Festive Wreath Card

I used the Technique Junkies Christmas Sponge set - http://techniquejunkies.com/christmas-sponge-set/ to create this wreath.  I used two different green markers and a red marker to color the leaves and holly berries.  I stamped the holly on strips of white  card stock and used a very similar curved holly punch and punched out the leaves.  Cut a larger circle for the base of the wreath.  I didn't do this and I should have as it would have made it much easier.

I traced around a round bottle for the shape of the wreath.  I adhered holly leaves down with a tape runner for the first layer.  Then I used foam tape in thin strips curved under the leaves.  I cut an interesting shape from red card stock to lay the wreath on and adhered it.  I used Liquid Pearls in a lovely red color for the berries - both where they were stamped and in other places as I thought they needed to be in place. I let it dry over night.  A multi loop wreath (with my "Bow Easy")  was adhered with a glue dot.

The wreath panel was adhered to a layer of background paper which was adhered to the base layer of red card stock.  I stamped the Technique Junkies Merry Christmas - http://techniquejunkies.com/merry-christmas-2/ - with black Versafine  ink and heat embossed it.

Come back tomorrow for the November first Technique Junkies blog hop!  Lots of terrific new stamps ahead!

Happy day to you and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Life Takes a Turn When You Don't Expect It and Now an Update---

Every one of us is aware that sometimes Life takes a turn and you do not expect it.  That has happened to me this week. I ordered new laminate flooring for my stamp room and my bedroom this past Tuesday. Yesterday (only 2 days later!)  they called me to tell me they could begin ripping up the old carpet and putting down the new flooring on Monday -- less than a week from when I paid the deposit.  I thought I would have at least 2-3 weeks before this would happen.  I had hoped it would be done by Thanksgiving not in less than a week!

I was shocked to say the least.  So I am working at emptying those two rooms so this can be done.  I have to work when I can have the help to move the big stuff  -- and that is today.

This is the stuff off of my stamp desk and my my counter in my stamp room.  I have moved a lot out of there and it is stacked here and there all over my kitchen and dining area.    I hope by Tuesday evening I will have it all back in place or at least so I can work in there. 

I do have a few cards ready to scan and my plan was to do that last night and make a post today.  But alas, the best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry and that happened to me.  I will get those cards scanned and posted soon but not today.

So think of me today -- and please get inky!  I won't be!

Judy Jackson

PS. An Update - both my bedroom and my stamp room are as empty as we could make it.And my kitchen, dining room, and living room is crowded with other furniture and other stuff.  I now have to live this way until sometime on Monday and/or Tuesday afternoon. Once a room has the new flooring then I can start putting things back in that particular room.  I can hardly wait until things are back where they need to be. 

Judy

Spotlighting Pine Cones

I used the traditional Spotlighting technique to create this Christmas card.  I used Technique Junkie stamp Pinecones - http://techniquejunkies.com/pinecones/ and TJ Merry Christmas .  - http://techniquejunkies.com/merry-christmas-2/.

I stamped the whole panel in a light tan/brown color.  Then I colored the area I wanted to "spotlight" with markers.  After stamping the image I punched out the pine cones and punched the dark brown circle.  I added a piece of designer paper left over from another card and placed it so it would be behind the "Spotlight" of pine cones.  Merry Christmas was stamped and heat embossed so it would stand out and not be absorbed into the design behind it.  I tied a "fork bow" using my Bow It All and adhered it to the left of the focal image.   It was all layered on dark brown card stock. 

Have a great day, and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Stamping Again!

I have been so busy with other things after my daughter and her family moved to their own house,  I have not had time to stamp.  Tonight I tidied up in my stamp room actually found my stamping  area!  So what was a girl to do but STAMP!

This card features Christmas sstamps from Technique Junkie Stamps.  I used Christmas Trees, http://techniquejunkies.com/christmas-trees-set-of-6/.   I also used Technique Junkie stamps Merry Christmas - http://techniquejunkies.com/merry-christmas-2/.

