How To Create A Beautiful Embossed And Watercolor Thank You Card

by Elina Stromberg

create a thank you card using memento inks and versamagic

Our lovely color of the month is ‘Passion Red’. What a perfect choice for a bright blooming flower card! I wanted to create a soft water-color painted look on my card, and all I needed was my water-soluble Memento and VersaMagic stamping inks and my Craft Mat as my palette.

Tsukineko ink pads come in several beautiful red colors, so I chose a few of my favorite reds and used them both for coloring the card background and for painting the beautiful Penny Black flower image. The trick was to stamp the main image twice and to layer the fuzzy-cut image on top of the stamped background; by using this technique the main image on the finished card has a beautiful, crispy edge, and while painting you don’t need to worry about the wet color running over the stamped lines!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions


Step 1

Stamp flower image with VersaFine ink on white watercolor or mixed media paper. Apply ‘Red Magic’ VersaMagic ink on the Craft Mat. Using a hint of water pick up the rich, creamy color with a brush and color the background. Apply more red pigment on the bottom, and mix the color with water to create a lighter color for the top of the card. Do not mind painting over the stamped image; it will be covered with a second image layer later. Let air dry or dry with a heat gun.


Step 2

Add texture to the painted background. Stamp random patterns here and there using red ‘Lady Bug’ Memento color. Keep the stamp in your hand (do not attach to an acrylic stamping block) and bend it while stamping.


Step 3

Re-stamp the main flower image on another sheet of white mixed media paper. Color the image using a water brush and a few hues of red ink. I used Memento ‘Lady Bug’, bit darker red ‘Rhubarb Stalk’, dark purple ‘Sweet Plum’, and VersaMagic ‘Red Magic’ for coloring the background. Use the Craft Mat as your palette and apply more ink if needed. Once dry, cut out the image.


Step 4

Glue the fussy cut image on the background. Trim the background to size.


Step 5 

Color the letters for the sentiment word. Press each chipboard letter on clear VersaMark ink. Pick up the letter with a tweezer, dab into copper embossing powder, and heat-set the powder by heating the chipboard on the Craft Mat. Glue letters on a strip of vellum. Fold ends of the vellum strips on the card background and secure them with double-sided tape. This will keep the strip in place; there’s no need to glue it on the card front.


Step 6

Mat card front on striped patterned paper and attach on the card base. Done!

Supplies
Imagine

VersaMagic DewDrop in Red Magic

Imagine Craft Mat

Memento DewDrop in Lady Bug

Memento DewDrop in Rhubarb Stalk

Memento DewDrop in Sweet Plum

VersaMark

VersaFine Clair in Nocturne

Embossing Powder in Copper

Other
  • White mixed media paper
  • Brush
  • Water brush
  • Penny Black Stamps – Awaken
  • Background pattern stamp
  • White vellum
  • Chipboard letters
  • Scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Heat gun
  • Glue
  • Striped patterned paper
  • White card base

How To Create An Eclectic Valentine’s Day Card

by Nadine Carlier

I have always considered myself as an eclectic type crafter and this card is the perfect representation of my style. It has a little bit of modern, vintage and grunge mixed together using several different techniques and products. Watch my video below to see how I did it. Enjoy!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 20 minutes

Supplies

Imagine
Other

Visit our YouTube Channel for more inspirational videos and subscribe to get updates when we post new videos.

Create a London Night Sky Birthday Card

by Melissa Andrew

Create a London Night Sky Birthday Card

Today, I share with you how to create a Galaxy or night sky using VersaMagic Ink, Brilliance Ink, and MementoLuxe. These creamy inks blend so smoothly and seamlessly that anyone can create a gorgeous night sky. The addition of Sheer Shimmer Spray and white acrylic paint finish this creation. Please join me as I teach you how to create a wonderful Galaxy card.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 – 45 minutes

Directions

Supplies

Imagine

• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Night Sky, Concord Grape, Pretty Petunia, White Cloud
• Memento Luxe – Tuxedo Black
• Brilliance Ink – Pearlescent Orchid
• Sheer Shimmer Spray – Sparkle
• VersaFine Clair – Nocturne
• Pico irRESISTible – Gold
• Sponge Dauber – Large, Small
• Tear It! Tape
• On Point Glue 

Other

• SugarPea Designs Stamp Set – Simply Fabulous
• SugarPea Designs Die – LondonScape
• White Acrylic Paint
• Paint Brush
• Acrylic Block
• Circle Die
• Stamping Platform – Misti
• Sequence
• Paper Trimmer
• White Card Stock
• Black Card Stock

Make a Valentine’s Card with a Blue and Green Color Scheme

by Arjita Sepaha Singh

Make a Valentine's Card with a Blue and Green Color Scheme

For today’s card, I stamped two super adorable seal images using black ink and colored them using few shades of brown Memento ink. Then I used my sharp pair of scissors to cut them. To create a fun background I used a solid stripe stamp and two Versamagic inks which give a beautiful opaque chalky result. I repeatedly stamped them to create a cute plaid background. I arranged the layout for my card and its quick and easy card perfect for valentine’s day.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 30 minutes

