Category Archives: Anna Escalada York

Life Begins After Coffee Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s post, I made a card featuring earthy colors.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the top part of the main stamped image onto a piece of masking paper with Nocturne
VersaFine Clair ink. (If you don’t have masking paper, you can use a sticky note.)
Cut out the coffee (or the inside part of the coffee cup) of the masking paper and place it onto a
piece of watercolor paper over the corresponding part of the waterpaper.

Step 2:
Stamp the coffee cup image onto the watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink,
making sure that the masking paper covered up the coffee in the cup.
(Optional step: Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.)

Step 3:
Remove the masking paper. Stamp the coffee in the cup with Acorn VersaFine Clair ink. (I
chose to mask the cup with the remaining masked paper before stamping.)
(Optional step: Heat emboss the coffee with more clear embossing powder.)

Step 4:
Spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray onto a piece of acetate packaging and use
the spray to watercolor the stamped flowers surrounding the coffee cup. Repeat the process
with New Sprout Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray to paint the leaves.
Repeat the process one more time with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray to paint the cup
and saucer.

Step 4.5:
Die cut the coffee cup with the corresponding die.
(Sorry that the pictures got messed up and you couldn’t see the pink shimmer paint from the
Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray or die cutting the cup. My camera was glitchy. You will
see the rosy pink shimmer in the next few steps.)

Step 5:
Die cut a piece of black watercolor paper (or black cardstock) for the matte layer of the card.

Step 6:
Spray Lilac Posies Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray and Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft
Spray into an embossing folder and emboss a previously die cut watercolor panel. After
removing the watercolor panel, spray more Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray around the
panel and then allow the panel to dry.

Step 7:
Using a sponge dauber, ink blend the edges of the sprayed and embossed panel with Morning
Mist VersaFine Clair ink.

Step 8:
Stamp a sentiment on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Trim the
edges with your paper trimmer.
(Optional step: Heat emboss with clear Mboss embossing powder.)
Then press the edges of the sentiment into the Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink to create a border.

Step 9:
I decided that I wanted to change the color of the border, so pressed the edges of the sentiment
into the Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink pad.
(Optional step: Heat emboss with more clear embossing powder.)

Step 10:
Glue the two panels together. Glue the coffee cup onto the pink watercolor panel. Attach a piece
of black and white washi tape just a little bit smaller than the sentiment strip and then glue down
the sentiment strip.

Step 11:
Glue sequins on the lower left and upper right corners of the card.

Step 12:
Finish the care by gluing the matte layer to an A2-sized white card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine
Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Lilac Posies, New Sprout
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
VersaFine Clair ink – Acorn, Morning Mist, Nocturne
Sponge Daubers

For Optional Embossing:
VersaMark
Mboss – Clear

Other
Altenew – Masking Paper – Masking Paper
Erin Lee Creative – Stamp set – Coffee or Die
Erin Lee Creative – Stamp and die set – Stayin’ Alive
Gina Marie Designs – Die set – Big and Little Chain Rectangle die set
Legion – Paper – Stonehenge Black Aqua cold press watercolor paper
Sizzix – Embossing Folder – Mini Kaleidoscope by Tim Holtz
Trinity Stamps – Embellishments – Champagne Twinkle Stardust Rhinestones
Black and white washi tape
Watercolor paper
Paper Trimmer
Scissors
Glue

Let’s Make Waves! Summer Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s post, I am sharing a card that features a summer scene.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1:
Use Memento Markers–Dandelion, Cantaloupe, Morocco and Lady Bug to color the sun and
sun rays through a stencil onto watercolor paper. Blend some of the colors together by coloring
a lighter color over a darker one to create even more color variety. Use some ink blenders to ink
blend the sky with Pearlescent Sky Blue Brilliance (closer to the sun) and Ocean Depth
VersaMagic Chalk Ink (farther away from the sun.
Use a sparkly clear gel pen to add sparkle to the clouds. (This ended up being mostly die cut
out.)

Step 2:
Slowly and gently press on the cap of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray bottle, making
sure to only press about half way so that a small amount of splatters go onto the watercolor
panel. Allow to dry.

Step 3:
Die cut the panel with a mid-sized arch die.

Step 4:
Using daubers, ink blend Red Magic VersaMagic Chalk Ink along the bottom and right side of
the die cut (where the orange and red rays touch the edges) and more of the Ocean Depth
VersaMagic Chalk Ink along the left edge through the upper third part of the right edge (where
the blue sky touch the edges). Don’t ink blend the bottom right corner of the panel (with the sun
and cloud).

Step 5:
Using die two die cuts, die cut some blue and green patterned paper and blue mirror cardstock
to look like waves. (I used leftover die cuts from a previous project.) Glue the blue and green
cardstock wave first, and then glue the blue mirror cardstock on top of it. Make sure the left side
and bottom of both die cuts align with the edges of the arch. Trim the right side of the die cut
waves so that they stop along the edge of the arch.

