Category Archives: Anna Escalada York

Let’s Make a Blackout Technique Card

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By Anna Escalada York

– For teachers, April and May are PACKED!! At this time of the year, it is hard for me to find the time to make elaborate cards, but I want to still be able to sit down and make a card in one sitting. So I turn to techniques that allow me to create something that are quick and easy but also are something to be proud of. This card features one of my go-tos for a quick but pretty card: the blackout technique. 

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: less than 1 hour 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Use a paper trimmer to cut a piece of watercolor paper to be 5.5” x 4.25” (the size of an A2-sized card). Then spray one side a floral embossing folder with Rose Gold Shimmer Craft Spray and run the watercolor panel through the die cutting machine sandwiched between the two sides of the embossing folder. You will be using the debossed (indented) side of the embossed panel. Allow to dry. 

Step 2: 
Color the flowers with Tangelo Memento Dual Marker. Color the edges of the leaves and the stems with Teal Zeal Memento Dual Marker. Then watercolor over all parts of the leaves and the stems with Teal Zeal Memento Dual Marker mixed with water. Allow the water to dry and repeat the process a few times to help add depth to the centers of the leaves. 

Step 3: 
Gently run the Rose Bud Memento ink pad across the card. Because the flowers are indented, they will mostly not be colored with the ink, but the flat parts of the card will be. I liked that some of the areas were not colored with the ink but additional passes of the ink pad can give consistent, universal coverage. 

Spray Copper Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto a piece of acetate and watercolor smoosh the panel to add a little more sparkle. Lightly brush more of the copper spray on the leaves and allow the whole thing to dry. 

Step 4: 
Stamp the sentiment with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then die cut the sentiment with the corresponding die. Use the die cut to die cut two additional layers of scrap cardstock and glue them behind the sentiment die cut for dimension. 

Glue the sentiment onto the embossed card panel. 

Trim the edges of the embossed card panel and distress the edges with a pair of scissors. Trim a piece of black cardstock a little bit bigger than the pink embossed panel and glue the two layers together. Glue pink and orange sequins on the upper right and lower left corners of the card panel. To finish the card, glue the whole card panel onto a white A2-sized card base. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 

Memento Dual Markers – Tangelo and Teal Zeal 
Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Copper and Rose Gold 
VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne 

Other 

Altenew – die set – Magnificent Magnolias 
Altenew – stamp set – Magnificent Magnolias 
Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Miami 
Simon Says Stamp – embossing folder – Magnificent Mums 
Clear Embossing Powder 
Heat tool 
Glue 
Watercolor paper 
Black watercolor paper 

Floral Mother’s Day Card

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By Anna Escalada York

– I wanted to make a card that represents both my mom and myself. My mom’s favorite color is yellow, and I am all about the grunge and sparkle! Now I just need to be out of my craft room long enough for my kids to have to sneak in and make me a card….

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 1.5 hours 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Place a small piece of watercolor paper on some acetate and then spray both with Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Spray. Use a heat tool to dry the spray on the watercolor paper and then flip it over to watercolor smoosh the remaining Cottage Ivy Fireworks! Spray on the acetate and then dry the spray on the watercolor paper again. Repeat the watercolor smooshing once more and dry. Then die cut the watercolor paper with the stem die cut and set aside (not pictured). 

Step 2: 
Stamp the flower’s petals, leaves and center stamps with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. While only one set of petals is pictured here, 12 petals (3 sets of all 4 petals) and both of the leaves and the center were all stamped in the same way 

Step 3: 
Mix Electric Yellow Amplify! with a small amount of water to dilute the Amplify! Ink. Then use to paint the petals. Use a heat tool to dry and add texture. Die cut all of the petals. 

Step 4: 
Stamp the faux stitching texture stamp onto the stem die cut with Nocturne VersaFine Clair Ink. 

Step 5: 
Watercolor smoosh the stamped center of the flower with the leftover mix of water and Electric Yellow Amplify! Ink. Dry with a heat tool. Then spray the center with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and set aside to dry. Then die cut the center with the corresponding die. 

Step 6: 
Glue collage paper onto a panel of kraft cardstock. After the glue dried, press the Champagne Delicata ink pad onto the collage paper to add sparkle and obscure some of the collage paper’s print. 

