Happy Independence Day!!

Today's card is all patriotic, in honor of Independence Day . . . and features the Herringbone technique from the December 2009/January 2010 issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter. This technique is easier than it may look and is a lot of fun!!

The stamp was picked up at my local craft store in one of the dollar racks (and it was only fifty cents!) and has no identifying mark with regard to the manufacturer. Be sure to stop by tomorrow for another Independence Day card and a little bit of Independence Day trivia. As you celebrate Independence Day today (this weekend) please be safe! Thanks for stopping by to visit today. Have a GREAT day!!!

Architectural Rainbow Strip Flip

Today's card was created using an older Technique Junkies technique called Rainbow Strip Flip. I used an older Stampin' Up! stamp set, Architectural Elements, to have a masculine theme for the card. There are other architectural-themed stamps used in this project, as well. The bold words that are seen are from a four-sided stamp entitled, "Building Slab" by Postmodern Design. The text on each side of the stamp is as follows: "Master", "not to scale", "Figure A", and "Architectural Rendering". I believe the focal image is one I picked up at a stamp convention from Stamp Francisco. It is an unmounted stamp and I did not note anywhere the manufacturer, but I do recall buying several images like this one from Stamp Francisco.

I brayered blue and grey inks on the background piece to imitate the look of blueprint paper and randomly stamped the many architectural details. The focal image was layered onto blue paper, and faux photo corners created. This card could be used for any masculine-themed celebration--birthday, Father's Day--and would also be perfect for use as a thank you to any contractor, designer, etc. Thanks for stopping by and visiting today. Have a great day!!

QKR Monday - Couch Potato

I posted last week that I was working on my QKR Monday project. Well, after many trials, tribulations and frustrations, I finally came up with a card that I "liked" enough to post. My biggest challenge with this card was the look I wanted to achieve and the scale of the card versus the scale of the stamp.

This card was created using the Couch Potato and  Early Retirement stamps by QKR Stampede. This was my first attempt at creating the look of a "room" using the Faux Painted Paneling technique in the October/November 2009 issue of the Technique Junkie Newsletter. The Couch Potato image was stamped three times -- once on patterned paper (the couch), a second time on kraft card stock (the potato, which was subsequently colored with Prisma watercolor pencils to enhance the color) and a third time on white card stock for the pillow, tennis shoes, and glove. Here is a close-up of the Couch Potato:

Today is also my day to post on the QKR Stampede Blog. Be sure to go there, as well, to see another project using the Relaxing Gnome stamp. Here is a little peek:

Thanks for stopping by and having a look! Have a WONDERFUL day!!

Aged Tile

This card was created using the Aged Tiles technique from the April/May, 2008, Technique Junkie newsletter and the Large Ship and Sail Away stamps from QKR Stampede.

I haven't used the Aged Tiles technique in a while, and it was actually brought to mind when someone recently posted a card to the Technique Junkie group using the technique. This particular card reminds me of tiles you would see in  a kitchen or bathroom of an older home--tiles from the 1920s or 1930s--that have an image decoupaged onto the tile. Putting this card together is quick, clean, and simple!

As always, thanks for taking the time to stop by and visit. Have a GREAT day!!

Faux Aged Paper Challenge

A Technique Junkie turbo team member is hostessing Challenge Wednesday at the Design Junkies blog.  This week's challenge was to use the Faux Aged Paper technique from a 2004 issue of the Technique Junkie newsletter. The technique is accomplished by covering your card stock with lemon juice (I used lime juice; I think anything with a citric acid will accomplish the effect) and heating with your heat gun. The more heat you apply, the more concentrated and deeper the aging will be (this technique reminds me of a similar technique using Sweetened Condensed Milk). The card I created with this technique is shown below.  Stamps were from the Antique Autos set by Stampin' Up! Thanks for stopping by!

Mono Dies

Mono Dies is a technique that was in the February 2010 issue of the Technique Junkie newsletter. The Mono Dies technique shows a new way to use your punches or cutting dies to create an intriguing monochromatic background for your card and scrapbook projects. The stamps used for this card are from the set God's Beauty by Stampin' Up!

Double Metal Embossing

Today's card features the Double Metal Embossing technique from the February 2010 issue of the Technique Junkie newsletter. Two embossing folders were used--Swiss Dots and Stylized Flowers. The flowers were colored with Adirondack alcohol inks by Ranger Industries using a very fine brush. Sentiment is from the stamp set A Beautiful Thing by Stampin' Up!

Modern Grid

Another one of the techniques I learned as a subscriber to the Technique Junkie newsletter is Modern Grid. This technique is such a unique way of adding interest and depth to a card. The stamps used for these cards are from the Big Pieces, Fundamental Phrases, Seeing Spots, and So Very sets by Stampin' Up!  Thanks for stopping by!

Dabbed Shimmers

The following cards feature the technique "Dabbed Shimmers" from the February 2010 issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter. After completing the technique, the card stock was placed in embossing folders (Tiny Bubbles and Heart Blocks) and put through the Cuttlebug. This is a quick and easy technique and the finish is stunning with lots of shimmer!

This card was made using stamps from Silly Sealife and Very Punny by Stampin' Up!

This card was made for the Splitcoast Stampers card sketch challenge found here and uses a stamp from Small Script by Stampin' Up!; the heart stamp has no manufacturer's mark.

Technique By Design

The February issue of the Technique Junkies newsletter introduced a new feature, "Technique By Design", and is open to all Technique Junkie subscribers. This is a sketch challenge and participants are required to follow the design layout and incorporate three techniques (or, at a minimum, two techniques) from any Technique Junkies newsletter. My card incorporates three techniques:  Dabbed Shimmers (February 2010), Cuttlebug Smoosh (October 2007), and Brayered Brilliance (February 2010). The stamps used on this card are from the following Stampin' Up! sets:  Touch of Nature, Peaceful Wishes, and Congrats.  One entry will be randomly selected and will be rewarded a prize package that will include becoming a Technique Junkie for life!  If you are interested in participating in this sketch challenge but are not yet a Technique Junkie subscriber, go here.  Thanks for stopping by!

Brayered Brilliance

I am a subscribing member (and fan) of a group called Technique Junkies. This group was founded by Pat Huntoon and is comprised of a group of paper craft artists (turbo designers) who devise new and different techniques for various products.  I am always in awe of the techniques the turbo designers devise and, quite frankly, amazed that they invent so many fabulous new and different techniques--these ladies are truly amazing and inspiring. As a subscribing member of the Technique Junkies, I receive a magazine quality newsletter every other month, on-line access to the techniques (which includes an on-line bonus technique), and on-line access to the technique gallery.  I also have the opportunity to purchase the entire year's techniques on CD (and, of course, I have!).

One of this month's techniques was called Brayered Brilliance, examples of which I have included below.  I really like the perception of depth in this technique. The stamps I used for the first card are from the set Touch of Nature by Stampin' Up!. After stamping the verse, it was cut out and embossed using a large oval Nestabilities die and layered onto a piece of card stock which was cut using a small scalloped oval Nestabilities die.

The stamps used on the second card are from the stamp sets Wonderful Wings and God's Way, both by Stampin' Up!. The verse was stamped then cut and embossed using the Labels One Nestabilities die, then layered onto another piece of card stock that was cut and embossed with the same Labels One Nestabilities die.

Thanks for stopping by!