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This is a super easy and VERY reproducible card.  I made an A2 size card which is 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches.  I made 2 pennants out of designer paper.  One pennant was large, and the other one was narrow.  The tree was stamped on white card stock and then punched out with a 2 3/8 inch scallop punch.  The red circle is 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  I used Wink of Stella on the star and the branches.
the greeting was stamped on a scrap piece of white card stock.   It was stamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed.  Sponging was added for dimension.

As you can see this card involves layering but is quiet easy.

Have a good day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson

A New Beginning!

Anyone who has followed my blog knows that my husband died 15 months ago.  Our daughter, her hubby, and their 3 children (ages 3, 5, and 8) moved back here to live with me for the past 15 months. And while I love all of them and they love me,  living together has not always been easy for any of us.  We had many "learning" experiences and exercises in patience.

I am happy to report they have purchased their own home and have moved in.  They are now living 7 minutes away! - far enough so we not are not on each other's doorsteps, but close enough if I need help.   So that is all good.

And after they moved out, I needed to address the areas of the home where they basically lived.  This will be a work in progress for a while yet.  Any one who knows me, knows I am a long range planner, and I take advantage of sales and I try to shop wisely. Since I knew they were going to move, I started planning.  I knew the color they had painted the room that was my daughter and her hubby's bedroom. Since that paint was only a year old, it did not need to be repainted.  So I worked around that color.  I bought new bedding, a new bed, a new mattress and box spring, 2 recliners at a garage sale that were still in pretty good shape, and a few other things.

I have a large dining room table and I am not getting rid of it.  But I felt I needed a new "space" for me to eat in the living room without having to eat sitting on the couch.  So I shopped and shopped and looked for something to be a dining room for one.  And this is the result.

All of this means I haven't done much (read NOTHING) in the way of stamping, but I will be tomorrow.  So I will have stamping to show on this blog very soon.

So now I have a new beginning here -- living alone.  So far it is good.  The biggest difficulty will be to be sure I am not lonely.  Being around people is good for all of us.  So I have to plan my time so that I not alone all of the time. 

Judy Jackson 

The Bounty of The Season

This is a quick and easy fall or Thanksgiving card.  I sprayed white card stock with Art Anthology Colorations sprays. 

I stamped the Technique Junkie Vintage Botanical Oak - http://techniquejunkies.com/vintage-botanical-oak/   - with black Memento ink on the colorations sprays.   I stamped the verse from the new September Release of Technique Junkie stamps called Thanksgiving Blessings - http://techniquejunkies.com/thanksgiving-blessings-set-of-5/.  I used black memento ink for the verse.  Layers and ribbons finish the card.

Only 2 more days!  Don't forget that all of the Technique Junkie Christmas release stamps are on sale for 15% off through October 10!

Happy stamping and get get inky!

Judy Jackson 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I used the newly released Technique Junkie Stamp set called Thanksgiving Blessings - http://techniquejunkies.com/thanksgiving-blessings-set-of-5/ to create this card.   I used white card stock sprayed with Art Anthology Coloration sprays for the top layer of the base card. I stamped the Cornucopia image with black Memento ink.  I used Prismacolor pencils and gamsol for coloring. 

 I layered a purple vellum on the green card stock and placed the focal image on top.  I stamped the verse and greeting on the lower half of the vellum, used detail gold embossing powder, and heat embossed.  Layers and a purple ribbon finish the card.

Have a great stamping day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Joyeux Noel!

I have been having fun with the Art Anthology Coloration sprays this month!   They were sprayed on a white sheet of card stock.  I used Technique Junkies Father Christmas - http://techniquejunkies.com/father-christmas/ - as my focal image and the newly released Technique Junkie stamp called Joyeux Noel - http://techniquejunkies.com/joyeux-noel/__. 

I stamped Father Christmas in a medium brown ink.  I used a gold Wink of Stella pen to highlight different areas in the stamped image.  Lot of card stock layers - including a text weight gold card stock - and a ruffled ribbon at the bottom of Father Christmas help to make the card unique and rather simple to complete.  I used three different punches for the embellishment.  I first stamped the greeting with black Versafine ink, covered with detail black embossing powder, and heat set. Then i punched out the saying making sure I had most of the image.  Then I punch a layer of gold text weight card stock, and a circle of the green color.  It is popped up on the right side with dimensionals, and the left is only adhered with two sided tape.

