Create a Handmade Card in a Few Easy Steps

Hi, friends!

I feel like my home is in a constant state of renovation and redecoration lately. I'll replace one thing in the house and then find something else to do. It results in trips to the hardware store several times a week. 

A recent trip there led me to the electrical department, where I was mesmerized by some of the light fixtures that mimicked the look of light bulbs hanging freely from the ceiling. I was so inspired that I came home and made this light bulb-inspired card! 

Want to make a card like it? It's easy. Just follow these simple steps.

Start by die-cutting several small and large light bulbs from white cardstock with the Bright Lights paper crafting dies. (If you are having a hard time getting the die to cut, consider using a metal adaptor plate with your die-cutting machine. I find this helpful when working with intricate dies.)

Set the light bulbs on scratch paper. Use a couple gray pens to add some color to their necks like so. 

Use a sponge dauber (or cosmetic sponge) to apply ink onto the glass portion of the smaller light bulbs. 

Repeat the last step. This time apply ink to the larger light bulbs.

Remove the center pieces from most of the light bulbs. Consider replacing the center pieces in some of the light bulbs with fresh pieces cut from white cardstock.

Adhere your light bulbs to a card. (Not a cardmaker? Use them on a scrapbook page instead!) For added visual interest, arrange them so they are next to each other but are at different highs. 

Make your light bulbs hang by drawing wires. This is easy! Take any black pen and then use either a ruler or a stamping block as a guide for drawing straight lines.

Complete your card by adding a sentiment to the card. (The phrase I used is from the Light Bulb Moment stamp set, but you will find lots of great phrases to use instead from all the other Occasion and Sentiment stamp sets on our website! ) You'll also want to add a few strips of cardstock or patterned paper toward the bottom of the card. Give the card a hint of glitz by adding a few sequins or gems to it. 

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial! I'd love to see what you are making with Technique Tuesday's stamps and dies! Leave a link to your latest project for me so I can check it out and leave a little love. 

September Release Day!

Hi, everyone!

Today's the day! It's Release Day at Technique Tuesday! Hooray!

It's that time of year when kids go back to school, the weather gets a little cooler, and it's time to head back into our craft rooms. It is also a good time to replenish your stash of cards, start a gratitude journal, update your planner, make some layouts about your summer trips or the changing seasons, or even start your December Daily album. You'll find stamps and dies to help you with all those projects and more in this new release! (You can shop for all the new stamps and dies starting now on our website.)

Craving some inspiration? Please check out the blogs of our talented Design Team members. They've each made some awesome projects to share with you! 

Amy Kolling

Jill Dewey Hawkins

Daniela Dobson

Kymona Tracey

Latisha Yoast

Heather Hoffman

Teri Anderson

Plus don't miss this video from Bev! She'll show you all the new products. She will also give you some quick tips for making amazing cards, scrapbook pages and DIY projects!  

(Can't see the embedded video? You'll find it here on our website!)

Thank you for joining us for New Release Day and all our September Sneak Peeks! Please come back. We've got lots of fun projects and tutorials to share with you over the coming weeks! 

PS. Who is the lucky winner of the $20 gift certificate for Technique Tuesday? That would be Meghan Kennihan. Congrats Meghan! Please check your inbox for a message from Teri about your prize! A big thank you goes out to everyone who left comments during on our September Sneak Peek and Countdown posts. We sure appreciate them! 

Sept. New Release Countdown: Day 1

Hi, friends!

We are so excited to have you with us today as we inch closer to the September 1st release of new stamps and dies at Technique Tuesday! 

You are going to get the first look at the full reveals of some of our amazing new products for cards, scrapbook pages and planners.  Plus we've got our Design Team with us today to share some incredible projects they've been making with the new goods. 

First, let's take a look at some of the new products!

Mandala Sentiments Stamp Set

Like to make your patterned papers with stamps? Like more traditional, classic images? You are going to love this 4x6 stamp set. It features several images you can use on their own or pair together to make all kinds of pretty mandalas! There are also several sentiment stamps you use with your mandalas or on their own. 

