Category Archives: 2024 AIRS TEAM

Let’s Make a Happy Thanksgiving Card

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By Anna Escalada York

– Thanksgiving cards are a great way to send our thoughts and love to those who are celebrating far away.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp a variety of pumpkin stamps and a squash with Summertime VersaFine Clair Ink on watercolor paper. Color the stems of each of the pumpkins and squash with Emerald Fabrico Dual Marker. Heat emboss all of the images with clear embossing powder.

Die cut each of the images with their corresponding die.

Step 2:
Die cut a piece of watercolor paper with a background die cut set. (This die also created additional smaller die cuts that will be used later in the card.) The die cut was colored by swiping Potter’s Clay Memento Ink, followed by coloring the edges of the panel with Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker, ink blending the edges of the boxes with leftover Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink on a sponge dauber, and then swiping the whole panel with Celestial Copper Delicata Ink. Splatter the panel with a both Rich Cocoa and Tuxedo Black Memento Dual Markers mixed with water.

Step 3:
Press the frames inside each of the panel’s windows into the Celestial Copper Delicata Ink pad to color them. Heat emboss each of them with clear embossing powder.

Step 4:
Watercolor smoosh the window die cuts with Tangerine Fabrico Dual Marker mixed with water. Splatter the die cuts with the leftover watercolor smooshing mix. Set aside to dry.

Step 5:
Stamp a sentiment from the stamp set on the right edge of the largest die cut window with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Shift the die cut a little to the right and stamp the sentiment again with Celestial Copper Delicata ink to create a shadow effect. Heat emboss the sentiment with more clear embossing powder.

Step 6: Use a pumpkin shaped stamp with small flowers and foliage images to stamp each of the four other (smaller) window dies with Celestial Copper Delicata Ink to create additional interest. Then use washi tape on the back of the panel to hold all of the background die cuts together.

Step 7:
Die cut the leaf branch die cut out of watercolor paper and swipe Potter’s Clay Memento ink across the die cut. Then color the stems with the Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker and scribble over some of the uncolored parts of the leaves with Tangerine Fabrico Dual Marker. Spray Dandelion Fireworks! Craft Spray on a piece of acetate and press the leaf die cut into the spray to add shine and color. Once that dried, spray the whole die cut with Frosth Shimmer Craft Spray.

Step 8:
Glue the die cut leaf cluster on the lower left corner of the card panel. Then glue one of the larger pumpkins and the gourd on the lower left corner of the card. Add the shorter pumpkin die cut over the other die cuts with foam tape. Glue the whole thing onto a card base to finish the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine

Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper
Fabrico Dual Marker – Emerald
Fabrico Dual Marker – Tangerine
Fireworks! Craft Spray – Dandelion
Memento Dual Marker – Rich Cocoa
Memento Dual Marker – Tuxedo Black
Memento Dye Ink – Potter’s Clay
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Frost
VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne
VersaFine Clair Ink – Summertime
Sponge Dauber

Other

Altenew – foam tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape
Picket Fence Studio – die set – A2 Scene Building Rectangle Two
Simon Hurley Create. – stamp set – Fall Sampler
Simon Says Stamp – die – Autumn Leaf Branch
Spellbinders – die set – coordinating die set for Simon Hurley Create.’s Fall Sampler stamp set
Clear Embossing Powder
Heat tool
Glue
Watercolor paper
Washi tape

 Let’s Make a Trick or Treat Card 

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By Anna Escalada York –

Fall is here! I have been really enjoying making Halloween cards, especially those with non-traditional colors. This card features a pastel color scheme. 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 1.5 hours 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Stamp the spiderweb background stamp on watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink. If desired, heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 

Die cut the panel with a mid-sized A2 nesting die. 

Step 2: 
Spray the panel with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and Tangelo Fireworks! Craft Spray. Make sure that the sprays overlap to blend the two colors together. Allow the panel to dry. 

Step 3: 
Ink blend the edges of the panel with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink. 

Step 4:
Die cut they layers of the pumpkin die cuts out of watercolor paper and spray each piece with different colored sprays:

  • Stem with Pear Tart Fireworks! Spray
  • Top layer of the pumpkin with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray
  • Second layer with Angel Pink Fireworks! Spray
  • Third layer with Dandelion Fireworks! Spray
  • Bottom layer with Tangelo Fireworks! Spray

Step 5: 
Stamp a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 

Step 6:
Die cut the colored and embossed piece of watercolor paper from step 5 to create the sentiment. Die cut two small pieces of scrap watercolor paper or cardstock to glue behind the black stamped layer to create dimension. 

Not pictured: Die cut the sentiment’s shadow layer out of vellum and glue behind the sentiment. 

Step 7: 
Assemble the die cut pumpkin layers and glue them together. Then glue the sentiment onto the die cut pumpkin layers. Glue the pumpkin (and sentiment) onto the spiderweb background panel. Then splatter Tangelo Fireworks! Craft Spray across the panel and pumpkin. Set aside to dry. 

Step 8: 
Die cut a piece of black watercolor paper with the next-largest die from the A2-sized nesting die set. Glue the spiderweb panel onto the black matte layer. Glue light pink embellishments on the lower left and upper right parts of the panel. To finish the card, glue it onto an A2-sized white card base. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 

Fireworks! Craft Spray – Angel Pink
Fireworks! Craft Spray – Dandelion
Fireworks! Craft Spray – Pear Tart
Fireworks! Craft Spray – Tangelo
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne

Other supplies used:

Pretty Pink Posh – die set – Fringe Pumpkin 
Simon Says Stamp and CZ Design – die set – Trick or Treat 2 
Taylored Expressions – stamp set – Spiderweb Cling and Clear Combo 
Trinity Stamps – embellishment mix – Rose Tinted Glasses 
Waffle Flower – die set – A2 Layers 
Clear Embossing Powder 
Heat tool 
Glue 
Watercolor paper 
Black watercolor paper 

 DIY One-of-a-kind Patterned Paper with Stamping 

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By Jessica Lin

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here. Have you tried creating your own patterned paper before? It’s truly quite simple and kind of addicting once you get the hang of it! Keep reading to find out a trick using stamp positioning tools.

Step 1:
I decided to stamp on a piece of 6×6’’ cardstock using the We R Precision Press. This method helps fill up the page quickly with repeated patterns, but you could stamp the images free-hand using an acrylic block as well. With the Precision Press, I placed stamps on the 3×3’’ top-right quadrant and rotated the cardstock 90 degrees each time. This vibrant green color is VersaFine Clair Grass Green ink pad and it really captures the lush, lively green from plants.

Step 2:
I repeated Step 1 with two other succulent stamps. This time, I chose the VersaFine Clair Verdant ink pad.

Step 3:
Let’s stamp the plant pots next. I picked a few pastel colors – VersaFine Clair Baby Pink, Lilac Bloom, Arctic and Very Peri. These colors complement each other so well, I think they are becoming one of my favorite color combos.

Step 4:
Once you are done with creating your own patterned paper, you can trim it however you’d like to decorate cards or scrapbook pages. I want to use it to create a small treat box, so I am cutting it to 4.5 x 6’’. Then, on the short side, score at the 1’’, 2’’, 3’’, and 4’’ marks. On the long side, score at the 1’’ mark. These will be the crease lines for us to fold the box.

Step 5:
After that, cut along the top four squares to make the bottom flaps of the box. I also cut away a small corner so that it’ll be easier to assemble the box later.

Step 6:
Apply Tear It Tape to the 0.5’’ overhang on the right like pictured, and fold along the creased lines to form a box. Fold the square flap on the right downwards and apply Tear It Tape at the bottom edge. Now you can assemble the box by sticking the sides and bottom shut.

Step 7:
To create the box opening, gently press on the sides to make a “X” shape.

Step 8:
For each pinched flap, punch a hole near the corner.

Step 9:
This would create holes to thread the ribbon. Once you filled the treat box with goodies, lace the ribbon around the holes and tie a bow to keep the box closed.

I hope this tutorial inspired you to stamp your own patterned paper! It is a fun way to create custom prints and use your stamps creatively. Thanks so much for stopping by, and I’ll see you next time!

Imagine Supplies: 

● VersaFine Clair – Grass Green, Verdant, Baby Pink, Lilac Bloom, Arctic, Very Peri
● StazOn Cleaner
● Tear-It! Tape
● Craft Mat

Other Supplies:

● iCrafter – Stamps – Positively Plants 
● We R – Tool – Precision Press 
● ⅛’’ Hole Punch 

 Create a Coffee Themed Birthday Card 

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By Jessica Lin –

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 45 minutes

Hi everyone! It’s Jessica here. Today I wanted to share a coffee themed birthday card that would be perfect for any coffee lover. This card is easy to put together but I really love how it turned out. I hope you’ll enjoy today’s tutorial!

