Technique Junkies Birthday Celebration

 I am celebrating with the Technique Junkies DT today- this month is the 10th Anniversary of the Technique Junkies!  TJ owner Pat Huntoon has been giving out freebies EVERY DAY this month on her BLOG. 

  Happy Halloween! I used a recent technique called Pulled Color (Aug/Sept 2012) for my card , using Dried Marigold, Dusty Concord and Spiced Marmalade Ranger Distress colors, and it has a bit of shimmer in it too.  The stamps are Artistic Outpost Vintage Halloween. The witch is colored with Copics- can you see the black cat in her arms and the spooky pumpkins? I added some shimmer to her dress with a Sakure Gelly Roll pen. The fence is a Digital image from Create with TLC.

 In addition to a newsletter every other month (which you can receive in your mailbox or on-line- or both....) there are a variety of CD's made with loads of techniques from Scrapbooking to 3-D projects, a CD using SU items.There is a drop down link on my sidebar if you want to order one : ).

  The next big Technique Junkie giveaway is a chance to Guest Design for a future newsletter!!!  You just need to Hop along and leave a comment at each blog on the hop.  If you did not arrived here from Hetty's Blog, you may choose to hop over to the Technique Junkies DT blog to start at the beginning of the Hop......

The next stop on the HOP is Jackie's Blog.  I have been a member of the Technique Junkies for 8 years now- I enjoy it so much- a HUGE Thanks to Pat for all she has done to provide a variety of stamping techniques to keep papercrafters challenged and inspired!


I am linking my card to the Artistic Outpost Blog- for the October Referral Program HERE.

Thanks for stopping by! 
Shelly

Sweet Stamps- Black Magic

 This week at the Sweet Stamps Challenge we are creating with the Black Magic technique.

 I am thinking this may be my first time trying this technique- I will be trying it again!  I stamped the image with White Pigment ink and let it dry, then colored over it with Prismacolor pencils. I added White Paint Pen dots to finish off the look.

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:
Flowery Frame HERE
Butterfly Set HERE
Sentiment HERE
Kaiserkraft DSP HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:


365 cards- Day 243 Thank You
Make it Monday- Anything goes
Amusing Challenge- Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Oriental Stamp Art-Dragonfly Swap

I joined a Swap last month to made Oriental themed cards that had a dragonfly on them.

 I stamped the dragonfly by Michael Strong Stamps in Versamark on a sheet of pulled color background- by the Technique Junkies....and embossed it in Gold. The BG is Washi paper under the Cheery Lynn Japanese Wall Die. The Panel is backed in gold CS on red.  The red background has a retired SU Poetry Script in Versamark. The sentiment is from SU Kanji, (also retired) stamped and embossed in Gold.

Here are the cards I rec'd back : )

 Wendy McGowen made this great card- images by A Stamp in the Hand (dragonfly), Stamp Francisco (text), Curtis Uyeda (chop), Art Neko (haiku- sentiment inside) and the punched edge is Martha Stewart. Here is the inside:

The next card is by Bonnie Waliezer.

The image is stamped on Glossy cardstock. The image is colored in with something shimmery : )

Sandra Grimes swapped an elegant card beautifully done!

 This card is by Fran Nikides and is stamped and embossed with SU Oriental Gardens. The texture is awesome. The sentiment is Hero Arts:

 Translation per Fran:
That the Autumn season has begun is decided by the appearance of the red dragonfly.

Next, a Thank You card from the Swap Hostess RLI:

And, RLI also enclosed some goodies (WOW)

How cool are these : )
And the stamps are made in Shenzhen China

Shenzhen is North East of Hong Kong and is where my daughter is living this year- teaching English.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Oriental Stamp Artists Sketch Challenge #195

I made a quick card for the OSA (that is a Yahoo group) Sketch challenge #195.  

  I had this Pulled Color background (learned it in a Technique Junkies newsletter). I used an image from a collage sheet and Washi paper from Art Neko.  I outlined the image and each border sheet with a line of Sakura Gelly Roll pen for shimmer.

CAS for me, isn't it???

I am slow at getting to blogs last week and this week- thanks for your patience- I have next week off and will be 'catching up' then!  My Mom went home from the hospital on Sunday and is on the mend- thanks for all of the well wishes and prayers : )

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Sweet Stamps-Burnt Embossing......

 This week at the Sweet Stamps Challenge we are creating with the Burned Embossing technique .
I found a tutorial on SCS HERE

   I stamped a newly released image from the Decorative Elements set HERE with Ranger embossing ink and embossed with Clear EP. I used the embossing buddy first......... I decided to use Queens Gold EP around the edge of my card...so, just drag your cardstock through the embossing ink and dip the edge into the embossing powder.  I 'burnt' the embossing powder on the edges and top gold medallion as well.  Here is another view:

For the die, I used cardstock and sponged on the Ranger Distress Ink- so it would coordinate with the sponged colors on the front panel.  The background has the image stamped in the clear ink for a watermark effect. This card fits into a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 envelope.

What do you think?  I hope you will join us this week!

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my cards:
Stamp: Decorative Elements Set
Happy Birthday Script sentiment HERE
Embossing Pal- antistatic pouch HERE
Ranger Distress Inks- HERE  Clear for embossing, Dusty Concord and Spiced Marmalade
Clear Embossing Powder HERE
Queens Gold Embossing Powder HERE
Coordinations cardstock HERE Lavender - Forget Me Knot
Cheery Lynn Die Sophia's Heart HERE


*** Stop by the Sweet Stamps store and see the rest of the new release images HERE  ***


I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:

The new 'ABC Challenge'- New to you- cards only-Cheery Lynn Die Sophie's Heart and Decorative Element stamp : )
365 cards- Day 234- 3 B's- Burned embossing, bow, birthday
Cheery Lynn Blog- Texture
Critter Sketch- embossing
Lawnscaping- Try a new technique- Burned embossing
Make it Monday- Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Pan Pastels.......

 Playing with Pan Pastels:

 I had the good fortune last week of meeting Hetty Sanders- she is here for the Club Scrap event and was staying with a friend that lives fairly close to me.  We had an afternoon of stamping fun.....

Above photo is Laura, Hetty and I

and

This is Lynette, Hetty and I.

We played with Pan Pastels and stamped with some Tim Holtz stamps Hetty purchased. Laura and Loretta also shared their altered books with me- and Laura supplied me with a book to alter- so that will be my next adventure.......

 Here is what we worked on......

 Loretta and Hetty made book pages, we also worked with Gesso and stencils that Loretta shared, and we made card fronts with Pan Pastels.....plain and embossed with CB folders.

I am in Cinci with my Mom and Dad this week.  Mom had surgery last Monday and is still in the hospital...I am heading home tomorrow...  I am not sure when my Mom will be discharged from the Hospital- I am hoping in the next couple of days.

Thanks for stopping by!
Shelly

Sweet Stamps Stippling or Sponging

 This week at the Sweet Stamps Challenge we are stippling or sponging.

 I stamped the newly released image Queen Anne's Wildflower Silhouette in Brownie shades die ink onto text DSP from the Kaisercraft Black and White Timeless 6x6 pad.  I used another newly released image on the card background from the Decorative Elements set HERE. First, I randomly stamped the image, then I sponged the Kraft cardstock in brown.

You can see the sponging effect better with the card open aka the original Kraft

And, on the inside a little stamping- simple but I like the effect

  I was wanting to try a new Technique Junkies Technique from the latest newsletter, so I got out my fall colored Shades die inks and had some fun:

The layout is a CASE from Judy Jackson's newsletter sample. This is another new image from the new release called Mums the Word.

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my cards:
Queen Anne's Wildflower Silhouette
Mums the Word
Decorative Elements Set
Sentiment- (inside) HERE
Shades Die Inks HERE   I used Brownie, Tank, Dandelion, Paprika
Kaiserkraft Black and White 6x6 Designer paper HERE

*******New release last week*** Stop by the Sweet Stamps store and see the rest of the new release images HERE  *****************************************************


I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:
 Scrappy Frog- Fall/Halloween
Hybrid Chick- Fall/ Autumn
Challenge up your Life- Autumn/Halloween
Catch the Bug- color inspiration
Delicious Doodles- Monochrome
CRAFT- Monochromatic

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Cranes mingle for OSA

 I joined a Yahoo Group called Oriental Stamp Art- I am finding it to be an active board with alot of inspiration, tons of mingles and swaps.......  I joined a Mingle for a card with two or more Cranes images a few weeks ago- my partner should have rec'd my card by now, so I thought I would post it today.

