TECHNIQUE JUNKIES FEBRUARY RELEASE

HI THERE JUNKIES,  (Note:  I have two posts today.  If you're looking for my project of the week for Repeat Impressions, please go to the next post)
  
Welcome to the February 2017 New Stamp Release blog hop for Technique Junkies!!!! 

For your shopping pleasure, Pat is offering a 15% off all of these new stamps from now until February 8, 2017 and the discount will show up in your shopping cart.  

If you didn't start this hop at the Technique Junkies Blog you can link back and see the beginning - If you did and you came here from the incredibly talented TJ Designer Lanette Erickson you're in the correct order and on your way.... Didn't you love Lanette's creation?  Don't miss any blogs...we all have different stamps to show off and you'll have a blast seeing all these creations.  

Here are a few cards I made with some of the new stamps.  First up, I made this card combining two of the new stamps, Throw Kindness and Calligraphy Loops.  I used Copic Markers to color in all the loops and used my glitter gel pens to color the tiny confetti specs.  I love these two stamps combined together.  

My next card just tickles me....that face...those hair curlers...the wackiness...who's not smiling? Kitty in Curlers is absolutely a way to bring happiness and lightheartedness to any one's day.  I decided to try some no line coloring with Copics on this image and while I think I still need some practice (okay...lots of practice) just that face...cracks me up.  

Do these two look like a cat couple?  LOL....another cute, cute, stamp from this release and I love the cat humor.  I used two stamps from the February Release for this Downtown Boy Kitty and Talking To You in the background.  This image makes me think of an old black and white gangstah movie and he could play the part of the newspaper reporter or gangstah.  Again, my technique was no line coloring with Copic Markers and I used a grey tone on tone in order to produce a "newspaper" sort of look for the bg.   

I hope you've had some fun here today, thanks so much for stopping by.  Now head on over to my friend and TJ teamie, Kathy Stacy.  I know she's going to rock your creative world.  

Here's the entire blog hop list for your convenience.  

Design Team Blog: http://techniquejunkies.blogspot.com
Lanette Erickson: http://stacksofscraps.blogspot.com
Cheri Weston: http://stampnboomer.blogspot.com (you're here)
Kathy Stacy: https://craftynurse4u.wordpress.com
Ro Donner: http://rodonner.blogspot.com/
Beth Norman: http://www.sunflowers-dragonflies.ca
Pam DeChellis: http://journeyawakensthesoul.blogspot.com/
Judy Jackson: http://judysstampart.blogspot.com
Pat Huntoon: http://patstamps.blogspot.com

I hope you have some crafty fun today,

DESIGNER'S CHOICE CHALLENGE AT THE HOUSE THAT STAMPS BUILT

Hey there blog friends!!!

Here we are at The House That Stamps Built, starting off the new month with a Designer's Choice Challenge.  This week it's Patti J's turn.  Patti challenged us to create "anything but a card".   

My project is a tissue holder.  It's deep winter here in Maine and that means cold and flu season takes over. 

As I was making this, I smiled the entire time.  That little kitten gives me such a giggle, and if you've ever had one, you know how snuggling them makes you feel so much better.
  
I used four awesome Repeat Impression stamps on this little cutie; RI#412-G "C.Y.H" , RI#8204-H "Kitten", RI#4033-F "Feline Better" and RI#2608-C "Cat Paw.

All the details on how to join the challenge are at The House.  Let's see what you can come up with for Patti's, Anything But a Card, challenge. Let's have some fun!  

You are going to be blown away by my team mates and what they've come up with for this challenge.  Check them out.

Deonna - Donna - Heather - Joy - Laurie - Patti J - Shirley 

 Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you'll leave me a comment and let me know you were here.  

CASE'ING A JUNKIE

Hi there blog friends!  

I was so inspired by a technique I recently saw on Technique Junkie's blog, developed and introduced by the incredible TJ designer Beth Norman.  She called it "Polished Stone Embossing" and once I saw her tutorial, I knew I just had to try it.  

The first two cards I'm showing were done on Ranger Gloss Paper and the third, was done on Yupo paper.  I hadn't used my alcohol inks in quite some time, so I was anxious to get them out and see what I could make using Beth's tutorial.  

I love how this Kitty Profile "emerged" from the color of the background.  Truly, this photo doesn't do it justice.  It's much more brilliant, but I'm sure you can see the colorful impact of it anyway.  For this card I used Beth's tutorial as she posted it.  

Then, I thought I would experiment with her technique and with several embossing powders on this image "Beach Conch".  In real life, some of these shells look iridescent to me, so I wanted to try and recreate the image I had in my mind.  I decided to do a triple heat embossing (and I have no idea where that idea came from).  

A stamp positioner (I used a MISTI) is a great tool to use with this variation of Beth's technique.  It's heat embossing three different embossing powders, one layerd upon the other, after each has been heat embossed.  The process is the same with each layer.  Stamp with VersaMark, sprinkle with the first embossing powder and heat set with a heat gun.  Repeat with the second embossing powder and then the third, stamping right over each of the previous. I fussy cut the shell and mounted it on a scalloped layer of mint green card stock, positioning it beneath the sentiment "By The Sea"

For my final attempt using Beth's technique, I used Yupo paper and "Peonies".  I've never used this paper before, and I was excited to try it here.  The learning curve with this paper is the heat embossing...the paper is plastic and plastic melts under heat....beware.  That said, if you're careful and don't hold the heat directly on the yupo for long it embosses nicely.  If you notice, there are two areas on the layer that are missing color...I think these are areas where the embossing powder didn't get hit by the heat and weren't embossed. (I was trying to be careful)  However, I really liked the effect it gave and I might try and do that on purpose in future projects.  

I hope you're inspired to try Beth's technique and can grab yourself some crafting time this week....it's a fun place to be. 

Stop by tomorrow when we have our blog hop and show off the Technique Junkies February 2017 stamps being released.  You'll be able to pick them up, for a limited time, at 15% off.  See you then!