Step 6:
Use the largest arch die in the set to die cut a piece of sparkly black cardstock for the matte
layer.

Step 7:
Press the Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink onto a small scrap of watercolor paper to create black
cardstock. Die cut two small bird silhouettes out of the black paper.

Step 8:
Use two die cuts to create two layers of a cloud, both out of watercolor paper. Use an ink dauber
to very lightly ink blend Pink Grapefruit VersaMagic Chalk Ink onto the base (larger) layer. Ink
blend the upper player with the same Pink Grapefruit VersaMagic Chalk Ink with a heavier hand
so the layer is a darker pink. Then spray both layers of the cloud with more Sparkle Sheer
Shimmer Craft Spray. After both layers of the cloud are dry, glue them together.
Then glue the cloud onto the right side of the card panel. I positioned my cloud to cover a small
imperfection from the stenciling.

Step 9:
Glue the birds onto the card base. (Optional step: Add glitter to the birds by coloring on them
with a sparkly clear gel pen.
Then glue the main scene onto the black matte layer.

Step 10:
Die cut the sentiment out of the same black sparkly cardstock and attach to the bottom corner of
the upper (stenciled) layer. If desired, die cut a second piece of scrap cardstock with the same
die to add dimension underneath the stencil or to help make the tittle (the dot on the i) pop up as
it doesn’t have layers of die cuts behind it like the rest of the sentiment does.

Step 11:
Glue sequins onto the bottom left corner and upper right part of the card.

Step 12:
Glue the whole card onto an A2-sized white card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Brilliance Pigment Ink – Pearlescent Sky Blue
• Memento Marker – Cantaloupe, Dandelion, Lady Bug, Morocco
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Sparkle
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Ocean Depth, Pink Grapefruit, Red Magic
• Sponge Daubers

Other
• Altenew – Dies – Bold Greetings die set
• Crafty Meraki – Meraki Sparkle Gold (embellishment mix)
• Erin Lee Creative – Cardstock – Viva Las Vegas Cardstock
• Picket Fence Studios – Stencil – Glass Window Sunshine
• Pink and Main – Dies – Stitched Arches Dies
• Sakura – Gel Pen – Stardust Clear Gelly Roll pen
• Stampin’ Up – Dies – Waves (retired)
• Watercolor paper
• Clear embossing powder
• Scissors
• Glue

“Wishing You A Happy Birthday” Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s post, I am sharing a fun, summer card that features some bold colors!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1
Color a piece of acetate packaging with both Cottage Ivy Memento marker and Emerald Fabrico
marker and then spraying the acetate with water. Press the acetate onto a piece of watercolor
paper multiple times, moving the acetate around so add green color around the watercolor
paper. Allow the water to dry.

Step 2
Die cut the watercolor smooshed paper with a circular die cut. Add a small dot of Pink Ultimate
Pigment Pigment Refill into the raised areas of an embossing powder, and then spray the
embossing folder with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray to both help the watercolor paper
stay moist (so it won’t tear) while embossing, and to help dilute the condensed pink refill ink.
Then sandwich the watercolor paper into the embossing powder and run it through a die cutting
machine.
After the watercolor paper has dried, ink blend the edge of the circular die cut with Pink
VersaColor pigment ink.

Step 3
Die cut another piece of watercolor paper with a slightly larger circular die. Directly press the
Pink VersaColor Pigment ink pad onto the watercolor paper.
Optional step: Heat emboss the ink with clear embossing powder.

Step 4 (and 4.5)
Stamp an image onto watercolor paper with a nature scene with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink.
Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
Using a variety of media to watercolor the image: Celestial Copper Delicata Ink pad mixed with
water to color the rocks, Emerald Fabrico marker mixed with water to color the frog and leaves,
Bahama Blue Fireworks! Spray to color the sky and water, and Pink Ultimate Pigment Ink Refill
to color the flower petals. Finally, color the centers of the flowers with a Dandelion Memento
marker.

Step 5
Watercolor smoosh some of the leftover inks from the last step to watercolor smoosh a piece of
watercolor paper and then spray the whole thing with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray. Use
some additional color to stamp a text stamp in my stash to add a little interest onto the panel by
pressing the stamp into the acetate instead of an ink pad. Repeat the process a few times until
you like the amount of extra interest that is added. After everything dried, die cut the watercolor
panel.

Step 6
Glue the two circular die cuts (the embossed panel and the larger pink die cut circle)
and then glue it onto the watercolor background panel. After the glue dried, the whole thing was
die cut again to trim the circular die cuts. The edges were ink blended with more Pink
VersaColor Pigment ink. Splatters of the remaining Bahama Blue Fireworks! Spray from the
acetate packaging were added to the panel as well.

Step 7
Stamp a sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink.

Optional step: Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 8:
Die cut sparkly white paper with a slightly larger rectangular die. Glue the main (frog)
stamped and die cut image onto the top panel, glue the matte (sparkly larger panel) behind the
top panel and then glue everything onto an A2-sized white card base. Glue sequins to the card
base.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper
• Fabrico Marker – Emerald
• Fireworks! Spray – Bahama Blue
• Memento Marker – Dandelion
• Memento Marker – Cottage Ivy
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Sparkle
• Ultimate Pigment Ink Refill – Pink
• VersaColor Pigment ink – Pink
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMark Dazzle – Frost

Other
• Catherine Pooler Designs – Sequins – Milwaukee
• Gina K Designs – Dies – Master Layout 2 die set
• Hero Arts – Dies – Nesting Circles Infinity die set
• Penny Black – Stamp – Thanks, Thanks stamp (retired)
• Vicki Boutin – Embossing Folder – Let’s Wander (retired)
• Watercolor paper
• Clear embossing powder
• Scissors
• Glue

Let’s Make A Pink Floral Wedding Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s post, I am sharing a wedding card. I don’t have any wedding specific craft supplies, so
I used some general craft supplies.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1:
Spray a panel of watercolor paper with Angel Pink Fireworks! Spray. After it dried, splatter some
Grape Jelly Fireworks! Spray on the panel, and the spray more Angel Pink Fireworks! Spray to
help diffuse the purple color. Then set the whole thing aside to dry.
After the panel dried, die cut the panel.

Step 2:
Press Charming Pink VersaFine Clair ink onto a second panel of watercolor paper. Then die cut
the panel with the same die. For this layer, get rid of negative parts of the die cut. Then press
the die into a Frost VersaMark Dazzle stamp pad.

Optional step: heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 3:
Glue the two die cuts together, so that the dark pink layer overlaps the corresponding light pink
layer.

Step 4:
Press Celestial Copper Delicata ink onto a scrap of watercolor paper.
Optional step: Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.

Step 5:
Die cut the copper-colored watercolor scrap with the congrats sentiment die. If desired, press
the sentiment into the Celestial Copper Delicata ink pad a second time for a more saturated
color.

Optional step: Heat emboss with clear embossing powder.
Optional step: Die cut 2 additional pieces of scrap cardstock with the same die and glue them
behind the copper layer to add dimension to the sentiment.

Step 6:
Glue the sentiment die on the lower third of the pink die cut panels. Then glue the panel
onto an A2-sized white card base. (You can’t see the card base because the pink layer is the
exact same size as the card base.)

Step 7:
Splatter additional Grape Jelly Fireworks! Spray onto the panel. Glue pink and purple
sequins onto the panel on the left of the sentiment die and on the upper right part of the card.

Supplies Used

Imagine

• Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper
• Fireworks! Spray – Angel Pink, Grape Jelly
• VersaFine Clair ink – Charming Pink
• VersaMark Dazzle – Frost

Other

• Honey Bee Stamps – Die – Congrats Honey Cuts die set
• Sizzix – Die- Leafy Twigs
• Catherine Pooler Designs – Sequins – Miami mix (purple sequins)
• Catherine Pooler Designs – Sequins – Rome mix (pink sequins)
• Clear embossing powder
• Scissors
• Glue

Let’s Make A Graduation Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s tutorial, I am sharing a graduation card. As a high school teacher, it is the time of year to
stock up on them!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1:
Press ink pads onto a piece of acetate packaging or other non-porous surface. Spray the ink
with Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and then quickly press the acetate onto a panel of
watercolor paper multiple times to press the ink onto the watercolor panel. After the ink dries,
repeat with different colors of ink sprayed with more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray.
Both panels feature Turquoise VersaColor ink, with Jumbo Java VersaMagic chalk ink and
Golden Glitz Delicata ink layers, just in different intensities. (I only ended up using one panel,
but will be using the other card for a project in the future.)

Step 2:
Die cut the panel with a mid-sized panel die (there will be another panel that is slightly larger
than this layer from the same nesting die set).

Step 3:
Repeatedly stamp a graduation cap stamp onto the watercolor smooshed panel with more of
the Turquoise VersaColor ink to create your own patterned paper. Then directly press the edges
of the panel into the Turquoise VersaColor ink pad to create a border on the panel.
Optional step: Heat emboss the stamped image and the border with clear embossing powder.

Step 4:
Using a larger panel die, die cut a piece of kraft cardstock to create a matte layer.

Step 5:
Using an ink dauber, ink blend Jumbo Java VersaMagic chalk ink along the edges of the panel.
This ink blending can be very imperfect since most of it will be hidden.

