KEEP CHICKENS

Hi there TJ fans,

Waaaayyyy back in February, when it was cold and blustery, Technique Junkies Stamps introduced these chicken stamps knowing that some of us were thinking about summer gardens and barnyard critters like CHICKENS...

...I love chickens...I don't own any, but our neighbors do (or did) and those neighborly chickens would come over and visit me.  They would help me pick bugs/grubs/worms in the garden while I weeded and would cluck and purr as we all worked together to make the garden prettier!  

There were thirteen of them and they visited every day....even coming to the front door to pay a daily visit.  They always made me happy when I saw them.

So, when Technique Junkies Stamps came out with the stamp set "Keep Chickens"  I knew I just had to have that in my collection.  You can too, if you'd like to, at a 10% discount.  Just use TJ10Cheri at check out. Done!  

Here's a card I made in tribute to my chicken neighbors.

Keep Chickens!!! They make you happy!!!!  

Don't forget to use my discount code to get this stamp set for yourself.  Grab some chicken happy for yourself.  

PICK OF THE WEEK FOR THE HOUSE THAT STAMPS BUILT

Hi there, Cheri here with a fun little technique you can try.  It's called painting with inks on kraft.  

You'll need some kraft cardstock and open line stamps such as the ones I've used in my projects today.  RI#1508-P "Vine Corner Border", #1001-P "Blueberry Border", #1317-L "Vase of Tulips", #2512-E "Just a Note" and 8607-D "Thanks".  

For one week only, these stamps are being offered at a 20% discount.  So, grab them while you can at this fantastic discount.

Here are the supplies you'll need to recreate this technique. Distress Ink reinkers (you could use any inks even ink pads), white pigment ink, white embossing powder, and (if you'd like shimmer) Perfect Pearls.  Not shown:  Embossing buddy, MISTI stamp positioner and heat gun.

To begin, cover kraft cs with embossing buddy or some other anti-static tool.  Then, stamp open lined stamp on kraft in white pigment ink making sure to get a good impression with the pigment ink.  (that's when the MISTI comes in handy).  Then, sprinkle on white embossing powder over stamping and heat emboss.  

On a craft mat or some waxed paper or freezer paper, drop very small drops of the color reinkers you've chosen add a small spritz of water off to the side to help dilute the inks.  With a small brush, pick up a little water and a little ink.  Have a piece of scrap of the kraft cs on hand to test the color and a paper towel to help absorb extra water or color.  "Paint" inside the white embossed areas.

When you're painting is complete, clean up your area of excess inks.  Mix a small amount of water (spritz again), and a little scoop of Perfect Pearls and paint the area again with the shimmer if you like.  I like the shimmer so I added it to my images.  

There you have it!  Easy, isn't it? You can now finish your project as you like.  I hope you found some inspiration here today and I encourage you to experiment with inks you have and see what you come up with.  

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to grab the stamps I've used before the 20% discount runs out in one week.  

JULY 2018 TIC, TAC, TOE CHALLENGE AT THE HOUSE THAT STAMPS BUILT

Hello house friends!  

We have a new challenge for you at The House That Stamps Built and this week, it's the Tic, Tac, Toe challenge.  Come on over and play along.  All you have to do is create a card or project that uses elements from the tic, tac, toe board, across, up and down or diagonal.  

My card uses this fun cupcake stamp RI#9302-P "Cupcakes",  and RI#1113-D "Birthday", which I cut in half and used side-by-side.  My design uses two directions on the TTT board.  Upper row across; texture, food, sponging and the left side diagonal; sponging, fun fold and primary colors.  

The fun fold is called "Corner Flip" and I found a tutorial which I used on YouTube.  It's an easy fold and makes an interesting card design.  

Join me and my team mates for the challenge this week.  They have some fabulous TTT projects to show you....check out their blogs.

Donna - Heather - Joy - Laurie - Esther - Shirley 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  See you at the challenge!  The details on how to join and what you might win can be found at THE HOUSE.  

THE BEACH FIXES EVERYTHING

Hello Technique Junkies Fans, 

It's beach season and I'm a romantic...I just had to create a card combining "Mermaid Love" and "The Beach Fixes Everything" .  Doesn't this remind you of a happy ending to a romance novel?  It did me!  To create your own romantic card like this, just grab these stamps (or any other stamps you like) from the TJStore and use my discount code TJ10CHERI at check out for a full 10% off your entire order.  

To create the background for this card, I sponged Distress Oxide Ink Salty Ocean and Cracked Pistachio on a white cardstock base layer.  I splatterd some water drops over the panel and blotted it up with a paper towel.  Once dry, using my MISTI I stamped the mermaid image in VersaFine Black Ink several times in order to get a crisp image.  VersaFine is also waterproof and I knew I wanted to "lift" color from the mermaid's body, the arms, hands and faces of the figures.  (The Distress Oxide Inks do lift off with water after they've dried a bit so you must work quickly).  To lift the color I used a watercolor brush with a small amount of water and a paper towel.  I was careful not to add too much water as I was working on 80# paper and didn't want to over saturate it.  To get some color on the areas where I lifted the ink I used my Chemeleon ColorTone Pencils in soft pinks and creams and white on the hat and sailor's scarf.  The sentiment was stamped with VersaMark and heat embossed with white ep.  To finish the card, I used some dew drop water droplet beads and Nuvo clear drops for texture and interest.  

I hope you found some inspiration today.  Don't forget you can get a full 10% off your shopping order when you use my discount code.  Have fun shopping!  

JULY 2018 DESIGNER'S CHOICE CHALLENGE

Hello house friends!!!! 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE USA!  

Not sure if it's cool where you live, but here in Maine, the heat has been intense.  I'm not complaining though...our winters are long and cold.  

It's Designer's Choice Challenge at The House That Stamps Built and today, Heather is challenging us to "the great outdoors" for a challenge theme.  

Moose are in the great outdoors here in Maine, so I thought I'd use this Repeat Impressions Stamp #802-K "Moose Family Sil" the sentiment is RI#1145-F "Greetings from Maine".

After heat embossing the moose with white ep on a scrap piece of designer paper which I tore.  I then tore a scrap piece of green card stock to match and layer against the plaid piece.  Both pieces were adhered to a panel of wood design paper.  The sentiment was also heat embossed on a scrap piece of cs that I cut uneven end edges.  Mounting tape was added to the back, then a piece of twine attached.  I mounted it against the panel to look like a rustic windblown sign. 

This is a fun challenge.  What's in your outdoors?  Come on over to THE HOUSE  and show us.  

Here's what my rock star team mates are showing off their great outdoors.  

Donna - Heather - Joy - Laurie - Esther - Shirley 

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  

Have a safe and happy Independence Day America!!!!