Category Archives: Helen Gullett

Floral Mixed Media Card

Posted on by

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends! Today we are going to make this floral mixed media card with some ink-smooshing, ink-swiping, ink-splattering, and embossing techniques.

Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15-30 minutes

Direction:

Step 1

Starting with creating the watercolored background panel by cutting a piece of 140 lb watercolor cardstock into 4 ¼ inch x 5 ½ inch. To pick out the color combo, make sure you pick the colors that won’t turn into a muddy color when they are mixed together.

Scribble some of the Tropical Lagoon Fabrico Marker on the craft mat and then spray it lightly with some water. Then, smoosh the watercolor cardstock to the watercolor ink on the mat. Pick it up and dry the watercolor ink on the panel with a craft heat gun. Repeat it until you like the result.

Clean the craft mat with the Staz-On All Purpose Stamp Cleaner and paper towel.

Step 2

Scribble some of the Peony Purple Fabrico Marker on the craft mat and then spray it lightly with some water.

Then, smoosh the watercolor cardstock to the watercolor ink on the mat. Pick it up and dry the watercolor ink on the panel with a craft heat gun. Repeat it until you like the result.

Clean the craft mat with the Staz-On All Purpose Stamp Cleaner and paper towel.

Step 3

Scribble some of the Tangerine Fabrico Marker on the craft mat and then spray it lightly with some water.

Then, smoosh the watercolor cardstock to the watercolor ink on the mat. Pick it up and dry the watercolor ink on the panel with a craft heat gun. Repeat it until you like the result.

Clean the craft mat with the Staz-On All Purpose Stamp Cleaner and paper towel.

Step 4

Scribble some of the Lemon Yellow Fabrico Marker on the craft mat and then spray it lightly with some water.

Then, smoosh the watercolor cardstock to the watercolor ink on the mat. Pick it up and dry the watercolor ink on the panel with a craft heat gun. Repeat it until you like the result.

Clean the craft mat with the Staz-On All Purpose Stamp Cleaner and paper towel.

Step 5

Once the watercolored panel dried well, put it inside the embossing folder, and then run it through the machine.

Step 6

Swipe the VersaFine Clair Warm Breeze ink directly on the embossed part of the panel.

Make sure you swipe the ink lightly and smoothly, do not press down the ink pad to the paper. The juicer (good amount of ink) ink pad, the better.

Dry the ink on the panel with a craft heat gun.

Step 7

To tone down the bright color, swipe some of the VersMagic Cloud White ink on the panel.

This is an optional step, if you prefer a more subtle color background instead of bright color.

Dry the ink on the panel with a craft heat gun.

Step 8

Shake the Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Sprays bottles before you use it to make sure the ink inside mixes well.

Open the top of the spray and use it (or small round brush) to add some splatters of the Summer Sky Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray on the panel.

Dry the splatters of ink on the panel with a craft heat gun.

Step 9

Next, open the top of the spray and use it (or small round brush) to add some splatters of the Lulu Lavender Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray on the panel.

Dry the splatters of ink on the panel with a craft heat gun.

Step 10

Stamp the flower and leaf images on a white cardstock using the VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink pad with a stamping tool (or acrylic stamping blocks).

Dry the stamped images with a craft heat gun.

Step 11

Cut all the stamped flowers and leaves with their matching die set, or you can fussy cut them using micro-tip scissors.

Step 12

Stamp the sentiment on a white card stock using the VersaFine Clair Warm Breeze ink pad with a stamping block.

Dry the stamped sentiment word with a craft heat gun and then fussy cut it with a micro-tip scissors.

Step 13

Trim the background panel into 4 inch x 5 ¼ inch using a paper trimmer.

Add the background panel to an A2 card base with the On Point Glue.

Step 14

Cut a piece of white paper (copy paper works great) with the Delicate Doily die to create your own doily paper mat.

Add the doily paper to the card with the On Point Glue.

Step 15

Add the flowers and leaves to the card with On Point Glue.