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Lovely Lavender Stamp Set

Like flower stamps? This 3x4 stamp set features a beautiful hand-drawn bouquet of lavender stems, plus for sentiments perfect for making all kinds of cards. Belong to the Greenhouse Society? This is your auto-ship stamp set for September. Not a member but gotta have the stamps? No worries! They will be available for purchase on the 1st with the rest of our new products. And don't forget to check out the dies! We'll have coordinating dies available for this stamp set! 

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Things Change Stamp Set

This 4x6 stamp set features a host of phrases and designs perfect for documenting everyday life and all the memories made along the way. These scrapbook stamps work on their own, but also work well with the recently released Captions and Labels dies. 

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Mandala Maker Crafting Die

Like to use die-cuts on your cards and scrapbook pages? You are going using the Mandala Maker die to make all kinds of fun elements for those projects and more! 

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Amazing Arrows Crafting Dies

You are going to love putting an arrow on it, so to speak, with these new dies. Use them on cards, scrapbook pages and all kinds of DIY paper crafting projects. Fresh Cut Studio member? These are your auto-ship dies for September. Not a member but want them? They'll be available for purchase on the 1st! 

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Want to see what you can do with these products?

Please stop by the blogs of our talented design team members:

Amy Kolling

Jill Dewey Hawkins

Daniela Dobson

Latisha Yoast

Heather Hoffman

Teri Anderson

Be sure to stop by our blog again tomorrow to see reveals of the new products. And you'll find all the new products here on our website on September 1st. 

Also don't forget to leave a comment on this September Release Countdown post, or any of of our September Release Countdown or Sneak Peek posts that appear here on the Technique Tuesday blog from August 27th to August 31st, 2018. We're giving a $20 to one lucky person for leaving a comment. Comments must be posted on the Technique Tuesday blog by midnight PST on August 31st, 2018. The winner will be announced here on the blog on Sept. 1st.

September Release Sneak Peek #1

Hi, friends!

It is back to school time here in Oregon. 

It's a time of excitement and change around here as my good friends' little guy is starting kindergarten this year. He's so excited to go to school and learn (and, most importantly, play on the playground at recess).

It's so fun to see how excited he is about this new chapter of life. And it's neat to see my friends as they get the little guy ready and, at the same time, adjust to the thought of him being away from home every day for a few hours for school. It's exciting and scary for them. 

The September release from Technique Tuesday has some cool products that are perfect for documenting and scrapbooking  memories. I'm particularly fond of a new scrapbook stamp set Bev created to help document changes in life, like a child starting school or leaving home to move into their first apartment or to go off to college!

Here are a couple sneak peeks at the stamp set. 

Many of the phrases and images in this new stamp set work perfectly with the recently released Captions and Labels paper crafting dies. 

Like what you see? You'll find it right here on the 1st, along with all our other new products. 

Be sure to stop by the blog again on Tuesday for another sneak peek at some of September's other new products. (Here are a few hints of what's to come: another sea creature; something for planners; some cool dies and another beautiful flower!)

Also, be sure to comment on this sneak peek post or any of our sneak peek or countdown posts that appear here on the Technique Tuesday blog between today and August 31st, 2018. We'll pick one lucky commenter to score a $20 Technique Tuesday gift certificate. Comments must be posted on the Technique Tuesday blog by midnight PST on August 31st, 2018. The winner will be announced here on the blog on Sept. 1st. 

Here's a Chance to Win Your Favorite Scrapbook Stamp Set!

Hi, everyone!

Remember how much fun it was hanging with your friends when you were a little kid? What about the feelings you experienced when you brought your children home from the hospital? And what about what it was like to send your children off to school for the first time?

One of the beautiful things about scrapbooking is being able to document and record the days of our lives and all the feelings we never ever want to forget.  

 

Scrapbooking memories is particularly important to me as I lost both my parents at a young age. I found great comfort after they passed away in looking through the many scrapbooks my mom compiled. She had meticulously chronicled the story of our family. I recently looked at my stash of scrapbooking supplies and told myself that I need to scrapbook more often so that my family's story will live on, and, maybe someday, someone will find comfort in my scrapbooks as I did my mom's.  

