Life is Better With Friends

To create this card I used two different Technique stamps and my Pan Pastels.  I used Veined Marble  - http://techniquejunkies.com/veined-marble/, and  Better With Friends - http://techniquejunkies.com/better-with-friends/.

If you look at the Veined Marble stamp, you can easily that the lines and veins are not evenly distributed through the stamp.  That very fact gave me an idea.  I first stamped my marble  stamp with the dirty Versamark on white card stock. I then applied a peachy color of Pan Pastel.  Then I reinked the stamp with the dirty Versamark and twisted the stamp so the image was stamped in the opposite direction of the first stamping.  This caused the "veins" of the marble to be in different places. I covered that inking with a rose Pan Pastel.  Next I reinked the stamp with the dirty Versamark pad.  This time I bent  the stamp and stamped in a variety of places over the previously stamped images.  Now I used a burgundy Pan Pastel.  Then I sprayed it  with an artist fixative.  I used a fixative I bought years ago and it has very little smell.  I have used it for a long time but now I think I need a new can, This process added depth to the Veined Marble because you can see the various colors in layers -- just like with a real piece of marble.

I used my "embossing buddy" over the surface and then stamped the focal image  with Versafine black ink.  It was covered with black embossing powder and heat set it.

I used several layers of both card stock and designer paper.  I used a twisted ribbon and some pearls as an embellishment.

The next Blog Hop for the new January release stamps will be on Monday, January 2, 2017.  Set your calendar to come along on out hop!

Happy stamping and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Creativity and Art

Happy day after Christmas!   Are you feeling the post Christmas lag?   I am  as I have had family for three different meals and three different sets of gift opening.  It was all good, but all tiring.  One adult son-in-law was ill so he and his family stayed home while the elderly relatives were here (age 89 and 90) so they would not get the virus.  Then after the elderly folks went home, they came out and opened gifts. Now my daughter and kids are here for a couple of days.  That will be fun. And in between gift openings  I had the opportunity to craft a couple of cards.  I will post one today and one on Wednesday. 

I used a variety of Technique Junkie stamps -- Veined Marble (http://techniquejunkies.com/veined-marble/), Return to Sender (http://techniquejunkies.com/return-to-sender/), and Art Mistakes (http://techniquejunkies.com/art-mistakes/).  I also used a dirty Versamark pad and Pan Pastels.  Pat Huntoon talked about this in her blog post on Friday - http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com/2016/12/pan-pastel-backgrounds.html.  The dirty Versamark ink pad helps you to see the image you have stamped much easier.

Pan Pastels are unique in several factors.  You  can layer them and still see the individual colors as they are more transparent than other  pastels.  I have used both.  The fact that these are more translucent adds to their uniqueness.  Like nearly all kinds of pastels they are fragile and easily crack or break.  However, unlike traditional artist grade pastels, these can be repaired.    I was so impressed by the Pan Pastels that I bought a LOT of them at the York Heirloom stamp show in September.  One of the deciding  factors for me was how easy they can be repaired.  I have a LOT of other artist pastels in my craft room.  I used artist pastels in high school in art classes.  They are easy to blend with.  But we did not have  Versamark ink for the pastels to adhere to in those dark ages so long ago.   

To repair the Pan Pastels is relatively easy but it does take a bit of patience.  You need a toothpick or something thin and sturdy that you will not mind using for this or that you can throw away.  Add small drops of distilled water to the cracked pastel container.  You can start with a teaspoon drizzled slowly over the pastel pan. Add tiny amounts (drops) of water allowing the water to soak in.  Continue this process stirring carefully with the toothpick  until you have a thick soupy mixture.  You want to add the water slowly so you do not cause the (not cheap) pastel powders to overflow the container. Continue to stir until it is as smooth as you can get it.  There may still be some lumps left and the surface may not look the same as it did originally.  But it will work the same!  So if you are looking at these, choose the colors you want and ignore any cracks as now you know how to repair them.  (And I learned at the York show that you can do the same thing with your cosmetic compacts!)

Now for my card.  I first stamped the Veined Marble stamp on white card stock.  I used a sponge and a  purple Pan Pastel  and rubbed the pastels over the stamped image.  Then I just sort of heat set the ink with the pastels.  I don't think it is necessary but since I knew I was going to  stamp an image to heat emboss I wanted to be sure I didn't have embossing powder  sticking to the Versamark ink under the pastel powder.  Then I inked up the Return to Sender stamp without it being on an acrylic block. That way I could bed the stamp and apply the ink in sections which is what I did. I continued this process all over the card stock.  I applied a deep blue Pan Pastel over the purple. And I heat set it again.  My final stamping was with the Art Mistakes stamp.  I used Versafine Black ink and a detailed black embossing powder and heat set the powder.   I sprayed some pearlized  glimmer spray over the final card. 

The focal image was trimmed and layered with two different shades of purple card stock.   The ribbon was added before adhering to the base card stock.  A few Mylar snowflakes were glued down with  liquid glue.

So now, I am curious did you get any stamping stuff for Christmas?    Now you may have some time to get inky!