Then, add some of a thin foam to the sentiment with On Point Glue and add it to the card with the same glue.

Step 16

Add more shimmer to the card by spraying and splatting some of the Sheer Shimmer Spark Spray.

The ink-smooshing, embossing, ink-swiping, and ink-splattering techniques give an amazing texture look to the background of this card.

And those layers of doily, flowers, leaves, and sentiment add more dimension to this mixed media card.

I hope you will give this tutorial a try and play around with different colors to see the surprise you will get for your cards. Thanks so much for stopping by our blog today.

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Bold Blooms stamp & die bundle set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Delicate Doily die set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Scallop Embossing Folder (Close To MY Heart, discontinued)
  • Watercolor cardstock 140 lb.
  • White cardstock
  • White copy paper
  • Acrylic stamping blocks / Tool
  • Micro-tip scissors
  • Paper trimmer
  • Twizzers
  • Bone Folder
  • Bottle Sprayer / Mister Bottle
  • Paper Towel

DIY Personalized Canvas Journal Using Fabrico Markers

Posted on by

By Helen Gullett

~ Hello crafty friends! Every year, I would need a new journal to start the new year and this time I got a new blank canvas journal that I wanted to personalize. So today, I wanna share with you how to personalize your own canvas journal. It is very easy and fun for sure.

Let’s get crafting!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 15 minutes

Direction:

Step 1

Get the blank canvas journal out of its plastic packaging and then use a link roller to clean the canvas cover well from dust, lint, and threads. This step to make the next stamping steps easier and nothing would get stuck on your stamp later.

Step 2

I worked with a layer stamp set, you can use any stamp set you want to personalize your canvas journal.

The first step is stamping the first base layer of the big flower. Put the flower stamp on a stamping acrylic block, and then cover it with some ink using the Cerulean Blue Fabrico Marker. Then stamp it on the canvas cover. Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas.

Repeat the stamping until you cover the whole canvas journal cover.

Step 3

To stamp the second layer of the flower, put the flower stamp on a stamping acrylic block, and then pick a second darker color. I used the Ultramarine Fabrico Marker. Cover the whole stamp with the ink and then stamp it on the canvas cover. Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas.

Repeat the stamping until all flowers are stamped with the second layer image.

Step 4

Next, stamp the middle part of the flower. Put the base layer (solid) of the middle part of the flower stamp on a stamping acrylic block, and then cover it with some ink using the Lemon Yellow Fabrico Marker. Then line it up in the middle of the flower, and stamp.

Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas.

Repeat the stamping until you cover the whole canvas journal cover.

Step 5

Then, grab the second layer of the middle part of the flower and put it on a stamping acrylic block. Use the Tangerine Fabrico Marker to stamp it on top of the base layer.

Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas.

Repeat the stamping until you fill all the flowers.

Step 6

Use the Emerald Fabrico Marker to stamp the first base layer of the leaf.

Put the leaf stamp on a stamping acrylic block, cover it with some ink, and then stamp it on around the flower as many as you want.

Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas.

Repeat the stamping step until you like how it looks.

Step 7

For the second layer of the leaf, I use the Forest Fabrico Marker.

Put the stamp on a stamping acrylic block, cover it with some ink, and then stamp it on each leaf.

Make sure it lines up with the base image first, and then press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas.

Repeat the stamping step until all leaves are stamped.

Step 8

Now stamping the tiny flowers to fill in the empty spaces.

Put the base layer of the tiny flower stamp on a small stamping acrylic block, cover it with some ink using the Wisteria Fabrico Marker, and then stamp it until it fills out the empty spaces on the cover.

Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas. Repeat the stamping step.

Step 9

Next is to stamp the second layer of the tiny flower. Put it on a small stamping acrylic block, cover it with some ink using the Peony Purple Fabrico Marker, and then stamp it until all second layers of the tiny flower are stamped.

Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas. Repeat the stamping step.

Step 10

Last step of this process is stamping the middle part of the tiny flower.

Put the stamp on a small stamping acrylic block, cover it with some ink using the Lemon Yellow Fabrico Marker, and then stamp it on all the tiny flowers.