 

If you are new to scrapbooking (or haven't done it in awhile), it's easy to get started (or re-started). Grab a scrapbook, a few basic scrapbook supplies and some pictures and simply sit down and write out some of your memories. You can kick things up a notch by using a few scrapbooking stamps to help you in telling your family's story. 

 

We want to help you scrapbook your memories! 

 

Starting today, you can enter for a chance win one of our clear stamps for scrapbooking. Here's how: 

1. Choose your favorite stamp set from all the scrapbooking stamps on our website.
2. Leave the name of your favorite stamp set in a comment here between now and July 29th, 2018.

 We will announce a winner here on our blog on August 1st, 2018.

PS. There's another chance to get a free stamp set this month. Join our Memory Keepers Studio auto-ship program in July and you'll get a free Butterfly Love stamp set with your first shipment. See the stamp set and learn more about the program here. 

Scrapbookers, Step Right Up for Free Stamps!

Calling all memory keepers! 

Do you like to stamp in your scrapbooks? Looking for some scrapbooking stamps to add to your crafty arsenal?

Check out the Memory Keepers Studio collection of scrapbook stamps. We release a new Memory Keepers Studio stamp set every month. These stamps were designed by scrapbookers with memory keepers like you in mind!

The Memory Keepers Studio stamps are available for auto-shipment. Members receive 25% off their Memory Keepers Studio stamps, get 15% off of select products, get free shipping on add-on orders and other benefits.

July 2018 is a great month to join Memory Keepers Studio because anyone who joins the club by the end of the month will get a free Butterfly Love stamp set with their first auto-shipment. This stamp set is not available for purchase. 

Already a member of the club? The Butterfly Love stamp set will be included with your shipment this month. This is our way of thanking you for being a member!

Ps. Looking for some inspiration for using your scrapbook supplies to make cool and meaningful scrapbook pages? Check out our the Scrapbooking and Memory Keeping Gallery on our website! 

July Release Day!

Hi, all!

The big day is here! It's Release Day at Technique Tuesday.

All our new stamps and dies are live. You will find them all on the New Products page!

Craving some more inspiration for the new products? Our talented Design Team is here one more time today to share some projects they've made with the new goods. 

Amy Kolling

Dana Joy

Jill Dewey Hawkins

Daniela Dobson

Kymona Tracey

Latisha Yoast

Heather Hoffman

Teri Anderson

We've also put together a video, featuring all the new products! You'll also find lots of project inspiration in it. Whether you are a card maker, scrapbooker or planner, you are sure to find something for you in it! Be sure to check out the video on our website. 

Thanks for joining us for the New Release festivities! Be sure to visiting the blog for even more project inspiration and ideas! 

PS. Who won the Animal House stamp set? The lucky winner is Laura Holt! Congrats, Laura! Check your inbox for an email from Teri with deets about your prize. A big thank you goes out to all of you who stopped by our blog and left such lovely comments over the last few days. We sure appreciate your kindness and excitement! If you haven't already done so, please consider signing up for our newsletter to keep in touch and so you are aware of future giveaways, product news and Technique Tuesday ideas.

July New Release Countdown: Day 1

Hi, friends! 

We're so thrilled to have you here again as we get closer to the July 1st release of new stamps and dies at Technique Tuesday. 

You're going to get your first official look today at the new paper craft products. Plus we have the design team here to share with you some awesome projects they've created with the new goods. Just wait until you see what they've been making! 

First, let's see some of those products.

Classy Butterflies Crafting Dies

Butterflies are timeless when it comes to paper crafting, and you are going to love using these dies to create all kinds of accents to decorate your cards and scrapbook pages with. These versatile dies can be used on their own or paired together to create detailed, layered butterflies. 

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Bugs and Kisses Stamp Set

This 4x6 stamp set features an assortment of hand drawn bugs that are sure to make you smile. Use them on their own or together to make all kinds of cards for your favorite love bugs! 

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Butterfly on the Border Crafting Die

This die is the latest addition to our popular collection of Border Dies! Take a card, open it up and die-cut a border along the side. This die really is that easy to use.