   I let the Washi paper dictate the color of the card....you know I love pink.....  The Wedding Cranes image is by Art Neko (and is on sale for just $1.00 currently.......).  The sentiment is from SU Kanji.
   I colored the image with Copics. The cranes are stamped twice- I fussy cut them out and added shimmer with a Sakura Gelly roll pen. I added some texture with an embossing folder, and took out a stippled pink UFO that is very shimmery and added that under the image, added a piece from the MS punch and under the sentiment. There is a gold shimmery threads in the Washi paper too.

 This is the Crane Mingle I received from Chris B:

 I love this cool image and as always- have no clue what the sentiment means...... : )

  The Crane is legendary in China for being the prince of all feathered creature on earth. Next to the Phoenix , the Crane is the most favored all Chinese bird symbols. The Crane is the ancient symbol for longevity because of its exceptionally long life span. In many legends, the spirits ride on cranes, which are also said to bear the souls of the departed to the heaven.

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Sweet Stamps- Black Magic

 This week at the Sweet Stamps Challenge we are creating cards using the Black Magic technique.

  Stamp the image is White Pigment ink, and once dry- color over it with Prismacolor pencils. Add highlighting with a white paint pen.  (Mine was not cooperating, so I used White reinker and a skewer stick). I think this is the first time I have done this technique- I will be doing it again....!
   
Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my cards:
Flowery Frame image HERE
Butterfly Set HERE
Sentiment HERE
Kaisercraft DSP HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:
365 Cards- Thank You card
Amusing challenge- Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Sweet Stamps- Alter it

 This week at the Sweet Stamps Challenge we are Altering an item.........  I had to make a card to go with my altered item..... I was having so much fun with the cute snowman image.....: )

 I found this jar at Target- and purchased it (a year ago to alter......  hehehe) ....  The project was inspired by the chilly weather here.......  I think this year, I will be making this for gifts for the Holidays- what's better than Hot chocolate???

 I stamped the images on Glossy paper with Tuxedo Memento ink. The larger image is actually a flower...but I thought it passed beautifully as a snowflake too.....  I dauber on Ranger Blue inks one at a time. The image is also on Glossy and colored with Ranger Distress Inks.  

I simply measured around the jar, and ended up making two 11" strips for the center of the jar. The darker blue shimmer accents are made using a UFO from my Technique Junkies box of backgrounds.   The really bad part about not labeling this- I cannot figure out how to make more- it is so pretty and shimmery IRL! 

 I cut out a snowflake using a Cheery Lynn die and added it to the ribbon.  I used more of the blue 'UFO technique' and cut out a Cheery Lynn die for the lid as well:

Then I decided to make a Rosette with some of the 'UFO' too. There is a piece of glossy CS on the bottom with the lighter blue daubered on......  The flower on top is dimensional- three images stamped and cut apart, then layered. I painted the flower with Azure and SIlver Smoosh paints.

I had so much fun with the snowman image, I decided to make a card as well.

 The card needed something, so I added the dot background and added highlights to the embossed area with Creative inspirations Fairy Dust paint.

My husband wants to know if we get to keep the Hot Chocolate mix....hahahaha Maybe I'll make him one of these for one of his Christmas gifts : )

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my jar and on my card:
Images:
Small Snowflake HERE 
Fancy Flowers Set #1 HERE
Stitched Button Snowman HERE
Sentiment HERE
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink HERE
Ranger Distress Inks  all Blues- HERE
Italian Flourish Doily Die HERE
Snowflake 3 Die HERE
Coved Rectangle Stackers HERE
Spots Embossing Folder HERE
Smoosh HERE
Creative Inspirations paint HERE
Score Tape HERE

*******New release this week*** Stop by the Sweet Stamps blog on Thursday to see the new images being released!***************************************************************


I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 

Challenges:
Anything but a card- Shiney, sparkly, blingy
Pan Pastel- Altered Item
Sentimental Sundays- Anything Goes- plus a sentiment- (the card)
Make it Monday- Anything Goes
Frosted Designs- Doilies
Craft Room Challenge- alter it
Incy Wincy- Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

ATC's- Monochromatic and a doll mingle

 Our ATC exchange this month was Monochromatic....... I took quick pictures and have to apologize...... they are a tad out of focus.......  I have already exchanged them. so cannot re-do the pictures.  I only have two of the bunch- blurry as they are - that I will post- the rest are way too out of focus......

