? Yep, Pizzazzle! My term for anything glittery, glitzy or shiny!!!!

This time I used a fine point glue tipped pen to add a few little dots and some super shiny glitter!

See?? Easy Peasy!

Hope you have a Wonderful Day!

XX's and Oh's

--Vicki~~

TJ Inkspirations: Watered Nuvo Mousse

Hi Friends! I have had so much fun at trade shows this year introducing Nuvo Mousse Embellishments to so many people. If we have played together this year, you know that we have been putting the Mousse through stencils for a pretty textural,metallic effect, like this: Concentric Circles with Nuvo Mousse There are so many more things you can do with the Mousse, though! In the video in this email, I show you a couple of ways to use the Mousse with water - just a few more ways to play with this beautiful metallic product. Nuvo Embellishment Mousse with Water The video below shows how to use Mousse wit water for fun effects: as a watercolor, direct to stamp, and used with an acrylic block on paper. Scroll down past the video for the finished projects. Mousse with water Finished Artwork (from the video) Watercolored Nuvo Mousse_ Direct to Stamp Stamps: Watercolor Flowers; Life Full of Love   Stamps: Spring Daisies   Stamp: Butterfly Dreams Stencil: A Colorful Life Stamps: Watercolor Flowers; Life Full of Love

I hope you are a little inkspired by today's issue. See you next week! Pat Huntoon Technique Junkies LLC

Be Silly, Be Honest, Be Kind

Hello friends!! Giovana here with a fun card using the technique from our current challenge (with a little twist) and a deconstructed use of stamps ;) Super easy and another way to use your stamps.

Let's get started:

• First I started with a 6"x6" white card. Die-cut chapel kinda style and position my card base front, Rose Cluster stencil and die-cut, securing them with painter's tape. Then, I used Mustard Seed Distress Ink and started sponging from left to right, putting less pressure on the right side.

•  After sponging, move the stencil a bit to the right and using a marker and trace on all thw white parts.

•  You will get something like this.

•  For the beautiful roses from Rose Doodles, I stamped them on a piece of White cardstock in Memento Pink Rose and Bamboo Leaves, colored them with the new Chameleon Color Tone Pencils, then I fussy cut all of them ;) I arranged them on the left side, under I added silver thread and stamped this beautiful "Be Silly"sentiment using my MISTI and Color Burst Lamp Black Ink.

As a final touch I added pearls and the card was done!!

Now, you get these and more products over at the Technique Junkies store, and you can get 10% on your order using my code TJ10Giovana (excludes New releases and Clearance items)

Hope you like my project!
Have a fantastic day!

Shiny Pearls

The Crafty Nurse here for a midweek post to spark your creative flow.  Please join us over at the new Technique Junkies Facebook Group to share your work.  

Stamps: "Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful"

Technique: Stenciled PE from the Sensation Stencil CD

Please enjoy 10% off at the Technique Junkies store using TJ10Kathy.

Happy Arting

The Crafty Nurse

How to Make Faux Designer Paper

Hello, Beth Norman here with a a Faux Designer Paper tutorial which originally came from the December 2008 edition of the Technique Junkie Newsletter.  This is just one of many favourite techniques of mine.  I hope you like it too.  I made a point by going outside my comfort zone and used a colour combination that I normally do not use which is why I think I'm so happy with the end result.

Supplies:  Bold stamps, embossing buddy (not in photo), 3 to 4 pads of ink, VersaMark, clear embossing powder, heat gun, cardstock, scrap paper and iron (both not in photo)

Using your first bold stamp, stamp out your image using VersMark in one or two of the corners.   Sprinkle with embossing powder and heat emboss.

Using your darkest colour, smear ink over top of your embossed image.  You do not have to be neat.

Take your lighter colour and swipe in a horizontal fashion as seen above.

Using 1 to 3 stamps, stamp out your image with dark ink.

Using your iron with your steam off, iron the embossed portion of your card with a scrap piece of paper.  Here you will see how the embossing powder seeped through the scrap photocopy paper.

Using a dark colour (here I used black), swipe around your edges to add a distressed, shabby chic, look.  Finish as desired.

For 10% off these, or any other,  stamps and products (excludes new releases and clearance items), you may use the code above.