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Beautiful Dragonfly Stamp Set

This 4x6 stamp set features two beautiful dragonflies and a variety of sentiment stamps perfect for scrapbook pages and cards. If you have our previously released Dragonfly crafting dies, these stamps work perfect with the mat die in that set! Also, if you are a Memory Keepers Studio member, this is your auto-ship stamp set for July. Not a member but want the set? It will be available for purchase on 1st.

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 Build a Dragonfly Crafting Dies

These dies are perfect for all kinds of paper crafting projects. You can use them to make your own dragonflies and ladybugs! By the way, if you belong to Fresh Cut Studio, these are your auto-ship dies for July. Not a member? Never fear. They will be available for purchase with all our other new products. 

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 Want to see what you can do with these products?

Please stop by the blogs of our talented design team members:

Amy Kolling

Dana Joy

Jill Dewey Hawkins

Daniela Dobson

Kymona Tracey

Latisha Yoast

Heather Hoffman

Teri Anderson

Be sure to stop by our blog again tomorrow to see reveals of the new products. And you'll find all the new products here on our website on July 1st. 

PS. Today is the last day to comment on our Animal House stamp set giveaway post. Be sure to check out the blog post here. 

And the Winner is... Plus More Coloring Inspiration

Hi, everyone!

The time has come to pick a winner for the Technique Tuesday stop on the day 2 of the The Daily Marker Coloring 30 Day Coloring Challenge Blog Hop. 

First, we wanted to share a little more coloring inspiration from Design Team member Kymona Tracey.

Kymona turned a planner page into a canvas by stamping the pineapple from the Sweet Summertime stamp set onto it. Then she added some color to it with markers. Stamping and coloring in a planner is a great way to try new coloring techniques for cards and scrapbook pages.

Kymona used pencils to add a lot of highlights and shading to these two pears that she stamped with the Funny Fruits stamp set. Look closely at her coloring and you'll see a variety of greens and yellows in her design, which went right onto a card.

In need of more coloring inspiration for the challenge? Don't forget to check out the videos on the Technique Tuesday website. You'll find lots of coloring videos that feature our Greenhouse Society stamp sets and matching dies. 

So let's get back to that blog hop prize! Who won the $25 gift certificate? Well, that's Jeannean Marshall! Congrats, Jeannean. Check your inbox for an email from Teri about your prize! 

A big thanks goes out to everyone who stopped by during the blog hop and left such kind comments. We hope you'll stop by again! Our countdown to the July release of new stamps and dies begins on June 26th, plus we've got some fun posts planned between now and then. 

Out of the Box Project Ideas for You!

Hi, friends! 

Tired of just making cards and scrapbook pages? We've got some “outside the box” projects today that you can easily make using your stash of stamps and dies.

You are sure to be inspired by this fun line-up of crafts! Be sure to click on the project photos for some tips, techniques, and, in some cases, step-by-step tutorials to make projects like these!

Make unique treat cups with the Sweet Summertime stamps and dies! Imagine giving treat cups like these to your kids or grandchildren. They will be sure to smile!

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Do you love to read? Got a Summer reading list? Make a bookmark to grace the pages of the books you check off your list! It's so easy to make a bookmark with stamps, ink, paper and a few basic crafting supplies.

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Planning a party? Print the party details on cardstock. Then cut a border out of the top of each invitation with any of the border dies! Whether you are planning a child's party or one for an adult, this idea is easily adaptable! Plus you'll find we have lots of border dies to choose from.

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Here's another fun idea for you! Use stamps to personalize a make-up or pencil bag with flower stamps. Use the bag as a gift or keep it for yourself. I promise. We won't tell if you keep it! Not a fan of flowers? Use some background and other design elements stamps on your bag instead. The possibilities are endless.

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Craving more non-traditional project ideas? Be sure to check out the DIY Party and Home Decor Projects Gallery on our website. You'll also find lots of inspiration in the Tags & Gift Giving Gallery!

PS. Have you tried stamping on rocks? Be sure to check out Shelley's tutorial on how to successfully do it with clear stamps!