Challenge Winners - It's Halloween!

Today we announce our winners from the 'It's Halloween!' challenge. Thank you to everyone who shared their fantastic Halloween projects with us. We really loved seeing them all.

The team chose this fabulous Halloween tag by #6 Sandra Rupp as our overall winner. We loved her super spooky graveyard scene. Make sure to check it in more detail HERE. Congratulations on being our favourite and winning the opportunity to be a Guest Designer here at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog for a future challenge. You will be contacted with all the details.

And now our picks for the three winners of the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog Top 3 Badges for this challenge. In numerical order they are; #16 Jane (Jane's Journal) #17 Kerstin (Scrapbook Dreams) and #19 Nancy (oops.designs). Please email Linda at thefunkiejunkie@gmail.com for the codes for the Top 3 badges so that you can display them proudly on your blog.

And finally we have a randomly chosen lucky winner for the $25 gift certificate to The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Our congratulations this time go to #8 Ann (Ann Chuang Crafts)! Again, please do make sure you check out her amazing project for this challenge. Please email Linda at thefunkiejunkie@gmail.com for the gift certificate details.

Thank you again from all of us here at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog to everyone who took part in this challenge and congratulations to all our winners. The current challenge, 'It Looks Real' runs through Tuesday, November 5th and we look forward to seeing your entries!

Have a great week everyone.

Guest Designer - Helen Hollinger

Please say hello to our Guest Designer for the 'It Looks Real' challenge.  Helen Hollinger of Never Enough Time was the top pick from the Terrific Tags challenge.

Hi there everyone! I’m Helen and I am thrilled to have been asked to be a guest designer for The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog today!

I am a retired nurse with a hubby of 35 years and 2 grown sons, ages 29 and 25! I have always been a crafty sort of person… knitting, crocheting, and scrapbooking! Once my sons got old enough to say “No more photos Mom!”, I found art journaling and mixed media! Now my major focus is on this! I love getting messy, trying new techniques, finding that perfect quote and just playing!

Enough about me .. today I am making a faux leather card, because today we need to make “It look Real”. This is an easy technique and can be done in a short amount of time!

Step 1: For a faux leather look you need to get some parchment paper of some sort. I used Tim Holtz Glassine paper that I have had forever. You can use parchment paper or wax paper, but I would suggust that you cover the entire surface with gesso first so that the acrylic paint can stick to it.

I am also using DecoArt Fluid Acrylic in Burnt Sienna, Golden fluid acrylics in Quinacridone/Nickel Azo Gold and Raw Umber.

Step 2: Scrunch up your paper into a ball to give it a crackle kind of look. It is best to do these 3 or 4 times to produce finer lines. Totally up to you! Once you have it scrunched up, start layering the acrylic paint down over it, blending the colors to give you the desired effect.

Step 3: Now comes the fun part … adding the embellishments you want onto your card! This is always the most stressful for me, as I never know what I am going to use until I get started!

Step 4: Once everything was glued into place, I added some different waxes I had and played until I was happy with the result! Added a sentiment, and done!

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Helen has made a fabulous faux leather card with lots of additional techniques to inspire you.  Pop over to her blog to check out her work and then come on back and share your creation with a faux element for the 'It Looks Real' challenge.

The challenge runs through Tuesday, November 5th at 11:55 pm EST and can be found HERE.

It Looks Real

It is Cec here and I am bring you our new challenge.  I am calling this one 'It Looks Real' and here is what I have to say about it:

There are so many ways to make something look real when it isn't. For this challenge, make a vintage or shabby chic project with one or more faux elements. Those elements could be faux rust, leather, stitching - to name a few. Make sure you tell us what the faux element is and how you made it because it will look real.

The winner will earn a chance to be a Guest Designer at a future date here at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. There are also Top 3 Badges for three additional outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team.

The guidelines for entering are simple; create a new vintage or shabby chic project following the challenge theme, link it below to your post (not just your blog) and also include a link back to this challenge in your post. You can combine our challenge with up to 10 challenges (including this one) to be in with a chance of winning. If you are entering through a public forum (such as Instagram) you'll need to include the words 'Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge'. Also, please be sure to turn off your Word Verification so our Design Team can leave comments on your blogs. Make sure you follow these rules as unfortunately, we have had to eliminate entrants from the prize draws in the past.

