Zander's 3rd Birthday

Well......it has been FOREVER since I posted.  Since last post I've been uber busy!  Taught two Copic classes at Stampadeedoda for a total of 26 students and another classes booked in August with 5 signed up already.

Then we went on a two week vacation.  THAT was soo much fun.  We visited my step-mom in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and did a little sight seeing while there.  Spent almost 2 extra days in Tulsa getting the rear end fixed on the Explorer..........the bearings were bad.........not good considering that we just had them replaced the end of March this year.  Grrr......   Cost us a brand new ring and pinion gear and labor for that.  Fortunately the bearings fell under part warranty.  Still it was $700 plus hotel, rental car and food.

Then on to Aspen for my 40th class reunion.  We had soooo much fun.  We stayed at the Flying Dog Ranch.  One of the most beautiful places to have a reunion.  The mountain view was spectacular.  Had a grand time reconnecting with some people that I hadn't seen in 40 years!

BUT tomorrow is Zander's birthday and he will be having a pirate card.  The stamps are from Sweet and Sassy stamps.  This happens to be a retired set but I just HAD to use it!  The pirate and accessories are colored with copic markers.  The 'sand' is a crushed shell.......it looks really great.   I hope he likes it!

A free digi for you!

I don't know if you are interested or not but here is a free tie digital for you that I drew today!  Nothing fancy.  Just click on it for a larger image, then right click and save as......  ;-)  enjoy.  If you like it, let me know!

You can jump NOW!

You've heard me over and over again say...."This is a Technique Junkie technique!"  Well......if you have ever wanted to get any of the Technique CD's.....NOW is a great time.  See the words of Pat's sale below!
Don't delay!  The offer is good through June 30th....you don't want to miss out!  I KNOW you won't be disappointed.
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All of the Technique Junkie Newsletter annual CDs - CD1 through CD8 - are on sale for $10.00 plus shipping from now through June 30th* (the CD sales does NOT include the TJ Specialty CDs. Only CDs 1 - 8 qualify for this offer).

Each Technique Junkie CD covers a year worth of issues. They are in pdf format, so they are easily printed; and each Cd has between 75 and 100 tutorials on it. Here is a listing of what is on each CD: http://techniquejunkies.com/cd-list.pdf

You can order one, two or all 8 CDs - or any combination therein. Simply email me (phuntoon@optonline.net)  with which CDs you would like and I will send you an invoice with the proper postage amount included. In the US, postage starts at $1.39 for one CD and maxes out at $4.95; In Canada, it ranges from $1.49 to $11.95; and overseas, postage ranges from $2.08 to $16.95.  

*The three TJ specialty Cds (Emboss or Die, Fancy Folds and Motion and Stampbooking) are not included in this sale.

TJ Stampbooking CD Blog Hop and prize!

 Hey, readers!  You've jumped into a blog hop!  To start at the beginning, click HERE! 

The Technique Junkie Newsletter  Designers, along with some very talented Spotlight Stampers, are proud to bring you a special Stampbooking Blog Hop!  During this hop, our designers will be using techniques from the recently released TJ Stampbooking CD.  The CD contains 75 inspiring tutorials in pdf format.  As you will see, these tutorials are fun and versatile.  When the CD was first being produced I, personally, shoved it to the back.........I don't scrap!  BUT, this CD has wonderful techniques with MANY usable for cards as well! 

To find more information about the CD and how to order your own copy, go here:  http://www.techniquejunkies.com/stampbooking-cd.html

Judy Jackson (TJ blog) - Start here!

ChrisDickinson                                 

Ann Clack  - YOU ARE HERE!        

Shelly Hickox                    

BethNorman                    

TriciaO’Bin                         

HettySanders                  

DonnaDuquette              

ReganSeifert                    

HollyBrown                      

PatHuntoon                      

JaneBosi     - You'll need to leave a comment on Jane's blog to be entered into the random drawing for the prize (the Stampbooking CD). 

So.......since I don't scrap, here is my blog hop card!  I hope you enjoy it.  The image is from Sweet & Sassy Stamps......isn't it adorable?!  He is colored with copic markers. This is a technique called Stitched Borders.  ;-)

                           

Antique Wallpaper Chair

I made this card for my upcoming copic class as an example of tip to tip or palette coloring.  I used the June 2010 technique from Technique Junkies called Antique Wallpaper.  It is super easy and the results are fab!  Enjoy!

Dude Time Doodles challenge

If you haven't even see Dude Time Doodles, here is your chance!  His drawings are a little quirky and a lot of fun as well.  I liked his UPS delivery man but used this ball player for a special card to give away to a Seahawks fan.  I used the TJ technique called sanded coordinations as well as cuttlebug highlights.   I used the round embossing folder to seem like baseballs.  The Dude is colored with copics.  Hope you enjoy!  The challenge is up until tomorrow night.  Click here to participate!

Father's Day for a friend

Here is a card I made for a friend to give to her father.  She said he played golf so this is what I came up with.  Sometimes I really love it when MoJo is in the house.  This card really fell together so fast!  Cuttlebug highlights for the background.  Image was clipart that I colored with copics.   I know that ribbon isn't too guy-like but I thought the little plaid was okay for a golfer!   Enjoy!

Blasted Bear.....

Here is another sample I used for my upcoming copic class.  This one showed the texture you can get using the blending solution.  The background was made using the Bingo Blast Technique from the TJ newsletter!  The darling bear is a Penny Black stamp.  I added the butterfly trails using the .03 Multiliner by Copic.

Another class sample

Here is another class sample for my upcoming copic class.........showing that you can use grays to expand your colors.  This card had only two pinks on the cupcake.  ;-)    I used the Lotus Spellbinders die and threaded the ribbon through it.  It is a nice way to frame an image. 

Forgotten Easter

I know, I know.......Easter was soooooo last April!  ;-)  I did make the kids some cute little bags for their Easter Goodies.  I use my Cricut!  Shocker!  It is probably the 6th time I've used it since I bought it last November.  I used some brown and pink scrapbook paper.  They both had a little bit of interest to them instead of being flat color.  This .svg file was shared by a friend on my SCAL yahoo group.  It sure cuts nice.  I drew on the eyes and eyebrows.  The eyebrows were actually a cut out feature but they were just too small so I drew them on instead.  I used my copic markers to shade the pieces and it really made them look soooo much better!  Fast too! Much faster than sponging on color.

A sample for my class.

I made this sample card for my upcoming Copic Class at a local Stamp Store (Stampadeedoda).  I made a total of 8 samples for them showing different ways to use your copics.  This one was just shadowing, blending and special effects like the dots on her dress.  Isn't she just the cutest thing?  She is a stamp from Penny Black.   This is the first time I've used my new spellbinders die of the inward curves.......I really LOVE that die!!

Wishing for summer!

Well, if you saw the weather around Oregon you certainly would be wondering where summer it.  No shorts yet, no sandals.......we've had one day or maybe two that have barely broke 70 degrees!  BUT we can live through our art instead!  Here is a card using the Color Sandwich technique from the June 2011 TJ newsletter.  That cute summer dress is only a dream right now............I actually wore my winter coat the other day......*sigh*.

Sneak Peek for the newest TJ newsletter!

Here is a card using a new technique called spray away from the newest TJ newsletter.  This month is another fabulous newsletter full of wonderful techniques.  I'll be sharing at least three over the next couple of days.  The stamps used on this are from Sweet N Sassy Stamps.  She has the most adorable stamps!!  Digis too if you lean that way!

Gingersnap Challenge!!

I hope you enjoy this card.......it uses the denim technique from the Technique Junkie newsletter and is also for the Gingersnap Challenge .  If you participate in the challenge you can win the Fabulous TJ Emboss or Die CD!!