Make sure to press it down strongly and evenly, do not wiggle it around to get a good impression on canvas. Repeat the stamping step.

If you want, you can use a craft iron to heat set the ink to the canvas. But without ironing, the ink will dry permanently in 24 hours (do not get it wet).

Being able to personalize our own canvas journal is a fun project and also, you can make it for gifting, too.

I hope you will give this technique a try and play around with different colors. Thanks so much for stopping by our blog today.

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Flower Pop Layering Stamp Set (Altenew)
  • Blank Canvas Journal
  • Acrylic stamping blocks
  • Paper Towel
  • Lint roller

A Winter Birthday Card with Soft Layers and Snowy Texture

Posted on by

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends… If you are like me, I always need birthday cards at any season. Since it is Winter now, today we are going to make a Winter themed birthday card. Let’s gather your supplies and make it together.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15-20 minutes

Directions:

Step 1

First, cut out a piece of vellum paper into 4.25 inch x 5.5 inch (or any size that will fit inside your embossing folder).

Add some of the Brilliance Moonlight ink to the embossing folder on the raised side, carefully add the vellum paper to the embossing folder, and then run it through the die cutting machine (make sure to follow your die machine sandwich instructions for embossing folder).

It’s optional, you add more of the white ink to the embossed vellum if you want to.

Use a craft heat gun to dry the ink on the embossed vellum.

Step 2

To add more shine and sparkle to the white snowflake embossed vellum, gently rub some of the VersaMark Dazzle Frost ink pad on the embossed side (raised image).

Dry the ink on the embossed vellum with a craft heat gun.

Trim it into 4 inch x 5.5 inch. I suggest using scissors instead of papertrimmer.

Step 3

Add the 3 cake image stamps on the stamping tool, and then add the Brilliance inks (Pearlescent Purple, Pearlescent Lavender, and Pearlescent Sky Blue) to each cake stamp. Stamp them on a piece of white cardstock.

Repeat this step if needed to get good solid stamped images.

Dry the ink well with a craft heat gun and set it aside.

Step 4

Add the icing image stamps on the stamping tool, and then add the Brilliance Pearlescent Orchid to each cake stamp. Stamp them on a piece of white cardstock.

Repeat this step if needed to get good solid stamped images.

Dry the ink well with a craft heat gun and set it aside.

Step 5

Next, stamp the cherry and sentiment using the stamping tool with Delicata Ruby Red ink on a piece of white cardstock.

Repeat this step if needed to get a good solid stamped image.

Dry the ink well with a craft heat gun and set it aside.

Step 6

Cut each image with the matching die using a die cutting machine.

If you do not have the matching die set for your stamp set, you can fussy the stamped images with micro-tip scissors.

Step 7

Add the embossed vellum paper to the card using On Point Glue, press gently to make sure the vellum adhered well to the card background.

Add the birthday cake pieces to the card using On Point Glue, press gently to make sure they adhered well to the vellum background.

Step 8

Fussy cut the sentiment using the micro-tip scissors.

Add some of the white fun foam to the back of the sentiment using some of the Tear It! Tape, then add the sentiment to the card.

This card is easy and fun to make, especially the Brilliance Pearlescent inks give extra sparkle to the cake!

Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Birthday Cake Remix stamp and die set (Catherine Pooler Designs)
  • Snowflake Embossing Folder (Darice)
  • Vellum paper (Bazzil)
  • White Cardstocks
  • Thin white fun foam
  • Stamping Tool
  • Die cutting machine
  • Twizzers
  • Micro-tip scissors

How to Make Hand-Painted Christmas Wood Slice Ornaments

Posted on by

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends… Can you believe it? The holiday season is here!!! Making Christmas ornaments is one of my favorite things to do. Today let’s make some handmade ornaments together. These ornaments can be additions to your own Christmas tree or you can give them to your families and friends.

