Happy May!

Even though it's been a little brisk, here in Michigan, I know it's Spring! I hear the birds chirping outside my windows in the morning, which is a great way to start my day!

Hope you've been enjoying the Hop and all the new inspiration from the DT.  I've been getting lots of inspiration and ideas from them!

I've done up a few little projects for you today using some of the new releases. I hope you feel inspired to give some of these a try for yourself!

First up is my May calendar.  I just love the Bicycle (SS068), Set of 4. Those little bikes are just adorable.

I used the Calligraphy Loops (S714) background stamp in a couple different colors and colored and trimmed out the bicycle and added to my computer-generated calendar. I then added a sentiment from Things I Want To Do (S546).  I love that set! There are 16 different sentiments in that set...like "Walk with confidence", "Choose Joy" and "Live Out Loud", just to name a few. I can always find something to go with my images!

My next project again used one of the bicycles from the Bicycle set.

I used Nuvo Mousse for the sky background. It's really shimmery! I die cut the grass panel and adhered it to the card front. I stamped the bike a few times and used my Brother Scan and Cut to trim out the images, just whacking off the bike on two of them so I could use the flower baskets. After I colored them and attached the images to the card, I used Nuvo Crystal Drops for the flowers.  The sentiment is from You Are The World (SS071). A couple of hand drawn, kindergarten-style (lol) birds finished off the scene.

My last project today is a card featuring Crazy Cat Border (SD798).

I have had it in my head for a while that I wanted to do a window. When I saw this set, it struck me as the perfect image to go with a window! I just keep picturing a crazy cat lady, lol.  I masked off the area where the window would be and stamped the background image. I colored in the cats with colored pencil. The diecut window was inked with some Distress Inks and foam taped to the card front. But first I added a couple of strips of lace for curtains. This card just makes me smile. I chose to not add a sentiment to the front. That way it can be used for a birthday card, thinking of you, friendship, or note card.

Remember, the new releases are discounted 15% until May 8th! So get your order in soon! And if you'd like to save 10% on everything else, simply enter the code below!

Til next time,
Keepin' it inky!

ROSES FOR MOM

Hello Junkies, 

Did you get a chance to hop along yesterday with the design team while they showed off the new stamps for the Technique Junkies May release?  If not, you can still catch it and take advantage of the 15% off any of the stamps from the new release until May 8.  Also, Pat is offering a 15% discount on the Chameleon Color Tone Pencils.  (I used them to color the roses on this card).  

It soon will be mother's day and while my mother is no longer living, there is a lovely lady who was my mother's dear friend and like a second mom to me. When I saw this Long Stemmed Rose stamp in the April Release, I knew I wanted to use it to create a card for her.  

I made 2 masks of the rose so I could stamp multiple roses and place them one in front of the other.  After stamping them, I colored them with Chameleon Color Tone Pencils,  (15% discount but only until May 8).  The background was sponged with Antique Linen Distress Ink.  

The sentiment is another stamp from the April Release "Happy Mother's Day"  which I stamped in a light gray ink in order to let the roses stand out.  

If you'd like to purchase any stamps from Technique Junkies (except for the May Release Stamps, already discounted stamps and Distress Oxide Inks) and would like a little discount on your order, please use my code TJ10Cheri at check out.  

Have you visited the Technique Junkies FaceBook Page yet?  Check it out and join in on the fun. 

And we also have a monthly technique challenge going.  You have until May 14th to join in on this month's challenge.  There's a $25.00 GC to the Technique Junkies store for a lucky winner who enters and who's name is drawn.  The winner will be announced on May 14th.  A new technique challenge will begin on May 15.  

Have a super crafty week, my friends.  

  

May Release Blog Hop and Discount!

Happy May Release Day!

I'm so about the May Release at Technique Junkies!

We have 17 new stamps in the Technique Junkies line! The TJ Design Team has so many beautiful projects to share!  Get ready to ooh and aah as you view their projects to kick off the release!

All of the May 2017 New Release stamps are 15% off through May 8th!

We can all use a little bargain now, right? No codes needed, just put them in your shopping cart and the discount will be applied at checkout.