Step 6:
Stamp the sentiment on another piece of watercolor paper with Jumbo Java
VersaMagic chalk ink. Trim the sentiment, with the left and right edge being trimmed on a
diagonal if desired. Then press the VersaMagic chalk Ink pad onto the edges of the sentiment
strip and ink blend the edges with more of the same Jumbo Java ink using an ink dauber.

Step 7:
Attach all of the layers of the card together. Glue the stamped layer onto the larger
(brown, matte) one. Then glue both layers onto an A2 sized kraft card base.
Finally attach the sentiment strip onto the card with foam tape.

Step 8:
Glue copper and blue sequins onto the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Delicata Ink – Golden Glitz
• Sheer Shimmer Spray – Sparkle
• VersaColor Ink – Turquoise
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Jumbo Java
• Sponge Dauber

Other Products
• Altenew – Tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Catherine Pooler Designs – Santa Fe sequin mix (retired)
• Pink & Main – Notched Corners (nesting) die set
• Unity Stamps – Snarky Graduation stamp set
• Clear embossing powder
• Scissors
• Glue

Let’s Make A Happy Mother’s Day Card

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By Anna Escalada York

In today’s tutorial, I am sharing the card I made for my mom for Mother’s Day, using sprays and ink
mixed with Sheer Shimmer spray to watercolor the images.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1.5 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Use a die cut to create a watercolor paper panel and then stamp a large flower stamp with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder

Step 2:
Spray Cantaloupe Fireworks! Spray onto a piece of scrap acetate packaging, and press the
sprayed acetate onto the stamped panel, making sure to get spray on multiple parts of the
stamped panel. Let dry.

Step 3:
Press the Mango Madness VersaMagic Chalk Ink pad onto the acetate packaging. Then spray
Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft spray onto the ink to give it a watery consistency. Then press this
color of yellow ink onto the stamped panel to add interest and a variety of colors. Let dry.

Step 4:
Repeat the process with pink inks. Spray Angel Pink Fireworks! Spray onto the acetate
packaging and press the packaging onto the stamped panel. After the spray dried, press Pink
Grapefruit VersaMagic Chalk Ink onto the acetate and spray it with more of the Sparkle Sheer
Shimmer Craft spray and press that onto the stamped panel as well. Again, let dry.

Step 5:
Press the Turquoise Gem VersaMagic Chalk Ink pad onto the acetate packaging and spray the ink with more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray to create a watercolor consistency. Then use a thin paintbrush to paint the leaves and stems of the flowers turquoise. Let dry.

Step 6:
Spray more of the Cantaloupe Fireworks! Spray onto the acetate packaging and use the spray to watercolor about half of the flowers yellow. Let dry.

Step 7:
Spray more of the Angel Pink Fireworks! Spray onto the acetate packaging and then paint the rest of the flowers pink. Again let the spray dry.

Step 8:
Spray Tangelo Fireworks! Spray onto the acetate packaging, and use it to paint the anthers and filaments (center parts) of the flowers. Let dry.

Step 9:
Use an ink dauber to ink blend the edges of the panel with Pink Grapefruit VersaMagic Chalk Ink.
(I ended up touching up the leaf on the bottom edge by painting a second layer of the Turquoise Gem VersaMagic Chalk Ink mixed with water to make sure the turquoise color wasn’t lost.)

Step 10:
Press the Turquoise Gem VersaMagic Chalk Ink pad onto the acetate packaging and spray the ink with more of the Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray to create a watercolor consistency a second time. (In my case, I had leftover from step 5, so I used that.)

Hold a paintbrush saturated with the turquoise watercolor parallel to the panel and tap it against your finger. Repeat if needed and let dry.

Step 11:
Stamp a sentiment onto a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder and trim with scissors or a paper trimmer.

Ink blend around the edges of the stamped layer with more of the Canary VersaColor ink with an ink dauber.

Step 12:
Use an ink dauber to ink blend the edges of the sentiment strip with Pink Grapefruit VersaMagic Chalk ink.

Step 13:
Spray one part of the acetate packaging with Cantaloupe Fireworks! Spray and press Turquoise Gem VersaMagic onto another part of the acetate before spraying it with more Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Craft spray. Alternate pressing the sentiment strip into both colors of spray before splattering the strip with more of the turquoise ink. Let dry.

Step 14:
Glue the panel onto an A2-sized white card base and attach the sentiment onto the card with some foam tape for dimension to finish the card.

Craft Supplies

Imagine
• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Angel Pink
• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Cantaloupe
• Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray – Tangelo
• Sheer Shimmer Spray – Sparkle
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Mango Madness
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Pink Grapefruit
• VersaMagic Chalk Ink – Turquoise Gem
• Sponge Dauber

Other
• Altenew – Stamp – Extra Special stamp set
• Altenew – Tape – Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Gina Marie Designs – Die – Pleated Lace Rectangles die set
• The Ton Stamps – Stamp – Lily Fields
• Clear embossing powder Scissors
• Glue