Step 7: 
After die cutting the collaged panel, spray part of the panel with Cottage Ivy Fireworks! spray. Set aside to dry. 

Off camera, die cut a piece of gold metallic cardstock with the next size up panel die. 

Step 8: 
Spray some more of the Cottage Ivy Fireworks! spray onto another piece of acetate and then watercolor the leaves with the green color. After the spray dried, die cut with the corresponding dies from the die set. 

Step 9: 
Stamp the sentiment on a scrap of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Then heat emboss with embossing powder. 

Step 10: 
Assemble the card. Glue the stem onto the collage panel. Glue the leaves onto the panel. Glue the petals behind the center of the flower. (If desired, use some scraps or other small pieces of cardstock to glue behind the petals to help them stay together.) Then glue the flower petals and the center of the card onto the collaged panel. Then paint the edges of the panel with more of the Cottage Ivy Fireworks! spray. Then glue the sentiment on the lower left part of the panel. Add clear gems onto the panel. 

After all of the glue has dried, glue the panel onto the gold metallic panel to add a matte layer. To finish the card, the whole thing was glued onto an A2-sized white card base. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 
• Amplify! Pigment Ink – Electric Yellow 
• Delicata Ink – Champagne 
• Fireworks! Spray – Cottage Ivy 
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold 
• VersaFine Clair Ink – Nocturne 

Other 
• Idea-ology and Tim Holtz – collage paper – Archives 
• Scrappy Crafts – embellishment mix – Amethyst 
• Simon Says Stamp – die set – Love You Mama 
• Simon Says Stamp – die set – Squovals 
• Simon Says Stamp – stamp set – Love You Mama 
• Spellbinders – stamp and die cutting set – Sculpted Scripted Floral 
• Clear Embossing Powder 
• Gold metallic cardstock 
• Kraft cardstock 
• Heat tool 
• Glue 
• Watercolor paper 

It’s Your Time To Bloom Card

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By Anna Escalada York

I don’t know about you, but I have so much patterned paper that I will probably never use it all. In an attempt to use at least some of it on a card, I turned to my Fireworks! Craft Sprays to enhance the paper to make a card celebrating the colors of spring.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 1 hour (plus drying time)

Directions:

Step 1:
Cut a piece of aqua patterned paper into two parts. Spray Spray one piece Eucalyptus Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution and the other with Willow Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution. After the spray dries, die cut the Willow-sprayed paper with leaf dies and the Eucalyptus-sprayed paper with the branch die and set aside.

Step 2:
Spray a piece of purple patterned paper with Lulu Lavender Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, die cut the paper with the larger flower in the die set.

Step 3:
Spray a piece of blue patterned paper with Bahama Blue Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, die cut the paper with the smaller flower die cut.

Step 4:
Spray a yellow piece of patterned paper with Dandelion Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, die cut the paper with both of the flowers’ central areas.

Step 5:
Color the base layer of the smaller (blue) flower’s center with a Rich Cocoa Memento Dual Marker. Then repeat the process for the larger flower’s center (not pictured). Once the marker dried, glue each of these central parts of the flowers to the rest of flowers’ centers. Then glue both of the centers onto their respective flower’s centers.

Step 6:
Color the upper layers of the purple flower with Lilac Posies Memento Dual Marker to make them darker and stand out from the rest of the flower. After the marker dried, glue the small paper layers onto the rest of the flower.

Step 7:
Color the small blue upper layers of the blue flower with Ultramarine Fabrico Dual Marker. Then spray them with more Bahama Blue Fireworks! Craft Spray. After the spray dries, glue these small blue die cut layers onto the rest of the blue flower.

Step 8:
Spray a piece of watercolor paper with Rose Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and allow to dry. Then die cut the watercolor paper with an A2-sized panel die to create a background for the card.

Not pictured: Die cut a piece of vellum with a mid-sized circular die.

Step 9:
Stamp the sentiment onto a scrap of watercolor paper with Lilac Posies Memento ink and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Trim the sentiment into a thin strip and press the edges into the ink pad to color the edges. Set aside.

Step 10:
Assemble the card. Glue the Rose Gold floral background onto an A2-sized white card base. Then glue down the circular die cut piece of vellum followed by the leaves and branch die cuts. Add foam tape behind the large upper central petal and the lower left petal on the purple flower as well as the whole blue flower. Then add glue behind the rest of the purple flower to attach it to the card base. Then attach the blue flower on top of the purple flower. Glue purple sequins around the card base. Finally, attach the sentiment with more foam tape to finish the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine

• Fabrico Dual Marker – Ultramarine
• Fireworks! Craft Spray: Bahama Blue, Dandelion and Lulu Lavender
• Memento Dual Marker – Lilac Posies and Rich Cocoa
• Memento Ink – Lilac Posies
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Rose Gold
• Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution – Eucalyptus and Willow

Other

• Altenew – foam tape -Instant Dimension Foam Tape
• Hero Arts – die set – Circle Infinity Dies
• Pink and Main – stamp set – Spring Sayings
• Simon Says Stamp – sequins – Lilac Embellishments
• Sizzix and Tim Holtz – die set- Brushstroke Flowers
• Sizzix and Tim Holtz – panel die – Leafy Twigs
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Heat tool
• Scissors Glue
• Watercolor paper
• Vellum

Let’s Make a Sympathy Card 

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By Anna Escalada York

Sadly, I needed to make a sympathy card.

Skill: Intermediate 
Time: 1 hour (plus drying time) 

Directions: 

Step 1: 
Trim a piece of watercolor paper a little bit larger than an A2 sized cardbase (4.5” x 5.75”) and watercolor smoosh the panel with Gray Flannel Memento Ink mixed with water on acetate packaging. Allow the panel to dry. Then repeat the process with Pearlescent Lavender Brilliance Ink and then finally with Champagne Delicata Ink. 

Step 2: 
Stamp stars on watercolor paper with Paradise VersaFine Clair ink. Repeat the process so make the blue of the ink darker. Then heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Then die cut with the corresponding die. 

Step 3: 
Press Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink onto another piece of watercolor paper and then use this paper to die cut the sentiment. Die cut two pieces of scrap paper with the same sentiment die and glue the three layers together for dimension. 

Use the corresponding shadow die to die cut a vellum shadow layer and glue behind the sentiment. 

Step 4: 
Spray the background panel with Paris Dusk Fireworks! Craft Spray through a stencil. While the spray is still wet, remove the stencil and spray the panel with Summer Sky Fireworks! Craft Spray to move both colors of spray. Splatter some of the light blue areas of the panel with Paris Dusk Fireworks! Craft Spray. Allow panel to dry. 

Step 5: 
Trim the background panel to about 4” by 5.25” and then distress the edges with a pair of scissors. Press the edges of the panel into the Gray Flannel Memento Ink pad and then heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. 
Next, glue the sentiment onto the center-right and the Star was attached with foam tape. 

Step 6: 
Stamp a sub-sentiment on a small piece of watercolor paper with more of the Blue Belle VersaFine Clair ink and then heat embossed it with more of the clear embossing powder. Then distress the edges with scissors and then press the edges into the Blue Belle VersaFine Clair Ink. 

Step 7: 
Attach the sub sentiment onto the panel with more of the foam tape. Then glue the whole panel onto an A2-sized white cardbase to finish the card. 

Art Supplies 

Imagine 
• Brilliance Ink – Pearlescent Lavender 
• Delicata Ink – Champagne 
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Paris Dusk 
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Summer Sky 
• Memento ink – Gray Flannel 
• VersaFine Clair ink – Blue Belle 
• VersaFine Clair ink – Paradise 

Other 
• Altenew – foam tape -Instant Dimension Foam Tape 
• Honey Bee Stamps – die set – Happy Hanukkah 
• Honey Bee Stamps – stamp set – Happy Hanukkah 
• Honey Bee Stamps – die set – With Sympathy 
• Honey Bee Stamps – stamp set – With Sympathy 
• The Crafter’s Workshop (TCW) – stencil – Kaleidoscope (TCW347S) 
• Clear Embossing Powder 
• Heat tool 
• Scissors 
• Glue 
• Watercolor paper 
• Vellum 