Don't forget that all of the Technique Junkie Christmas release stamps are on sale for 15% off through October 10!

Have a wonderful day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson

And a Merry Merry Christmas to You!

A new month and new stamps are always exciting, but new Christmas stamps are very exciting!   We are excited to share cards and projects with you using these new Technique Junkie stamps! The entire Technique Junkie Design Team hopes you enjoy this release and will find some stamps you must have for your collection. Don't forget that all of the Technique Junkie Christmas release stamps are on sale for 15% off through October 10! Please start the Blog Hop with the Design Junkies blog -.  - http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com/  .

You may have come from the talented designer Pam  DeChellis:  http://journeyawakensthesoul.blogspot.com/.

I totally understand the need for nice but simple cards for Christmas.  I send out about 120 cards - all hand stamped! - every year.  So my Christmas cards need to be relatively easy to make and yet look very nice.  I will tell you these stamps can help you do exactly this!  

For this first card I sprayed several colors of Art Anthology Coloration sprays on white card stock.  Then I inked up the Calm and Bright - http://techniquejunkies.com/calm-and-bright/ -     image with black Memento ink and stamped it over the sprayed background. I used a Stardust glitter pen to highlight the snowflakes.  I added the metal snowflake with a glue dot on the back.  Lots of layers add to the visual interest.

I also used a variety of Art Anthology Coloration sprays for the background and then I sponged some more light purple ink in the middle of the card stock before stamping the image for Technique Junkies Stars are Brightly Shining - http://techniquejunkies.com/stars-are-brightly-shining/. I inked up the stamp image with Versamark ink and covered it with detail gold embossing powder and heat set the powder. I tied a little bow and added it to the corner.  Layers complete the card.

I also used Art Anthology Coloration sprays to create the background for this card. Then I stamped the new Technique Junkie stamp Merry Christmas Wishes -  http://techniquejunkies.com/merry-christmas-wishes/  .  I highlighted different areas with Smooch paints and glitter glue.   I used an embossing folder and used Smooch paints on the embossed areas. I used a Stardust glitter pen to accent the letters and the snowflake medallion at the top of the image.

This fun stamp is just -- fun.  Pat Huntoon has a real interest in giraffes -- thus we have this cute Technique Junkie stamp Safari Santa - http://techniquejunkies.com/safari-santa .  I  sprayed the white background with a beige Art Anthology Colorations spray, and then stamped the image inked up with black Memento ink.  I used Prisma colored pencils with Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) to color in the dear giraffe and Santa hat.  I added some white or clear chunky glitter to the hat for interest.   I stamped the greeting (Technique Junkie stamp Joyeux Noel - http://techniquejunkies.com/joyeux-noel/)  with black Versafine ink and heat embossed with detail black embossing powder.  I punched it out and also punched a red oval, cut it in half to layer behind the greeting. I layered the focal image with red card stock.  I dry embossed some tan card stock  and then highlighted the embossed lines with a brown ink pad.

So there you have four fairly easy cards ready for mailing!

Your next stop on this blog hop is with talented Tonya Davidson: http://stampintonya.blogspot.com.

The full list for the Blog Hop is here:
Design Team Blog: http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com
Lanette Erickson: http://stacksofscraps.blogspot.com Karen McAlpine: www.dreamingncreating.blogspot.com
Kathy Stacy: https://craftynurse4u.wordpress.com
Beth Norman: http://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca
Pam DeChellis: http://journeyawakensthesoul.blogspot.com/
Judy Jackson: http://judysstampart.blogspot.com - you are here
Tonya Davidson: http://stampintonya.blogspot.com - please go here next.
Pat Huntoon: http://patstamps.blogspot.com

Please remember Pat has a 15% off on these newly released stamps through October 10th!  

Have a wonderful day, enjoy going stamp shopping -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson