Category Archives: Elina Stromberg

Make a Gorgeous Set of Cards with a Floral Theme

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by Elina Stromberg

Make a Gorgeous Set of Cards with Floral Theme with VersaMagic Ink

I love working with VersaMagic inks. Those chalky inks look gorgeous both on light and dark cardstocks, and the ink’s rich and creamy consistency make stamping simple and fun. In addition to stamping the VersaMagic inks can be applied directly from the inkpad on the cardstock. Possibilities are endless for creating beautiful stenciled and masked backgrounds!

I made a set of ATC cards, using black cardstock as the card panel. For background patterns, I used a simple masking technique, in which I covered parts of the background with a strip of a torn piece of paper and dabbed VersaMagic ink on the black cardstock. The pictures don’t do justice to the wonderful shimmering finish!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 1 hour

Direction


Step 1

Cut four ATC cards of size 2.5” x 3.5” from black cardstock. Using a piece of torn paper mask parts of the ATC background, and apply VersaMagic in Cloud White on the cardstock. Move strip, and apply more ink until the entire background is decorated.


Step 2

Stamp flowers on white cardstock with various VersaMagic colors.


Step 3

Using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, stamp flower borders on top. Stamp flower centers with VersaFine Clair in Summertime. Let dry and fussy cut flowers and stems with scissors. Glue flowers and stems on ATC’s. Decorate with stamped sentiment words “Create, Keep Calm, Dreamer.” If you want to have a border around the card, trim the edges, and mat the card on white cardstock cut to ATC size.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Simon Says Stamp – Artful Flowers stamp
  • Carabelle Studio – Mini mots 3
  • Mixed media paper
  • Cardstock
  • Scissors
  • Glue

April Color of the Month is Mango!

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Mango is April's Color of the Month 2018

Mango is not only a delicious fruit, it is also a beautiful color! Every month we challenge our Artists in Residence with a couple of different ideas or themes to push them to think outside the box, to try a technique they haven’t tried before and to give flow and continuity to the projects. This month our color is Mango which we consider a soft yellow-orange. We chose it to get us in the mood for summer! This color reminds us of fruit, flowers, the warming sun, and fun-in-the-sun activities. Another challenge we offered to our artists is to use VersaMagic ink. This chalk-like finish makes this ink a delight to work with on almost any crafting project.

Here is a sneak peak for the month of April

Elina Stromberg created this lovely “Hello” greeting card using Memento dye inks in Cantaloupe.

Iris Rodriguez created this “Hello” greeting card with a flowering tree using VersaMagic Mango Madness, Thatched Straw, and Aegean Blue

Roni Johnson created this “Keep on Swimmin” encouragement card using VersaMagic in Mango Madness with some shading using Memento Dual Tip Markers.

Keep an eye on our posts this month to see these and many more tutorials in this fabulous color!

See What Craft Supplies Our Artists Recommend for Weddings

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See What Craft Supplies Our Artists Recommend for Weddings

There are so many kinds of craft projects that would successfully create a DIY wedding. We see all sorts of fabulous ideas on Pinterest and highlights from crafter’s blogs that blow our minds. We decided to ask our Artists in Residence (and some members of the Imagine team) to recommend their favorite Tsukineko or Imagine products to use in wedding cardmaking and crafting. Here is what they had to say!

Product Recommendations

3 Votes for Delicata!

Steph Ackerman

I recommend Delicata in Celestial Copper and Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Clear. This metallic pigment ink creates a beautiful effect on vellum. For further detail add a touch of color with Memento Markers to coordinate with the colors of the bridal party. The full-size inkpad should be enough to create a large number of cards and this ink has an inker available. So if you are creating more than usual then purchase the inker with the large inkpad.

Nadine Carlier

Delicata in White Shimmer and Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Iridescent on black cardstock is a great combo. For a video tutorial, I created this gorgeous black and white themed wedding invitation card. If you need the extra shimmery wedding then spray some Sheer Shimmer Spritz Sparkle. Watch Nadine’s video.

Jowilna Nolte

I recommend using All-Purpose Ink Pale Mint Green and Delicata in White Shimmer on top, all on a pearly cardstock. One lovely stamping technique I recommend for making an invitation would be to use a layered stamp set like you would find in the Altenew collection.

Shop Delicata

 

3 Votes for Embossing Powders!

Jennifer Vanderbeek

Gold and silver embossing powder is the best way to bring a touch of elegance. If you don’t have time to DIY it all, a touch of gold or silver embossing on your paper goods can elevate purchased items with a bit of pizazz.

Melissa Andrew

I really love Imagine’s Embossing Powders on vellum. I love a beautiful soft look for weddings and a gorgeous embossing powder on or under vellum is simple yet stunning. The beautiful colors, gold or silver, are the perfect colors to represent long-lasting love. They seem to compliment any colors a bride would choose. VersaMark ink is a great ink for embossing because of it’s tacky qualities. 

Arjita Sepaha Singh 

For an Indian wedding, perspective red is the color! Red is considered auspicious and adding Imagine’s Embossing Powder in Gold will be like a match made in heaven.

Shop Embossing

2 Votes for Creative Medium!

Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

I recommend Creative Medium in any of the Iridescent colors as a great way to create backgrounds that are not visible at first sight, giving an elegant and festive style with a distinctive glamour.

Martha Lucia Gomez

I enjoy Creative Medium in Clear and created a floral design using a watercolor technique with Fireworks Shimmery Craft Spray and Memento dye inks. See the full tutorial for this card. 

Shop Creative Medium

2 Votes for Sheer Shimmer Spritz!

Roni Johnson

For wedding projects, there’s nothing I like more than Sheer Shimmer Spray to add a touch of elegance, sparkle, and shine. It comes in 6 different colors, perfect to match any theme the bride and groom have chosen. Sheer Shimmer Spray can make plain white sparkle and they make colored backgrounds really pop! 

Marcie McCabe

My recommendation is Sheer Shimmer Spray in Sparkle and Fireworks Craft Spray in the colors of the wedding party. 

Shop Sheer Shimmer Spray

 

1 Vote for Fireworks Sprays

Iris Rodriguez

I recommend Fireworks Shimmery Craft Sprays for crafting in wedding decor. It can be hard to match the right colors for wedding decor. Since Fireworks is available in 24 colors and is a dye-based ink, you can choose one of the colors or blend colors to make the desired color. For example, to make a simple cork place card holder (in photo above), add a paper flower embellishment and color it with Fireworks! It’s elegant, inexpensive and personal. To make a zero waste wedding, make a wreath by attaching all remaining cork place card holders and flowers to a frame.

Shop Fireworks!

2 Votes for VersaFine Clair

Kassandra Tousignant

I recommend a delicate floral background stamp on paper with Sheer Shimmer Spray in Sparkle. In the photo above, I layered the paper with an acrylic sheet on top stamped with VersaFine Clair inked “It’s Your Special Day” sentiment. 

 Amanda Harryman

For those who don’t want to emboss, but want a touch of that elegant look, I would recommend Delicata in Golden Glitz or Silvery Shimmer depending on colors or preferences. I can also say that I would recommend VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, or other wedding colors, to use for the return address stamp on invitations since it will stamp the details clearly, and be smudge-proof quickly.

Shop VersaFine Clair

Learn How to Upcycle Cork Coasters

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by Elina Stromberg

Learn How to Upcycle Cork Coasters

A while ago, I found a pile of old cork coasters in my kitchen cabinet. I had not used them in years and was just about to throw them away, but then I realized they were perfect for small home décor items. Maybe the beautiful material made me change my mind. Nowadays cork is truly a trendy material in craft projects, so I thought I should try to turn the old coasters into something nice and new. And I’m so glad I did!

Skill: Beginner
Time: 30 minutes

Directions


Step 1

Remove dust and stains from the coasters.


Step 2

Stamp the images using Onyx Black VersaFine. When stamping, press the stamp firmly on the cork surface. VersaFine is a great ink for solid image stamping and since it is a dense ink it should stamp on the cork well.


Step 3

Color images with All-Purpose Ink. Use irRESISTible Pico Embellisher in Wedding Dress (white) for decorating the stamped and colored images with dimensional paint dots. Let dry.


Step 4

Using a new Fantastix, color in the leaves with All-Purpose Ink in Spring Green.


Step 5

To finish this project, continue stamping and coloring the remaining coasters in your set. You have the option of making all 4 or 6 of your coasters different or repeating the same image for all. If you want to hang the decorated coaster on the wall, attach a loop on the back of the coaster with a strong adhesive.