Supplies

Imagine

• VersaFine inkpad – Onyx Black
• VersaMagic DewDrop inkpads – Key Lime, Sea Breeze
• On Point Glue
• Memento ink pad – Rich Cocoa, Desert Sand
• Sheer Shimmer Spray – Sparkle
• Fantastix

Other
  • Card Stock –White
  • Heat gun
  • Acrylic block
  • Scissors
  • Lawn Fawn stamps

Make It Happen with this Beautiful Art Journal Design

by Lori Warren

Make It Happen with this Beautiful Art Journal Design

Who wants to “Make things happen” in 2019?  I sure do and that is what inspired me to make this 4” x 6” Art Journal page featuring a variety of Imagine products. The tutorial includes how to use your Craft Mat to create a watercolor background effect with irRESISTible sprays as well as how to create a watercolor palette for detail coloring with Memento inks.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 hour

Directions


Step 1

Apply VersaFine Clair (Medieval Blue & Teal Zeal) to a 4” x 6” Art Journal panel with Jumbo Daubers.


Step 2

Spray panel with Ink Potion No. 9 and encourage the ink to blend.


Step 3

Spray Teal Zeal irRESISTible Texture Spray directly onto your Craft Mat.


Step 4

Lay the panel, facedown, into the wet ink and lift. Set aside and allow to dry.


Step 5

Spray Teal Zeal irRESISTible ink directly onto the panel in a few key areas. Allow to dry.


Step 6

With VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, randomly stamp script across the panel.


Step 7

Spray Art Journal Panel with Sheer SHIMMER Craft Spray in Sparkle. Allow to dry.


Step 8

Stamp the four-butterfly image (from the Tim Holtz Alterations French Flight stamp/die set) on to the panel with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne. Stamp the image just off center and then to the left of the panel.


Step 9

From the same Butterfly stamp set, stamp the large butterfly image into a piece of white cardstock with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne.


Step 10

Apply three colors of Memento (Morocco, Teal Zeal, Elderberry) directly onto your Craft Mat and then add water; use like you would watercolors to paint the butterfly image. Allow to dry.


Step 11

Spray the butterfly image with Sheer SHIMMER Spray in Sparkle.  Allow to dry.


Step 12

With the coordinating die from the stamp set, die cut the butterfly image.


Step 13

Adhere black thread, in a circle pattern, underneath the butterfly and then mount to panel with double-sided foam tape (directly over the previously stamped image).


Step 14

With a paintbrush, apply GooseBumps Clear Texture Spray to butterfly. Allow to dry.


Step 15

Edge panel with VersaFine Clair in Nocturne and then embellish with adhesive pearls.


Step 16

Add sticker sentiment “Make It Happen” below the colored butterfly.


Step 17

Add the pages, back panel and metal rings to transform this project into an art journal.

Supplies

Imagine
Other  
  • Mark Richards Pearls – Dark Grey
  • Tim Holtz Alterations Stamps – French Flight
  • Sizzix Thinlits – French Flight
  • Sizzix Sidekick – Brown & Black
  • Lori’s Cards & Creations – Inspire Background stamp
  • 3M Foam Mounting Tape

Use a Mirror Technique to Create a Cute Mermaid Card

by Roni Johnson

Use a Mirror Technique to Create a Cute Mermaid Card

Imagine’s Craft Mat is a handy tool to have in your crafting arsenal. Not only is it great for keeping your work surface clean but there are many techniques you can use it for as well. Take the above card for example. Can you tell which mermaid is stamped and which one is a mirror image? Bet you can’t tell, can you? Find out the answer below….

Skill: Beginner
Time: 45 minutes + dry time

Directions


Step 1

Stamp the desired image on to the Craft Mat using VersaFine Clair ink. VersaFine Clair is an excellent choice for mirror images as there is a nice open time and it creates such a crisp clean image when stamped.


Step 2

Place a piece of cardstock over the image stamped on the Craft Mat and burnish with your finger.


Step 3

Carefully lift the paper. Wipe the excess ink from the Craft Mat with a damp cloth. It’s as simple as that. You may finish the card as desired. Did you know that the Craft Mat is also a great palette for water coloring? Simply scribble Memento Dual-Tip markers onto the craft mat. You may then blend and pick up the inks with a water brush.


Step 4

To finish off the example I stamped a second mermaid directly to paper and added a sentiment.


Step 5

I then watercolored the image as desired using Memento Dual-Tip Markers and a water brush.


Step 6

I added a bit of Shimmer Pico Embellisher to various areas to add a bit of shine and sparkle. The green-tailed mermaid was the mirror image.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • White Cardstock
  • Hero Arts – Mermaid Kisses
  • Waterbrush