As always, our designers have made some fabulous inspiration for you. To get all the details, simply click on their blog names and you will be taken to their blog.

Cec Wintonyk - CW Creations

Sara Emily - sarascloset

Maggi Harding - Scrap, Travel & Bark!



Suzanne Czosek - Suzz's Stamping Spot 

Ginny Nemchak - Polly's Paper Studio

Jenny Marples - Pushing The Right Buttons

Once you have finished checking out their projects, please come on back and use the link below to share your creations with a faux element. Don't forget to visit tomorrow to see what our Guest Designer for this challenge has to show you.

Challenge Winners - Treats Not Tricks!

Today we announce our winners from the 'Treats Not Tricks!' challenge. Thank you to everyone who shared their wonderful treats with us. We loved seeing them all.

The team chose this fabulous Circus themed Candy Bar Wrapper by #6 ScrappyHorses as our overall winner. We loved how she took a treat and made it so special. Make sure to check it in more detail HERE. Congratulations on being our favourite and winning the opportunity to be a Guest Designer here at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog for a future challenge. You will be contacted with all the details.

And now our picks for the three winners of the The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog Top 3 Badges for this challenge. In numerical order they are; #2 Clareene (In Reene's Room) #5 Lia (Lia's Design) and #11 Lyla Larimore (A Chief's Wife's Heart's 'aFire). Please email Linda at thefunkiejunkie@gmail.com for the codes for the Top 3 badges so that you can display them proudly on your blog.

And finally we have a randomly chosen lucky winner for the $25 gift certificate to The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Our congratulations this time go to #8 Barb Turpin (Barb's Boys)! Again, please do make sure you check out her amazing project for this challenge. Please email Linda at thefunkiejunkie@gmail.com for the gift certificate details.

Thank you again from all of us here at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog to everyone who took part in this challenge and congratulations to all our winners. The current challenge, 'It's Halloween!' runs through Tuesday, October 22nd and we look forward to seeing your entries!

Have a great week everyone.

Saturday Showcase - Stampers Anonymous Pressed Foliage

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of our Saturday Showcase feature. It's Sara Emily here, and today I'm featuring Stampers Anonymous Pressed Foliage by Tim Holtz. I fell head over heels with the gorgeous images in this stamp set, and am excited to share a few of the projects I've made with them.

*Click on any image to zoom in*

To tie into the current challenge theme, 'It's Halloween', I made a treat bag using a ghosting technique. This could be given to someone who doesn't go for all the ghost/goblin-y type stuff, but doesn't mind the candy treats. Or I might just slip a gift card in it for my husband's October birthday.

Here's what I did...

1. Die cut treat bag out of Distress Mixed Media Heavystock (discontinued in the large size, but link below is to the 4.25 x 5.5 pack)
2. Blend with Wild Honey and Rusty Hinge inks.
3. Spritz Pressed Foliage stamp with water and stamp panel. I left the stamp in position a moment to allow the water to work it's magic on the ink.
4. Remove stamp and blot panel with clean paper towel to absorb moisture and ink, being careful not to rub. This causes a ghosting effect.
5. Repeat with additional stamps from the set.
6. Using my stamp platform and  Distress Archival ink, I ink a corresponding stamp randomly with Peeled Paint and stamp the image over the ghosted image.
7.Leaving the stamp in place on the platform, clean the stamp and randomly apply Hickory Smoke. Repeat with Ground Espresso, layering the color. Repeat this process using a second stamp from the set.
8. I did the same with a third leaf stamp from the set, using Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door and Ground Espresso archival inks.
9. Ink the bugs and October stickers from the Iea-ology Curiosities Sticker Book with Ground Espresso ink. Stick on bag--no need for extra glue; these have great adhesion!
10. Blend edges of die cut with Ground Espresso ink and assemble bag. I use Distress Collage medium Matte to stick the side flap down and just tuck the bottom edges. As long as your not gifting a bar of gold this will stay in place.
11. Splatter with Black Soot paint.

(I added  rosettes I made years ago as filler along with a piece of tulle from my stash.)

Next, I made this fall card to thank my best friend for helping me with our huge neighborhood garage sale we are having as this post goes live. We have been doing this twice a year for almost 20 years! It's a lot of work, and I could not do it without her.

Here's what I did to make the 'wood' panel...

1.Spray a panel of kraft card with Frayed Burlap Oxide Spray.
2. Swipe Walnut Stain ink on the left side of the Lumber 3D folder, and emboss per instructions.
3. I ran my Ground Espresso ink pad directly on the ridges of the embossed kraft panel for even more definition.
4. Still not right, so I dipped the panel in puddles of Weathered Wood Oxide.
5. Blend edges with Ground Espresso ink.

And the realistic leaves...

1. Using the Stamp Platform, ink the stamp and make impression with Fossilized Amber, Spiced Marmalade and Barn Door, starting with lightest color and working toward darkest. Make sure to clean the stamp between each color, or you will have mud.
2. Cut leaves out of stamped image using Fall Foliage Thinlits die. You can see I'm not exact with this--the Pressed Foliage image is much larger than the die, and we just want to get the idea of veining on our finished leaf.
3. With my finger, I apply Distress MicroGlaze randomly on the leaf and buff with a clean paper towel. This will resist most further coloring. Blend leaf with Peeled Paint ink.
4. Dip leaf into watery puddles of Gathered Twigs ink, shape and dry.

Now for the metallic leaves and additional details...

1.Heat emboss large maple leaf (can you tell it's my favorite?) with Seth Apter Baked Velvet White Cloud onto Metallic Jewels Kraft Stock.
2. Fussy cut leaves and blend edges and random parts of leaf with Ground Espresso Distress paint. Shape leaves.
3. Color water color paper panel with Frayed Burlap and Peeled Paint Oxide sprays, and use Adorned Thinlits to cut a scroll.
4. Color a length of Linen Ribbon with Spiced Marmalade and Ground Espresso Oxide sprays. Dry and pat with Ripe Persimmon paint (not pictured). Oops! This was used on the last card, not this one!
5. Color Mummy Cloth with Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain and dry. (Not pictured)
6. Pat Ground Espresso Paint on Word Token (back side) and brad. Let dry. (Not pictured)
7. Die cut Tiny Tabs and Tag from scrap leftover from the leaves and edge with  Ripe Persimmon ink. ( Not pictured)
8. Apply old Remnant Rubs to tags. ( Not pictured)
9.  Adhere Curiosities butterfly to scrap of old Halloween paper and blend with Ground Espresso ink. Shape. Assemble and adhere leaves, etc. onto 'wood' panel with Collage medium.
10. Use adhesive foam to adhere 'wood' panel to a metallic panel and onto a black card blank.

And here are some photos of my second card for you to enjoy...

This one is going to my sister, who doesn't go for the witches and creepy things at Halloween. I love that there's just a hint of creepiness to it.

Notice the ghostly leaf shadow...this was done purposely. Stamp the image with VersaMark slightly to right of where you want your actual image to be. Blot it with a clean paper towel. Stamp your actual image and heat emboss. (I used Seth Apter Baked Velvet Eclipse.) The finest dust in the powder will adhere to the initial stamping, creating a shadow.

I hope you enjoyed seeing just a few ideas on how you can incorporate Pressed Foliage stamps into your own fall crafting. Remember, there's still plenty of time to join in our current challenge, 'It's Halloween!' -- the challenge is open until October 22 at midnight! We'd love to have you join us! Happy Crafting!

These products were used and can be purchased at The Funkie Junkie Boutique:
Tim Holtz Cling Stamps - Pressed Foliage
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Ledger Script
Sizzix Chapter 2 Tim Holtz Thinlits Adorned
Sizzix Thinlits Treat Bag by Tim Holtz
Sizzix Thinlits Fall Foliage by Tim Holtz
Idea-ology: Curiosities Sticker Book, Mummy Cloth, Typed Tokens, Mini Pins
Tim Holtz Paper: Distress Mixed Media Heavystock, Metallic Kraft Stock, Metallic Jewels Kraft Stock
Distress ink: Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Fossilized Amber, Ground Espresso, Black Soot, Walnut Stain, Peeled Paint, Weathered Wood, Ripe Persimmon
Distress Archival ink:  Kit 1 (Spiced Marmalade, Barn Door), Kit 2 (Fossilized Amber, Peeled Paint), Kit 3(Hickory Smoke, Ground Espresso)
Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Spray Stain- Antique Linen
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Weathered Wood
Distress Oxide Spray: Spiced Marmalade, Frayed Burlap, Ground Espresso
Distress Paint: Black Soot, Ground Espresso, Ripe Persimmon
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium Matte
Ranger Distress Micro Glaze
Seth Apter Baked Velvet Neutrals Kit -- White Cloud, Eclipse
VersaMark Watermark Ink Stamp Pad

Guest Designer - Nancy Hill

Please say hello and give a warm welcome for our Guest Designer for the It's Halloween challenge.  Nancy Hill of Creative Moments was the top pick from the Bits and Bobs challenge.