Skill: Easy
Time: 15-30 minutes

Ornament #1 – Holiday Evergreen Wood Slice Ornament

Directions:

Step 1
First, make sure your wood slice surface is smooth and clean. There are pre-sanded wood slices available online, too. If your wood slices were not sanded yet, you can sand it with sanding paper. Use a dry paper towel to clean the surface well.

Draw a circle and branches with the Rich Cocoa Memento Marker brush tip. You also can use a circle template to draw the circle.

Step 2
Use the brush tip of the Pear Tart Memento Marker to draw the layer of pine needle leaves with outward flicking motion on each branch.

Step 3
Draw the second layer of the pine needle leaves on each branch using the fine tip of Cottage Ivy Memento Marker.

Step 4
Draw the berries on the wreath using the fine tip of the Lady Bug Memento Marker. Simple doodle 3 little circles.

Step 5
Write lightly the word “Noel” (or any word you want on your ornament) with pencil and then trace it with the Tuxedo Black Memento Marker brush tip. You can skip the pencil if you can do handlettering directly with the marker.

These Memento Markers dry quickly and the ink won’t smudge on the wood surface. Add a piece of burlap twine to the ornament and tie it up as the hanger.

Ornament #2 – Faux Chalkboard Wood Slice Ornament

Directions:
For the second ornament we are going to make today is a faux chalkboard wood slice ornament. There are a couple ways to do a faux chalkboard look on a wood slice, today we are going to do simply just painting and stamping.

Step 1
Paint the wood with chalkboard paint or multi-surface black acrylic paint. Usually one layer of paint will be enough. Make sure the paint dries well before you do the stamping.

On the wood on a stamping tool and use the magnets to keep it in place or you can use tape on the back of the wood slice and place it on the stamping tool.

On the dried painted surface, stamp the sentiment using StazON Opaque – Cotton White ink.

Step 2
Stamp the holly leaves and berries using StazOn Opaque – Cotton White on the ornament around the sentiment using the stamping tool or small stamping blocks.

When the ink dried well, add a piece of baker twine to the ornament as the hanger.

I hope you like these ornament ideas and you will find it easy to make your own ornaments. Also, making ornaments can be a fun Christmas craft party idea. I love both style ornaments, which one do you like?

Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Thoughtful Wreath Stamp Set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Wood Slices (3-4 inch)
  • Burlap twine (usually it is included if you buy wood slice kit)
  • Black Paint (chalk or multi surface acrylic paint)
  • Small flat paint brush
  • Sanding paper
  • Stamping Tool
  • Stamping Blocks

Let’s Make a Christmas Wreath Card

Posted on by

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends! If you ask me if we could start making Christmas projects in July, I would say the sooner the better. One of the ways to share the joy of the Holiday is by sending handmade Christmas cards. Today, I have this no-stamping Christmas card idea to share with you all. Yes… it is a no-stamping card, all die cuts. To add extra shimmer to the die cuts, I use Brilliance Dew Drop inks today. So, let’s turn on the Christmas music and get crafting!

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 20-30 minutes

Direction:

Step 1
Cut a heavyweight white cardstock (110 lb) to make the A2 card base in 4.25 inch x 5.5 inch dimension. Set a side.

Cut out a piece of white cardstock with the Arched Window die with the die cutting machine.

Randomly dab some of the Cosmic Cooper Brilliance ink and Galaxy Gold ink on the window to cover it. Then set it aside to dry or you can use a craft heat gun to speed up the drying time.

Step 2
Cut out 2 or 3 shades of green cardstocks with the wreath die with the die cutting machine.

Randomly dab some of the Moonlight White Brilliance ink on each of the wreaths to give them a snowy effect. Then set them aside to dry or you can use a craft heat gun to speed up the drying time.

Step 3
Cut out another white cardstock with the Joy word die using the die cutting machine twice. You can cut out 3-4 times to create a thicker word chipboard.

Cover the word diecuts with some of the Galaxy Gold ink to give them gold color. Then set them aside to dry or you can use a craft heat gun to speed up the drying time.