Let’s Make a Beautiful Mixed Media Panel

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By Anna Escalada York

Last month, I made a jar for my younger kid and wanted to focus on my older kid in February. I made this piece for them while they were taking their ACT test! I decided to personalize the panel to feature some things they like–math and numbers, nature, space and mushrooms. This mixed media piece features sprays, ink, collage, stenciling, and cloth flowers. It was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon and I hope it inspires you to consider making something similar.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 3 hours (plus drying time)

Directions

Step 1:
Paint gesso onto a 6×6” canvas panel and let dry. Then mix a small amount of gesso with Tea Leaves VersaMagic chalk ink on a palette (or a piece of plastic packaging) to create a very light green tin. Repeat the process with more gesso and Bamboo Leaves Memento ink to create a slightly darker green tint of gesso. Using a wide paintbrush, brush both the lighter and the darker green gesso across the panel randomly. Allow to dry a second time. (Or if you are feeling impatient, dry with a heat tool.)

Step 2:
Using a smaller paintbrush, paint the entire surface of each paper flower’s petals with Cantaloupe Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray and then paint the edges with Tangelo Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray. Allow to dry.

Step 3:
Using a sponge dauber, blend Tea Leaves VersaMagic Chalk Ink through a stencil on the upper right and lower left corners of the panel. Allow to dry.

Step 4:
Stamp a mid-sized flower with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Fussy cut the flower and then press the edges along the edges of the flower with more of the Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink to disguise any imperfections left behind when fussy cutting and heat emboss a second time with clear embossing powder.

(When I took the picture I had intended to only include one stamped flower. Later, when assembling the panel, I realized I needed another flower and so repeated the process to make two flowers in total.)

Step 5:
Press the Campagne Delicata ink pad onto watercolor paper. When dry, die cut the watercolor paper with a large circle in a nesting circle die set. Then spray with Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray and allow to dry.

While drying, die cut a piece of collage paper with the next sized down circular die (not pictured).

Step 6:
Return to the canvas panel. Cut out a vertical strip of collage paper and glue it to the left side of the panel. Paint over with leftover gesso on the paint brush (from steps 1 and 3). Add more stenciled texture by blending Bamboo Leaves Memento Ink through the same stencil on the lower left corner of the panel. Then add ink along the edges of the panel by running the Bamboo Leaves Memento Ink pad along the edge.

Step 7:
Partially stamp the center of a small stamp multiple times across the upper and mid right side of the panel with Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink by adding ink to the central part of the stamp (the text) and wiping away the ink from the edges of the stamp and then pressing just the center of the stamp onto the panel. Repeat the process 3 times.

Then stamp a small mushroom stamp multiple times on the lower right side of the panel with more Morning Mist VersaFine Clair ink, sometimes moving the stamp higher and lower on the panel to change the heights of the mushrooms. Allow the ink to dry.

Step 8:
Start to assemble the panel. Glue the die cut watercolor paper circle (step 5) and the collage paper circle together and then glue onto the panel. Then glue the stamped flowers and the 3D paper flowers onto the lower left part of the card. Glue yellow and clear sequins around the flowers.

After I assembled the panel, I realized that it wasn’t done and needed something more.

Step 9:
Die cut a scrap of watercolor paper and use Cantaloupe Fireworks! Craft Spray to paint them yellow with a small paintbrush.

Step 10:
Press Bamboo Leaves Memento Ink onto another scrap of watercolor paper and then die cut the paper with a sentiment. Then use scrap cardstock to die cut two additional layers of the sentiment. Glue all three layers together for dimension.

Step 11:
Splatter the panel with Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray, making sure that gold splatter landed on the petals of the 3D flowers. Glue the beautiful sentiment and the stars onto the panel to finish the card.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Delicata Ink – Champagne
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Cantaloupe and Tangelo
• Memento ink – Bamboo Leaves
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Gold
• VersaFine Clair ink – Morning Mist
• VersaMagic ink – Tea Leaves
• Sponge Daubers