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Cork Coasters
  • Stampendous – Nesting Bird Stamp
  • Acrylic block for stamping

See How to Make Great Wedding Crafts for a Beautiful DIY Wedding

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We are wrapping up a week of Wedding Craft inspiration and thought we would do a little recap. Please pin this page as a reference or share on facebook. We encourage you to pull from these design ideas and mix and match them to create what you need. For example, Kyriakos table decor almost matches Kassy’s banner perfect. With a little tweaking on each design, you could easily create a full array of decor for a wedding.

 

Create a Matching Wedding Set – the Invitation, Favor Box & Placecards by Roni Johnson.

As always, Roni outdid herself by creating three dynamic matching papercraft projects featuring a free download for a favor box. Using the Imagine’s Color of the Month (and Pantone’s color of the year) Ultraviolet as inspiration for the color scheme.

A Simple, Elegant and Inexpensive Wedding Table Setting by Kyriakos Pachadiroglou

Kyriakos has a knack for jewelry and table decor. He certainly shows off this knowledge in this post where he creates a pull tab card, napkin ring, cutlery placeholder and wine glass placeholder for a lovely DIY shabby chic style. One super fun element we love in this design is the doily stamp. Yes.. that is a stamp not as an actual paper doily.

How to Make Wedding Flowers from Coffee Filters by Jennifer Vanderbeek

We are so impressed with how these paper flowers turned out! Since Jennifer is one of our video artists, you will have the luxury of seeing for yourself how these are handcrafted. Take a minute to watch this YouTube video to see how she designed these bouquets.

Create An Elegant “Always & Forever” Wedding Sign by Steph Ackerman

We like the rich purple flowers that literally pop off this banner style sign. See how Steph used Creative Medium in Iridescent Purple to match flowers to “Always & Forever” text.

Use a Cute Lovebirds Theme in Wedding Decor by Elina Stromberg

We appreciate this lovebird design as a theme for a wedding. Elina goes through a couple different color schemes and design ideas to show off how to use one stamp in a variety of ways.

Learn How to Make a Shabby Chic Wedding Banner by Kassy Tousignant

And if you have not watched this video yet then please do! Kassy goes through all the steps of creating this Shabby Chic Mr. & Mrs. Banner.

Use a Cute Lovebirds Theme in Wedding Decor

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by Elina Stromberg

Use a Cute Lovebirds Theme in your Wedding Decor

It will soon be the season for beautiful summer weddings! I found a beautiful lovebirds stamp in my stash and used it for a set of simple and easy-to-make wedding cards. My paper crafting hobby was kick-started by my own wedding 15 years ago. I made birthday cards in the past, but other than that I had very little experience with the tools and the basic techniques of paper crafting. Therefore, creating all wedding invitations, menu cards, place cards, wedding candies and other decorations for our special day was quite an effort, and had I known more paper crafting basics, the task would have been much simpler! In this quick tutorial, I show how the same stamp can be used in different uses and colors so you can see how the same stamp might be used to create many different looks.

Skill: Beginner
Time: 15 minutes per card

Directions


Step 1

For this card set, I first stamped the lovebirds image a few times on semi-glossy office paper. I wanted to color the images using Promarker alcohol markers, so I chose a water-based black Memento ink for stamping. If I had used watercolors, I would have stamped the images with VersaFine oil-based pigment ink. Remembering that basic rule of thumb (alcohol markers work with water-based inks (some, not all); watercolors or other wet coloring techniques use with non-water-based inks) will make the coloring steps a lot much easier!


Step 2

Whenever I’m coloring stamped images, I usually use black stamping ink. However, the new VersaFine Clair inks work perfectly for stamped coloring projects. I love how this monotonous purple image turned out!


Step 3

I also created matching napkin rings using the very same love birds stamp. I think they turned out quite nice! I made one colored version and another even more simplified one for which I stamped the lovebirds on white paper with Delicata ink in Shimmering Silver. Elegant and easy!

Supplies

Imagine
Other
  • Lovebirds stamp
  • Acrylic block
  • Winsor & Newton – Promarkers
  • Card bases
  • Glossy Cardstock
  • Cardstock
  • Double-sided tape
  • Scissors