Technique Junkies Stamps Used:

Big Flourish

Birdie Tree

Sentimental Sayings

If you belong to the Technique Junkies FB page, I’d love to see your take on this technique.  Don’t forget, we have a challenge which you’ll find at the top of the page.  Hope to see you there!

A tribute card for Memorial Day

Just a quick reminder on what Memorial Day is all about. A salute to our men and women in the service with a sincere Thank You for what you give/have given to keep our Nation free. 
God Bless America.

Stamp: Last Breath
Pat Huntoon

Same Stamps 2 Ways

Hello All Lanette Here!

I just love our new Crazy Cat Border Stamp! So I thought it would be fun to create two very different cards using this fun stamp... Heck I even used the same verse stamp and the same papers...

First I kept it clean and simple....

Next I mixed it up a bit with a bit of Distress Oxide Ink....

Here is a better look at the stamps I used today...

Crazy Cat Border

Cats and More Cats

And don't forget Pat has an awesome

 deal for the complete set of Distress Oxide Ink!!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! 

I hope that I have inspired you in some way!

TJ Inkspirations

If you haven't seen, Jeanne Streiff just announced the newest Technique Challenge on the TJ Facebook Group and blog. The challenge is to use the Shaped Stencils Technique (directions here) with Technique Junkies stamps for a chance to win a $25.00 gift certificate to anything in the TJ store.

Here is my take on the Shaped Stencils Technique:   I stamped and cut apart the Left Unsupervised sentiment, and used the Peeking Image over the shaped stencil. The shape is a circle die that I sponged ink through, using the Grammies's Lace stencil from A Colorful Life Designs. I colored my girl very lightly with Chameleon Colored Pencils.   I created the shaped stencil portion using the Stonework Stencil from A Colorful Life Designs through an Apothecary Die. To "grunge" my piece a bit, I sprayed the background with Timeless, Rustic and Warm Art Anthology Colorations Sprays. Once dry,  The Downtown Boy and Sarcasm stamps were stamped directly on the stenciled portion, using brown StazOn ink. The cat was colored with Chameleon Colored Pencils.

The Rules

You will have a whole month to complete the challenge. Enter as many times as you wish using the link list at the bottom of the post for a chance to win a  $25 Technique Junkies Gift Certificate!  You have until June 11th to enter. Winner will be announced June 12th. A few simple rules. You must use Technique Junkies stamps to be chosen to win a prize. If you don't have any Technique Junkies stamps feel free to play along and link your project but you will not be in the drawing for a prize. You must use the challenge technique in your project (that's the challenge!) No linking old projects. Projects must be new. Please list Technique Junkies stamps with links in your project posts. Please link directly to your project (not a general blog). If you have a problem linking to the challenge contact Jeanne Hope you were inkspired today! Pat

Happy Father's Day

Good Morning!

Chris here with a bit of Father's Day inspiration for you today.

Today I am highlighting both the Happy Father's Day stamp and a portion of the Call the Girls stamp.  I created this card first by misting spray stain onto watercolor paper then using my Misti stamping tool to repeatedly stamp the sentiment on the right side with distress inks to give the loose watercolor look.  

The drink is from of the Call the Girls stamp.  It was stamped with Memento ink and colored with Copics.  I then cut a mask for the lemon, so I could cover the whole glass with Versamark and dip it in clear embossing powder and emboss to give the shine of real glass.

I was playing with my gelli plate and some acrylic paints the other day, and loved these warm gray  backgrounds that I had made using some crinkled plastic wrap to create a subtle texture.  I loved the contrast of two of the backgrounds pieces and decided to make a simple Father's Day card for a husband who's out of this world.

And while creating some backgrounds I was using this A Colorful Life Texture stencil with my Gel Press.  When I peeled up my Bristol paper I had to do a double take.  This is one of a series of pieces I'd started when I could help but see something totally unexpected.  Do you see it?

I couldn't help it.  It was in my head.  

The Gel Press plate got pushed aside and the paint brush came out.

I had to get my Monet on.

Speaking of stencils...  There's a new stencil challenge that just started on Technique Junkies!  If you haven't seen it, you can check it out HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy your day!