Here is the list for our blog hop:

Design Junkies Blog <-- you are here

Lanette Erickson

Cheri Weston

Kathy Stacy
Jeanne Streiff

Ro Donner
Beth Norman

Judy Jackson

Vicki Garrett

Giovana Smith

Chris Dayton

Pat Huntoon

We have a brand new product in the store!
Chameleon Color Tones Pencils
Chameleon Color Tones Pencils are specially designed double ended pencils you just flip to blend! These unique artist quality pencils take the guesswork out of choosing different colors for blending and shading and they eliminate the hassle of sifting through dozens of colored pencils to find the right shades, as the right shade is on the other end and all you have to do is flip to blend! 25 Pencils / 50 colors Artist Quality Made In Austria Highly Pigmented Intense Colors Ultra Smooth Consistency Permanent Break Resistant 3.8mm lead Pre-sharpened Chameleon Color Tones Pencils are a wonderfully convenient system that allows you to do MORE with less! Each pencil has two colors that have been custom matched to deliver captivating color blends and transitions. The 25 pencils create 50 vibrant colors, and each pencil is finely crafted in Austria to provide richly pigmented, intense color and a buttery smooth consistency. The pencils are designed to layer and blend exceptionally well and feature break-free 3.8mm leads that come pre-sharpened for ease of use. The best part is that Chameleon Color Tones Pencils are packed in a convenient storage case that transitions into a brilliant workstation for creativity on the go.
http://techniquejunkies.com/chameleon-colortone-pencils/

I would also like to invite you to join the Technique Junkies Facebook Group, which recently moved from Yahoo.  We have a fun, interactive group with plenty of artwork for you to view! Simply search Technique Junkies Group in Facebook or copy and Paste this link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1217840814981827/

Here are a couple projects from Jeanne to start us off!

This project uses Hats off to Dad and Pocket Watches

This card uses It's a Guy Thing and Happy Father's Day

Have a great day!

Love and Laughter

Hi! Jeanne here today with a watercolored background card.

I created a washy background by adding water to my paper and then using Distress inks. I used Twisted Citron, Cracked Pistachio and Mermaid Lagoon. After my paper was totally dry I stamped SD767 Love and Laughter Floral with black ink using my MISTI. I love using the MISTI on watercolor paper because you can restamp your image as many times as you want to get a nice image.

This is such a happy phrase. Here's a closer look.

Have a great day!

All My Boobs

Hi there! Jeanne here today with a quick and easy card with a funny (but sweet) message.

I made a quick background with some watered down Distress inks and a paint brush and then swiped my ink pad across my paper. Let dry completely before stamping.

I added SD660 Love Hands and SD663 With All My Boobs using my MISTI Tool.

Best stamping tool ever.

I did a little pen Faux Stitching on the edge of my card to finish it off.

Like what you see?

Use Code TJ10Jeanne for 10% off at Technique Junkies Stamps!

Supplies:

Stamps: SD660 Love Hands, SD663 With All My Boobs

Papers: watercolor paper, cardstock from SU! 

Distress Inks Picked Raspberry, Seedless Preserves, Black Soot

MISTI Tool

Fine black pen

Paint Brush

Have a great day!

Throw the Paint!

Hello All Lanette Here!

I just wanted to share a fun mixed media tag that I created using one of our older Palettini-Stamps and a bit of Art Anthology.

A close up just for fun..

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

Life is a Canvas

Thank you so much for stopping by today! 

I hope that I have inspired you in some way!

TJ Inkspirations - Retro Card with Nuvo Mousse

I exhibit at 20 or so trade shows per year, and either demo or run a Make and Take at each of them. This years we have been doing a Make and Take, allowing people to try the Nuvo Mousse or Glimmer Paste with stencils on tags. Since the best way to explain how to do something is to show it, I make quite a few tags at each show, always trying to use different colors and stencils. Today's card was inspired by one of the tags I made at a show. And it has no stamps on it... BUT - everything on the tag is available in on www.techniquejunkies.com. All of the product you see below can be purchased in the store today. The card also has a fun cut border: Here is what we are using for the card in the video tutorial today: Nuvo Mousse in Pacific Teal_ Orange Crush and Citrus Green Smile Words Stencil - A Colorful Life Designs Nuvo Crystal Drops - Ebony Black Colorations Sprays in Patience_ Timeless and Siesta Key

	Retro Flowers with Nuvo Mousse
I love the bright colors and dimension of this card. The flowers are dimensional with the mousse, and the centers are dimensional with the glossy black centers.   The full tutorial is on the video, here: Retro Flowers with Nuvo Embellishment Mousse