Judy Jackson

Creaking Trees

I used a Technique Junkie stamp Creaking Trees - http://techniquejunkies.com/creaking-trees/.  I used a dark brown marker for the tree trunks and a deep olive marker for the pine needles.  I "huffed" on the stamp to make sure the ink was moist and stamped it on the white stock.  Then I used sponges to add the ground and sky. I spritzed the layers with gold glimmer spray.  Three deep olive ribbon lengths wrap  around a couple of layers, then adhered to the base card of deep olive.

My next post will be the day after Christmas as there is too much to do between now and Christmas Day!

Merry Christmas to all - and get inky!

Judy Jackson

An Orchid Delight

The 30 Days of Christmas is over and the Design Team is on to  other types of stamps.  Soon it will be time for a blog hop for the January re;lease!

I used three Technique Junkie Stamps to create this card.  I used Orchids - http://techniquejunkies.com/orchids/, A Kind Word - http://techniquejunkies.com/kind-word/, and  Veined Marble - http://techniquejunkies.com/veined-marble/.

 I used a gray Memento ink to stamp the image on white card stock. I felt black ink might be too harsh.  Then i used a vanilla pigment ink reinker, shook it up well, and squeezed a few drops on an acrylic block as my palette.  I  added a few drops of water to think the ink because regular pigment ink would be too opaque.  I painted over the orchids and then heat set the ink until it was dry.

After wiping off the acrylic block, I scribbled three different colors of regular dye ink: a dark yellow, some olive ink, and a razzelberry color.  I used my water brush and added highlights or those colors on the leaves and the flowers.  I heat set that as well. Then i squirted some gold glimmer spray over the orchid panel, and I heal set that.

I trimmed the orchid panel and layered it on  Star Dream metallic raspberry text weight card stock.  Then I inked up the Veined Marble stamp with the razzelberry ink and curved the stamp to add texture around the edge of the green card stock of the base layer since there was a wider border than usual.

I adhered the orchid panel to the base card.   I used an embossing buddy to help prevent stray gold flecks of embossing powder on the dark area of the stamped and painted focal image.  I used Versamark ink on the stamp die and stamped. Then I covered it with detail gold embossing powder and heat set.  I wish it showed up clearer in the scan.  But anytime you scan metallic embossed images you can have trouble getting them to show clearly.

This would be a lovely Thank you card or a birthday card.

Have a great day and get inky!

Judy Jackson

The FINAL Day of 30 Days of Christmas

This is the very last day of the 30 (or 31) Days of Christmas!  And it is the last day to get 25% off every single one of the Technique Junkie Christmas stamps!    Have you placed your order yet?

I wish you see the shimmer of the red embossing tinsel for the center ornament!  It is truly beautiful! The scan didn't do this justice, so then I took a picture of the card.   I still had some difficulty because under the light I kept getting a shadow of my phone.  In front of the window was a little difficult because it is very cloudy today.  

I used Technique Junkie Christmas Ornaments - http://techniquejunkies.com/christmas-ornaments-trio-set-of-9/ - to create this card.  I used black stock and heat embossed the three ornaments in three different colors.  To accomplish this I used my MISTI.  I put the black card stock in the corner of the MISTI.  Then I arranged the ornament stamps and closed the lid.  I used an embossing buddy over the black card stock - hence the powdery look.   I inked up the stamp I embossed in gold first with Versamark ink. Then i closed the lid and pressed.  I lifted the lid and could see not all of the stamp had the Versamark ink.  So i repeated the process.  With the MISTI the stamp was exactly where it was before so no smudging. I heat embossed with detail gold powder. I removed that stamp from the MISTI lid so no  more ink would be transferred and therefore cause a different color of embossing powder to stick where I didn't want it. I repeated those steps with the silver detail powder, and then the red tinsel embossing powder.  I stamped the greeting on a scrap of black  card stock and heat embossed with detail gold embossing powder. It was punch out of the black.  I punched out two red pieces and trimmed them so they would fit behind the greeting.

The black card stock was layered on gold text weight paper, which was layered on red car stock. 

Have a great day and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Day 30 of 30 days of Christmas

I have enlarged this card so you can see more of the detail.  I used one of the six trees in the Technique Jiunkie stamp set  - Christmas Trees - http://techniquejunkies.com/christmas-trees-set-of-6/.  I used the greeting from the Technique Junkie stamp set Christmas Ornaments - http://techniquejunkies.com/christmas-ornaments-trio-set-of-9/.

I used olive card stock and meadow for the trees.  I used a scallop punch to cut them out. I stamped the greeting in the upper right corner of white card stock.  Then I used  that same card stock  in an embossing folder  with stars.  I wrapped dark green ribbon around the card stock layer and tieed a knot.  I used NUVO drops to create the ornaments on the trees. While it dries quickly The dots can smooch.  down even though they are dry.  Therefore I used tiny glue dots to adhere the trees to the card stock below the trees.

The NUVO drops are fun as they are self leveling with no little points. So you squeeze a drop down on the card stock and they self level and dry  within a few minutes!

