Category Archives: Jessica Lin

Make a Graduation Gift Card Holder

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By Jessica Lin

Hi everyone! It’s graduation season. Do you have a gift card, a ticket, or even a polaroid photo you would like to send to someone who is graduating? Today I’m sharing my favorite way to send a gift card. It’s super easy and versatile; if you are interested, keep reading!

Skill: Advanced
Time: 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the images with any waterproof ink. Many Tsukineko ink pads are waterproof when the ink dries; I am using VersaFine Nocturne today. Also, can we talk about how adorable these images are?! They are from It’s a Science stamp set and they’re totally perfect for any science majors. I thought they would look so cute for a graduation card.

Step 2:
Watercolor with dew drop ink pads. I love to watercolor with my dew drop ink pads. You can choose from the VersaMagic (pigment ink), Brilliance (pigment ink) or Memento (dye ink) lines and they all work great! I smooshed some ink onto my craft mat and colored away!

Step 3:
Fussy cut the images with scissors. If the stamp set has a coordinating die set, you could use that too!

Step 4:
Stamp images with VersaMark ink pad to create details for the background panel.

Step 5:
I actually decided to create a light up card by adding a LED light to the microscope image. If you are interested in seeing a video tutorial, you could follow my YouTube channel: Craft with Jessica V. Lin or search for “Interactive Gift Card Holder that Lights Up”. I’ll edit the video and post it soon.

Step 6:
This is what the LED light looks like when the circuit is finished. It’s really not that complicated, and the result is so worth it!

Step 7:
Finally, for the gift card holder, simply score an A2 card base at 4.5’’, 5.5’’ and 6.5’’. Adhere the bottom edge with Tear-It! Tape (make sure you don’t adhere the entire flap closed). Then, create a gift card opening by die-cutting along the edge of the middle flap. If you don’t have a die that works, you could also cut the opening with scissors.

And the gift card holder card is completed! I love this design since it’s super easy and you could easily swap the gift card with tickets (like the Disneyland ticket shown in step 7) or even a polaroid photo if you decided to keep it as a card instead. I hope you give it a try, thanks so much for stopping by!

Supplies Used:

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

  • Stampin’ Up! – Stamps – It’s a Science
  • Spellbinders – Dies – Labels 17
  • We R – Tool – Precision Press
  • Stampin’ Up! – Tool – Paper Snips
  • Water brush
  • Chibitronics – Tool – LED sticker

StazOn Stamping on Fun Foam

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By Jessica Lin

StazOn is a great, fast-drying ink for stamping on special mediums. They work great for stamping on non-porous surfaces like plastic sheets, but I was surprised with how well they stamp on craft foam. The details are crisp and the ink dries almost instantly. Let’s dive into the process of making a unique tag with craft foam!

Skill: Beginner
Time:  30 minutes

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp the image with StazOn Timber Brown ink on craft foam. I used a stamp platform with the Doggone Friendly background stamp but did not have to re-stamp twice.

Step 2:
Die cut the craft foam with Gift Tags 2 dies. I like the stitched details around these tag dies.

Step 3:
Add a sentiment. I created a custom “Pawsome Bday” sentiment with the Labeler Alphabet stamp set with VersaMagic Ocean Depth ink pad.

Step 4:
Add additional embellishments like enamel shapes and ribbons. I also adhered a piece of white cardstock to the back of the foam tag for writing messages. Then the tag is done for decorating any gift boxes! 

Craft Supplies:

Imagine:

Other Supplies:

https://www.stampinup.com/products/mini-stampin-cut-emboss-machine?demoid=2164794

  • We R – Tool – Precision Press
  • Paper Smooches – Dies – Gift Tags 2

Inking Stamps with Memento Markers for Watercolor Effect

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By Jessica Lin

Have you ever tried inking stamps with markers instead of ink pads? It has been a long time since I used this technique, so I decided to revisit it again today. To blend the colors and achieve a watercolor look, you can spritz on the stamp before stamping. I love the result and I hope you do, too!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 45 minutes

Step 1:
Color the stamps with Memento markers (tip: use the broader tip of the marker to easily cover a large area). I used three sets of colors today: Green House, Juicy Purples, and the light pink marker from Girl’s Night Out. The floral stamp is from Stampin’ Up!’s Good Morning Magnolia set. It’s a red rubber stamp and the colors may not be fully visible after you color, so I would recommend starting with the lighter shades and adding the bolder colors afterwards.

Step 2:
Spritze Sheer Shimmer Sparkle spray onto the stamp before stamping onto your card. This would blend the colors together to create a watercolor look.

Step 3:
Stamp onto the card. For the flower image, I may have used too much purple so it’s harder to see the transition from purple to pink. The leaves turned out perfectly; I really like the faux watercolor effect.

Step 4:
Use a pair of paper snips to cut along the edge of the magnolia flower. I then added a piece of Fresh Freesia cardstock to the inside of the card. The Fresh Freesia cardstock peeks through the bottom cutout edge and complements purple flower nicely.

Step 5:
Stamp a “Happy Mother’s Day” sentiment with Brilliance Purple pigment ink. I also die cut a vellum decorative strip to embellish the simple sentiment but it’s totally optional. And that completes the card! I hope you enjoy this simple technique and would give these Memento markers a try!

Products Used:

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

Best Black Ink for Alcohol Marker Coloring

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By Jessica Lin

When it comes to coloring with alcohol markers, the ink you use to stamp your images becomes very important. Choosing the right ink will ensure that the image lines stay sharp without bleeding into each other. My personal choice is the Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad. A light beige color like Desert Sand could be a great choice as well for no-line coloring.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour

Step 1:
Stamp some floral and leaves images with Memento Tuxedo Black ink. I love the Happiness Abounds set from Stampin’ Up; the roses are so elegant and the perfect sizes to create a floral wreath. Then color the images with your choice of alcohol markers. I used Stampin Blends in Pale Papaya, Soft Seafoam, and Old Olive.

Step 2:
Die cut the colored images with Blossoming Happiness dies and arrange them in a circle. Then adhere them to the card base. I used Tear-It Tape to adhere the leaves in the background, and used Stampin’ Dimensionals to create layers and depth for the flowers. 

Step 3:
For the sentiment, I chose a simple circle to tie in this elegant design. The fonts for these stamps are just so pretty! I always grab VersaFine Clair Nocturne to stamp my sentiments; the lines are so crisp and dark, and they’ll never look splotchy! Don’t use them with alcohol markers though, the pigment ink will react with alcohol inks.

Coloring takes time, but it’s such a relaxing experience… I hope you enjoyed this project as much as I do.

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

https://www.stampinup.com/products/mini-stampin-cut-emboss-machine?demoid=2164794

https://www.stampinup.com/products/soft-sea-foam-stampin-blends-combo-pack?demoid=2164794

https://www.stampinup.com/products/iridescent-pearl-basic-jewels?demoid=2164794

  • Foam Tape

Stamp Layering with VersaMagic Ink Pads

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By Jessica Lin

VersaMagic is one of my all time favorite ink pads. The pastel, muted tones create a nice range of colors, and some look great together for stamp layering. Today I’ll be sharing some ink combos I used for stamping the layered floral images from the All Things Fabulous set.

Skill Level: Intermediate

Time: 45 minutes

Step 1
Stamp the flower images with VersaMagic Pink Petunia, Perfect Plumeria, and Eggplant ink pads. I start with stamping the base layer with the lightest shade (Pink Petunia in this case), and work towards the darker tones. When layering the stamps, I find that aligning the center white spots is the easiest. After stamping, die cut the images with Fabulous Florals dies.

Step 2
Stamp leafy images onto the white card panel. I created 2 versions with different colored leaves. The version shown here is stamped with Aloe Vera (an all time favorite color of mine) but I decided to break out of my comfort zone and opted for the version using Aquatic Splash instead.

Step 3
Stamp the sentiment using Brilliance Starlite Silver ink pad. The shimmery effect is stunning against the dark cardstock! If you are looking for a silver ink pad, I highly recommend Starlite Silver.

Step 4
It’s time to embellish the card. This delicate lace die is to die for! It adds a feminine touch to the card and can be very versatile in my opinion. This die fits in the Mini Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine as well! I’ve been enjoying the mini machine for die cutting flowers and smaller elements. Then I cut the lace die cut in half and adhere them on the top and bottom behind the white card panel.

I hope you like this floral card! The muted colors from the VersaMagic ink pads are just so pretty together. I hope you’ll try them out with layering stamps.

Craft Supplies

Imagine Supplies:

Other Supplies:

Let’s Stamp on Vellum with VersaMagic Ink

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By Jessica Lin

Let’s create a simple Easter card using some pretty patterned paper! The pastel colors and floral designs are too pretty to cover up! So I decided to stamp the sentiment on a piece of vellum. Stamping on vellum is tricky; but the VersaMagic ink pads work wonderfully. They don’t bead up and dry beautifully without fuzzy edges. Keep reading to see the final result! 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 30 minutes 

Directions: 

Step 1:
Trim a piece of patterned paper to 3 3/16’’ x 1 15/16’’ and a piece of matching cardstock to 3 6/16’’ x 2 2/16’’. I used Flight & Airy paper pack which coordinates with Misty Moonlight cardstock. Adhere the two pieces together with Tear It! Tape. 

Step 2:
Use stamps or, in my case, patterned paper to create a focal image. Fussy cut around the image with a pair of paper snips. These scissors are sharp and my favorite for fussy cutting! 

Step 3:
Die cut a piece of vellum with a circular die of your choice. I used Spellbinders Lacey Circle dies with the Stampin’ Up! Mini Cut and Emboss Machine. 

Step 4:
Stamp a small sentiment using VersaMagic Night Sky ink pad. The image is crisp and clear after stamping, so I didn’t need to restamp with the We R Precision Press. 

Step 5:
Emboss the card front with any embossing folder to add interest to the background. The Distressed Tile embossing folder is simply gorgeous! 

Step 6:
To add a wow factor, lightly spray the whole panel with Sheer Shimmer in Sparkle. It adds just the right amount of glitter mist to elevate your project. 

Step 7:
It’s time to assemble everything together! Apply Tear It! Tape and foam tape to the back and adhere them to the embossed card front. When adhering vellum pieces to your project, remember to only apply tape and/or glue in areas where it would be hidden. Otherwise the adhesive will show through the translucent vellum paper. 

Craft Supplies:
Imagine Supplies: 

Other Supplies: