Let’s Make a Valentine’s Day Card

By Anna Escalada York

I wanted to use some dies in my stash plus some warm colored inks to make a Valentine’s Day card for my husband.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:

Rub a piece of watercolor paper with a Love Letter Memento ink pad. Don’t worry too much about the consistent color across the watercolor paper.

Step 2:

Spray the same watercolor paper with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and allow to dry.

Step 3:

Die cut the colored and sprayed watercolor paper.

Step 4:

Use a background or texture stamp to to stamp the center of the die cut with ore Love Letter Memento ink. If desired, rub the small hearts around the edge with more Love Letter Memento ink as well.

Step 5:

Rub a piece of watercolor paper with Rhubarb Stalk Memento ink pad. Again, don’t worry too much about the consistent color across the watercolor paper.

Steps 6 and 7:

Die cut the Rhubarb Stalk colored watercolor paper and use a paintbrush to paint GooseBumps Shimmer Texture Spray on the die cut. Allow the GooseBumps Shimmer Texture Spray to dry (or if you are impatient like me use your heat tool to dry it quickly).

(Not pictured: Die cut two more layers of the sentiment die with scraps of cardstock and glue the three layers together for dimension. Then die cut the shadow of the sentiment with vellum and glue the sentiment onto the shadow.)

Step 8:

Spray enough Angel Pink Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto a piece of watercolor paper to totally color the paper and allow to dry.

Step 9:

Die cut the sprayed watercolor paper. Glue the two layers of die cut hearts together.

Step 10:

Tape an outer and inner frames together with tape and use them both together to die cut more watercolor paper.

Step 11:

Ink blend the die cut frame with Rhubarb Stalk Memento Ink using a sponge dauber.

Step 12:

Spray the internal part of the die cut with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and allow to dry.

Step 13:

Use Love Letter and Rhubarb Stalk Memento Ink to ink blend through a stencil. Then ink blend around the edges of the die cut with more Rhubarb Stalk Memento Ink.

Step 14 and 15:

Use the same texture stamp used to stamp the red heart, stamp the background (internal part) of the card base with more of the Love Letter Memento Ink multiple times to add some more interest to the background.

Step 16:

Arrange the card and glue it onto a 6” x 6” card base. Start out by gluing the sentiment onto the internal part of the cardpanel (over the die cut heart). Then glue the frame onto the card base and nestle the internal part of the card onto the card. Add sequins on the lower left and upper right parts of the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Angel Pink
• GooseBumps Texture Spray – Shimmer
• Memento Dual Marker – Rhubarb Stalk
• Memento Dye Ink – Love Letter, Rhubarb Stalk
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
• Sponge daubers

Other

• AALL & Create – die set – Nature’s Doily
• Brutus Monroe – die set – Heart Petals
• Scrappy Tails – rhinestones – white rhinestones
• Stampers Anonymous – woodblock stamp – U3-2603 (typewriter stamp)
• Stencil in my stash
• Watercolor paper
• Scrap cardstock
• Vellum
• Die cutting machine
• Paint brush
• Scissors

Glue

I Love Mew – A Valentine’s Day Card

By Kathi Rerek

Here’s a punny Valentine’s Day card that showcases the blending of the new Baby Pink VersaFine Clair Ink with the Charming Pink VersaFine Clair Ink.  I also used Purell to create a fun ghosting technique!

Skill Level: Beginner
Time: 45 minutes

Instructions:

Steps 1A and B:

Use a make-up brush to apply Baby Pink VersaFine Clair Ink to a piece of white cardstock. Start at the top of the panel and work downwards.  The make-up brush creates soft textured look on the cardstock. Continue to brush downwards until the brush doesn’t put ink onto the cardstock (1A)

Use the same make-up brush to apply Charming Pink VersaFine Clair Ink from the base of the cardstock panel, blending as you go. (1B)

Steps 2A and B:

Place the Staggered Hearts stencil over the inked panel. (2A)

Add Purell to a dry baby wipe until it’s saturated then use the wipe to apply the Purell over the stencil onto the cardstock. The Purell will lift the VersaFine Clair Ink, creating ghosted hearts on the background. Heat setting will accentuate the ghosted effect while setting the ink. (2B)

Step 3:

Place the inked cardstock panel onto a stamping platform. Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to stamp the cat. Re-ink and stamp again if necessary for a crisp image.  Remove the image panel and use a paint brush dipped and the ink pad to do any necessary touch ups to the image. Heat set.

Step 4:

Use Prismacolor markers to color the cat’s eyes, taking care to avoid the black ink and contaminate your markers. Use a white gel pen to add highlights to the cat’s eyes.  No photos. Sorry.

Step 5:

Use alphabet dies and a speech bubble die to cut black cardstock. Use a flag and a heart die to to cut to cut extra inked cardstock from Step 1. Smoosh the heart die-cut onto the Charming Pink VersaFine Clair inkpad. Trim the ends off of the flag die-cut and edge with Charming Pink VersaFine Clair Ink. Adhere the letter die-cuts and the heart to the pink strip, then adhere to the black speech bubble die-cut.

Step 6:

Use Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to stamp the cat onto the scrap of repositionable sticker paper. Fussy-cut the sticker paper along the bottom and place it over its counterpart as a mask. Place a strip of repositionable Scotch Tape across the image panel. Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Charming Pink VersaFine Clair Ink over the tape and the masked cat paws to the bottom of the image panel.

Remove the tape and the mask over the cat. Use Use a Sponge Dauber to edge the image panel with Charming Pink VersaFine Clair Ink.

Step 7:

Use a Sponge Dauber to apply Baby Pink VersaFine Clair Ink to the outside .5” perimeter of  an A2 card. Heat set.

Step 8:

Cut a panel of black cardstock to 4” x 5.25”. Use Tear It! Tape to mat the image panel with the black cardstock, adhere the matted image panel to the card, and adhere the speech bubble die-cut as shown. Use the sentiment sticker to finish the card.

Finished Card

Imagine Crafts Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Solar White Classic Crest Cardstock by Neenah Papers
  • Raven Textured Cardstock by Bazzill Basics
  • What’s Meow Clear Stamp Set by Funky Fossil Designs
  • Staggered Hearts Stencil by My Favorite Things
  • Speech Bubble Die-namics Die Set by My Favorite Things
  • Upper and Lower Case Thinlits Die Sets by Tim Holtz for Sizzix
  • Occasions Small Talk Idea-ology Stickers by Tim Holtz for Advantus
  • Flag Dies: Source Unknown
  • Make-up Brushes
  • Dried Out Baby Wipes
  • Purell
  • Spanish Orange and Yellow Orange Prismacolor Markers
  • Repositionable Sticker Paper by Avery
  • Repositionable Scotch Tape by 3M
  • Low-Tack Tape
  • Magnetic Glass Craft Mat by Glassboard Studio
  • Misti Stamping Platform by My Sweet Petunia
  • Big Shot by Sizzix

Cute Valentines Day Card

By Ceal Pritchett

Hello crafty friends!
It’s Ceal, here. Today I am sharing a Clean & Simple Valentines card.

Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: 30 to 45 Minutes

Directions:
Gather you supplies. You will need a stencil, valentines stamp, pink or any color ink, markers and black ink.

Step 1:
Stamp your image with black ink ,I used Memento Tuxedo Black.

Step 2:
Color the image with markers and then cut out with coordinating die.

Step 3:
Place a white panel cut to 4.25 x 5.5 down on a grip mat or other sticky surface. Lay stencil over it and add color with a sponge or blending brush starting in the center and gradually getting lighter toward the edge.

Step 4:
Add the panel to a card base and stamp the sentiment using VersaFine Clair Nocturne. Add foam tape to op up the image.

Supplies:

Imagine Products:
• Memento -Tuxedo Black
• VersaFine Clair -Nocturne and Charming Pink
• Memento Markers -Toffee Crunch, Desert Sand, Gray Flannel, Dandelion, Lulu Lavender, Rose Bud and Summer sky
• Sponge Dauber
• On Point Glue

Other products:

• 120 and 80lb Neenah Classic Crest Solar White Cardstock
• MISTI 2.0 -My Sweet Petunia
• Cupid Clarence Stamp Set  -The Rabbit Hole Designs
• Cupid Clarence die -The Rabbit Hole Designs
• Heart Stencil -The Rabbit Hole Designs (retired)

CAS Valentine’s Day Card

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends! Valentine’s Day is around the corner and today, I have a love themed CAS card idea to share with you all. It is a fun and quick card to make to spread love with others through handmade cards.

Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15-20 minutes

Direction:

Step 1
Cut out a piece of Canson watercolor paper into 4.5 inch x 6 inch that you want to use as your background panel. I use 9×12 Canson watercolor paper and trim it into 2 panels.

Dab randomly the Memento inks (Love Letter & Rose Bud) on the background stamp.

Spray lightly with the Ink Potion No. 9.

Step 2
Add the watercolor panel to the inked stamp and firmly press it down to the stamp. Try to center it to the stamp.

Carefully move around your finger all over the watercolor panel to get the ink transferred well.

Lift up the paper off the stamp and you will get the first watercolor print background. There are still some inks left on the stamp, pray again with the Ink Potion No.9 to get the second print out of it.

Step 3
Repeat step 2 but instead of moving your hand all over the paper, you can try to just partially press the paper to get partially watercolor background print just like on the right panel in the picture.

Step 4
This layered stamping technique is easier done with a position stamping tool if you have it. If you do not have it, clear acrylic stamping blocks work, too. Cut out a white cardstock into 4.25 inch x 5.5 inch.

Stamp the outline flower images with a Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad.

Stamp the solid background flower images with a Rose Bud ink pad, then stamp the shadow flower images with a Rhubarb Stalk ink pad.

Stamp the leaves images with a Bamboo Leaves ink pad.

Step 5
Stamp the sentiment with a Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad at the extra space of the cardstock panel.

Step 6
Cut out all the flower pieces with the matching dies. Optional, if you don’t have the matching dies to your stamp set, you can fussy cut it with scissors.

Cut out the sentiment with one of the Label framelits dies.

Step 7
Rip the top and bottom of the watercolor background panel to give some texture to the background panel.

Optional: You can use the whole watercolor background panel as your background.

Wrap around some of the Burlap twine around the background panel and tie up a bow.

Add it to the card base with some of the Tear It! Tape.

Step 8
Add some of the Tear It Tape! to both sides of the white fun foam and cut it into a 3D foam tape strip. Add some of them to the flowers and sentiment label.

Add each of the flowers and sentiment to the card.

Step 9
Add some of the white pearl gems with some of the On Point Glue to embellish the card.

Hope this CAS card project gives you an idea to make some Valentine’s Day. Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a fabulous day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Layered Rose Stamp & Die Set (Dare 2B Artzy)
  • Label framelits die set (Dare 2B Artzy, retired)
  • Hearts Background Stamp (A Jillian Vance Design, retired)
  • Burlap Twines
  • Pearl gems
  • Neenah Solar White Cardstock 80 lb
  • Canson  Watercolor paper 140 lb
  • White fun foam
  • MISTI stamping tool
  • Micro-tip scissors
  • Tweezers
  • Paper trimmer
  • Die cutting Machine

Blackout Poem with Stamped Woodland Animals

By Anna Escalada York

When I’m not making cards, I am a high school teacher and graduate student. I made something way out of my comfort zone for the final project for my graduate school class, and wanted to share it here as well. I created a blackout poem from a copy of a text related to my project and then added some stamped images related to it over the poem. I had a lot of fun making it, so I may have to start making more blackout poems in the future….

Skill: Intermediate

Time: 3 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Paint a thin layer of white gesso onto a 5” by 7” medium density fiberboard (MDF) panel.

Step 2:
Identify words that you want to keep by underlying them or drawing boxes around them in pencil (the other words will be crossed out).

Step 3:
Using a white marker, cross out the other words, leaving the underlined words as the only words that we can see on the page. Erase the pencil marks.

Step 4:
Stamp two deer using Warm Breeze and Bali Blue VersaFine Clair Ink and then heat emboss both of them with clear Mboss powder. Die cut them with their corresponding dies. If desired, die cut the additional layers of scrap cardstock to fit behind the Warm Breeze buck (the deer that is standing rather than jumping) and glue them behind the stamped and embossed layer for dimension.

Step 5:
If you are very quick and add embossing powder onto die ink immediately, you can emboss it! I decided to stamp and die cut one more deer for the panel and so repeated the process from step 4 with Teal Zeal Memento ink and more clear Mboss powder.

Step 6:
Stamp butterflies onto another piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss again with more clear Mboss powder.

Step 7:
Die cut the butterflies with their corresponding die.
Not pictured: Color in the butterflies with New Sprout, Summer Sky and Danube Blue Memento Dual Markers and spray them with water to make the color blend into each other. After the water dried, color parts of the butterflies with a gold pen.

Step 8:
Cut a piece of vellum with scissors to look like a mountain. Color the bottom of the vellum with Northern Pine Memento Dual Marker and then use your finger to smudge the marker color.

Step 9:
Cut another smaller hill shape out of vellum and then smudge Avocado VersaFine Clair ink along the bottom and allow it to dry.

Steps 10-12:
My decided not to save the pictures of steps 10-12. This picture was taken the next day after I realized that my camera betrayed me! Here are the steps that I took to get to finish the panel:

Step 10:
Glue the blackout poem onto the backing panel. Then press the Night Sky VersaMagic ink pad onto the top and sides of the panel (to help cover up the fact that the blackout poem didn’t quite meet the edges of the panel) and heat emboss with clear Mboss powder. Repeat the process three times to help build up the amount of embossing powder on the side of the panel (and obscure the edges of the paper). Using a brush (or in my case my finger), smudge some Danube Blue Memento Dual Marker mixed with water on a piece of acetate around the top and

sides of the panel. Then press a Gold Sheer Shimmer Stix Dauber onto a piece of acetate packaging and add it to the sides and top edges of the panel as well. Allow to dry.

Step 11:
Glue down the two vellum mountains on the bottom edge of the panel, making sure to have the glue hiding behind the deer and other elements on the panel as well as the butterflies. Add washi tape stickers across the bottom of the panel.

Step 12:
Glue the deer onto the panel to finish the piece.

Art Supplies
Imagine
Mboss – Clear
• Memento Dual Marker – Danube Blue, New Sprout, Summer Sky and Teal Zeal
• Sheer Shimmer Shimmer Sticks Dauber – Gold VersaFine Clair ink – Avocado
• VersaFine Clair ink – Bali Blue , Nocturne, Warm Breeze and Night Sky

Other
• Art Alternatives – MDF Panel (5” x 7”)
• Catherine Pooler – die set – Peaceful Deer
• Catherine Pooler – stamp set – Peaceful Deer
• Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer
• Pinkfresh Studios – die set – Small Butterflies
• Pinkfresh Studios – stamp set – Small Butterflies
• The Washi Tape Shop – washi tape stickers – Green Oasis Gold pen
• Copied book page (for the blackout poem) White marker
• Watercolor paper Vellum
• Pencil Paintbrush
• Die cutting machine Paint brush
• Paper trimmer Scissors
• Glue

2 Cards, 1 Embossing Folder with Kaleidacolor Inks

By Alison Heikkila

Hello! Alison Heikkila here. Let’s make 2 fun cards with 1 embossing folder and a Kaleidacolor Ink Pad lickety-split! This is so much fun, it’s perfect for beginners, and will work with pretty much any embossing folder you may have.

Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Time to Complete: 10-15 Minutes

*Some affiliate links are used in this post. That means that if you shop through these links, I may receive a small compensation, at no cost to you.

Here is the YouTube video. If it doesn’t play properly, please click HERE.

Supplies:
Imagine:
Blue Breeze Kaleidacolor Inks
Fantasia VersaFine Clair Ink
Warm Breeze VersaFine Clair Ink
On Point Glue

Other:
Simon Says Stamp: Refined Snowflakes Embossing Folder
A Colorful Life Designs: Crystal Opaque Poseidon Card Bling (code AlFan10 to save 10%)
A Colorful Life Designs: Crystal Iris Skyline Card Bling (code AlFan10 to save 10%)
Pinkfresh Studio: Perfect Sentiment Stamp
Pinkfresh Studio: Perfect Sentiment Die
Accent Opaque: 100lb. White Cardstock
Scrapbook.com: Artis Craft Glue
Glassboard Studio: Color Burst Craft Mat (code ALISONHEIKKILA to save 15%)
Glassboard Studio: Trendy Color Pawn Magnets 8 Pack (code ALISONHEIKKILA to save 15%)

That’s it for me today. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!