 This is a retired SU set, a Chinese text in the BG and Technique Junkies Colorwash Alcohol for the BG. 

 These images are Rogue Redhead and the background is Acrylic Block taping by the TJ's.

Some of the ladies make all of the ATC's for exchanging alike, and some make them all different...... 

First, we make one ATC for a 1-4-1 exchange- mine is too blurry to post- here is the one I rec'd:

Made by Diane S. it has weaving in the BG- papers and ribbon, and a button in coordinating colors to finish it off.

Here are the remainder of the trades:

 

 Carol, our world traveler just returned from a Steampunk festival in London- and used an embossing folder she purchased there.

 Cindy made beautiful fall colored swaps- I chose this wonderful leaf themed ATC in Orange.

 Debbie is a collage artist- I picked a star themed ATC from her collection.

 Harriet made her swaps the same- but in different colors. The buttons (Michael's) all had Halloween themed pictures (spiders, etc......)

 The blues are from Mary (Lt) and Mari

 Next is Marci- a Halloween theme

Diane S made a collage background with DSP and topped it off with a shimmery pumpkin : )

And, Mary made a bonus for all of us- she is soooo sweet- for Halloween.

Mary spearheaded a 4" cloth doll mingle- each person made a carrying case for their doll, a journal and named their doll, then passed it on to the next person who worked on the monthly theme- add a skirt, add hair, add shoes, etc......and wrote in the journal. There are so many creative accessories and ideas!   I may have to join in next time........

From Lt to Rt- Carol had a Steampunk themed doll, Mari had a gypsy , Harriet had an Island girl theme, Debbie had a biker girl and Mary had a 5yr old........

Carols Steampunk doll and outside of her case:

 Maris gypsy doll:

Harriets Island girl:

Debbies Biker girl

 And, Mary's School girl:

Whew- that was long!

The Technique Junkies are celebrating their 10th Anniversary this month- ***giveaways daily***.....just saying. The fun is HERE on Pat Huntoon's blog. 

Have a wonderful day- and Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly

Sweet Stamps- Brayering......

This week at the Sweet Stamps Challenge we are making Brayered Backgrounds : )

 I made a card using a "Zindorfian" style Brayered Background.  Michelle Zindorf held a class in my area a couple of years ago (at my house : )  ) and I always love to 'try' to apply what I learned from her!

 I stamped and colored the Swan image, colored with Copics and Ranger Distress Markers. Then, I colored over the image with Versamark and clear embossed it.
 I cut out a circle on a post-it note with a die, then placed it in the center and brayered over it.  First, I brayered with Ranger Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, then Stormy Sky. Next, I added Faded Jeans to the outside edges and corners last to make the image 'pop'.

 The cardstock is coordinations and I added a corner die for a final accent.  I was going to try to add piercing across the entire top as an accent, but decided to stop after piercing the top corners.

I left off a sentiment so I can use this for any occasion- but think it would make a great Anniversary card......!

Here are the Sweet Stamps products I used on my card:
Image- Swan Family HERE
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink HERE
Clear Embossing Powder HERE
Ranger Distress Inks  all Blues- HERE
Coordinations cardstock HERE  (Sandy Tans)
Score Tape HERE
Lace Deco Corner Die 'E' HERE

I hope you will join in the challenge!  Every entry qualifies you for a chance to win $20 of items from the store at  Sweet Stamps, and if you use a Sweet Stamps image- you will receive an additional chance to win! Please note- there is a limit of 10 challenges for each entry.The winner is chosen by Random.org- so everyone has a chance to win!

 Stop by the Sweet Stamps Challenge Blog HERE to see what the rest of the DT has created for the Challenge or click on the links below.

Sweet Stamps Design Team:

*   Bonnie  *  Calypso *
 * Dawn B  *   Jacki   *  Joni 

                                     *  Kendra  *  Linda                                             

                                          *  Shelly  (you are here)  *  Tamara  * 



Thanks for stopping by!
 Shelly