My name is Nancy Hill. I am retired and have creating cards and projects as my main hobby when I am not helping around our farm and ranch in rural Idaho or babysitting my grandson during the week. I have seven grand children and have three successful sons and daughter. I had a career as a teacher, professor and working with infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities.

I have been blessed to be able to work with many fabulous stamps and die companies. My goal as a scrap booker and card maker is to continue learning new techniques and trying new products, and different styles from children’s cards to shabby chic/vintage for my children. I try to reflect the interest of the person who will receive this card to personalize a card or project for them. My latest adventure is working with foamiran to make my flowers as well as working with mixed media for gift boxes.

I couldn't be more thankful and excited to The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog for giving me this wonderful opportunity to be their guest designer for this exciting Halloween challenge.

My gift box is a way to give that special person the Halloween candy or gifts from you. The insert holds the gift into place and you can fill the box with treats and gift! Below I have a tutorial to show you how I created it.

Supplies: 

Julie Nutting: Witchy Poo Stamp and Julie Nuttie Photo Play Bootiful Paper
Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Adornments Halloween Words
Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Adornments, Spiders
Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Ephemera Pack, Halloween Snippets
Blue Fern Studio Paper - Autencitity
Wild Orchid Craft Flower
Purple Seam Binding Ribbon
Cranberry Colored Cardstock
Graphic 45 Rare Oddities Paper
Sue Wilson Designs: Oval Stitched Die Set

Tutorial:

For this gift box, I am using a two-sided cardstock.

Inside: Sample of scoring as per instructions above. I used a cranberry colored cardstock.

Front:

Beginners: To add a nice frame around an image, take two of the frames in a set of rectangles, squares, circles or ovals, tape together and cut. For a wider frame, just use the next larger size in the set. Most of the time, I use a solid color cardstock for a frame around an image, but this time, I used the same patterned paper and sponged on Ranger Distress Ink Walnut to give the frame a vintage appearance.

Please contact me if you have any questions. Have fun with this wonderful challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. Make sure to check the blogs to see all of the Halloween cards and projects this talented design team have made to share with you. We can't wait to see what you will make.

Enjoy and Happy Crafting!

* * *

Hop on over to Nancy's blog to check out the details of her fabulous Halloween treat box and take a tour around to see her other creations.  When you are done, come on back and share your Halloween project with us.  The challenge can be found HERE and runs through 11:55 pm EST on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Don't forget to check back on Saturday for more Saturday Showcase inspiration from one of our designers.

It's Halloween!

Welcome to a new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog! It's Sara Emily here, and I've chosen the theme "It's Halloween!".  I love Halloween! With Halloween just a few weeks away, I challenge you to create a vintage or shabby chic project with a Halloween theme. Your project can be as silly or creepy as you like, but just have fun!

The winner will earn a chance to be a Guest Designer at a future date here at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. There are also Top 3 Badges for three additional outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team.

The guidelines for entering are simple; create a new vintage or shabby chic project following the challenge theme, link it below to your post (not just your blog) and also include a link back to this challenge in your post. You can combine our challenge with up to 10 challenges (including this one) to be in with a chance of winning. If you are entering through a public forum (such as Instagram) you'll need to include the words 'Funkie Junkie Boutique Challenge'. Also, please be sure to turn off your Word Verification so our Design Team can leave comments on your blogs. Make sure you follow these rules as unfortunately, we have had to eliminate entrants from the prize draws in the past.

The Design Team has created some wonderful Halloween projects to get you started:

Cec Wintonyk - CW Creations

Sara Emily - sarascloset

Maggi Harding - Scrap, Travel & Bark!

Suzanne Czosek - Suzz's Stamping Spot

Ginny Nemchak - Polly's Paper Studio

Jenny Marples - Pushing The Right Buttons

After you have checked out these amazing spooky projects, we hope you will come on back and share your Halloween projects with us using the link below. We can't wait to see what you make!