Below is the information from The Gingersnap Website:

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Using a medium blue, rust and tan, create a sensational papercrafting or mixed media project! This color scheme is extremely versatile and we can't wait to see all your wonderful variations!

When the challenge closes on June 19, 2011, we will pick 10 Ginger Gems - fabulous creations that we feel really exemplify that challenge's objective. The Ginger Gems will appear in our wrap-up post and in a slide show in the blog bar for an entire week and their creators will have the honor of displaying our Ginger Gems blog badge.

This month, we would also like to thank the Technique Junkies Newsletter for their generous sponsorship.


The Technique Junkie Newsletter was started in 2002 as a resource for Rubber Stamping Techniques. The Newsletter is published every-other month, featuring 15 or more stamping techniques in step-by-step format. Subscribers can choose to receive the newsletter in the mail (comes with access to the online tutorials) or an online-only subscription. Each technique has a corresponding pictorial online, and a full page of inspirational artwork by the talented Technique Junkie Newsletter Designers. To date, over 850 Techniques have been published, by far the largest and most extensive library of rubber stamping tutorials available.

One randomly drawn winner from the qualifying participants for this challenge will become our new Home Page Artist for a week as well as winning the fabulous "Emboss or Die" CD from Technique Junkies and, for this final challenge, a two-year online only subscription to the fabulous Technique Junkie Newsletter.

A super bad review!

Well, this review really has nothing to do with stamping.  I DO, however, want anyone who is shopping for a dishwasher to read this post though!!

DO NOT......I repeat......DO NOT every buy an Electrolux.  I thought I had done my due diligence in shopping for a new dishwasher.  What I really wanted in a dishwasher doesn't seem to be made anymore.  I wanted something with a door that could accept a special wooden front.  I only found one and it was so much more than the others that I just had to give that wish list item up.  The second thing I wanted was a flip latch.  Also, non-existent in today's market.  I went with the Electrolux because I thought that the "No heat element" and stainless steel tub would be good for my energy bill.  The salesman really didn't tell me that it doesn't work well for your plastic things......  So.......I thought that a little extra water on my plastics wouldn't be a big deal.  So, now you are wondering why I really HATE my new $900 dishwasher.  $900?  Yup.........Maybe if I had gone cheaper I would have a machine that actually washes well.  I have a number of things I hate about this machine.

Three of these items are really design flaws which Electrolux claims aren't design flaws at all.

1.  The soap cup.........Now my new dishwasher comes with this cool feature where you can lower the top rack so that you can wash taller items in it.  I thought that was cool until I actually put it into use.  When you lower the top rack, the little flip open door for the soap won't flip open.  DUH!!  Not a design flaw....come on!!  Clearly not thought through on the designers end.

2.  Do you wash cookie sheets in your dishwasher?  Well, I do.  In this dishwasher, if you want to wash more than one at a time, you are SOOL  (Sh*t out of luck) because the only place you can put it is to the far left edge.  All the other places won't work because the pegs that you place you dishes in don't line up.  They are off center enough that the cookie sheet won't stand.  Another design flaw.

3.  They have a cool feature where you can flip down the whole row of pegs.  I thought this would be really cool........flip those puppies down and you can put nice big pots there.  BUT, every time you lean a heavy dish like a casserole on them, they don't stay put.  DESIGN FLAW.......

Then there are the reasons I really hate this dishwasher.

1.  Clean dishes........well, maybe I should say the lack of clean dishes.  They come out with random little black specks of dirt.  My old 20 year old dishwasher washed my dishes better than this thing.  I don't know if it is the lack of pressure of the spray or the screen not allowing food particles to pass.  At any rate, if my dishes aren't practically clean when I put them in, they certainly aren't when I take them out.

2.  Soap residue in the soap cup........Don't you think if the dishwasher was working properly that it would at least wash the soap out of the cup?  Really?

So......Electrolux......you have received my last dollar.  I will NEVER purchase another Electrolux product!!