Another fairly simple card with a wow factor  Good for this time of the year.

Don't for get there is only one more day get 25% off every single Technique Junkie Christmas stamp!  Have a great day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Day 29 of 30 Days of Christmas!

Stars are often associated with Christmas.  The focal image is not a new Technique Junkie stamp but it created a lovely card that was quite simple to make and would be a good card for mass production.  Because there are no "bumps or lumps" it would require no extra postage.  And that is something to think about when making Christmas cards.

I decided to use navy and silver as my card colors. Very Christmasy!  I used Technqiue Junkie stamps Star Stream - http://techniquejunkies.com/star-stream/, and Vintage Star - http://techniquejunkies.com/vintage-star/.  Both stamps were inked with Versamark and then the images were heat embossed with detail silver em bossing powder.

I trimmed the image of Vintage Star to leave a thin layer of navy card stock around the edge.  The Star Stream stamp was silver text weight card stock. The Technique Junkie Merry Christmas was stamped with Versamark on navy card, heat embossed with silver detail powder, and punched out.  I used the  clear Wink of Stella pen to add the shimmer on the card.

Don't forget -- there are only 2 more days to get 25% off every single one of the Technique Junkie Christmas stamps!  Have a great day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Day 28 of the 30 Days of Christmas!

Wow, this time has gone by very fast!  Of course that is often the way it is in December!  I had "planned" to post and make more cards than I was able to do.  My reason is a simple one -- I just didn't have the time to make anymore cards than I made! Everyone ought to be able to understand that.  They "whys" to explain my lack of time are too numerous to list but  I am sure many of us have found that lack of time to be  true for many things we want to do during the holiday seasons.

So here is my card for today.  I will now have a Christmas card on this personal blog for the next three days.  I spent time tonight making these cards.

I used some die cuts i purchased years ago.  This is the first time I have used them.   I used a Technique Junkie stamp - All is Calm - http://techniquejunkies.com/all-is-calm/.   I cut several strips of white card stock or the trees die and the houses and church die.   I sponged the tree strips with green ink.  It didn't matter to me if the sponging was really even because I felt it added texture.  I sponged the houses and church strips with a matching blue of the card stock for the base  card.

I covered each strip with Versamark ink, cover it with a "snowy" embossing powder and heat set.  All those strips really glisten!   It was not an iridescent powder.   Then I stamped the greeting at the top (allowing room for the "star.") with Versamark ink, and heat embossed with detail silver embossing powder.

I used my ATG tape runner to to adhere the strips together in an eye pleasing arrangement  to me. I then ran all of the strips adhered together through my Xyron machine to get adhesive on the back side.  I used my home made cloud stencil to add color and visual texture to the sky.  Then I adhered the panel of trees and houses, etc to the sponged cloud panel. This was layered on blue and layered on silver, and onto the base card.

While this card is not difficult, it was a little "fussy" and time consuming, but i felt it was worth the effort.

I still have a few cards to make, and some to hand deliver, but most of my cards are in the mail.  Some have received because they told me so.


 I hope you have a great day -- and get inky!

Judy Jackson

Day 22 of 30 Days of Christmas!

There is little about card making (no matter what stamps you are using)  that is truly original.  We get ideas all the time from other stampers, from magazines, from nature, from bill boards,  from furniture -- just all sorts of places.  So this card is totally different from a card by another stamper.   You know what is the same?  I used an angel and a bow.  That is it!

So now let me tell you what I did.  I had started coloring this stamped Technique Junkie Angel with Lute - http://techniquejunkies.com/angel-with-lute/, but I hadn't finished it,  So I finished coloring with Smooch paints.   Then I remembered I had purchased a new really glittery gold Smooch Paint at a recent stamp show.  I used it on several places on this card.

I tried to tip the card and take a picture of this glittery gold Smooch paint.  I hope you can see it now.  I used gold glitter paper behind the white layer on which the angel is adhered.  

I took a very muted piece of designer paper and stamped the Technique Junkie stamp O Holy Night - http://techniquejunkies.com/o-holy-night/ - with Versamark  ink and then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I used some Distress ink and went over the embossed image, and used an Art Anthology Colorations spray over the embossed image and wiped off excess ink so the music score and words show up.  The music layer was adhered at an angle over  a different sheet of designer paper that had some white snowflakes on the paper.  I spritzed again with the Art Anthology Colorations spray and quickly wiped off the ink so it wouldn't be as dark.  

I stamped the greeting Technique  - Junkie Stamp All is Calm - http://techniquejunkies.com/all-is-calm/ - with Versafine Black ink and used clear embossing powder when I heat embossed the words.  I punched out the greeting and  went around the edge with a gold Krylon pen. So pretty!

Ribbon was wrapped around these layers before being adhered to the base layer.  The angel and the greeting was adhered at an angle on the music layer. With a light touch I went around the edge of the embossed music paper with a gold Wink Of Stella marker.   I used a fork bow as the final embellishment.

Enjoy!  Have a great day and get inky!

Judy Jackson