Directions:

Step 1: Let’s start by die cutting the coffee pots. I used Classic Crest Epic Black cardstock to die cut the pot lid and holder. This is my go-to black cardstock because it’s ultra smooth and super easy to work with.

Step 2: For the french press, I decided to use Bright Foil Silver cardstock to mimic the look of stainless steel. This is actually my first time using silver foil cardstock and I am impressed by the final look. The silver foil really adds a metal-like finish to the die cut.

Step 3: For the actual coffee die cuts, I chose Lessebo Colors Coffee Bean cardstock from CutCardstock. It’s the perfect shade for coffee – I have other brown cardstock in my stash but they are either too dark or too light, so I am really glad I picked up this cardstock to add to my stash.

Step 4: Now let’s die cut the glass containers. You could use white cardstock, but I opted for Curious Translucent vellum today instead to create a softer tone. The Curious Translucent vellum I used is 65lb cover weight. It’s a lot thicker than the vellum I typically use so it’s the perfect base layer for our coffee pot die cuts. The heavier weight also feels luxurious and I am sure it would look nice for wedding invitations as well.

Step 5: Once all of the elements have been cut out, I adhered them together with On-Point glue. The fine tip nozzle is so handy for adhering intricate die cuts.

Step 6: Next, I trimmed a piece of Strathmore 100% Cotton Watercolor cardstock to 3 ½’’ x 4¾’’.
Then I blended VersaFine Clair Acorn ink for a soft brown background.

Step 7: Even though the coffee pots are the focal point of today’s card, it doesn’t feel complete without some stamping. I picked the coffee bean stamps from Stampin’ Up’s coordinating Latte Love set and stamped them with VersaFine Clair Acorn and Pinecone ink pads. The VersaFine Clair Acorn ink looked like a soft tan shade when blended, but you can see that it’s closer to an acorn color when stamped.

Step 8: Finally, I stamped a punny latte sentiment from iCrafter’s Latte Coffee Sentiments set with VersaFine Clair Pinecone, and the card is ready for assembly. I hope you enjoyed today’s coffee themed birthday card. Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope I’ll see you soon.

Products Used:

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Stampin’ Up! – Stamps & Dies – Latte Love
  • Classic Crest Epic Black cardstock
  • Bright Foil Silver cardstock
  • Lessebo Colors Coffee Bean cardstock
  • Curious Translucent vellum
  • Strathmore 100% Cotton Watercolor cardstock
  • Environment Desert Storm cardstock

Let’s Make a Special Card for a Teacher

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By Anna Escalada York

– As a parent and a teacher, I always want to have cards on hand for fellow teachers. For this design, I decided to challenge myself to use a small selection of products and show how you can create something special without needing a lot of supplies. 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 1 hour (including dry time) 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Stamp the background stamp on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 

Step 2: 
Use Fabrico Dual Tip Markers and Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to add color and detail to the smaller stamps. 

1. Color the various internal apple-shaped stamps directly with a Poppy Red Fabrico Dual Tip Marker. Stamp each image inside the corresponding apple outline, then heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Repeat until all of the apples are filled with red. 

2. Use an Emerald Fabrico Dual Tip Marker to color the leaves directly on the stamped images. Heat emboss the leaves with clear embossing powder. 

3. For the apples with the thick outline and open center, stamp the apple seed image with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink to add the seeds. Heat emboss the seeds with clear embossing powder. 

Step 3: 
Watercolor smoosh the panel with Emerald Fabrico Dual Tip Marker mixed with water on acetate. After the panel dried, watercolor smoosh a second time with Poppy Red Fabrico Dual Tip Marker mixed with water. Use a paper towel to dab off any areas where the colors become muddy or too dark. Allow the panel to dry a second time. 

After the panel dried, die cut the panel with a mid-sized die from an A2-sized nesting die set. Then die cut a piece of black watercolor paper or black cardstock with the next-largest die from the same A2-sized nesting die set. 

Step 4: 
Stamp the sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink on watercolor paper. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Trim with a paper trimmer. Then press the edges of the sentiment strip into the Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss the edges. 