Other
• AALL & Create – stamp – Astroventurer (#912)–used for the sentiment in the background
• Alt Alternatives – 6×6” Economy Cotton Canvas Panel
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Saint Lucia
• Concord & 9th – die set – Botanical die set (beautiful sentiment)
• 49th and Market – Salt (white colored) Paper Flower 8 pack
• Gina Marie Designs – die set – Mosaic Triangle Edge Circle
• Golden – Gesso Semi-Opaque Acrylic Primer
• Lavinia Stamps – stamp – Slender Mushrooms
• Simon Says Stamp – stamp set – Beautiful Flowers
• The Crafter’s Workshop (TCW) – stencil – Square Stones (TCW1087s)
• Tim Holtz and Idea-ology – collage paper – Archives (TH94366)
• Tim Holtz and Sizzix – die set – Creative Cutouts die set (for the stars)
• Clear Embossing Powder
• Heat tool Scissors
• Wide paint brush
• Small paint brush
• Glue
• Watercolor paper

Let’s Make a Nature-Inspired Birthday Card

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By Anna Escalada York

I wanted to use my husband’s birthday to make him a personalized birthday card. He loves to be in nature and loves it when I use recycled materials (mostly because then we don’t have to buy new things). I also added a background that expresses how I feel about him.

Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours

Directions:

Step 1:
Stamp a piece of kraft cardstock with a text-based background stamp with Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Die cut the panel with the second-largest die from a nested A2-sized nested die set.

Step 2:
Stamp a large tree stamp set on a piece of watercolor paper with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Heat emboss with clear embossing powder. Die cut with a mid-sized star die from a nested star die set.

Step 3:
Lightly spray Rich Cocoa Fireworks! Craft Spray and Gold Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray onto the watercolor stamped star. Blot a little of the spray off with a paper towel and allow to dry. Then Then press Celestial Copper Delicata ink onto a piece of acetate packaging and spray with water. Watercolor smoosh the star by pressing the liquid copper onto the panel. Then repeat the watercolor smooshing with Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink mixed with water on the acetate. Let the panel dry again.

Step 4:
Mix some of the remaining Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink and water with more of the Rich Cocoa Fireworks! Craft Spray to make a darker brown watercolor. Paint the trees with the watercolor. Allow to dry. Apply a second coat of watercolor to a few trees to add interest and darker trees. Allow to dry a second time.

Step 5:
Stamp a sentiment on kraft cardstock with Nocturne VersaFine Clair ink. Then heat emboss with more clear embossing powder. Then die cut with the corresponding dies.

Optional: Die cut 2 more die cut layers for each of the sentiment (3 layers total for each of the dies–1 that is the stamped kraft layer, and two scrap layers). Glue the layers together and set aside to dry.

Step 6:
Die cut a piece of corrugated cardboard with the largest die from an A2-sized nesting panel die set. Then brush the edges of the panel with Jumbo Java VersaMagic Chalk Ink.

Step 7:
Use a sponge dauber to ink blend the edges of the star with Celestial Copper Delicata ink. Glue the die cut star onto the smaller, stamped panel. Trim the overhanging left part of the star. Then press Tea Leaves VersaMagic Chalk Ink onto acetate packaging and spray with water.

Splatter the Tea Leaves-colored watercolor onto the panel. Add a couple of watercolor smooshed areas to add interest (or to cover areas where you want splatters but the splatters are not doing what you want). Allow to dry.

Step 8:
Brush the edges of the smaller, stamped panel with the Celestial Copper Delicata ink pad.

Step 9:
Assemble the card. Glue the two panels together. Glue the sentiment strips onto the panel. Then add sequins on the lower left and upper right parts of the card. Then glue the whole thing onto an A2-sized kraft card base.

Art Supplies

Imagine
• Delicata Ink – Celestial Copper
• Fireworks! Craft Spray – Rich Cocoa
• Sheer Shimmer Craft Spray – Gold
• VersaFine Clair ink – Nocturne
• VersaMagic Chalk ink – Jumbo Java
• VersaMagic Chalk ink – Tea Leaves
• Sponge Dauber

Other
• Altenew – die set – Wings & Petals (for the sentiment)
• Altenew – stamp set – Wings & Petals (for the sentiment)
• Catherine Pooler – sequin mix – Wintergreen
• Pink and Main – die set – Notched Corners
• Simon Hurley create – background stamp – Timber!
• Simon Says Stamp – die set – Nested Stars Wafer Dies
• Simon Says Stamp – background stamp – You Are
• Kraft cardstock
• Watercolor paper
• Corrugated cardboard
• Clear Embossing Powder