Colorful Life

I have a new post up on the Technique Junkies Blog today featuring this colorful card. Stop by for the full post!

Toodles!

Deepest Sympathy

For me, sympathy cards are by far the most difficult cards to do. I always strive to find just the right balance between pretty/light images and a sentiment that aims to convey my deepest condolences. Death is pretty devastating. I had a dear friend pass away a week ago. He loved life, he loved his family, he loved the lake he lived on, and he loved God. I wanted a serene card to convey to his family the Larry I knew.

So I pulled a couple of my favorite stamps from Technique Junkies to create this loving card of sympathy.

The stamps I used were Asian Landscape and With Sympathy. I love the relaxing scene. It's serene, calming, and a little ethereal. And this sympathy set of 5 stamps always comes through with the perfect sentiment. Here are the "before ink" samples:

This is, by far, the best sympathy set I have encountered. The fonts and the sentiments are perfect. I stamped the image with Versamark, added a dark teal embossing powder, and used a combination of Spectrum Noir markers and colored pencils to color the image. After stamping and embossing (in black) the sentiment, I then added a beautiful sparkly sheen using Shimmering Bliss Topper (Gold). A few bits of clear stones added just the right touch.

For the inside of the card, I stamped the image again using Ink On 3 FadeOut Ink. This ink is designed for no-line coloring, but it was perfect for creating a simple background that doesn't overpower the sentiment, which was stamped with Memento Ink (Tuxedo Black).

I am happy with the outcome of this card. As emotional as it was to make, it conveys my thoughts to Larry's grieving family.

Hopefully you were able to draw some inspiration from this card today. As his widow told me, "Live every day like it's your last."

Til next time,
Keepin' it inky.


Stamps and Shimmering Bliss are available through Technique Junkies. Simply enter the code "TJ10" at checkout and receive a 10% discount on your purchase of these and any other products.

May Stamp Release for Technique Junkies

New Month! New Stamps! Technique Junkies releases 15 new stamps EVERY MONTH! Who DOES that?! Wow! I am so blessed to be involved with such a wonderful group. The stamps are of the highest quality, there is a great selection of products, and the service can't be beat. I just returned from a stamp show in Ohio where I got to demo some products and techniques, and I am fresh with lots of new inspiration and ideas. Let's play!

I had so much fun creating projects for this release! Here is a glimpse of the ones I've included here today:

But before we get into those, let me tell you a little bit of "stuff you need to know"...Until the 8th of this month, all the new releases are on sale for 15% off (automatically taken at checkout)! PLUS you can receive an ADDITIONAL 10% off by using my special code "TJ10Ro". That's 25% off!!!! But that's only until the 8th! The 10% is good any time, any month, on anything. 

Also, with every $30 (before taxes) order you will automatically receive the "Make A Wish" stamp FOR FREE! This stamp is not yet available for purchase!

If you'd like to see all the stamps in this release, simply CLICK HERE. If you have arrived, from the blog of my dear friend, Pat Huntoon, you are on the right path. If not, you may want to start at the very beginning (HERE) so you don't miss any of the wonderful inspiration. I will list all the links at the end of this post.

Now onto the fun! Let me share with you the projects I created and a little info about the supplies used.

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This card features two stamp sets:

- Because I Said So

- The Happy Housewife

Aren't they a hoot? The background was stamped using Memento Ink (Angel Pink). I stamped part of the background again on white CS using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and then trimmed out the words I wanted to use for my sentiment. The housewife was stamped, colored with Tombow markers, trimmed out and attached to the stamped card base. I added the sentiment in a wonky kind of style. Ta-Done!

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This beautiful card was created using "Live In Color". I am loving this stamp and can see it being used with a lot of different techniques. For this card, I chose to create an alcohol ink background. I stamped the image with Versamark and used a copper embossing powder. The piece was then trimmed down and I added a die cut frame. The card base was with splattered with a "blo pen", then the stamped piece and frame were attached to finish off the card. You will see this stamp used in a lot of different ways as you go through the blogs today. It's a very versatile stamp!

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Who doesn't love an easy masculine card? This one is perfect for Father's Day or, change out the sentiment, and it makes a great birthday or retirement card. I simply stamped the background using "Golf Club Patent". What a fun stamp! I added a little shadow with Tombow Markers and some white gel pen highlights. The sentiment was created with an older stamp called, oddly, "Happy Father's Day". lol 

I love the look of black and white with the kraft colored cardstock. It's masculine, but still fun.

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One of my favorite stamps in this release is "Hay Girl". I love the image. I love the sentiment. I love the humor. I paired it with an image from an older set called "Faith Family Farming" (I simply masked off the sentiment on that stamp).

I stamped and colored the barn with Tombow Markers, added some "ground", then stamped the Hay Girl Image with Tuxedo Black Ink. I stamped the image again on white cardstock and trimmed out just the cow and attached that to the top. Mounted on a red card base, with that bright white cow, the card just pops!

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My other favorite from the release is this awesome "Ruffle Your Feathers" stamp. If you love doodled images, just check out that tail! I used Tombow Markers to color in this awesome chicken and adding a little shadow underneath. It was then trimmed down and matted with some silver cardstock.

For the background, I did some embossing with an older stamp called "Chicken Wire 2". That was then matted with silver and both pieces attached to my card base. I have to say this chicken cockle-doodled my doo! (tee hee)

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I just want to remind you that with every $30 (pretax) order, you will receive a free stamp! Here is the card I made with that.

Great sentiment for birthdays, graduation, or inspiration. The background I used on this card was an older stamp called "Retro Sparkles". 

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I sure hope you found some ideas and inspiration today. Be sure to check out all the blogs for a whole lot more! Here is the line-up:

Technique Junkies

Beth Norman-Roberts

Ceal Pritchett

Giovana Smith

Janelle Stollfuss

Janine Tinklenberg

Jeanne Streiff

Jessie Banks

Judy Jackson

Kia Gibson

Lee Ann Barrett

Lynda Pleckan

Pat Huntoon

Ro Donner (You are Here)

Stephanie Severin 

See you soon!

Til next time,

Keepin' it inky!