Step 5: 
Assemble the card. Glue the stamped panel onto the black matte layer. Adhere the sentiment to the card with foam tape. Glue sequins to the panel from two different sequin mixes to best match the colors of the card. Finally glue the whole panel onto an A2-sized white card base to finish the card. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 

• Fabrico Dual Marker – Emerald 
• Fabrico Dual Marker – Poppy Red 
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne 

Other 

• Altenew – foam tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape 
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Kyoto sequin mix 
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Yukon sequin mix 
• Taylored Expressions – stamps – I Pick You Cling and Clear Combo 
• Waffle Flower – die set – A2 Layers 
• Clear Embossing Powder 
• Heat tool 
• Glue 
• Watercolor paper 
• Black watercolor paper 
• Water 
• Paper towel 

Create a Star Wars Inspired Mixed Media Card

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By Anna Escalada York –

I always love when I can share my love for pop culture in the cards that I make. This card gave me the perfect opportunity to create a colorful galaxy background using the new VersaFine Clair ink colors, along with shimmer sprays and layered stamping for a fun mixed media look.
Skill: Intermediate 

Time: 1.5 hours 
Directions: 

Step 1: 
Die cut a watercolor panel with a mid-sized die from an A2-sized die set. Stamp the smaller android image in the lower-center part of the watercolor panel with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 

Stamp the image a second time on masking paper and fussy cut out the image. Then place the fussy cut masking paper over the android image. 

Step 2: 
Stamp the taller android image to the left of the first droid with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. (Since the first android was masked, it will appear like the second droid is behind him since his right hand will not be seen in the final image.) Stamp the same image a second time with more masking paper and fussy cut the masking paper. Then place the masking paper over this android so that both of them are protected for the next few steps. 

Step 3: 
Stamp a circuit image stamp twice on the watercolor panel with Dahlia Purple VersaFine Clair Ink by stamping once in the lower left corner and then rotating the watercolor panel 180 degrees and stamping the image a second time. Heat emboss both stamped corners with more clear embossing powder 

Step 4: 
Spray Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray generously through a scattered star stencil. Use the spray to add more clear embossing powder to the panel. The embossed stars will resist color that will be applied to the panel in the next few steps. 

Step 5: 
Spray the watercolor panel with London Fog Fireworks! Craft Spray. If desired, blot off some of the spray with a paper towel if it is too dark. Allow to dry. 

Step 6: 
Remove the masking paper. Color the androids and the area around them to help them look grounded. Use the following markers to color the scene: 

● The smaller android (on the right): Teal Zeal and Danube Blue Memento Dual Markers as well as Tropical Lagoon and Poppy Red Fabrico Dual Markers 

● The taller android (on the left): Cantaloupe and Dandelion Memento Dual Markers, Lemon Yellow Fabrico Dual Marker 

Watercolor the area around the androids with Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker mixed with water on acetate to create the ground around the two androids, and Ultramarine Fabrico Dual Marker mixed with water on acetate to color the sky/walls behind he androids. Allow to dry. 

Step 7: 
To add shimmer to the androids, watercolor both of them with Frost Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. 

Step 8: 
Press the edges of the watercolor panel directly into the Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink Pad. Then use a sponge dauber to blend additional Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink around the edges. 

Step 9: 
Stamp the sentiment on a separate piece of watercolor paper with more Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. Then trim the sentiment with a paper trimmer. 

Step 10: 
Die cut a matte layer of black watercolor paper (or black cardstock) with the next-largest die from the nesting die set used in step 1. Glue both panels together. Attach the sentiment on the lower right corner of the top watercolor panel with foam tape. Glue star-shaped and bronze sequins on the lower left and upper right corners of the card. To finish the card, glue the whole thing onto an A2-sized card base. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 
• Fabrico Dual Markers
– Lemon Yellow 
– Poppy Red 
– Tropical Lagoon 
– Ultramarine 

• Fireworks! Craft Spray – London Fog

• Memento Dual Marker:
– Cantaloupe 
– Dandelion 
– Danube Blue 
– Rich Cocoa 
– Teal Zeal 

• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray
– Frost 
– Rose Gold 

• VersaFine Clair Ink
– Dahlia Purple 
– Nocturne 

Other 

• AALL & Create – stencil -Lotza Starz 
• Altenew – foam tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape 
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix -Highland 
• Kindred Stamps – stamp set – Galactic Sidekicks 
• Visible Image – stamp set – Total Chaos 
• Waffle Flower – die set – A2 Layers 
• Clear Embossing Powder 
• Heat tool 
• Glue 
• Small paintbrush 
• Watercolor paper 
• Black watercolor paper 
• Water 
• Paper towel