Step 4
Put together the wreath diecuts with some of the On Point Glue to become a one thicker wreath. Put a heavy object (I used a large acrylic stamping block) on them until the glue dries permanently in a couple minutes.

Do the same way with the Joy word diecuts to create the word chipboard.

Step 5
I embossed a piece of 4.25 inch x 5.5 inch white cardstock using the Brick Wall stencil. If you have a similar background embossing folder, you can use it, too.

Add the embossed background panel to the card base with some of the Tear It! Tape.

Step 6
Add the arched window to the card with On Point Glue, add a heavy object on it (or a large acrylic stamping block) until the glue dries permanently.

Add the word chipboard to the wreath with some baker’s twine to make it look like hanging down in the middle of the wreath. Tie up the twine into a bow and secure it with a dab of On Point Glue. Put a heavy object (or a larger acrylic stamping block) on it so the twine stays in place until the glue dries permanently.

Step 7
Cut a couple thin strips out of the thin white fun foam (about ¼ inch wide) and add some of the Tear It! Tape to them to create the foam tape.

Cut the foam tape into small pieces and add them at the back of the wreath. Remove the backing of the foam tapes and add the wreath to the card.

Step 8
Decorate the wreath with some of the Peppermint clay embellishments by adding them to the wreath with some of the On Point Glue.

Step 9
On the craft mat, mix a small amount of white acrylic paint with some water.

Add some of white paint splatters to the card using brush for more texture and snowy look.

Dry the whole card with a craft heat gun.

I love how this no-stamping Christmas card turned out and I hope you do, too. I plan to make more of this card to send them out to families and friends later.

Thank you so much for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others:

  • Lovely Wreaths Die Set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Arched Window Die Set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Peace & Joy Word Die Set (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Brick Wall Stencil (Creative Worship Stamps)
  • Peppermint clay Embellishments (Twiddler’s Nook)
  • Thin fun foam
  • Bakers Twine (Christmas colors)
  • White Cardstock
  • Green Cardstock (optional: 2 colors)
  • White acrylic paint
  • Die Cutting Machine
  • Twizzers
  • Non-stick scissors
  • Craft heat gun
  • Paper Towel / baby wipes

Summer Butterfly Postage Card

Posted on by

By Helen Gullett

Hello crafty friends! I was inspired by some Summer butterflies I saw in our backyard, I made this Summer butterfly postage card. For today’s project, we will do some watercoloring with Memento inks and stamping with VersaColor ink pad and VersaFine ink pad. It is a fun technique to stretch the use of the ink pads.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 15-20 minutes

Directions:

Step 1
Cut out a piece of 140 lb watercolor paper into 5 inch x 7 inch and place it in the stamping tool.
Stamp the butterfly image on the watercolor paper with VersaFine Onyx Black ink pad.

Step 2
Dab some of the Memento inks on the craft mat and pick the color up with the water brush and start painting the butterflies and background. I used wet on wet watercoloring technique on this project.

Paint the butterfly with the Memento Tangelo ink and Cantaloupe ink. Dry the watercolor paint with a craft heat gun.

Paint the background around the butterflies with the Memento Summer Sky ink and Teal Zeal ink. Dry the whole panel with a craft heat gun.

Step 3
When the whole panel dried well, cut it with the Postage Stamp cover plate die.

Stamp some texture image from the Going Postal stamp set randomly on the background panel using VersaFine Onyx Black.

Step 4
On a piece of white cardstock, stamp the sentiment words using the VersaColor Turquoise ink pad.

Dry the ink with a craft heat gun and fussy cut it into word strips with scissors or paper trimmer.

Use a fineliner archival ink pen, draw the outline around the word strips.

Step 5
Use the On Point Glue to add the background panel to the card base. And then, add the words on the card.

It’s done.

This Summer butterfly postage card is flat enough and fits inside a regular envelope. I hope this project gives you inspiration today on how to use your ink pads not only for stamping but also for watercoloring as well.

Thank you for stopping by our blog today. Have a wonderful day!

Craft Supplies

Imagine Crafts:

Others: